Squirrels in Love: Woodland Invitation

Earlier this week I've promised you more photographs of the lasercut invitation that was featured on the Dutch Arnhemsmeisje blog.

I must admit that this invitation is one of my personal favourites with lots of lasercut details, but I'll let the images do the talking so that you can see for yourself!

Please click on the images to see the detail.

Featured on Arnhemsmeisje

I am so thrilled to have been featured on one of my favourite Dutch wedding blogs! Thank you to Arnhems Meisje and the girls of Assepoester! You can read the blog post here. I thought I'll share a few close-ups and some details here on my own blog as well:

This invitation was digitally printed on a beautiful and luxurious gold shimmer cardstock and then cut into a vintage shape. Each invitation comes wrapped in a bright and cheerful Dutch fabric wrap with a wooden heart button. (The buttons are hand painted and then engraved with the initials of the bride and groom).

 The specific combination of the more formal gold cardstock with a more informal fabric wrap is quite unusual, but I was very pleased with the end result. The invitation was originally designed for a backyard wedding with loads of homespun details. It may be customised in your wedding colours and is also available as a semi-DIY option!

Please stop by again on Friday, when I will share the other invitation featured on Arnhemsmeisje!

Metallics and Naturals

Much to my disappointment I haven't found a supplier for kraft cardstock here in the Netherlands yet - which is a little frustrating ... So if you do know about one, please let me in on the secret! As a substitute for kraft paper I use a recycled paper/cardstock made out of 75 % post-consumer waste paper and 25 % twigs. The paper has a lovely rustic look and feel and, therefore, is a good substitute. To be honest I would have preferred a slightly heavier/thicker paper/cardstock for some applications, but, since this isn't readily available in my little corner of the world, I have come up with ways to work around the problem, such as using two layers of the recycled cardstock or combining the cardstock with another kind of (coloured) cardstock to give it more substance.

This is how I discovered the beauty of metallics and naturals in combination and now I cannot get enough of it! It is as if a bit of metallic gold or silver or a touch of a pearlised shimmer does wonders for the humble sheet of rustic paper or even the brown paper bag! It just glams it up a little. So, nowadays I often combine my kraft paper equivalent with luxurious metallics and pearlised pastels! The great thing is that this more unusual paper partnership could work both ways: the luxurious metallics could add some glamour to your brown paper projects, but rustic brown or kraft paper could also tone things down a little - the perfect solution if you love the shimmer of pearlised or metallic paper, but fear that it might be too glamorous on its own to work for a less formal event.

This favour box by Make Merry! is a perfect example of how pretty metallics and plain brown paper or kraft paper could look together. There is a step-by-step tutorial here.

I am so in love with this combination of gold mini bunting and natural paper. I also like the gold envelope liner detail.

Source: http://thecraftsdept.marthastewart.com/2011/04/party-invitation-tutorial.html

Gold foil letters on brown paper. Simple but stunning!

Source: http://bugsandfishes.blogspot.com/2008/12/gift-wrap-ideas-6-fun-with-fonts.html

Silver foil lace around a brown paper package. Pretty!

Source: http://papernstitchblog.com/2008/12/09/new-guest-post-from-lupin/

I was so inspired that I've added some more gold and silver items to my Etsy shop:

I've painted these gold and silver mini pegs/clips by hand. This is quite a time consuming process, but the end result is so much fun! I've immediately clipped some to a brown paper bag, just to see what it would look like!

Happy crafting!

Flattered!

It always makes my day when one of my handmade items is included in a treasury list. There's something special about seeing your work together with the creations of other artists. I love the theme of this treasury which features my French layered gift tags.

You can view the treasury by fellow Etsian crochAndi over here. Please also visit the CrochAndi shop full of the cutest little creatures ... all handmade ... My favourite is this adorable little owl:

2012

Here at the beginning of the new year I would like to say a special  thank you to those of you who visit and read my blog, as well as to those of you who have supported my little shop on Etsy. I am encouraged by your interest and support!

Almost Amsterdam is, to a large extent, still in its infancy - with lots of room to grow. I am aware of that and I have quite a few plans up my sleeve for the new year! During 2011 I've been working on quite a few new designs and these will be launced in 2012. Marc, my hubby, will be helping out with some of the goodies to be made.  (In fact, he is "spring cleaning" and re-organising his workspace as we speak, in preparation for the work to be done!) I will keep you posted, so please stop by often!

Have fun this year! We'll talk again soon!

Engelise