the latest!

I've been developing a new custom stationery line for Fall-Winter, and am planning on giving some of these as Christmas presents to friends and family. It will most definitely be a handmade holiday this year! I'm also working on some other surprises, which will hopefully be posted soon. In the meantime, please have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

good tunes

I worked all weekend and made myself a little playlist to keep things moving. The album covers are almost as great as the fab music inside. Check out these songs at itunes (from top): "Ordinary Day" by Emilie Mover, "Time to Pretend" by MGMT, "Can't Go Back Now" by The Weepies, "Bruises" by Chairlift, "Shake It" by Metro Station and "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance" by Vampire Weekend.

oh baby!

Ok, so I saw the new James Bond last night and I was wowed by it, of course. But, if you go see it, pay attention to the titles - and, especially the titles at the beginning of each new city he visits. Tried to find stills to post here, but no luck. I was wild about the fonts used. Very cool.

Soooo, in place of that, above are some of my latest designs. I was going to enter these baby announcements in a minted.com contest, but just ran out of time. (Photography in the designs is courtesy of Wink Photography.) I'm working on ideas for the next contest - Wedding Save the Dates - and I'll post my entries for that one here as soon as possible. Entry deadline is in 2 days - I better hurry up! Stay tuned.

fabulous = eddie ross

I'm loving Eddie Ross' blog. In case you didn't know, he was a stand-out star on season 2 of Bravo's Top Design, which just ended last night. Although Eddie didn't win, his design style is fantastic - classic paired with comfort and creativity. Currently, he's the Senior Style Editor with Martha Stewart Living. And, his blog is a daily treasure trove (seriously!) of great ideas. I especially love Eddie's "Before and After" posts featuring yard sale, flea market and thirft store finds that he transforms into fabulousness. Pictured above is a recent "Object of the Day" from his blog - a beautiful piece of Chinoiserie transferware that he found on ebay for $29! I heart the bamboo pattern and must find one for myself. Check out Eddie's blog here!

rare indeed

I am going crazy over these books from Rare Device in San Francisco. All of them are just so pretty and would look nice in a big, healthy stack by the bed or on the coffee table. I'll admit, I can be the type who judges books by their covers, but in this case, I think the insides would be just as awesome as the outsides. Just think of all the fabulous inspiration and ideas too!

PHOTO CREDITS - from top, via Rare Device - Ulysses: The Artwork of Andrew Schoultz, Margaret Kilgallen: In the Sweet Bye & Bye, Handmade Nation and Olle Eksell

oh happy day!

My good friend, Amy, is getting married this weekend! (The photo above is of an invitation I did for her stock-the-bar party earlier this Fall.) I'm off to Atlanta for the wedding and can't wait to see her. Hoping to get some good photos there that I can post for you. Stay tuned for those and all sorts of new projects I'm working on next week. Have a nice weekend, and Happy Halloween!

easy, inexpensive hostess gift

I love getting dinner invitations, especially to the Kelly’s house, where I am treated to the best gourmet cooking like it’s straight off Top Chef. But, with book clubs, staying with friends for out-of-town weddings, parties and dinner invites, it gets hard (and expensive) to come up with new and fun hostess gifts to bring along each time. I have this huge rosemary bush that I planted about a year ago. What started as little more than a seedling is now as big as a stuffed armchair. (Tip: they need plenty of direct sunlight!) So, I’ve started taking little bundles of rosemary with me as hostess gifts whenever I get an invite to someone’s home. I tie it up with some pretty ribbon (shown above with Martha Stewart Crafts Seam Binding in Apricot and Feldspar) and I’m done. It’s a great gift, and perfect for anyone who loves to cook and entertain. Do you have any ideas for easy, inexpensive hostess gifts? Submit a comment!

home style

While flipping through the October issue of ELLE DÉCOR, I came across a fabulous shop in their “Finders Keepers” section on page 70. From the photo there by Ed Ritger, jak home looks to be my dream store. Hopefully, they will open an online store soon! For my San Francisco friends, you can visit in person at 2423 Polk Street in Russian Hill. To get more information, please visit jak home on the web here.

big day for baby b

Things are a whirlwind here at beth perry DESIGN. Recently finished up some baptism invitations, pictured above, for baby girl B. Her parents asked me to design birth announcements first and liked them so much they asked for a set of baptism invitations. I used fantastic Crane’s Lettra paper for both projects. It’s specifically designed for letterpress, but we flat printed them. The paper is just so cottony and soft, it really takes well to any kind of printing method and the end result in iconic pink ink is beautiful – perfect for baby’s B’s big day!

country club chic

Gargyle’s site is awesome, mainly because of the great photos on the opening page, but also because of their well-edited mix of new, hard-to-find brands. They feature fabulous designers, some that you can’t get anywhere else online, and have both men’s and women’s clothing, accessories, jewelry, bags and shoes. It is simple and easy and uncluttered. And, I love their about us description: “At Gargyle, we’re devoted to vintage country club lifestyle and aim to revive and modernize its spirit. We love golf, tennis, concerts, parties… anything that lets us have fun with our friends and family.” I’m in!

PHOTO CREDITS: first two photos from Gargyle’s opening page; some items available from Gargyle in the third photo (clockwise from top left) – Flutter Cuff Sweatshirt Dress (Karen Walker), Blueberry Cardigan (YMC - You Must Create), Braided Nile Bracelet (Giles & Brother), Frances Baker Dress (Lorick), Button Skirt (Surface to Air), Studded Ribbon Flats (F-Troupe)

minted wedding invitation

A new contest is open for voting at minted! This time, minted asked the designers for "spring green" wedding invitations, using only green and white. It was a challenge to be so limited in color palette, but a lot of fun brainstorming ideas. Things are crazy here at beth perry DESIGN, so I ended up only having time to submit one entry, Lucky, pictured above. But, love how it turned out! Take a look at all the designers' entries here and cast your vote for your favorites - winning designs will be featured in a leading wedding magazine and will also be sold on minted's site! Keep your fingers crossed and vote for Lucky! Thanks so much for all of your support!

nigel peake letterpress print

Got this fabulous letterpress print in my mailbox the other day. It is a limited edition by artist Nigel Peake via Little Paper Planes. Little Paper Planes is an online store that features various artists’ work as well as limited-edition prints. The Nigel Peake print is part of Little Paper Plane's limited-edition series where new artists are featured on a monthly basis. Take a look at the Little Paper Planes shop and blog – both are great sources of inspiration with beautiful, new and original work from all kinds of artists. And, you can read more about Mr. Peake in his fantastic interview with Little Paper Planes or check out his own blog, by nigel peake.

there's no place like home

I went home last weekend to see my family (and my Mom’s doggie, Jake). I really wanted to take time to get some photos of our house, which my mother is planning on selling soon. (She’s moving to a great 1930s-era home, and as a widow, the smaller space will be easier to deal with.) But, before the house my Dad designed, and which we moved into 2 weeks after I was born, goes on the market, I made it a mission to capture it in pictures. Well, I hadn’t been home in a while and my mouth just dropped when I saw the garden. My mother is the epitome of a green thumb and her hours and hours of work really show. She cried when she saw these, but she said they were happy tears.