• That we aren’t turkeys
• That the Harry Potter movies are “visually stunning” — so we can go see them “for the art”
• Gmail, Google Chat, Google Reader and Google Docs
• Fantastic customers, partners and vendors
• Words with Friends on the iPhone
• Supportive family and friends
• Beagle puppies
• Apple (the fruit, the pie or the Company — your call)

Happy Thanksgiving from LLB Designs!

Remember this sassy bride-to-be?  When it came time for all of the actual knot-tying to take place some of her nearest and dearest got together to throw her a bridal luncheon the morning of the big day. The dress code was deemed “flip flop casual”, and a request was put in for a “festive wildflowery” invitation. LLB Designs got on it and the result was this floral invite with happy colors and scripty fonts for a look and feel that is casual and whimsical, but of course still appropriate for a wedding day event. Congrats, again, to the new Mr. and Mrs.!

One of the best things about the the San Francisco 49ers is that they are as active in the community as they are on the football field. The 49ers Foundation, whose mission is “Keeping Kids Safe, on Track and in School,” leverages the well known NFL team and players to raise money for community programs for underserved youth in the Bay Area. So tally that up as a win!  LLB Designs was asked to create a little handout highlighting some of the Foundation’s key stats including the $10 million that has been given back to the community, the fun events that make it possible, and the well-deserving organizations receiving grants through the foundation. The 4.25 x 11” card combines football imagery with photos from actual 49ers Foundation events, including a great shot of team owners Denise and John York interacting with the kids. Digital printing with an aqueous coating kept the project both polished and cost effective, and the unique size makes for flexible marketing collateral that can serve as a stand-alone piece and also works well alongside other team and foundation materials.

This little gal has a first birthday coming up, and her active social life officially requires some stationery so she can keep up with her personal correspondence. LLB Designs was happy to help! These personalized note cards combine a cheeky floral pattern and an updated version of the illustration from her blog header and shower invite. The petite size is perfect for a thank you note, to enclose with a gift or a quick hello to a friend. Now all she needs is some help with the penmanship…

Photo courtesy of  www.redframedesign.

This special couple has been together since pre-school (almost), and somehow managed to make it all the way to the end of their 20′s without a surprise party. That ended with Bryan’s 30th, and what a party it was. Flowers (on every surface available), top notch food and A-list guests all came together for one heck of an evening.

Asked by the stylish hostess to create the invitations, LLB Designs incorporated blue and brown colors for a fresh and not too girly palette. And of course the number one fear when planning a surprise party is the honoree catching on, so a little reminder reading “Shhh….it’s a surprise” was printed on the back of the invites and positioned to be the first thing guests saw when opening the invitation. While all of these little details help, there’s no getting around the fact that the photo of the birthday boy steals the show. Just as it should.

This beautiful bride from Dallas, TX is planning a hill country wedding in Austin this spring, and she was sweet enough to let LLB Designs help with her save the dates. While her venue and dress are somewhat formal, it was important to her to set the tone of the event as relaxed and not too stuffy. She also came prepared with some gorgeous engagement photos that are a perfect blend of casual and chic. Thoughtful cropping and a sepia treatment worked together to bring the photo centerstage, and simple but pretty typography relayed the details in a subtle but graceful way. Congratulations to the lovely couple, and best wishes as you finalize the plans for what is sure to be a stunning hill country wedding!

Meet Dropcam, an exciting young bay area company that makes easy-to-use video cameras that let you watch your baby, your puppy, your employees — whatever you want — right over the internet. You just plug in the camera and it connects to the internet so you can watch from anywhere using a browser. Neat, right?  We were thrilled when they came to us at LLB Designs with a packaging project: a custom instruction sheet to fit into the box that the product ships in. The project included fine-tuning the company’s colors and overall look, as well as custom illustrations of the product and the simple set-up process. The finished piece is clean and un-cluttered, emphasizing that the product is sleek and easy-to-use .

Everybody loves a surprise party and we here at LLB Designs are no exception; especially when we get to help out with the invitations. This family planned a special reunion and surprise party for their grandmother’s 80th birthday in St Leonard, Quebec. The party was held the first weekend in December, so winter colors and frosted images were the perfect fit.

Because some guests live in the states and others in Canada, the family thoughtfully chose to include reply cards so that guests wouldn’t have to make long distance phone calls to RSVP. The outside of the final piece was a serene aqua gatefold with snow-topped branches and bright pops of berry red. The inside packs a bit more punch with a stunning red background and much talk of toasts and surprises.