Happy Monday Dotties! The merry month of May has dawned. Let’s celebrate the season, with all the joy autumn can bring to our lives, our celebrations and our quiet moments. Whether it’s marvelling in the colours of the leaves, or snuggling under a favourite blanket with a hot chocolate, autumn is the gateway to winter, a season of cosiness, fireside chats and mulled wine.

Take a look at our trusted Aussie  vendors in our Polka Dot Directory  and our Honeymoon Directory who would love to work with you and offer their support and expertise. Choose from Wedding Gowns, Entertainment  and Flowers. We also have Celebrants, Suits and Tailors and Pre Wedding Parties,  and check out our Honeymoon Directory – for services in Australia and overseas.

Check out the Polka Dot Directory for wedding vendors who will love your wedding as much as you!

Mixing retro flair with current trends, this charming whimsical stationery is from the creative hand and mind of Kirsty from For Keeps Illustration. Working together with you she weaves together your love story, and she uses her skills in personalised artistry to create magical one of a kind pieces,  to create truly unique stationery.

The quirky, vintage inspired artwork adds that extra magic to receiving your invitation and sets the tone for your guests of what is to come during your big day. And it might just give you the inspiration to create your own version of a whimsical, retro day with plenty of touches that reflect who you are today.

For Keeps Illustration also provides an extra service! For those couples marrying in Western Australia, Kirsty can come to your wedding and use her creative painting skills, creating personalised portraits to provide your guests (or the couple) with a live illustration as a take home keepsake. Additionally she offers a handpainted watercolour illustration of your wedding venue, or your home – perfect for gifts or just to keep as a memento yourself.

Let’s get to know Kirsty of For Keeps Illustration a little better:

Weddings are the best to work on because….

When I’m working with couples on their stationery suites, I LOVE learning about their story and bringing my illustration skills in to show their story through personalised designs. I think it’s so special to be a part of a wedding, in any form, as you’re invited into such a special time in two people’s life. It’s an absolute joy!
When I’m doing Live Illustration, I get to see love in everyone from under one roof! It’s honestly so magical to see.

What is something people would be surprised to know about your job or something that challenges you about your job?

When illustrating stationery suites, I think people are surprised at how much research I do to create the designs. For example, I will totally go down the rabbit hole of looking up old advertisements, going through my books, trawling through a many Pinterest search, just to create the perfect illustrated design.
Being a professional illustrator, it’s really important to me to ensure I go through the journey of research and development, as it provides the best service to my clients.

One thing I think people are really surprised about when I’m doing Live Illustration at Weddings is that I still get really nervous! I want to give my absolute best on the day, and this means being fast and on point! After working in healthcare, I have a really good poker face – so thankfully my nerves don’t show!

What is it about the creative process that you most enjoy?

Honestly, just being able to create in any form is a dream for me. But I particularly enjoy the drafting stages of creating a stationery suite, as it’s full of anticipation and wonder – and then it finally comes together at the end. I also love the reactions I get when a couple receive’s their final designs and are just so happy with them (this part really fills my cup).

I’m a HUGE history nerd, so creating stationery really itches my creative research itch! Any excuse to go to a museum or art gallery for ‘inspiration’.

What are you hilariously bad at?

Maths! I’m terrible at it! My daughter has just started high school, and that is a level of numbers I’m definitely unable to help her with. I guess it’s the creative brain revolting against structure, and sequence!

When you were small what did you dream of being and where have those dreams taken you?

For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to be an artist! Throughout school and college I longed for the art rooms.

But life took me a bit off course, and I ended up in the healthcare system for many years. Thankfully creativity found me again, and I now get to work full-time as a freelance illustrator creating art that puts smiles on peoples faces and shines a light on their history and story. I love working with people, and to now be able to create illustrations for others is a dream come true.

Visit For Keeps Illustration’s pages to find out more about our Vendor Of The Week.

For Keeps Illustration is a member of the Polka Dot Directory.