Seaside Invitations

Fun with Organizing

2010-03-17T05:37:00.000-07:00

It’s been very busy in the studios the past week or so. In addition to filling orders for all my summer brides, we have been busy making final tweaks to the new and improved website (coming soon…. really soon) and adding final touches to my marketing and business plan. In the midst of organizing I came across these oh so cute office accessories by Knock Knock, these fun accessories add a bit of laughter and punch to any desk. They are definitely on my “Must Have” list.

Happy Friday

2010-03-12T13:41:00.000-08:00

Let yourself go where ever your heart desires...

xoxox

Happenings in the Studio

2010-03-11T15:49:00.000-08:00

I have been a very bad blogger the past couple of weeks. Things have been very busy in the studio. Above is a sneak peek of what we've been working on. We have been busy fulfilling invitation orders, working on some new maps and boarding pass invites, completed a cute beach themed baby shower invite and announced a beautiful baby girl to the world. The creative juices have been flowing with our newest collection, brush strokes. In this collection, you will find hand painted stationery. I can't wait to debut it to you all.

In the midst of all that, I have been working diligently with Chris of Synergy Web Design, on a brand spankin' new design for my website. I am soo excited to introduce it to all of you! The site will be a better reflection of Seaside Invitation its products and its designers. Coming soon...

xoxoxo

alicia

Calling all past and present Tampa Bay area brides...

2010-03-05T16:35:00.000-08:00

This weekend I am so excited to volunteer at the Brides Against Breast Cancer Tour of Dresses at the Howard Johnson Travel Plaza in Tampa. If you are a bride and you don’t know about the Brides Against Breast Cancer Tour of Dresses you are seriously missing out. With this gown sale you have the opportunity to purchase your dream gown (at an incredible savings) while making wishes and dreams come true for women and men who are losing their fight against breast cancer.

Designers, manufactures, bridal shops and individuals donate their beautiful wedding gowns to this fundraiser and 100% of the proceeds go to making a moment of joy for someone whom a cure is too late. I can’t speak highly enough about this event. I actually got one of my wedding dresses at this event. When I was a bride and heard about this event I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I knew I had to go and help donate to the cause. I envisioned doors opening and brides rushing to find the perfect dress as if there were a million dollars in the dress. It was nothing like that… although when the doors opened there was a little “aghh” moment. Much to my surprise there were a lot of volunteers there to help assist the brides-to-be and help find dresses, hold the dresses while the brides looked through the plethora of dresses and help assist with putting the dress on. So this year, I am paying it forward and volunteering my time to help an amazing cause that I stand 100% behind.

So if you are a bride looking for the perfect gown and want to donate to a great cause OR a newlywed who wants to donate their gown to a great cause then come on by this weekend and donate to the Brides Against Breast Cancer.

Inspiration of the Week: A trip to the State Fair

2010-03-02T16:30:00.000-08:00

This week I am inspired by a trip to the State Fair we took a couple of weekends ago. The fair is a funny place; it’s a bit of an oxymoron. When we first walked in we were directed by the follow of traffic to walk towards the rides and carnival games. This area is a little scary and yet some how pretty at the same time. The rides to begin with, are scary, not just because you go fast and upside down and tossed all over the place but because these rides are considered “safe” and yet are setup in a couple hours after riding into town. Scary! But at the same time I can’t help but enjoy walking around relishing in all the bright colors and awesome illustrations on the rides, games, and stagecoaches.

I have to admit the reason for us going to the State Fair is because for the longest time one of my must dos on my bucket list included milking a cow. I know its weird, right. I don’t know why, its just one of those things I felt I had to do. For years, I have been searching for ways to milk a cow. So I figured, since I don’t have any friends who have a farm or own a cow the only way I could possibly accomplish this goal is by attending the state fair in hopes of milking a cow. So much to my excitement when I saw the sign, cow milking every other hour I was ecstatic. If you know me, you know I was the first in line and even though several little kids managed to get in front of me I was still the first to milk the cow. I got a little blue ribbon and everything. I wore my ribbon and sticker with pride that day.

So since this was such a monumental accomplishment in my life (I know I am weird), I thought I had to dedicate a line of stationery to it. Check back at the end of the week to see the new stationery line I come up with. For now, enjoy some of the photos from this fun Saturday afternoon.

Spring Color Cravings

2010-02-25T04:07:00.000-08:00

Hello my friends, I realize I have been a sucky blogger the past two weeks. I am sorry; I promise I will be better next week. Its been a whirlwind at the studio. We have had lots of orders in production for all my May brides, putting finishes touches on the brand spanking’ new website which is coming very soon, and in the middle of all of it, Pat and I had a weekend getaway to Atlanta which was amazing and filled with lots of inspiration. More of that to come.

While I catch up on orders and get the studio reorganized, I look out the window and see cold and I can’t help daydreaming of the spring and its beautiful weather to come. I love everything about spring. The weather, the feeling it evokes, going to the beach for the first time, the start of baseball season, the beautiful patterns and bright colors. One color in particular I am really craving is green. It comes by many names; chartreuse, lime, apple green, celedon, kiwi but every year it says… Spring is here.

{1. Anthropology, 2. Anthropology}

The color seems to uplift your spirit and gives hope of warmer weather. It it’s starting to feel like winter may never end this might be the perfect time for a little color therapy.

Some of my favorite green picks are filled with all sorts of patterns and a touch of salmon complements the color perfectly and warms the spirit. I can practically feel the sun on my skin. J

{3&4. Anthropology, 5. Green orchids, 6. Paper Mojo}

Love is in the air...

2010-02-11T19:47:00.001-08:00

I am looking forward to celebrating my first valentine’s day as a married woman with my husband this weekend. We are actually celebrating valentine’s weekend next week with a weekend getaway to Atlanta, GA. This weekend we are heading to the State Fair in hopes of milking a cow. J Yes, I know milking a cow, it’s weird but it’s one of those things that I want to do. Since I don’t have any friends who live on a farm, I figure this is my best option. On the actual V-Day, I will be snuggled up with my honey enjoying lots of yummy chocolate fondue and sipping wine.

Above are a couple things that symbolize Valentines day to me:: burning hot love, lots of color, sexy heels, flowers, yummy sugary sweets, sexy lingerie, chocolate of all sorts, and love notes. I hope you all have a beautiful weekend and get to spend it with the ones you love.

Message in a Cookie

2010-02-10T18:21:00.000-08:00

I just came across these little treats and I had to share. How cool is this, its a message in a cookie tool from William-Sonoma. The cookie tool allows you to imprint your own message into cookie treats. You can customize the message by sliding in letters to form a name or a message and when you press it into the dough, your message is imprinted on the cookie. It's like letterpressing but for cookies - I guess that would be cookie pressing. :)

Perfect for Valentine's Day, better yet, a wedding favor with the words thank you & your names imprinted in the cookie. You could even use it as a way to ask your bridesmaids to be in your wedding party. Soo cute. Definitely on my wish list.

Changes are a coming.

2010-02-08T16:32:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to announce that Seaside Invitations is getting a makeover. Not just any makeover but a major face lift. Yes, my friends I am happy to announce we are getting a new website & blog!!! YAY!! Over the past month or so I have been working with Synergy Web Productions, based out of Colorado on the look & feel and the direction that Seaside Invitations is going. When I first starting Seaside, I wanted the invitations to speak for themselves and not really immersing myself or my personality too much into the company, I wanted it to stand alone. After attending the amazing MTH event with Lara Casey I realized what a dumb idea that was. This company is my passion, art is my passion, colors are my passion, the beach is my passion and paper is my passion so why wouldn’t I merge the two. I decided that I want Seaside Invitations to be more of a reflection of who I am and the things I love. Who am I, you might ask, well I am a simple girl who loves beautiful colors, has a strong affinity towards fashion, loves to travel, appreciates beautiful simple photographs, loves love stories, and appreciates art in all its forms.

So I decided Seaside Invitations, needed a face lift. It needed to be more me. The first phase was redesigning the logo and business cards. I wanted my new logo to be clean, simple and chic. I love my new tag line, where art meets paper. At Seaside Invitations, everything is custom illustrated by us. Yes, I said us; I brought on my husband who is an amazing artist. You will find out more about him when the website is finished. ;)

One of the newest products Seaside Invitations offers is hand painted invitations. I wanted my business card to showcase my passions, paper and art. Each business card is printed on a textured cotton heavy stock paper, has a hand painted sea oat and is packaged in a cute little envelope. I figure a business card is an invitation for someone to contact you so if it acts as an invitation then why not have an envelope. J

Phase 1 of the face lift is complete and Phase 2 is coming to a close with the unveiling of the new website. I can’t wait to share more with you as the company and the brand grows.

New Stationery available on ETSY

2010-02-03T16:29:00.000-08:00

Check out my Etsy shop for some of my newest stationery designs. The above is the first unveiling of our hand drawn floral collection for both stationery and invitations. I am soo excited about this collection. Each flower is designed in house by us and can be used on invitations, stationery or monograms. Here is a sneak peak of what's to come.

And remember, for the remainder of the month of February we are donating 20% of all proceeds to the Haiti Disaster Relief Fund.

Weekend Recap

2010-02-01T03:44:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday my friends.

I hope you all had a great weekend. My weekend was a jammed packed wedding weekend. I met some really awesome local wedding professionals that I can't wait to introduce you to. I attended my first ever ABC meeting and it was awesome. It's so great to mix and mingle with other like minded professionals all working towards the same goal and that is making the bride and groom's day the best that it can be. Later in the weekend I attended a vendor show hosted by Catering by Robert and met some really fabulous brides-to-be and got to say hi to some friends in the industry. So without further ado, here are some of the other wedding vendors in the area you definitely need to check out.

Wedding Planner:: Lauren Berner with Soirees in Style

Wedding Planner:: Beth Sparks with Joyful Wedding Planning

Wedding Planner:: Heather M. Stewart with Stylish Traditions

Photographer:: Karen Harrison with Karen Harrison Photography

Event Rentals:: Shane Poston with Coast to Coast Event Rentals

Lightning Decor:: Nick with Decorating Elves

Catering:: Susan with Catering by Robert

DJ services:: Eladio with Delite Entertainment

Hair & Make Up Styling:: Michelle Renee with The Michelle Renee Hair & Makeup Artists Group

For all you brides out there I hope this helps with your wedding planning.

xoxox

ban.do

2010-01-26T03:46:00.000-08:00

Check out these oh so cute headpieces by ban.do. All items are hand made using vintage inspired pieces; most are one of a kind. These would make a great addition to any bridesmaid attire, birthday outfit, New Years outfit and even the chic, vintage inspired bride would enjoy. Below are a couple of my favorites. Check out their full line here.

Introducing... the Hand Painted Invitations

2010-01-25T03:57:00.001-08:00

Happy Monday all! I hope you all had a lovely weekend and are ready to take on another week. We have been busy this weekend launching our new line of hand painted invitations. Below is our first collection. We are so excited to add these to our repertoire. You may think, are you really going to paint every single invitation, well the answer is yes my friends. Crazy you may think, but we believe that every invitation deserves just as much attention and detail as the next. Each invitation is painted with acrylic paints and some are embellished with rhinestones. They can be customized to reflect your wedding colors or recreated as is. Check out more images on my shop. I would love to hear what you think.

Sushi Night

2010-01-20T18:53:00.001-08:00

Last night we had a fabulous sushi dinner in honor of my brother. He left to go back to art school in San Fran today and for his last dinner in town he wanted sushi. So sushi it was and it sure was delicious. I am still thinking of it, wishing I had more. I found this cute little photo of the dos and donts of sushi eating. Its pretty interesting. I definitely break a couple of these rules, but for me, as long as I get the sushi in my mouth and no soy sauce on my white shirt then I am good to go. :) Happy sushi eating.

Shabby Chic Baby Shower Invitations

2010-01-18T10:13:00.001-08:00

Here are the designs from last weeks inspiration - shabby chic baby shower invitations.

The Mom-to-Be, Dana, ended up picking the invitation below.

Below are the two other invitations she had to choose from. Each client always gets to choose from three different designs and can make as many tweeks as needed. This ensures the invitation is truly perfect for the client and fully captures the theme or vibe of the party.

I had such a great time designing these for Dana. I know her shower is going to be beautiful.

All Proceeds Go to the Red Cross

2010-01-14T18:33:00.000-08:00

I am sure all of you have heard by now about the destruction in Haiti. I would like to donate 20% of all stationery, monoLOVEgram or wedding suite purchases from now until the end of Feb to the Red Cross to help the people of Haiti in their time of need. You can purchase stationery and monoLOVEgrams on my etsy shop.

Sweet Tooth

2010-01-14T05:07:00.001-08:00

Good Morning Lovelies,

Something sweet for you on Thursday morning. I found these when browsing through Martha Stewart Weddings. They are beautiful and look soo yummy. Cupcakes are a delicious and cheap alternative to the wedding cake and make great additions to showers. Hope you all have a sweet day!

Weekly Inspiration:: Shabby Chic Baby Shower Invitations

2010-01-11T19:22:00.000-08:00

This week's inspiration is a Shabby Chic Baby Shower. A friend of mine is having a baby girl and needs some shower invitations. She has given me so much to find inspiration through. When we first started talking she mentioned she wanted the invitations to have a shabby chic feel with purples, pinks and greens. She then came back and said she really liked the idea of playing off the "pea in a pod" theme, she especially liked this one because her grandmother used to call her sweet pea which is a term she is going to also carry into the nursery. Another great inspiration is the baby's name. Her name will be Ella Rose... isn't that beautiful! I think we can definitely incorporate all of these inspirations into her invitations. Check back at the end of the week to see the designs I come up with.

XOXO

2010-01-08T05:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday!!

I hope you all had a wonderful first week of 2010. I hope your weekend is filled with love, happiness and lots of warm kisses.

photo by Elizabeth Messina

2010-01-05T19:30:00.000-08:00

It's the beginning of a decade, a new year and a new month - a time to make this year count, to leave all your misfortunes behind and start fresh. The beginning of each year a resolution is made and goals are set. I have already mentioned my resolutions in the previous post but probably the most important of my goals / resolutions is to appreciate every moment. Time flies by so fast and as I get older I start to see it more and more. My New Year's wish for all of you is to laugh often, smile more, see the beauty in the small things and live with your heart full of love and happiness.

XOXO

Alicia

photo by Elizabeth Messina

Happy New Year

2010-01-04T16:52:00.001-08:00

Happy New Years all! Seaside Invitations is back from the holidays and ready to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN in 2010. Over the past couple of weeks I have done a lot of reflecting on 2009 & what's to come in 2010. 2009 will definitely go down in the record books for me. I married my best friend, travelled to some amazing destinations, enjoyed time with family & friends, ate really good food and most importantly laughed, loved & smiled a lot, I decided to stop dreaming and start doing and took that step into entrepreneurship and I haven't looked back.

2010 will be a year of adventure, renewal, awakening, amazement, excitement, hard work, inspiration, creativity, accomplishment, firsts, growth, love and truly life changing moments. All of this will be possible with the power of one, and I plan to give my all to MAKE MY GOALS A REALITY.

I put together some New Year's Resolutions to live by for 2010:

Live within my arc of creativity - I want to develop & foster my love of what's beautiful and put it all on paper.

Encourage a healthy mind, body & spirit - this involves surrounding my self with people who encourage and support me and cut ties with those who drag me down

Enjoy every moment - Life is so short and I want to make sure to appreciate every second I have with my loved ones. I want to stop and smell the roses and breathe in the air a bit more and take more time to reflect.

Be fearless and truly make things happen for Seaside Invitations

What are your resolutions for 2010? Above I put together an inspiration board of things that fire me up to make things happen. What fires you up?

Gone to the Beach

2009-12-18T20:32:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I wanted to let you all know that our studio will be closing today and reopening after the new year (Jan 4) in order to catch up on holiday orders as well as spending some much needed time with our family and friends. 2009 was just the beginning for Seaside Invitations; I am so excited to see what 2010 has in store for us. Over the next couple of weeks, I will be preparing for 2010, finalizing our strategic plan to develop the brand and MAKE THINGS HAPPEN in 2010. Next year, we will be launching some new products including: hand painted invitations and stationery, custom drawn or painted maps, love notes and a whole slew of other goodies. I am so over the moon excited to see how Seaside Invitations will evolve and what it will become. In our short 3 months, we have worked with some amazing woman. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to work with some great wedding industry professionals as well as some amazing brides and clients. Thanks so much for your support and hope you all have a safe and fun holiday. I will see you in 2010.

Dear Santa...

2009-12-17T17:25:00.000-08:00

It has been pretty busy over here at Seaside fulfilling last minute personalized stationery requests. I wanted to take a second and show you some cute out of the ordinary gift ideas for all those last minute shoppers who are still confused as to what to get someone.

This beautiful paper chandelier from the Pottery Barn made me look twice. We are in the process of redoing our studio and this would just fit perfectly into Seaside's new home. As soon as I saw it I couldn't help but envision what an incredible element this would add to a room. How fun would it be even to hang Christmas cards, note cards from loved ones, save the date responses or even old handwritten family recipes.

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Seriously, how cool are these shark salt n pepper shakers. I love the salt mound around it as if the shark fin is swimming through it. AWESOME! What a great gift for someone who has a beach house or just loves sharks!!

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How cute is this Kate Spade bag!! Its perfect for the winter time. It even looks like a peacoat. I love the bright red color, perfect for a grey winter day. I can totally picture myself wearing this with a grey wool peacoat, some Gianni Bini suede boots and a fun colorful scarf walking around London or NY... hmm. Okay its definitely on my Santa list.

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And lastly, what's a Holiday without some treats. I have seen these macaroons all over the wedding sphere and they are just soo elegant and yummy looking. They look like little clouds of sugar yumminess. These would make great Christmas gifts, just add a beautiful Christmas card and some personalized stationery and wa-laa a perfect Christmas gift your friends will be sure to appreciate. You can also use them as a cute way to say "Will you be my Bridesmaid?" your friends will be so excited to be a part of your wedding and then to have some sugary sweets to top it off - how can you go wrong. These macaroons will be the star of any food table at a Baby or Bridal Shower. This photo is courtesy of the Food Network Kitchen and click here to get the recipe for these Hazelnut Mocha Macaroons... enjoy!!

Happy Shopping!!

New Pet??

2009-12-12T19:56:00.000-08:00

Okay so I came across this image and I just had to post it. It reminded me of a conversation I had with my husband as he was trying to convince me to get a pig for a pet. Here is a little of how the conversation went.

Me:: Honey, I think we should get a little hound dog

Hubby:: We have no room for a dog

Me:: But I really want one... we can name him Blue

Hubby:: Yeah that would be great... maybe when we have more of a backyard

Me:: :( (doing the best puppy dog face I have)

a couple days later....

Hubby:: Hey, I have an idea instead of a dog lets get a pig

Me: A pig!!

Hubby: Yeah a mini pig!! They don't get too big

Me:: and where are we suppose to put this pig I thought our backyard wasn't big enough

Hubby:: he can stay in the house

Me:: Umm no. Sorry no pig!

So I have to admit he is cute but the answer is still no.

Introducing the Personalized Stationery

2009-12-09T18:04:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! I am soo excited to share my new line of personalized stationery with you. Everyone loves something with their name on it or something with school spirit so why not give the gift that keeps on giving with personalized stationery perfect for your friends, family, co-workers or even yourself.

ON SALE NOW!!!

Set of collegiate stationery:: $14 for 10 cards with matching envelope and liner

Set of personalized stationery:: $14 for set of 12 cards with matching envelope

Each set is printed on double thick 110lb cover white or ivory and paired with colored matte envelopes (your choice of color or assortment). Sets arrive packaged in a clear cello sleeve.

If you are interested in larger or smaller quantities, send me an email and I will set up a custom listing for you -- alicia@seasideinvitations.com

Below is just a glimpse of the stationery line to come. Check out more at my Etsy shop

Inspiration Boards

2009-12-07T16:55:00.000-08:00

Hello Readers,

I am so sorry I have been MIA lately with my blog. With Thanksgiving, visiting family and friends, working on Christmas card orders and launching my new stationery line, I have had little time to write on my blog. But I am back, although still going a mile a minute. I will have more to blog about in the coming week. Check back to see posts on my new line of stationery.

In the meantime here are a couple beautiful inspiration boards designed by brides and readers of Style Me Pretty to drool over. I know I sure am!!

Introducing Tis the Season Holiday Cards & Address Labels

2009-11-24T16:43:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to introduce my new Holiday Collection of cards & address labels. This year's holiday cards are inspired by kisses & holiday cheer. All cards are available on our ETSY page and come in packs of 10. Most of these cards have matching address labels. If you see an address label you love and no card to match, just let me know and I can create a custom holiday card. Looking for photo holiday card, let me know and I can custom create a card just for you. The holiday cards start at $1.80 per card and the custom holiday photo cards start at $2.60 per card. All cards include a colored matte envelope to match.

Here is a glimpse of the "Tis the Season" cards & address labels. Check out the rest on our Etsy site.

Gift Ideas for your Bridesmaids

2009-11-23T18:32:00.000-08:00

Wondering what to get your Bridesmaids and Maid of Honor for their "thank you for being a part of my big day" gift? With the holiday's around the corner it's a good idea to take advantage of all the sales going on, especially during Black Friday. When thinking about what to get your girls make sure to keep their personalities & interests in mind. You want to get them something that they can use outside of your wedding.

Also think about how you can help keep their costs down. We all know your girls are shelling out a lot of money to be a part of your special day and they do this because they love you and want to see the bride with a big smile on her face. A great gift might involve helping them save a little $$. Instead of making them buy their shoes, jewelry or hairpieces think about those as gift options. Here are a couple gift ideas to get your ideas rolling.

Row 1 - Cute clutches for bridesmaids are getting easier to come by thanks to JCrew and this Etsy designer.

Row 2 - These ultra adorable necklaces from Anthropologie are a beautiful addition to any bridesmaid dress, but will also dress up a casual outfit of jeans & a tee for a girls night out.

Row 3 - A beautiful hanky for your girls and even your mom and mom-2-be makes a touching gift. Personalize the hanky with their name, a poem or a special saying that only you two know about. This gift will be sure to bring a tear to their eye.

These oh-so-cute shoe clips are fabulous. I love how you can dress up any pair of shoes with these cute shoe clips. If you want all your girls to have the same shoe, this is a great way to help them save $$. Just have them all get a solid colored shoe (which every girl has a pair of black heels in their closet) and add a flowered shoe clip for a touch of style & elegance.

2010 Hot Spring Colors

2009-11-17T19:23:00.000-08:00

Even though the holidays are around the corner, in the wedding industry, spring is even closer. We may be filling holiday card orders but we are always thinking about our upcoming spring & summer brides. For those Spring brides that are still trying to decide on a color palate check out the Spring 2010 Pantone Color Chart to help you decide.

Time Flies When You Are Having Fun

2009-11-16T09:56:00.000-08:00

Today, my husband, Pat and I are celebrating our 6 month anniversary. It's hard to believe that 6 months have already passed. The statement "time flies when you are having fun" really is the truth. I can say without a doubt, the past 6 months have been some of the best months of my life. To think just 6 short months ago, we were celebrating our love on our wedding day with all of our friends & family around us and then we jetted off to the Greek Islands to spend 2 amazing weeks with no worries surrounding us; just lots of love and of course the beautiful scenery and amazing food. How lucky we were to have that time together in one of the most beautiful places on earth. It was there on our balcony in Santorini over looking the Caldera we started to talk about our dreams and what we really wanted out of life. We talked about Seaside Invitations and the hopes and dreams I had for it and how we could make it a reality. I felt invincible, perhaps it was the swim in the Aegean, the beautiful setting we were in or the fact that I just married my best friend. I was ready to put my fears aside and take that leap into entrepreneurship and "live the dream".

When we returned we settled into marital bliss, wrote all our thank you cards and just truly enjoyed each other and our new married life. Seaside Invitations was born in August and we haven't stopped since. We started as a fully custom wedding invitation studio and have since added to our repertoire the monoLOVEgram, Tis the Season holiday cards (coming soon), personalized stationery, address labels and custom maps. We have partnered with various wedding professionals and we are currently in the process of being sold on Etsy.com and having our own Facebook page. Phew... I am tired just thinking about it.

All of this could not have been accomplished without the love & support from my husband. He has been there for me through out it all. I can see how proud he is just by the way he looks at me when I am telling him about my newest idea or what is on our very long to-do list.To see the love & support in his eyes and his embrace keeps me going and pushes me to be that much better. It is so inspiring and just fills my heart with joy. I am truly blessed to be loved by the one I love and to have a career that feeds my creative soul.

Vendor Review - Tampa Bay Watch

2009-11-11T17:08:00.000-08:00

Each month I will be featuring a new vendor in the Tampa Bay area. To kick off the first vendor review I would like to feature Tampa Bay Watch. I have to admit I am a bit partial to this venue because it is where I got married almost 6 months ago. For my wedding I wanted to have a sunset theme and I wanted the reception to be on the water or overlooking the water. I searched for months and months and visited every venue on the beach or intercoastal and I still couldn't find "The One". We were looking for a venue that fit within our budget and that spoke to our personalities and I stumbled upon Tampa Bay Watch. It was like finding a needle in a haystack and I knew instantly that it was "The One". I instantly made an appointment to view the venue and by that weekend we had booked our site.

Tampa Bay Watch is located on the southern tip of St. Petersburg in Tierra Verde right before Fort Desoto. This beautiful venue has a spacious 2,500 square foot indoor and outdoor area for dining and dancing. The interior has a large open area with wall to wall picturesque windows overlooking the bay - perfect for those sunset photos. There is a deck that wraps around the back side of the venue so your guests can mingle on the porch and in the main dining hall. It promotes an open aired environment and a relaxed feel with stunning views. For those looking for a ceremony location as well, you can choose to get married on the beautifully manicured lawn overlooking the bay.

In addition to the beautiful venue and amazing views the price is very very reasonable compared to other venues on the water (they even provide the tables, chairs and linens) and the staff is just wonderful! You will work closely with Laura, their wedding coordinator, and she is awesome! She is so accommodating to what the bride wants and she will try to meet all of your requests. She will be there throughout the wedding to make sure all goes according to plan. They do have a couple of rules that all brides have to abide by but overall my experience at Tampa Bay Watch was top notch.

I could go on and on about this venue, but one more thing I will tell you before I end this review is that not only is this venue beautiful, but it is also works to protect our oceans. Tampa Bay Watch strives to counteract the huge loss of wetland habitats by expanding community involvement with hands-on restoration and protection projects around the bay. They work with volunteers, students, at-risk youth and civic organizations to participate in environmental projects such as coastal cleanups, rebuilding oyster domes and bars, restoring salt marsh grass and planting sea grass just to name a few. For me, it made me feel better to know my money was not only going towards a beautiful venue for my wedding but also to a good cause.

I hope this review has helped you and if you are in search of a venue, give Laura a call and visit Tampa Bay Watch.

loving this designer

2009-11-10T16:32:00.001-08:00

Okay so I just came across a new wedding gown designer, Saja Weddings and I am totally in love! Her dresses are soo my style. Very classy, simple, casual and yet elegant. These dresses would be perfect for getting married on the beach or in a garden setting. Check out her newest styles and with the prices really reasonable you can't afford not to take a peek. Enjoy!

Introducing the customized Address Label

2009-11-04T19:31:00.000-08:00

Last weeks inspiration board was Fall. This week I decided to go in a new direction and design address labels. The fully customizable address labels are our newest product at Seaside Invitations. They are designed to coordinate with the Fall season and your Thanksgiving greeting cards. At an affordable price of just $5 per sheet (1 sheet = 12 labels), all you need to do is send us your name & address and we will get these printed and out to you. Check back for our holiday card & address label debut in the coming weeks.

Put a stamp on it!

2009-11-02T05:13:00.000-08:00

We are seeing a new trend hitting the wedding scene and that's postcards as your response cards. It feels like every time I turn around postage seems to go up. Using a postcard in place of a traditional response card will help save you money!

The cost of a postcard stamp is now $0.28 (regular first class stamps cost $0.44). Using a reply postcard not only helps to save in postage but you save in paper costs, as well, because there is no envelope needed. A great benefit of using Seaside Invitations as your invitation designer is we assemble your invitations and place the postage on your reply cards. A great way to add a bit more flair to your beautifully designed invitations is the use of vintage stamps.

Most people will need the standard wedding stamp when mailing out their invitations. The cost of these stamps has gone from $0.59 to $0.61. This stamp covers most invitations that include a few enclosures and/or the popular pocket or pocket-fold. If you are mailing a square invitation, then the post office will add a surcharge of $0.20 to your item. In the grand scheme of wedding planning an extra $20 on 100 invitations for postage is rather small potatoes but you don't want to be surprised at the post office.

The best thing to do before purchasing the postage for your beautiful invitations is to take one fully assembled invitation to the post office and have it weighted. They will tell you exactly how many stamps you need to purchase.

Happy Friday

2009-10-30T13:06:00.000-07:00

One more day before the costumes are on and the chocolate is eaten. Here are some spooky cocktails to kick off your Halloween weekend.

For more Halloween treats - check out Hostess with the Mostess

Feature on Tampa Bay Watch blog...

2009-10-29T05:25:00.001-07:00

Great News! Seaside Invitations monoLOVEgrams have been featured on the Tampa Bay Watch blog. Tampa Bay Watch is located at the southern tip of Tierra Verde right before Fort Desoto in Pinellas County. This beautiful venue hosts wedding ceremonies and receptions, as well as events. There is more to come on this venue as I will begin showcasing local venues and vendors in upcoming blogs starting in November. If you do book your wedding or event at Tampa Bay Watch, you will work directly with Laura McMurdock who is an absolute dear to work with. She is on top of everything which allows the bride one less thing to worry about.

I recently created custom monoLOVEgrams for Laura and her significant other Doug. They wanted something that reflected their personalities which entailed either a Celtic symbol or something to do with Doug's love of flying. I designed 4 monoLOVEgrams for her to choose from and she loved all four and posted them online. Check them out at the Tampa Bay Watch blog. While you are there check out all the great amenities this beautiful venue has to offer.

the Leaves are a Fallin'

2009-10-26T16:59:00.001-07:00

well not really in Florida... even though its been Fall for a month now. It's hard living in Florida to really get into the fall spirit with temperatures in the mid 80's, the sun beaming down and the trees still green. It is not until the end of October with Halloween around the corner, pumpkins carved on doorsteps, and a brisk cool breeze every now and again that it starts to really feel like the Fall season. For those brides with a Fall inspired wedding, here is an inspiration board to get you into the spirit. Check back at the end of the week to see the Fall inspired pieces we create.

Frightful Cupcakes

2009-10-21T13:32:00.000-07:00

Ever since my girlfriends baby shower when I made those adorable Cookie Monster Cupcake Bites, I have felt inspired by all things baked and these are just adorable. They are perfect for your upcoming Halloween parties and can be transitioned for any themed party. They are cute, ghoulish & easy to assemble. Better Homes & Garden featured the Frightful Cupcakes, and these are my top favorites out of the 17 featured.

The Green Goblin -

Cut or tear sour gummy straws in half and insert in the frosting. Use sour gummy rings for eyes. Place white jelly beans in each ring for the eyes and top with a mini chocolate chip. Place a green jelly bean under the sour gummy rings for the goblin's nose.

Witch's Legs -

Use black marzipan to make the shape of the witch's boots. Stick yellow mini M&M's on each boot for the buckles with frosting. Mold each boot around a peppermint sticks to create the legs. Top cupcake with coconut dyed with green food coloring. You could even change these up and make Santa Legs for Christmas.

Peek-A-Boo Cupcake

Place 3 slices of marshmallows on top of each cupcake. Place 2 small mint candies in between the top two marshmallow rings for the eyes; use frosting to help make them stick. Put a candy coated chocolate between the bottom two rings for the mouth. To convert this to a Christmas theme, you could take the same idea and create a snowman.

Little Witch

Decorate a sugar cone with green icing. Place a chocolate cookie on top of a white frosted cupcake. Stick the decorated sugar cone on top of the cookie using melted chocolate. Place 2 mini candy-coated chocolates in the frosting for the witch's eyes. Tuck the dyed coconut under the sugar cone for the witch's hair.

Frankenstein

Frost a chocolate graham cracker square with tinted green frosting, leaving room at the top for hair. Place the frosted graham cracker on the cupcake. Use chocolate frosting to make spiky hair and Frankensteins mouth. Cut a small marshmallow in half for the eyes. Dot chocolate frosting on the marshmallows for pupils. Place 2 marshmallows colored with dye on either side of the cupcake for plugs.

Spider Crawl Cupcake

Place a chocolate truffle in the middle of the frosted cupcake for the spiders head. Use melted chocolate to adhere 2 red hots for the eyes. Cut 8 pretzel sticks in half. Dip the pretzels in melted chocolate to adjoin broken sticks for spider legs. Insert pretzel sticks in cupcake around the truffle.

Fall 2009 Colors are in....

2009-10-20T16:04:00.000-07:00

The HOT new colors for Fall have arrived.

These colors envoke a warm cozy feel; they are the perfect mix between bright loud colors of summer & the cool colors of winter.

You can incorporate these colors into your invitations through a personalized monoLOVEgram, paper choices, fonts & envelopes. Check back later this week to see ho we incorporate these colors into our new Fall designs.

Think Pink Designs

2009-10-17T12:20:00.000-07:00

The beauty of pink is all around us this month, I've even noticed it during the football games. It's a beautiful thing to see so many people and organizations rally around such a great cause. Now-a-days most of us know at least one person who has been affected with breast cancer, which is why its more important than ever for us ladies to continue to get ourselves checked out each month. I read an article a couple of months ago that was truly tear jerking about two sisters and their struggle with breast cancer. What was so encouraging from that article was to hear about all the advancements that have been achieved over the past decade.

Below are some beautiful invitations, stationery and a monoLOVEgram that was inspired by the beautiful color pink and breast cancer awareness. A portion of the proceeds on any pink inspired product will be donated to the Susan G. Coleman Foundation.

Introducing the monoLOVEgram

2009-10-15T05:23:00.000-07:00

I have developed a new product for all my DIY brides out there. These affordable monoLOVEgrams are the perfect touch for your invitations. Don't think you can afford the fully custom invitation of your dreams but you want something to personalize your invitation? Well with these monoLOVEgrams, the design is already set and all we have to do is change the color to coincide with your wedding & the details (name, date, location). Want a little something more? We can provide you with the paper & envelopes to make your invitations just a little bit more special. MonoLOVEgrams can also be added to our new line of personalized stationery. If you are looking for a great thank you card or a special note card to send to friends & family, then these monoLOVEgrams are the perfect fit.

If these dont quite embody your wedding theme, let me know, I can design the perfect monoLOVEgram to fit your needs at an affordable price.

Here are some examples of the MonoLOVEgrams starting at only $10!!

More can be seen on my website: http://www.seasideinvitations.com/Portfolio.html

Inspiration of the Week: Think Pink

2009-10-11T17:18:00.000-07:00

Its been busy busy here at Seaside. I am in the midst of designing some new invitations & stationery along with some new products coming out later this month.

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month I have been inspired by all the PINK I see every where I turn. Below is a Think Pink inspiration board for all you pink brides out there. Check back at the end of the week to see the designs I came up with.

Best Friends Baby Shower

2009-10-08T14:22:00.000-07:00

Well the shower was a success. Everyone had a great time. The food was delicious, the milk & cookies hit the spot and my girlfriend got lots of fun presents for her new baby boy! Here are some pics from the shower. Check out the cookie monster diaper cake & cake pops.

Cute Diaper Cake... even the diaper's were themed to Sesame Street.

Here are the cake pops. I took the recipe from Bakerella and created my own Cookie Monster design. I used blue chocolate for the outer layer, blue sprinkles for hair, marshmallows for eyes, and cookie crisp cereal for the mouth.

And they tasted really good!! Usually when I bake it normally doesn't look or taste good but this time around I got it right. I was pretty impressed with myself. :)

Me and the Momma-2-Be!

Sunday Bike Ride

2009-09-29T17:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I went for a bike ride with my hubby on our new beach cruisers and as we rode through our little beach neighborhood. I was so inspired by the colorful beach houses, palm trees and the gorgeous sky. In the midst of enjoying the views on our ride, I was able to brainstorm a bit about Seaside Invitations and the direction I want to take it in. The thoughts & ideas were just pouring into my head, there is so much that I want to do with my company, so many directions. Ideas like personalized stationery and postcards, address labels, more customized maps, hand painted invitations, family trees, and so much more... Oh will I ever get it all out on paper. Since starting Seaside, my eyes have been retrained to see things in a new light. I notice colors so much more now; I see signs and automatically notice the graphics and fonts and I think how can I transform that into a beautiful invitation.

I've been thinking about designing personal stationery for some time now. I have been jotting down ideas here and there but our bike ride inspired me to place some designs. Here is my first piece of stationery inspired by my beach cruiser and bike ride.

I decided to go away from the traditional note card stationary, and design it as a postcard. Postcards allow just enough room to send a loved one a special note, while keeping your postage cost low. Never underestimate the power of a hand written note. Even a "hello, I am thinking of you" can be a pretty powerful heart warmer.

To place an order for your very own customized personal stationery, contact me at alicia@seasideinvitations.com. Check back to see the rest of my postcard stationery collection.

Baby Shower Invitations

2009-09-17T05:28:00.000-07:00

I got the sweetest thank you note! I just had to share.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!!! I feel so special to have professional invitations. I don't think I've EVER had professional invitations not even for my wedding. LOL I LOVE them! I can't tell you enough! They are sooooooooooo cute!!!!! You are the best!!!

I gave her 3 different designs and decor ideas and she decided on the cookie monster theme. For this invitation we used a cream linen paper & envelope with a blue & brown color motif.

I thought it was a cute idea to incorporate the boys by having a nursery painting party. While she is off with the girls, the boys will be hard at work OR hardly working we will see after the shower. :)

Here are some of the other designs I developed for the shower.

I found this cute cute cute cupcake on Hostess with the Mostess, it fits perfectly into the theme. I will definitely have to incorporate them into the shower.

Check back to see how I tie-in the cookie monster theme through out the entire decor of the shower.

Inspiration of the Week: Alternative Bouquets

2009-09-13T18:16:00.000-07:00

When thinking about what kind of feeling you want your invitations to embody, consider the floral elements in your wedding. Your bouquet often captures the mood and style of your wedding. These alternative bouquets by the fabulously talented JL Designs are elegant, fun and just all around beautiful. When thinking about your bridesmaid bouquets and dresses, add fun ribbons, hot colors and flowers not commonly used to take your bouquet to the next level. The bridesmaid dresses by Ruche are also out of the box. Move away from the classical chiffon solid colored dresses and consider fun prints & styles that capture your personality. I am sure they will love you for it and your photos will look fabulous.

beautiful yellow ranunculas paired with white & yellow gingham ribbon gives a warm summer vibe.

ruffly, blush garden roses wrapped in khaki linens and accented with a bit of crocheted lace for a vintage garden feel...

bouquet of all fuschia dahlias with buds left on and wrapped in a magenta ribbon cuff...

hot pink mums with yellow centers, wrapped in turquoise ribbon with a fuschia corset wrap layered on top....

a simple bouquet of bright orange tulips really pops next to a bold patterned dress...

purple allium and accented with avocado and olive colored pom pom trims for a retro throwback

a variety of ranunculas in blush and peach tones, for texture scabiosa pods to roughen it up a bit.

a bouquet of all white veronica...i love the way this flower kinda droops and hangs in different directions...it kinda does its own thing... very earthy paired with a beautiful nude and navy blue dress.

Check back to see what designs I come up with using these floral bouquets as my inspiration.

Inspiration of the Week: Baby Shower

2009-09-01T23:53:00.003-07:00

I am planning a baby shower for one my dearest friends. Here is what's inspiring me to create her beautiful invitations & shower décor. I can't wait to show you what I come up with.

To get to know my company, you should know a little bit about me

2009-09-01T23:53:00.001-07:00

I had so much fun planning all the creative details for my wedding, I thought why not start a company where I could share my passion with others. I have always been a paper person, creating hand crafted cards & scrapbooks. It was only a matter of time before I became involved in the paper industry. I love combining beautiful papers, fun fonts and simple designs to create a beautiful piece of art.

I am a Florida girl to the max; I love all things that have to do with sun, sand and surf. There is nothing more relaxing then sitting on the beach with sand between my toes, watching the waves roll in, the salty breeze blow through my hair and a margarita in hand.

I love traveling! It’s so inspiring to experience a new city or country through its culture and food. I am a super foodie! Some of my favorite shows are on the Food Network. I don’t think I have met a food that I didn’t like. I am willing to try anything at least once, and usually I love it! I enjoy going to all sporting events and enjoy being outside most of the time. My newest adventure is surfing. I am not very good, but love the feeling of being picked up by a wave and riding it down the beach.

A couple random things on my bucket list are: catch a foul ball at a Rays game, milk a cow, eat the food of the land where I travel, and kiss my husband under the Eifel Tower.

I cant wait to meet you and come up with some beautiful designs for your special event!