Swing Set ("Good Times"), by Elum.

Over Labor Day weekend, Jw and I spent our Saturday morning over on Southport Ave... a little Kinko's action for some work stuff, followed by a bagel @ Einstein Bros. - and then, of course, an Anthropologie walk-through... but the only thing I bought all day (despite the fact that I'm trying to save money), were these awesome letterpress cards at card boutique, Va Va Voom (3402 N Southport)...

Monkey Around ("Love Hanging Out"), by Elum.

Jungle Gym ("Friends Forever"), by Elum.

The Swing Set card already has a specific destination, but I haven't decided where to send the other two... The Jungle Gym is my favorite, so maybe I'll just keep that one for myself ;)

images c/o Jw.

Alejandro Paul (one of my favorite type designers), sent me an email this morning about his new typeface, Compendium... and it's hot.

At first glance, the font looked fairly similar to the oh-so-stunning, Burgues Script, so, of course I'm intrigued (and worried about the money I'll spend when I inevitably have to buy this new script)...

Compendium

Burgues

But upon further comparison, they're definitely from the same hand/mind, but clearly different. Now, I must have this new AlePaul design. It's difficult for me as a rather non-traditional designer to find elegant-yet-not-stuffy scripts to use for wedding invitations... Burgues has been quite the lifesaver, and I look forward to incorporating Compendium into my future designs, as well...

Now, if I can just work up the muster to spend the mere $99 to have it in my Font Suitcase...

images c/o Sudtipos.

I'm kind of obsessed with birds as a design element, which I guess is pretty obvious from looking at my own work (see the last two images ;) ...so, here's a recent collection of bird pieces that I'm in love with. Enjoy!

"Swallows" Blank Card, $12.50/box of 6 by Binth.

Nest Necklace, $125.00 by Amy Bengtson.

letterpress coasters, $12.00/8pk by 12fifteen.

"Crow" Cuddle Pillow, $72.00 by Binth.

Custom Wedding Invitations (starting @ $15/set) by OrangeBeautiful.

Birds & Stripes Assorted Box, $16.00/6pk by OrangeBeautiful.

This is a fun and practical idea I've never seen before: personalized, perforated calling cards in a matchbook-style carrying case.

If you're prone to losing things in a gigantic handbag, this could be a good option for keeping the stash of cards together!

Be sure to check out this and other pretty items in Story By Mia's Etsy shop.

Images from Story By Mia.

Just spotted some pretty new greeting cards from Binth that incorporate one of my favorite colors: lavender.

They remind me of these rooms by Chicago interior designer Anne Coyle, for whom lavender is a signature color.

Coyle has said that lavender works as an unexpected neutral. Often thought to be too "pastel" or girlish, I think it can be very sophisticated and dramatic, especially when offset by black and brights like fuschia and yellow, as shown in the paper and interiors examples here.

Images from Binth and Anne Coyle Interiors.

Heading into the weekend, Jw and I got to talking about what Labor Day is for... (no, the answer is not "having a day off" and/or "drinking beer during the day" - although, that is increasingly the U.S. version of pretty much every holiday)... Let's have Wikipedia shed a little light, shall we? ::

Labor Day has been celebrated on the first Monday in September in the United States since the 1880s. The form for the celebration of Labor Day was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday—a street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations," followed by a festival for the workers and their families.

This got me to think even more about what it is to have a job, to work toward a goal, to "make a living" - why do so many people hate their jobs? It is definitely the norm to hate your boss, to be tired of going to work & to hate Mondays (i.e. the day you have to go back to your job after 2 days of not working)... Even I, a person who is their own boss, have many a day where I'd rather stay home and watch Legally Blonde.

So, on this observed holiday, I do plan on really thinking about those people out there who work extremely hard every day; who take pride in what they do and are happy and appreciative to have a job where they can not only support themselves & their families, but also contribute to our society & make their community a better place for other people.

Work hard and be nice to people.

So simple, yet so terribly difficult for so many of us to do.

images c/o Anthony Burrill.

If you're in the Cleveland area this Labor Day, I highly suggest checking out MW Home's "barn sale" in Hudson.

Owner Gina Bishop and her business partner, Jean, have decked out Gina's refurbished barn on her century-old farmhouse property in Hudson and filled it to the brim with vintage furnishings, home goods, original artwork and handmade items - all at affordable prices. (That's Gina pictured behind the gorgeous gold and aqua settee, above.)

Gina was previously a visual merchandiser for two major fashion and lifestyle retailers and co-owner of a home goods store in Columbus, Ohio. Since relocating to Hudson, she has set up shop a few times a year for a limited time only - allowing her to focus on time with family and designing (and re-designing) her own home, which serves as a primary creative outlet.

This was my first time attending the sale - I spotted incredible chairs (including that settee and the zebra print chair at the top of the post), dressers, mirrors, pillows, lighting, and gorgeous artwork.

The sale is closed today (Sunday), but runs Monday, September 1 from 10 a.m. till 3 p.m. MW Home is located at 2357 Hudson-Aurora Rd. in Hudson, Ohio. Call 330-653-9781 for more information.

Pictured below are my finds from my first visit (I say "first" because I plan to go back tomorrow for more!): a chartreuse-painted rocking chair, and a sweet tree print square pillow!

First and last images by me. All other images from MW Home.

alleys & El tracks :: pretty beautiful, I think...

Sorry about the lack of posts heading into the weekend... there's a lot going on here in Chicago (mostly, business stuff) - and I know that Laura's got her hands full with little Catherine (!) -

As we head into our long (Labor Day) weekend, I thought I'd share a few pics I took on my walk home from the studio yesterday ::

a plane on its way to O'Hare :: the back corner of the Sears on Lawrence -

I don't think I ever noticed this phone poll before.

not so many picket fences, but quite a lot of wrought iron...

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

Dear SCOOP readers,

Due to popular demand, we're printing a 2nd EDITION of the ever-popular Motivate Series... there won't be an official full listing until the 2nd week of September, but the 4/set is now available for PRE-ORDER.

Reserve your set here!

...................................................................................... e&B :: OrangeBeautiful

As much as I dislike the term recessionista, I do appreciate the thought of working within a limited budget to achieve stylish results.

I looked all summer long for a dress to wear to a wedding this past weekend. I tried on dresses that I sort of liked, both expensive and inexpensive, and finally came to the conclusion that I didn't feel like spending precious dollars on something that was "just okay".

At the last minute, I found a simple, classic black boatneck sheath in the back of my closet - I bought it almost 10 years ago - and decided to dress it up with a versatile, outfit-making accessory. I chose Banana Republic's "Heiress" necklace (pictured above; no longer available online, but I found mine at the store!). I loved the necklace's large scale, and the weight of the chain and glass stones (heavy and clunky). The black dress provided the perfect background for the sparkle to take center stage.

If I'd thought of the idea earlier, I might have opted for one of these "statement" pieces from Cursive Design, shown above and below. The unusual combinations of materials and colors is intriguing, and you can customize pieces to incorporate other fabric, thread and chain colors.

Another option would have been this vintage beaded bib necklace, below, from Etsy seller Vintage Lotus. The light coral-colored beads would really stand out against the black, and the chain can be adjusted to different lengths.

Bonus: In keeping with the "style for less" m.o., all of these pieces cost less than $55!

Images from Banana Republic, Cursive Design, and Vintage Lotus.

So, in keeping with our waste not, want not policy here at OrangeBeautiful, we've converted a batch of our extra Cash Money prints into ledgers for your checkbook!

inside :: same columns+lines as a standard ledger - just way better-looking...

I've actually longed for a "not-hideously-boring" ledger for my checkbook for a long time, but I could never find one that I liked... so, I just went ahead and made one.

The covers work front-to-back :: so they read "MONEY" on the regular front cover, but then - if you slide it into the top of your checkbook case, the "back" will read "CASH"... either way, the message will hopefully bring good karma to your bank account.

I know some of you out there who could use a little incentive to keep their checking account balanced (you know who you are!) - pick up one of these and get to it!!!

images c/o OB.

So, I'm now the proud owner of my 2nd pair of Cydwoqs, these Tone sandals in red - bought (again) at my favorite shoe boutique: Traipse Shoes! (Check out my 1st pair, here.)

I've been walking around in these really sad sandals that I bought like 4 years ago at Urban Outfitters (for $5 - you get what you pay for, I guess)... They were really cute, but they had absolutely no arch support and were pretty bad on my back. So, this summer, I vowed to get some "real" sandals, that not only looked good, but were well-made & good for my tired feet.

Margaret (the owner of Traipse) said that these would be really great for me and she couldn't have been more right. I LOVE these shoes & I want more...

maybe this fall, I'll get myself a pair like these! ;)

images c/o Jw.

A new take on the silhouette...large-scale, with a bleed off the card edge, and funky text running through the portrait.

Perfect for kids' thank-you notes, Chick Print creates modern and exceptionally well-priced stationery for the younger set (or the grown-ups that love them!).

Images from Chick Print, via Ohdeedoh.

..just thought I'd post a few recent updates on the OrangeBeautiful front: we've put together a LookBook for the L A T T I C E Line - check it out here - AND we've completely updated the wholesale side of the GOODS section on OB's main site.

We hope that you'll enjoy looking through these images of our work! Thanks!!!

(*and, store owners/buyers, feel free to email us directly with any ordering questions, etc. - wholesale (at) orangebeautiful (dot) com - thanks!!!)

I found these images of much-loved designer Genifer Goodman Sohr's newly renovated home at the lovely blog, Party Perfect.

Genifer, whose previous homes have been featured in several shelter magazines (read more here), will be guest-blogging at Party Perfect in a series called Gen Says. In her first post, she shares these images of her house - and hints that it will be featured in an upcoming issue of her "favorite design magazine".

Hooray!

I am a huge fan and can't wait to see more. Be sure to check future Gen Says posts at Party Perfect - they will run bi-monthly. You can also read more about Genifer here and see pics of a baby shower she designed and hosted here.

Images from Party Perfect.

Yesterday afternoon, B & I met with a potential wedding client, who told us about Princess Lasertron - the designer making her button bridal bouquet. The second our meeting was over, I jumped online to find out more...

Let's just say, I'm absolutely in love. I'm a huge fan of, what I call, the "non-generic" wedding. It breaks my heart to watch those wedding shows on TV (esp. the ones where the couple has some insane $$$ budget) where every element of the couple's wedding is the same old thing that everyone has done a million times. So, when I find artisans creating things that really add a unique & memorable element to your big day - well, let's just say, I'm sold!

Megan Hunt, the Omaha-based artist behind Princess Lasertron, creates bouquets, boutonnieres, pins, barrettes (and more!) out of buttons & hand-cut/hand-stitched felt pieces... custom pieces are designed with the help/input of the client, using the wedding's color palette as the starting point. Megan's inventory of buttons is quite impressive (and very organized!) - this definitely appeases both my love of color & my OCD/organizing thing ;)

Here's a great image (by photographer, Becky Novacek) of Megan (right) and her bff, Kristal (left) on Megan's wedding day, this past May. Those PL bouquets look great!... (And don't even get me started on Megan's totally fabulous wedding dress! See a better shot of it, here) ::

images c/o Princess Lasertron & Becky Novacek Photography.

We've just added some more pamphlet sets to the OB Etsy shop - black & white sets, this time!

There's only a handful of these sets, so get one while you can!

And if you like these patterns, but need a little color in your life, maybe these are more your speed!

images c/o OB.

After I saw this set of these cards on the front page of Etsy earlier this month, I went over to Crafterall's shop to check out more. What I found (and bought) was this fabulous little framed piece (above) - made up of layered pieces of paper w/ intricately cut-out circles. I was so excited when my order arrived at my house just a few days ago!

Not only did I receive the lovely Brown Bubble Box that I ordered, but Marnie (the artist) also included a Topo card (!) ::

...and a little handful of her business cards inside this great patterned tuck-flap envelope (below).

My Bubble Box is so charming... I can't wait to find the perfect place to display it. Maybe somewhere on the art wall, perhaps? ;)

Thanks so much, Marnie - receiving that package really made my day!

I just love L's post with the "off" color pantone chips!

I thought you guys (esp. L!) would love to see some of these "off" color outfits over at J.Crew!... they fit the off-color palette idea perfectly!!! Enjoy!

images c/o J.Crew.

Inspiring me today: Stella Bugbee's Deco File of "off-colors".

The Deco File is a new feature at dominomag.com. Stella, the magazine's design director, put together unusual colorways using Pantone swatches, so she can apply the combinations to her home or wardrobe. I'm digging the top left-hand corner combo, as well as the dark navy and pale salmon pictured below it.

(Stella's name may sound familiar...I blogged her genius lace tape awhile back.)

Image from dominomag.com.