patisserie part 2 • beignets!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
More succulent treats from Bernard & Myriam’s patisserie in Molleges. Vanilla custard-filled beignets in the shape of peaches with a dusting of super fine vanilla sugar to mimic peach fuzz. They are as delicious as they appear! And the cherry-topped Provençal custards (similar to crème caramel) are swoon-worthy.
…and another watercolor interpretation.
2 Commentsat the patisserie • ice cream cakes!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Recently, I had the pleasure of spending the day working in Bernard & Myriam Nouguier’s amazing patisserie & boulangerie in Molleges, S. France. What a treat! A husband and wife team extraordinaire, Bernard is the baker upstairs and Myriam greets customers and tends the cash register downstairs. Everything is made from scratch right there in their tiny patisserie-bakery. Pictured here is a tray of freshly made strawberry & lemon ice cream cakes. The day was devoted almost entirely to ice cream cake & bombe glacée making. Heaven. I hope to share more patisserie photos soon!
And I couldn’t resist the temptation to paint a few super rough watercolors. The bold colors & textures of those cakes are just too tantalizing.
0 Commentssummertime sketchbook
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
It’s that time of year again….gearing up for my annual trek to S. France. Above are some snapshots of sketchbook pages from years past. I’m looking forward to escaping fog-enshrouded Berkeley for the sunshine of southern France. Stay tuned, I’ll be sending watercolor dispatches from abroad.
A bien tot!
2 Commentsgarden of love
Friday, June 3, 2011
It’s been a busy few months here in the studio and wedding season is in full spring splendor. I’ve been eager to share this latest project–Arezou & Evan’s wedding invitation suite. The timing of their mailing is perfect, what with the release of the new garden of love postage stamp which adorns their pool-blue envelopes.
Inspired by the scenic rolling hills and vineyards of the Napa Valley, I wanted to capture the essence of that in a simple pen and ink illustration which decorates the top of their wedding invitation. The gorgeous calligraphy and monogram is the work of Nancy Hopkins. The ensemble is bundled with turquoise blue twine & a matte silver wax seal for the finishing touch.
Shown above, the invitation, insert card & RSVP. Their “in lieu of gifts” request (insert card) is a thoughtful alternative–asking guests to consider instead a donation to the ASPCA. The ink palette is rich turquoise blue, pool blue and olive green.
I’m looking forward to designing their reception stationery…especially the yummy menu which will feature the bounty of locally and sustainably grown vegetables, fruits, meats & charcuterie and baked goods. All of this beautifully and mouth-wateringly prepared by Elaine Bell Fine Catering. I’ll be sharing the finished menu and other delectable paper goods with you here in August, so do check back!
My dear friend & colleague, Dee Merz, is the wedding planner extraordinaire who gathers the creative team together in happy harmony. I especially enjoy working with her because she intuitively knows when to give guidance and when to let go and see what blossoms. Coordinating a stunning event is a delicate dance and Dee knows the steps.
A close up of the main header illustration and some tools of the trade: my favorite Pelikan drawing ink in rich, velvety black and my trusty dip pen from Austria that I’ve had for ages and love so.
Stamps! So fun decorating an envelope with vivid stamps. They tell a story.
1 Commentsdreamy calistoga wedding
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Thanks to Kathryn at Snippet & Ink for posting Lyn & Scott’s dreamy Black Swan Lake wedding. It was a real pleasure working with this delightful couple on their wedding stationery–from save the dates all the way through to the reception stationery and tantalizing menu. Heirloom tomatoes decorate the menu which features the local Bay Area late summer bounty. Yum. I ♥ Paula Le Duc Fine Catering. And these gorgeous photos are the work of Suzy Clement, photographer extraordinaire. Nancy Howell adds the lovely finish calligraphy. Kristi Amoroso Special Events makes the magic happen seamlessly and gorgeously. Enjoy & salut!
spring bunnies!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Coming up with ideas for little Olive’s birthday party invitation is always a fun-filled endeavor. Inspiration for this year’s invitation: Peeps hot pink marshmallow Easter bunnies meets vintage children’s flash cards. We considered filling the bunnies with hot pink glitter (vintage, naturally!) but the less is more approach prevailed. Letterpress printed front + back on ultra thick, bright white, tree-free paper.
And here’s what we did for Olive’s birthday last year. Icons from 1930′s illustrated children’s books fill the front of a folded card–page 1 of the story of Olive Jane. The card unfolds to reveal the party particulars. Letterpress printed on soft pink, 100% cotton rag paper from Italy.
And back to the beginning with a baby blue Beatrix Potter-inspired birth announcement. Bunny love!
3 Comments
a soolip wedding
Friday, March 11, 2011
I am delighted and honored to participate in San Francisco’s first, A Soolip Wedding–a fabulous bridal event featuring some of the Bay Area’s finest. The dreamy show will be held at the Bently Reserve on Sunday, March 20. I will be exhibiting a suite of freshly-printed letterpress wedding stationery. Wedding pros in all fields from photography & floral design to artisanal catering & event coordination will be there to inspire and enchant. So come enjoy the visual + delectable feast! Cake & champagne tastings, fashion shows, raffles and much much more await!
Here’s a sneak peek of the poetry card I’m making for the event. Spring-time is lovetime!
2 Commentslove bug
Monday, February 14, 2011
Happy Valentine’s day! Plum trees are blossoming everywhere in Berkeley right now. A cheerful sight. My ♥ day cards are printed on hand-made heart-shaped paper from a favorite paper purveyor in the midwest. Printing on this luxurious paper is pure pleasure.
Plum blossoms!
0 Commentskauai re-visited
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
On a recent trip to Kauai I relished the chance to unwind & explore the lush landscape. Days consisted of savoring the local bounty of papaya, fresh fish & sundry other delights, hiking, ocean swimming & watercolor painting. Paradise found.
4 Commentshappy trails in 2011!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Cheers to a bright + beautiful 2011. Lately I’ve been having fun experimenting with translating photographs into letterpress prints. This winter wonderland photo was taken on a visit to Rhinebeck, NY, in the lovely Hudson River Valley. After some photoshop tweaks, and the addition of the blue bird of happiness, I inked up the press and this postcard is the ethereal result.
5 Commentswarm winter wishes
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Here’s a sneak peek of my holiday card slated to go out in Monday’s mail. Hard to see in this photo but a single Swarovski crystal rhinestone adorns the antler (on front of card) for a little glitz and holiday sparkle.
The reindeer line-up. Freshly printed & awaiting rhinestone application.
2 Commentshappy thanksgiving!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Calligrapher extraordinaire, Michele Papineau and I collaborated on this Thanksgiving card. I love seeing beautiful hand-lettering in the shape of things, as in the pear here.
4 Commentsoh baby!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Petite letterpress baby booklets announce the birth of Rebecca + Marc’s bundle of joy. Designed as a picture dictionary with hand-drawn illustrations, the story of Dani is told in playful detail. Like little pocket books, the small size fits happily in the palm of your hand.
A glimpse of the inside pages reveals another adorable photo & more Dani details!
Tools of the trade. A few behind the scenes studio photos–pen & ink illustration & lettering roughs, assembly and bindery of the booklets, and the cast iron printer’s chase which holds the plate in place for printing.
3 Commentsojai wedding! fresh off the press
Monday, August 30, 2010
This fun and festive Mexican-themed invitation ensemble sets the tone for Brooke + Daniel’s wedding in lovely Ojai, California. Illustrations and display lettering are hand-drawn and then printed letterpress. The cheerful fiesta blue ink pops beautifully on the bright white, tree-free paper. Let the mariachi & merriment begin!
The illustrations are drawn with pen & ink (top). One of my favorite drawing inks is Pelikan–I stock up on the mini 10ml bottles when I’m in France. Love the rich, velvety black ink especially. Once the illustrations are ready, they are scanned and used throughout the invitation ensemble for a cohesive look. Upon approval of final designs, then the letterpress printing begins.
I ♥ map-making. Brooke & Daniel wanted a simple and fun hand-drawn map, highlighting some of their Ojai area favorites.
On press. Printing the front side of the RSVP postcard. The fiesta blue ink is mixed from scratch in my studio.
7 Commentstraveling
Monday, July 12, 2010
Browsing the library where I’m staying, I found a dusty collection of weathered leather-bound books. Among them was this gem of an essay, The Philosophy of Travel by George Santayana. The sailboat image above is a small oil painting on metal which I unearthed from a pile of paintings at the brocante/flea market in Avignon. Love the colors and quality of the brushstrokes. Sweet.
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