Archive for 2011

After being away for a while, I'm finally back and I made it on time for Christmas.
Here are my last minute printable gift tags in a light blue and red theme.

The circles can also be used as cupcake toppers, stickers or used for party decoration.

It was one of those days of the month, after a long day at work and with my mood at its worst, when I had to go to the supermarket for some "provisions".
One of the hardest things for me to find since I moved to Australia was a good brand of feminine products. I had a few frustrating attempts at it, until I found a brand that I liked. Well, that day I couldn't find it there...
After half an hour walking back and forward in the feminine care aisle, my eyes caught the word "design" in one of the packages. It said those pads had "a range of fun and colourful designs to suit your mood". Sold! Those were the ones I bought.
And after all, they ended up being the best pads I've tried here and they're actually kinda cute.

Last weekend I went with a friend (also graphic designer) to the Spring Spectacular Bridal Expo here in Sydney. It was funny because neither of us is getting married and everyone there offering their services would ask us "Who's the bride to be?".
After explaining a few times that we were there only to have a look and seeing the disappointment in their faces, perhaps thinking we were some king of desperate single women who didn't even have a boyfriend and were already shopping for a wedding gown, we started pretending that one of us were actually engaged (we took turns). It was hilarious!

Even though we really enjoyed the Fashion Parade and had a blast commenting some of the ugly and over-sparkling dresses we saw, our purpose there was to get inspiration for our design projects.

So this week I'm committed to design a few sets of printable wedding stationery. This was the first one. It's available in different colours and it's, of course, customisable with the customer's details.
Check the Etsy shop for more ideas later this week.
I hope you like it!

I woke up this morning and opened the curtains of my bedroom as usual, only to find out that it wasn't a sunny winter day like the last ones. It was a grey and boring scenario outside.
For some that could be reason enough to get a little depressed. I must admit that I didn't change from my pyjamas all morning, but I did have some productive hours still.

This theme was the result of a grey morning in Sydney. I love the colour combination, red and blue are always good together. I'll probably make an invitation card to match later on.

I recently added some printable 'Save the Date' cards to my Etsy shop.

I found out that wedding related items are always on demand, so I thought I should give it a try. Here are the first ones.
They are personalised with client's information and choice of available colours.

I remember my birthday parties when I was a child, back in the 80's.
My mum used to set up the living room table with a lot of sweets and snacks.
We didn't have a lot of party supplies back then, but that didn't seem to be a problem. Mum would make the deserts on plastic cups, arrange some plates with little sandwiches and chips, and spread lollies around the table.

The cake was, of course, the main attraction. Usually it was shaped like a clown face, decorated with chocolate, cream and smarties, and the nose was an a egg shell painted in red. My sister and I always loved that cake, simply because mum had made it herself for us.
Every time I see those old pictures, even though I don't remember much, I can tell the time and effort mum put in every birthday party and I know how much we were loved.

That is probably the reason why I became so interested in party decoration. I want to provide others with the tools to prepare a great party for their loved ones.
Because giving your dedication and time is the best way to show how much you care.

About 5 months ago I moved from Portugal to Sydney.

Although I loved my country and I had a stable life, living in a brand new apartment and working full time as a graphic designer, I wasn't completely fulfilled with my job and I was worried about the future with the economical crisis going on there.
Taking the step to move so far away wasn't easy, but my boyfriend had a lot of relatives here and they welcomed and supported us through this new beginning.

My boyfriend found a nice job straight away, but for me it took a while. At first I was studying, then I started to work in casual jobs. By the time I finished the English course I was only working about 5 hours a day, so I grabbed the opportunity to spend my spare time doing something I love and that could give me some extra money.
That's when I opened the Etsy shop at www.mypartydesign.etsy.com and started taking my party decoration ideas more seriously.

This blog will not only be a showcase of my work, but also a diary of my Australian adventure. Wish me luck! :)