“A fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it's better to be thoroughly sure.”

Hope ya'll had a fun filled Memorial Day weekend! Mine was an extra long 4 day break that almost felt like a lil' stay at home vacation. We grilled, we drank, and saw the first batch of summer blockbusters (Kung Fu Panda 2 and The Hangover 2), but mostly we drank...we even had beers during KFP2 at this speakeasy theatre in El Cerrito where you eat and drink with table service in front of a cinema screen. So, with my unofficial beer fest weekend now drawn to a close I'm transitioning beer off my mind and into my design eye with these packaging systems designed by Helms Workshop. I love the use of heavy textual illustrations placed with detailed pen drawings to create the look of an ad from centuries ago...

Helms Workshop

To live a creative life...

I've been kind of worrying and stressing over the prospect of my business lately. This is a whole new realm for me that's scary and exciting at the same time. As a designer, it can be nerve-wracking to be putting your creative ideas and voice out there with the hopes that someone in the general public will not only understand your point of view but appreciate it as well. For me, this business and this blog is my way of being able to express me in a way that I'm unable to do in my corporate cubicle existence. I hope the new work I create and post for Victory Paper Designs can live up to this community of artists and designers that I've discovered online and have grown to admire over the years; but mostly I hope that you as readers enjoy the daily posts and the designs I produce, and I hope you'll think of Victory Paper for you or your friends' design needs. Drop me a line sometime even to just say hi! I love to hear from you

"Creative Life" print by hellocherie

Friday Roundup: Books of Art

Forget the Kindles, Nooks, and iPads, nothing beats the feel of a real book in hand. But as the technology of e-readers spreads throughout our population it's inevitable that the hardback tomes of yesteryear will eventually see their demise. Here are some examples of people seeing the beauty of these bound works of art and treating them as so

1. Shana & Edward's Hardcover book wedding invitations via Oh So Beautiful Paper,  2. Blue Octopus Artwork by RococcoCo,  3. DIY planters via Apartment Therapy,  4. Clothbound classics Sense and Sensibility at Anthropologie,  5. I Married Adventure Book Clutch by Kate Spade,  6. Hacienda style wedding table centerpiece by JL Designs,  7. Jon & Tyke's Modern Cabin via Apartment Therapy

Annorlunda by Ikea

Ikea has launched a limited-edition line inspired by worldly travels in bright and vivid hues...only problem is that it's only available at their stores in BELGIUM. Ack! I am completely coveting that red bamboo chair...a thriftstore trip and some red spray paint will have to suffice...

Ikea Belgium
Via Apartment Therapy and Decor8

"A sweet-talkin', sugar coated Candyman"

I just had to share this super sweet wedding's milkshake stand featured on Style Me Pretty. I myself am currently finalizing invitations for my sister's wedding this fall (which I'll be sharing soon!); she and her hubby are both active soldiers in the United States Marines so I couldn't help but gush over this photo shoot's retro 1940's Americana theme. I now totally have Christina Aguilera's version of Candyman stuck in my head.

Style Me Pretty. Photographed by Laura Ivanova Photography. Concept, Coordination & Design by Scheme Events

Fabulous Pink Chaise and The City

Of course the author who created Carrie Bradshaw would have to have a hot pink chaise lounge with matching color coordinated books in her library! Candace Bushnell's Greenwich Village living room mixes traditional Victorian furniture with pops of color and texture in pinks and golds to make a deliciously girly and sophisticated space.

Elle Decor photographed by William Waldron

In the Studio: A Graduation Ticket

This weekend, my sista sista from another mista graduated from SF State! I created this card for her with a vintage circus ticket theme. Congratulations Katie and best of luck on the road of ahead! You rule.

{ Victory Paper Designs }

Friday Roundup: Desert Rose

I love the faux tropical getaways built in the 1950's in areas like Palm Springs and Las Vegas. As anyone in a desert town knows, most everyone there owns a pool (or in the case of my grandma's old house in Bakersfield, a sprinkler system for us to run through and an inflatable kiddie pool). Sitting by a pool with a mojito in hand with hundreds of miles of vast desolation surrounding you is surely a getaway.

1. Ace Hotel in Palm Springs,  2. JL Designs,  3. Desert Camper (Two) by Leah Giberson,  4. Kate Spade handbags (Tropica Jezibel and With a Twist Orange Slice),  5. Talented Nevada native Jenny Lewis,  6. Palm Springs Holiday by Peter Moruzzi,  7. Stella McCartney citrus print cotton tunic dress

Wood Goodness

I am so jealous to not have gone to the National Stationery Show in NY this week...if only my day job allowed me to jet off across country on a whim. Nole from Oh So Beautiful Paper was fortunate enough to attend and has been sharing some wonderful pictures all week from her ventures. The booth and goods created by Figs and Ginger (yum and yum) was especially delightful having created wooden carved emblems in the form of pendants, jewelry, hangers and cake toppers. Such whimsy and sweetness even down to the necklace packaging with sprawling text "I hope this makes you smile". It sure does.

Figs and Ginger
Photography by Brian Tropiano

Lettering genius

I'm a big fan of hand-drawn fonts, and custom chalk letterer, Dana Tanamachi, is such a natural talent. She works without the aid of a projector or stencils to create these signs that are magnificent works of art

Dana Tanamachi

In the studio: My only sunshine

I scribbled this message to Matt on our bathroom mirror one day. Seems fitting for a rainy day such as this...

{ Victory Paper Designs }



"Just follow your heart. That's what I do"

So, turns out in real life the brother from Napolean Dynamite, Aaron Ruell (aka Kip), is a wicked awesome photographer. Check out these portraits he created that are currently being shown at Martine Chaisson Gallery. I love the saturated and glittery walls shown in these two photos mixed with tacky, outdated decor

Green Wall by Aaron Ruell

Back with Pink Wall by Aaron Ruell

Friday Roundup: Geometric prints

My favorite pairing with a neutral is a big, bold, bright geometric print. It can really punch up a look in a fun and youthful way; it just screams resortwear! And I could sure go for a weekend getaway right about now...

1. DwellStudio by Global Views,  2. Vahalla Studios,  3. Lena Corwin wallpaper,  4. Jonathan Adler playing cards,  5. Tory Burch Resort 2011,  6. Nena Von,  7. Trina Turk toolbox

BHLDN decor

The decor line for Anthropologie's BHLDN wedding line recently launched, and I'm loving all the decorative little items available! These paper fans would be a lovely touch for a warm summer wedding, and I love the cleverness of these music sheet pennant garlands! I can easily see this as a DIY moment; in fact a blogger over at The Yuppie Lifestyle has created a tutorial on how to make your own little paper ribbon flags just like the ones fashioned by BHLDN!


BHLDN



BHLDN

BHLDN

How to make paper ribbon flags tutorial

Pink + Gold + Black and White Chevrons = Yum.

This might just be my favorite wedding tablescape EVER. So gloriously girly and cutesy with a touch of glam

100 Layer Cake

And these hangtags as placecards are adorbs

100 Layer Cake

In the Studio: Lovin' you is like food to my soul...

Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend and that you were able to show Mom in some way that she is special and loved!!

{ Victory Paper Designs }

{ Victory Paper Designs }

{ Victory Paper Designs }

Friday Roundup: Child's Play

1. Julia Rothman pattern, 2. Elementary Lovenotes from Curiosity Shoppe, 3. Where the Wild Things are Fort Contest runner-up Dianne Que, 4. Luxe Expressions, 5. Pistachio Press, 6. KidTYPERuled by DS Design, 7. Homelife in Faraway Lands by Hollie Chastain, 8. Stripey straws by Jack and Lulu

As a kid, I loved arts and crafts; there was nothing that brought me more joy than to paint a giant orange square on a large sheet of butcher paper and show it off to my ever encouraging mother. At the time I felt like anything was possible, like I could grow up to become a famous artist just like Picasso and that the big orange square would be proof of my artistic genius at a young age...then again, I also thought it was possible that I was secretly a mermaid and that I just needed salt water to transform my legs into fins like Daryl Hannah in Splash. Either way, there's so much imagination and creativity in the mind of a child, it can inspire artists to create some wonderfully whimsical designs. These items have my inner child squealing in excitement!

Letterpressed loveliness

Along with some of the projects I'm working on right now, I'm looking into getting some new business cards printed...I'm debating whether or not to get them letterpressed which would set me back a few hundred dollars but I think it'd be totally worth it. There's something so beautiful about a deepset, inky font on a really thick, cottony card stock. A few really great letterpressed papers that makes me clammer for my own:

Typographic Sins poster by Rowley Press

Mink Letterpress
  

And these coasters by Parliament of Owls are so adorable and stylish!

In the Studio: Me and my Smokey

,

{ Victory Paper Designs}

This past Valentine's Day was me and the hubby's first together! In honor of the holiday, I created this card for him picturing us together (I lovingly call him my Smokey the Bear <3). At the time, our schedules prevented us from seeing each other during the week and the Day O' Love fell on a Monday this year. We had celebrated over the prior weekend with dinner at Skates on the Marina in Berkeley, but I wanted to leave him a lil' something special on the actual day. Turns out leaving it in his sock drawer didn't work out as he grabbed a fresh pair out of the dryer that morning (or maybe he wore dirty socks that day), so I woke up and told him to look in his drawer. It's the thought that counts, eh?

Later, I framed the card in an old Danish frame I've had for years from a thriftstore, and hung it over our workspace, nestled next to Conan and Bob Dylan

{ Victory Paper Designs }

An ecclectic mix



Lonny

 I love the ecclectic mix of decor in this room designed by Colleen Locke shown in the April issue of Lonny Magazine. The juxtaposition of antlers on a bold, graphic stripe adds the perfect touch of masculine meets feminine features. Plus, you just can't go wrong with a Nelson pendant lamp.

Into the Wild



{ Victory Paper Designs }



{ Victory Paper Designs }



{ Victory Paper Designs }



It was a beautiful, sun-filled weekend here in the Bay Area! On Saturday, my boyfriend, Matt and I took advantage of the good weather and trekked around the Berkeley Botanical Gardens. It was pretty amazing: over 34 acres of gardens from all different growing regions across the world...we walked from the dry, cacti spotted terrains of Mexico to the lush pools of Japan in a flash. Probably one of the most stunning sights was the Redwood Grove...it was like stepping into an enchanted forest. It really makes me appreciate the natural beauty that California has to offer even more.

This postcard set from Yellow Owl Workshop is a California dream: