'Tis the Season for Christmas Cards!

I realize Thanksgiving is this week, so I'm technically jumping the gun on Christmas, but when it comes to sending out holiday correspondence, the sooner you start thinking and planning, the better. You may be interested in checking out some of my Christmas card options here. Have something else in mind? For a limited time, I'm waiving my custom design fee of $99 and only charging $15 for custom design work when you print through our shop! Just mention the Mostaza Seed blog in your order notes.

Mostaza Seed Featured Shop Sign- Driftwood Trading Co., Benicia, CA

If you live anywhere near Benicia, California or happen to be visiting the area, take a stroll on over to Driftwood Trading Company and you'll see shop signs and business cards designed by yours truly! Driftwood Trading Company carries "an imaginative mix of modern goods with a hint of nostalgia... a unique collection of clever, functional, affordable, and esthetically pleasing goodies for men, women, kids and home." Thanks to Fran for sending the photos of her delightful shop!

Peachy Keen, Keen on Peach

Peach has long been a favorite color of mine, so, needless to say, I'm pretty pleased variations of it are everywhere this spring/summer from sundresses to lipgloss. I also happen to live in the land of Peaches. Do I eat Georgia peaches frequently, you might ask? No, in fact I'm not so sure I've even had an honest-to-goodness Georgia peach while I lived here. I do, however, drive on multiple roads each week that all have the word Peach or Peachtree in them. That should give me some peach cred, no?

The wedding world has most certainly taken hold of the peach craze and I am only too happy to roll with it in my invitation designs. Here's a new one I've made called the Festivity Invite, printed on eco-white linen paper with papaya and gravel grey detailing and as with all my designs, the signature deep V, European style Envelope. The Festivity Invitation suite can be purchased here, in my shop.

The magazines you see pictured are for business research purposes and completely tax-write-offable. Love it when I can build the "work" of staying current into my routine! Check out a few more shots of the invites and a sneaky addition to the mix-- my sweet Collin-boy who has just turned 8 months and is on the verge of full-out crawling. I really do need to work on baby proofing a few more areas of the house. Mobility is a fast approaching, unstoppable train! 

Invitation Inspiration

I've been keeping myself quite busy these past few months with wedding invitation packages. I'm loving the opporutnities to sit down and discuss weddings with brides to be. My current project is for Hannah and Jesse who will be tying the knot this fall. They are getting married at the Whitlock Inn in Marietta, GA and their wedding feel has been described as Earthy Antebellum. The colors will be gravel gray, ivory, blush and a nice seersucker blue. How fittingly Southern. These photos are my inspiration:

Photo courtesy of OnceWed via Our Labor of Love

The Whitlock Inn, Marietta, GA

Photo courtesy of Merriment Events, Richmond, VA

via Pinterest

I'll be sure to post photos when the invites are printed and hopefully a follow-up with photos of the wedding! 

On Nesting

Hey y'all. I've been a bit of a blogging dead beat lately. Blame it on the relentless heat and me being nine months pregnant. Besides drinking water like a crazy woman (to keep my ankles from swelling), what have I been up to?

Well, let's just say I have come to the understanding that the nesting instinct is for real and it plays itself out in odd ways. Most recently it manifested itself in a frenetic laundry room cleaning blitz, but can also be blamed for banana bread baking, shower curtain bleaching, obsessive categorizing of baby clothes by size, and a full day's worth clean up of all computer files for my business.

Another way I feel I have been extra "nesty" is finally getting around to printing out and assembling more invitations and save the dates for my graphics portfolio. Here are a few samples and here is where you can send your engaged friends to buy from me ;)

Coming soon... The nursery reveal!

Hulloo

Well, my business (yes, I actually saved a lot up) bought us an iMac for Christmas and we are really, really loving it. I keep telling people that the last time I owned a Mac was in 1994 and it was my parent's and it wasn't all that amazing... For the first day or two we felt like we were using lefty scissors, but figuring this thing out, has been amazingly easy. It's just so intuitive! And it allows me to get so much work done, so quickly!

Here are some lovely shots of me eating a banana that I took in Photo Booth. Now you know what I look like and where I sit when I'm blogging. If you've had a Mac for a while, you are most likely unimpressed, but I keep finding all these awesome features and need an outlet to share!

Okay, I'm done gushing for the day!

Best Day!

Oh boy! Today has been so sweet. Around noon I was updating some things in my Etsy shop when I noticed that my one of my Teacup Lights had 128 hearts and 1000 plus views... What? I made the front page of Etsy! My friend Molly was over and I'm thankful that she knows how to save screen shots because amidst the screaming and jumping up and down, we were able to capture proof. First square on the page!

What ensued was a handful of orders and a wonderful celebratory lunch at Panera with good girlfriends!

Here's the sweet light that gave my little shop a boon:

When I got home I found a little package in the mail containing these beautiful earrings (below)! A while back I designed a logo and Etsy shop banner/avatar for a sweet woman and she had sent me a gift with the logo I made her on the tag. They are beyond cute. I'm sorry my hands are shaky and the photo isn't 100% clear, but go check out her shop and get some Christmas shopping done!

On Being a Busy Beaver, Holiday Style

I just can't seem to keep up a good rhythm of blogging lately. Sorry friends! I'll let you in on my projects of late: A line of Christmas photo cards for my Mostaza Seed Graphics shop. 10% of the proceeds go to World Concern's Haiti relief efforts.

All of these are for sale as digital file formats with a quick 1-2 day turn around via email. I also offer great prices on printing in just about any size (from 4x6 to 5x7 with square or rounded corners or 5.25x5.25 square prints and long 4x8 prints, all on super thick-stock paper with sleek, matte coating). Square edged printing has a special holiday turn around time of 36 hours from purchase to shipment!

Vintage Poster Christmas Photo Card Design, $17

NOEL Square Christmas Photo Card Design, $17

JOY Christmas Photo Card Design, $17

Wreath Holiday Photo Card Design, $17

Vintage Regency Christmas/Holiday Card Design, $17

I'm more than willing to switch up colors and customize to your needs. Have something specific in mind? Feel free to contact me via my Etsy shop or shoot me an email  at mostazaseeddesign@gmail.com for a quote on a custom holiday card design!

Fabulous Faux Bois!

After seeing this box, below, I was inspired to design a line of wedding Save the Date postcards with fabulous faux bois (literally meaning fake wood in Français). This pattern is popping up everywhere and I think it's elegantly tongue and cheek!

(source)

100 Printed Faux Bois Save the Date Postcards (rounded corners), by mostazaseedgraphics, $72

Here are a few other faux bois items that tickle my fancy!

Woodgrain Laptop Decal by Etsy seller beepart, $12

Vintage Faux Bois Thermos from Etsy seller uncommonvintage, $11

Deco Mini Pendant Shade from Amazon.com, $133.40

Custom Heart Tree Print Pillow by Etsy seller cozyblue, $34

Want to make your own faux bois rug? Check out this easy DIY!

The Launch!

It's official. Mostaza Seed is growing. I have opened up a new shop on Etsy called Mostaza Seed Graphics. Check it out!

Logos, business cards, save the dates, party invites, and more!

MIA What I've Been Up To....

Sorry for the lack of posts these past few weeks! I've been busy filling earring rack orders and doing lots of graphic designing for a friend's photography business. I don't know if I've ever shared my designs with you, my blogger friends. Take a look at some of my work:

On Etsy, you can purchase a Custom Logo , a Custom Etsy Design Package (banner, avatar, and logo), or Business Cards (on thick stock paper with a silky matte finish and rounded corners) in quantities of 100 and 250. In the fall, I plan to create a listing for Christmas cards. Let me know if you are interested. Also, if there is something you'd like me to make that isn't listed in my shop (birthday invites, a family tree print, postcards, flyers, etc), send me a message at graphics@mostazaseed.com. I'd love to work with you to create something unique and special!