For anyone that is interested I have moved my blog over to hellohappypaper.wordpress.com

yay! and it looks super cute so far. :) Hope to see you there!

XOXO Maria

Bespoke Design - Winter ONEderland

I have had the amazing pleasure of working with this client on multiple things. I've done her wedding programs, baby shower, and now her baby boys 1st birthday! Even though we have never met, i feel like we have been friends for years. And weirdly enough she actually lives a few minutes away from me...so we've probably been at the same line at Target. I mean Im there every week, the odds are pretty high. Anywho. This is what I designed for her Winter ONEderland themed birthday for Rocco...Hope you love it as much as I do!

For the love of Kate

My husband definitely knows who he's married to. This was my birthday gift a few months ago, but I just needed to share. Because they are magical. Now when you say the word magical, you have to whisper it. If not it looses its magicalness... yep, thats a word. How much do you love the orange shoe lace caps?!?

Big changes are coming!

I've been thinking a lot about my itty bitty company, and what I want my "brand" to be. How can I stand out in this world of stationery in a way thats different but still me? In order for my company to be successful, I have to really love everything that I sell and what my company is to the outside world...at least I think so. I've been struggling lately with the look of my company. What do I want it to feel like? Do I really like the name? Eh. Is this whole look me? Ugh... Is it a mac or a pc? That question should answer itself. I get so overwhelmed when I see other companies that have great names and a great brand. I ask myself, what is it thats making them so awesome? Why do I secretly hate them so much? And after days of stressing it hit me. Its because they know who they are. They picked a side and they stuck with it.

If you know me, and a lot of you probably don't, at least personally, but lets play along. You know that I've never really had a definitive style per say. Its hard as a graphic designer to really have a style, at least for me. Theres so many styles out there that I like, how can I pick JUST one! For our wedding it took me 4 months to pick the freaking colors! How could I?!? Have you SEEN the pantone book...its magical! I almost had a nervous breakdown just doing the invitations. In my mind, this was it, I only had one shot to design them, and they had to be perfect. They had to have every single thing I loved about every invitation I ever saw. Do you understand how much unrealistic pointless pressure I put on myself! You see what I have to deal with on a daily basis...in my mind! Breath.

Going back to my company. So I came to the realization that I really need to start treating this like my full time job... aside from my other full time job. If Im really gonna do this at some point, I have to start laying a strong foundation (see hunny I know about construction!). So I started to think... If I am a brand, what would my name be? Now this name has to really be me, it has to make me smile, it has to make you smile, and it has to give a little light as to what my style is. So after weeks of writing down names, a little bit of crying (listen PS-I love you was on, your a freak if you don't cry!), I think I have it. And it makes me smile... and for the first time, it feels like me...

Ps- Im still deciding if I want to go with paper, studio, or design. But thats a tiny detail. Im leaning towards paper and just adding the words design studio in other places. Cuz the word paper makes me happy.

More to come! Next come brand colors...hello panic attacks! 

All about the OMBREEEEE

If I were to do it again, I would totally do this. Gotta love the neon ombre.

I heart doilies...

I dont know what it is, but whenever I see a craft or print with doilies I just love it! It could be the martha in me...

So a few weeks ago I had a client that wanted a fun, vintage, whimsical, modern wedding invitation that maybe incorporated lace somehow. Thats a pretty tall order. So I thought, aha! doilies! And this is what I came up with...thoughts. I kind of love it, but thats just me... and I did design it myself... so maybe Im just a tad biased.

Banner Happy

Im so in love with banners right now, I want to see them everywhere! Next up will be confetti!!!

Let me know what you think of these... would love to hear your thoughts.

What will it bee?

A few weeks ago I finished this really fun project I did for a client of mine. Weirdly enough she lives only a few minutes away from me and we've never met. She was probably that girl in DSW that took the shoes I wanted... I had just put them down for a second! Anyways, I had done her wedding programs a few months earlier and was so happy when she contacted me to do her baby shower. Her baby shower theme was a bumble bee and chevron! She didn't need to ask me twice to do this, i mean, she had me at chevron. I was so happy that she wanted something fun and whimsical for her designs, and so many pieces! Its so much fun to see everything come together. If only Martha Stewarts' photographer was there to photograph everything. I just hope I get to do more of these! I wonder if I can find the shoes online...

currently working on...

As I am sitting here at my desk, waiting for my latest order to print. I thought I would share it with you. :) These is a save the date design I just finished doing for the lovely bas and bunny. And the rubber stamp I custom designed and had made as a gift for her order. I love the idea of branding weddings, haha :) Hope you like!

Just a little something...

I just wanted to share with you guys the latest custom design I just finished! I just love how happy it is. This bride has become one of my favorites so far. This is the third invitation I design for her wedding events, and she really wanted it to be a fun one. I think it is... hope you like it! Of course they are being paired with red envelopes too!!! Yeyyyyy! They make me think of paper straws and lemonade. I dont know why lemonade...

OMG I want to do this!

I am in LOVE with the chevron print right now. And when I came across this DIY project on Design Sponge I just fell head over heels!!!! I need!! I want!!! NOW!!!!

Bridal Shower Invitations...

As my very own shower comes near (or a somewhat shower), I decided to add bridal shower invitations onto my etsy shop! Bridal shower invitations are fun because they can be super colorful, whimsical, and alllll about girlieness. Yes thats a word. Its fun to work on them and imagine what different types of invitations I would want done for my own shower. I also like to imagine a stressed out maid of honor trying to find the perfect bridal shower invitation for her friend, sister, girl from work she doesnt even know but got suckered into doing her shower somehow. And her just running into my invitations on etsy and saying... Perfect!

Anyways, let me know what you think of my first two...

Urban Chic

I had the pleasure of working with miss Lindsay last week for her awesomely modern/chic/fabulous wedding invitations. They are having a small ceremony the day before and not having invitations for that. But they wanted to have invitations for their reception the day after, at this uber cool and modern bar/lounge. She also wanted little cards to put in frames on the tables where they were going to be, and a larger one for the main table. She picked one of my favorite designs, my champagne bubbles invitation. Her colors were grey, black, and blush pink. At first the invitation was going to have the pink bubbles, but we came to the conclusion that it might be too much pink for Todd, a hunting/guinness drinking fella.

I think this is one of my favorite invitation suites so far. :)

Cheerful and fun wedding in mexico...

I just finished and shipped these adorable wedding programs. The bride really took the time and made her ceremony program fun and enjoyable to read. Something that a lot of ceremony programs lack. These will definitely go in my all time favorites. It also doesn't hurt that the wedding is in Mexico, so the guests will be in a good mood all together. I also love the color combinations, it just gives you a fun beach feeling without being to cliche. Hope you love it as much as I do!

I heart wedding banners...

So I had this idea to start making these cute pennant banners for couples to use on their engagement photos, decorations, whatever their hearts desired. But before I started selling them I wanted to get awesome pictures of them. I personally dont have a wedding dress to put on and take pictures of myself, so I contacted some photographers and offered them for free. All they had to do was send me the pics with the banners, so it was a win win.

How freaking cute do they look!!!!!! They will be for sale very soon on my etsy. :)

This picture was shot by Scott Kretschmann Photography, a really cool husband and wife team. Thanks Lisa!!! Oh, and this couples story is on their blog, and its AMAZING!

Scott Kretschmann Photography

Colorful ride...

I was looking through my pictures and found this funny one. I took it in Old San Juan a long time ago. Do you think the owner likes paint? Talk about pimping your ride... I think the tires need help though.

Rain... rain... and more rain...

Ohhhh my goooddddddd, can it stop raining! Its been gloomy and rainy for a whole week! I don't know if you know about New England weather, but it sucks ass! Sorry for the trucker language, but it just does. As I sit here in my messy cluttered office, which just looking at it makes me go into a fit of rage, I think... why do people live here! Now I get why people are baffled when I tell them I am from Puerto Rico and choose to live here. Obviously if my fiance and I had a choice and unlimited money we would live in an island like St. John. He could work as a scuba instructor for yuppie tourists and I can work at the front desk of a 5 star hotel, haha. We would live in a small beach house where there is sand all around, not inside though because that would drive me nuts. Brooklyn, our dog, would be a beach bum. She would always have sand on her nose, she loves to sniff it, and would chase birds off the beach as a side job. Ah, to dream.

Its hard to be creative and inspired when its like this outside, and all I can think about is how sand feels in the mornings... cool.

Country Wedding Invitation

So lately the trend is farm/country/rustic/mason jar type weddings. I wanted to create an invitation that gave me a charming country feel to it. Came up with this design... let me know what you think!

Late night designs...

For some weird reason I come up with really good designs at night, sitting in front of the tv with my fiance and 6 pound yorkie/bull mastif, while watching modern family... the funniest show ever! Here are some I created last night... :) enjoy.

Let me know what you think!

Thanks Mom...

A few weeks ago I read this quote on a different blog "As parents, we have two jobs ::: To give our children roots; and to give them wings." It made me think instantly of my mom. My mom is amazing, and even though I don't say it enough, I am so proud and honored to have her as my mom. My mom and I are like magnets, depends on how you get them together we can either push away or connect. But I know she will always be there, even when I push away.


My entire life all my mom wanted was for us to do what we loved. It didn't matter what it was, as long as we were happy doing it she didn't care. If my mom had it her way I would have been an artist/dancer/pianist/theater actor/gypsy... I chose graphic design. My mom never had a mom like her, maybe that's why she was like that, she was living through us. She never had someone that wanted to give her wings. Someone that wanted to see her succeed and be happy at what she did. Someone that was proud of whatever she did, no matter if she was perfect or not. So for mothers day I wanted to say, thank you mom.


Thank you for giving me the wings you never had, wings to do what I love, to follow my heart, and to dream. 


This is my mom at 16...