25 things

as many of you might know, i like to keep up on the celebrity gossip and one of the magazines that i read religiously is us weekly. well, they have a column that i thoroughly enjoy reading and i thought i would do a post on "25 things you don't know about me" to share some inside info (i always think its more fun to read a blog when you know a little bit about the person). so, here i go...

1. scrabble is one of my favorite board games.

2. i love receiving personal letters and packages. i hate clutter in my mailbox like terribly-designed flyers.

3. at the moment, i'm obsessed with pepperidge farm cinnamon bread with lots of butter. yum!

4. i'm truly going to miss michael scott when he leaves the office. it won't be the same.

5. i might be the clumsiest person you know. i once knocked over a whole glass of water in the middle of the night by trying to turn on the light. the worst part was that i knew it was there... i put it there.

6. i buy shampoo and conditioner because of the way it smells. i've been known to leave work and go to my car to smell it (miss you chris and jen!).

7. i believe cross country is a sport and get mad when people try to tell me otherwise.

8. i think i might apply to be on big brother, against my parents wishes!

9. i'm thinking about getting a tattoo on my wrist in white.

10. i don't like 3D movies because i get motion sickness.

11. i am a "tall, dark, and handsome" kind of girl.

12. i'm actually excited for football season this year. go eagles!

13. someday, i want to write a book.

14. las vegas is one of my favorite places.

15. i try to run everyday, even if its just a block.

16. growing up i loved to watch sesame street, g.i. joe, gillian's island, and saved by the bell (who didn't?)

17. i'm french-canadian and have some polish and english in me somewhere.

18. summer is definitely my favorite season of the year. i would move to california where the temperatures are nice year round, but there are earthquakes and lots of fires.

19. sleep is a funny thing. good thing we have rechargeable batteries!

20. i thank god for my family and friends everyday.

21. i was a pudgy kid with glasses growing up (see below... no laughing!).

22. i've been to honduras twice to work in a medical clinic and i helped deliver two beautiful babies!

23. i love the beach.

24. i'm crafty!

25. this was harder than i thought!

"lipsmackers"

have a good day!

make it your own

many brides will only wear their wedding dress once in their lifetime, maybe twice if they get lucky! make the most of your dress by making it your own. here are a few ways to personalize your dress:

match your wedding colors by adding a sash

like this australian wedding found on once wed

add a big, beautiful fabric flower like one from emersonmade

my something blue fabric heart was added

to the hem of my wedding dress

his + hers initials in a pink chain stitch found on martha stewart

how will you style yours?

send a letter, a real one

when was the last time you wrote a letter, put a stamp on it, and plopped it in the mailbox? doesn't getting a note or card in the mail put a smile on your face?

i challenge everyone to write a note to someone you love (and not just an email - they are impersonal) even if its just a line or two... "hey, how's your dog?"..."i miss you"... "thanks for last night-wink"... i love cute stationery so here are a couple paper items to help you say what you mean to say...

thinking of you birds

just say no...

hello birdie

fabulous

what's up groundhog

fun free font

i found this free font on dafont.com. i'm already thinking of ways to use it.

congrats to david + farrah!

congratulations on getting engaged, even though it was a while ago!! i wish i wasn't under the weather or else i would be at your engagement party to celebrate with you.

remember, chains do not hold a marriage together. it is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years. ~simone signoret

we are so excited for you! oxox

colored twine!

i ordered colored twine the other day and i'm so excited to wrap everything up like a package :) watch out brian!

here are couple projects that i've used it on:

"about me" bunting (part of a package i sent as my resume)

i had to think of a creative way to show my useful characteristics and qualities!

wrapped samples of my work with the twine

and used happy tape to seal the belly band

an intro letter in a vellum coin envelope,

sealed with the aqua twine and tagged with "resume package"

maliya and chris' wedding bells

maliya and chris' program for the ceremony in the bahamas

happy friday!

lovely items of the week

a new take on paper chains... from jcrew!

kinda like this motorcycle jacket by lauren conrad

daniella bedside table from pottery barn

(might have to get this for my family room)

recycled teadrop vase

across the web... pink theme

a real wedding set in salt lake city, utah:

the ruffled pillows bring the clean, simple cream furniture and

the frilly petals of the flowers together for a complete look.

elegant striped menu card on a pink swiss dot tablecloth

a 'sarah bernhardt' peony bud as a boutonniere... beautiful!

see more of the refined wedding here.

a pink vineyard wedding in forest grove, oregon:

never thought i would love a pink wedding so much!

the flowers, table numbers, and tablecloths fit together so well.

see the real wedding on oncewed.com.

a burgundian wedding in beaune, france:

i would highly recommend photos hanging on the wall.

(black and white is timeless)

they were a huge hit at my wedding!

LOVE this bouquet! see the rest of the wedding here.

happy wedding planning! oxox

my trip to portsmouth

i posted a couple weeks ago about my trip to portsmouth, nh and just found pictures on my camera to share. adorable town with a strip of cute stores and gardens on the harbor. unfortunately it was rainy when we visited, but definitely worth the trip. i found decorative white flower branch lights in one of the home stores, great for mood lighting.

love this sign... thought about getting it for the office... no fun had here! ;)

i feel like i've heard this before...

purple afterglow plants in the garden. love!

window of a letterpress store gus & ruby (spent a good part of my day in there)

we met our friend, bryan, for dinner in a cute harbor town called newburyport, ma.

it was a little rainy...

oh, the places we'll go!

keeping it local | design interview

spicing it up with an interview with a local designer! read on...

name:

Cassandra Ellis

company name:

Cassandra Ellis Studios (I know, so clever, huh?)

services:

My services depend almost entirely on what my clients need, whatever they request I try to accomplish for them.

But if I were to list them:

Branding; logo, stationery, business cards etc.

Web Design; websites, web ads, email marketing

Marketing Materials; ads, brochures, postcards, posters, banners

3D; packaging, signage, vehicle graphics

when and how did you start your company?

It surprises me still that, it’s only been a year since I started my freelance company; it feels like so much more. I have been freelancing here and there since I graduated college, but it wasn't until I starting working for a development company that gave me the step I needed. I was given full responsibility in developing all the branding and marketing campaigns for 2 restaurants, and a Design Center. Through working on these projects, I met a number of people in the restaurant business, as well as many other business owners on the Main Line. After leaving my job at the development company, I started freelancing for a number of those contacts I had made, as well as the restaurants, Design Center and companies within the Design Center. I credit networking as the main reason that I continue to gain new clients.

how would you describe your design style?

I think I have a pretty contemporary, modern design style. Fresh colors and clean simplistic lines.

lately we've been seeing a focus on "keeping it local" as opposed to pouring money into big corporations, how do you, as a designer, play a part in this movement?

All of my clients tend to be local to the Philadelphia area, and many of them like the idea of working with someone local like themselves. Most of them started their own companies so we share that common ground, as well as a mutual knowledge of the area and the network. So not only am I local but I am also a one-woman operation, so generally I find that my clients love the personal relations and commonalities that a large corporation may not be able to provide.

My business approach tends to play up those advantages and ultimately a part in that movement.

design-wise, do you have any advise for small businesses in the area?

Website, website, website! These days it is so important to have an up to date easy to navigate website that communicates your business model, brand and message. I often find that small companies, with great service and/or product look unprofessional and amateur simply because their website appears dated or poorly done and that can greatly affect a consumers perception. People these days spend a LOT of time on the Internet and in most cases a company’s website is the first impression they can make on new customers.

what are you inspired by?

Other designers. I am always in awe of other peoples work; maybe it’s that “grass is greener” mentality. I learn so much more about my own design style and how to cultivate it, by observing what else is out there.

A couple of websites I frequent for inspiration are:

smashing magazine

web design ledger

all graphic design

do you have a favorite font at the moment?

It may lack individuality, but I can’t get enough of Helvetica Neue. You can pair this font with almost any other; big or small it always looks fresh, clean and always makes an impression.

check out her recent work here! a big thank you to cassie for talking with me!

stay tuned for more fun interviews!

who wants it?

two of the best things in the world come together on the boardwalk of ocean city, new jersey.

lovely items of the week

typographic rugs by john pour! check them out here.

1972... if i had one for my house, it would say "1896"

das rug

aligning energy | book list

i woke up on the nerdy side of my bed this morning... i may be a dork (which is nothing new), but i believe in "the secret" and the energy of the world. i'm not a hippy or a new thought science junkie, i just believe in creating your own fate.

i've been receiving really nice emails lately wishing me luck in my new endeavors and i really appreciate the support. i believe everything happens for a reason. over the summer, i read a bunch of books at the beach and it comes as no surprise to me that i randomly and unknowingly picked novels that involved "the secret." only looking back at my reading list did i realize the importance of this summer for my future.

the lost symbol by dan brown - good book, another dan brown bestseller - on noetic science/theory (wiki), metaphysics and more specifically ontology (the study of existence and how everything relates), your mind being your greatest tool, making a grain of sand into a mountain

the handmade nation - crafters around the world are doing what they love, believe in yourself, do what you love and love what you do...

the secret by rhonda byrne - law of attraction - although not a scientific law - created along with the new thought movement, anything is possible, the shifting of energy around you to create what you want, thinking is creating

the alchemist by paulo coelho - a modern classic, one of the best selling books in history - finding your "personal legend" and the fulfillment of your destiny, you make it happen

the girl with the dragon tattoo - this one is not nearly as closely related, but i think it can still be included in the list - the tie in would be about overcoming obstacles and finding out what is important to you

next up on my book list... inspirations by paulo coelho, released on october 26, 2010.

more on this topic...

the movie inception - a summer blockbuster - implantation of an idea and making it come true, the power of yoga - harnessing your inner energy, and our recent focus on finding new ways of conserving energy for the environment and economy - because energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed from one state to another

keep learning, its good for your mind and your soul. aristotle once said,"all men by nature desire knowledge." if you've read any good books recently, let me know and i'll put them on my list!

maliya's bridal shower | long overdue

i started a post about my sister, maliya's, bridal shower in march, here. i thought i would follow up since i never got to show the awesome outcome of the party. these photos are long overdue, but better late than never! the theme of the shower was a whimsy "alice in wonderland" garden tea party. we asked each guest to bring a old tea cup to give to maliya to start a collection of her own. the tea cups that maliya got were so beautiful, vintage, detailed, and perfect! they now sit on big, white shelves in her living room.

her flower girl enjoyed the cookies :)

bridesmaid picture!

i baked lemon poppy seed cake with lemon glaze as guest flavors

and i tied each box with different colored string and cute colored tags

to match the invites posted here

the glowing bride...

we love you, maliya!

beach architecture

my husband and i were in avalon, new jersey every weekend in august renting a beach house with our friends. during a few of my runs, i spotted these incredible houses. the enormity of the houses is unreal. i had to share. the last house that we took a photo of costs 17.2 million dollars and is right on the beach. wowzers.