delphine ephemera

we've moved

2009-03-19T09:43:00.000-07:00

we've moved our blog ... please follow us here:
www.delphine-ephemera.com

please remember to update your bookmarks, readers, links, etc etc. thanks so much for visiting!

tech stuff

2009-03-18T08:59:00.001-07:00

I'm in the process of switching my blog to a new server ... give me a few days to sort it out. All this tech stuff is making my brain hurt! New posts and big news coming next week. Thanks for your patience!

wish list: books

2009-03-17T06:58:00.000-07:00

Last night I did a little updating on my Amazon wish list. So happy to hear that Stephan Sagmeister has a new book coming out soon. I really loved his last one, "Things I Have Learned in My Life So Far."

When I was a little girl I LOVED Ed Emberley's books. I remember I had one where I learned how to make little characters out of thumb prints. Drove my mom crazy because my hands were black from an ink pad for months! I just added this one to my wish list. I think it would be super fun activity to do with my five-year-old.

little peanut: milo

2009-03-16T07:07:00.000-07:00

original letterpress birth announcement design & photo by delphine

Congratulations Allison and Aaron on your sweet addition to the family! Next to my own son (of course) he's the cutest little peanut I've ever met.

happy colors

2009-03-13T06:59:00.000-07:00

These colors make me happy.

blog love: felt and wire

2009-03-12T07:42:00.000-07:00

Check out Mohawk's great new blog: Felt & Wire. If you're a paper geek you'll love it!

glass flowers

2009-03-12T07:38:00.000-07:00

Is there anything Marc Jacobs cannot do? He designed these spectacular glass flowers for Waterford. I'm not to keen on the glass flower pot, but the flowers are stunning!

plum desires

2009-03-11T07:20:00.000-07:00

plum necklace by Dinosaur Toes on ETSY; plum shoes by Lela Rose for Payless

Plum is such a rich color, isn't it? It can be a little Dynasty when done wrong, but I like the modern take on these goodies with the frayed edges. The necklace reminds me of a crocus. The shoes would look fab with a suit, worn at a Junior League committee meeting ... or equally chic with dark jeans and a black cbgb tshirt. And guess what ... you can have both for under $55.

in the press: Charleston Weddings Magazine

2009-03-10T07:35:00.000-07:00

It's hard to explain what this press clipping in Charleston Weddings magazine means to me. Charleston is my "hometown" (in quotes since technically I'm a Yankee: I was born in NYC).

My first great work experience was as an editorial intern at Charleston magazine. Though I was an editorial intern and most of my duties included writing and editing, I found my real passion in the art director's office. Melinda Smith-Monk was so kind to me. She let me watch her work, she let me help out at photo shoots, she let me ask a zillion questions, she let me make mistakes, she let me pick the ink color for a cover, she let me model. And she made me think about a career in design.

All the editors I worked with at Charleston are long gone, and while Mel is still art director, I'm not sure she would even remember who I am (it was many years ago!). I am eternally grateful for the experience of working with such great talent, and it is a supreme thrill to have my work grace the pages of a magazine so near and dear to my heart.

Oh, and the invitations in the clipping were inspired by Charleston, too.

in the press: Green Retailer

2009-03-10T07:10:00.000-07:00

in the press: Relaxing Graphics

2009-03-09T10:16:00.000-07:00

Relaxing Graphics, by Akiko Taki

We're honored to have been selected by Akiko Taki to grace the pages of Relaxing Graphics, a gorgeous hardcover book by Pie Books (Japan) featuring the best natural style graphics from around the world. One of our custom wedding invitation designs (it's similar to our Meeting Street design) was selected, as was our naturalistic (if you can call a green octopus or turquoise jelly fish natural) marine life series of note cards. The book is full of inspiring designs from top notch graphic designers, and is available to pre-order here (the book will be released in September 2009).

baby shower invitation

2009-03-09T07:19:00.000-07:00

Nesting Baby Shower invitation by delphine

I must admit I am not big on showers. All the stupid games, lack of real alcohol (mimosas do NOT count, people), baby chit chat, and oohing/ahhing over burp cloths make me kinda feel bleeech-ick. The only way to make it worse would be to add in singing or charades. But, I DO love my friends, and actually sorta love designing baby shower invites since they're outside my norm and I get to be a little on the saccharine side for a change. This is the invite for my friend Carrie's upcoming shower. (And don't worry, Carrie, I'll be there with bells on).

happy weekend

2009-03-06T14:47:00.000-08:00

in like a lamb ...

2009-03-05T08:21:00.000-08:00

With all due respect to my readers, family and friends who don't live in San Diego ... I'm loving this So. Cal weather (especially in light of the freak snowstorms in the South).

studio supplies: desktop collator

2009-03-04T08:49:00.000-08:00

desktop collator from russell+hazel

One of the things I cannot live without in my studio is this desktop collator from russell+hazel. I keep all my "live job" and "don't forget to do this" files in it on my desk.

baby rhino

2009-03-03T08:03:00.000-08:00

baby rhino letterpress card by delphine ... coming soon!

contracts and stuff for freelancers

2009-03-02T08:24:00.000-08:00

Pricing and Ethical Guidelines

photographer's toolkit

Lets face it, most creatives do not have a penchant for writing contracts. As a small "creative business" owner who has been around for more than five years, I get lots and lots (and lots) of requests for advice on running the business end of a creative business. I always tell freelancers to HAVE A CONTRACT FOR EVERY JOB, and point them toward the Graphic Artists Guild's must-have book, Pricing and Ethical Guidelines. The book has sample contracts for just about any occasion and will give you great peace of mind as you prepare paperwork for your clients.

I was really pleased to hear that John Mireles, a fabulous local (San Diego) photographer and business coach, has a website, Photographer's Toolkit, geared toward helping his fellow photographers with "business stuff." Advice on marketing, sales, contracts, and business in general is aplenty on the site. He also lists free resources that are helpful to any creative, not just photographers.

things i heart, but first purchased because of the packaging

2009-02-27T08:18:00.001-08:00

Honestly, I haven't bought this lip gloss by MOR just yet ... but it's on my list. Available at ShopDreamy.com. I love all the colors, but the apple green is my favorite, of course.

i heart paper

2009-02-26T19:00:00.001-08:00

design by delphine; photographs by Vallentyne Photography

I'm so pleased to announce that we were chosen as this quarter's featured letterpress studio by Strathmore! I was honored to design their call for entries for the Strathmore Show graphic design contest, and was really happy to have a chance to work with their beautiful new thistle logo, which was designed by the uber talented Marian Bantjes.

delphine at the national stationery show

2009-02-25T06:43:00.000-08:00

delphine will be exhibiting at the National Stationery Show! Mark your calendars: May 17 - 20, 2009. We'll be in booth number 3327. See you there! Meanwhile, if you'd like to get a reminder postcard with our booth number, please contact us at the studio by emailing info [at] delphinepress [dot] com. Thanks! (this show is open only to the trade).

designing moms: booklist

2009-02-24T15:22:00.000-08:00

Check out my new post over on Designing Moms today about S's favorite book, "The Caboose Who Got Loose." I'm so honored to be a part of this wonderful new blog!

i heart orange ...

2009-02-24T07:28:00.001-08:00

... and this super bright handbag by Marc Jacobs. It's available at Neiman Marcus.

fleur de lys

2009-02-23T08:33:00.000-08:00

The fleur de lys (or fleur de lis, in English) motif is near and dear to my heart because of my French roots. Fun fact: when my mom became an American citizen she wore fleur de lys earrings! I took the photo in San Francisco on my last trip. I can't remember the building, but I do remember it was a column and I love the watery celadon background color paired with the stone.

snapshot

2009-02-20T06:58:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick snapshot from the writing desk in my bedroom: home décor magazines, remotes, The Lion King dvd, and a toy gun. Oh, and a (warm) beer. Wonder what this says about me?

orla kiely at target

2009-02-19T07:20:00.000-08:00

orla kiely at target

What do y'all think about the new Orla Kiely stuff at Target? I feel sort of eeeeehh. Underwhelmed. The quality is nice, but the patterns are a bit too Brady Bunch? I wish she had done the straight up stems pattern ... now that I would get excited about. I overheard a woman telling her daughter, "look, it's like dishes from Grandma's old kitchen." Agreed? (I am).

Am I being too harsh?

dreaming of champagne in Paris

2009-02-18T07:48:00.000-08:00

I've been dreaming of Paris lately, which inspired this little montage.

The dress (which I could never wear because I'd be afraid to sit down in it, but love) is by Alice & Olivia. The gold J. Crew heels remind me of a pair I love to borrow from my Mom (she's had them for more than 30 years). The triple coil earrings are from GirlProps.com. The champagne is Perrier-Jouet. And the Roost Golden Berry champagne flutes (which I LOVE and want sooooo bad) are available at Dreamy.

designing moms unite

2009-02-18T06:10:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to announce the launch of designing moms! It's an online space where creative moms can unite. The blog is Cat Seto's lovely, wonderful idea and I am so honored to be one of "the" designing moms regular contributors.

The blog will cover where being a mommy and creativity intersect, including stuff like fun projects to do with (or for) your kids, decorating kids rooms and parties, favorite baby and kid "stuff" (including baby gear and kids toys), and favorite kids' books. We'll also try to tackle heady subjects like balancing work/life/family. But we're all about having a good time.

I hope you'll check it out, and please feel free to email me or the designing moms with story ideas or wish-lists for what you'd like to see covered. Come visit and be creatively distracted with us!

lunch table: la boulange

2009-02-17T07:29:00.000-08:00

photos by delphine

One of my favorite spots in San Francisco: La Boulange. The exterior of the building is so inviting with its bright leaf green accents. I love that they stenciled the name onto the building with paint: they didn't have to spend a lot of money on expensive signage to create an effective storefront.

things i heart, but first purchased because of the packaging

2009-02-16T07:13:00.000-08:00

I'm not proud of it, but I admit that I *sometimes* purchase a new product solely because of the packaging. I bought a bottle of St. Germain soon after the product launched last year because I was intrigued by their print advertising and brilliant graphic design (check out their website to see what I mean). When I picked up the bottle in person I was sold ... it's heavy and gorgeous, and it reminds me of the Guerlain Shalimar perfume my grandmother Delphine wears. I do remember thinking, well, if the liquor is horrid I can use the bottle in my bathroom for bath salts.

The elderflower liquor is my new favorite. I like it best as a "flavor shot" in plain club soda in a tall glass with ice. It's also excellent mixed with champagne, and is a great after dinner drink served straight up. Plus it looks pretty on the table.

wish list: e's poster

2009-02-13T06:59:00.000-08:00

letterpress e's poster by French Press

I don't care if it's slightly narcissistic ... j'adore (and I'd love to own) this "E" letterpress poster in my studio! French Press makes lots of other letter posters (hand-set wood type letterpressed on their Vandercook, no less), but I humbly submit that the "E" is the best letter in the alphabet. Check out their sweet ETSY shop.

party on a plane

2009-02-12T06:42:00.000-08:00

Mood lit cabins. Seriously. John and I flew Virgin America to San Francisco. Upon boarding the plane I felt the need for a wicked cocktail and suffered an "am I cool enough to be here" moment.

After an initial shock (a fellow passenger tried to text me via the screen on the seat back in front of me) ... loved it! If they had a nonstop from San Diego to New York I might betray my beloved JetBlue.

studio props: fabric backdrops

2009-02-11T07:17:00.000-08:00

Monday I went prop shopping with my photographer friend Jessica for fabric: Jess was looking for backdrops for her baby and maternity portraits, and I was looking for backdrops to match the upcoming 2009 stationery collections.

I always love to hit the back room/remnants at We R Fabrics to find treasures. After sifting through bolts and bolts and bolts of 1980's country club tapestry, we did come up with a couple of winners, but the experience left us wondering where we could find a proper game of tennis and a white wine spritzer. Of course we found tons of things we loved in the front of the store, including some bright and modern Duralee prints, but it seemed like everything we picked out was $49 per yard!

So we headed to Yardage Town in Encinitas, where we scored with some super bright and fun prints from their remnant table. After a while we had to cut ourselves off ... "step away from the chili pepper fabric." The fabric I'm most excited about is the faux bear fur that Jess bought as a prop for infant photo shoots. Can't wait to see what cute baby photos Jess comes up with!

delphine on ETSY: vote for us

2009-02-10T09:30:00.001-08:00

Ooooohhhh ... so happy to be featured on ETSY's The Storque blog and on their poll to see "which lovey dove item is the absolute cutest." Of course I humbly suggest that you vote for delphine STUDIO! Merci beaucoup for all your support. Please visit here to vote.

baby elephant

2009-02-10T07:56:00.001-08:00

(1) Coming soon to Cardstore.com: new baby elephant birth announcement photo cards by delphine! (2) Super soft blue baby blanket with little elephants by Dwell for Target. (3) Adorable baby elephant (love those ears!) sculpture from West Elm. (4) Elephant (and hippo and snail) ceramic banks by Dwell, available at Velocity.

mimosa and blue iris

2009-02-09T08:58:00.000-08:00

I'm a long time fan of Pantone's 2008 color of the year: Mimosa. And last year's color of the year, Blue Iris, is starting to grow on me. I've been looking for a tote bag large enough for my laptop (most laptop bags are so ugly! why is that?) and think this mimosa yellow tote from Target might do the trick. I'm also loving the sweet yellow t-shirt from Anthropologie. And I picked up this blue iris cardigan over the weekend to match our upcoming NSS booth ... can you guess the color scheme for the new collection???

dreamy party

2009-02-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

Dreamy party tonight. Dreamy is located in the Lumberyard in Encinitas, Calilfornia. See you there!

font geek moment: young finesse

2009-02-05T07:12:00.000-08:00

young finesse by doyald young, available at fonts.com

I am loving this font (though the name reminds me of shampoo).

public art and press room visit

2009-02-04T06:56:00.000-08:00

photo by delphine photo of the macarthur muni station

Last week John and I had a chance to visit with the super fabulous Cardstore.com peeps in Emeryville, California, and get a tour of their facilities. We loved seeing their press rooms, their fulfillment/shipping center, and their fun loft-like workspace. The press rooms were pretty quiet (we visited in late afternoon), but we were told that all the presses run nearly 24 hours a day around the holidays in order to keep up with all their orders! We were also beyond thrilled to find out that one of our holiday photo cards was one of their top sellers this holiday season.

One of the greatest moments of the tour was seeing their Heidelberg press, which they have converted into a die-cutting machine. It was completely surrounded by bright yellow safety bars. Our tour guide seemed wary of the machine and gasped when we told him that delphine uses the same type of machine to letterpress (only without all the safety modifications)! Many thanks to Matt and all the peeps at Cardstore for the fun tour!

inspiration: california

2009-02-03T06:44:00.000-08:00

photos by delphine -- San Francisco, California

inspiration: neighborhood flowers

2009-02-02T07:15:00.000-08:00

photos by delphine

Sometimes inspiration is in your own backyard. I took these photos in my neighborhood last week. The hot pink, lilac, violet and mimosa will show up in the upcoming delphine collection of floral letterpress note cards.

fabulous

2009-02-01T16:58:00.000-08:00

I received this award from Star, author of the sweet blog Curious Mess, where she blogs about what inspires her, and "arts. crafts. recipies. stuff." She also has an etsy shop full of lovely goodies. Thanks for the props, Star!

So, I'm supposed to share my 5 addictions with you and choose 5 people to give the award to.

Here are my 5 addictions:

1. MAGAZINES: I always thought I'd be a magazine editor (I studied magazine journalism in college--even have a masters degree in it!). I have more magazines in the house than 10 people could ever read in a lifetime.
2. The color GREEN: It has been my favorite color since I was a child. While I like any shade of green, my favorites are in the lime/citron/chartreuse/spring family. I like this color so much that most people who know me call these shades of green "Erika Green."
3. FISH TACOS: I could eat these every day. In my opinion, fish tacos are the best reason to move to Southern California.
4. EMAIL: How did I ever live without it?
5. BRAVO: Oh, how I love thee, Project Runway/TopChef/TopDesign!

And here's who I'm passing the award onto. I'm a huge fan of:
1. Cat Seto
2. Christina Said
3. BACE
4. Jose Villa
5. Broadway Paper

inspiration: california

2009-01-30T08:18:00.000-08:00

far west fungi

Yesterday John and I strolled around the Ferry Building (San Francisco, California) while killing some time between meetings. I loved seeing so much great graphic design in one place. (and the food and goodies looked delicious, too). The Far West Fungi stall was by far my favorite stall. Beautiful and interesting goods, amazing merchandising, and welcoming vibe overall. J does NOT like mushrooms, so I had to quickly snap a few photos while he powered by. We are taking the ferry tonight, so I will to sneak back while J waits (I think I can bribe him with a gelato) so I can buy some infused oils to take home for my dad. I bought a little surprise for my Mom at the Miette confiserie.

sweet hearts: valentine's day cards

2009-01-29T07:18:00.000-08:00

letterpress valentine cards by delphine

We've just listed some limited edition letterpress valentines to our Etsy shoppe!

travel: san francisco

2009-01-28T09:33:00.000-08:00

Today I'm traveling to San Francisco for a quick work/fun trip. One of the things I am most looking forward to (besides visiting my cousins, of course) is a visit to La Boulange for a cannelle and café au lait. Thank goodness nobody in my neighborhood makes these or my pants would never fit again.

wish list: green scarf

2009-01-28T07:21:00.000-08:00

I loooooove this scarf from banana republic.

color trend: paisley

2009-01-27T06:42:00.000-08:00

photo by rachel rosenberg o'brien

My bff sent me this photograph of her dad, taken at a family wedding last year. Ron says "this jacket was made new for me in 1970 and it still fits!"
I'm thinking Ron could start a new color trend: psychedelic paisley.

wedding blogger

2009-01-26T07:11:00.000-08:00

Brooklyn Bride

delphine on Brooklyn Bride

Congratulations to Vané on the re-design of her fabulous blog, Brooklyn Bride. If you're planning a wedding but feel lost in a sea of "pink flowers and poofy dresses," then Brooklyn Bride is for you! Vané covers "all that is modern in the world and weddings" with a keen designer's eye. We are truly honored to have been chosen as a featured vendor. I'm having lots of fun discovering other wedding talents via her vendor page, and was particularly blown away by the photography of Daniel Krieger.

client we heart: here comes the bride

2009-01-23T06:51:00.000-08:00

Here Comes The Bride {logo by delphine}

Yesterday afternoon I visited Here Comes The Bride in their new location (Mission Valley, right near downtown San Diego, California). I love the new store! They went with a lilac and deep plum theme for the décor, to match the new logo and business cards we designed for them. So pretty! I also spotted, among the sea of white and ivory gowns, a pretty blue wedding gown. What do you think about blue for a bridal gown?

inspiration: factory orange and yellow

2009-01-22T05:40:00.000-08:00

A recent visit to my dad's factory (top images) inspired the factory orange and steel grey color scheme for a project I'm working on now for Strathmore (bottom images). When I was a kid I loved visiting my dad at his factories and walking the floor with him. I inherited an appreciation for mechanical equipment, which, I think, is the reason I was drawn to the craft of letterpress.

inspiration: california

2009-01-21T14:55:00.000-08:00

california wild flowers

I'm so excited the mimosa trees are just starting to bloom. They are my favorite Southern California tree. I'll take photos and post next week. FYI, the mimosa is a huge inspiration to me ... I have a wedding suite designed after it, as well as a lovely sympathy card. It's also my mother's favorite bloom, because it reminds her of her home town in the South of France.

i heart california

2009-01-21T06:14:00.000-08:00

January in California: 79 degrees and sunny. Love it!

kids party: scooch is 5

2009-01-20T06:01:00.000-08:00

big boy orange birthday party

Last week our son turned five. I can't believe how quickly the time has passed. When I was trying to come up with a theme for his party, he told me he wanted a "Big Boy" party. To him, "Big Boy" means this big steam locomotive; to everyone else it means, well, Big Boy! I put a picture of the train on his invitation, and on the goodie bags, but otherwise I went with orange as the theme. It's his favorite color and his favorite fruit. He loves to pick oranges and tangerines from our orchard, so we gave a sack of them away to all the guests (pretty and free!). The kids drank clementine Izze soda and at cocktail hour the adults drank ruby red and clementine martinis. I made cupcakes with an orange-flavored icing, and decorated the table with all the orange things I could find in my house (which was not difficult, since it's one of my favorite colors and was the theme of a few of our delphine trade show booths).

l'ennuie

2009-01-19T06:24:00.000-08:00

l'ennuie match boxes by ForYourParty.com

Spotted in Domino magazine: l'ennuie match boxes from my friends over at ForYourParty.com.

before: waiting room chairs

2009-01-16T07:45:00.000-08:00

My dad's factory is in the midst of a move to a new location, and he offered me these (this?) gross vintage office waiting room chair for free. What do you think I should do with it? Obviously get rid of the orange pleather ... but replace it with what? And I don't really have room for this in my studio; do you think I should sell it? Or put it in the warhouse? Hmmm ... I need help!

wish list: taurus pendant

2009-01-15T06:22:00.000-08:00

Taurus vintage cameo necklace by 19 Moons :: found on ETSY

Since I didn't get a single thing off my Christmas wish list this past year, perhaps I'll have better luck with my birthday wishes? Or maybe I'll take matters into my own hands and get this cool vintage Taurus pendant for myself. I found it here at the 19Moons shop on Etsy. Love it!!! Want it!!! ... sigh.

identity crisis?

2009-01-14T06:12:00.000-08:00

I think Gatorade is having a bit of an identity crisis! What's with all the random branding?

trend: violet

2009-01-13T06:10:00.000-08:00

creme de violette -- violet liqueur

Discovered this holiday season: Créme de Violette Violet Liqueur. Delicious straight up or in a chilly vodka martini. Almost too good to be true! I also like this wildflower wine made by J. Lohr, which tastes of violets. Violet is a pretty every day/regular flavor in France; when I was a kid my favorite gum flavors were violet, cassis, and licorice -- none of which I have ever seen in the US. Why are there no violet candies in the US, yet we're plagued with a plethora of disgusting watermelon flavored candies? I'm just sayin...

happy birthday, big boy

2009-01-13T06:07:00.000-08:00

get organized: personal calling cards

2009-01-12T07:02:00.000-08:00

letterpress calling cards by delphine

Calling cards are chic. Much better to give someone one of these personalized letterpress calling cards than one of these. Right?

dollar store treasure: olivier the owl

2009-01-10T12:22:00.000-08:00

Meet Monsieur Olivier LeMignon, our new studio mascot. I picked him up at the Dollar Store while looking for party favors for my son's birthday party. Hoooooooray!

christmas wrapping paper

2009-01-09T07:27:00.000-08:00

delphine for isabella smith

I was making a list of things I'd like to print this year, and holiday wrapping paper is near the top of the list (after another letterpress calendar). Last fall I designed this one for Isabella Smith and it was sold in Europe and Scandinavia through her stores/catalog/website.

logo design: here comes the bride

2009-01-09T06:58:00.000-08:00

gown by Rosa Clara at Here Comes The Bride; logo and letterpress cards by delphine

Here Comes The Bride celebrated their move to a new location by changing their logo colors from earthy green to their new favorite color: violet. So chic and lovely, yes? Normally I would say that changing your branded logo colors is a big mistake, but in this case I think the new color is more representative of the whole bridal vibe and was the best choice for them.

earthquake

2009-01-08T19:50:00.000-08:00

photo: delphine

So a few days ago here I was giving J some lip about being so crazy paranoid about earthquakes ... guess what? We just had one a few seconds ago. The books jiggled (and my stomach still is giggling), but the shelf did not fall down! Still, I'll take the occasional Southern California earthquake over my old terror: hurricanes, anyday!

free stuff: calendar

2009-01-08T10:01:00.001-08:00

In today's in box I found a great coupon from Shutterfly for a free 12 month calendar! Use code: CALENDAR12. Offer expires 1/12/09.

studio makeover: rainbow shelves

2009-01-08T06:36:00.000-08:00

martha stewart weddings magazine; delphine studio shelves

After I figured out how to unscrew the bookshelves from the wall and move the shelf to its new location, I decided to re-shelf my graphic design books by color. I was inspired by the pretty cover photo on this quarter's Martha Stewart Weddings magazine (which, btw, is my all time favorite magazine ... I have issues dating back to 1996!).

logo crush: jin patisserie

2009-01-07T06:34:00.000-08:00

la vie revee tea gift set and orientchic tea tins from jin patisserie

While driving around Venice on my way to visit a client a few years back I spotted the lovely Jin Patisserie logo and have been ever smitten with it ever since. It's such a lovely logo--especially when blown up. The simplicity of the mum is really pretty, and I love any logo using the color orange! I've never had the time to stop into the patisserie, but I've found a few teas that I would buy for the packaging alone on their website: I'd love to try the Orient Blends Orient Chic tea. It's a blend of green and black teas, scented with Osmanthus, lotus and jasmine flowers, combined with pepper. Sounds so romantic, doesn't it? I love teas scented with pepper and with jasmine, but have never tried them both in one tea. But the tin is so gorgeous (and my very favorite shade of green), so even if the tea stinks I'd be happy to just look at the package!

color worship: pastels

2009-01-06T06:54:00.000-08:00

espresso cups from anthropologie; wedding invitations by delphine

I'm always on the lookout for fun photo props. One of my favorite props to use is a cute cup. I usually pull them from my collection of vintage teacups, but I also love these pastel espresso cups from Anthropologie and couldn't resist buying the pale green one to use in the promo shots of our Ava invitation. The invite on the left is a sneak peek at our new Pacific Beach Blooms design.

southern wedding

2009-01-05T09:35:00.000-08:00

photo by Zoom-Works; bouquets by Epting Events

As I've mentioned before, I spent many years living in the South (South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina). I've always loved the look of cotton in floral arrangements, and love the Southern tradition of a natural cotton wreath on the door, but have never seen cotton incorporated into a wedding bouquet quite as beautifully as these wonderful bouquets by Epting Events. Marisu, of the superb Athens, Georgia based photography studio Zoom-Works, captured this shot. (BTW, Zoom-Works is available for destination weddings, so you're in luck even if you don't live in Georgia!)

silver loveliness

2009-01-05T07:28:00.000-08:00

silver parsons desk from west elm

When we finally decorate our bedroom I'd love to put this silver parsons desk in my dressing area. It looks so chic and romantic ... I can picture a little vase full of tulips and bottles of perfume in the corner. Dreamy! It's on sale right now at West Elm.

studio makeover: the big mess

2008-12-30T10:16:00.000-08:00

I just removed all the books from this bookshelf so I could move it, only to find that J has screwed the shelf to the wall! Ugh. He is a bit paranoid about earthquakes.

During the "move" I discovered this gem from my college collection: Ray Gun issue #6:

Cover story is "on the road with Sonic Youth." It also has a story and photos profiling the up and coming stylists Todd Oldham and Mark Jacobs styling "Trailer Park Chic"; a story by Frank Black (of The Pixies), interviewing The Reverend Horton Heat; and an article by Michael Stipe titled "From Los Angeles to Athens, Georgia" (that story has been ripped out, and, I suspect, was on the wall in my college dorm room ... Go Dawgs!). I wonder if all the stores profiled in the story "Record Shopping in the U.S." are still around. I know Lou's Records in Encinitas is still here, and I think Waterloo Records in Austin is still around. But my favorite thing in the magazine is an ad for David Carson Design. "Nail it," his ad says. Love it!

Odd coincidence of note: David Carson lived in Del Mar, California, then moved to Charleston South Carolina; I grew up in Charleston, South Carolina, then moved to Del Mar, California.

studio makeover

2008-12-30T09:11:00.001-08:00

white ceramic owl and green ceramic "chinese lion" foo dogs from z gallerie

WANTED for the studio (we're planning a little makeover): white ceramic owl and green ceramic "chinese lion" foo dogs (both from Z Gallerie).

merry christmas

2008-12-25T06:20:00.000-08:00

stacking tree toy from plan toys

Merry Christmas!

santa is coming! merry christmas

2008-12-24T07:30:00.000-08:00

Santa is coming and we are SO EXCITED! Merry Christmas everyone!

glitter home for holidays

2008-12-23T06:52:00.000-08:00

glitter home by norma aguilar

How adorable? Seriously, there is no way I can pack this gorgeous glitter house ornament away after the holidays. It's going on my desk for the whole year. Thanks, Norma!

nostalgic for: charley harper

2008-12-22T06:52:00.000-08:00

charley harper books, available at SoLo

Most of my elementary school days were spent in Cincinnati, Ohio. I remember going to the zoo and asking the ticket lady for extra stickers ... they were designed by Charley Harper; my mom and I had a whole stash of them. Since then I've moved at least a dozen times, and unfortunately the stickers are lost. But I'd love one of these books (available at SoLo) to fill the void! I love how Mr. Harper was able to convey a peaceful quiet with just a few strokes. Lovely.

custom "swirly" bar mitzvah invitation

2008-12-19T06:29:00.000-08:00

Just shipped ... a custom "swirly" Bar Mitzvah invitation for sweet Sacha! We letterpressed this postcard on double thick 100 percent cotton paper in grey and marine blue inks. Can't wait to start on the invitation!

for your little one ...

2008-12-18T06:34:00.000-08:00

custom MRS. DOUGLAS notecard from our soirée collection

Our "Mrs. Douglas" notecard is named after my fourth grade teacher. She was the best! No silly stars or useless spelling lists for her class: she was more into gathering seed pods from the playground, writing stories, and listening for bird calls. This notecard is perfect for the little one who is still too young to write a real note ... just have them scribble a little something in the window atop their name. The back has lines on it, so they (or you) can write a proper note.

paper squirrel favors

2008-12-17T06:17:00.000-08:00

paper squirrel favors from martha stewart

So after this squirrel post I promise I'll give squirrels a rest for a while. But seriously, how sickingly cute are these paper squirrel favors? I'd write a guest's name on the "log" and they could double as place cards. Almost makes me want to throw a party! (If only it weren't for the cooking and cleaning part!) You can download the free template from Martha Stewart here.

new photocard designs

2008-12-16T07:15:00.000-08:00

delphine for cardstore.com

We're thrilled to announce that our newest collection is live at Cardstore.com. Check out our New Year's cards, shower invitations, party invitations and new baby announcements. Most of the designs can really be used for just about any occasion, so look around each category for different color options, etc. To save 25 percent off your order, enter code: SAVE25 during checkout at cardstore.com.

squirrels and acorns

2008-12-16T06:14:00.000-08:00

We had a very rare rainy day here in the Ranch yesterday, so we built a fire (yes, Barq, it was in the 60's and we built a fire. That's cold here!) The crispy, crackly fire made me think of fall, which made me think of squirrels ... I'm loving all these. How cute would those felt acorns look on a gift package? And that squirrel ornament would look sweet on my christmas tree!

1. Falling acorns necklace by Luxe Deluxe. 2. Dainty acorn pendant by Luxe Deluxe. 3. Squirrel letterpress journal by delphine (me!). 4. Platinum glazed squirrel ornament by Jonathan Adler. 5. Squirrel ring box by Jonathan Adler. 6. Squirrel nut cracker by Cox & Cox [spotted on decor8]. 7. Squirrel Necklace by Postcards+Love 8. Gifting squirrels holiday notecard by Night Owl Paper Goods. 9. Turquoise felted wool acorns by Lilfishstudios.

holiday craftiness

2008-12-15T10:34:00.000-08:00

december craftiness

So far this month I have made turkey pot pie with leftover Thanksgiving turkey, glittered holiday ornaments, braved the Target toy aisles with my almost-five-year-old's list in hand, packaged holiday goodies for the Etsy shop, wrapped and shipped gifts, sent holiday cards, made homemade bath scrubs, and, just yesterday, baked cookies with girlfriends.

december coping mechanism

owls again

2008-12-12T06:09:00.000-08:00

Peleda wind-up toys from kidrobot

Owls always remind me of my grandmother, Olivia, who loved owls. She had them all over her house, and now, whenever I see one, I smile. One of my very favorite cards we have ever printed, Owlivia, is named after Grandma Olivia.

december in so. cal.

2008-12-11T14:14:00.000-08:00

Summer, uh, I mean Winter in So Cal: 72 degrees and sunny. Sometimes I miss rain, thunder, and hot summer nights in South Carolina , but I never miss the snow from my days in Ohio!

font geek moment: SALE

2008-12-11T06:04:00.000-08:00

Santangeli (shown above), and ALL fonts at FONTS.COM are 25 percent off through midnight (PST) 12/11/08! Enter code: SECRET25 during checkout.

grinch

2008-12-10T06:43:00.000-08:00

Because I'm not a fan of Christmas carols, reindeer sweaters, fudge, blinking lights, gingerbread, snow or (gasp!) Christmas cards, I'm often accused of being a Grinch. But underneath all my Grinchiness, I'm really a huge softie! I love baking cookies, making handmade ornaments, wrapping gifts, decorating the tree, and watching holiday movies. My favorites is, surprise, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. [btw, you can go on youtube to see part 2 and 3 of the original movie!]

blog love: poppytalk, mixed plate, and the bedlam of beefy!

2008-12-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Poppytalk and Mixed Plate and The Bedlam of Beefy for posting about Delphine! I truly (really truly!) appreciate your kind words and support!

sweet treat: spicy hot cocoa

2008-12-09T06:28:00.000-08:00

spicy maya hot chocolate by chuao

It's ridiculous how much I love this Spicy Maya hot chocolate by local (San Diego) chocolatier Chuao. It's seriously spicy: pasilla chiles, cayenne pepper and cinnamon are all blended in with the chocolate. They have another yummy flavor, Winter, that is almost as delicious (and is preferred by my husband and son, who don't like spicy stuff). It blends bittersweet chocolate with ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and pepper. Dreamy is right next door to a Chuao store, and I have NO IDEA how those girls stay so thin because I'd be pigging out on these chocolates every day and washing them down with a hot cocoa!

blog love: ephemera interview

2008-12-08T08:52:00.000-08:00

Check out ephemera today to read an interview with me (Erika Firm). Thanks, Marty, for the post! It was a lot of fun thinking about these topics!

woodland

2008-12-08T08:43:00.000-08:00

click for the scoop on all items shown above.

One trendy theme that is "so two years ago" is the woodland theme. But it is near and dear to my heart, as we debuted at the National Stationery Show with a woodland collection a few years ago. The adorable sisal owl christmas ornaments shown above made their way into my shopping cart last week (from Target). I'll use them as props for photo shoots, and I'm sure a few will find their way onto the Christmas tree, too.

delphine on ETSY: grab bags

2008-12-05T10:35:00.000-08:00

just added to our ETSY shop: a variety grab bag of 24 letterpress gift tags!

kitchen: scallion buttermilk biscuits

2008-12-05T08:43:00.000-08:00

With Delphine in the house, a woman who lived in occupied France as a teenager and remembers Nazis marching down her street, nothing is wasted, especially food. A few days after Thanksgiving (or "Thanks Given," as Delphine calls it), when we could not eat one more turkey sandwich, I made this turkey pot pie. I don't normally post about the kitchen, since the most I usually make there in a week is 15 pots of coffee, but last week I made these yummy buttermilk and scallion biscuits. I used them as a topper instead of a crust for the turkey pot pie.

in the press: Stationery Trends magazine

2008-12-03T14:11:00.000-08:00

delphine, as seen in Stationery Trends magazine

I tore open my new issue of Stationery Trends magazine last month and was thrilled to find my designs featured twice. Many thanks to the editors for their support!

Holiday codes at Orange and Pear

2008-12-03T10:06:00.000-08:00

Jennifer over at Orange and Pear just sent me a code to share with everyone for 20 percent off in her shop. She has a super fun collection of gifts: you can almost blindly point and click and come up with something fabulous. Just enter code: 20off during checkout. Happy shopping. Thanks, Jennifer!

letterpress: dutch door press

2008-12-03T08:04:00.000-08:00

"california," by dutch door press

Last May at the National Stationery Show I met the ladies of Dutch Door Press and was smitten with their work. I was browsing Etsy last night and came across their shop. I love their "California" limited edition letterpress print, which is one of a series, "birds and blooms of the 50 states." This print features the state bird which is the California valley quail and the state flower which is the California poppy. (Both of which can be seen in our neighborhood, and both of which inspired some of our collection last year, too!) Available in the Dutch Door Press Etsy shop.

studio peek: samples

2008-12-03T06:18:00.000-08:00

Just a few boxes of samples from the studio. There are lots more shelves just like this.

wish list: books

2008-12-02T07:16:00.000-08:00

for design book lovers

Just a few books on my wish list this year. I recently checked out this Edith Wharton anthology from my local library. While on my trip to New York in October I re-read The House of Mirth and The Reef, which I found to be a tad on the depressing side. I'm about to start The Custom of the Country, and am biding time to re-read my very favorite book ever: The Age of Innocence. I'd love to add the anthology to my library shelves, as I often turn to Wharton when I'm feeling anxious (and who isn't these days?). I've read The Age of Innocence at least a dozen times since the first time (Junior English class ... thanks, Mr. Kelly!)

The Jonathan Adler book is one I'm itching to read. I really admire how he has taken his passion for his craft and applied it to bulding an entire brand. Another one that has been on my wish list forever is Lulu. I love her use of color and how she integrates fun, play, and her personal life experiences into her art. Note to Santa... Lulu is on sale!

If you have a design lover on your holiday shopping list, any of these books would score well: Adler for the entrepreneur, Lulu for the artist, Domino for the friend who is forever moving her furniture around. Ethan Frome is great for a teenager (it's FULL of serious angst!); and anything by Cormac McCarthy would be appreciated by someone wishing to get in touch with their an inner-cowboy.

in the press: Ranch & Coast magazine

2008-12-02T06:04:00.000-08:00

We are "stoked" to be featured in the December issue of Ranch & Coast magazine. (Hey, we are in So. Cal, after all!). The editors mentioned ordering custom letterpress holiday cards from delphine as their "Green Tip of the Month." We're tickled green! To see some our other recent press please visit our "as seen in" section on our website.

sketchbook peek: metallics & navy

2008-12-01T08:28:00.000-08:00

Here's a peek at my sketchbook. Earlier this summer I was working through an obsession with all things navy and ultramarine blue--paired with distressed, vintage looking dull metallics. These colors and motifs are finding their way into the new collections we're working on for 2009!

delphine on ETSY

2008-12-01T06:04:00.000-08:00

delphine is now on Etsy! That's right ... we finally got a few free hours to get our act together and post some items in an Etsy shop. Our delphinepress.com shop will always be the best place for our standard letterpress items, but check out www.delphinestudio.etsy.com for more limited edition and one-of-a-kind items.

Why an Etsy shop? Sometimes when we print a job for a client and there is a little room left on the press sheet, we'll sneak a fun project on there for ourselves. It's a great way to test out new inks, new fonts, run experiments, and, well, just play a little. We'll post our best results on Etsy so you can take home a little piece of joy from the studio! Take a look and let us know what you think!

logo crush: chromalab

2008-11-26T07:21:00.000-08:00

chromalab

Grace has a nice post about Chromalab and their wacky cool bright furniture on Design*Sponge. When I visited Chromalab I was smitten with their logo! It would be a nightmare to letterpress (each color would be a new pass through the press), but it's perfect for 4 color or digital printing, and really represents the colorful concept of their "lab."