New Favorite Save the Date

All paper is 30% Post-consumer waste recycled paper (including the envelope)!
The image started as a shot I took from my crappy camera phone on my walk back from meeting with Brigette for the first time after she mentioned an affinity toward Birch tree's.
And viola!

Happy Anniversary To US!

Once upon a time...

Ok, so not our company anniversary this time... this one goes out to Tony and I. And those of you who were apart of and came to our beautiful and sweltering hot wedding in June five years ago are probably wondering what the heck we're talking about...

Well, our actual wedding anniversary is the day before my birthday, and although I'm certainly not one to be a drama queen, birthdays are important, and anniversaries are equally as much and that's just too much love to split between two days! So we've decided to celebrate the actual anniversary of the day we started dating in College.

Without boring you with the details, 14 years ago today (YIKES! Ok, so in our age defense we did meet when I was a mere freshman in college), Tony and I did what all of our friends knew would happen eventually- with the help of large amounts of alcohol, we took the flirty banter to the next level. Aaaaaand, well, we've basically been together ever since.

We really couldn't be any more opposite of each other on so many levels, but for all the right reasons, the stars aligned in this lifetime and it works.
I'll be the savory to your sweet any day darling, Happy Anniversary.

Everyday is Earth Day

Tulips on the walk back from the Perfect Cup in our hood

At 2009's Earth Day we initiated our "Green Story" on our website. That was just the beginning. This past year has been all about growing our company, learning all we can about keeping ourselves as responsible as possible (with ups and downs... we try, we try), and basically keeping it honest and real.

One year later, we'd like to up the ante a bit. We are working on a more serious "proclamation" of sorts. "Working on" being the key words.... but to give you an idea of what's in the works, here goes...

1. If it's not 100% recycled, at least 30% post consumer, and Processed Chlorine Free -OR- FSC Certified and Totally Chlorine Free... well, it doesn't exist. period. There are more qualifications on the list, but those are the golden rules.

Green Paper Company: check them out.

2. After a certain date... to be determined... we'll be switching to an off-site printer, an uber-green off-site printer. We have some logistics to work out first though, but we've seen their work, love how they do business, and love how green they will keep us. Our VOC contribution to the world will go down substantially. As we were told- using recycled papers is great, but that's half the battle. Agreed. Commencing the second half of the battle! More details to follow.

3. Hey SIP fans- meet Nina at Tweedle Press. Meet her and love her because you're going to be seeing more of her lovely letterpress stylings.

4. Get the Chicago Green Wedding Alliance show on the road. Remember, power in numbers. We're getting there- post to follow with details.

5. Finally get our updated wedding invitation book together, with new samples, new format, new green papers... and then out to the world. No's 1 through 3 need to get worked out first though.

6. Launch our Fair Earth paper invitation line, a fair trade paper made by women in Uganda will be made into our pocket invitations (perhaps our most popular line). So all you green brides out there... consider your invitations being green AND fair trade. Oh, it's not too good to be true, it's happening kids.
7. Sleep more. Ok, it's not necessarily "eco", but the ecosystem of my body would appreciate this one.

It's been posted. * It shall be done.
(or if I may... "Make it so, Number One"... ack! SUCH a dork.)

Happy Administrative Professionals Day!

Chicagoist loves Spilled Ink Press.....

.....and Spilled Ink Press loves Chicagoist! It's a nice surprise to see your own work featured on a blog you read daily anyway. The first time we were lucky enough to make Chicagoist.com was a couple of years ago when they wrote about our Chicago Flag Christmas Cards, but we made it again a couple of weeks ago on their "Made in Chicago" segment.

We were also happy to see they mentioned the composting worms we got from our friends at Urban Worm Girl. We try hard to be as green as possible, and composting the waste we produce in our home studio is easy with our new Red Worm employees.

So thanks again to everyone at Chicagoist!

a.DOT

architects (little "a"). DOING OTHER THINGS.

Love it... and yes, yes we are.

Come on out and join Chicago Women in Architecture May 5th from 5pm to 11pm and see the exhibit at AJ Kane Gallery (119 N. Peoria Street, Unit 2B). Myself and 29 other lovely ladies who are all doing just that will be featured. I'm excited to see what other "other things" are going to be displayed. I get some weird sideways looks sometimes when I tell folks I'm actually an architect who now just happens to design wedding invitations... At this show I'll be in the majority and I can't wait!

Hello Spring Wedding Season!

We snuck away from Spilled Ink Headquarters for a few days back home in Ohio to wish our friends Matt and Sheri our very best as they "begin" their lives together. Owning and managing an awesome bar together, Zoe's, in Toledo is a pretty big commitment already... but officially tying the knot is pretty awesome too!
We were so happy to not only be there for the big day on the lake, but to also have done their invitations. It was windy, but thankfully the rain clouds parted and the sun came peaking through. Here are some pictures of the invitation and how it all came together for them.
Sheri and Matt, wishing you guys a lifetime of marital bliss...

The joy of customization

I'm off to the Perfect Cup (otherwise known as the Spilled Ink Press conference room) to a proof review meeting to show Comron and Kristin their invitation in real-life form!
It's always fun to see a couple open the envelope for the first time.

So I thought I'd snap some pics of their options, in all of it's paisley loveliness.... Which version would YOU choose?
Booklet invitation with the following envelope selections: Brick Red ~ Champagne ~ Birch
Inside accent options: chocolate brown OR....
Brick Red (hmm... do you match the envelope?)...


Well, Sheridan, what do YOU think?... Sheridan?.......
Oh never mind. We'll leave it up to the happy couple.