Thankyou everyone!

Merry Christmas!

Thank you to all of our supporters over the years. Hers to a fantastic 2012!

Front page screen shots

Love these picks!

I love pretty things!

Check out this gorgeous online mag full of Christmassy goodies! (watch out for us on page 17!) Click on this link to view online:
I Love Pretty Things christmas-gift-guide

New Christmas Cards Ready for your photos!

Thanks to a wonderful photo shoot with my wonderful family, I was spoilt for choice of pics to use in my 5 NEW Christmas cards for 2011! What a handsome bunch! Visit our Christmas Gallery for more inspiration.

 

Kind thanks to Onesies & Co our wonderful photographer! Find them HERE!

Fluid Ink Letterpress

Mini Ink's little sister!
Please visit her on Etsy!

Fluid Ink Fine Letterpress of Australia

Pretty pushers

I'm torn... Do I love or kind of think they are a bit naff... No I think I love...
Pretty pushers 'disposable' delivery gown. Not a bad idea me thinks!
http://prettypushers.com/

Thanks to I love pretty things for this find!

Design of the month - September

Ok so its more like a bi-monthly thing but time is getting away from me.
Its about this time of the year we start to see the first glimpses of Christmas fare and freak out (well I do anyway) and let out the inevitable gasp: 'Are you kidding me? - Already?"

That aside, I mentioned this gorgeous custom combo-job in last months post. Its luscious colours and fantastic photos make it a beauty!

Latest designs

NEW - Vintage Circus First birthday invitation

An adorable 1 year old + super pretty and all the rage vintage circus theme = awesome invitation - (if I do say so myself) Too Cute!

NEW - Fairytale invitation 

Ella's birthday had a castle and fairy theme - so we coordinated with this fairytale invitation designed especially for Ella.

COMBO REQUEST - Jarrad

For this birth announcement, the client requested the colors from Austin and the layout from Ryley or Bailey. The photos that were supplied were orientated differently to both of those layouts so I used 'Bailey' as a starting point and re adjusted the grid to accommodate the proportions of these gorgeous new images. I think it looks fantastic!

COMBO REQUEST - Aidan

 
Another beauty born out of a combo request. This time the colours from Seth and the layout was left open to accommodate the images.  I went with a simple design and used the colours from the middle photo to add to the mix. Love it!

Design of the month July - Birthday thank you cards.

A great idea! How about a thank you card to thank guests for their generosity, friendship and love!
I love the fact that these thank everyone individually. there is space to write a short special note on the reverse of these mounted thank you cards. Its personal and it teaches children that gratefulness is something that we should all embrace and encourage.
These were designed especially for this special little girl. The client wanted something black and pink. It really was a joy to be inspired by such spirited photos!

Tooth Fairy!

This is an awesome idea!
I Love letterpress.
I know our local tooth fairy finds it difficult to find places to stash children's lost teeth but cant quite bring herself to throw them out!
It includes a record keeper, a certificate for your child and a tooth holder (to be filed and stored with the tooth fairy)

www.officeofthetoothfairy.com

lucky man!

I have never seen one in my life and my little boy bends down and plucks a four leaf clover out of the weeds!
Needless to say we bought a lotto ticket on which we won...$30. But hey better than the proverbial kick in the behind!

New designs!

Camilla, was created as an alternative to lashings of pink - but still pretty and feminine! Inspiration drawn loosely from 'Elley'. The client requested greens and not too much pink. A great way to display 6 gorgeous photos when you just can't choose one!

William - the boy version of our very popular 'Tilly'. I have been desperate to make a boy version, just waiting for the perfect photo and client request!

Bree is a mauve version of 'Amelia'. The client requested butterflies to signify a special family meaning. Very cute!

Design of the month - May

This month's design is for Wedding thank you cards.
The lovely newlyweds received Olivia's birth announcement in the mail (design of the month in March) and contacted Mini Ink to create something gorgeous for her.
We haven't created wedding thank you cards before and as such had no designs in our gallery and so I was wrapped to be able to unleash a completely new design that evolved from this job.
I love the quote they used from their bridal waltz 'I hear you laugh, I heard you sing, I wouldn’t change a single thing. For you I’d wait 'til kingdom come. Until my days, my days are done' - an excerpt from Coldplay's 'Til Kingdom Comes'
Gorgeous photos, lovey colours, awesome quote!

Design of the month

Inspired by Charlotte's visionary mum! We started with a rainbow theme. Charlotte's mum sent me an image of some gorgeous stitched rainbows (photographed below) to use as a starting point, and chose the 'Isabella' naming day invitation from our gallery. 

Inspiration!

What I really enjoyed about this one was the brilliant feedback and collaboration Charlotte's mum gave me after the initial design that made it better and better until we ended up with this gorgeous final product.

Gorgeous gift idea!

Check these out from Chick Design. Gorgeous gift idea when you are stuck and want something new and original!

http://www.chikdesign.com.au/product.php?category=18

Mini Ink of the month

A new feature!
A beautiful order for Olivia, based on 'Ginger' from our gallery -  pics of the order just before they are packaged up and posted. They look much better in real life!

Love my job!

Ok.
So, when people say to me at school (after the whirlwind morning of getting kids dressed, dealing with the 'I dont want to go to school' tears, brushing of hair as we walk through the front gates, realizing we have forgotten hats and waterbottles, dashing back to the car - really I could go on, and I am happy to report that Im not the only one who goes through this fairly often!)

"What are you doing today?"
I say; "Im going home to work - not work on the house - but do my job - at home...."

I must admit It takes a little explaining and I would rather say that I'm going shopping, off to lunch etc, etc, going home to work just doesn't have much Pizazz! I must work on a better 'sell' for what I do..

Maybe; "Im off to create something that will make a lot of people happy" - but at 9am after one of 'those' mornings, it usually comes out with a sarcastic edge.

Anyway, I came across another business blog from Duct Tape Marketing and I found a few words that struck a chord:

Love – Thankfully, this a word we can now use in business without being thought weak. Ironically, it takes a great deal more strength to do things in business out of love rather than out of profit, and yet, to do so may be the most profitable methodology you can adopt.
I really love the people I work with and for. I love the people that are drawn to this brand and community and the only way that happens is if you continuously communicate what you believe is important.

'Tis true.
I love what I do....

Now if only school hours could be extended just an extra 30 mins, I could fit in "Watch the tv soaps and eat Tim Tams"...

http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2011/03/07/work-as-craft/

New designs!

 

My task for Molly was to combine the colour of 'Mary' from our gallery, with the layout of 'Sidney' and 'Angie'. I love the modern twist with vintage papers!

 

Elley was created for a lovely returning customer.  I saw the photos and was completely inspired to use the colours in them. Using a blue in a girls card is something I haven't done before but it works a treat. Its my new fave!

 

Kitty Rose, was custom created for a client that requested the 'Tilly" design but in a rectangle format, and incorporating 3 pics.

 

The above 2 designs were a play on some chalky colour schemes I came across in a home decorating mag. They appeal to the strong and courageous little personalities! Very different designs that are clean neat and striking.

Look to the sky

I love to look up and witness the ever changing sky gorgeous colours and cloud formations.  I think I have passed it on t my kids as I spied them finding animals in the clouds in a rare peaceful, calm and endearing moment. Its good to know Im not the only one I note when I came across the below blog.
http://www.good.is/post/good-design-daily-type-made-from-the-sky/