My parents love being outside — they built their house (literally) and then got married in it, a detail which I love. Our yard was, and still is, full of flower beds, blossoming bushes, and trees, while bordered at the back by the woods. Recently when I was home for a visit, my mom had clipped a few of the newly sprung daffodils and put them in vases in my sister and I’s rooms for our arrival. The tulips were poking through the ground and the lilac bush will be in bloom soon — May in our yard is awesome.

And then there is the grill… Our half acre has always been nextdoor to family — my grandparents and now my aunt and uncle — with cousins five minutes away. Barbeques are big in our family. And delicious. My last visit was a little too cold for a cookout, but next time there’ll be grilled asparagus and portabellos for sure, oh and burgers for everyone else. …

Celebrate the mamas and papas in your life with these Mother’s and Father’s Day cards that feature original vector illustrations of colorful tulips and the essential grilling tools along with the simple wishes — “Happy Mother’s Day” and “Happy Father’s Day” — while the blank inside leaves plenty of room for a hand-written personal message to your favorite person. A perfect card for any mom or dad you know — be it your own, your in-law, your sibling or friend — Let them know they have your appreciation and love today and always.

Each card measures 4.125” x 5.5” (folded). The card stock is Mohawk Via Satin 100 lb. cover stock in Bright White. It’s made with 30% post consumer waste fiber and is produced with wind-generated electricity. An A2 envelope with straight-cut flap, in olive green and red (respectively), accompanies each card. The designs are printed on a Canon iP4200 and are hand-cut and folded to size. (Please note that the color of the actual printed pieces may vary from the photographs due to inconsistencies in computer monitor settings.)

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If you are interested in purchasing a card ($3.00/ea or a parents set for $5.50, plus shipping & handling), please contact me or visit my shop on etsy.

This is a made-to-order paper item and typically ships within 2-3 business days from the date of payment received.

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© 2010 Heather Kintner

Dear Great Lakes Ladies, single or taken, who are planning their own or their best-ies bachelorette party — My Unmentionable Bachelorette Invitations are featured in the current issue of Metro Detroit Bride magazine, page 48, Wedcetera! YAY!

If you’re interested in a set (customized, fill-in or thank you notes), please check out my Etsy shop!

PS> Bride cover styled by the fantastic Taryn Bickley…

I am fortunate enough to have always lived in a place that shines by having all four seasons (albeit, sometimes in one week). And though I am among those who love the very first snowfall and hate the following fifty each year, I really wouldn’t trade the bundling up, the crisp air or the mornings of a fresh blanket of snow … I just wish that it would stick to the three months originally alloted it. Each season is so distinct in its coloring, flora, smells, foods and pastimes in addition to the obvious weather changes. The designs of this calendar celebrate the seasons and all of the things that make them unique and enjoyable…

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The unbound sheets, sized at 4.625” x 5.375”, are packaged in a clear plastic jewel case that folds back to create a stand for easy placement on any flat surface: ideal for desks, bookshelves or counters.

The paper is Paper Source Ecowhite 100 lb. cover stock. It’s made with at least 30% post consumer waste fiber. The designs are printed on a Canon iP4200 and are hand-cut to size. (Please note that the color of the actual printed pieces may vary from the photographs due to inconsistencies in computer monitor settings.)

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If you are interested in purchasing a calendar ($13.00, plus shipping & handling), please contact me or visit my shop on etsy.

This is a made-to-order paper item and typically ships within 2-4 business days from the date of payment received. If you would like more than one calendar, please contact me for a special listing, just for you!

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© 2009 Heather Kintner

All photographs courtesy Francis Marie Photography.

I recently had the pleasure of working with the duo behind Francis Marie Photography, Chris and Becky, on their new identity and business cards — with more pieces to follow shortly. After many rounds of possible business names for their Chicago-based studio, including the lighthearted “Aww Snap!”, they happily agreed on “Francis Marie Photography”, a union of their middle names. The logotype is set in a classic serif with flourished script initials that highlight their initials as well as nod to the world of weddings that they are a part of.

All photographs courtesy Francis Marie Photography.

Being on a strict(ish) budget, given the times, has taught me the beauty of window shopping and browsing, especially on a perfect fall afternoon, which Chicago had a few earlier this week. However, since my Monday trip, I can’t stop thinking about the Nancy wallet by Hobo! They had me at their mix of materials — soft leather and pretty vintage-lace-inspired fabric in a contrasting color — but wait… there’s actually proper places for all things wallet-y too! I can’t pick my favorite between the Leafy Green (pictured) and the Mogano. One day Hobo, one day…

Images courtesy Hobo International.

It has been a long time, that I can recall anyway, since the weather has actually aligned seasonally, almost down to the day with the solstices and equinoxes… But that seems to be just the case this year. The “official” first day of autumn was September 22, and the weather didn’t skip a beat to send in the brisk winds, rains and general cold.

Combine the recent chill in the air with my on-going office unpacking (there’s only a box and a half left, I swear!) and you get this post about tea, specifically Harney & Sons Master Tea Blenders. Now, contrary to popular belief, not all designers are coffee drinkers (though I do know that I am in the minority here), but I love tea — iced in the summer and hot in the winter. In the last packed box I opened, I ran across a glass bottle that once contained Harney & Sons Organic Black Currant Iced Tea that I had saved (and moved… twice) because besides being delicious, the design of it is so wonderful and so me — a pretty blend of serif caps and small caps with a sans serif, flourishes, interesting vignetted frames and shapes, patterns and even a crest. Get out of town! I was more than pleased to see upon visiting their site that this design aesthetic is carried through all of their tea lines and packaging (bottles, boxes, tins, packets, even the under side of the lids has a type surprise waiting for you).

So, bundle up and enjoy!!

One of my favorites, Lagom Greeting Cards, recently announced a handful of new collections. Among them is Hygge, pronounced “hoo-ga”. This stunning line of cards features wonderful illustrations and patterning that are at once a little bit folk, a little bit Mexican tile and a little bit of something new. To top it all off, the designs are in a brilliant blue and white palette that is quite reminiscent of Delft tiles. Mexico and the Netherlands, what more do I need to say?!

Hygge, along with the rest of Lagom’s greeting cards and other lines are available through their online shop. Happy corresponding!

For me, the month of June was spent commuting to a Northwest suburb in Chicagoland. It wasn’t an ideal drive, but it did offer some inspiration…

On this unusually sunny day — Portland seemed to arrive in Chicago this summer in lieu of the Sun — I was paused at these tracks for a bit while this train slowly made it’s way in to the O’Hare expansion area. The warm, rusty, autumnal colors of the train cars contrasted with the summer sky and lush grass made a fantastic color palette! Turns out, all that rain was good for something afterall… look at those greens! Also, the shapes on the cars themselves made for an interesting graphic vocabulary, a little reminiscent of Orla Kiely and beautifully geometric. Thanks, Canadian Pacific Railway!

Through my internet wanderings, I stumbled upon this poster series created by BVK for Milwaukee’s The Eisner Museum’s Cream City Couture. I love the smart-ness of these. The typography and photography of the printed posters topped off with the brilliant juxtapositions created by well-planned real-life placements are fantastic!

Enjoy!

This post is for all the ladies — single, engaged, married or otherwise — who are either planning, hosting or being honored at a bachelorette party…

The fabulous Kelly at Design Crush is hosting a giveaway of one set of my Unmentionable Bachelorette Fill-In Invitations and corresponding Unmentionable Notecards (perfect for thank you notes!), in your color choice, this week. Please pop over to her blog before noon on Monday, June 28, and leave a comment describing your ideal ladies night. While you’re there, be sure to check out the fantastic Red Ruby Rose Clutches (these are a graphic designer’s dream clutch and perfect to accompany any lady out on the town).

Good luck, girls!

©2009 Heather Kintner