hello, nice owl!

our first bridal fair!

2009-02-23T01:04:00.000-08:00

we did our first bridal fair in san jose and it was a huge success! not knowing what to expect, we were graciously and warmly received by attendees as well as vendors. thank you for stopping by our booth and we hope you liked what you saw.

we're anxious to work with all the new people we met and look forward to staying in touch.

my awesome girls who helped. (from left) marjorie and maureen:

(from left) me and majorie posing at our booth

owls and invitations!

while nice owl was away

2009-02-23T00:33:00.000-08:00

hello!

my sister got married in cambodia this past january and it was absolutely gorgeous. please take a peek at a few of my favorite shots from the wedding.

after a few weeks of vacation and celebration, i am ready to get back to creating and designing.

please enjoy the pictures!

all photos by mark j. sebastian

I did my sister's make up for her special day. she looked beautiful.

congratulations to steen and chenda!

PROJECT: earring organizer

2008-11-10T23:01:00.000-08:00

here's a great and easy project to do that will organize and display your earrings and other jewelry. my cousin serey from canada, who is a fashionable accessorizer and low-key crafter, sent me this project recently that i had to share.

you can purchase the cork at an office supply store or online (usually comes with 4 pieces that are 12 x 12"). for the pins, try craft supply or sewing shops.

no tools needed, just pin away and start showing off your accessories you use daily. see below!
voila! thank you serey for sharing such a smart and easy project!

enjoy and happy crafting

time to get crafting

2008-11-03T23:46:00.000-08:00

now that halloween has passed and fall is upon us we're going to notice an abrupt shift. thanksgiving and the gift-giving seasons are upon us and we have to start thinking about spreading all the joy we can and presents for those in your life. why not make all your presents this year? or *gasp* mail out your holiday cards before 2009 arrives.

something i'm doing this year is initiating a weekly "craft night" starting november into december. i've invited good friends and fellow crafters to my house every tuesday evening to work on craft projects and to potluck.

here is the email i sent:

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hello friends and fellow-crafters: now that halloween is over, we have to think about the other holidays that are coming up (read: thanksgiving and christmas).

with the economic state-of-emergency we're in (see: the news and my bank account), i say we craft our little hearts out this holiday season. which leads me to this invitation.

CRAFT NIGHT at My House every Tuesday from Nov. 11 to Dec. 2.

what is "craft night?": i used to do this monthly with my friends in SF. we'd get together to craft, as well as potluck. you can bring your own project(s) or come without and help someone with theirs.
this could mean anything:

write your store-bought christmas cards
make your cards and write them out
knitting projects (who knows, you might be able to learn here)
bring craft books/magazines to share and get ideas
make your presents
wrap your presents
make a mixed tape (haha)
...think endless possibilities...

the main goal is to share an evening together while creating/crafting and having fun. please RSVP the friday before a craft night, so i can figure out space, food and the like. i will send out an email on monday to confirm with details.

Craft Nights:
Tuesday, Nov. 11 (RSVP by Nov. 7)
Tuesday, Nov. 18 (RSVP by Nov. 14)
Tuesday, Nov. 25 (RSVP by Nov. 21)
Tuesday, Dec. 2 (RSVP by Nov. 28)

let me know if there is someone you would like for me to invite. i'd love to keep the invite open, but it's all depending on space.

happy crafting!!
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i hope that everyone makes time for themselves before the busy holiday season charges through the rest of the year. below are a few items i found to help inspire:

pictures courtesy of:
1. purple wool scarflette (click here)
2. somewhere series (click here)
3. Grand Revival's Flea Market Bag (click here)
4. 100% recycled wrapped present (click here)

mendocino in october

2008-10-30T17:17:00.000-07:00

in early october we took a road trip up to mendocino, a small town that sits perched on the pacific coast, for our anniversary. a few hours north of san francisco, it's yet another wonderful destination within california state borders. with a stroke of luck and internet researching skills on my side, i found glendeven inn for our lodging. i have always wanted to try a bed & breakfast, and after this experience, will definitely book another trip in the future. we most enjoyed the warm staff, friendly fellow guests and all the relaxation we could soak up.

if you're planning on being up in the area, here are a few recommendations:

eats at mendocino cafe, the moosse cafe and deli goods from the market for lunch.
stay at glendeven inn. mike and john make sure your stay is pleasant and you get to feed the llamas and chickens on sight. the grounds are free reign to enjoy the greenhouse or a leisurely walk to the beach.
our soundtrack. these are enjoyable tracks that kept the trip memorable and sweet: the dan in real life soundtrack, marie antoinette soundtrack (especially avril 14th), radiohead's in rainbows and miles davis anything (always a winner).

here are a few pictures from the trip. enjoy!

a small gift for the 2009 brides

2008-10-14T01:04:00.000-07:00

2009 Wedding Invitations Ordering Guide

click on the chart below:

i've had the opportunity to work with several brides and grooms, since 2006, in creating their wedding invitations from inception to delivery. what i found to be the most confusing for couples about ordering their invitations was not the actual selection of colors or motifs, but most importantly: timing.

as a small gift to you 2009 brides out there... i've designed a Cheat Sheet with dates and steps you'll need to keep in mind during your planning. i hope this helps you in your beginning stages as you're gathering information, vendor referrals and more. i'm happy to answer any questions that may help you, so please get in touch at any time! to email, just click here.

here is a guide to what each column means (chart below):

"wedding date": look to see what weekend your wedding falls on in the charted column. i've put friday, saturday and sunday dates.

"meet with consultant": as you are looking around at web sites or walk-in stores for invitations, narrow down who you would like to make an in-person or phone appointment with. speaking with a professional will help you decide on your personal style and final decision.

"order invitations": once you've seen quotes and are close to finalizing your order, make sure to give the designer/company ample time to order materials, design and assemble your invitations. this will also assure you will have enough time to address your mailing envelopes and apply all postage necessary. note which design companies offer rush orders with additional fees.

"mail out date": etiquette says a wedding invitation should reach your guests about 8 weeks (2 months) in advance. this should allow enough time for your guests to reply with attendance status and meal options (if you have it). it's also noted that if a save the date was sent out months before, you can mail 6 weeks instead of 8 weeks.

postage tip: be sure to bring an invitation with you to the post office and have them weigh it before purchasing the amount you'll need. also, if you want to see how your invitation will travel through the mail, why don't you send one to yourself or your mother (she'll tell you how it turns out).

"order day-of coordinates": these are all of the effects you'll want for the 'day-of' your wedding. this includes:

place cards
programs
menus
table numbers
thank you note cards
favor tags

good to know what you'll want to order, but make sure you give your invitations precedence first and foremost.

+ dates land on mondays to help with planning to contact vendors during business hours.

happy planning to you and nice owl design studio looks forward to your inquiries!

click here to view our portfolio.

karen + david:::polka dots, red, white and black

2008-10-14T00:50:00.000-07:00

here's a fun and formal spin on the "terry" design from the nice owl design web site. the bold colors and metallic papers add to a more formal, classic feel.

an additional portable pocket, which adorns their monogram, makes for a fun element to this non-traditional wedding invitation.

karen and david's november nuptials are around the corner and will certainly reflect their clean and quirky styles.

congratulations to you both!

if interested in a quote, email us by clicking here.

a ladybug baby shower

2008-09-23T10:18:00.000-07:00

baby shower's are always fun because you get to choose themes. everything from the cake decorations, games, signs and, of course, invitations.

check out these ladybug invitations created for baby piper...arriving in november.
invitation:
5 x 7 red back card with main invitation mounted
khaki matte envelope for mailing

8-8-08

2008-08-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

i will admit to being a fan of the number 8. i remember back as far as 8th grade i've had this obsession with the round number. perhaps it's because the number is plumper than others? or turned on its side, it reads like the infiniti sign?

anyway you see, just know that millions of other people around the globe loves this numeric. case in point, the bejing 2008 olympics, people who love lotto and couples who were getting married!

one of those couples were clients of mine, suzanne tran and conan tong of san francisco. congratulations you two! read more about this craze and see pictures of beautiful suzanne the day before the wedding!

to see more pictures and read the entire article, click here.

hooray for sister!

2008-03-04T00:03:00.000-08:00

we've been celebrating and talking non-stop about weddings, but i didn't get to properly say "congratulations" to my sister and, now, fiance (my soon-to-be brother in-law)!
we're planning a major destination wedding for 2009. details will be shared!

and now i'd also like to introduce and welcome their newest addition. meet louie petite noir:

save the date postcard

2008-03-03T23:49:00.000-08:00

here is a simple save-the-date postcard with decorative paper flush-mounted on the back.
please look at www.niceowldesign.com for more.

{welcome} baby duncan!

2008-01-21T21:05:00.001-08:00

i made the card in anticipation for the birth, and alas...

we can welcome the newest addition to the duncan family!
congratulations to callum and joselle
who had
charlotte duncan
on january 17, 2008

{ enjoy all your new moments with one another }

{oh boy} the nice owl has landed

2008-01-09T23:23:00.001-08:00

{hello all}

i have arrived! from where, you ask? well, i suppose i've just finally gotten here. that "here" is in blogger land where i can get connected and stay connected with so many.

i look forward to posting up-to-date/timely happenings with my custom invitations + stationery business {www.niceowldesign.com}

ambition at its best: my hope is to share products i love/ cannot live without; give you a glimpse into the world of my clients i come across; share projects i'm working on; continue with the passing along of web sites, vendors and such; as well as try to share and test out new trends.

why nice owl? well, i do dig on owls and thought they'd be a fun creature to use as my emblem. but most importantly, i'm a night owl--working later and later these days. so, why not tell people how nice i am, as well as my sleeping habits? silly, i know, but it works for me. i plan on using this space as an outlet of self expression and opening myself to the web community.