Project Update | Asia’s Baptism & 1st Birthday Invite

dahliaco — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 06:00:24 +0000

I’m currently working on an invitation for my niece, Asia Dawn, who will be baptized on her first birthday. My sister wanted the invitation to be somewhat traditional, but at the same time bold w/a splash of color. And on top of that she also wanted a cupcake motif on the reception card which I had to custom design. So far, I’ve completed the foundation of the invitation/reception card and designed the cupcake which is really cute by the way. I still need to design another insert that lists all the godparents and sponsors. The color theme is fuchsia and black. Once they’re printed, my sister had requested to have them assembled into an enclosure card w/pocket and envelopes in coordinating colors. Here’s a little glimpse of what I have so far!

ASIA | Cupcake

ASIA | Baptism & First Birthday Reception Card

ASIA | Baptism & 1st Birthday Invitation

Posted in Invitations, Uncategorized Tagged: baptism, birthday, Invitations, Stationary

Engagement Party Invitation | Daisy & Adrian

dahliaco — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 06:46:03 +0000

I recently designed an invitation for my sister’s engagement party for this coming weekend and thought I’d share it with you. It’s very simple and modern with a slight touch of elegance. Their theme colors are emerald green & aqua, calm and refreshing. I didn’t really get too creative with this one because I was sort of pressed for time and wasn’t able to get their input as to what style they had hoped for. But overall, they were pleased.:)

Engagement Party Invite | Modern Aqua

Posted in Invitations, Weddings Tagged: engagement party, invitation, Stationary, wedding

Retirement Sale @ Faith Sisters

dahliaco — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:26:25 +0000

Hey there… If anyone is interested in purchasing some of my digital designs that are over in my shop @ Faith Sisters, now is the time because everything is only $1. I’ve finally decided to move on and focus on my business and pursue my goals as a professional graphic designer. So, if you’re interested, just head on over to the shop before they’re all gone! Thanks!!

Posted in Check It Out!, Digital Scrapbook, Sales, Uncategorized

DIY | Cupcake Stand

dahliaco — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:07:51 +0000

For quite some time now, I’ve developed this growing passion for baking CUPCAKES. I’ve always loved baking out of the box, but the moment I decided on trying it from scratch, I never looked back. Lately, I’ve had the pleasure of finding some really cool cupcake blogs that have given me tons of inspiration on trying out different recipes and cool techniques. But, one of the things that I have been looking for is a CUPCAKE STAND to show them off when I have guests or for a simple centerpiece for other things like hors d’oeurves. So, here is such a great DIY project I found on this really cool wedding site, Once Wed.

Once Wed | DIY Cupcake Stand

This site also offers some really great creative inspiration and ideas from real weddings to help other readers, typically soon-to-be married couples, to learn unique ways to fit their style in a budget by getting creative and even more, shop for used designer wedding dresses for a fraction of the original price. Now that, is not a bad idea for those who are not so sure if they care so much about keeping a wedding dress once they’ve walked down the aisle. So, if any of you reading this is looking into saving some money, this site could really do you a huge favor, so go ahead and check it out!

In the meantime, I’m going to take advantage of this project and making a cupcake stand that I know will become one of my most favorite tableware pieces for years to come or maybe even pass it down to my daughter… Oh wait, I don’t have a daughter or just not yet. But, there’s always my future daughter-in-laws.

Posted in Check It Out!, Creative Inspirations, DIY Projects, Uncategorized

Upcoming Sale

dahliaco — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:50:59 +0000

I have been one of the few designers @ Faith Sisters who was there since they opened 2 years ago and now, with bittersweet emotions, I have decided to close my store with them. I will always be forever grateful for the founding ladies who started this incredible place for scrapbookers to come together, not only to leave a legacy of faith through scrapbooking, but to also provide a place where Christians can come together to build relationships and to encourage each other in their faith. I am so grateful for the friendships that I’ve developed over the years and the inspiration and talent that has motivated me to keep pursuing my dreams. Joining Faith Sisters, was definitely a stepping stone in my growth towards fulfilling my purpose and calling as a designer and I thank the Lord for that. I will always be fond of their site and will keep them in my thoughts and prayers, that lives will continue to be blessed through their ministry.

And now, I believe it’s time for me to take a new direction and focus more an my career as a graphic designer. I look forward to the many things that will make it a learning experience and also an enjoyable one as well. After all, this is what I love to do and who knows where it will take me! So without further ado, beginning this Friday I will be putting my store on sale until June 30th. Everything will be $1.00!! Yes, only a buck! So, you better be ready and mark your calendars because once they’re gone, they’re gone forever….

Until next time, cherish each day and be blessed!!

Posted in Check It Out!, Digital Scrapbook, Uncategorized

Time For Everything? Not!

dahliaco — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:00:37 +0000

If I could have it my way, there would be ENOUGH time to do EVERYTHING that I want to do. I would have accomplished above and beyond all the things I have written down on my to-do-list each day to get my business running, but who am I kidding? I have a family that consists of two pre-school boys and a hungry, hardworking, wanna-be smothered with love kind of man, the moment he walks in the door. So from the time I wake up (which is not always early) to the time I finally get a chance to do some work, it’s already 2 o’clock in the afternoon when the kids are napping which only gives me an hour and a half. The next break for myself after that, is usually after dinner and then when the boys are down for the night. And the cycle repeats over and over again with occasional days off when I have family guests to entertain or someone gets sick. So, there’s really nothing I can do at this point in my life except to do the best I can and try the best I can to make time for everything, most of all to maintain BALANCE. I have to say though, I do place higher priority on my family over work and that’s always going to be the case because the rewards are priceless and eternal.

So, what have I done lately? Well, let’s see… I applied for my business license and sales permit which is one of the first steps I’ve taken. My business cards are done and ready to make it into the hands of potential clients, but I’m still not sure where to start and who to start with. I do know that before I do start passing them along, I need to design more samples of my work and get a portfolio together. I’ve done a few projects in the past, but don’t think they are up to par of what I think I really want to present or the style that I would like to consider my own. So, this is why my brain has been put to the task of storming up ideas and absorbing tons of inspiration from the web, magazines, and shops I visit. A very long process and quite often, very exhausting. Even when I sleep at night, I dream up designs, but wish I could write them down while I’m dreaming them. Ha! That would be cool I think!

On the personal side of things, I am planning my sister’s wedding and being the creative one, I have been given the responsibility of assisting them in making sure the wedding of their dreams will come true. Knowing that I planned my own wedding within 6 months with an extremely tight budget would make me think it would be a piece a cake, right? Well, not exactly. Planning a wedding for someone else other than yourself, means dealing with something entirely different because you can’t make decisions for them even if you wish you could. All I know is, there’s a time line to be followed and as long as they can make solid choices and selections on time, then things will run smoothly, I hope. However, I’m very excited for them and thankful that I can be a part of their journey towards making their special day, beautiful and unforgettable. Which, by the way, has given me the opportunity to design their engagement party invites that I am hosting for them next month. I just sent them out to print and hopefully it will come out great.

Until then, I am in no hurry! Life is moving fast, but I like to take my time and just go with the flow!

You can definitely catch up with the day to day details of my life on my personal blog, Heartbeats.

Cheers!

Posted in On a Personal Note, Uncategorized

Digital Scrapbook | Love.Cherish.Always

dahliaco — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:54:55 +0000

Credits:
{Dahlia Co Designs} – Red background from A Colorful Moment Paper Set | Flourish from Flourished Garden
| “Forever Yours” brushes from Weddings Word Art Vol.1 | Grunge Frame and Stitches

Butterfly from Crazy Beautiful by Fei-Fei’s Stuff | Love Cherish word art from Scrap N Fonts

Posted in Digital Scrapbook

Following my dream…

dahliaco — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:11:05 +0000

Looking back about 3 years ago, I decided to follow my heart and took the plunge into going back to school for Graphic Design @ Sessions.Edu and without a doubt, it was definitely the perfect decision for me. In previous years of college, I had attempted to major in biotechnology, accounting, or english thinking that it would eventually lead me to a secure and solid career, not to mention one that will pay well. Deep down, however, I wasn’t at peace with it and had this desire for something more fulfilling, more creative, more the person that I really am. I was stuck with that pondering question—what is it that I love to do?

I thought about my childhood and years of growing up, how I loved the arts, how colors, designs, and textures appealed to me, how doodling, drawing, and writing was a way of expressing myself and how I would rather make a card or gift than shop for it. For some reason, I never took any art classes in high school, but found myself working for a local art and craft store for several years while going to my local community college. It was during that time, that I became truly aware of the creativity that I never really knew I possessed. I was surrounded by a wealth of information and resources in the creative arena, mostly from customers that I’ve come in contact with who inspired me with tips and ideas. I took upon myself to read books and teach myself how to paint with acrylics, to make jewelry, to knit or crochet a scarf, to make wedding favors or invitations, to scrapbook an album, to do floral arrangements, etc. It was so much fun to discover that part of me even though deep down I knew it was there all along just waiting to come out. From that point on in my life, I knew that I wanted to be a designer or artist of some capacity and that I no longer had to question what type of career was best for me or what path has God destined me to travel.

So there you go! Just a little overview of where I came from and my journey in becoming an artist/designer. There’s definitely a lot more to what has helped lead me to where I am now, but for now this is just a little bit about me in a nutshell. In time, you will definitely get to know me better as a person, as a mom, as a wife, and hopefully as a friend.

Now, to give you an idea of what I’m currently in the process of doing… I am taking a leap of faith in opening my own Etsy shop (www.dahliacodesigns.etsy.com) which will be a place where you can shop for my custom designs, photography art, stationary, and other good stuff until I can complete my personal website. I haven’t added anything yet because I’ve got a lot of preparation to do in learning how to successfully handle the ins and outs of selling at Etsy. It’s such a wonderful and supportive community for all types of artists and I also adore all the handmade things that people are selling, certainly very unique and creative. Other things that I plan to offer here on my blog will hopefully connect you to a wealth of creative ideas and inspiration from around the web and maybe share my knowledge and skills with you in how-to tutorials and videos. So, hopefully this will keep you reading and checking back for more!

Thank you for reading and taking time to stop by! More to come soon….

Posted in On a Personal Note

Hello world!

dahliaco — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:30:01 +0000

I’m currently getting started on my new blog here @ wordpress and hope to make this my permanent home as I switch over from SugarInk Studio. So stay tuned for some future announcements to what exactly I will be presenting. I do have my store website still in the works as well over at www.dahliacodesigns.com. There’s so much that I have been dreaming up and thinking about for the past months since 2009 and I am finally starting to take some steps in the attempt to making my dream come true. With much prayer and faith in God, I believe it’s all going to come together. So, check back later and it will be a new adventure for me and for those of you who want to come along for the ride!!!

Posted in Check It Out! Tagged: Check It Out!