La Belle Vie Girl

Bold | Contrast

Jenn — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:28:24 +0000

Love the contrast between the dark and the bright.. gorgeous!

Typo | Graphy

Jenn — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:07:38 +0000

No related posts.

Grouped | Objects

Jenn — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:48:53 +0000

Absolutely lovely… Projekt: Kontorsstilleben Fotograf: Nora Bencivenni

Grouped | Objects

Kerry | Joe

Jenn — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:40:10 +0000

I am always excited to see the wedding of my clients. Kerry & Joe were featured on Magnolia Rouge yesterday! When we worked on her invitations, she had told me of the old windmill at Holland Ranch in San Luis Obispo, California – and that element was incorporated throughout her collection … to see it come together in photographs is just beautiful! I used a deep chocolate and orange for her ink, pattern and envelopes which is also carried through her wedding so lovely.

The photography is by the talented Jen Rodriguez – her work is gorgeous. Congratulations to Kerry & Joe – so happy for you both!

Dance | In The Rain

Jenn — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:13:00 +0000

” Life isn’t about waiting for a storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

Fight | Club

Jenn — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:06:49 +0000

love this fight club poster…..

FIRST RULE OF FIGHT CLUB: You don’t talk about fight club.

Vintage | Palette

Jenn — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:52:36 +0000

SMITTEN with this color palette… how delicate and lovely…

San | Fran

Jenn — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:50:45 +0000

No related posts.

Wedding | Wednesday

Jenn — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:17:55 +0000

From my guest blogger, Cindy aka Ms. Sassy who as of January 2012 is also my client coordinator.. (YAY!)

Sassy | holidays

Hello! Long time no blog… the holidays were super busy for the Sassy’s and I’ve had a hard time getting “back into the groove” of daily life but I’m getting there!

This topic of the holidays is a hard one for me and Mr. Sassy…as I assume it is for any newer relationship trying to figure out how to split up holiday time. This past Christmas was only the second one that Mr. Sassy and I spent together. He is incredibly close to his family. I, on the other hand, am not. I have a very “abnormal family”, to say the least. The Mr. grew up with both of his parents and siblings and they are all still happily married. My parents divorced when I was 7 and I grew up with my dad. I am used to splitting my “holiday time” with my mom and other family members at places because of that. Mr. Sassy is used to spending every Christmas with his mom and dad, same house, same family…no traveling here and there. We had completely different upbringings.

The last time I remember celebrating a proper Christmas was when I was 12, after my step mom moved out of the house. My dad wasn’t into the whole “Christmas” thing… so there were no trees or decorations; no presents… it became quite the non event to be honest. All this caused me to look at holidays in total different light… I don’t want to say they aren’t important to me, but I just don’t view them the same as Mr. Sassy (and probably many others). My dad and best friend passed away in 1999, when I was 23. My mom…well I don’t know how to explain our relationship other than to say it’s a work in process every day. As an adult, and not really having a family unit, I learned to depend on my friends who opened their arms and welcomed me into their homes for a holiday dinner or time together. The fact that I have many people I consider family is a hard one for Mr. Sassy to understand. It also makes trying to figure out who and where to spend Christmas very difficult!

He doesn’t want to spend any less time with his family and rightly so. I don’t want to not spend time with my loved ones…I feel like I’m turning my back on those that have always been there for me and it’s really really hard for me to accept that I’m not (and that they really do understand…because they are awesome like that!). My “family” is a 2 hour drive away…his family is all within a 10 mile radius so it makes sense that spending a lot of time with his family is the easiest thing to do…but is easy the right thing??

In addition to wanting to spend time with family and loved ones, it was insanely important to me that Mr. and I got some “one on one” time at Christmas. We are starting our own, new family. We need that time together to bond and grow. We also didn’t want to hurt anyone…enter the struggle on what to do but yet be true to yourself. So this year, Mr. Sassy and I asked to change things up a bit and celebrate Christmas with his immediate family on Christmas Eve (instead of Christmas morning)…to open presents and have a relaxing dinner of pizza after church. It was wonderful!! We really had a great time! Then we spent Christmas morning with each other and made a delicious breakfast, opened presents and were completely lazy. We caught back up with his mom and dad later in the day to open presents with the extended family. After that, we went to a late dinner with his Aunt and Uncle. I agreed that I would spend a day with my “family” in January. That was our compromise this year. I’m not sure if that’s how it will continue to be in the future as I really missed my friends this year. I will forever be thankful for those that opened their heart and homes to me and for teaching me what the true meaning of holiday love is.

So Mr. Sassy and I are trying to figure out what works for us. How did you navigate through the holidays as a new couple? How were you able to combine families without hurting anyone? How were any changes accepted (or not) once you became engaged?

Found | Type

Jenn — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:45:25 +0000

Love this!

Daily | Thought

Jenn — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:25:54 +0000

Adjust your sails!

Destination | Waikiki

Jenn — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:45:36 +0000

One of my favorite typographers and illustrators is Rae Kaiser with Outside the Line… this is her new collection -Waikiki Doodles that I am excited to use this Spring and Summer on my destination weddings…. too fun! :)

Late | Summer

Jenn — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:38:26 +0000

Gorgeous color palette for a late summer wedding…. I love the gold and silver together with a hint of peach…

Found | Type

Jenn — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:45:05 +0000

Love the typography on this creamery window found in Palo Alto, California…

Be | Crazy

Jenn — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:10:15 +0000

I LOVE…..

‘Here’s to the Crazy Ones’s’ by Steve Jobs: 10 x 26″ letterpress poster, 100% of profits to be donated to the Acumen Fund which exists to end worldwide poverty by investing in sustainable entrepreneurial projects and breakthrough ideas.

Type | Inspiration

Jenn — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:19:54 +0000

I enjoy looking at vintage boutiques for typography inspiration…

French | Blue

Jenn — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:13:26 +0000

Inspired by these blue chairs in this French cafe…

Martin | Luther King

Jenn — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:35:15 +0000

one of my favorite pictures of Martin Luther King, Jr. – here with Harry Belafonte, by anothermag.com

Wrapped up in my client work and my personal life, like most people, I am reminded of Martin Luther King day for the wrong reasons… postal closures, print shop delays… I wanted to put up my favorite quote today with a great picture of Martin Luther King, Jr ., yet I wanted to do something different. I took the time from my client work to talk to a friend of mine this afternoon, someone who I really respect – for his intelligence and thought process.. and – you know.. we all have that one friend that after discussing a topic we are a better person – we have learned something – for me, that my friend Brian. I can’t call him my “smart friend” because he will run with that and I’ll never hear the end of it – but I will say he keeps me on my toes in debates and I always feel the need to read more and to learn more because of him.

On Martin Luther King Day, 2012 – by Brian Brooks, my dear friend who is working on his masters and who is also a professor in writing -

This Martin Luther King Jr. Day has elicited familiar remembrances such as parades and closed schools. There was even a story on NPR about an effort in Memphis to rename a major roadway Martin Luther King Avenue. Often when I want analysis of our world I turn to Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States. While it is obvious that Dr. King fought for racial equality, it is not so well known that he also fought for an end to militarization. Zinn recalls a speech Dr. King gave in 1967:

Somehow this madness must cease. We must stop now. I speak as a child of God and brother to the suffering poor of Vietnam. I speak for those whose land is being laid waste, whose homes are being destroyed, whose culture is being subverted. I speak for the poor of America who are paying the double price of smashed hopes at home and death and corruption in Vietnam. I speak as a citizen of the world, for the world as it stands aghast at the path we have taken. I speak as an American to the leaders of my own nation. The great initiative in this war is ours. The initiative to stop it must be ours.

Dr. King in this passage opposed war for the way it affects people. Not only does war harm the attacked with destroyed place and culture, it harms the attacker also. In both instances those who suffer the greatest harm are not agents to the aggression; they are drawn into the battle indirectly. Dr. King was speaking about 1967, but the same is true in 2012. One of the contributing factors to our current federal financial crisis is the trillions we have spent waging war in Asia and the Middle East. Perhaps the wars were justified. But regardless of political ideology, the money was spent. Dr. King also said “the evils of racism, economic exploitation, and militarism are all tied together.” On this Martin Luther King Jr. holiday let us remember that our efforts abroad have had real consequences for those people . . . and for ours.

Martin Luther King, 1961 by Henri Catier-Bresson

This is my favorite quote from him: “The art of acceptance is the art of making someone who has just done you a small favor wish that he might have done you a greater one.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

Raquel | Chris

Jenn — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:37:42 +0000

My clients Raquel and Chris are are getting married in Albuquerque, New Mexico in June at the Los Poblanos Inn & Cultural Center. I just completed their save the dates and am looking forward to working on their wedding collection this Spring. Inspired by soft southwest pastels – think gorgeous Spanish wedding at a beautiful ranch! Fun!

Type | Love

Jenn — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:23:43 +0000