Offbeat Bride’s post on the spider in the wedding bouquet reminded me it’s been way too long since I’ve checked in on artist Ann Wood’s blog. I try to stay up-to-date on her creepy (and not so creepy) creations. These stunning pieces are made up of lovely scraps of vintage fabric and buttons…and I want them all.
Here’s a round-up of my favorite so far…
Black Bustled Spider
Chillingworth Owl
Strolling Spider
Botanical Experiments
First off, a hearty “thank-you” to everyone who took advantage of our New Year’s Week sale! While that sale officially ended today, be on the lookout for more discounted designs in the future. You never know just what we’ll mark down next…
Next, we’d like to introduce a line of invitation designs that we’re calling RS Elements. Simply put, RS Element designs are offered on your choice of our favorite 120 lb Neenah duplex paper or a clean, 80 lb white paper on front and reverse. We’re offering this choice as a way of lowering prices without lowering quality. (We’re mad about paper, so rest assured the 80 lb is going to look great!) We know times are hard and we’re pleased to give you a choice that will stretch your wedding budget.
Our first design in the Elements line is Black Butterfly:
It’s the summer solstice counterpart to Luna Moth:
While Black Butterfly is only our first offering, we plan on steadily adding to the Elements line. We promise to keep you posted!
Since this New Year’s Eve will be marked by a rare “blue moon,” we thought it was only fitting to make today’s discounted design Diana:
The moon has inspired countless artists and mystics and its beauty also was the inspiration for this invitation that celebrates the dark and the beautiful. Printed on special shimmery metallic paper, this design aims to capture the mystery of love.
Remember, we’re marking down certain invitation sets 15% off their base price (this applies to solo, duo and trio sets!) each day until this Saturday — think of it as an extended New Year’s party. Please see the this blog post for more details.
Thanks!
…is with a gift.
And that’s what we’re doing: saying thank-you for a wonderful year. We have had the pleasure to work with so many amazing brides and grooms in 2009 that we wanted to do a little something for those that we’ll work with in 2010.
So, for the next four days, we’ll be placing certain invitation sets 15% off their base price (this applies to solo, duo and trio sets!). We’ll be announcing a new set each day until Saturday — think of it as an extended New Year’s party. (Don’t worry if the base price isn’t reduced when listed on the invitation page — the discount will be applied as soon as you select the number of invitations you’re ordering.)
How long will the sets remain on sale? We can’t say, so if you’ve had your eye on one of the discounted designs, grab it quick!
Which sets will go on sale? Let’s just let it be a surprise.
Finally, the sale prices are only good if you place your order through royalsteamline.com.
So, without further to do, we kick off our New Year’s party with our paean to the misty forests of the Pacific Northwest, Merced Peak.
Thanks again everyone! And Happy New Year!
We’re not entirely sure where it went, since our last post was on December 1. But if you’re anything like us, the days between Thanksgiving and New Year’s disappear at a decidedly alarming rate…
But in our defense, we have been quite busy. In January, we will be introducing several new designs – here’s one of them that just became available today:
Serenata
Click on the image to see the matching enclosure and response cards.
We’ve also been busy with the newest addition to the shoppe: the mighty Khan:
Yep, he's really that small...for now
Half Labrador and half Shar Pei, he’s one cute handful. But not to fear, our two cats are keeping him in line.
Finally, just a reminder that the shoppe will be closed on the 24th and 25th. For those that celebrate, have a happy holiday!
There’s no denying that the holidays are quickly approaching. In the stores, holiday music is already on heavy rotation and the obligatory Christmas trees and lights are on display. And yes, it’s not even Thanksgiving. I typically have a general rule that I don’t even think about Christmas until after Thanksgiving in order to give the turkey (and my birthday month) its fair share. But after stumbling upon the “Holiday Art Exchange” post on Haute Macabre, I decided to break my rule.
I typically design my own wacky holiday cards with aliens, pirates or other atypical holiday figures, but since we’re busy here at Royal Steamline working on a slew of new designs to launch in the new year, I was worried I wouldn’t have the time. Now I don’t have to worry. These zombie holiday cards have just the right amount of nostalgia and comic relief that will put a smile on the face of the recipient. And really, isn’t that what the season’s all about?
Thank you tinaseamonster for making this awesome zombie holiday card and saving me from having to design my own!
{Zombies are More Scary Than Santas Lap}
We were thrilled when LocaLovesPirate contacted us about her new Etsy Treasury, featuring our Tell Tale invitation. Hurry and check it out before this treasury disappears.
Winter is almost here and there’s no reason you have to cover up your lovely dress with a jacket or plain sweater. And what better way to accessorize your wedding dress than with a complementary shrug? I love the shrug Holly Stalder made for me so much (the flower was made out of fabric from my dress!), I still find excuses to wear it on every day occasions. Here are some of my favorite shrugs on Etsy.
{My "wedding shrug" by Holly Stalder | photo by Jessica Hill Photography}
{Capelet With Bow by Holly Stalder}
{Antique Silk Taffeta Bolero by Elizabeth Dye}
{Dauphine Victorian Shrug by Countessa}
{Agnes Nuno Silk Ruffle Shrug by Louise Broad}
{The Carina Long Sleeved Wedding Bolero by Bonzie}
Find them here:
1. Holly Stalder
2. Elizabeth Dye
3. Countessa
4. Louise Broad
5. Bonzie
We featured Louise Black’s cameo corsets a little while back (before she made it to Project Runway), but have you seen her clothing line? I’ve had my eye on this gorgeous dress for quite a while…
{Avant Garde Marionette Inspired Black Silk Party Dress by Louise Black}
Inspired by the season, this is the third in a series of tongue-in-cheek installments that examines the physical demands of being a vampire and what brides- and grooms-to-be can learn from them.
You see, many humans (as well as vampires) aim to slim down in the weeks approaching their weddings. That’s only natural: not only will you be on display in front of your friends and families, but the moment will be one of the most photographed in your life! If that’s not enough to scare most of us into a diet, we’re not sure what is.
Human brides- and grooms-to-be that are looking to shape up before the big day can take a lot of cues from the undead. While many think that being nosferatu mostly involves lounging around all night on velvet pillows sipping a chilled A-Negative, they don’t know the whole truth: being a vampire requires the undead to perform an amazing range of activities with skill and dexterity. We’ll first highlight one of these situations and then suggest an exercise that can help you prepare for your big day while mimicking the vamp’s moves. (Naturally, this is all meant in fun and if you’re really beginning an exercise program, you shouldn’t be starting here…)
No. 3: The Werewolf Press
Let’s face it: one of the hardest things about being a vampire is the inevitable battle with werewolves. While we’re still not sure why the undead and lycanthropes have such enmity (we don’t subscribe to any explanations that have been offered heretofore), it is a certainly that vampires must be prepared to confront and defeat werewolves in a variety of environments. A classic setting is a decaying graveyard, as seen in this iconic 1966 Frazetta cover for Creepy:
To be sure, werewolves are known for their strength and speed and pose formidable threats to vampires. And while there exist any number of attacks and defenses to be employed in such a melee, a basic maneuver all vampires must master is the Werewolf Press: when the shapeshifter launches itself at a vampire, nosferatu must use their supernatural potency to repel the beast.
For humans, a comparable motion to practice would be a basic chest press:
Click on the image for more details about the exercise. And it’s best to keep a little silver on your person at all times.
