Up, Up & Away!

Presenting my new BIG BALLOON personalised digital print/ guest book for weddings/ engagement parties. It can be framed as is or scribbled all over in silver, gold or white gel pen and then framed to make the perfect keepsake - and a very natty gift for the happy couple! 

Available in sizes A4, A3 and A2, it can be framed as is or scribbled on in gold, silver or white ink as a guest book. This is the beginning of an exciting new direction for BOYGIRLBOY as we go distinctly different in the next few months so the subject matter could not be more apt.

Sold unframed and available in the shop now from £11.99 including FREE P&P.

Create it & Keep it

Presenting BOYGIRLBOY's exclusive new twist on the guestbook frame which is fast becoming the must-have alternative to the traditional guestbook. Our new version is a colourful, less formal and funky number: a print that can be personalised to suit the occasion. It it available framed or unframed. All you have to do is cut and paste in your photographs and get everyone to sign it or write a little message. The hen party frame got a lot of attention when we launched it at the National Wedding Show this weekend and we are giving one away as part of a promotion for the new range. If you sign up to our mailing list before 31st October 2012, you will automatically be entered into the draw to win one of these prints. So far the range consists of three designs: Hen Party, Wedding Party and Landmark Birthday (which can also be used as a family tree) but we've got loads more in the pipeline to roll out over the next few months. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you would like to order a bespoke version for a special event that you are planning for yourself or a loved one. Shop Keepsake Prints

A Ruby Do Two!

Congratulations to couples Ian and Liz and Chris and Vicky who held a joint celebration party for their fortieth wedding anniversary on Saturday night. I had great fun creating a bespoke theme for their seating plan and table stationery which they wanted to to keep light and playful. Forty years of marriage is no mean feat and we wish them every happiness in their married lives going forward!

Encased in a slick black swept frame, the table names were based on the various places that the couples have lived over the years. My favourite was Splott which is an area of Cardiff.

The background of the seating plan was a huge drawing of cascading ruby shapes each depicting a year of their marriage between 1972 and 2012 and a major world event or historical landmark that defined each year. My favourite was 1981 which read - "Who shot JR?". It was a great way for the guests to reminisce about everything that has happened since the couples tied the knot. Their photos and table inserts were attached on raised plates to the outside of the glazing to give the frame a really dynamic effect.

The perfect keepsake - on arrival at the reception the guests were handed a champagne glass and a pen with which to write a message on a guestbook mount for each couple that displayed their official wedding phtotographs. It was cause for much comment (particularly since both brides didn't seem to have changed very much at all) and was a fab way to get everyone in the mood for a celebration.

Pen Pals

I have had an enquiry from a client about the best kinds of pen to give to guests for signing the mount of the guest signature frame she has ordered from us for her wedding in May. It was an excellent question that I had neither been asked before and nor to which I knew the answer. So it was time for a spot of investigation. I have tested 8 different types of ink pen on high quality mount the same as that used in the finished guest signature frames and my findings are detailed below. 

I suppose that you might also find this survey useful for planning any kind of guest message collection on your special day be they in a frame, a book or  elsewhere.

One final thing: I apologise for my horrible scrawl. All I will say is, I come from medical stock.

1. Fountain Pen - prices start from around £5.00 from any stationer or department store

If you are upward of thirty, you will probably remember the days when all school children learned to write at school with this extremely messy tool...and you will also remember being told not to share fountain pens because they accustom themselves to the hand of the writer. Very true. I used my husband's extremely posh Mont Blanc special for this sample. Scratchy, dragging and not recommended.

Verdict: 2/10

2. UNI-BALL Signo £1.99 each from WHSmiths

Not bad although the ink has quite a dull finish once dried (which you might actually like). A soft, continuous flow and a good price if you want to buy a few spares.

Verdict: 7/10

3. BEROL Italic (fine) £1.70 from Paperchase

A little too heavy for my liking but the mountboard takes the ink very well (without bleeding) and it creates an extremely bold finish. The price is good but some guests might struggle with the sharp shape of the nib. Perhaps a regular felt tipped pen would be a better bet if this is the look you're after.

Verdict: 6/10

4. PENTEL EnerGEL Liquid Gel Pen 0.7 £3.99 (pack of two) from WHSmiths

My favourite by far. Inexpensive with smooth flowing ink, quick drying and a strong, clean finish. 

Verdict: 9/10 - BEST OVERALL

5. PILOT V7 HI-TECPOINT 0.7 £2.99 from WHSmith

I've been using these pens since school; ever since I gave up bothering with ink cartridges and bottles. It's another very nice choice although a more expensive one. The ink flows well and dries quickly but the finish is more dull than the PENTEL above (which you may like) but overall the effect is very pleasing.

Verdict: 8/10

6. Generic Black Rollerball around £5.00 for a multipack of 10 from most supermarkets (mine were from Asda)

Very good quality for a mass-produced product. A teeny, tiny bit scratchy in places but this is barely noticeable. The ink is quick drying and dries to to a slightly dull but not apologetic finish. It gets the supreme value for money vote too.

Verdict: 7.5/10 - BEST VALUE

7. PILOT G-TEC-C4 £3.00 from Paperchase

A really good quality, fine writing pen...for anything but this job! Anyone trying to produce a flourish will find it scratchy and awkward. It just doesn't take to mountboard well and the result is faint and a bit weedy. Not recommended.

Verdict: 3/10

8. UNI-BALL VISION NEEDLE (fine) £2.25 from Paperchase

It has what it takes and is branded with the promise of being waterproof which might come in handy. Again, it dries to a slightly dull finish but flows well and dries quickly. The high price however means that it is not the best value for money if you're after a few. 

Verdict: 7/10

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any experiences to share regarding the subject of this post or have any suggestions.