SydDesign Blog

Did you know? We make cute, personalized, twitter...

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:17:39 -0400

Did you know? We make cute, personalized, twitter stationery!

Photos courtesy of Adam Bird Photography — shot during his Clicks for Quakes event, which raised around $2,000 for Haiti. Yay!

A quick preview of my ArtPrize project, Woven Together. One of...

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:57:01 -0400

A quick preview of my ArtPrize project, Woven Together. One of the 13 images that I will be weaving and displaying at the First (Park) Congretional Church on Fulton.

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and photographing 13 children (7 families) from all over the world! This little sweetie is from Ethiopia; she’s just 2 years old and when I departed she gave me a big hug and a slobbery kiss on the cheek.

What a bonus :)

Gladly sharing this May wedding, featuring a perfect green &...

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:06:56 -0400

Gladly sharing this May wedding, featuring a perfect green & orange color combo. (I say perfect, because those were my wedding colors!)

Day of images are from Kristine Crawford Photography.

And do see more from this wedding day, check out Kristine’s Blog!

ArtPrize! The season has started where local buzz is revolving...

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:41:23 -0400

ArtPrize!

The season has started where local buzz is revolving around artists, venues & plans for the big event in September (Sept. 22- Oct. 10)!

This year is especially exciting for me because it is my first (and hopefully not last) time participating as an artist. I officially signed a contract with my venue last week and the butterflies are still a flutter.

The venue is the First (Park) Congregational Church on the corner of Fulton & Ransom. They are using a large hall for their space (below their beautiful Sanctuary) and plan to hold only a handful of artists. I was particularly drawn to the space because of their interest in my proposal.

I plan to go back to my photography roots and bring in a little more paper knowledge to create a unique, highly textured/dramatic display. The details are still to being developed, but I will be concentrating my shots on adopted children, using a weaving technique to weave together pieces of their images to create the final pictures. The name of the final installment is currently “Woven Together” and I hope to be able to create some awareness of adoption opportunities/needs.

I’m honored that Rev. Kyle sees the potential in my work (considering that I don’t have actual images of what I’m proposing:) and sincerely cares about the cause. The staff at the church is aiming to bring in artists that have a powerful topic and it feels so perfect for my work to be in that category. I truly feel blessed/lucky to have this opportunity and to create something more than just a photograph, but something close to my heart.

The Church is also signed up to host PixelPete, you can read more about his extravagant Rubik’s Cube pieces of artwork here. His piece this year will focus on Martin Luther King and is proposed to be 22 feet by 10 feet!

To see my ArtPrize profile, and read more about my pieces, click here.

I will be looking for some unique ways to either hand out helpful information on adoption or create some found raising. I will also be seeking out models for the shoot. If you know any adoption families or have suggestions/contacts for my efforts, please send me a note at syddesign (a) gmail.com.

More kid stuff! Some very close friends are expecting and I was...

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 10:34:10 -0400

More kid stuff!

Some very close friends are expecting and I was honored to work with them on some custom announcement designs. I’m not including their final design decision here {I don’t want to ruin the surprise!}, but I will share the final piece after the little prince is here! For now, enjoy some of the design samples.

I have had a couple custom orders for 1st Birthday’s this...

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:22:00 -0400

I have had a couple custom orders for 1st Birthday’s this year. As much as I LOVE working on weddings, it’s nice to have another type of event to work on every so often. Here are samples from two first Birthday parties. Enjoy!

My husband and I have some close friends that are currently in...

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 07:48:00 -0400

My husband and I have some close friends that are currently in the process of adopting their first child and we want to share our support for their journey.

I will not put their names on here or go into detail about their decisions, but I can say that they have had a rough time getting to this very happy, exciting decision. Their journies have definitely prepared them to be the perfect parents and the strongest couple to take on the process that is to come.

The couple’s motto is that “it takes a village” and they’re seeking support, prayers and even a little financial help if you can do it. I have a bag of “prayer bracelets” that need to get off my shelf. We are just selling them for $5 and of course every penny goes to bringing their child from harm and giving him/her a loving home.

You should know that they are seeking to adopt from the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo), which is constantly under brutal conflict. Here is a short blog post/video about the women who are under constant attack.

The couple stated, “More than anything we truly long for your prayers! We hope the bracelet will serve as a tangible reminder to pray for our kiddo, for God’s guidance through this all, and for us as we become parents for the first time!”

The bracelets are sky-blue, which is the same color of the DRC flag and they say “(their last name) Adopt: Psalm 68:6”. If you look up the verse, you’ll find that it says, “God sets the lonely in families.”

Email me at syddesign(a)gmail.com if you would like to purchase one of these $5 bracelets.

May Weddings Preview! Here’s a quick look at some May...

Mon, 17 May 2010 11:22:50 -0400

May Weddings Preview! Here’s a quick look at some May Weddings Syd Design has been working on. Congrats to all the May 2010 Brides & Grooms!

I’m happy to introduce Stephanie Mathis! I was lucky...

Mon, 03 May 2010 22:00:00 -0400

I’m happy to introduce Stephanie Mathis! I was lucky enough to work with her on her wedding stationery last year and we had a great connection. I’ve asked her to share the custom design process through her experienced point of view.

“Last year I had the privilege of using Syd Design for all of my wedding stationery needs and couldn’t have been happier with the result! We were even able to work together remotely since I currently live in Chicago, and everything went smoothly.

I started off by filling out a style worksheet for Abbey. I knew I wanted to use an “S&J” monogram and chocolate brown and ivory were our colors, but that was about it! Abbey took the reins from there and produced about ten different samples for us with many different monogram designs. Some were elegant and classy in style and others were more modern. There were a couple of different paper sizes and colors and some of the samples had ribbon and different graphics on them. Jon and I picked different features that we liked from a few of them to develop our final invitation design. By that time, we had a better visual representation for the style of our wedding. We wanted a classy, Northern Michigan affair in the heart of autumn.

After the wedding invitations were set, I had Abbey work up samples for the other elements of our wedding. We started off with just the wedding programs, place cards, and thank you cards. But as the planning continued, we added to our stationery needs. We ended up doing custom address labels, table numbers, menus, favor tags, shower invitations, and rehearsal dinner invitations. We kept the same “S&J” monogram theme throughout all of the stationery.

We were very happy with the results of the complete set. It reflected the look we were going for; classy, yet warm and inviting. Perfect for our fall wedding day! We received MANY compliments on our stationery from great aunts to family friends.

Abbey was great to work with. She was timely in her responses and totally accommodating; those were two of the most important qualities I looked for when working with wedding vendors.”

Thanks, Stephanie, for all your kind words! Her beautiful wedding was photographed by Trudy Holtz Photography.

Operation Letterpress ~ I recently had the pleasure of a studio...

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 15:38:52 -0400

Operation Letterpress ~

I recently had the pleasure of a studio tour from Fred Bivins of Vinecroft Studios. I begged him for a tour after discovering that he does a little printmaking with letterpress. Little did I know, Mr. Bivins was hiding away three presses and drawers and drawers full of type! One of the presses, a 1911 Chandler & Price, was being used as a towel rack in his studio kitchen. Before that, the press was used at Beute Print Shop in Grand Rapids (more history here).

Well, today it is sitting on a trailer and headed down to my parents’ farm in Indiana! I haven’t the slightest clue how to get it running again, but my husband seems pretty excited for the project (he’s already been taking notes and watching press videos!). I cannot say to what extent we will use this press for Syd Design printing, but I do know there will be some time and oily hands involved before any ink is rolled out. Our goal is mainly to get it running (hopefully before it’s 100th birthday next year) and to use it on very special projects.

We would gratefully accept any info/resources that you well-oiled C&P printers may have to share.

Thank you, Fred Bivins, for opening up your studio to my curiosity and sharing your knowledge of printmaking. I look forward to working with Vinecroft more during the GR Art Festival and ArtPrize.

If you want to see what this press is capable of with some tender care, check out this great, quick video from Armato Design & Press. And, for some oh-so-beautiful letterpress, designed right here in West Michigan, check out Give Studio! Anne Pageau is a rockstar when it comes to letterpress design.

We’ll keep the updates coming as the operation continues.

Posters to support a cause — In case you haven’t seen it,...

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:11:00 -0400

Posters to support a cause — In case you haven’t seen it, the Haiti Poster Project is under way with a full site of beautifully designed posters ready to buy. Above are a few of my favorite designs so far.

The project is a collaborative effort by the design community to help effect change and raise money for the Haiti disaster. Signed and numbered, limited edition posters have been donated by designers and artists from around the world. All money raised will be donated to Doctors Without Borders. The team has previously done similar efforts through the So-Cal Fire Poster Project and the Hurricane Poster Project.

The posters start at just $25, and the price goes up as the limited edition quantity goes down, so order soon!

{If you are a designer, they are still taking submissions!}

Shows Shows Shows! Well I’m happy to say that the big...

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 19:54:11 -0400

a new booth look for syd design!

a display of escort cards & favor boxes

Shows Shows Shows! Well I’m happy to say that the big Bridal Show wedding season is over. Not that I don’t love meeting fabulous vendors and excited brides, it’s just nice to have a break from all the chaos of prepping for a show.

In case you will be touring the 2011 show circuit, I highly suggest checking out any of these shows that I participated in: The Grand Rapids Wedding Experience, eightWest’s Wedding Party and The Bunny Tuxedo GR Bridal Show.

The first two shows did things a little different, having the show/party in a reception atmosphere instead of a trade show hall. This allowed for vendors to actually display their work in a more complete format as you can see from the tablescapes above.

Here are a few of the many vendors with some crazy design & floral talents GVL Floral, The Chair Cover Collection, Creative Events and Crescent Street Floral. I was honored to provide some table stationery to go with their setups.

{on a side note, GRunveiled launched it’s first show this year too, and I was excited to assist Aletha from Pearls Events in the stationery for her show setup!}

Today, I am sharing with you an ultra hip wedding that took...

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:30:29 -0500

Today, I am sharing with you an ultra hip wedding that took place in downtown Indianapolis. Angie & Chet’s wedding started out at the Indiana State House where they had their ceremony in the stunning Rotunda underneath a stained glass dome and surrounded by soaring columns. The couple and guests then proceeded through downtown to the Skyline Club where their reception took over the 36th floor and had quite a view of downtown Indy.

For stationery, the couple chose a vintage motif to go along with their copper color scheme. The invitation finished as a double sheet with a back pocket (an elegant alternative to pocketfolds), and we continued the design and papers throughout the rest of their stationery.

The day-of images from Cindy Wagner at Wanger Photographics. To view more from this couple’s day visit Wagner’s Blog.

If you have a moment, and love to look at stationery, you should...

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:41:00 -0500

http://bit.ly/aUDN0T

http://bit.ly/caqlxZ

If you have a moment, and love to look at stationery, you should check out the Trendy Awards that are being put on by Stationery Trends Magazine. The voting process is much like Grand Rapid’s ArtPrize with a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” option to narrow down the entries. The first round of voting goes until March 12th, then you will be able to vote for one of the top 10 to be the grand winner.

Syd Design submitted in two categories. We submitted a flowery pochette invite in bridal and one of the designs from our “Naughty Midwest” line in greeting cards.

The naughty greeting card is available on our new online shop to purchase!

I know it seems like we’ve been inundated with bridal...

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:28:34 -0500

The Pantlind Ballroom

The Gerald R. Ford Ballroom

The Imperial Ballroom

I know it seems like we’ve been inundated with bridal shows here in West Michigan (which, even vendors agree, we have), but I must share with you what looks to be one of the most unique shows this season!

It’s called The Wedding Experience, and instead of being in a big hall with rows of seemingly unrelated booths, it will be held at the Amway Grand Plaza with a host of superb vendors! (including myself!!)

The show is taking over all of the main ballrooms and the foyer. Attendees will get the experience of a real wedding set up in these separate rooms where vendors will be scattered around.

Also fun ~ GP Sports has special discounts on food & drinks (great for grooms & dads!), plus attendees are welcome to tour the Amway’s Honeymoon Suites.

If you aren’t bridal-showed out yet, or just recently got engaged, I highly suggest attending this unique show. If you do attend, I look forward to meeting you! I will be handing out Syd Design goodies in The Gerald R. Ford Ballroom.

Save the date for the show: Sunday, March 7th, 2010 {12pm - 5pm}

“Up North” is a common saying around Michigan which...

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:03:05 -0500

“Up North” is a common saying around Michigan which translates to skiing, snowshoeing & ice fishing in the winter; lilacs, wine tours & a Mackinac Island bike ride in the spring; beaches, boating & salmon fishing in the summer; and of course deer hunting & color tours in the fall.

For this couple, Christina & Duncan, it means a vow of marriage. The couple was wed at one of my very favorite places, Boyne Highlands in Harbor Springs. Their guests actually had to ride the chair lift up to the top of the mountain where the ceremony took place at a quaint log cabin chapel called Graham Chapel. The celebration continued back down the mountain at the lodge. Boyne hosts weddings all year round and can provide various settings for every type of wedding style.

The couples stationery reflected the location with a mountain landscape, a chair life “seal” and best of all a chair lift ticket. The lift tickets were made with a real wicket and sent out with the invitations. The tickets had different times and served the purpose of keep the line at the ski lift flowing smoothly. I loved working on their details and creating fun ski-related design concepts!

My husband and I visit Boyne Highlands at least a couple times a year and never tire of it’s beauty & scenery, plus the staff is accommodating and very pleasant. I highly recommend this location for any Up North wedding, and hope I can work with more Boyne brides in the future!

I am so excited to share Meghan & Brad’s wedding with...

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:00:57 -0500

I am so excited to share Meghan & Brad’s wedding with you! The couple came to me looking for something swanky that included their silhouettes & colors. Using images from their engagement session, I created their silhouettes and they chose a damask pattern to finish the design.

It was all in the details for this bride, as we worked together to create escort cards, place cards, programs, favor tags, a wish book, rehearsal invites, thank you cards and even cute bridesmaid notes that she sent along with their dresses! This was a truly inspirational couple to work with and I’m happy to have their beautiful silhouettes forever in my portfolio.

These amazing images are by Grant & Leandra from Grant Isaac Studios. I especially loved the kiss on the dance floor - adorable!

This weekend I was honored to host (along with friends!) a baby...

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:18:00 -0500

This weekend I was honored to host (along with friends!) a baby shower for a very special girl friend. The mom-to-be is having a baby girl and has decorated the nursery with a Tiffany Blue and Chocolate Brown, inspired by Restoration Baby’s nursery gallery.

The shower was held at The Tea Cozy in downtown Indianapolis. Our very pleasant tea mistress walked us through tea time with some tea history, games, three yummy pots of tea and a tier of pastries. It was a unique and special experience - I would highly recommend Tea Cozy if you are looking for a private party venue around Indy or if you are just looking for some stellar tea.

I must point out that the cute little cupcakes came from Crumbles Cupcakery in Grand Rapids. They were a chocolate-orange flavored cake and received raving reviews from all the guests!

I was delighted to create the invites, game cards, baby memory book, dotted decor, cootie catchers and cupcake flags. Thank you, Zoe, for being preggers so we could shower you!

Thank you to all who attended the Annual Bridal Show this...

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 11:50:00 -0500

Thank you to all who attended the Annual Bridal Show this weekend at DeVos Place. This was my first time to do this particular show, and I think it showed some good quality. I hope all attendees enjoyed their time. And, of course, I hope you enjoyed my booth! Looking forward to a fun 2010 wedding whirlwind!

I would like to share with you an August wedding that I was...

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:58:00 -0500

I would like to share with you an August wedding that I was happy to design for. This wedding was located at the Laketown Golf & Conference Center in Saugatuck and photographed by Andrew & Tiffany of Marc Photography. The dark berry and lime green colors made me feel like I was designing a fairytale invitation. Yet, their very real wedding was a beautifully elegant event with small splashes of those very vibrant colors. Carefully selected details, like spider mums, escort cards, chair shashes and ties brought the color of this wedding to life. My favorite part of Leah & Brian’s big day is that they had a coldstone ice cream station in lue of cake!

More images from Marc Photography’s Blog.