originals :: paper art & design

This is sweet little baby Garrett Allen Fischer… isn’t he just darling!  He’s the second Fischer boy and Allen’s namesake.  We haven’t met him yet — summer can’t get here soon enough.

I used the same design elements for his brother Cole two years ago.  I absolutely adore the circles, round font, and new to this announcement… the excited, wide-eyed fish!  It’s a terrific combination and so fitting for our friends.  This announcement would be so sweet mounted and framed in a shadow box.

Details. Details. Details.  They make the difference between a large photo website template and an Originals custom announcement.  If you’re expecting or know somebody who is, this is a great way to announce the arrival of your loved one.  Purchasing baby announcements as a bridal shower gift is unique, unexpected and well received.  Contact me today to discuss how to get started.

My sister came up with a fabulous gift for her guy for Christmas and recruited me to bring her thoughtful idea to life. Her guy is a snapshot photographer and loves to photograph flowers. She sent me her favorite photos (of his) to choose from along with the quote, “Earth laughs in flowers” by Ralph Waldo Emerson and told me to perform my design magic.  This is what I came up with:

I chose an old Polaroid picture frame to capture the essence of his thought process while snapping the photo, added a note to a random few using a casual handwriting font and scattered them around like you might do while admiring your favorite things (no matter what those “things” are). The quote was well thought out too… the word EARTH is sky blue and the words laughs in flowers is in a fluid and spiky font that resembles grass.

Here it is in all it’s glory! I went to STARBUCKS on New Year’s Eve and found a Create Your Own Tumbler just so I could photograph the finished product for my blog! However, I didn’t pass up the chance to get a seasonal Eggnog Latte while I was at it! Not until I was waiting for my husband to finish his First Night 5k race (while talking to my sister in freezing cold temperatures) did I realize just how fun this project was – and that I really wanted to do one for myself as well!

Have you ever considered a “create it yourself” project and wished you had some creative assistance? Let me help you! It’s very easy… I promise! My sister is 2,000 miles away in Washington state and she simply traced the template and emailed it to me. I used the template to design the tumbler and then sent her the final printed templates having never seen the actual tumbler – live and in person! It was a team effort to create this very personal gift for her special guy. He’s lucky to have such a thoughtful lady in his life!

While talking to my sister about this creative adventure we experienced together I got to thinking about what a great client gift this would make… hmm… think about it… I sure am! The options are ENDLESS!

Speaking of coffee… it’s a balmy 11 degrees here in Northeast Missouri and I need to go get a warm up on my coffee and get to work! Have a warm and wonderful day. A great big thank you to my sister, Paige, for recruiting me for this project… I loved doing it for her… for him. Cheers!

It’s that time of year again.  Our friends and business partners at SilverBox Photographers are pumping out OBSs (Originals Box Sets) just in time for Christmas.  Usually we do one set per bride/groom as part of their proof package… however, this bride wanted to give the OBS as a gift to her parents and grandparents as gifts.  So… the four you see here are all the same and will be given as gifts to her family.

If you’re new to my blog and unfamiliar with SilverBox Photographers… be sure to venture over to their blog and see their work, they are very talented and professional photographers, not to mention fabulous friends!  If you or somebody you know is getting married this summer, consider SilverBox Photographers… and tell them Brooke sent you.

A friend inquired about personal stationery for her family that she could use throughout the year. She shared a few ideas she envisioned and with those ideas I designed a couple concepts and presented them to her electronically. She loved this one and just that quick she has her own original Burrell stationery!

I printed the cards on my color laser printer, matched them up with chocolate brown envelopes and chartreuse sticker seals… which compliment the circle monogram design on front of the cards. I love projects like this!

Personal stationery makes a great gift for most occasions… showers, weddings, birthdays and even a thoughtful way to say I’m thinking of you!

A friend of ours called a couple weeks ago to ask if I would take pictures at a party she was throwing for her parents. I agreed with pleasure because I know her parents and adore them both. She also asked about a box to keep the greeting cards in and I offered to make one as our gift to her parents. Here’s a snapshot of what we created… I designed it and Allen constructed it… it’s 6x6x9 and has a hinged lid.

I added a little brass nameplate to the front with their names to personalize it.  I chose natural white paper because it was a party to celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary.  It turned out simply elegant.

Here’s the keepsake box at the end of the bar as people started to show up. By the end of the evening the box was overflowing. Once the envelopes have been tossed I’m certain all the cards will be preserved nicely in this Originals Keepsake Card Box. And, yes, you could get a box similar to this at the big box store… but this one is handmade with love… AND it’s an Original.

Check back in a couple days… I plan to share some of my favorite photos captured at the party as well! Long live the weekend.

ARTrageous Friday was great!  We saw old friends and new friends alike, and met lots of paper enthusiasts willing to share their bookbinding stories and love of paper with us! It was a good time. The ladies at Poppy were fabulous hostesses… and a great big thanks to Barbara for inviting us to demonstrate… it was fun, fun, fun! Here are a few snapshots!

This is a picture showcasing my inventory… charmed greeting cards, luminaries, booklet cards, accordion booklet cards, blank journals, hand-stitched journals, photo albums and pictures frames!

These vibrant luminaries sold out… they are so cute!

Close-up shot of Allen demonstrating the chain stitch… this is my new favorite book!

Such a talented guy… he ran his first marathon last Sunday and qualified for the 2010 Boston Marathon (can you tell I’m proud?) and this weekend he’s assisting me with an artist demonstration!  He’s the best!  If you’re interested in purchasing one of these hand-stitched albums… check out our SHOP link!

Happy weekend!

Allen and I will be participating in Artrageous Fridays 2009 this Friday at Poppy in downtown Columbia. Here’s a fun read about Artrageous that may interest you! I’ll be demonstrating my charmed greeting cards and Allen will be making one of his beautiful handmade, handstitched books! It’s supposed to be beautiful this Friday… come to downtown Columbia for an evening out! Hope to see you there.

We’ve been busily designing and making a variety of gifts to supply the two retail stores that carry our paper goods… Tranquil Seasons in Kirksville and Poppy in Columbia. Here’s a peek at some of the goodies in our the latest delivery. First… our Keepsake Picture Frames for 4×4 photo.

These picture frames are made from Project Kits that Originals Paper Art manufactures. We designed this kit (and many more) years ago and they allow us to make lots of frames without  the custom cutting. They’re great! If you’re interested in learning more about our Project Kits… check back soon, I’m going to post more information in the next day or two. The fabulous part about the Kit is you choose the paper and can embellish it with whatever you desire! It’s your very own work of paper art!

And second… Blank Sketchbooks/Journals (however you want to use it)! These are my favorite. I have different sketchbooks for different aspects of my life. The Designer, The Crafter, The Interior Decorator, and The Gardener.

I sketch logo and brochure ideas in The Designer book. I doodle personal paper projects in The Crafter book. I clip ideas from magazines and collect them in The Interior Decorator book. And I like to document my garden via sketches and descriptions in The Gardener book.

If somebody in your world (moms, dads, grads) loves pictures or sketchbooks/journals… you should consider one of our handmade gifts. Buying Local doesn’t just refer to your home town anymore… it means the USA! Think about it. Have a great day.