by | Oct 10, 2012 | DIY Invitations Ideas, DIY Wedding Invitations, Wedding Invitations Ideas
Being engaged is a blissful feeling, isn’t it? In the midst of all the daydreaming of the wedding, you are making plans for your big day. Like most brides out there, you want something unique that has not been done over and over again. As a sophisticated and modern bride, you want to DIY, and you can, with the likes of using everyday arts and crafts combined with DIY wedding invitations.
What you will initially need to sort out would be your DIY wedding invitations, and you can acquire those from a reputable wedding invitations retailer that deals with DIY kits. Make sure you have the right colour in mind, and the style in terms of whether it is folded, tri-folded, or freestanding card with no folds. Once you know the basis of the invite card, get the invitation wording you want and even add your guest list into their system and have those printed and kept aside for decorating, with everyday arts and crafts.
When we say arts and crafts, we mean decorative design and handicrafts using items that you will find in your own home. It is what you make out of those materials with the help of tools that offer you a myriad of options to make something beautiful come alive. Some of these very items could be the found in your sewing booth, while the others in the kitchen. However, certain tools that go the extra mile to make a beautiful creation will need to be acquired. These tools include the likes of punches whether it is for a singular design or a border design, to decorative scissors, stamps, ink, and paint. In terms of materials, you may use paper be it the flimsy or hard variety, which depends on the paper weight, cloth and paper ribbons, burlap, lace, doilies, origami paper, embroidery thread, and beading.
To make the likes of quills (with paper), pinwheels, ribbon and paper flowers, handprint art, stamp illustrations using stamps, or stamps cut out of fruits and vegetables and the list goes on, there are techniques that need to be used. For example, when involved in paper quilling, you need to cut out thin strips of paper that are 1/4 cm in width and roll it tightly. Once this is done, you can shape it to make the design you want and glue it to paper so it stays that way.
These are just some ways in which you can transform your DIY wedding invitations into something beautiful and truly unique. Add your own touches and make your wedding one that your family and friends will talk about for years to come.
by | Aug 22, 2012 | DIY Invitations Ideas, DIY Wedding Invitations
More and more brides are getting more and more involved in wedding planning, right down to the making wedding items and elements themselves, such as the wedding invitations and stationery to the wedding decor. However, at the time of the wedding, the decor needs to be handled by somebody else, but the wedding stationery and invitations can be sorted out way in advance, and therefore is a convenient choice to DIY when it comes to their wedding.
You have the options of going with both DIY Wedding Invitations and Stationery Kits or to start from scratch with DIY Wedding Invitations and Stationery. Depending on which choice you opt for, the next stage is done accordingly. Let’s look at both options.
DIY Wedding Invitations and Stationery Kits
When choosing this option, you have to first have a theme or vision in mind to make sure that you do not purchase the kits and then later change your mind. Therefore, sketch out what you have in mind, and then look for the type of kits that match your criteria. Whether its a shape, sizing or the way it is styled or folds, there are many things to look at, not forgetting colour, of course. The next stage would be to opt for printing or calligraphy. Some of the best wedding invitations retailers allow you to customise your DIY wedding invitations kits from the start, just by giving them the guest list and they will print it for you and have it delivered. If you opt of out this option, then you can go with a calligrapher to have everything handwritten. If you have beautiful handwriting, then you can go ahead and do it yourself. However, if you are going to have the wedding invitation wording printed separately, then that item can be left as the final touch, which then needs to be attached to the wedding invite creation. You may opt to add ribbons, floral embellishments, studs, buckles and so forth for that added glam.
Start from Scratch with DIY Wedding Invitations and Stationery
If you are doing the wedding invitations and stationery from scratch, you will need tools and materials. Here are some items you will need, and it is always best when you have a vision and theme before starting and even buying the materials in question.
- Paper (either normal, crystal or recycled paper – 200-250gsm)
- Cutter and Cutting Tool
- Scissors
- Paper Punches
- Rubber Stamps & Inkpads
- Watercolour Paint and Brushes
- Adhesive & Glue
- Embellishments
- Bows (card variety, organza, ribbon, satin, etc)
- Buckles
- Diamante Gems
- Flowers
- Ribbons
- Jewel Sprays
- Calligraphy Pens
- Envelopes
With these tools and materials, you can set about making the vision of your DIY wedding invite and stationery come alive. Make sure to be careful when using these tools, especially the cutters and scissors to not hurt yourself, and enjoy creating your masterpiece. Always create a sample beforehand to make sure you know what you want and you can see the intended result so that all your DIY wedding invites and stationery maintain the same standard.
by | May 30, 2012 | DIY Wedding Invitations, Wedding Invitations Ideas
Embossing is a great way to add a touch of pizzazz to a simple design. What this design technique is a way of creating a raise or 3D image out of a piece of paper. This can be done using a myriad of options and shapes, and though it can be professionally done, a DIY bride can have a go at it too, as long as you have the right utensils or know what to use. With a little bit of know-how, you too can embossing to make your very own DIY wedding invites with a beautiful finish.
There are many types of embossing, and we will look into each item so that you can be informed of what type you should opt for when making your very own DIY wedding invitation and putting embossing to use.
- Combo Emboss: The combination of embossing with a foil printing is known as combo embossing, and it gives of a glamorous effect to your cards.
- Debossing: Debossing is the indentation into the paper as opposed to the raised effect see in embossing.
- Dry Emboss: Dry embossing is where you use a stencil and stylus and press the paper down not the stencil to create outlines and then the embossed shapes, so that when you flip the paper, you have a beautiful embossed finish.
- Multi-Level Emboss: This type of embossing is similar to the single-level emboss, but done at varying levels or tires, giving it a further 3D look. For example, if you want to a three tiered heart design embossed onto your DIY wedding card, then this would be ideal.
- Printed Emboss: A printed emboss is where you have a specific image printed onto your DIY wedding invite, and this particular shape or image is where the embossing will be carried out, giving it a raised effect to the entire image. For example, let us take a red heart design on a white background. The red heart would be embossed to make it ‘pop’.
- Sculptured Emboss: This is considered the DIY form of embossing, as it involves a handmade process, using tools, and the likes of stylus to give it depth of field. It is always best to use it with the likes of a photographic element printed on the paper to give it a realistic look.
- Self-Emboss: Using a piece of paper, with the same colour on the entire surface, you can use an emboss stamp on the underside to create a definition and shape on the paper to give it a special look. For example, if you want to use a starry night DIY wedding invite theme, then you can opt to use star shaped stamps on a midnight blue coloured paper and have yourself raised stars to give it that finish and texture.
- Single-Level Emboss: This type of embossing involved the DIY wedding invite and the element or design being embossed, being raised to the same level, creating a unilateral finish.
Sculptured embossing, self-embossing, single level embossing, printed embossing, multi-level embossing, dry embossing and debossing can be easily done using a few simple utensils, such as a light box (when debossing and dry embossing), stencils, stylus, card stock, rolling pins and stamps, and stamped templates for a patterned effect when creating your very own wedding invites.
by | May 14, 2012 | DIY Invitations Ideas, DIY Wedding Invitations
A blank canvas is what we always start with, whether it is a painting or a wedding, or even the wedding invites. That is why many couples to be wed opt for DIY wedding invitation kits so that they can make their own masterpiece to represent and introduce the happiest day of their lives.
A DIY wedding invitation kit lets you figure out what your end result would be from the get-go. You can do up some samples and compare them at first before you set your mind to it, and even ask your closest friends and family for their opinion before confirming your choice of design and creation as your wedding invite.
The first step is to decide on the base colour that you want your DIY wedding invites in. You could take the easy route and choose either white or a neutral hue because you can never go wrong. If you are not sure of what you want, order a few samples in advance and try then out with the other accompanying materials you have acquired to add colour and ‘oomph’ to the wedding invite ensemble. You can add that special touch with the likes of the following.
Ribbons & Lace: Ribbons and lace would be easiest way to add pops of colours onto your DIY wedding creation. Not just using it, but the way you use it makes a difference. You can pair a few different colours together, or even weave them into a design.
Watercolour Paint: Watercolour paint creations are beautiful, because not only are you adding your own personal touch, but also the colour from watercolours leaves a beautiful texture when completed.
Dyeing and Paper Texturing: A great way to add a twist to your DIY wedding invite paper would be to add colouring, in terms of dyeing, which can be done using watercolour itself, or even applying a coat of watercolour paint using a sponge or cloth.
Stamps: Stamps are great ways to add a professional looking finish with flowing and intricate designs to your wedding invite. Choose designs that go well together, or overlap in different colours to bring life into the wedding card.
Stencils: Stencils are also great ways in which you can acquire great and intricate designs, where all you need to do is colour over a stencil, and presto, you have yourself beautiful look.
Stitching: Some brides opt to add a bit of stitching for a homely feel. If your wedding is a casual one, or you have a notebook or cross-stitch theme going on, this would be ideal.
Embellishments & Accessories: Adding buckles, little diamante brooches in varying colours depending on your theme would be ideal for bursts of colour in the right amounts.
Envelope Liners: Another way of adding colour to your DIY wedding invites is to add a great envelope liner that surprises your guests as they open it. It can be anything from a design, pattern to even photographs.
by | Nov 23, 2011 | DIY Invitations Ideas, DIY Wedding Invitations, Wedding Invitations Ideas
There are so many great ways to come up with cool DIY wedding invitations, and such ideas are always buzzing in everyone’s heads but we rarely get a chance to see them. Unless you have been invited to a wedding you have been a guest or a recipient of a cool DIY wedding invite, you might still be wondering how you can make one for yourself. This installation of DIY Invitations, we bring to you some materials you can use to create an awesome DIY wedding invitation.
Accessories
– String can be used either as a decorative border, or as centre point of the design. It can be looped around the base paper, which the invitation wording is printed on, whereby that paper will sit on a different sheet of paper, that either contrasts to it or has a distinct patter or design that compliments the theme in question. The type of string used can be thin or thick, of varying texture or colour, depending on the kind of look you want to achieve. If it is a rustic theme then you could opt for burlap thread or something similar. In addition, you can add little tokens to the string, such as buttons or buckles, by looping through them, or you could add little trinkets such as a miniature key, a flower or something that is in line with your overall wedding look.
– Lace comes in different sizes, designs, colours, textures and opacity, and depending on that, it can serve many purposes. Either as a decorative detail, a background design element, to something that adds a touch of art to the wedding invitation, much like the use of string, any option can be used.
– Ribbons are quite similar to string and lace both; however, the texture of the string can also play a part in how the look of the wedding invitations comes together. The can also be looped through various accessories such as buttons, buckles and through punched paper holes creating a weaved look on the wedding invitation itself.
Paper
– Shimmery textured paper is great as the focal paper that the wedding invitation wording will be printed or written on, or even as the background paper if you want to set a form of contrast to it. This type of paper brings out a touch of elegant glamour to the wedding invite. Although, usually it can be found in tones of ivory or white, darker shades of paper can be used for a velvet appeal.
– Patterns depending on a style and design of inspiration can also add a great look to the wedding invite. The paper with the pattern can be laid below the paper containing the wedding invitation text or even as the background for a one sided wedding invite, it can be a good idea to use it for an added surprise.
Other Methods of Adding
– Stampin’ stamps which are either generic but relate to your wedding theme or even custom made are great when you want something unique. Having purchased your DIY wedding invitations kits, you can simply acquire the ink necessary and the stamps, and keep on stampin’.
– Calligraphy plays a great role in how the look of the wedding invite will turn out if you opt out of getting it printed with professionals, and can set the tone in a great way and be well done.
– Hand drawn illustrations are great to add a unique touch to your invites by drawing or illustrating a focal element in your wedding theme, and having it create a personal touch.
With the above-mentioned possibilities, you can deliver on cool DIY wedding invitations with your own inspirations and visions on how the result will look like. All you need is to get your DIY wedding invitations kits and get the other materials you need to create a masterpiece with arts and crafts.
