Secret's Out!

Admittedly, we're not very good at keeping secrets, which is why we've been DYING to share this one with you! 


You may have noticed that we'd been (not so subtly) dropping hints over the past few days about a little surprise we had in store for you.  And if you were really paying attention, you may have also noticed that we've found a new blog that we're completely smitten with.  Have you checked it out yet?  If you have, then you already know what the secret is.  And if you haven't, then we'll just have to tell you ourselves. 

LBP is featured on THEFASHIONMAGPIE, a chicer than chic blog devoted to all things sartorial and style-related!  We were lucky enough to meet the owner/writer/style maven Jen through our Etsy shop theLITTLEBLACKshop and have been devoted readers of her blog ever since.  Not only do we love it for all of its eye candy, but for its clever name too.  As Jen explains it:

For those of you lost on the title:
Magpie (n) — a long-tailed black and white crow; used in similes or comparisons to refer to a person who collects things and/or is compulsively drawn to shiny objects.  One of a few species of birds that can recognize itself in a mirror.

So, what's in it for you?  LOTS!  For starters, Jen of THEFASHIONMAGPIE has AMAZING taste and has taken the guess work out of wedding-related wardrobe decisions by providing an entire wedding season's worth of stylish, chic and completely accessorized options.  We're drooling over the dresses she's picked out.  You're definitely going to want to add her blog to your list of daily reads.  Just check out this chic little ensemble she pulled together:

Earrings, Mariam Haskell. $280



Dress, Calypso. $299



Cuff, Alexander McQueen.  $670

Shoes, Kate Spade. $325

She's also hand-selected some gorgeous stationery gifts, perfect for the newly engaged, including our future mrs. notecards.  Want more?  THEFASHIONMAGPIE is giving away  a set of personalized notecards to one lucky reader, so head on over to her blog to enter! 

There may just be one more surprise in store for you, but you're just going to have to visit THEFASHIONMAGPIE to find out...  You didn't think we were going to give it ALL away, did you? 

LBP Party: Andrew's Christening - Paper Goods

A couple of days ago, we posted the invitations to Andrew's Christening, which were inspired by his mother's request to incorporate navy blue into the design.  We just loved the crispness of the color palette and wanted to make sure that all of the paper goods for the party reflected the same simplicity in design.  Sometimes less really is more (but not always!). 

Double-layer, die-cut "Andrew" invitations available at  theLITTLEBLACKshop

To start, we created a custom banner strung on gorgeous double-face satin ribbon to spell out "God Bless Andrew".  The banner features circles in Night (a gorgeous, deep navy blue) and the same script that was used on Andrew's invitations to create a cohesive look.  We also incorporated the same die-cut cross on the spacer to add a simple, elegant embellishment. 

Custom banner is the perfect accent to any party and is an ideal spot for taking pictures with the guest of honor!

A custom party banner a great way to create a focal point at your party and we love using this as a backdrop for taking pictures with the guest of honor!  And the best part?  Separating your message on two different banners allows you to repurpose the name as nursery decor or to use again for future parties! 



By putting Andrew's name on a separate banner, we've created the option to move the banner into his nursery after the party or use for future occasions. 

  Of course, no party is complete without some sweets and favors for your guests, so why not combine the two?  The candy bar is undoubtedly one of our favorite dessert options and is guaranteed to please party-goers.  Another bonus:  these are party leftovers you won't mind having!  To create your own candy bar, all you need are some apothecary jars, glass containers, bowls (whatever you have lying around the house!), some signage and treat bags or boxes for your guests to fill up with their favorite goodies.   

For Andrew's Christening, his parents chose a variety of their favorite treats including some to die for Italian chocolates.  We created tented cards that were set in front of each candy jar so guests could choose their favorites and made "thank you" labels that dressed up simple cellophane bags.

Tented signs for the candy bar tell guests what treats they have to choose from. 

Signage can be used for appetizers, entrees, desserts and beverages.  Also perfect as placecards for dinner parties or weddings. 

Congratulations once again to Andrew and his family!  We're so honored to be a part of your special day. 

LBP Party: Andrew's Christening - Invitations

We were delighted when we got a note from Andrew's mom asking us to make the invitations and party decorations for his Christening.  There's nothing better than being a part of our clients' celebrations, especially when it's an occasion as big as this one. 

Luisa, Andrew's mom (and one of our former highschool classmates), asked for something in navy instead of the expected baby blue, which we LOVED.  Navy is one of our favorite colors and looks oh so crisp against the superfine white cardstock.  Inspired by the crisp, clean color palette, we wanted to keep the design equally clean and simple too. 

The invitation is double layered cardstock and we die-cut a cross from the top layer to give it some depth and dimension.  We kept it simple with the text and introduced a slim, modern script to bring focus to Andrew's name.  The result is simply stunning. 



Above and below:  die-cut cross detail adds dimension to the invitation.



The slim, elegant script is a perfect contrast to the bold serif used for the remainder of the text.

Another thing we love about "Andrew"?  It's so versatile.  Swap the navy backing to plum, blossom or fuchsia for a girl's christening, first communion or confirmation.  Replace the cross with a turtle, whale or any other shape for a birthday celebration.  "Andrew" is available to purchase as is, or completely customized at theLITTLEBLACKshop.

And of course, no invitation is complete without an impeccably dressed envelope.   We used the same script as the invitation for the guests' addresses to resemble hand calligraphy and printed the family's return address on the back flap for a polished look. 

This script gives the look of luxe calligraphy at a fraction of the cost. 

Since LBP is a full-service design studio (and Luisa was busy taking care of Andrew, preparing for the christening AND baby number 2!) our signed. sealed. delivered. service took care of getting these in the mail for her.  We love the "celebrate" stamps for an occasion like this because they give your guests a hint of what's inside! 

Signed, sealed and ready to be delivered.

We hope Andrew and his family had a beautiful day yesterday and look forward to sharing the rest of the party details with you soon!