3/29/10

Networking and Collaboration for Innovation

{images borrowed from the blog of eInvite.com featuring photos by michele m. waite}

{image of silk kimono cake by something sweet by michelle}

{image via cookie creatives}

It 's spring here in the US and every wedding vendor is starting to feel the bustle. As the skies turn blue and the trees burst to life once again, we start to feel energetic and excited for the coming warm season. This is such a fun time for wedding vendors. If you are paper, there is the National Stationery Show, if you are flora, photog or sweet, your calendars are probably already full.

I am paper. Our new designs are about to be revealed to our clients in NY in May. We are brimming with excitement and last minute touches for the show.
This year I had the pleasure of working with outside vendors on a collaborative project for one of our wedding stationery albums, Unveiled. Discovered on all the best wedding blogs, like Style Me Pretty and 100 Layer Cake, was Michèle M. Waite. Her unconventional photographic signature caught my eye and when I contacted her she was simply incredible. My idea was a little time consuming even in the bustle of spring business, but Michele was attentive and helpful, making my idea a lot more concrete and exciting. In the months prior it had been just an idea, a pitch to my management and administrators, but now it was coming together and becoming validated. Exciting, yes. {yay} The fun of creative people working together makes me insanely prolific in the idea department. So I continued with my adventure.

Earlier this year I met up with Michelle Bohigian, yes a 3rd Michelle, at Taste of the Nation in Worcester where she was serving up some incredible chocolate cake. I had seen her business, Something Sweet by Michelle featured in major wedding mags and on the Today Show. I knew if she was the creme de la creme of cakes then maybe a taste would be a great idea. A year later, at one of Michelle's personal tastings at local Tuckerman Hall, she introduced to me to yet another incredible wedding vendor, Jennifer Burkhart from Cookie Creatives. She had a sweet mention of us on her blog today. Great relationships come from open conversation. Both women proved to be amazing from hello and I instantly started bouncing ideas off each.
With finishing touches from our photoshoot earlier in the month with my Worcester girl Cathy Walsh from Sprout, plentiful flora was added to the mix.

{sprout worcester, a trend setter in flowers, a community advocate in the woo. love her!}

When my brain stopped spinning ideas, a brand new concept was created for a beautiful collaboration of talents and trades. From paper to imagery, cake to cookie we were all brought together by the wonders of media. From the far corner of the west coast to the opposite side of the country, a fun creative collaboration has come to fruition. I just want to tell you what amazing people and businesswomen they are. Each helping me develop my idea and work innovation into an industry that is constantly evolving with fashion, technology, the environment, and recently the economy.

What is the collaboration? The finishing touches are being added now. I will sneak a few tidbits out as they are available! Let's just say, your eyes will look at wedding invitations a whole new way! From networking and collaboration on the internet and locally, by getting involved with a community abundant with talent, together I hope we make a splash at the NYSS in May. It will all be "Unveiled" soon!

Lesson learned: never be afraid to reach out to people who you admire, it could lead to great ideas and wonderful places.

One last thing tonight before I say goodnight, Taste of the Nation mentioned above benefits the Worcester County Food Bank. You know I am a huge supporter personally and professionally, Checkerboard Ltd. where I design has contributed invitations to the event for years. Please come {empty} and enjoy amazing food and cocktails from the best restaurants in Worcester while supporting a great cause.

Taste of the Nation Worcester
April 19, 2010
5:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Crowne Plaza Hotel
10 Lincoln Square
Worcester, MA 01608

For ticket information to this premier national culinary event, visit Share Our Strength.

sweet dreams...

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