Meet Simone
Welcome to my little corner of the internet. Pour yourself a cup of tea and settle in.
Where it all began
My background is in graphic design (I’ve got 20 years of brand and corporate design under my belt), but what that really means is that I have a deep love of all things paper. I used to feel like a kid on Christmas Eve any time there was a trip to London’s paper shops and stationery emporiums, or a visit from the paper reps.
As far as I’m concerned, there’s no such thing as a blank sheet of paper.
There’s already such a huge amount of care that’s gone into the creation of the papers and cards I use in my work. Whether they’re painstakingly handmade; gorgeously dimpled and textured; living their second or third lives already having been recycled; or speckled with wildflower seeds and ready to make new life in the soil, each individual piece of paper or card already has stories within it. Working with paper like this for your wedding stationery is really inspiring, as it’s a wonderful foundation to start from and to make better and more beautiful with the application of sensitive design and personal details inspired by your own love stories.
Coming full circle – my relationship with nature
Nature is something I find personally sustaining. It makes me happy, calms me down and keeps me hopeful. I’m lucky to live close to the River Trent and several gorgeous woodland walks, and I draw most of my inspiration from the landscapes and textures around me. Nature sparks my creativity, but it also fires up my desire to protect it for my daughters’ generation and generations to come. Sustainability is a cause that is deeply important to me, and I strive to honour the natural world both in terms of the designs I create and the processes and materials I use.
I’m conscious of the life cycle of my stationery, and consider every aspect of its journey carefully: from its initial materials, to its joy-bringing purpose at your wedding, to the way in which it’s eventually disposed of. I want to make sure that in making little changes in my work, I can lessen my environmental impact, without ever compromising on the style and detail of your stationery. I’d love to tell you more about the ways in which I keep things as sustainable as possible at Ellie & Liv. Head over to my sustainability page, for some waxing lyrical about planet-friendly inks, paper that bees adore, my tree planting initiative and other eco-friendly tricks of the trade.
Me in a nutshell
My idea of pure happiness is a crisp autumn day, a crunchy woodland walk among gold and red leaves with my brilliant husband and twin daughters (for whom Ellie & Liv is named). There would be the twinkle of the ocean in the distance, and the promise of a quiet evening in front of the fire with a cup of mint tea and a fresh new sketchbook to start bringing one of my couples’ special designs to life. Bliss.
I would love to get to know you, to hear all about your wedding plans and to start designing beautifully mindful, meaningful stationery that’s meant just for you.
It all starts with a chat, so get in touch, and let’s see what wonderful things we can create together.
