LOVE
It’s pretty central to everything we are about. Literally, everything. I mean, not one of us would even be here it without it, amiright?!
Seriously though, we are now 10 YEARS in !!! 10 YEARS!
10 YEARS of marriage and 10 YEARS since we made our very first ever wedding invitation for our very own wedding. 10 YEARS since I dug out my Grandpa’s old tabletop letterpress and decided to try have a go. (I had a masters in printed textiles, so I was pretty confident I could make something… and we did, (thankfully!) but not without the help of some wonderful people whom I now call friends.)
Friends who obliged my real life stalking (before instagram was even a thing) and who obliged my gazillion questions about printing and foiling. Friends who let me into their worlds and who taught me their ways.For you, we are eternally grateful. Even as I sit here to write this, I am reminded of the continual kindness from others we have been shown along the way. And kindness (as I have learned in my other ongoing journey which I will share a little about too) always comes from LOVE.
Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
So, if this LOVE is absolutely paramount to our 10 YEARS – to everything Jack and I are about- and subsequently, everything EYILOVE is all about too, we thought it about time we shout a little about it! I don’t think there will be a person reading this to disagree… LOVE really is the greatest.
So, if we rewind 10 YEARS… before EYILOVE was even a twinkle in our eye, we knew if we were ever going to have our own “business” it would be something to do with LOVE.
True story- but the name E.Y.I.LOVE came about by complete accident. I had actually wanted to buy the domain “EYE-LOVE” – as my tutor at St. Martins had always told me I would be used for my EYES. He told me that I see things differently from others – and this had always stuck with me. At the same time as I was studying for my Masters, I began reading a bible my brother had given to me as a gift when I moved to London. Little did I know how much of a lifeline this book would be to me at that point in my life. Its pages came alive to me and I discovered that God actually is LOVE.
I became obsessed with this love. I still am. When I went to buy the web domain, in my haste, child-like excitement and general atrocious spelling – rather than buying ‘eye-love’, as intended, I bought ‘eyi-love’ (cheers dyslexia!) and we’ve stuck with it ever since. It really made us laugh…and we made it work. Like so many things in life. And from there, even though we had absolutely no idea the direction we would move in or how much we would actually adore making wedding invitations, but from that moment forth, E.Y.I.LOVE ‘Everything Yours I Love’ was born.
So… now you all know that E.Y.I.LOVE was born out of a LOVE of LOVE – and out of a brain with a highly functioning creative side but not so much on the spelling front- (rest assured I am never the one to proof read your design) You will be pleased to know that’s remained the same ever since. Now I think of it, this is also perhaps why we work, Jack and I. Our “business” Our family. Our life.
I can’t tell you the amount of times people have said to us “I could never work with my husband/ wife / partner” but I can honestly say, hand on heart that we absolutely LOVE it. We know and appreciate what we both bring to the table. I could never have done this on my own. So, where I am all big creative ideas and more often than not, have my head in the clouds- Jack has his feet firmly planted on the (solid) ground. He is into the details, the successful running of things and of the sticking to our deadlines. He looks after our clients. HE MAKES STUFF WORK. And I am SO THANKFUL to him for this. (even if he drives me slightly crazy with it sometimes)
Perhaps we love working together so much these days as our time in work is some of the only sacred time we can actually hear each other. (jokes, but kinda true too) Our 10 YEARS have also brought us three kids and a dog too, so to quote one of the other phrases I hear on the regular, “We certainly have our hands full”
And we do. Our hands are most definitely FULL. (I don’t even have enough hands anymore and haven’t for a long time) but can I tell you something else too. It’s our hearts that are even fuller. My heart actually feels like it is going to explode right out of my body most days. (Other times it’s my head thats going to explode with ALL THE NOISE they make)
There is no getting away from it either. Kids most definitely change the dynamic of a marriage. Jack and I definitely don’t have the the romantic dates, the peaceful holidays, the quality time or the sleep like we used to, but we couldn’t be more thankful for our beautiful family and all the joy they bring.
I could write foreverrrrrrrrr about our gorgeous wee gang. I’m sure you all see them from time to time, popping up on your Insta feed with their adorable cuteness. They are OUR WORLD and such an integral part of the EYI journey too. It’s them we do all this for.
Well for them… and for YOU.
You see, we have always want to tell YOUR STORY.
We don’t want to just design you things for designs sake. YES, we want to make you super sexy stationery that your guests will drool over… but we want it to be about more than that. We NEED IT to be more than that.
We want to weave your LOVE STORY into every piece we create. We want to create pieces for you which are as unique and as beautiful as your LOVE is. We want to see your story written and printed in gold. We want to help you invite people in, to celebrate YOUR LOVE. Whether that be at the very beginning of your love story, with your wedding invitations or with something which marks you along the way (the birth of your babies, anniversaries, family celebrations etc etc) Maybe it is words you want imprinted on your walls at home as a daily reminder of the LOVE you want to live. Maybe it’s a card you want to send to spread some love and kindness around the world. We want to be part of it all with you.
So, to return to my opening question at the beginning of this blog, “What’s LOVE got to do with it?” I hope by now it’s really quite clear. For us, it has EVERYTHING to do with it. It’s the very air we breathe. It’s woven into our every move. It moulds us and it shapes us. And we are 100% passionate about it.
So much so, I think this Blog idea (or whichever format this will evolve into) will become a monthly feature here at EYILOVE. We want to share YOUR STORY. We want to find out, “What’s LOVE got to do with your “it” – whatever your “it” may be. There are so many wonderful wedding blogs out there who focus on the all the beautiful details of your weddings and as much as we love seeing and reading these, I’ve had this sense for a long time now that we want to share something more about the LOVE which goes way beyond your wedding day.
I’m actually so excited for this to evolve as this is something I’ve been dreaming of doing for a long time now… and have just never found the right (or any) time. Maybe our ten years is a significant time. Sometimes there just isn’t a perfect time, or a perfectly laid out plan. As I have learned from my own story here, sometimes you just have to run with what’s in your heart and with what is in your hand.
So, we’ll start it shall we, if you’re up for it?
Let us share these LOVE STORIES and inspire each other to LOVE one another more deeply.
WE ARE ALL IN xxx
WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT? – 10 TIPS FROM OUR 10 YEARS.
LAUGH OFTEN
I think it’s so important to laugh together and not to take life too seriously. Laughter diffuses situations and makes our hearts happy. It’s like tonic. Quite often if we get into an argument and I am, more often than not, being utterly ridiculous but in equal parts completely serious in my rage- Jack will take a moment and then usually begin to laugh at me. After “a few” moments of trying to remain in my furious state- I usually given in and buckle too. Laughter is so so so good! Keep laughing, especially with those you love.
FORGIVE QUICKLY
Don’t ever go to bed on an argument. And don’t hold grudges. Forgive others and also, forgive yourself.
HAVE FUN
100% Always. All ways. As my beautiful Gran was famous for saying, “Life is for Living”
DON’T TAKE STUFF FOR GRANTED
We have learned a lot this year about the very precious nature of life. It can be taken from you very quickly. We want to treat each day as the gift it is.
BE CONTENT
We were given a verse on our wedding day and I am 100% sure this is the most perfect verse for us and something we always want to live by forever. “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are. No more, no less. That’s the moment you’re the proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.”
ENJOY THE JOURNEY
Sounds a bit cliche and maybe it is. But when I was younger I was all about the big events and days. Now I’m older (and hopefully a little wiser) I’m much more about the slow days where “nothing eventful” happens. The bedtime chats. The unexpected hugs. The little things truly are the big things in life.
RECOGNISE THAT “LOVE” IS A DOING WORD
LOVE is so much more than a feeling or emotion. It is all of them and a million other things too… but it does require action. It isn’t just a warm and fuzzy feeling, but love shows in your actions.
PUT ONE ANOTHER FIRST
Love puts each others needs before our own. We’re definitely NOT experts at this. Work in progress HIYA! But we know this is what we want to do. It’s what we aim for. “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12.10
BE EACH OTHERS BIGGEST CHEERLEADER
Encourage each other. Build each other up. Be each others biggest fans.
LOVE CONQUERS ALL
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are. No more, no less. That’s the moment you’re the proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.”
We know and appreciate what we both bring to the table. I could never have done this on my own.
