Just signed up for a scrap exchange!

http://www.collagescrapexchange.brwnpaperbag.com/

Check out this really neat collage contest I just signed up for!  Excited to have a project after holiday cards are made!!

Tis the Season- Merry Christmas Mock Ups

Tis the season for holiday orders!  This is all I can share without risking spoiling the surprise.  Room for two more orders for the holidays then, the shop will be closing until January 1st!

November = Christmas Card time!

Over the last four years, I've finally learned it is never too early to begin thinking about Christmas cards.  This year, I've started earlier than ever and am excited to reveal the design.  But, first, I thought I'd reminisce about Christmas past (keep in mind these are the leftovers that didn't get sent- i.e. the bad ones!)....

Christmas 2010- I have no idea!  This would have been Chris and my first official Christmas cards sent together... unless maybe we forgot!  I'll blame it on being newlyweds!

Some of Christmas 2011- I think this is part of a second batch because I ran out of the first kind.  Tea stained paper was "in" for me!  First cards sent from Copley!

Christmas 2012- definitely had student help printing all of these... and in choosing the colors- bold!

Christmas 2013- Promoting the whole cut paper c by carmmarie branding.

And this year... wait for it...

Christmas 2014- the best one yet (well at least in my opinion!)

A New Kind of Tree

Over the last few months, I've branched out to include a new kind of tree in my line of designs and another wedding option (outside of bouquets & invites).  This is my first guest book tree!  I'd love to know what you think!

Repeat Customer

I am excited to present the work for my first repeat etsy customer!  I am so happy for the continued business and am really proud of this most recent piece.

For the paper, I used this Japanese blue paper from Paper Source to, again, match this stunning blue mat.  The light blue frame I used on another 12x16 piece and am really happy with it!

Coordinated Color Scheme Custom Home

I'm proud to post about my most recent Etsy order (shipped out yesterday) for a customer with a beautiful home!  She and I discussed how the custom home portrait will be displayed in her living room, which has a navy, gray, and yellow color scheme.  It was so helpful to work with this coordinated set of colors (as well as those within her home) to create this large scale piece- 20x24!

We originally discussed a gray matte, but after I found this stunning Japanese navy paper from Paper Source for the windows, a navy was the perfect matte choice.  Grays were picked up within the shutters and driveway and the yellows, of course within the potted plants by the door.

Making Way for Mockups!

Mockup sketch for a new project for a returning customer! 

3 Projects in 3 Weeks, Plus Website Updates!

Friday marked the end of the third week of school and I am proud to say I'm on pace with my artwork this year (this has never happened before!!).  Check out these three projects made in the last three weeks:

Here's a project from before school started that I've hadn't posted yet!  One of my favorite pieces so far ;)

First Week of Work, Work!

So proud to post my work from this week, the first week of school.  In the past, the first few months of school put a barrier between me and my artwork.  This year, totally different!  I'm excited to present my second bouquet re-creation!  Final touches will be done tomorrow.  Then on to a custom home portrait for some fabulous Vandy friends!

The start of something great...

If you read closely, it says the ship date was July 28th... well, I'm clearly a little behind, (back to school was today) but I am really excited about the start of this beautiful bouquet for my even more beautiful friend, Emily!

More to come this week!

Invitation Celebration!

Yey!  These just went out today!  So happy to dive back into the invitation world :)

Love the combination of textures and patterns!  See below for product information.

Chevron Envelope Liners- cut myself!  I learned a lot about cutting liners from the wonderful folks at the Green Hill's Paper Source- thank you!!!

Kraft Baronial Envelopes (baronial*, or triangle seal, envelopes in kraft are difficult to find- most are a-style.  The ones I ordered from Paper Presentation were a perfect blend of casual, yet classic), Kraft card stock (of course this matched the envelopes and was in a gorgeous warm kraft), and Champagne Cover (stunning and front/back!)

Beautiful Pressed Baby's Breath from Preserved Gardens Etsy Shop

Finally, each invitation was tied with natural twine.  I easily found tons of waxed hemp, but wanted something both thin and natural and finally found it at Joann's in Franklin (one perk of being on the south side is how close I am to yet another craft store!).

*for more info on envelope types, here is a handy guide:

I am now planning to spend the coming months on several projects exciting projects- paper bouquet, two custom home portraits, baby letters for my new nephew (coming soon!), as well as an exciting new project inspired by the family tree line- a wedding guest book (more details to come!).  It is going to be a beautifully busy fall!  

I still have room for a few more orders for the remainder of 2014 and am starting to take requests for 2015 too!

Paper Love

Gotta love this Lotka Herringbone Pattern! 

This ain't no 14,000 corners, but still happy to have a quality corner puncher for these lovely liners!

Work station!

                                                

L is for Levi

Brought to you by... the letter L

to be continued...