A Momental Girl Gets Married – Meet Steph!

Hiring a new employee is always terribly nerve wracking for both parties involved.  When I met Steph for the first time, my nerves were instantly calmed.  Her bubbly presence mixed with a serious sense of her own artistic style and knowledge of the wedding industry were impressive.  It is not often that silkscreen save the date hankies are part of a prospective employees portfolio.  Steph is now our newest Momental Girl and we already love her.  Now here comes the fun part….she is getting married!!  Yes, there it is, the news I have been dying to share.  One of our very own Momental Girls is getting married.  Did I mention I was excited?  So I am taking some time today to introduce you properly to Steph because of course I will be asking her to come online from time to time to share bits from her planning adventure.  From her quaint and lovely venue to her uber creative poster style save the dates plus her teeny, tiny obsession with all things Joy Thingpen; this girl has a lot of good to share!

Steph graduated from Moravian College in Bethlehem PA with a degree in Studio Art.  Her artwork is full of luscious brushstrokes and smoldering color.  Steph and Tyler will be tying the knot next summer on June 25th.  She claims she has finally chosen colors (will share soon) but is most excited about the save the dates she and Tyler are designing all inspired by the cutest proposal story ever…well maybe not ever, but it is REALLY good!

Here is a little about Steph in her own words:

We currently reside in a cute little home nestled between the mountains and the river in Shawnee on Delaware; perfect for late night summer fires, vermilion bedrooms and Halloween decorations in the month of October.

We met in my first  art class at Moravian College. I was quiet and serious.  He was boisterous and disorderly and only sometimes funny, all I could do was laugh  silently to myself.  Having no time for him then, how could I have known we would meet again a year later through a mutual friend.   After a couple horror movie screenings and a few late night campfires, we had a record setting first date, filled with beer and cheese soup, surprise lilies, and a funny photo on Santa’s lap.  The rest is history and I wouldn’t trade the wonderfully unforgettable two years and nine months to date.

Self Portraits, Oil on Canvas

I don’t know about you but I cannot wait to hear more about that proposal and those save the dates!!

A Peek into the Studio – Meet Jessica

I wanted to take some time today to reintroduce you to a very amazing person who is more than my studio manager but also my friend (since grade school to be exact). From our days in Girls Scouts crafting cross-stitch to college summers staging elaborate painting vignettes, Jess (as I call her) has been part of my life for what seems like forever, she is family.  Jess loves the color green, is an artist in everything she does, has an infectious, silly laugh and makes our team whole.  I am sure you have seen many of our Custom Venue Illustration wedding invitations recently and it is likely that what you saw was created in whole or part by our fabulous Jessica.

My style of artwork is naturally very bold and sweeping, detailed yet stylized.  Jessica’s meticulous, realistic yet spirited style is the perfect balance to mine and I am lucky to have her as my artistic right hand.   Momental is not a team of one- it is a living, breathing compilation of efforts from a group of talented women who blow my mind everyday.    This excerpt is taken from our Meet the Team page and says it perfectly:

“The Momental Team is made up of lifelong friends who share, among other things, several degrees in art and education. Jessica, Kelley, Steph, Kristen , Joy and Linda ensure that each bride feels empowered and delighted by their Momental experience. As professionals, they possess the skill and talent to create exquisite, breathtaking designs. As friends, they understand the importance of the personal touches that transform each finished product into a breathtaking work of art; one that tells a story of life, friendship, and love.”

Thanks Jess for all you do and I look forward to many more years of creating art with you!

The New Headshots!

A little variety never hurt anyone – right?  This past June I got together with The Momental Girls for a full day photo shoot.  Needless to say, we had a blast and the photos, taken by the very talented Daniel Lanton, were fantastic.  I decided, however that I wanted a little more variety for my personal photos.  This last Thursday, Daniel was kind enough to return to the Momental Studio for a second round.  This time I opted to wear a small feather in my hair and admittedly had a small glass of wine to calm my nerves!

Daniel also captured a few shots of Jaime, who was absent from the first shoot – isn’t she lovely!

Creative Team Building and a Big Thank You

You have heard me say it and write it, a thousand times…I love the Momental Girls!   What I am most proud of in building this business over the last few years is developing a team of women who are passionate and innovative about building their careers as artists and designers.

Today we gathered early for a fun team building meeting.  Let’s face it, we are all friends, women and work side by side so it is imperative we come together at times to educate each other, brainstorm and listen.  The morning started with a team building exercise Amy visioned, designed to help everyone see just how important teamwork is to producing a superior product.

Pictured left to right: Linda, Steph,  Jaime, Kelley, Jess and Joy.

I certainly don’t want to bore you with the details but am simply proud of The Girls and the growth  witnessed over the last year.  I am blessed to have such a fantastic team who really cares collectively about the brides and families whose designs they are creating.

Amy closed the meeting by reading aloud a passage from the website that truly encapsulates what we do at The Momental Studio everyday:

“The Momental Team is made up of lifelong friends who share, among other things, several degrees in art and education. Jessica, Kelley, Jaime, Steph, Joy and Linda ensure that each bride feels empowered and delighted by their Momental experience. As professionals, they possess the skill and talent to create exquisite, breathtaking designs. As friends, they understand the importance of the personal touches that transform each finished product into a breathtaking work of art; one that tells a story of life, friendship, and love.”

So thanks again ladies, now let’s get back to painting!

Meet the Momental Team – Kelley!

Name: Kelley Nudo

Position: Managing Assistant, the Momental writer and Bridal Show Guru

All time favorite invite: Thinking of my own wedding flowers, every time I see a bride select the blue hydrangea for their wedding stationery, it really tugs at my heartstrings. I pride myself as being Kristy’s first bride to choose the blue hydrangea, however the design has certainly come a long way since then. As part of the Big Bloom Collection, the hydrangea has a certain softness and with an elegant feel, paired with the cool shades of blue, it is a perfect pick in my book!

Favorite color combination: In my mind, the soft shades of blue I used for my own wedding were a classic choice, but I am really loving the color combinations with shades of purples many Momental brides are requesting. Using purple in a monochromatic palette is really a treat for the eyes and translates so well with many flowers (i.e. orchids, lilies, hydrangeas, etc) Purple is passion, regal, and is somewhat of an unexpected color for wedding stationery.

Favorite embellishment: I love the pearls! I wear a pearl right-hand ring every day, so when I saw the new pearl embellishments on the Vintage Lace Collection, I fell head over heels. The use of the pearls on any piece of wedding stationery will be like adding little beads of elegance.

What has working at Momental Designs taught you? Even though I have a degree in Art Education, I spend most of my time at the studio writing, which I love! It is kind of funny how each person finds their niche at the studio, and I never thought mine would be in the realm of writing. I have learned countless skills at the studio, far too many to list. But I will list my top funny five:

1. Packing popcorn is worth more than gold.

2. Don’t feed Harry mushrooms.

3. Sometimes its hard to find paper in an Invitation Studio.

4. Be extra nice to the postal workers.

5. Make sure you get a running start when pulling out the studio parking lot in bad weather.

Thanks for letting me share my Momental experiences.

Meet the Momental Team – Laura!

Name: Laura Popielarz

Position: Design Assistant, email pro, master organizer

All time favorite invite:

My favorite invite has to be Kristen S.’s!! I love, love, love that it is black and white, minimal, with a reserved amount of bling! I am a huge fan of white space!

Favorite color combination:

I love black, white and silver together. This is my all time favorite combination.

Favorite embellishment: A small amount of bling. I also like paper wraps in a contrasting color.

What has working at Momental Designs taught you?

Working here has taught me so much! I have really learned to appreciate the variety of ideas that different brides have. It is always so interesting to see varying ideas and what they like in terms of color and layout. I really like to see the different materials that we use, they are always so beautiful! I defineltey love to see the new products, especially the embellishments, that we are working with! How fun!

Meet the Momental Team – Jaime!

Name: Jaime Kapral-Hindmarsh

Position/Special Talents: Design Assistant, portfolio creator, master with buckles and rhinestones

All time favorite invite:
I LOVE bling! Anything with a buckle or rhinestones, I absolutely adore the vintage lacy stamp collection.

Favorite color combination:

Shades of ivory and white are so clean together, the textures are beautiful; I also have a soft spot for shades of pink!

Favorite embellishment: The Buckles!!!!

What has working at Momental Designs taught you?

Until working for Momental Designs I’ve never truly appreciated how amazingly different paper can be. We honestly use the highest quality papers and cardstock available plus all the color, pattern and textures! It’s a really nice atmosphere to be surrounded by everyday! I now find myself comparing paper thickness and cardstock.