scratch-off save the date for laura and michael's august wedding in minnesota. laura mentioned that she admired the popular scratch-off save the dates that we've previously designed, but wanted to incorporate their engagement photo into the design. we combined both elements and fit the entire wedding date beneath one large scratch-off instead of the normal three. we think the photo worked out beautifully, we love how the the overall gray color palette is balanced with touches of warmth from the pale yellow font and warm skin tones.

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we have gold foil stamping on the mind! we are currently working on a wedding invitation and business card that use this technique. foil stamping is created by a hot metal die that presses down on to a thin sheet of gold foil that lays on top of the paper creating a gorgeous high quality reproduction of the image. gold foil creates a striking look that a metallic pantone ink could never achieve and shows up beautifully on both white and dark papers. we love the possibilities!

images courtesy of bella figura, enormous champion, curious & co. creative,  and oh so beautiful paper.

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it reached 60 degrees here in philly this week and it's still february! it's strange, but we have to admit we're pretty happy about it. purple crocuses are sprouting, ads for the philadelphia flower show fill the streets, and local news stories revolve around phillies spring training. we are so ready for spring and the colorful flowers it brings. here are some pretty petals to get you in the mood...

{a} pretty up a package with this daisy wrapping paper by snow and graham; {b} dress up your window or mantel any time of the year with this felt flower garland by big brown house; {c} finish off a farmer's style table with this rustic wire and glass bottle vase set by ruche; {d} present this botanical coaster set to the hostess of the next party you attend, by rifle paper co.; {e} add a touch of spring to your home instantly with this letterpressed garden print by byvik ink; {f} place some peonies permanently to the wall with this graphic paeonia wallpaper by anthropologie; {g} replace a live wedding bouquet with a single over-sized paper flower for instant whimsy. diy instructions from 100 layer cake.

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For Restaurants and Hotels logo design is too important which makes the consumers love them. Because a logo performs a big aspect in the growth of the company the hotel have to find a well designed logo to impress consumers. Here are Creative Collection Of Hotel Logo Design that you might find inspiring. We hope you will enjoy this wonderful Showcase.

Avion Hotel

MINA A’ SALAM

Hotel Patrol

Ukrainian Hotel Management

Hotel Cargo

Hotels 5 stars

Exotica Hotel

Hotel Complectation

Roadstar Hotel

Enjoy Hotel Management

hotel geetanjali

Nigerian hotels directory

RoyalHotel

Hotel

home forest

HotelBook

Pousada Portal do Mar

The Boat Shed

Iphotel

Louren Hotel

hotel

Hotel Llundudno

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Well, hello hello, my virtual friends. :)  It has been a while - hasn't it always?  It has been busy busy here over at Dancing Pen & Press.  In the past few weeks, I have been lettering and printing up a storm!  It has been a lot of fun; loving every minute of it!  There is also a new addition - a new puppy!  Her name is Daphne (I let my three y.o. name her and he is in a Scooby Doo phase...). She is so sweet, but SUCH a handful!  I will post some pics of her, as well as, some of my most recent work for you to see!



Here are some pics of a lovely wedding suite I just did.  It is a subtle teal color with gold hand calligraphy names and monogram.  We also did a RSVP post card and Rehearsal Dinner invite. 

Here is a cute Save the Date printed with navy blue ink and navy lined envelopes:

Here is sweet Daphne. Don't you just love her asymmetrical muzzle? 

Here are some photos of a Winter themed marriage certificate with water color snowflakes.

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renee + sebastian will be married this summer at the colonial dames in philadelphia. what a better way to announce a summer wedding then to send a seed packet save the date that reminds guests to "plan(t) ahead!" renee wanted an overall clean and rustic look which we achieved through traditional fonts mixed with a simple green palette. renee adhered a variety of vintage wildflower seed packets she purchased from terrain at styers to the natural textured paper. when guests removed the packets, they were greeted with a message and the couple's wedding website. each package was mailed in a recycled envelope that mimicked the look of an actual seed packet.

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lace and beautiful flourished fonts for valentina + scott's formal italian wedding. we are designing both english and italian invitation suites.

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our studio is still a work in progress and file folders, boxes and bins have been on our mind! the big items such as wall paint and furniture have been checked off the list. we are moving on to the fun little details and pretty ways to organize. here are a few items we've come across in our searches, thought they might spark an interest in getting your own space organized.

{a} fill an empty corner with this handy bright coat rack by urban outfitters; {b} stay on top of deadlines with an over-sized chalkboard calendar on your office wall, diy instructions from martha stewart; {c} keep files neat and tidy with this sunny dotted file folder from paper source; {d} my color, inspired by pantone is our dream come true -- an endless range of pantone paint colors with no surprises! now sold at lowes; {e} the easiest way to add some whimsy to your desk is with a playful pencil cup. we love this ikat/chevron cup from see jane work; {f} this white enamel elephant hook will make you smile each time you toss your coat or necklace on it's trunk, by anthropologie; {g} fill up your shelves or closets with these simple white-washed wooden bins from the container store.

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The goal of this post is to help designers and clients understand the importance of good type skills, while avoiding some of the common mistakes. Please keep in mind that most of these mistakes are subjective and can be changed varying on the project, goals or circumstances.

Below is a list of 10 common mistakes used in type design/layout that can make a large impact in the effectiveness and appearance of your designs, in addition to saving you time and money when dealing with printers.

1. Not enough leading

Leading/linespacing can improve the overall readability of large blocks of text on a page, making it easier on readers to follow lines of text without losing their place. Too little can cause a cramped feeling. It’s important to remember that different fonts need different linespacing. Varying heights in letterforms may demand more or less.

2. Not enough tracking

Tracking/letterspacing is applied to a group of letters. It prevents letters from running into each other, especially during print. It’s similar to leading in which it can improve or hinder readability, flow of text and the density/weight of a block of text.

3. Getting tracking confused with kerning

While tracking is applied to a group of characters, kerning is the adjustment of space between two letter pairs. Effective for use with headlines, text with ALL CAPS and logo treatments (it helps with readability at various sizes). Don’t fall into the trap of letting your design software set this by default; it’s character specific. Same applies to the above, #1 & 2.

4. Lengthy lines of text

Reading many long lines of type causes eye fatigue. Readers are forced to moves their heads and eyes more often from one line to the next. Various sources I’ve researched state to keep lines of text under 50 – 60 characters long.

5. Mixing too many typefaces and weights

Too many typefaces on one page can become distracting and disconnecting (lacking unity). Try keeping your fonts choices to three or less per project. Too many weights can cause a reader to be unclear where important elements are on a page. This creates the possibility of the reader missing something important.

6. Not using serifs for lengthy-text material

Serifs are known to make reading lengthy material, such as books and magazines, more sustainable for longer periods of time. It also helps with eye strain/fatigue, and we all know that we need our eyes! Although this can be argued, serifs seem to sit better on the baseline.

7. Printing similar values of color on top of each other

For example, try printing a medium blue text on top of a medium brown box. Not only is it unappealing, but it makes it hard on the eyes. Also creates a muddy effect.

8. Reversed out text on less than 50% tints

Much like the above, this also increases eye strain and hinders readability. The words get lost in the background and typically prints less visible than seen on screen. This will save you time, money and Asprin for your printing headaches.

9. Overusing centered text

Using centered text creates a jagged and broken appearance to text — very disconnecting! Can be viewed as amateurish in most instances. Save it for those wedding invitations.

10. Large body copy

Normally, designers and non-designers (and yes, I did it too!) will immediately use a 12 point font for body copy. Smaller (even slightly smaller) fonts sizes creates a more professional, modern look. Large body copy can be clunky — think about the font size of a children’s book. Clunky right?… unless it’s the look your going for.

It’s also important to note that viewing text on a computer monitor is much different than printing it. In most instances, type on a screen appears smaller and less crisp. Also, most printers will advise you not to use font sizes under 7 points. May result in readability issues.

11. Not knowing what the Grid System is

Being a typography enthusiast, understanding the grid has become one of the best things I’ve learned in design to date. It’s the basis for creating clarity and making your type and layouts more cohesive. Check out the new site, The Grid System, for links and resources pertaining to grid systems.

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