Adair Design

All I Needed to Know I Learned in Preschool

2012-02-16T05:56:00.001-08:00

My son is only four years old, but sometimes I am too...and need to be reminded.

Spirituality, Humility and Evolution.

2011-12-25T11:07:00.000-08:00

...From her sweet couch up starts the widow'd bride,
Her lord's loved image rushing on her soul,
Throws the rich ornaments of youth aside,
And gives her griefs to flow without control.
--Homer

"Anticipating a unity of nations that was not to become even a tentative reality until the birth of United Nations in 1944 in San Fransico, Aeschylus describes the mortal enemies, Greece and Persia, as "sisters of one race...flawless in beauty and grace."

--Spiritual Evolution
A Scientific Defense of Faith
By: George E. Valliant, M.D.

Near the beginning of the fall of 2011, I was slowly looking around "Garden Ridge" for some Halloween decorations with my kids.

While looking at the piles of books that they have set up haphazardly on enormous tables, I had the fortunate opportunity of stumbling across the book mentioned above and it completely intrigued me. Although I am a firm believer in God and Christ, I have, on numerous occasions, talked in length with my mom about religion and spirituality.

What ties us together in our humanity? The Great Spirit in Native American cultures, Asian religions and styles of belief systems, Judaism and others are all so different ideologically, so what was it that spiritually drew us together. If God made everything in the world, then why do we so easily harken to division?

In fact, one of the greatest things I learned from my family was having #Gratitude. Gratitude for what we did have, and gratitude for what we didn't.

During the twelve centuries between 600 BCE and 700 CD, the spiritual sages and prophets developed cognitive insights and emotional rituals that utilized inborn positive limbic emotions to to counter aggression. The empathic practices of the world's great religions served to mitigate the equally hardwired xenophobia and territoriality that is largely responsible for tribal violence.

Karen Armstrong, a former nun and master of autobiography, is one of the foremost teachers of comparative religion alive today. In her magisterial The Great Transformation, following the 1948 lead of German philosopher Karl Jaspers, Armstrong has titled this period the Axial Age. She sets its dates a little earlier (900-200 BCE) than I do, but her melody is the same. In Armstrong's words, "The Axial Age pushed forward the frontiers of human consciousness and discovered a transcendent dimension in the core of their being, but they did not regard this as supernatural...if the Buddha or Confucius had been asked whether he believed in God, he would probably have winced slightly and explained--with great courtesy--that this was not an appropriate question." What mattered to Confucius, Socrates, Christ, and Isaiah was not what you believed but how you behaved. Show me, don't tell me. "God" was the experience of loving compassion, not an all-powerful, judgmental, and often angry patriarch.

For evolving humanity, the Axial Age also reflected what the Swiss-French developmentalist Jean Piaget was later to call "formal operations." Without formal operations (defined as the capacity to abstract general principles from concrete observations), neither science nor mature morality would be possible. Religions needed to look beyond the letter of law and to distinguish between metaphor and myth. In addition, through disciplined introspection humanity was awakened to the vast reaches of self-hood that lay beneath the surface of their minds. Humanity became fully "self-conscious" The tragedy of fundamentalist religion of all shades and stripes is that it reasons concretely like a third grader, not a tenth-grader.

In his 1990 book The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind, Princeton psychologist Julian Jaynes observed, perhaps too romantically, that the fifth century BCE brought a shift from humans depending upon moral comments from without--the burning bush of Moses and the hallucination of gods' voices in Homer's Illiad--to a world in which morality and responsibility came from within, owing to responsible introspection. Instead of being consigned to Mount Olympus and to Heaven, God could reside within us all.

Instead of conceptualizing gods like the Greek and Aztec deities who, like reptiles, devoured their young (consider Cronus), the culturally evolved fifth-century BCE humans conceived of models like Socrates, the Buddha, and later Christ, who epitomized unselfish love and inspired us to emulate them. During that transformative millenium, the range of people whom a given person felt compelled to regard as equally human greatly expanded. "Tribes" became integrated into empires--a process culminating in both Roman Europe and Chinese Asia. Once the xenophobic, tribal Romans learned to regard millions of "barbarians" as "citizens" not only cities but empires became viable. Today the challenge still remains for Jews, Christians, Hindus, and Muslims to regard one another as fully human. The cultural invention of the Internet may be a step forward.

I loved the idea that we are all tied together, that we all do matter in this "big story" and in humanity's step forward. That we care about each other. That my atheists friends are right. My Muslim friends are right. That my Christian friends are right. That we are ALL right.

"Even since the Enlightenment, underneath our rational, postmodern, sophisticated radar screen, human spirituality has continued to evolve culturally. Alfred Nobel grew rich selling the world explosives; his descendants are today as invisible as the ruins of the first Troy. Only Nobel's spiritual legacy of prizes for beauty, truth, and peace live on. You do not have to go back very far in time to find and era when the plague of intertribal wars that afflict Africa today afflicted the entire globe. Over the past two thousand years, larger and larger groups of ethnically diverse people have learned to live together cooperatively. From the unification of China after the chaos of "the Warring States" two millennia

So, my appreciation to all who have provided streams of information and articles to those of us who have focused solely on matters of the heart. We need each other to survive, we need each other to teach, we need each other to supplement that with which we lack. We can't stand as an independent leader, because we are all leaders. We all rise and we all fall. For some, our dogmatic ideology stands as a source of judgement, but for others, our love of self, and our understanding of life and spirituality allows us to transcend those systems of ideological constraint by understanding independently the responsibility in our lives that we have to others that we love.

We are people, we have souls, we are humbled, we care, we love, we cry, we mourn. We feel...because we exist together.

"What's Happening On the Internet?"

2011-12-04T00:42:00.000-08:00

Tantric. Strange. Desire. Dead.

Tired. Wired. All-knowing. Psyche.

Heaven. Manipulated. Organized. Angels.

Demons. Twisted. Fun-natured. Happy.

Cleaning. Meeting. Singing. Sighing.

Poetry. Destruction. Loathing. Love.

Music. Majestic. Innovative. Key.

Scripture. Silence. Jesus. Dying.

Morality. Demoralize. Pain. Justice.

Time. Worms. Lines. Occu(pie>

Thoughts. Sub-conscious. Free. Caged.

Life. Moar. Excessive. Recessed.

Bronze. Conundrum. Parallel. Crush.

Technology. Relationships. Traditions. Bust.

Lies. Truths. Honesty. Lies.

Persuasion. Cuts. Light. Deeper.

Gypsy. Post. Slut. Standard.

Morality. Ghost. Question. Voice.

Towel. Wet. Crispy. Dry.

Words are fun.

Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011: Neoteric Video

2009-12-20T08:41:00.002-08:00

Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011: Neoteric

2009-12-20T08:41:00.000-08:00

NEOTERIC

7 of 7 Video Trend Reports

Produced/Written/Filmed and Edited by: Adair Custom Design

New. Modern. Of recent origin, in other words, the modern art movement. Counter-culture trends that are on the cusp of mainstream acceptance and recognition. Old technology is revisited through steampunk and subversive cross-stitch. Circus motifs, kaleidoscopes, and 1950's futurism collides and creates a grand show.

I am excited to announce that "Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011" has now become a reality!

These color forecast reports are based on tremendous amounts of research influenced by the economic, social, political, historical and environmental trends of today and tomorrow. I hope they will be helpful and referred to often for trend insight and inspiration.

I am releasing all of my videos one day ahead to my friends through www.BridalTweet.com first. If you are a part of the wedding industry or a bride/groom, I highly recommend joining this excellent social networking site for the most up-to-date information in the wedding arena.

If you would like to contact me, buy an invitation package, or see some graphic design samples, please refer to the following links:

info@adaircustomdesign.com

My Etsy Shop:

www.AdairDesign.etsy.com

Facebook Business Page:

www.facebook.com/pages/Adair-Design/97382969556?ref=mf

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/mbattistella

The featured artists and designs that have been included in this video are people whom I have had the honor of getting to know through Bridaltweet.com, Twitter, Facebook, etc. I have had an opportunity to see their work, converse with them, and recognize them as people that I see being true artists or trend leaders.

FEATURED ARTIST(s) BIO:

Star Creations

www.starsb117.etsy.com

Owner: Susan Starnes

Susan has been making jewelry off and on for several years, and loves to experiment with all different mediums, anything from metalwork, wire wrapping, mixed media, polymer clay, and fiber art. After a year of admiring all the talent on Etsy, Susan decided to open up her own shop. The items in her shop are inspired by nature and she also likes to throw in a touch of whimsical and sometimes the unexpected. Currently, she has been exploring all the creative possibilities of engraving nature inspired artwork on lockets. She has also been using mixed media to further enhance the unique artistic qualities of lockets. The option of also having engraved messages inside the lockets is available.

Stop by her shop and visit! You never know what you may find!

19 Moons Eco Jewelry & Accessories

Owner: Niffer Desmond

www.19moons.com

www.19moons.etsy.com

19 Moons limited edition jewelry is an eco-conscious line by Pittsburgh based creatrix Niffer Desmond. Niffer's diverse background spans fifteen years in assemblage art, animation and jewelry design. Inspired by re-use, machinery and DIY culture, her unique designs integrate these concepts into fashion. Says the artist "I find inspiration everywhere both in nature and the manmade. Organic forms like birds or rocks are on equal footing with perfect circles and squares of type-keys and clocks. Anything that visually sings! I also like the idea of giving old technology new life, appreciating it for its beauty as much as its former function." Indeed the natural and mechanical are juxtaposed in interesting ways in her designs, largely in the vein of Steampunk fashion. Most everything used is vintage and repurposed, becoming wearable art. Says Niffer; "Steampunk is basically a vision of technology of the future through the lens of the 1800’s, as seen in the literature of Jules Verne, H.G. Wells and others. My interpretation has it's own twist- using anachronistic technology and natural forms to create emblems and creatures of the fantastical realm."

I'M OVER IT

Sarah Keen

www.imoveritonline.com

Sarah@imoveritonline.com
www.imoveritonline.com/blog/

1-877-834-3516

I'm Over It was created after taking a long, hard look at her own jewelry box. Sarah realized that there were just too many pieces that were often ignored and passed over for the newer more exciting ones...pieces she just "had to have" but quite frankly had grown tired of. She was OVER them. What a waste! She just knew she couldn't be the only one struggling with beautiful, but neglected jewelry. Jewelry that had been worn a few times only to be tossed in the back of a jewelry box never to be seen again!

Then the idea hit her...This is Sarah Keen's journey to help women everywhere put an end to beautiful, neglected, over-looked, and ignored jewelry. Stop tossing jewelry in the back of your jewelry box and join I'm Over It as we put an end to unwanted jewelry everywhere!

I'm Over It allows the ability to lease/rent or buy beautiful statement pieces of jewelry.

Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011: Endurance Video

2009-12-18T06:31:00.001-08:00

Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011: Endurance

2009-12-18T06:28:00.000-08:00

Endurance

6of 7 Video Trend Reports

Produced/Written/Filmed and Edited by: Adair Custom Design

Endurance is all about the innovators of today that will lead tomorrow. Endurance portrays a visual representation of why the Handmade and DIY industry is more than just a fad, but an essential part of societal development for 2010/2011 and beyond.

I am excited to announce that "Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011" has now become a reality!

If you would like to contact me, buy an invitation package, or see some graphic design samples, please refer to the following links:

info@adaircustomdesign.com

My Etsy Shop:

www.AdairDesign.etsy.com

Facebook Business Page:

www.facebook.com/pages/Adair-Design/97382969556?ref=mf

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/mbattistella

FEATURED ARTIST(s) BIO:

Bella Vista Faux Finishing

and Architectural Ornamentation

Katie Mielke, Owner
www.bellavista.ws
(937)902-4509

Bella Vista Faux Finishing and Architectural Ornamentation combines every day techniques with the unusual to create "walls of wow"! From decorative glaze applications to textural dynamics, Bella Vista embodies art through her unique surfaces.

A graduate of The Columbus College of Art and Design, along with numerous prestigious art studies, Decorative Artisian, Katie Mielke, strives to make each space unique and personal. Bella Vista combines Art Stenciling, Kid Creations, Murals, Old World Textures, and Sophisticated Surfaces to bring about artistic style and flair to any space.

Let Bella Vista add that extra element of design to your home or space through Architectural Ornamentation. Transform an entire church sanctuary through custom designed and inspired ornate decor. Envision the extraordinary and allow Bella Vista to bring it to life!

For more information and to view this artistic expression, go to www.bellavista.ws and see for yourself!

www.starsb117.etsy.com

Owner: Susan Starnes

Susan has been making jewelry off and on for several years, and loves to experiment with all different mediums, anything from metalwork, wire wrapping, mixed media, polymer clay, and fiber art. After a year of admiring all the talent on Etsy, Susan decided to open up her own shop. The items in her shop are inspired by nature and she also likes to throw in a touch of whimsical and sometimes the unexpected. Currently, she has been exploring all the creative possibilities of engraving nature inspired artwork on lockets. She has also been using mixed media to further enhance the unique artistic qualities of lockets. The option of also having engraved messages inside the lockets is available.

Stop by her shop and visit! You never know what you may find!

Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011: Socio-Cultural Video

2009-12-16T06:41:00.000-08:00

Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011: Socio-Cultural

2009-12-16T06:37:00.000-08:00

Socio-Cultural
5 of 7 Video Trend Reports

Produced/Written/Filmed and Edited by: Adair Custom Design

The mixing of cultures creates endless opportunites, think of culinary trends like Asian and Latin fusions in 2010. A romantic color palette of an endless summer. The new gypsy/bohemian influence-a little more funky, a little more folk. The 1950's Capri style has a double personality: campy tourist and refined island style. Latin culture continues to inspire with bright and surrealist palettes. African decor brought to the height of luxury and elegance.

I am excited to announce that "Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011" has now become a reality!

If you would like to contact me, buy an invitation package, or see some graphic design samples, please refer to the following links:

info@adaircustomdesign.com

My Etsy Shop:

www.AdairDesign.etsy.com

Facebook Business Page:

www.facebook.com/pages/Adair-Design/97382969556?ref=mf

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/mbattistella

FEATURED ARTIST(s) BIO:

KOSTAS TSIPOS
http://www.artistico.etsy.com/
http://kostas-tsipos.blogspot.com/
benettor@gmail.com

Kostas Tsipos is a collage artist who lives in Greece and is passionate about art prints. Each poster is truly unique and each individual print is different then the next. All of Kostas's prints are made with the finest materials.

A constant interest in learning new things, he finds that it's hard to stop. He enjoys spending time with his family and has beautiful children who are twins and four years old. He also has a great wife who loves his art.

Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011: Phantasmagoria Video

2009-12-14T07:06:00.000-08:00

Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011: Phantasmagoria

2009-12-14T06:51:00.000-08:00

PHANTASMAGORIA

4of 7 Video Trend Reports

Produced/Written/Filmed and Edited by: Adair Custom Design

Fairy Tales, Myths, Magic and Folklore. With the motion picture release of "Alice in Wonderland" and "Robin Hood" expect consumers to be inspired by the whimsical and surreal.

I am excited to announce that "Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011" has now become a reality!

If you would like to contact me, buy an invitation package, or see some graphic design samples, please refer to the following links:

info@adaircustomdesign.com

My Etsy Shop:

www.AdairDesign.etsy.com

Facebook Business Page:

www.facebook.com/pages/Adair-Design/97382969556?ref=mf

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/mbattistella

FEATURED ARTIST(s) BIO:

www.starsb117.etsy.com

Sandra Nagel Whitworth
Designer/Director

www.breeziway.com
www.breeziway.co.uk

Breeziway's Soaring Hearts Blog: www.breeziway.blogspot.com

Feathers from the Americas and abroad, Swavorski crystals, pearls, and rich fabrics are used to create gorgeous lightweight headpieces and birdcage veils for your special occasions. Breeziway has several lines of designs that include pieces for brides, wedding parties, mothers of the bride or groom, and other occasions such as homecomings and proms. Clients may choose from over 75 designs, or work with us to design their own special hair complement. Feathers may be used in their natural glory or dyed to match the fabric of your gown. Let the Breeziway team exceed your expectations as you top off your special
occasion ensemble!

Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011: Quadrivium Video

2009-12-12T05:25:00.001-08:00

Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011: Quadrivium

2009-12-12T05:19:00.000-08:00

QUADRIVIUM
3 of 7 Video Trend Reports

Produced/Written/Filmed and Edited by: Adair Custom Design

I am excited to announce that "Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011" has now become a reality!

If you would like to contact me, buy an invitation package, or see some graphic design samples, please refer to the following links:

info@adaircustomdesign.com

My Etsy Shop:

www.AdairDesign.etsy.com

Facebook Business Page:

www.facebook.com/pages/Adair-Design/97382969556?ref=mf

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/mbattistella

FEATURED ARTIST(s) BIO:

The Phillips Collection

Jason Phillips

www.phillipscollection.com

www.jasonphillipsdesign.com

www.jasonphillipsdesign.blogspot.com

Born in 1983, Jason Phillips is a 25 year old designer and breathing furniture design in North Carolina. He is VP/Creative Director for The Phillips Collection; a well-known wholesaler of high end home furnishings. In 2007 he founded Jason Phillips Design, a brand that serves as a conduit for his out of the box design concepts and freelance work.

Over the years Jason has received many industry accolades, won numerous competitions, and sits on half a dozen boards in the industry. Most recently he became the youngest ever recipient of the prized Pinnacle Award, given by the American Society of Furniture Designers, for his River Stone Planters. The ASFD has also just elected Jason as the youngest ever member of their Board of Directors.

Expect great things from this young talent in the years to come.

KDM ExoticWear

www.kdmexoticwear.com

designer@kdmexoticwear.com

KDM ExoticWear is a contemporary, full-service, custom fashion design shop headed by Kimberly Dawn Morell. Not only does KDM have the ability to provide couture, costume, or special occasion custom fashions, but unique and exotic jewelry as well. With several runway shows under her belt and a BFA from the Columbus College of Art and Design, Kimberly continued her education overseas in Italy and came back to the states to continue her free-lance career.

COLLEZIONE PRIMAVERILE-Denim, leather & ribbed knit in watercolor medium.

Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011: Reflection

2009-12-10T06:30:00.001-08:00

Color Forecast 2010/2011 Reflection

2009-12-10T06:28:00.000-08:00

REFLECTION
2 of 7 Video Trend Reports

Produced/Written/Filmed and Edited by: Adair Custom Design

I am excited to announce that "Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011" has now become a reality!

If you would like to contact me, buy an invitation package, or see some graphic design samples, please refer to the following links:

info@adaircustomdesign.com

My Etsy Shop:

www.AdairDesign.etsy.com

Facebook Business Page:

www.facebook.com/pages/Adair-Design/97382969556?ref=mf

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/mbattistella

FEATURED ARTIST(s) BIO:

I'M OVER IT

Sarah Keen

www.imoveritonline.com

Sarah@imoveritonline.com
www.imoveritonline.com/blog/

1-877-834-3516

I'm Over It allows the ability to lease/rent or buy beautiful statement pieces of jewelry.

The Phillips Collection

Jason Phillips

www.phillipscollection.com

www.jasonphillipsdesign.com

www.jasonphillipsdesign.blogspot.com

Domenic Battistella
Executive Chef
Red Rocks Cafe
Charlotte, North Carolina
dmbattistella@yahoo.com

Chef Domenic has honed his cooking style into what he calls “new America cuisine with a southern accent.” He melds various flavor profiles of American regional and international dishes and processes them through a filter of southern ingredients and culinary traditions. He has made several regional and local television appearances and is known for being one of the southeast’s most talented chefs for his advanced and contemporary food pairings with wine and craft brews.

Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011: Techno-Velocity Video

2009-12-08T05:21:00.000-08:00

Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011-Part 1

2009-12-07T10:34:00.000-08:00

TECHNO-VELOCITY
1 of 7 Video Trend Reports
Produced/Written/Filmed and Edited by: Adair Custom Design

I am excited to announce that "Trends in Color Forecast 2010/2011" has now become a reality!

These color forecast reports are based on tremendous amounts of research influenced by the economic, social, political, historical and environmental trends of today and tomorrow. I hope they will be helpful and referred to often for trend insight and inspiration.

I am releasing all of my videos one day ahead to my friends through www.BridalTweet.com first. If you are a part of the wedding industry or a bride/groom, I highly recommend joining this excellent social networking site for the most up-to-date information in the wedding arena.

If you would like to contact me, buy an invitation package, or see some graphic design samples, please refer to the following links:

info@adaircustomdesign.com

My Etsy Shop:

www.AdairDesign.etsy.com

Facebook Business Page:

www.facebook.com/pages/Adair-Design/97382969556?ref=mf

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/mbattistella

The featured artists and designs that have been included in this video are people whom I have had the honor of getting to know through Bridaltweet.com, Twitter, Facebook, etc. I have had an opportunity to see their work, converse with them, and recognize them as people that I see being true artists and trend leaders.

FEATURED ARTIST BIO:
KOSTAS TSIPOS

Kostas Tsipos is a collage artist who lives in Greece and is passionate about art prints. Each poster is truly unique and each individual print is different then the next. All of Kostas's prints are made with the finest materials.

A constant interest in learning new things, he finds that it's hard to stop. He enjoys spending time with his family and has beautiful children who are twins and four years old. He also has a great wife who loves his art.

See more of Kostas Tsipos work here:
http://www.artistico.etsy.com/

Kostas's Blog: http://kostas-tsipos.blogspot.com/

You can email Kostas here: benettor@gmail.com

BridalTweet.com Announces its First Contest “Red Carpet Wedding”

2009-09-15T05:31:00.000-07:00

BridalTweet.com Announces its First Contest “Red Carpet Wedding”

One lucky bride to win a chance to wear diamond earrings for her special day

NEW YORK – September 15, 2009

BridalTweet.com today announced a contest awarding one lucky bride a complimentary rental of dazzling diamond earrings to wear on her wedding day. Each bride who joins BridalTweet.com before October 30 will be entered to win, compliments of Ador

n Brides.¹“The Red Carpet Wedding contest is our way of thanking brides for joining our wedding community,” said Christine Dyer, creator and founder of BridalTweet.com. “We’re seeing that brides will rent anything from visual props to floral arrangements, table linens, head-pieces and sometimes even dresses; why not rent diamonds for the special day.”

Each bride that joins BridalTweet.com will also gain access to the wedding community’s ongoing benefits such as free wedding advice, exclusive offers, giveaways, information about local events, a local vendor directory, and more. All BridalTweet.com members, including brides, wedding vendors, and wedding bloggers, can also share tips and information via chats, blogs, discussions, groups, photos, and videos.

Early results indicate BridalTweet.com’s growing leadership position within the wedding industry. Since its inception in April of 2009, the wedding community at BridalTweet.com has exceeded 3,500 members, with 64 percent of the community’s visitors returning to the website in a given month – a strong signal of BridalTweet.com’s active and engaged audience.²

“We are excited to work with BridalTweet.com to bring the red carpet glamour of diamonds on loan to one lucky bride’s big event,” shared Laura Carrintgon, co-founder and chief stylist for Adorn Brides. “Every bride, regardless of her budget deserves to have access to the very best in bridal accessories. Now, brides can rent thousands of dollars of diamond jewelry for a fraction of what it would cost to purchase them thanks to Adorn Brides.”

¹Rental cost not to exceed $150 in value. The retail value of the earrings can be up to $4,100. Subject to general rental terms and conditions of Adorn Brides. See official Red Carpet Wedding rules for complete details: www.bridaltweet.com/notes/Red_Carpet_Wedding_Rules

²Google Analytics, August 2 – September 1, 2009

About BridalTweet.com: Headquartered in New York, NY, BridalTweet (www.BridalTweet.com) is a free online wedding community where brides, wedding vendors, and wedding bloggers can create meaningful relationships. At BridalTweet.com, brides can find free wedding advice, exclusive offers, giveaways, local events, and more. This is one of the first wedding communities that enables wedding vendors to have a voice - allowing for deeper marketing conversations. Since April 2009, 3,500 members have joined BridalTweet.com and membership increases daily.

About Adorn Brides: Headquartered in New York, NY, Adorn Brides (www.adorn.com) is the leading online diamond jewelry rental company designed specifically to meet the needs of today’s bride. Cited as the #1 resource for bridal jewelry accessories online, Adorn Brides’ unique service is fast becoming the latest trend among fashion conscious brides.

Wedding Invitation Trend Watch 2010/2011

2009-07-24T09:58:00.000-07:00

By: Megan Battistella owner of Adair Custom Designs: Specializing in Wedding Invitations and Stationary.

POP QUIZ:
This one is for all engaged couples out there!

What is the most important thing that a wedding invitation set should do for
an engaged couple?
A. Set the tone for the wedding
B. Elicit a response
C. Save money!
D. Wedding invitations? Shoot! I forgot about those…

For engaged couples, the excitement of planning a wedding can overwhelm the most basic principal of what an invitation is intended to do, and that is: get a response! My experience in creating corporate identity has taught me that thoughtful design is essential to creating personality with an impact.

For the budget-conscious couples looking to balance affordability and personal style consider the following: will your invitation be considered a “keepsake”? People know the difference between art and ordinary. The highest compliment is for your guests to keep your wedding invitations. Through exciting the senses with something different, you will find that an immediate response from your guests is not uncommon. People crave a fresh approach as opposed to a tired format!

Next year springs forth a fresh decade of fantastic trends and new ideas! Familiar and entirely new, retro and modern combined; it is indeed the beginning of a new era of contemporary design. These trends are recession busters and have been recycled from decades and even centuries past as tried and true.

THEMES THAT WILL TREND in 2010/2011—Some of these themes draw from the past and will continue to show resiliency in the future, overlapping will be common amongst all of these categories

“Art Deco” Wedding Packages

This will be one of the most prevalent trends seen in the wedding industry for next year. It is on the verge of exploding. This trend can go in numerous different avenues for wedding invitation sets, but the following will be the most common.

Art Deco: 1920’s and 30’s inspired. Wedding invitations will present strong, contrasting geometric patterning, borrowing from classic architectural elements of the roaring twenties. Vertical paper layouts will prove to be more consistent with the “style” of art deco. Perfect for those watching their budgets, because pieces that print with only one color designs, (black) on white or colored paper are more economical. For added elegance, consider metallic or pearl papers.

Art Deco: Floral Seventies and modernized Baroque: These will still have an overwhelming sense of “pattern.” Flat color, graphic, non-dimensional floral patterns will be make a showing in tomorrow’s wedding invitation designs.

“Folksy/culturally inspired” Wedding Invitation Sets

Falling back on different cultures, the “folksy pilgrim” is borrowing from all types of traditions and cross-pollinating with today’s society. There is a a strong theme of hand-made, hand-painted and custom detailed wood work which will lead into a decorative Baroque style.

Wedding invitation trends in this category will consider specialty shapes in papers, die-cuts, decorative embellishments that are unique to the bride and groom’s heritage and/or ethnic background. Bright impressions of the Latin culture, the simplicity and softness of the Midwestern States and a vivid graphic African influence will be seen in this category.

Wedding invitations will be hand-drawn or possibly painted in watercolors and then over-laid with illustration work, generally in floral patterns. Hand-calligraphy (Examples provided by Jennifer Gillespie of “Calligraphy by Jennifer” http://www.calligraphybyjennifer.net/) and highly decorative lettering will flourish in fonts. On the opposite spectrum, large, bold, sans-serif fonts will also do incredibly well.

“Eco-Chic” Wedding Invitations

“Going Green” has become a mainstream concept, but new technology and advances in protecting the environment are continuously being supplied to the masses for more economical rates. Consciously looking for alternative papers for invites will continue to be important. Recycled papers come in 30% post-consumer waste and 100% post-consumer waste and more printers are supplying soy-based inks.

“Futuristic” & Digital Wedding Package Sets

Going against the grain and all traditions, these wedding invitation sets will offer new thoughts and design directions for the future. Fluorescent accents in paper, metallic cut-outs, reflective materials and holographic papers will portray an almost surrealist nature. Three dimensionally textured bellybands and uniquely shaped invitation enclosures will grab the spotlight. Peacock feathers used in design motifs or as embellishments will gather interest this upcoming year. Adding layers to invitation sets through the use of frosted, translucent, and transparent papers will add visual interest while maintaining budgets.

In this socially connected world, some couples may consider opting out of paper invitations and go digital. Digital invitations are posted videos on the internet and the response is electronic. (See example, work not created by Megan Battistella of Adair Design--but it's still a GREAT idea!)

This will eliminate the response cards all together and will help to save on postage cost, return address printing and envelopes. Other options are to spend an extra amount of money on a more decorative invitation and then combining a response and directions card which will direct guests to RSVP electronically.

There are plenty of budget conscious and completely out-of-the box ideas that can portray your wedding in a brand-new light. Please contact me for a free, custom wedding invitation consultation or check out my pre-designed wedding packages and I can give you some pricing. If you check out my Facebook page, leave a note or some feedback, I would love to hear your thoughts!

Contact: Megan Battistella:: Graphic Design Specialist:: Adair Design::
Adair_Design@msn or call: 704.489.1534

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Adair-Design/97382969556?ref=mf

My Sister's Wedding

2009-07-16T13:34:00.001-07:00

My sister Rachel is engaged! Yeah! I am so excited for her, and of course, I'm doing her wedding invitations!

We looked through plenty of images from wedding planners and flower shops through my Twitter followers, Facebook and Bridal Tweet. It was great to have an excuse to read all the latest blog posts and newest ideas that are out on the market.

These wedding invitations are going to be ridiculous! I can't wait to get started on them, the wedding isn't until next year, which is the longest amount of time that I have ever had for invitation design! Her budget is tiny, which is going to make things challenging, and I'm always down for a good design challenge.

Jon and Andrea

2009-07-13T11:37:00.001-07:00

Find more photos like this on BridalTweet: Free Wedding Directory & Wedding Community

The Wilson wedding package is, and was, one of my favorite wedding packages to do. This design was the inspiration for my logo and the "moment of clarity" that I needed to push me head first into the wedding industry.

I realized that as much as I like helping businesses with their logos and getting them up off the ground, I especially liked the fact that when you are creating wedding invitation sets, you are taking the essence of a person's dream and creating a personality for it.

Creating logos and marketing plans/design briefs are actually very similar, but there is a more professional demeanor to it, it's more serious. A logo needs to be applicable to just about anything and everything under the sun, and it needs to communicate at every size. A business needs to address specific markets, demographic, etc. There is a about a hundred different things that go into a logo, but at the same time, it has to be simple enough to just, "be" and communicate the basis of who you are as a business.

With a wedding invitation set, you are enjoying the process of making art, and for the most part, purely for art's sake. Wedding invitation design is creating and taking the essence of a person's event and making it pretty...exciting...and interesting. A wedding is considered one of the most important moments in a person's life, and how many more time's in your life will you throw-down $5,000 and upwards for what is essentially, a big party?

This email from my client, Andrea was heart-warming and for me, surprising. I was happy that she was thrilled with the invitations and that she was getting such a positive response from them, I thought I would go ahead and share it with everyone.

I mean, how could anyone not feel inspired by this?

Megan,

I met with my wedding planner today to show her the invitations. Here's a direct quote: "This is blowing my mind right now." ... yes, she loved them!!! She would like to know how much this invitation set would cost for other brides. She absolutely loves your work.

I've showed everyone the invites and they LOVE them. Thank you SO much. I am super excited. A special kudos for the map... it's everyone's favorite! lol

My planner is going to proof read the invitations and then i'll get back to you with final revisions.

Thank you again. You are truly talented. Your wedding invite line is going to really take off!

Andrea Cloninger

Ryun and Katie Wedding Design Package

2009-06-30T17:26:00.000-07:00

When Katie called me 4 years ago to ask me if I could do her wedding invitations, I was thrown...wedding invitations!? But I don't DO wedding invitations...oh and she needed them done, "in a couple days?" My first thought was, "I'm pregnant and I'm constantly sick, when am I going to have time to do this! I have no idea what goes into a wedding invitation!" And, might I add, there are some specifics!

But it all worked out for the best...in fact, wedding invitation design was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. It was right up my alley. I'm naturally an ornate designer, I'm less of a "white space" person, chock it up to my illustrative nature, me and wedding designs were "meant to be."

Here's the outcome: A unique wedding package with a twist of classic art deco and modern boho-chic. These wedding invitations feature intricate details and a timeless color palette.

A modern, organic design, complimented with structured timeless elements. Created on a square, flat-card invitation with an iridescent raised border.

A matching monogrammed envelope helps complete the message of both uniting a wedding package and couple.

The response card and return address labels draw from the main invitation design to create a free-flowing, elegant tone.

Not without a touch of humor, bare feet casually make their way down from the church to the reception.

Sarah and Noah Wedding Package

2009-06-29T21:40:00.001-07:00

Find more photos like this on Wedding Directory & Wedding Community by BridalTweet

Color Forecast 2010/2011

2009-06-14T18:16:00.000-07:00

So I was assuming that my next blog post was going to be completely about my new color trend forecast, and I wasn't going to write anything else until I got that out. But, this color forecast thing is starting to grow some real legs, and I have a really dynamic and totally new way of approaching and presenting my color forecast.

I've always been an avid researcher, before committing to art in design, in 5th grade I had decided that I wanted to be a prosecuting attorney. I remember even giving myself book reports during my summer vacations based off of the books/encyclopedias that my family had around our house. I thought it was so interesting to learn about other countries. I learn best through writing things down and collecting information...and when I collect information, it goes beyond the standard, collecting information just to have "something" to back up your design work. I guess I should have been on a debate team or something. What a dork!!

I get so excited when I see social, economic, color trends and patterns. It is the key that unlocks the future, the tiny details that are so easy to overlook, the static behaviors, and psychology of who we are as people that explains the "why" and the "what we are" today. It's all there, if we have the time to slow down and delve deep.

My First Blog Post

2009-05-24T17:26:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

My name is Megan Battistella and I am the creator of Adair Design. The name Adair comes from my family and is actually defined as "Innovative!"

To give a little background on myself, I graduated from the Columbus College of Art and Design with a BFA in advertising and Graphic Design. My first year out of school I had the opportunity to work with a small company that had the licensee name for Daimler Chrysler's Jeep brand. I designed 4 lines of business briefcases and backpacks (around 40 bags total).

It was such a cool job!

The things that I was exposed to, really helped shape and define my understanding of the global world and what it was becoming. (Plus, there was a woman from account's receivable who showed me how to organize myself in a logical and analytical manner, as opposed to my "intuitive" organizational skills that most artsy people are unfortunately bestowed with!)

I moved down to Charlotte, North Carolina and decided to start free-lancing. Free-lancing gave me the opportunity to work with clients that ranged from a party bus company, home builders, realtors, photographers, churches, outdoor gardening products, college guidance consultants, etc., etc. to my latest, a film studio called: Lucky You Films, LLC.

Finally, I wanted to give corporate a go and I started working with Lowe's Corporate Home Improvement Headquarters in Mooresville, North Carolina. I love the people in the Trends and Design Department and Melissa Birdsong (The VP) is fantastic! I designed and worked with the packaging department, industrial design department, trend managers, store environment, marketing managers, brand managers...it was so wonderful to be able to dabble in all the different trend aspects of this company.

I am so excited to be welcomed to the great blogosphere! I am hoping that this Blog will become a helpful tool for some of the following:

1) Color Trends and Forecasts. (This is one of my favorites!)

2) Design Trends. (Because ultimately, you can't just look at one specific sector of the design community, if you want to know what is happening or going to be cutting edge in the next 3 years, it's important to follow technology trends, world events, pop-culture, etc.)

3) Marketing, Marketing, Marketing. What is the best way to MARKET yourself as a business, there is a lot of psychological, emotional factors in there. Not just numbers.

4) Innovation. In today's economy it is so crucial for change and to be unique. What is your USP? (Your unique selling point?) There has to be some excitement in your message and business in order to keep current clients and obtain new ones.

5) Why Design should not based on "Personal Preference" and how/why/what is important to design that makes things sell. In other words, it doesn't matter if YOU don't like the color orange, what is it about the design that is going to speak to your target market?

So right now, I am looking at doing wedding invitation packages because it allows me to create beautiful artistic pieces, have fun with paper, and make someone's special occasion that much better!

I have to say, if I didn't have help from so many people for my wedding, it would never have turned out the way it did. It was beautiful, and it was only due to the fact that I had so many people going out of their way to make me and my husband's big day amazing and error free!

(and we had only 3 weeks to plan it!--more on that in a later blogging!)