Swatches & Hues : Handmade with TLC

Frozen Fever gate fold castle invitation for a first birthday party

2018-03-21T12:39:00.000+08:00

Hi all! It had been a long time since my last post, I am slowly getting back on track and getting this invitation order helped me get back to making invitations.

I actually had to look up the Frozen Fever video because I never got to watch it, and it's always nice to have better knowledge of the theme in order to actually be able to translate it nicely into the invitation design.

It can be folded with Olaf in front or behind Anna and Elsa.

I did two versions for the main invite because the client wasn't sure with the party date yet.

Four variations for the background, just because it looks pretty like that. :)

Diecut wedding invitation

2017-04-17T12:43:00.002+08:00

Here's another simple yet elegant wedding invitation with embossed and diecut details.
The client's color theme was blue and cream.

Hawaiian / Luau themed shadow box style invitaition

2017-04-17T12:20:00.004+08:00

The shadow box style invitation is another one of the unique styles there is.

It gives you a play on layers and depth of field.

It ships flat but can be assembled to a shadow box once received.

Making your invitation a nice display piece.

In this hawaiian/luau theme, I made use of a hibiscus element as well as a hula girl to give off the island vibe, complemented by the sunset colors as background.

This style can be made with a classy or playful theme, perfect style to be used for any occasion.

Update after over a year

2017-04-17T11:49:00.000+08:00

Hi everyone, I'm sorry I haven't been able to keep the blog updated since last year.
After my mom's passing last June 2016, it has been difficult for me to get back on track. Emotionally it has been really draining. I miss my mom so much, I cannot explain in words my longing for her presence.

Aside from mourning, we were also faced with painstaking legal documents to file and take care of. We've been back and forth different government agencies countless of times last year and things still aren't settled as I speak.

Truth is I am having a difficult time regaining motivation at work and other things.
Most of you may not be aware that my mom used to help me out with invitation orders, she would be the one to put double adhesive on each piece of invitation to make assembly easier for me. She really helped me out in the best way she could. That's probably why psychologically it has been difficult to work again, without her.

I have been trying to distract myself with travel and a new hobby, gardening, just to get a new perspective. But hopefully I will be able to bounce back soon.

You can check out my personal blog at http://todaysajenda.blogspot.com

In the meantime, I am consolidating files and will try to put up on the blog some of my work that I might have overlooked the past years. That'll keep me occupied for now.

Thanks!

Please support my mom's cancer battle

2016-03-20T09:20:00.002+08:00

You can help by donating to this Youcaring site,
http://www.youcaring.com/Fefightscancer

-My mom, my bestfriend, my hero.-

This is my mom, Fe. She turns 60 this August.

She's a selfless mom who spent her waking hours taking care of everyone. Even at our 30s, knowing how absent-minded we are, she still took care of most things for us, making sure our personal and professional responsibilities were all covered.

She's one of the most generous person I know, generous with her time, service, care and love. She's done so much for us and it pains me seeing her go through this battle.

The strong woman I know who was always up and about taking care of others is now mostly confined to the bed because of the pain and discomfort.

It's time we give her the care she long deserved, and money shouldn't be limit.

-Diagnosed-

November 2015, she was diagnosed with stage IV colo-rectal cancer which has metastasized to her liver and lung.

She underwent surgery last December 1, 2015 to remove the tumor obstructing her bowel, but her liver was unresectable due to multiple tumors on all lobes.

She was still recovering from the 6-hour surgery but had to start chemotherapy come January 2016.

The 10-day hospital bill reached almost 300,000php ($6,522) excluding doctor's professional fees.

-Emergency hospitalization-

February came and she had to be hospitalized due to a swollen right leg, which turned out to be a DVT (deep vein thrombosis). Her oncologist wanted an IVC filter put in to prevent clots from travelling to her lungs which could be fatal, but then a last minute ultrasound showed blood clots in her IVC, which renders a filter useless, thus the procedure was cancelled.

She was then put under observation for 5 days while given heparin and warfarin (anticoagulants) to help manage the clots. The unplanned 5-day hospital stay was 100,000php ($2,173) off the pocket.

She's been advised to continue taking blood thinners which requires her to get a PT/PTT test (test that checks how long it takes for the blood to clot) done every 5 days.

-Chemotherapy-

She's been on 2 cycles of chemotherapy (5FU) since January but upon a recent CEA tumor marker test, her CEA count spiked 3x from 998 to 3105.

The oncologist ordered another CT scan to use as a baseline before starting her on a new combination chemo drug, the scan showed that her liver now had more tumors than normal cells.

For her chemotherapy treatment alone, it was 35,000php ($760) off the pocket every month. And since the initial (5FU) chemotherapy did not work, we are switching to a combination drug, FOLFOX which is almost double the cost.

She'll be having the FOLFOX infusion once every 2 weeks, it approximately costs 34,000php ($740) per session.

-We need your support-

Being her 24/7 caregiver, it had been difficult to accommodate orders (handmade invitations) as I have to make sure I am always available on her chemotherapy schedules, emergency hospital visits and everything else in between. Taking care of her has been my fulltime responsibility since diagnosed.

My brother is a freelance architect and does part time insurance and investment sales which requires him to be out and about in meetings and site visits. My dad on the other hand is retired, he's the one who goes to the market and takes care of the meals alongside other chores (we don't have a household helper).

Even with the generosity of relatives and friends, who's chipped in for mom's treatment and hospitalization expense, we are running short of funds for her upcoming treatments.

She's dedicated so much of her life to us, the best we can do is make sure she gets the necessary treatments without having to stress about the finances.

Without a family history of cancer, we were emotionally and financially not ready for this. But we are taking it one day at a time as a family.

-How you can help-

Any amount raised from this campaign will fund mom's chemotherapy treatment, routine laboratory tests and scans, medications, and other miscellaneous bills.

There is no such thing as a small donation, every bit of it will help support her in this ongoing battle.

You can donate your statuses on Facebook by sharing this campaign to your friends and family.

You may also give your time by saying a prayer for my mom when you read this.

Please help us cheer her on.

We are truly humbled by this experience, we believe God is in control and that He has been with us since day one.

We thank you in advance and hope that you will be blessed just as we are blessed by your hearts to give and help.

Carnival invitation for a birthday girl

2015-03-19T15:18:00.001+08:00

Please support my mom's cancer battle.
Read about her cancer story at http://www.youcaring.com/Fefightscancer

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Finally... An update!

I did a Circus/Carnival invitation last year for a birthday boy in the same free standing pop up style. Here is the link to that one: http://swatchesnhues.blogspot.com/2014/08/circus-and-carnival-themed-birthday.html.

When I got another order for this design, I thought it would be fun to create another version with a girly theme this time, afterall it's for a birthday girl!

So here it is, the free standing pop up style Carnival invitation for girls!
Cutesy colors were used to replace the classic red, blue and yellow theme. I also created a fancy Carnival sign.

Gatefold embossed silver debut invitation

2015-01-22T15:08:00.001+08:00

Please support my mom's cancer battle.
Read about her cancer story at http://www.youcaring.com/Fefightscancer

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Another late post from a project shipped to the United States last year.

Cinderella inspired (powder blue and silver combination) debut invitation.

Shabby Chic diecut wedding invitation

2015-01-22T13:13:00.000+08:00

Please support my mom's cancer battle.
Read about her cancer story at http://www.youcaring.com/Fefightscancer

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Wedding invitations can be challenging because most people still go for the traditional look and formalities may be very technical, but not this project.

It was fun to work with because the bride wanted something chic rather than formal. Unique and casual, something fitting for an intimate celebration.

The mason jar diecut was the bride's request. The rose diecut envelope was my take for the concept. Diecutting the rose envelopes took quite some time, but the finished product was worth all the effort and time. :)

Bubble Guppies themed aquarium invites

2015-01-16T13:30:00.000+08:00

Please support my mom's cancer battle.
Read about her cancer story at http://www.youcaring.com/Fefightscancer

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This is another late post. :)

It's such a wonderful feeling when client's come back for seconds. ;)

I did Alexis' 1st birthday Minnie Mouse invitations, and it was a delight to have received an email from her mom, Nichole, after a year requesting for me to do her 2nd birthday party invitations as well.

Bubble, bubble, bubble, guppies, guppies, guppies...

I proposed this aquarium diecut style invitation to her and she loved the idea. She requested to use the different characters for the invitation's front design, and it was also what I had in mind. :)

Circus and Carnival themed birthday invitation

2014-08-04T20:04:00.000+08:00

Please support my mom's cancer battle.
Read about her cancer story at http://www.youcaring.com/Fefightscancer

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Come one, come all!
Witness the greatest party unfold.

Finally!
I have been wanting to make a circus and/or carnival themed invitation but never got any order until now.
The lively colors and patterns are so fun to work it.
It's also a valid excuse to go a bit crazy with mixing and matching colors, patterns and elements.

This is another free standing pop up invitation, I think it wonderfully showcases the big top, carnival signage and other circus and carnival elements.

I had lots of fun working on these. :)

Lolly swivel invitation in pastel colors

2014-07-21T16:59:00.002+08:00

Aloha!

120pcs. of these lolly swivel invitations are on their way to the island of Hawaii!

*Drum roll, insert Hawaii Five-O music*

Mahalo, Noa! :)

Cowboy hat invitation

2014-07-14T18:32:00.000+08:00

Howdy y'all!

The sheriffs are rounding up some fun, for a fun filled first birthday celebration.

Put on those boots and cowboy hats and get ready for a rodeo party!

Here is a simple cowboy hat diecut shape invitation.

Precious Moments themed free standing pop up baptismal invitation

2014-07-03T18:43:00.001+08:00

A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E

I don't think any girl can outgrow the cuteness of Precious Moments characters. They're chic, classic and timeless.

This is a super rush order for a precious baby girl's baptism this weekend.
Color motif were pink and brown.

I've been wanting to do this free standing pop up card style for a long time, and finally I had the chance to make one.

Frozen themed pull out easel invitation

2014-06-22T00:33:00.000+08:00

Please support my mom's cancer battle.
Read about her cancer story at http://www.youcaring.com/Fefightscancer

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And the Frozen fever continues! :)

A new design concept with a Frozen theme, I was happy to work on a new design.

Frozen themed invitation

2014-06-16T18:51:00.001+08:00

Please support my mom's cancer battle.
Read about her cancer story at http://www.youcaring.com/Fefightscancer

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I am really proud of this creation.

It never occurred to me that so many people will be interested and so many kids will love this invitation style when I first thought of it.

I have actually turned down several orders for this style since I can no longer accommodate, so please please be reminded to always consider your HANDMADE invitation supplier ahead of time. A 3-month early booking sounds just right, if you can book even earlier that would be best.

To date, this is the fifth time I did this style (but each one was tweaked differently to keep it one of its kind).

This time, the snow on the trees were made more prominent and Olaf had something to say (or think of). :)

The coordinating envelope is an optional add-on.

Here are favor tags to match the Frozen party theme.

Outer space and rocket ship themed slider invitation

2014-05-25T17:26:00.000+08:00

An outer space themed invitation with a rocket ship design.

3,2,1.. BLAST OFF!
It will be an out of this world party for birthday boy, Dzen.

Here is a slider invitation. Mommy Ana wanted an interactive invitation and this is what I made for her.

Frozen theme gate fold invitation for a 7th birthday party

2014-05-21T23:45:00.000+08:00

Please support my mom's cancer battle.
Read about her cancer story at http://www.youcaring.com/Fefightscancer

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I've gotten so many inquiries since I posted the first Frozen themed gate fold invitation, here is another take for that in demand design. :)

The castle looked wonderful, the touch of purple looks good overall complimenting Anna as part of the design.

These are now on their way to Miami, Florida! Enjoy the beach, Olaf. :)

Enjoy the photos!

Minnie Mouse easel invitation

2014-05-01T01:35:00.001+08:00

I was browsing through my posts to send the link of this project to a prospective client and couldn't seem to find it.

Turns out this was one project that I did not get to post on the blog during the crazy-busy-Christmas-orders-season. So this is a late post. :)

Hello Kitty in Candyland birthday invitation

2014-05-01T00:37:00.000+08:00

Here's a Hello Kitty in Candyland theme birthday invitation in swivel style.

I had to squeeze this in while in the middle of my wedding invitation project since it was a rush order.

I'm so happy and relieved that I was able to finish everything as scheduled and was able to ship everything on time!

A Midsummer Night's Dream wedding invitation

2014-04-30T23:47:00.001+08:00

I am so excited to share this post with everyone!

This is by far the most tedious invitation I have worked on.
It's also the first handcrafted wedding invitation order I got and the biggest invitation order as well. Thank you for the opportunity, Eileen.

The theme is A Midsummer Night's Dream. Color motif are shades of orchid and lavender. The overall look and feel is slightly vintage and rustic.

It's such a fun project to do, if I can only spend all my time on this project I would. Everything is handmade. From the pocket enclosure to the flowers.

To date, it has taken me more than two weeks to finish 75 sets.

Here's a closer look on some of the details.
There was a lot of punching and die cutting. :)

Half of this order was shipped out today, I'm currently working on finishing the remaining 75 sets. :)

Frozen themed bendi fold birthday invitation

2014-04-09T21:13:00.000+08:00

Please support my mom's cancer battle.
Read about her cancer story at http://www.youcaring.com/Fefightscancer

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This is a bendi fold version of the Frozen themed invitation I have previously made with a gate fold style.

The bendi fold features two panels bulging from the base of the card to create depth and dimension. It also looks pretty on a landscape/horizontal card.

These invites are flying to Texas, USA. A proof that the Frozen craze is indeed a worldwide sensation. :)

Aren't these pretty? I had fun making them. :)

Frozen theme flat print invitation

2014-03-26T13:32:00.002+08:00

Here's another Frozen themed birthday invitation.

Kids really love these characters. Elsa, Anna and Olaf definitely caught the hearts of many children.

My client messaged me that her daughter's classmates went crazy over the invitations, even those who weren't supposed to be invited wanted one. Haha!

Princess theme gate fold debut invitation

2014-03-19T13:32:00.003+08:00

Please support my mom's cancer battle.
Read about her cancer story at http://www.youcaring.com/Fefightscancer

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Just because it's rushed, doesn't mean it has to be sloppy nor ugly. :)

I'm not encouraging last minute bookings, it's always best to place invitation orders months ahead, it's only to share that Swatches N Hues take pride in maintaining quality of work despite time constraint. :)

I got an inquiry from Miam on Saturday night.
We settled on a style right there and then, she finalized her order with a payment confirmation by Sunday.

I started on the design draft on Monday, it's Wednesday today and it will be picked up in a few hours. :)

Here is a gate fold invitation for an 18th birthday/debut party, front panels were embossed for a classy look.
Pages were held together with a gold brad.

Frozen themed gate fold invitation for a 5th birthday party

2014-02-21T18:50:00.000+08:00

Please support my mom's cancer battle.
Read about her cancer story at http://www.youcaring.com/Fefightscancer

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I am so relieved after being able to finally finish this order.

For some odd reason, I was going back and forth and could not come up with a concrete idea as to how I was going to present the Frozen concept, with time ticking away and my deadline fast approaching, I needed to make up my mind.

The only thing the client mentioned was that her daughter only requests for Elsa and Olaf to be included in the design. After going back and forth with several invitation styles, this is what I created.

I'm very happy with the final output. :)

Here are photos of work in progress...

Thanks for visiting the blog. :)

Sea creatures themed personalized tumblers for a 7th birthday party favor

2014-02-20T14:32:00.001+08:00

Under the sea... under the sea...

Here is a 'sea creatures' themed tumblers for Annika's 7th birthday party.

Initially, it was only going to be a thematic design without names but I asked mommy Sherri to consolidate the names of the kids who will be receiving the tumblers so that we can personalize each with their names. :) Doesn't it look much more special this way?

Another order is for a Dinosaur Train themed party, which will be posted next.