And the winner is...

Commenter #2- Amanda!! Send us an e-mail at info{@}lassodmoondesigns.com. Can't wait to help with your invitations.

Congrats to everyone who entered :)

It's Our Anniversary!

Today marks Lasso'd Moon Designs end of our fifth year in business, and the start of our sixth- no small feat when you're primarily internet based. So to celebrate- we're giving away a- wait for it- $100 gift certificate!!!

That's right...


to enter- you must be 1) getting married 2) need invitations (only our custom invitations are eligible) and 3) be sure to become a fan on Facebook or a blog follower so you'll be updated when we choose the winner 4) you must leave a comment below with your wedding color scheme ('cause I'm curious!)

The giveaway will be open until noon on 2/8/2010, at which time we'll use a random number generator online to choose a winner.

Some small print: this contest is open to new clients only, and you must be a US resident to enter. cannot be combined with other offers or gift certificates.

Wedding Wednesday- The MUST Have Kitchen Utensils

Last week, guest poster Dawn Viola clued us in as to the bakeware and cookware we should have in our kitchen. This week, I bring you her list of the must have utensils.

Utensils: Stainless steel is the best choice whenever possible. If using non-stick cookware, then silcon or rubber should be used.
1 spatula
1 wire whisk
2 sets of tongs
1 set of large wooden spoons
1 large mixing spoon
1 large slotted spoon
vegetable peeler
box cheese grater
manual can opener
manual bottle opener
manual cork screw
cutting boards - wood or plastic (never glass; it damages knives)

Knives: A good set of knives is worth the investment. If kept sharp, they'll last a lifetime.
8" chef knife
1 steel (for honing, not sharpening)
1 pairing knife
1 bread knife
6 steak knives
Kitchen shears

Ten + years into marriage and I still don't have a pair of kitchen shears, and I can't tell you how many times I wish I did! A good pair can be used for cutting up a chicken (no joke, I saw Alton Brown on the Food Network do it), chives, green onions and all kinds of things- but just keep them separate and don't use them for paper.

What kitchen item could you not live without? For me, it's a 12" non-stick skillet from Hoffritz. It's seriously amazing. Scrambled eggs, no sticking, no butter or margarine. We got it when a kitchen outlet was going out of business and got a tremendous deal on it- I only wish I'd gotten a smaller 6" or 8" too. But we can also put it in the oven as well because it's got a metal handle (great for making things like frittatas).

For more goodies from Dawn, check out her blog, Wicked Good Dinner. Next week, Dawn will be sharing must have cookbooks!

Take 5 Tuesdays! The Cost of Custom Invitations

"Why does this cost so much??"

One of the most common questions or concerns I tend to hear about in the wedding industry is why does this cost so much? And while that seems to be asked of every wedding service, I'd like to address the cost of custom stationery and invitations.

When you order a custom invitation, your stationer isn't taking a stock design, dropping in your wording and shipping them off to a printer. Typically, there is an in person meeting if you are close in geography, a flurry of e-mails, rounds of proofs and perhaps a number of phone conversations or in person meetings. This doesn't even take into account the time your designer might spend on creating or altering graphics to suit your particular wants. So before you even get to printing, your designer could be any where from 3-10 hours into your project.

Then there is the cost of paper. Metallics are more than matte papers, and patterned and specialty papers are even more. Just upgrading your paper, adding a specialty item like pocketfold or box, can easily make a couple of dollars difference in your invitations. Specialty items=specialty machines=more labor and cost.

Now, we're at the printing stage. Flat printing is the most economical and your stationer might do most of their printing in house. This means, most of the time, that we're carefully watching and constantly performing quality checks to make sure your invitations are perfectly printed. But certain textured papers can only be either outsourced or printed on a professional ink jet, which can be a little more costly and very time-consuming (for the ink jet method). If you choose thermography and get custom colors, this will cost you more as the inks aren't stocked and must be mixed for your project (again, more time for the printers, and more cost for you). For letterpress invites, not only does the ink have to be mixed, it's a labor intensive and timely process. Each piece is printed one at a time, often in a manual process.

Last stage is assembly. We're perfectionists- and assembling layers and cutting small seals is a timely processes. Depending on how much paper you have, your invitations may take several hours to put together. And don't forget the tools we need to put them together- lots of glue, tape, tape guns and the like.

When all is said and done, your stationer could easily have 20-40 hours into your project (aside from project materials). And that's just for your project- remember that we've also spent time and money advertising so that you could find us as well. We have business bills to pay and like you, like to make some money too. So while initially it may seem like a lot of money, consider the time and materials spent to make your invitations/food/photos and the expertise to get it done. Remember that we're working as hard as we can to make something beautiful that you and your guests will forever appreciate and won't be able to stop talking about.

Wedding Wednesday- The Newlywed Kitchen: What to Register For in Cookware and Bakeware

I'm so excited for today's guest poster, former stationer Dawn Viola, who owned Anna Bella Stationery before turning to a career in food. Dawn switched her writing focus to food when a soy and peanut allergy diagnosis forced her to change the way she purchased, cooked and enjoyed food. She enrolled in culinary school and began teaching others how to cook with creativity, passion and purpose using sustainable, local and organic ingredients whenever possible, with an improvisational approach to cooking.

Dawn has written original recipe articles, food features, cooking instruction documents and commentary for a variety of publications and blogs such as Chef2Chef, Recipe Lion, and Examiner, handling all aspects of research, photo styling and editing. She has also appeared on Food Network, Fox News, Martha Stewart Radio, and was recently featured in Desserts Magazine. Dawn is also the 2009 Crisco National Apple Pie Champion (professional division), and has also placed in the California Table Grape Commission and Faces of Contadina recipe challenges.

Dawn has graciously offered up a (HUGE) list of what engaged couples should consider stocking their kitchens with- the must haves, if you will, of the basic kitchen. This week we'll be focusing on bakeware and cookware, and next week utensils and knives.


Cookware: I recommend a good stainless steel set that can go from stove to oven, preferably with lids for everything, even the skillets. One of each will suffice, but if you love to cook, you'll want to double up on the skillets.
3-quart covered sauce pan
10-quart covered sauce pan
6-quart covered stockpot
8" or 10" skillet
1 large roasting pan

Bakeware: nonstick is a great choice, but watch for grooves and places where food can get stuck -- they're impossible to clean sometimes. Select items that are seamless whenever possible.
2 cookie sheets
1 muffin tin
1 square 9x9" glass baking dish
1 rectangular 5-quart baking dish
Casserole dishes that can also double as serving dishes
1 set of mixing bowls

Small appliances: an up-front investment in quality
appliances will be well worth it. These can sometimes last
20 or more years.None of these are essential, but will make
food prep much faster and easier.
Some possible appliances to consider:
Consider:
hand held mixer
standing mixer
food processor
blender
immersion blender
slow cooker
Dutch oven
And, to serve all of the food the newlyweds will be
cooking, they'll need some snazzy plates, serving
platters, barware and utensils!

After the wedding, I recommend the couple make their own wish list, where once a week or once a month, whatever they can afford, they purchase an "adventure ingredient," such as a spice, or food they've never cooked with before. And also a new kitchen gadget - something they've always wanted. It can be anything from the top of the line food processor, or an inexpensive wooden citrus reemer. By keeping a wish list even after the wedding, it will keep them inspired to learn new cooking techniques and try new recipes.


Keep an eye out for even more posts from Dawn over the coming months, covering all kinds of kitchen and cooking related goodies! You can also follow her cooking journey over at Wicked Good Dinner.

Take 5 Tuesday- A Peek Into the Studio

I'm always curious about where others work, so I thought I'd post a few pictures of my studio. It's nothing fancy- and I'm still trying to decide where to hang things (just moved into a new home studio), but you might see a few surprising things:



One of the shelves of paper- the ball jar "vase" is full of lavender buds- and flowers, made of paper!


Yes, that's Eeyore on that mug. On the board is some inspiration in the form of vintage postcards, some cute Cartolina notebooks and pictures of my eldest (to the right, unseen, is another board with more kid pics)



A small part of my collection. People are always surprised to learn I collect Barbie dolls- it started when I was a kid, and just never stopped. Most are collectibles, and one, had the box not gotten ruined through several moves, was at one time worth $600. The shelves wrap around 2 walls of my office, but there are other spots in my home that house different collections of dolls (Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland).

What surprising things would someone find in your office or work space?

Papeie Monday- 3-D Save the Date

I can't remember how I first came across this, but thought it was a pretty interesting idea and great for a fun save the date- especially with a movie or theater themed wedding:



You can get more details from Etsy seller EliminateUgly.

Free for all Friday- A Peek Into my Kitchen

If it's not totally apparent by now, I'll say it again. I love vintage. A lot. I have a lot of tins and trays, ball jars in turquoise and old fruit labels serving as wall art. As we're in the process of remodeling, I find myself trying to rid myself of clutter. Our kitchen/open dining room is fairly big- 12 x 24, but severely lacking in cabinet space. So I found myself looking for other ways to either display the tins that I have, or *gasp* consider getting rid of them. I really didn't want to get rid of them, so I found new life for them:

These are obviously holding my cooking utensils, replacing the ugly plastic container they came with.


Oh, what's that one hiding? Well, let me tell you! Caps and tops to baby bottles and cups.


What about these? :
The tray has been known to appear in some product shots. The tins are holding other "things" like check books, a pocketknife...you know, that stuff that there's just no other place for.


And these baskets that are on the bottom shelf of our bakers rack:

Are hiding trashbags. We buy them in bulk and the orange boxes they come in are hideous. What's that? You can't see them? I know!! LOL

So what creative uses for your space and goodies?