Design
The John Early Society Christmas Party Invitation, 2015-2017
by Anne Kostecki
I was thrilled with the opportunity to design Christmas party invitations for the John Early Society for the years 2015-2017, a leadership annual giving society with members that donate annual gifts of $1,852 or more to Loyola University Maryland. In 2015, I decided to design a custom holiday wreath and paint it in watercolor, and by the request of the client, I added "Loyola" to the red bow on the wreath. The invitation was designed to be a 5.5 x 5.5 inch square, with a rectangular reply card and Mohawk BriteHute Green envelopes. The invitation was printed on Stardream Crystal 80# metallic paper digitally, and gave the invitation a silvery holiday shimmer.
For 2016, my client requested a green color palette with an evergreen tree, and wanted the invitation to invoke elegance. I drew the tree shape knowing it would be pressed with silver foil, and added festive calligraphic elements around the tree. I kept the typography to a simple script, with the supporting copy in Gotham Narrow. The invitation was printed on Mohawk Superfine Soft White Smooth Cover 80# paper, with matching envelopes, and a single sided silver foil and digital printing.
For 2017, my client informed me this would be the last year of annual party tradition. She requested a stand-out invitation, and so I proposed a die-cut of a circular tree ornament that shows the John Early Society logo through the front cover, with both sides featuring silver foil. The typography included the script Challista and Gotham Narrow. The invitation and reply card were printed on Mohawk Superfine White 80# Smooth Cover, digitally, with a metallic silver foil. The envelopes were also Mohawk Superfine text weight paper.
