Workshop > Dynamite Weddings & Real Weddings Magazine

This Sunday, May 17th Dynamite Weddings and Real Weddings Magazine will be hosting The Wedding Class & Workshop at The Citizen Hotel in Sacramento.  

This is not your ordinary wedding show.  Vendors are on hand to give you advice & direction with your wedding plans - not simply sell you on their services.  Visit the Dynamite Weddings or Real Weddings Magazine websites above to register.

There will be food & wine samplings, industry professionals leading workshop discussions and much, much more!  A sweet SWAG Bag for each bride, too - who can resist??   And if you have not had the opportunity to check out The Citizen Hotel - it redefines the hotel experience.  Lavish and trendy decor are just the tip of the iceberg!

Swing by ...

Sunday, May 17th

11am -to- 3pm

The Citizen Hotel, Sacramento

Tickets are $25 for the bride & one guest

Hope to see ya there!

Favz > HipChick Designs

So ... my friend and fellow "Bootcamper" Dana Cunningham with HipChick Designs is so creative and talented!  She creates handmade accessories for little girls and us, grown up girly-girls.  Her accessories are a spectacular idea for special events like weddings, picture days and well, any day.  Hello ... I'm wearing a yellow daisy alligator clip today!!  So, cute.

You can view HipChick Designs at Dana's website and purchase clips & accessories at select Nordstrom stores.

Wishing you continued success, Dana!!

Table Cards > Blooms by Martha Andrews

I think by now you realize I have an affection for table cards and making them special.  Usually there are fewer than 20 tables at an event - so making them creative and interesting doesn't take a huge chunk out of your budget.  It's these little details & touches that make your event really something to talk about!

My uber-talented friend and office-mate, Martha from Blooms by Martha Andrews, asked me to create some special table cards (pictured above) for an intimate wedding show participated in a few months back at Le Rivage in Sacramento.  These table cards coordinated with the theme of each table (or floral design concept) she created.  Check out Martha's blog for pics on the table-scapes.

Pics > New Photos Up

New invitation pics up on my SJD Facebook Page.  It's a quick way for me to get new pics up to share - updating my site takes a while!  

SJD Ramblings > SJ the Paparatzzo

Photography business on the horizon?  Not likely.  I do love photography and would really like to keep it as my hobby - a way to relax, unwind and be purely creative.  I had the absolute pleasure of photographing my (well, sort of) niece's senior portraits a few weeks ago in Old Sacramento (the very same night I realized that I was coming down with chicken pox!).

Without going into a long story - I have known Ashli since the day she was born (and, yes, that makes me feel old) and am thrilled to see her grow into the creative, passionate, responsible young lady she is today.  Ashli is also my son's "numero uno" kidsitter and my occasional assistant around the studio.  I am so excited for her as she takes the next steps in her life when she graduates from high school this year.

Happy Graduation, Ash!!

Alison Ulshoffer {New Logo, New Site}

New site & logo for the fabulous Alison Ulshoffer of Alison Ulshoffer Events & Design!  And, yes, my friends, logo created by yours truly.  Alison is flirty, girly and together with her team of event consultants pulls off incredibly polished events.  She wanted a logo that conveyed both her personality and the polished nature of her work ... what do you think??

Yep, here at SJD I not only create wedding invitations & custom stationery but offer business graphic design services as well.  It's not something I advertise on my site but I enjoy taking on creative business projects when they come my way.  

Blogging about soon ... a very exciting gourmet food project I have been working on with a hush, hush client.  And a new logo & business feature about one of my interior design clients.

Congrats on the new site Alison!  I know it's been a labor of .... 

let's just say l-o-v-e.

Family Day > California Academy of Sciences

We took a much needed little family day trip last Tuesday to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.  I grew up in the bay area so we travel often to SF for little day trips just to hang out and soak up the city.  And we we've been wanting to see the newly renovated building since it's opening.

It's really difficult to take lots of pics with a little one in tow and really enjoy our day together at the same time.  So, not many pics from this trip.  We hadn't been to the newly renovated building and we had lots to experience.  

The most impressive part to us was the Rainforest structure.  A spherical structure that showed the many levels of a flooded Rainforest.  From the under the water to the the top of the canopy.  Butterflies, fish, birds, tropical trees & flowers.  It was amazing.  Hot and steamy - but amazing.  If it wasn't for the heat, I could have stayed in there for hours.

We always wrap up our SF trips with a stop at Pier 39.  We checked in on the Sea Lions, walked the pier, grabbed ice cream, clam chowder in a bread bowl and then headed home.  Pic of Wyatt's demolished cup of Bubble Gum ice cream - Ewww.  

Reception > Table Cards & Menus

We're not just all invitations here at SJD.  It's any paper, creative thing-y you may need for your event.  Stationery, favors, guest books, any little 'ol thing that maybe you just can't find somewhere else - we'll create it together - custom, unique, and from scratch.

Last night, I delivered these sweet table cards & menus for Christina & Troy's wedding today!  My good friend and planner extraordinaire, Alison of Alison Ulshoffer Events & Design, called me up for this fun project.  

The table cards were oh, so cute with names like - Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch, Chapel of Love, It's in His Kiss, And then He Kissed Me - just to name a few.  Are you humming along yet?  I like the classic simplicity of numbered cards - but love the idea of naming the cards with either a theme or things that mean something to the couple.  They can be a great conversation starter for guests.  The menus just as cute, followed suit in the same design palette with a custom monogram heading up the panel.  Each card, table & menu, I adorned with Swarovski Crystals for a little surprise and a touch of bling factor for Christina.  

Happy Wedding Christina & Troy!!