Neutrals | Handmade paper | Envelopes | creative mess via iwonak.com

Generally, I like to post things like this on my Instagram account but couldn’t help it. How pretty are those colors!!! I’m working on a fun new wedding invitation and the colors I’m using are just dreamy….. Love my desk at the moment and all of this mess ;)

 

Sugar cookies + royal icing | so delicious

I was hanging out on Pinterest the other day looking for ideas for Easter decorating and got inspired by the pretty sugar cookies out there. I don’t know about you, but I LOVE pretty inspirations and just had to make them right then. I was surprised how easy they are to make! The frosting was a challenge and definitely needs some improvement but overall I think they look decent for a first timer. We took them to the Easter party and they were such a hit. I’ll be making them again and will share the recipe once I get it perfected.

So, here they are, my first ever Sugar Cookies!

Pastel sugar cookies with Royal IcingPastel sugar cookies for Easter

Letterpress + Turquoise Watercolor + pink edge business cards | Design by IwonaK.com

I’ve been loving my business cards since they day I got them, but once in a while I get the idea to “spice” them up somehow. I’ve wanted something simple, organic, something that wouldn’t overwhealm the classic design of my cards. So, yesterday while working with watercolors on the new wedding invitation, I’ve decided to carry on and add some colors to my cards. I went over each one with a touch of watercolor and I’m surprised how nicely letterpress paper takes watercolor. I love they way they’ve turned out, how each one is different and how the turquoise watercolor works with the letterpress and pink edges.

Letterpress + Watercolor + pink edge business cards | Design by IwonaK.comWatercolor and letterpress | business cards | Design by IwonaK.comWatercolor + pink edge letterpress business cards | Design by IwonaK.comLetterpress + Watercolor + pink edge business cards | Designed by IwonaK.com

Kendal & Jim's wedding featured in Seattle Met Bride and Groom magazine. | Florals by Finch & Thistle Event Design | Photography by Catherine Abegg | Stationery by Iwona Konarski

Seattle themed wedding invitations | Finch and Thistle event design | Catherine Abegg photography | Iwona Konarski wedding invitations and collateral

So fun to see a Seattle themed wedding invitations I designed last summer for Kendal & Jim in the Seattle Met Bride and Groom magazine. I finally got my hands on the newest edition and voila, now I can proudly share it. The main invitation is letterpressed in navy and yellow ink on eco friendly paper. I love how it turned out and can’t wait to share more. You can view more beautiful images from this wedding here.

 

Floral and event design: Finch & Thistle Event Design  | Photography: Catherine Abegg

Brush lettering | Have fun | by iwonak.com

One thing that is quickly becoming my obsession is watercolor lettering and calligraphy. I work mostly on branding and design project nowadays and working with brushes and paint gives me a nice break from the computer and pushes me in a different, more artsy direction. I quite like it. It’s been a while since I’ve created something with my hands. I share most of my daily work and life on Instagram, but will try to share a bit here.

Exercise | Fitness | Fashion |  Mood Board |  by IwonaK.com

I’m really excited to show you the moodboards I’ve been working on with one of my sweet clients. While I absolutely love wall mounted inspiration boards, creating them digitally is so much easier and faster. I create digital mood boards for most projects. All my branding, collateral or wedding stationery project always, always start with a mood board. I love them. They help me define the visual direction of a brand, sort through my ideas and show clients my creative vision. They act as a guideline and they help with brand consistency.

A mood board is a combination of imagery, typography, colors and textures that define the style of the project and serve as a reference point. It is a tool for creatives and clients that conveys a design idea, moods, feelings and direction that are hard to communicate. For me, the mood boards are incredible tools in my work with clients. They help me think big and guide me along the way.  Check them out.

 

Sunnies | Fashion | Summer Fun | Mood Board by IwonaK.com

Happy | Color | Style | Mood Board by IwonaK.com

Letterpress Wedding Invitation in Silver Ink -| #letterpress #weddinginvitations #wedding #weddingstationery #stationery #silver #letterpresed #iwonak #print #weddingcollateral #iwonak.com

 

#tbt to my first wedding invitation. I’ve designed it and printed it for my friends who this year celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary. It was a fun but very time consuming project and I got to do it all manually, no computer involved. I worked with a vintage raised metal type that I set in the composing stick, setting letter by letter, line by line. It took me at least 3 attempts to find the type with complete alphabet that had all the letters I needed that weren’t damaged (“a’s” were always needed!) and yet I had to compromise on the ampersand that doesn’t match ;) I have to say I still like this invitation and it’s imperfections and how modern it looks given the traditional way of designing and printing it.