Handwritten Notes

When I opened my e-mail this morning, I found a newsletter from one of my paper suppliers that discussed the advantages of "handwritten media" over "social media". While the writer of the article and I agree that outlets like Facebook can be very useful for attracting new clients and keeping current clients involved, there's just something to be said for the seemingly-lost art of handwritten notes. When was the last time someone sent you a note over an e-mail? A real note, not just a drugstore card with a signature inside? You have to think hard, don't you? I know I do.

That's why one of my New Year's resolutions as a business owner (and designer) is to make sure my clients know that I'm thinking about them. So I designed a thank-you card and just yesterday sent out the first one, to a new client who has provided me with two jobs in just a few short weeks. I don't know if she's received it yet, but it already makes me feel good to know that I went the extra step - the step so few people are willing to take anymore thanks to the convenience of outlets like e-mail and Facebook - to let her know that I appreciated her business, which I truly do. The fact that the card is of my own design can also be considered advertising, I guess, but really I just wanted a card that expressed my business and myself.

What do you think? Do you prefer handwritten notes over hastily written e-mails? Or are we just too busy as people to ignore the ease provided by the current Electronic Age?

Tuesday Inspiration Board - Pantone Honeysuckle

It's Tuesday, and that now means Inspiration Board Day! For my first one, I decided to consider the possibilities of Pantone's 2011 Color of the Year, Honeysuckle. It's a gorgeous, rich, vibrant pink that is a beautiful choice for a wedding any time of the year.

While you could go the more traditional (but still lovely) route and pair it with ice pink, silver and pearl, I chose to play it up by mixing it with bronze and olive. This color scheme would be beautiful for a late summer or fall wedding. The pink really pops against the deeper metallics without being too candy-sweet or overwhelmingly pink. Add a few accents of crimson, gold and green, and you're good to go!

Bridesmaid dress (in Guava) with bubble skirt and embroidered bodice from David's Bridal
Bronze-iced wedding cake found at Flickriver
Flowers by Holly Chapple Flowers
Bridal shoes found at www.perfectweddingzone.com 
Pink and bronze wedding invitation layout by Defining Moments

Happy New Year!

If you're here, then you're probably already aware of the major changes that are taking place at Defining Moments in 2011! Just take a look at the site - there's a brand new logo, new items being posted (or getting ready to be posted), and - probably the biggest change of all - we have permanently discontinued the Home Fragrance line (although you can find our huge clearance sale at http://www.definingmomentscandles.com/).


I just wanted to take a second and make this post a quick one. I want to welcome you all to 2011, and send wishes for a happy New Year to all my clients and friends - new, old, and as yet unmet. Check the blog regularly for ideas, projects, inspiration boards, contests and more.

Thank you for your interest in Defining Moments - I have always, and will continue to strive to make your moment something to remember

Changes are coming....

I'm in the process of preparing for two back-to-back craft shows at which I'll be selling my candles. Doing all this prep work has made me realize a few things. So, let me tease by saying that major changes are coming to Defining Moments.

No hints. But here's a sneak peek of the new logo! You saw it here first....

Save the Date for Denise and Justin

Below I posted a design I was working on for an old friend's Save the Date. It's finally finished! I sent it off to the printer today. This is the final version, complete with a photo of the actual couple (how adorable are they?). Now if I could only find someone willing to do their invitations in thermography...

Bridal Shower

I don't just do weddings...I also do all the parties that come before and after!

Fun with Illustrator

In the process of deciding which designs I want to upload to my business site, I started to play around with ways to make them look like more than just flat drawings on a computer screen. Since I don't have physical samples to take photos of, my digital images have to look great. Here are two samples I did this morning.

Do they look professional? Does the fact that it's not a photograph of ink and paper detract from the design itself?