Many of you are much like me – you love being creative any chance you get, but finding that time can often be challenging between work, home, errands and well…life! We kept this predicament in mind when planning our highly requested scrapbooking class.

At our Girl’s Night Out: Scrapbooking the PS Way (Thursday, September 16, from 7-9pm), we’d like to provide all you busy, artistic (and yes, those who think you’re not artistic) crafters the opportunity to treat yourself to a creative evening out. Knowing how busy your life can be, we’ll be teaching you fast, easy and lovely ways to build timeless scrapbook pages to last a lifetime.

So, don’t wait till summer is gone for a creative vacation for yourself – sign up today! Better yet, bring a friend and enjoy some time together catching up…as PS founder, Sue Lindstrom would say, “Ain’t life grand!”

Grab your digital camera and Read the rest of this entry »

A few weeks ago Cindy asked readers to talk about their wedding inspiration and the discussion showcased so many thoughtful themes. It also gave me pause: What the heck was my inspiration?

The Mister and I knew we wanted our guests to have fun, but we needed it to be a little more meaningful than the usual “Party at Joe and Liz’s.” We kicked around a dozen possibilities – my I-give-up-let’s-go-to-the-courthouse suggestion was nixed – and went with what made sense: a hometown Indiana celebration. (I know what you’re thinking, here come the corn, cows and country line dancing. Think again.)

Once we picked home as the destination, our personal commitment to supporting small businesses quickly fueled the planning process. A friend opened up his beach-inspired restaurant and bar (Yes, I got married in a bar) to us for our late September wedding. Rental needs were managed by a family-owned business. A local jeweler helped us with rings, a long-time friend and judge officiated the ceremony, and a family friend took on the task of creating floral designs out of found natural objects of the season.

Our newly planted Chicago roots were not lost in the occasion either—Carol’s Cookies sat on our cake table instead of cake and, of course, Paper Source designs helped set the tone for the evening.

So how does this all come together? Read the rest of this entry »

Part of the fun of being creative is having the opportunity to play with some old favorites, but in a new way. Faber-Castell Aquarelle Watercolor Pencils have long been a favorite of mine and I was thrilled when we picked up this set of 12 colors. Here’s an easy way to create fun stationery or note cards with just a rubber stamp, ink pad, Aquash Water Brush and these colored pencils. The five quick steps below will show you how to make any ordinary image a bit more like magic.

1. Ink Your Stamp: Select a rubber stamp with some open space for fill in opportunities and room for things to flow outside the lines! This little Dandelion Rubber Stamp is one of my favorites. Ink up your stamp with Black Color Box Inkpad.

2. Create Your Stamp Impression: Stamp your design in a repeat pattern along the bottom of a card. I’m using our new paper bag note card. Remember you can stamp off the edge onto scrap paper for more layering. Heat set your image with a heat embosser to prevent the ink from bleeding too much.

3. Add Color with Pencils: Read the rest of this entry »

When the new Squirrel Place Card Kit arrived at our Brookline store I just about squealed with excitement! (I might have made the Brookline staff a little deaf.) My fiancé has had a slight obsession with squirrels since he was little (or maybe I have the obsession with his obsession?), so I thought how adorable they would be as bride and groom place cards at our very own barn wedding! I dressed these up giving the groom a nice size rock to hand to his blushing bride. The fall colors included in the place card kit made them a very compatible and stylish couple!

Cheers to Paper Source and these new adorable and functional friends!

–Mallaree, Paper Source Brookline Store
PS colors: paper bag & sunshine
Latest fave: Hydrangea Wrapping Paper

Like you, we know how much fun it is making cards for those special occasions, where your own imagination is the secret ingredient! This Thursday’s Creative Card Making Collection Workshop offers the perfect opportunity to roll up your sleeves and learn plenty of easy tips and tricks for layering, embossing, and fill-in ideas that will last you a lifetime. We’ll have an assortment of rubber stamps, ink pads, cards and envelopes to get you started – you’ll leave with a stash of cards and the skills to create even more on your own!

Here are a few card samples using some of our new bold colors along with card making techniques we’re sure you’ll love! Most of these designs sprang from the creative minds of our amazing sample making “dynamic duo,” Annie and Claudia, who never cease to wow me with their clean and playful style.

Sign up fast as seats are selling out quickly! Many stores are planning to feature this workshop again – if your store is already sold out for this week, call to find out when they might be hosting this class in the future!

Share photos of what you create on our Facebook page. I promise to let Annie and Claudia know how they have inspired you with their imaginations. Hmmm…I think I feel a card making throwdown comin’ on!

Cheers,

–Linda
PS colors: chartreuse & pool
Latest fave: Silhouette SD Digital Cutting Tool and Peacock Cards & Envelopes

Since it’s back to school time I thought I’d choose one of my favorite teacher appropriate cards and tell you a little bit about the company who created it. The card I’ve chosen is called Apples made by Salmonberry Studio on Whidbey Island, Washington.

Salmonberry Studio is actually a lovely woman named Francy Kling Blumhagen. An artist for over 30 years, Francy got her art degree in painting from the University of Washington in Seattle. She works in a variety of media including block print, woodcut, collage, and wax resist. While Francy was busy creating art, her late husband, Bob – who I had the great pleasure of knowing before he passed away – ran the business side of their little publishing company. He LOVED their company with all his heart, and when Paper Source met the pair at a trade show several years ago, we began a long lasting and memorable relationship.

The thing I love about buying cards from Salmonberry is that I know every single one is made by hand with passion and love. Each card is hand signed too, so your recipient (maybe your favorite teacher?) will know he/she is getting something special. Their library of images is so vast that I am almost sure to find a card for any occasion. Because of this, you’re likely to see different Salmonberry Studio images in Paper Source stores throughout the year.

I hope you’ll stop in our stores (sorry, not currently available on our website) and check out the detail of these little works of art. They are truly special cards made by a truly special woman. And I’ll never forget her wonderful husband, Bob, who paved the way for Francy’s art to touch the world.

–Gretchen, PS Buying Team
PS colors: fuchsia & moss
Latest fave: 2011 Paper Source Academic Grid Wall Calendar

It’s no secret, the last few weeks leading up to your wedding can be surprisingly action packed! Even the most Zen personalities can find themselves overwhelmed by all the tiny details. It’s a story the wedding experts at Paper Source hear all too often. You may have booked the venue for your reception ages ago, but those last few straggling RSVPs have prevented you from completing the guest list. Before you know it your wedding is two weeks away and just thinking the words “seating chart” makes your temples throb. What to do? Where to turn?

Don’t fret! The design geniuses over at Paper Source have your back with the perfect solution to your pre-wedding woes. We are thrilled to (finally!) announce our new print-at-home folded place cards! They come as 8.5 x 11 sheets with 4 place cards each in creamy superfine soft white cover paper. Easy to use in Word, Pages, or InDesign (print templates available online) — on a Mac or a PC — these printable place cards are a cinch to punch out. Micro-perforation ensures a clean edge, and the fold line is scored for crisp, even folds and superior standing.

Quick tip for super savvy brides and grooms: These place cards easily do double duty as escort cards (as pictured). Long before your wedding, when you have ample time, print out all of your guests’ names in a decorative font but leave a blank space for their table number. When you get closer to your big day and know the seating arrangement, simply use a decorative pen or marker to write in each guest’s table number. Have all the place cards in alphabetical order on a table outside the reception along with your guest book. Watch in awe as your guests sign your guest book, pick up their place cards, and walk directly to their tables!

–Leslie
PS colors: persimmon & paper bag
Latest fave: 2011 Academic Black Date Book

The Design Department at Paper Source is a full of color and creativity, and you don’t have to look hard to see that the team really loves inventing new things! What I love about our space are all the little surprises that pop up – the creative things people bring in and add to their workspaces or to the general office area that create the inspiring environment that we are lucky enough to enjoy each day.

Here’s one little vignette that greets us each morning when we come into work…and when we toss our recyclables on our way out the door at night – little hand-drawn recycling signs! Read the rest of this entry »

Is it wrong to collect something that wasn’t meant to be seen? No, according to me and my Paper Source work mates. A few months ago I brought in my collection of security envelopes and tacked them to my inspiration board. Each day since everyone in the Design Department has been adding to the mix! They’re really quite beautiful and detailed.

Some of the envelopes are duplicates so I made some origami with them. Read the rest of this entry »