WedWed - Wedding Wednesday {2}

Saving the date. Building a website.

Allow me to state the obvious: Weddings are expensive. Very. Expensive.

In order to keep our budget on point, I'm attempting a bit of DIY design to cut costs on items like save-the-dates and invitations. I wish I were a grand illustrator able to delicately craft one-of-a-kind invitations with my Heidelberg letterpress, but the truth is that I have to improvise and use what I have...and that's photography.

Here's the save-the-date I came up with.

Here's how I did it.

Materials used:

Pencil
Watercolors
Watercolor paint brushes
Watercolor paper
Digital camera
Photo-editing software, such as Photoshop or Elements

1. I mixed watercolors to match my color palette (remember that?), tossed them recklessly all over the watercolor paper, and allowed it to dry.

2. Once the paint was dry, I wrote "save the date" with a soft pencil.

3. I took my little drawing out and about, taking photographs from different angles. Then I chose the one I liked best.

4. Using Photoshop, I adjusted the image to my liking. The image below is where I began following some adjustments in Adobe Camera Raw. If you don't have Photoshop, just play around with the tools your photo editing software has and see what you like! For those Photoshop junkies out there, I'll break down my layers for you.

The first three adjustment layers are: Sharpen, Exposure, and Curves. I wanted those letters to pop so I sharpened only the watercolor area. I did this by duplicating my background layer, then filter>smart sharpen. Once I tweaked the sharpening I pressed enter, added a black layer mask (hold down the alt key while pressing the add new layer button on the lower left hand corner of the layers panel). I painted over the black layer mask using a white brush at an opacity of 25%. Next, for the exposure layer, I used a layer mask again to brighten the background while keeping the watercolor area where it was. Finally, the curves adjustment layer added a bit of contrast.

Next, I made a new layer and set the blending style to Soft Light. Using the brush tool I dodged and burned various areas of the image to achieve the look I liked. I also wanted to bring out the subtle tones in the watercolor so I used my palette to paint more color into the image with the brush tool.

Finally, I added some type to the image. I liked the typewriter look so I went with it. I again turned to my palette to determine the color of the type and adjusted the kerning a bit. I was hoping that the "CR+EB" touch would remind people who they should save 9.24.2011 for as well as be reminiscent of initials carved into a tree. Also, I used the spaces between the wood as a guide for the type.

Then Chris added it to the website he's creating for the wedding and set the background color from my palette. There ya have it - www.robywedding.com is now live!

The moral of the story: finding ways to use the skills you currently have and materials you currently own, even if it wasn't your dream technique, may save you a ton of green. It did for us and I didn't walk away disappointed.

"Come Darkness" arrives at my front door

It wasn't until well into my twenties that I began to appreciate winter. Following 18 winters in the frozen tundra that is Watertown, South Dakota, I was certain that I would escape somewhere warm, hot even. Yet, it took a year in Austin, Texas for me to realize that I needed winter. I like the darkness. I need the seasons to change. Seattle suits me in this regard; The winters are wet, dark, and gray.

I believe this is the reason Maria Alexandra Vettese's (MAV) "homage to winter light" entitled, Come Darkness: Here we are again, resonated with me. MAV turned to her camera in an effort to capture those final days prior to impending winter darkness. The result was an installation at chelliswilson in Portland, ME, a limited series of images printed on silk scarves, and a keepsake book. My book arrived this weekend and I couldn't be more stoked. Each book in the series was made unique by differing scraps from the silk scarves taped to the front cover.

Talk to me in March and I can assure you that I will once again be ready for the warmth of a sunny day. But for now, I'm enjoying the rain.

image{s} of the week

Edmonds-Kingston Ferry

camera: Holga 120N
film: Kodak Portra 400NC
behind the lens: me

WedWed - Wedding Wednesday {1}

Chris and I are making it official, taking the plunge, tying the knot, and sealing the deal here in Seattle, September 24, 2011! I thought that, since we would be spending so much time planning our wedding, I would share the process with you all. Hence the new "Wedding Wednesday" or "WedWed" post. Right now we're just getting started, spending our free time scouring the internet for venders, getting catering proposals, and formulating the overall feel we're looking for. In order to begin the design process, I needed to come up with a palette. Sounds simple, except that I love color - too much color actually - and I try to smash them all together at once. It makes people dizzy.

I sought counsel from my two favorite spaces in the house: the kitchen and my closet. Standing in front of my clothing, I chose those pieces that I loved purely based on their color. My eyes went first to a poppy eyelet skirt hanging to the left. I nabbed it. Then, the parrot green sundress and light coral sweater caught my attention. As I took them from the hangers draped them over my arm, I recalled the coral nail polish I had recently purchased and, upon retrieving said nail polish from my makeup bag, I made my way downstairs to the kitchen. While en route I spied my deep purple Hunter boots by the door. "I LOVE these!" I noted out loud and added them to my pile. Pulling out drawers and opening cupboards, I combed though the kitchen looking for all of my favorite pieces. A short while later, I came up for air with light pink mixing bowls, a lime gurgle pot, and a seafoam colander. "This is going well," I told myself.

1. Green Gurgle Pot (image via Gurgle Pot), 2. Purple Hunter Boots (image via Zappos.com), 3. Cantaloupe Essie fingernail polish (image via Essie), 4. Seafoam Calypso colander (image via Amazon).

After arranging the items on and around the dining room table, I beheld my possessions and realized, if I was to make certain it didn't appear as though a rainbow vomited on our wedding decor, I had to focus and edit. Badly. So, I drug what I could of my treasures to Home Depot where I proceeded to match paint swatches and corresponding neutrals. An hour later, this is what I walked away with:

*color names were taken from the corresponding Glidden and Martha Stewart Living paint swatches.

Phew. Now if only I knew how to keep myself from changing my mind.

hello 2011

When questioned each December 31st what my resolution will be, I typically proclaim, "To make this coming year better than the last!"

Yuck.

Initially, this resolution seems nice. Who wouldn't want the forthcoming 365 to turn out better than the previous? However, in reality, it's a cop out. Once I start dating things properly again, I've forgotten about the resolution entirely. Having an ambiguous resolution ensured my success or at the very least, lack of failure. This year I needed a resolution.

I thought long, I thought hard and I came up with a resolution that I felt had the potential to enrich and simplify my life at the end of the day (or year in this case).

1. Quit doggin' on yourself, self.

This profoundly difficult idea came to me via a 3 minute video on how to poach an egg.

Jane is asked to demonstrate how to poach an egg on the fly and toward the end of the video, she says:

"Some people like to clean as they cook. I'm kinda a messy cooker. And I've just decided to accept that about myself because life is hard enough, why dog on yourself, right?"

The truth is that there are things that I ought to simply accept about myself: I'm a messy cooker too. That's cool. I hate laundry but I love naps and don't need to feel guilty about taking one once in a while. Sometimes I start a knitting project and can't seem to finish it because, honestly, I'm bored. Oh well...

That felt good and it's only January 3rd.

2011, it's nice to meet you!

You're going to have to trust me that it's hilarious and watch it yourself. I was laughing out loud so hard that Chris came downstairs to see what I was doing and the cat was afraid. Guess you had to be there.