the holidays are here!

WOW! it's been busy at bleu dahlia creative! Be sure to take a look at the new items at the updated website. http://www.bleudahlia.com/ The wine tags and greeting cards are online- as well as bleu dahlia classics, the personalized styles that made us famous. Free shipping on all greeting cards and tags, don't miss out! And check us out on facebook

Another beautiful card. The salon is Evolve. The butterfly was not my first instinct as part of a logo for a salon. It kept flying around in my head until Ihad to try it. The colors are wonderful- the girls at evolve chose the raspberry color. I love it when your clients bring so much to the table. Make the work happen naturally. The signage looks amazing. drive by 1901 Broadwater.

eat this

Fun "his and her" card I did for Garlini's in Wenatchee- one side conservative one side a bit more bold!

a healing place

Sheila is a massage therapist who wanted an update to her card. Her business is thriving, but knew she had outgrown the dated look of her original card. We used a low profile flowing script for her logo, The mandala traditionally represents the unconscious self- and is often used to symbolize a sacred space. It's also just really pretty.

do you love jewelry?

This week is "business week"at bleu dahlia. I am going to feature business cards I have created. Today I am posting Jessie's card. She is a Lia Sophia rep and we needed to create a

fun call to action for her potential clients. so we ask the question...

"Do you love jewelry"?

photobliss

I have a really talented client named Kari Jones (she's as nice as she is talented)... She takes pictures of beautiful things and sells them on cards, canvas and more! We just finished a business I.D. project for her and this is the result. Visit her booth at the Junior League Market Place Magic. November 6,7 and 8. Her website is coming soon!

library foundation fund raiser

Thank you Library Foundation for asking me to be part of your fund raiser this year!For more information visit the Parmly Billings Library website. My book is a collection of local stories and famous quotes about or by Julia Child. Interested in bidding?
The 2009 ILLUSTRATE A STORY event will take place on Thursday, November 5th, at the College of Technology Health Sciences Building, 3803 Central Ave. Time: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
Ticket price: $45 which includes light fare, desserts, and wine. There will be two auctions: a live auction of the one of a kind books and a silent auction of specially designed items and rare books.

and the invitation wore gray flannel

I had the pleasure of designing for a bride this week. Lovely ideas...what will she choose?
Love the gray flannel feel of this (style on the left) paper combined with canary yellow- seems quite fresh and very smart. Have you looked at bleu dahlia wedding ideas?

print on demand..FABRIC?

Came across this amazing site- had no idea you could do this.

Don't you want to design your own fabric? Have you heard of spoonflower?

Print on demand- no minimums? Surprised the samples aren't ... well... more personal?

very smart indeed

You've seen the

"more is more" 

side of bleu dahlia 

creative, but we can 

bring a simple elegant 

design to your 

personalized stationery 

as well. Very smart indeed.

green green is so serene...

What a great design job, baby shower invitations for a little boy on the way.

Love the green with the taupe, really 

clean and fresh.

big bucket-o-roses

I play pretend florist to those I love- these were for my mother-in-law for her 65th birthday party last weekend. The opened just right for her special day.

Lots of really fantastic things in my inbox this week, but this is the material thing I long for right now. A newly issued item from Bauer- the round butter dish. Can't you just feel the weight, the smoothness and the lovely rings?
Now, which color do I want?

a little dose of color on a sunless day

It's been less than sunny here in big sky country. I have found myself daydreaming about warmer days which leads me to memories of San Diego late last year. Yesterday I ventured outside to take a photo of some planted pretties and when I looked at this picture, I immediately thought of the hibiscus bushes in my photos from San Diego. Don't you think they look related? I read that petunias originated in central and south america and the only color they are not available in is orange. I love petunias- a perfect dose of color on a sunless day.

bleu dahlia personalized stationery

More lovely notecards that will be going to volunteers at my neighborhood elementary school. Nice of the teachers to treat them, don't you think? These styles will be available soon at bleu dahlia.

scenic montana

More fun at bleu dahlia! My clients are moving and requested a happy announcement to let all their friends and family know where to find them. They are inspired by vintage signs, coca-cola red and shabby chic. This postcard will bring its message to each mailbox in a clear envelope to protect the red glitter heart marking the location of their new home on a map of Montana.
Cost- $60 design fee, $3 each card

signature item

Personalized stationery is really a great gift- perfect for teachers! This time of the year is busy at bleu dahlia, creating lots and lots of brightly colored florals, stripes and geometrics that are lucky enough to end up in the hands of very special teachers. At the affordable retail price of $23 for a box of 8 cards- it's perfect for your budget, and really- does the teacher want another apple? {If so- I have some really cute apple stationery}. Limited but super stylish collections are available online, if you have something else in mind, simply e-mail me and I'll fill your gift giving needs before the last day of school and with free delivery in the Billings area!

preppy birthday table

Saturday morning we celebrated the beginning of birthday week for my daughter. Birthday week begins with big breakfast at our house. I pulled out the LuRay Pastels, Fiesta and McCoy to create a preppy color story for the morning. started collecting the LuRay about a million years ago. I mixed the pink plates with my green fiesta plates. I'm not a fiesta collector, the products just makes sense with a family. It's so sturdy and the colors are fantastic. Forgive me for not knowing the name of this green- I'm thinking chartreuse? Anybody out there know for sure? My son gave each placesetting a hat made out of an IKEA green napkin. The coffee cups and bowls are mid-century McCoy, and I do love them. Mixing and matching is a good thing.

birthday girl airlines!

This is really fun. Inspired by a "ticket jacket" given to me from my friends in Seattle. The jacket arrived in the mail and was filled with my birthday itinerary of fun in Seattle and of course gift cards for coffee on the way.

This derivative is a birthday card that sets the mood for a surprise trip to Vegas for a 65th birthday, staying at Paris Las Vegas Casino. A super special trip between sisters!
Remember when you actually had to have a ticket when you traveled?
This ticket is for a flight on Birthday Girl Airlines, the actual travel itinerary is tucked behind.
I'm sure there will be plenty of champagne and good times.

day to evening challenge

My client requested an invitation for her sister. It needed to be two things in one, an invitation to the bridal shower and an invitation to the bachelorette party, both on the same day. Needed to be fun and promise of the good times to come, but Gramma was also going to see it, so it couldn't be to...too- if you know what I mean. Came out well I think...
Cost: $60 design fee, $10 each.

the approach

It's all in the approach- this is true for so many things. From the perfect hit in volleyball (yes I am mid season with AAU volleyball with my daughter :)) to concepting the perfect event. I was watching Martha and she featured this talented man on her show Tuesday. Unexpected approaches create such effortless, gorgeous arrangements and more. See for yourself...
photos courtesy of artfool.com

american modern by russel wright

One of my first blog entries was about American pottery and my
fascination with it. I've been a collector for over 10 years now, and some of my favorite pieces are from the Bauer company.

Bauer is back, and as beautiful as ever- That news has been around for awhile, but this is new and exciting... the release of the American Modern line,

The initial line consists of fourteen of the original most popular and useful pieces including dishes, bowls, serving platters, serving bowls, tea set and a unique new coffee mug, all in bold mix-and-match colors carefully chosen by Russel Wright for their food presentation drama and bold modern flair.

Chartreuse, coral, sea foam, granite and white have been carefully matched to original colors enabling the durable new Bauer American Modern to be paired with original, rarer pieces for perfect staging and practicality in any modern setting.

If you are feeling the pinch of the economy, an affordable way to start your Bauer collection is to order from their "seconds sale."It happens a couple of times a year, sign up for their e-list and you won't miss it. I have ordered and and have found them to be completely wonderful- usually just a little glaze pop somewhere or small glaze slip. Or you can also browse your local thrift store for a "hiding treasure" I just found an adorable Bauer tea light last week in a charming pink speckle- scored it for $1.50.
Here's to the new Bauer, mix it up and mix it in with your vintage collection.
photos courtesy of bauer.com

I'm beamin' about erickson beaman

Don't you just love being "stopped in your tracks?" I was on my weekly trek through Target- not the evening type, where you have all kinds of leisure time, it was more of a "get the necessities and get out type." Well, Erickson Beaman wanted my full attention- and they got it. WOW! Totally red-carpet worthy, this collection is a stunner. I actually took photos with my phone, I don't usually do that inside a retail store as it is frowned upon- I thought I had learned my lesson while shopping at Galeries Lafayette in Paris, where a concerned Parisian salesclerk chased me out of her department while shaking her finger and bursting with the words "no photo!- no photo!" Enjoy a few highlights here (courtesy of Target's website) and be sure to learn more about the designers here. enjoy!
photos courtesy of target.com

follow the yellow brick road

Lucky me- to have such great friends in Seattle. I just got back from the emerald city, and must tell all about the highlights of my trip. The goal of this trip was to see things I haven't seen before.

1) Dining at "how to cook a wolf", a delightfully innovative restaurant on Queen Anne. All menu items are meant to be shared- and they arrive in sequence, so you dine on one dish at a time with your friends. My favorite was the golden beet salad with pistachios- I'm going to try to replicate it with the help of my friend John, who is masterful in the kitchen.

2) The view from Queen Anne- at Kerry Park

3) shopping at Whole Foods Market- My first visit, and coming from a city with only Walmart, Albertsons and Costco- it truly was an experience. Mostly loved the stories of how the food comes to the table. Best of all was the home cooked meal John made- featuring a gorgeous piece of halibut with a light panko pine nut crust- best fish I've ever had. Thanks John!

4) Of course the current Chihuly at Museum of Glass in Tacoma. A sizable piece from a private collection, this splendid golden-green tangle just glows, evoking a Muranese lagoon.

5) Fabulous conversation with my friends Vickie and David while dining on a late breakfast at Lola. Good times I tell ya! Love you and miss you all...

a dose of color is inspiring

My daughter needed fabric for her textiles class project, so we went to Fiberworks- a quilting store here in Billings. On approach the store (and website) appear as boring, traditional and uninspired. Before you tell me "those are fightin' words", let me finish. I was so pleasantly surprised to see what the store was hiding inside. Gorgeous bolts of color and pattern, modern, sophisticated and totally inspired- punctuated by adorable project kits sprinkled throughout the store. It prompted me to do a quilting fabric google search and landed upon this cute blog. I don't have a lot of facts about the author (but this isn't really investigative journalism I'm doing here now is it?) Melissa Averinos does design her own fabric, the photo is of her collection. It truly is a daily dose of color!

color fashion show week: bleu

color fashion show week: orange

color fashion show week: pink

fashion = color = inspiration

Is it excessive or necessary during these times to see luxurious ideas and endless beauty? Many designers are facing hardships that are stalling or even stopping the consistently mind-blowing flood of ideas. I couldn't imagine a world without it...pre-season after pre-season, we are inundated with an innovative rainbow of adornment! One thing I know for sure is that I have often times gone to that pool of luxury for inspiration. Be it a new stationery collection, wedding invitation or even business I.D. This week begins my virtual spring fashion show, each day featuring not a complete look, but highlighting a fabulous color...let it inspire me to create a new collection for you!

Featured above, a (toungue-in-cheek) thank you card to my best friend for a fabulous Marc Jacobs handbag gifted to me.

textciting at house

my favorite typefaces are built at house industries- it's pure genius,innovation and creativity as you look through their portfolio and website. Always releasing a lifestyle icon with each typeface, the graphic design industry eagerly awaits new releases. Today our lucky day! Take a looky loo...

fashion week finds new home? that's exciting!

Over at THE CUT, they are discussing the big move and why it makes sense...

"Mayor Bloomberg has been working with the CFDA and IMG Fashion for two years to find Fashion Week a new home, and it looks like they finally have. A source close to the situation tells the AP that Fashion Week will move to Lincoln Center starting in September 2010. The deal is expected to be announced tomorrow. Since 1993, Fashion Week has been held in Bryant Park, where erecting the tents takes ten days and taking them down takes five. Bloomberg has been saying that the tents have long outgrown the park. In September 2010, the shows will take place at Lincoln Center's Damrosch Park, located at the southwest corner of the Lincoln Center plaza, at 62nd Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues. So the shows will still take place in tents, which we can't imagine not having, and in a centrally located park, but one with a much cooler name. Imagine: "I have to get to Damrosch for Carolina!" We like it. And the opera's right next door! We think Fashion Week just got classier. UPDATE: The mayor's office has just confirmed in an official statement that Fashion Week will move to Damrosch Park in September 2010. The park allows 87,000 square feet for shows, while Bryant Park only allowed 70,000 — roughly a 25 percent increase. Fashion Week is locked into the space for five years. CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg has already expressed her excitement. " -TAKEN FROM THE CUT

Cinderella dressed in yella......

Each year Pantone selects a color of the year- This year it happens to be Mimosa. A georgeous bright yellow! Mimosa is now one of my favorite colors and it's also the name of a cocktail you can order before noon without scandalous looks from the table next to you!

When I was growing up my parents let my sister and I select the colors for our bedroom, I was in the 5th grade- and we agreed on bright yellow walls, lime green trim and bright orange plush carpet. Bright colors have always been at the top of my box of favorite colors- thanks mom and dad for the creative license!

Are you a color freak that follows along? or an inquiring mind who wants to know who the past winners of this award are...

2000 15-4020 Cerulean BlueChosen for the millennium for its calming zen state of mind.
2001 17-2031 Fuchsia RoseA reversal from the previous year, more exciting, more feminine and sexy.
2002 19-1664 True RedRecognizes the impact of 9/11 with a patriotic hue.
2003 14-4811 Aqua SkyA cool blue meant to restore hope and serenity.
2004 17-1456 Tiger LilyAcknowledges the hipness of orange, with a touch of exoticism.
2005 15-5217 Blue TurquoiseAnother reversal to a calming shade.
2006 13-1106 Sand DollarA neutral color that expresses concern about the economy.
2007 19-1557 Chili PepperChosen for its pizazz and sophistication and its hint of ethnic taste.
2008 18-3943 Blue IrisA mix of blue and purple that suggests dependability and magic.

(source: fontfeed.com)

NA na NA na NA na NA na...BATGIRL!!!

Here is something that excites me... Batgirl! As a kid I wasn't a superhero comics kid- I liked Betty and Veronica or Richie Rich. My husband is embarassed for me because I don't know what a bat-a-rang is... a bat-a-what? I've become aquainted with Batgirl doing research for this cute invitation. She really kicks a#*! Way better than Betty and catty Veronica! The little girl who is getting this invite is so cool, she wanted the"real BatGirl colors please" of purple and gold. So mothers across the US, ban your Barbies and give your daughter or son a BatGirl action figure!!!

nice package

One of the reasons I would love to open a retail shop is because I love great packaging (For some reason, my husband doesn't think that's reason enough...). The photo is of my sisters birthday presents- the glitter tag is reincarnated for special birthdays!

Even back in my retail days, I loved folding someone's purchase and wrapping it in tissue first before placing it in a bag. Today when I shop with my daughter at our local mall, I want to just grab her purchase and fold it before it carelessly gets stuffed into a bag. My first experience being wowed by the way my purchase looked was in Paris in 1988. I was seriously in a trance as my purchase was wrapped with care, then placed in a unique bag or box, then tied with real silk ribbon. And it wasn't just at the big name stores- little boutiques excelled in packaging as well- just part of the Parisian retail culture- ohh la la!

There are retailers out there that get it, packaging is reborn at places like the JUICY boutique, where the bag and box just knocks you out. The JUICY box {from my friend David} that was under our Christmas tree had my daughter in a total spaz the entire month of December. She even hung it on her wall like a piece of art, now that's great packaging!
Does great packaging excite you? Do you have a "signature" gift wrap? Let us know!

I resolve to....

...find more things that excite, motivate and inspire me...and you! This resolution list is from a fantastic website-http://www.presentandcorrect.com/. I find it to be out of the ordinary as it alludes to you having more fun this year! Isn't that all that really matters? Fun leads to inspiration which leads to ideas which lead to great projects which leads to productivity- that's my flow chart this year. Remember what's important to you as you make your daily to do list. Yeah, personalized to do lists will

be available soon at bleu dahlia!

good night!

 

Excite me #1

A good night sleep, is paramount for handling your day. A great mattress is a must to start out your best year ever. That's what I'm calling 2009, and to handle all the fun and excitement of the best year ever, I'm need to count on great linens- and a premier mattress for a super night's sleep. 

So invest in a great bed- call it part of your exciting new 

lifestyle and your best year ever.

ode to holiday

Loved my Christmas decor so much, I truly don't want to take it down, but my friends are now making fun of me- so I will remove it tonight. Here is an ode to some of my favorite sparklies! Get ready for a new tana-rama series called "excite me" looking for motivation or just something different? Tune in...