Influences on Anina Takeff

How does Anina Takeff Create Exceptional Card Designs out of Japanese and Polish Art

Even as a child Anina Takeff knew she was going to be an artist some day. Hence, she decided to study at the New Bulgarian University in Sofia to pursue her vocation. From this day on, she devoted all of her time to art.

Interview with Anina

In an interview we asked her how this young girl became a recognized artist.

Interviewer: How would you describe yourself and your career as a designer in just a few words?

Anina: As a child I’ve spend hours in my room painting and making up stories. Even then I knew that I’d be an artist someday. After finishing my A-level I summoned up all my courage and started my studies in Visual Communications at the New Bulgarian University. Thinking back I’d say I always made the right decisions and regret nothing.

Interviewer: How did you get the idea of becoming a professional designer?

Anina: In my family there are teachers, doctors and politicians but no one with an art background – so I guess I went on a new path. Character-wise I was always quiet and concentrated – I observed my surroundings. If one goes through life with open eyes, appreciating the beautiful things and has a talent for creating, one has a great chance of becoming a Graphic Designer.

Interviewer: Who or what has influenced you the most as a designer?

Anina: Finnish Graphic Design as well as Polish and Japanese Poster Art have fascinated me for a long time now. Especially the Japanese illusionist Shigeo Fukuda with his accurate and meaningful posters has influenced me the most.

Designing for EventKingdom

With much love and passion Anina Takeff creates diversified card designs for EventKingdom. Here, the use of water colors gives every card a unique character. Are you planning the next birthday party or even your own wedding? Then, get inspired by the card designs of our talented designers.

The Perfect Bridal Shoes

Leave a reply

Are you still Looking for the Perfect Bridal Shoes for your Wedding?

There is no need for searching desperately for the perfect bridal shoes for your wedding day. Shoes of Prey is the answer to all your prayers. There, you can create your own bridal shoes.

Shoes of Prey

With the start-up company Shoes of Prey from Down Under you can choose between 12 different shoe shapes and 170 different materials. With one click you can put together your perfect shoes for your wedding online. There, you can purchase your dream high heels for 149£ and your favorite flats for 109£. Please take note of the fact that it takes about 5 weeks from ordering to receiving your unique pair of shoes. In case you don’t fancy the bridal shoes after arrival, Shoes of Prey has a 365 day return policy that makes it easy to send back your bridal shoes or place a new order.

: Big Variety of Colors and Materials at “Shoes of Prey”

: “Shoes of Prey” Co-Founder and Fashion Editor Jodie Fox

: Creating your own perfect shoe at “Shoes of Prey”

(All images are taken from: www.shoesofprey.com)

Upcoming Father’s Day

Leave a reply

Last Minute DIY Gifts for the upcoming Father’s Day

Father’s Day is right around the corner and you and your kids still don’t have a clue of what to get the hero of your world? We know, life can be stressful. So, here are 5 quick and easy DIY gift ideas for Father’s Day you can do with your kids.

1) I’m walking in my Heros Shoes

All you need for this precious gift are some shoes of dad and water colors. Make an imprint of dads shoes and the feet of your kid. Let everything dry and write the sentence “Walking in my Hero’s Shoes” on the paper. A nice frame gives this special gift a nice touch.

*Easy & Thoughtful

(source: pinterest.com/eventkingdom)

2) The Candy Bar Card for Father’s Day

This gift is easy to make and doesn’t cost much. You simply need to think of what you’d like to write on your card and find the matching candy bar to fill in the missing words.

*Easy & Yummie!

(source: pinterest.com/eventkingdom)

3) Coffee Cup Excitement

Are there ever enough cups in this world? If daddy is a tea or coffee lover, this is the perfect gift idea for him. Buy a plain cup and painters pens (you can get both inexpensively at Walmart) and stick letter stickers on the mug to spell out ‘DAD’. Then, your kids can have some fun, coloring on the cup in whatever way they like. Remove the stickers and bake the cup for 30 min. Fill up the cup with some candy of your choice and include a beautiful card and you are all done.

*Easy & Creative

(source: pinterest.com/eventkingdom)

4) My Dad the Hero

This is for the hands on dads. You’ll need a wooden board and some water colors. Get your kids to imprint their hands on the board and write the sentence “We have a HERO we call him DADDY”. You can put some nails on the bottom of the board where hammers, pliers and screwdrivers can be hung on.

*Easy & Useful

(source: pinterest.com/eventkingdom)

5) Books are the Best

This is for the bookworms out there. If daddy loves reading he’ll definitely be in need for bookmarks. Printing out pictures of your kids with their arms up and transforming it into a book mark is not only easy but will make their daddy smile, especially if their belly buttons are showing.

*Easy & Fun

(source: pinterest.com/eventkingdom)

Feel free to check out our Pinterest page to get more inspiration.

Designer Frederick Strasche

Leave a reply

Frederick Strasche – a Colorful World Squeezed in Card Format

Frederick Strasche is a young and talented illustrator who is designing magazines, children’s book covers and commercial ads. Since May 2015 he designs cards for EventKingdom. His humorous and colorful cartoonlike card designs give each online and paper card that special touch.

Interview with Frederick

In an interview we clarified the question where he is getting his inspiration from to put this colorful world in card format.

Interviewer: How would you describe yourself and your career as a designer?

Frederick: My interest in pictures in general has been developed when I was a child. Since I was little I felt the urge to express myself through pictures. This urge has increased even further throughout the years. I began by copying comic figures like Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse. Later, at the age of 11 I started skateboarding. During this time I began drawing the logo of skateboard brands. Through skateboarding I came into contact with the graffiti and street art scene. This still shapes my work as an illustrator nowadays. In 2008, I began my studies as a graphic designer specializing in illustration. This development is still continuing.

Interviewer: Where do you get your ideas for your card designs from?

Frederick: I always loved designing post cards. Most of my ideas were stuck in my head for a long time already. Hence, I am very happy to finally being able to realize my ideas and put them onto paper.

Interviewer: What inspires you in life? Where are you the most creative?

Frederick: I draw my inspiration from everything that surrounds me. This might sound a little cheesy but I couldn’t describe it in any better way. Everything can be inspiring for me. When travelling or being in nature I always get many great ideas.

Interviewer: Are there any special places in Hamburg that excite creative thoughts?

Frederick: Hamburg has a couple of good museums that I visit occasionally. I like to go for a walk or ride my bike along the Elbe to clear my head. Sometimes I take the train without any specific destination and let my thoughts run freely.

Designs of Frederick Strasche are available for online invitation cards as well as for paper cards at EventKingdom. Would you be interested in the designs of a burning brazier for your next barbecue or a dancing groom’s hat for a wedding? Frederick Strasche has them all – check out his beautiful card collection.

Where Creativity Comes from

Leave a reply

Designer Anina Takeff

The young designer Anina is one of our young and talented designers who create stylish motifs for our EventKingdom cards. Amongst others she created the most popular Valentine‘s Day Card with the lovely slogan Je t‘aime. Where does this phenomenal creativity come from? What inspires her?

Interview with Anina

To discover, who is person behind this beautiful card design we asked Anina 5 short and concise questions. Read more here:

Interviewer: You have created the most popular Valentine‘s Day Card. Where did the idea for this design come from?

Anina: I tried to imagine what kind of card I would like to receive – even the most modern women have a sense of romantic. That‘s why I like to combine traditional ideas with a touch of modernity.

Interviewer: Does the Valentine‘s Day mean anything for you?

Anina: It is a good occasion to show my partner how much he means to me – with little nice things. Nevertheless, it is important to show our partners that we love them on every single day of the whole year.

Interviewer: Do you celebrate Valentine‘s Day?

Anina: Yes, because love is important. And Valentine‘s Day is the perfect possibility to celebrate love and to spend a wonderful day with your beloved partner.

Interviewer: What inspires you?

Anina: A lot of things inspire me. I watch movies, visit exhibitions and collect illustrated books. Even a walk in Berlin can be inspiring for me. You can see so many posters in the streets, which can not be ignored! Berlin itself inspires me.

Interviewer: In which environment do you prefer designing?

Anina: To be honest, I prefer designing in the biggest and most luminous room at home, only a few pieces of furniture in it. It‘s a place exuding peace and quiet where I feel free and can focus on my projects, where my creativity can float. Big, noisy and colorful locations also inspire me but I need a peaceful atmosphere to design.

Just like Daddy!

Leave a reply

Just like Daddy!

Who does not know that? Right after the baby has come into the world the affectionate speculations about similarities between the newborn child and the parents start. Dad‘s nose is clearly recognizable, isn‘t it? And these big blue eyes are definitely like mum‘s, aren’t they? Well, when visiting the newborn child or looking at the received birth announcement card one statement is pretty common: Just like Daddy! But is that right? Do strong similarities between a newborn child and its daddy really exist?

Mother Nature

Is that a tactic from Mother Nature to deepen the relationship between father and baby right after the birth? It would be a logical comprehensible approach. The mother can be sure about her baby, because she gives birth to it, but concerning the father doubts can remain. Strong similarities between the father and the newborn child could reduce present doubts. Interestingly, the approach could not be proven empirically. A variety of studies from Britain and North America have analyzed that matter and ended up in very surprising results. First of all, a strong similarity between the newborn child and the mother could be proven scientifically, but a strong similarity between the baby and the father was not found. In addition, the studies came to the result, that the new mothers see a strong similarity between her children and their father. What was Mother Nature thinking when she invented that?

Love is in the Air

Leave a reply

Love is in the Air

Opinions about February 14th diverge strongly. Some people claim that this “oh-so-special-day-for-lovers” was created by the confectionery and flower industry. Others are truly convinced that it has its origin in the decapitation of two christian martyrs named Valentinus.

Valentine’s Day

Whatever the case, nowadays it’s mostly known as an occasion for people to reveal their love to others – which is always a great idea! So why not show your love on Valentine’s Day this year? Whether you decide to buy chocolate or flowers, the oldest and best way to reveal your true feelings remains through sincere and lovely words. For decades, romantic poets have used the efficacy of words to express their emotions in a romantic fashion and to finally reveal their affection to adored women. This is something you can do as well!

Valentine’s Card

Of course not everyone is fit to receive a nomination as second Shakespeare. Moreover it is certainly not an easy task to put feelings into words. Just keep in mind that it is not about perfection but rather about the originality and verity of your words! That‘s why several bumpy but self-written lines have worked miracles. So prepare a pen and paper (or switch on your computer), let your creativity float and use the magic of words this year to reveal your love on a beautiful Valentine‘s card!

Say Cheese! Best Photo apps

Leave a reply

Say Cheese! How to Create your Personal Photo Card Masterpiece with the right App

Every year several cards are sent out for a variety of purposes such as christmas, birthdays, birth announcements and many more. Photo cards can be sent online with an animated envelope, video backgrounds and music. Sending out your own photo card is a highlight and especially joyful for family members and friends who live further away and don’t see you regularly. Most hobby photographers use their smartphones to capture exceptional moments spontaneously. So how can a snapshot become a masterpiece, which is worth sending out as a personal online photo card?

Best Photo Apps

To find a solution we tested four different photo apps and summarized the results for you below*:

Camera+:

The greatest memories are mostly captured spontaneously with the one item everyone carries around on a daily basis – the mobile phone. Unfortunately, these pictures are not always eye-candy. Camera+ is a great way to improve your picture the minute you’re taking it by using a display stabilizer and a 5-second tripping delay. In addition, the app offers several options to modify the picture afterwards. Existing snapshots can be modified with different filters as well as color and brightness variations. The app can be purchased in the app store for 1,79€.

ProCamera 7:

Available for 3,59€, this app is obviously a lot more expensive than the previous one. ProCamera 7 focuses less on post editing features but offers a variety of functions, which are instantly helpful while taking a picture. This includes e.g. settings for formatting and exposure time as well as a night modus and an option called Rapid Fire, which allows taking several pictures in very quick succession.

Hipstamatic:

Does nostalgia hit you around christmas time? If your answer is yes, this app for 1,79€ is a match for you. A variety of lenses, flashes and films will transform your digital photo into a piece of art from an analog era. The basic available features consist of two flashes as well as three lenses and films. More features can be purchased for additional charge.

Pocketbooth:

Though it seems like analog photos are from a different time period, many people still enjoy the charm of a fun photo series taken in a public photo booth. No matter what the occasion, they love making memories and sometimes even act silly trying to stuff a group of people into the small booth. Pocketbooth mimics the photo booth experience by taking a series of pictures in a row and creating a photo-stripe. The photo-stripe can be edited afterwards by using several different filters and frame colors. This fun app can be purchased in the app store for 0,89€.

*Please note that the research on this artical was done in October 2014. Prizes or features of the mentioned apps might have changed over time.

Tie the Knot – Tips & Tricks

Leave a reply

I do! – Tips & Tricks for the Perfect Wedding Invitation

You and Mr Right have found each other, he has asked the question of questions and the only thing that is missing to stay on cloud nine permanently are two small words: I do. Planning the wedding of your dreams will take a lot of time and energy since you want every detail to be perfect. Choosing the right wedding invitation is only the beginning. Your guests want to be addressed in a personal way and you want them to get as excited as you are about the wedding party.

Tips and Tricks

So here are some tips and tricks to make sure that this first part of your wedding planning is a success.

First rule: Impress your guests with a fine, personal invitation and make them feel special. Every person should get a sense of how important it is that they are there with you to celebrate this wonderful occasion.
Make your invitation as unique as possible by designing it yourself, adding photos or choosing one of the hand-picked designs from our special wedding collection.
Addressing each guest personally is always the best way to get their undivided attention and make them feel welcome, especially if you are sending out your invitations online.
So what is the best option for sending out your invitations – via post or online? Printing your invites on paper is very nice but takes a little more time than sending them out via email. If you can’t decide you can choose to combine the online and offline world.
Sending out online invitations demonstrates a sense for the environment through lowering paper production. Also it is much easier to manage guests’ responses in our online tool. On the day of the wedding your guests can easily access their invitation on their mobile phones and save information on location, accommodation and present registries.
Don’t forget to provide all of the above in your invitation. Make sure your guests don’t get lost and give them as much information as possible on date, time and location.
If you have certain preferences on dress code, colors or anything that might fit the party – let your guests know in advance to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Send and donate! If you use our special EventKingdom charity stamps for your sendings each one will equal a donation to the SOS Kinderdörfer organisation.
Don’t forget to send out thank you cards after the wedding and let your guests know how much you enjoyed their presence and gifts.
Last but not least – your special day should be remembered.
Upload your photos on EventKingdom.com and share them with your guests individually.

Baby Alarm

Leave a reply

Baby Alarm – Preparing for the Big Day

A baby is the most wonderful adventure of all. Taking on this major responsibility is challenging and can be scary from time to time.

Planing an Preparing

Planning and preparing for the big day are two indispensable things to do if you want to save money and hold your nerve later on. Of course family members, friends and colleagues don‘t hold back with giving advice and buying lovely presents at the baby shower. Especially grandparents are the ones that make some of the largest contributions to the set up a proper baby room. This can include the baby bed, the wardrobe or the crib.

As soon as the happy message gets around to the more extensive circle of friends, more useful and wonderful presents will arrive. Among them, several will only be useable in a couple of months. Therefore it is important to select in advance and prepare the things that exactly meet the most basic needs of the newborn. When the baby comes home from the hospital it will mainly sleep, eat and has to be kept clean. Soon it will start to discover its surroundings playfully. Therefore, the following things should already exist:

Baby‘s changing, diapers, baby powder, cleaning tissues
Crib
Baby phone
Music box
Stroller
Pacifier and baby bottle
Clothes
Car seat for babies
Books about babies

For the most part your baby just needs your love and care. With the combination of both you should be on the safe side. If problems arise, don‘t panic: Practice makes perfect and other parents will surely offer practical advice and assistance.