keep calm :: baby poster

We're back at it, after the great wedding poster of 2011.

This time, it's all about the newest royal edition/addition.

We have a KEEP CALM ROYAL BABY poster in many colors, 

whether it is a future prince or princess.

And yes, it's okay if you consider your own child a prince or princess 

and you are not a William or Katherine.

time to bestow :: fifty shades of denim

Amy turned thirty. Which meant time for a party.

The custom birthday invitations were designed by the birthday girl herself.

Heavy cotton stock with a custom brand and printed in navy ink.

Wrapped in a denim (Levi's, no less) and jute band

and mailed off in a fantastically thick kraft envelope.

The details were true to Amy - and her brand.
Literally.
The napkins featured her custom brand.
And she received a custom branded belt buckle as her first birthday gift.

And in true Amy fashion, the requested attire was Canadian tuxedo.

Yes, we do have some good old Canadian roots.

Guests obliged and we had ourselves a bona fide

Fifty Shades of Denim Party!

Which was not really the intention, but that's sure what it looked like.

:: party on ::

as featured on martha stewart weddings :: lauren + jack

We were so honored to have Lauren + Jack's Aspen wedding 

recently featured on Style Me Pretty. 

Imagine our excitement to see their rehearsal dinner 

featured on Martha Stewart Weddings today!!!

photo via martha stewart weddings

Loving how the bride played up the red details for this event!

We are total suckers for old red trucks.

Congrats to Lauren + Jack and wishing them much happiness!

We're off to celebrate as well.

you are seated at :: custom chalkboard escort board

Welcome your guests with this over-sized custom chalkboard.

This easy to spot escort seating chart can substitute traditional escort cards.

Arranged by table and easy to read, this is the perfect decor to your wedding day, 

whether the affair is a black tie night or vintage mountaintop high.

Sized at a generous 2 feet x 4 feet, this beauty can be flipped over 

(yep - chalkboard on both sides) 

after your guests are seated and act as an interactive guest book with chalk included, 

or provide a huge note of thanks as your friends and family depart for the night.

 Available from Express Yourself here on Etsy,

with option of local Denver, Colorado pick-up or shipping within the lower 48 states.

hello :: new collection of mini emergency bags available

We have all been there at some point. 

When we could use some FIRST AID.

Too many drinks the night before.

Sore muscles from skiing/hiking/biking too hard.

Altitude sickness and dehydration.

A case of the travel tummy.

That's where we come in.

Meet the Mini Emergency Kit Collection 

by theHELLOtote and Express Yourself.

IN SICKNESS + IN HEALTH mini emergency kit bag

RECOVERY KIT mini emergency kit bag

OH KIT, WHAT HAPPENED?!? mini emergency kit bag

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE... mini emergency kit bag

TAKE TWO AND DON'T CALL US IN THE MORNING mini emergency kit bag

GET YOUR KIT TOGETHER mini emergency kit bag

CUSTOM mini emergency kit bag

High Altitude Helpers.

Hangover Kits.

Morning After Magic.

The Post-Party Pack.

Travel Tamers.

Call it what you will - it's perfect for destination events.

Seven great new designs and more coming soon.

Custom options available as well.

Stuff with your own goodies.

Or let us do that for you!

Consider these for your wedding.

Because we don't want your guests stuck in their hotel room.

We want them out and about.

And at your wedding, preferably.

word :: today is not quite over

I've been thinking of this phrase a lot these past few years.

Even more so these past few weeks.

Especially when I find myself with far too many thoughts of putting off 

to-dos and projects and tasks until tomorrow.

"I'll do that tomorrow."

"Maybe tomorrow."

"Starting tomorrow..."

Why not start now?

Today is not quite over.

fathers :: dad + grandpa

We have many special men in our lives that are fathers. 

The father to our father. 

The father to our children.

Godfathers and Uncles and Cousins.

Fathers to other children we would love to call our very own. 

But this Father's Day we reflect on our own father.

erin & dad

That solid rock of a man that is serious and thoughtful and playful and funny and always there.

Always there cannot even begin to describe his presence for us.

That is our dad.

Intimidating at first - it didn't exactly help us in High School that our dad 

walked the halls in a leather jacket and dark sunglasses to go tell off the physics teacher - 

but ultimately lovable in only that way truly great dad's can be.

And he gives the best hugs.

dad

He has big shoes for us to even try to fill as we parent our own children.

But he joyfully invites us to follow in his footsteps as he takes us on adventures

around the world and teaches us about the adventure of life.

Full of humility and humor. Grace and generosity.

Learning and loving. Family and good fortune.

We stand with him and honor him and love him

as his own father, our grandfather, embarks on his last great adventure.

amy & grandpa

every day is a happy father's day around here.

we love you dad.

we love you grandpa.

xoxo

e + a

* * * * *

This post is part of a promotion with FamilySearch

as featured on style me pretty :: lauren + jack

 We loved working on this wedding last summer for Lauren + Jack.

Married by the river in Aspen on a classically Colorado July afternoon.

The details were perfect and the entire affair was unique, 

yet authentically true to being an Aspen wedding.

Click on the circle below for the full feature and amazing images...

how inviting :: ann hannah + patrick

photo: provided by client

We love follow-up from our clients. And we especially love photos from their events that show our custom designed wedding invitations, party invites and paper goods in action. This one is from a bride and groom for whom we designed a custom BBQ invitation. The colors are still on trend a year later - a bold green and navy blue with neutrals. How inviting.

words to know :: that's what he said

on the go :: map making

custom first anniversary map by express yourself

There are times when we need to call on our longitude and latitude skills to set up a custom map for an event or occasion. Whether it's a wedding timeline or a group scavenger hunt around town. Or even a map to chronicle first year travels for a newlywed couple or to locate our own favorite Aspen spots, each map is certainly unique. We've started branching out beyond Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley into other cities and states - New York, Boston, Manchester, Chicago. Our clients have moved and traveled (sometimes far) beyond Colorado.

Starting at the end of May, we'll be embarking on a four week map making class to help broaden our horizons and look at topography and geography from a new persepctive. Does the thought of map making in a class setting get you excited too?! If so, join us here at Skillshare for the Map Making: Learning to Communicate Places Beautifully class. We're thinking of a mapping out a great trip we took through Spain! Whether or not you join us, we're sure we'll intersect with most of you at some point. Oh, the map puns could go on an on...

:: safe travels ::

mother's day :: mama said

Mama Said Poster

Just a reminder that Mother's Day is this Sunday! For all the moms out there, we wish you a fantastic day. And we wish all the grandmothers, stepmothers, mother-in-laws, godmothers, aunts, and faux mothers a happy day too. For the mom's of little ones, we wish you an especially restful day...

Mama Said Not Poster

on the go :: summer in aspen

We are fortunate to have the best of the Roaring Fork Valley right out our front door. One of those 'bests' being Aspen. As winter eases into spring we eagerly await the arrival of summer in town. And we prepare for days full of festivals and music. Hikes and camping. Shopping strolls and dinners on the patio. Good food and great wine. Weddings and sporting events. Hot air balloons and gondola rides. Friends and family visiting. And tourists - yes, we look forward to the visitors from afar. After all, this place is too great to not share. For those that can't make it here this year, at least this time lapse video from a local Basalt-ine will give you a few minutes of what we look forward to enjoying all summer long.

Aspen Timelapse from jason dewey on Vimeo.

thank you :: teacher appreciation day

We have had so many great teachers in our lives, and for that we give thanks. From Mrs. Ballangee in first grade to Mrs. Beaton in fifth grade to Professor Kubzansky in college. They shaped us and educated us and helped us during the most formative years of our lives in ways we cannot even begin to describe. The teacher we are most thankful for, however, is our mom. A first and second grade educator for so many years - not only in the classroom but in the home as well! We owe her thanks each and every day.

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Day today, we thought we'd share a simple, yet beautiful idea on how your child can thank their teachers. This year we gathered up the class list and emailed the parents asking each child to bring in a fresh bloom for each of their teachers. The end result is a bouquet as unique as the children in the class!  :: give thanks ::

in print :: in store :: bkr bottles

Everything we sell, we love. Take the bkr bottle for example, these water bottles are not only functional but beautiful. We have multiple bkr's in our kitchens and are always wondering what color we are going to buy next. These bottles fit perfectly in our cup holders, never tip over, are easy to carry with the loop top, come in beautiful colors and never, ever taste funky. Because they are made with glass you can put orange juice in one day and water the next and never taste yesterday's breakfast. Ever. You can also drop them on the sidewalk (often) and they come out unscathed (although we wouldn't recommend purposely trying this!). We have been selling these beauties for a couple years now and are excited to finally see some of our favorite magazines jump on board the bkr wagon. 

let's take a stroll down memory lane

It has been ages since we've seen this photo.

Actually, the image within the photo.

The one on the right where 'Mamy' and M are walking down Midland Avenue.

Let's take a better look...

She hasn't worn those pink cowboy boots in at least a year.

If not longer.

They simply grow up far too fast.

Pick up your copy of the Basalt Chamber of Commerce Directory

to get the insight on everything Basalt.

And to check out that adorable munchkin strolling down memory lane.