Happy Holidays!

Although we find ourselves spending the bulk of our time creating wedding invitations and the complementary paper products, this time of year brings a cheery diversion in the seldom-used-in-a-wedding colors of red and green, blue and gold. 

Our Envelopments line of paper has come up with a "new twist" on an old favorite, the Christmas greeting card.  Available in 12 holiday card stock colors, the unique twisted shape of the card adds a unique flair to your personal holiday greeting.  So "twist and shout" your holiday cheer this season.  Order soon!

Love this Combo!

Okay.  When we were first asked to do a wedding suite for a wedding on October 29th in the colors "blackish and orange," of course all that came to mind was Halloween.  And not that that's bad.  I've seen the theme done quite well, actually, as evidenced at http://theperfectpalette.blogspot.com/2010/0/halloween-inspired-wedding-orange-black.html.


Once we got past that initial diversion, we dove head first into the beauty of a steel gray, orange, and cream wedding suite.  Don't ask me why, but we started with the favor tags.  I just love these little darlings.  Elegant but sweet, which happens to mirror the bride quite nicely. 

Next were invitations and RSVP cards,

followed by the programs, menus, table cards, and table numbers.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I used to say orange had no business being a color, that it was so absolutely ugly.  I'd also like to point out, though, that I have since changed my tune and it is now one of my most favorite colors in the world!

Now I embrace all that every color of the rainbow, and more has to offer.  And translating so many of those colors into the paper "beauties" that add so much personality to your special events is our dream job.

All right.  I have to be honest.  Maybe I haven't grown as much as I led you to believe.  There is a color that I'm sure has no redeeming value.  Puce.  See?  Admit it.  I know you agree.

Summer Shower in Seattle

Chubby baby boys.  Warm summer afternoons.  Comfortable country entertaining.  Good company.

Welcome to one of the many moments of life that make it worth living.  The bonuses that make the work worthwhile.  And we love the celebrations.

What a job we have!  We can't even tell you the satisfaction we derive from being part of the sweetest moments of your lives.  The welcoming of new life.  The union of soul mates.  The celebration of half a century of marriage.  You name it, we value the moment and set out to enhance the experience with the details that set it apart, details that say this isn't just another party.  This is a slice of your life.  

Pretty Paper Provider

That's what we are, and so much more! Walking with the bride through every step of decision-making regarding her paper presentations is always a privilege! We loved being a part of Rachelle and Chad's Big Day. From the beautiful ceremony outdoors at Spanish Hills to the lavish reception in the clubhouse, we were honored to be a part of this special day! Rachelle's father took these photos, and the spectacular centerpieces were created by Pam Perry.
The delicious cake was Skiff's, much to the crowd's delight!

Keep Portland Weird

Yep, there it was, right across the street from VooDoo Doughnuts. And they're proud of it. I will concede it's true on a certain level, but let's face it. We live on the outskirts of LA. We know weird. But along with weird, many of the other things I noticed in Portland were how it's brimming with art, of every kind. Everywhere. On walls of buildings, in store fronts, on people. And Portland's active. More people were out and about in the rain than I see most sunny days in my city. They say in Portland if you don't go out in the rain you'll never go out. Which I also can testify to, since we only had one day out of six with no rain (almost, until around 9 pm when it just couldn't stand it anymore). But you know what that rain brings, don't you? Flowers. Beautiful, abundant flowers. Waterfalls. The greenest forests you'll ever see. Gardens filled with robust vegetables. Trees heavy-laden with branches of fresh-as-you-can-get-it fruit. And let's not forget the beautiful old buildings of downtown, washed fresh and clean in the morning rain. And the food? Portland is passionate about their food, whether it be organic fare or the cholesterol-packing punch of the Pine State Biscuits "The Reggie" (fried chicken, bacon and cheese on a biscuit topped with sausage gravy!). Portland may be weird, but if that's part of the package, I'll take it. Inspiration there is at it's finest, and I love being inspired. What does all this have to do with The Pomegranate Basket or specialty invitations? Nothing... Or maybe everything. The same enthusiasm with which Oregonians (?!) pursue their passions is ours when we set out to create that perfect invitation, be it your storybook wedding, a darling daughter's Sweet 16, your beloved spouse's 50th, 60th -- you name it! Life is full of good things. We like to think we have a part in bringing those good things to light through the occasions we help to mark.

A New Line of Paper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That pool boy is correct, Tammi - we ARE hot.........long story, for another time
ANYWHO: Guess What?!?!
We've wanted (o.k. coveted) to have Envelopment Papers in our repertoire for, well, since Laura got engaged. And mark your calendars - 05/26/10 -- mission accomplished! I know it seems like were using too many exclamation points, but really you have no idea how we're holding back!! :))
Lessons learned:
Don't succumb to fear
Don't assume
DO give it a try, knowing you have an "in," the listening ear of God. All this to say, we have access to some of the most beautiful paper out there. Possibilities are endless. We lost track of how many times we screamed in the car on our way home from our business field trip (complete with a stop at subway) to the Envelopments headquarters. Stay tuned and watch us blossom. Oh and apparently we're hot.

Inspiration!

This is the goal. This is what you want. As I reflect back, I realize I had been caught up and swept away in the very same scenario I hope will unfold every time I create an invitation. Let me just tell you the story.

A few weeks ago my husband and I received a wedding invitation in the mail from one of his coworkers. When I opened the envelope and saw the invitation, I literally gasped. Unique. Beautiful. Well-made. Pleasing. Intriguing. I was immediately a bosom friend of the bride-to-be, even though I did not know her at all. And I knew that whether these people were important to me or not, I was going to be at that wedding come hell or high water. And I was.
And let me tell you, it did not disappoint. The feeling and mood the invitation had evoked was carried out beautifully and creatively in even the smallest detail of the wedding and reception. I was taken in and enveloped in the theme, a tribute to the venue--a citrus orchard owned by the bride's grandparents.

What a gorgeous night it was: the guests celebratory and comfortable, the surroundings spectacular, and the couple literally glowing.

The invitation was the beautiful precursor that captured my attention from the very start. That is the goal. That is what you want! Let us create it for you!

Beautiful Paper Makes Me Happy!

Another shipment came today, and I'm not sure many packages give me more enjoyment than the ones that contain colorful stacks of beautiful paper. This shipment contained some lovely spring colors with enticing names -- daffodil, moss, lemongrass, peony, blossom. These will come together to announce a happy couple's upcoming nuptials, a precious baby's birth, a child's milestone birthday. Mixing and matching colors create unique invitations that are personal to who or what they announce. Choosing different types or shapes of enclosures adds to the individual statement. The possibilities are endless, and the creative process is gratifying and rewarding. And we like to think that it's appreciated, creating the harbinger of a beautiful event, a once-in-a-lifetime celebration, a milestone in a life's journey. "A thing of beauty is a joy forever." ~John Keats, via Mary Poppins, one of my favorite philosophers. Mary Poppins, that is.

Walk, Talk, and Business

Work Day/Fun Day!

So, after spending most of the day in my home office computing dimensions and organizing the components for two of our wedding invitation orders, I've never been happier. What fun -- creating, organizing, ordering, watching a thing of beauty come together. Meanwhile, the other half of The Pomegranate Basket was in her home office putting together the final touches on a slideshow we've been working on for a wedding that's coming up in a couple weeks. After comparing notes at the end of the day, we couldn't have been happier. What better way to spend a day than doing something you love and something that speaks love for the people you're serving. This is where we belong.

All About the Babies

So I'm already a Grammy times one, but there are two buns in the oven! My daughter is having her second boy, due any day, and my daughter-in-law is having her first, a girl! Being a Grammy is the most fun a girl can have. Like someone once said, I should've skipped having kids and gone straight to grandkids! But not really. My kids are the best--smart, funny, good-looking, industrious, loving, brilliant...but I digress.

Anyway, the baby showers are in full swing, and you know what that means: thank yous! Lots of thank yous! So last night I sat down to design one for my daughter. She said she liked the popular pregnant woman silhouette, so this is what I came up with.

I'm having a blast with this baby thing, and the best part is having both the pink and blue pallettes to work with. I'm not limited to just boy or just girl. This is fun! Next I'll be working on the baby announcements. So that probably means pictures of precious baby faces, tiny toes, chubby fingers. Does it get any better than this?