Studio AM

07/24/2019

For my daughter's 7th birthday this year she decided on a simple (yay!) outdoor party at a park with a creek. Zoey asked me to "add bugs to the invitations so the boys would want to come." (It worked! It turned out to be the muddiest, wildest, most fun birthday party I've ever seen.)
April Bradshaw Matthews

07/10/2019

HELLO FRIENDS!! 👋👋👋👋 For the past two years, I’ve been working full-time in a design firm while the hubster went back to grad school (he's now a Duck AND a Beaver--so a platypus?).

Anyway. While I’ve been happily filling Studio AM orders as they come in (thank you!), I took a break from social media, and adding to my shop.

NEXT comes the awesome news— the hubs is done with school and I’m back at Studio AM, one hundred percent. This means I finally get to post all the new designs that have been patiently waiting to see the light of day, plus my overwhelmingly long list of new ideas (but send me more!).

P.S. For my besties who want details-- cubicle life was amaaaaazingly fun, thanks to the BEST.COWORKERS.EVER, and super challenging projects. I worked on graphic & interior design for amazing clients like Albertsons, Safeway, and ‪Starbucks‬. Now that that chapter is done, I'm really happy to be working more directly & personally with customers again (and getting to spend time with my little ones at home). Thank you for being here!

07/18/2017

It's time to pick out *our own* moving announcements because my family and I are moving back to Oregon!!! We might use these, but since we've decided to drive all the way from Ohio, I'm seriously considering some pixelated, Oregon-Trail-style "you have died of Dysentery" amazingness 🐂🌲💕

I've been wildly busy with wedding invitation season PLUS all the logistics of selling our current home, and planning out our new home across the country. When I get busy, social media just gets buried (including my personal account... I swear I'm still alive, guys). I reeeeally need to find the time to catch you guys up on all the invitations I've done this summer! But in the meanwhile, my Etsy shop is still humming along and I'm happily accepting big custom design orders-- quiet on my end always means BUSY in a great way : )

05/02/2017

Painting peonies for wedding invitations-- I don't get much more blissed-out than this. (Never mind how awkward I am at taking photos with my left hand only 🙃🎨) More peeks of these soon!

04/27/2017

Remember Noelle's Mamasté blog I designed earlier this year?

She and I collaborated on this Mother's Day card, and are giving a great big chunk of the proceeds to UNFPA. We chose UNFPA because they do an amazing job of supporting and protecting mamas, children, and babies around the globe.

Link in comments to this card, and lots of others-- we've already sold a bunch and I'd love to send some to all of you too! 💌💌💌

04/01/2017

How to make my day: ask me to design your daughter's DINOSAUR + ART party invitations 😱💕💕💕

How to make my YEAR: ask for a side of temporary tattoos with that order 🍟✨

(I seriously think I might steal this birthday theme for my own 30th birthday this month!...)

03/24/2017

This project was honestly one of those times when I pinch myself because I can't believe this fun stuff is my job. Noelle asked for ALL MY FAVORITE THINGS on her new website: greenery, pretty white space, annnd-- and her writing ranks way up there on my list of favorite things to see on a website, too ; )

It was such an honor to create the Mamasté Blog for Noelle 💛 I'm looking forward to seeing her do amazing things with this!

03/08/2017

'April was such a joy to work with - her prompt communications, beautiful custom design, professionalism, and advice really made this process fun and exciting. We absolutely love our invitations, so thank you, thank you!' – Jenn from Bend, Oregon

Woohoo!! Feedback like this is why I work SO hard for my customers-- it makes my day to make yours 💙

I have a ton of projects to catch you guys up on-- lots of logos for small businesses, and custom invitation designs (my favorite!)

11/27/2016

Anybody else hiding at home in their pajamas, shopping online to avoid the shop-ocalypse (and eating ALL the pie leftovers then contemplating baking more)??

If you still need to check off Christmas cards from your list, use code SHOPSMALL16 for 20% off cards or anything else from the shop. 💕

http://studioamdesign.etsy.com

09/13/2016

Who wouldn't want to announce to the world that they were moving to Portland, Oregon? 😍 Custom moving announcements designed for a sweet engaged couple (and their dog Percy)! Isn't the quote they picked awesome?

08/10/2016

Here's what it's like to get an invitation in the mail from Studio AM! (Oh, well minus the slightly creepy, self-unfolding paper. Still fine-tuning that part for ya.)

When I first heard the hostess's vision of this birthday party (live acoustic guitar, blankets on the ground, and flower crowns) I told her that they didn't need invitations. They needed POSTERS.

So we surprised the guests with their own folded-up festival posters!

Have I mentioned that I love my job??!

08/05/2016

Happy mail I sent out for Samantha White's birthday party tomorrow! These tiny envelopes were the smallest the Post Office would accept-- BUT-- they have a BIGGG surprise stuffed inside them! I'll spill the beans after this weekend 😉

07/06/2016

Here's how the balloon garland turned out for Zoey's birthday!! Thanks so much for all the suggestions on which fruits to do. Now I'm looking for an excuse to make more! 🍉🍓🍒

06/23/2016

Here's our current progress at making a balloon garland for Zoey's birthday... and it involves blowing up dozens of water balloons by MOUTH. These lungs are gonna be so buff by Saturday! 😙💨🏆

Obsessed with those little blueberries 😍 Any suggestions for other fruits to add? Pineapples somehow? I can't stop!!!

06/22/2016

Happy SUMMER!! 🙌🏼🍉🍋💦Here's a sneak peek of the folded watermelon invitations for Zoey's birthday party ((which is this Saturday! I'm in scramble mode right now with the decorations!!!))

I'm thinking of adding these to my shop-- would you guys want to see lemon slice versions too? Are there any other fruits I'm not thinking of that would work well? Thank you!!

05/27/2016

Hello my dear amigos! I'm stumped on the background color for this new pool party invitation and would LOVE to hear your vote!

I had so, so much coffee yesterday and totally embraced the tacky with these invitations-- and now in my slightly less caffeinated state I'm wondering if the yellow is too much. Or is it RAD??😎🌴

Thanks so much (and YAY! Enjoy your three-day weekend!!)

05/06/2016

My little lady watches me make Mother's Day cards all month, and then insists on making her own to send to our family. Here's Zoey's favorite method if you want to surprise a Mama with some awesome kid art this Sunday!
(In this video Zoey uses Dot-a-dot Markers from Michaels Stores, but regular markers or watercolor paints work great too.)

04/27/2016

HOLY SMOKES!!!! Not just one but *FOUR* Studio AM cards are featured on this The Huffington Post article!

P.S. 15% of the proceeds from the card pictured below will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation 💕

Funny and sweet cards from beyond the Hallmark aisle.

04/18/2016

For some reason ✨you lucky people✨ know a lot of Hot Mamas, because these cards sell more than anything else in my shop!

On Etsy, you can see the search terms people use to find your items, and it makes me so happy to see that people who buy this card are looking for:
"card for new mom"
"card for wife"
"card for pregnant friend"
..and I smile SO BIG every time I ship out an order to think about these new moms, wives, and best friends opening up their envelopes on Mother's day. 💕💕

Know a hot mama?? I bet you do! ; ) https://www.etsy.com/listing/231211913/

03/30/2016

My 3-year-old went to simplest, sweetest birthday party this last weekend at her best friend's house. There was no "theme," color scheme, or even decorations other than a vase of flowers on the table. The kids played out in the sunny backyard the whole time, got grass stains on their knees, and had a blast!

It was so refreshingly simple and heartfelt that I came home feeling inspired and drew up this little birthday cake invitation (https://goo.gl/FgjRpe) for famlies who want to keep things sweet and basic.

This isn't to say that I won't crack out on Zoey's birthday party again like I did last year, buuut this party was a nice reminder that kids are really just happy to have some friends over to share cake with. At least for the earlier birthdays, anything else is mostly for the parents-- right? Find your line between "fun" and "stressful" (it's in a different place for all of us!) and be kind to yourself!

03/07/2016

Is it summer yet?? I'm holding back from designing pool party invitations for now, but this sunshine is causing everything I make lately to be crazy colorful!

02/12/2016

Can you imagine how hard I geeked when I learned my daughter's preschool class was exchanging Valentines this week??

**DESIGN NERD MODE ACTIVATE**
**LEVEL: 110%**

Zoey requested "pink, candy, and cookies," and we collab'ed on these colorful little sticker sheets for her friends 💕💕

Happy Valentine's weekend!

11/18/2015

I'm making Christmas party invitations for my shop... and realized I just discovered my spirit animal for this holiday season 😎🌴✨

((I also discovered that my three-year-old calls pink birds with long legs "falimbos." HA))

And so we have FABULOUS FALIMBO invitations:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/254120216

10/23/2015

I'm so obsessed with pumpkin carving parties that they made up 3/4 of the Halloween invitations in my Etsy shop this year. Drinks + knives + pumpkin guts-- of course this is my favorite party ; ))

Here's the invitation the hubster and I picked for ours this weekend. Time to dig out the safety glasses!!!

10/14/2015

Officially coming out of "new baby hibernation mode!" Here's a photo of the customer who's been taking up all my time lately ; )

Working from home with a tiny one is a TOTALLY different ball game (no surprise there!). I've been stocking up my Etsy Shop, and am now starting to contact the very patient people on my waiting list ; ) If you want to hop on the list, I'll probably be able to get to you around Spring 2016.

Selling via Etsy is turning out to be amazingly fun and rewarding! To keep myself sane right now, I'm only offering "print at home" designs (this will change in the future). I have a bajillion more ideas for new listings, but if you'd like to see what I have so far, here's the link:
http://studioamdesign.etsy.com

Of course, I work best when I have real customers as inspiration-- so if there are any designs you'd like to see, I would LOVE to hear your ideas! Please let me know and I'll see what I can do!

06/03/2015

Throwing a 3rd birthday party for my little lady this weekend!

(I'm currently 8.5 months pregnant, and thinking that the "nesting instinct" has been manifesting itself into planning this party. Cross your fingers that I don't put myself into labor blowing up balloons...)

05/27/2015

These two lovebirds are getting married *this* weekend!

Working with them on their save-the-dates, invitations, and website has been one of my all-time favorite projects.

Best wishes for this weekend and your happily ever after!! xoxo

(Save the dates: https://goo.gl/cbRhND)

04/15/2015

Oh, save-the-dates! Fun!
Wait… is that a… unicorn? And a NARWHAL??

Yes, yes it is.

I vividly remember receiving the first email about these save-the-dates and sprinting upstairs to re-read it to my husband. I am SO FLATTERED that people who are rad enough to want a unicorn and narwhal on their wedding stationery would come to me to make it happen for them.

Dream job, I swear. Thanks Malia & Billy!

03/19/2015

A two-minute test print run at Staples always turns into a 20-minute adventure with this little "helper."

We make sure all the office chairs are spinning properly and that every.last.calculator + sample pen is (still) up to par. Sorry Staples, you're pretty much our playground during the winter months…

03/10/2015

I have been so busy doting hardcore (can I use those two words together??) on my customers that I've got some serious catchup to do on Facebook.

Here's a business card makeover I did for Rogue Ski Shop in Medford, Oregon-- made with extra love because it's owned/operated by my in-laws! They're major small-business inspiration for me