We’re thrilled to be celebrating the grand opening of our newest Paper Source store in Princeton, NJ this Saturday, August 1st. If you live nearby, swing by for an afternoon of creative demonstrations and a chance to win fun Paper Source goodies. And through Saturday, get a coupon for $5.00 off your next purchase of $25.00 or more when you spend $40.00!*

WHAT: Paper Source Princeton Grand Opening Event

WHEN: Saturday, August 1, 11:00am – 4:30pm

WHERE: 82 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ, 609-921-0932

WHY: Check out free creative demos on how to dress up envelopes, make paper flowers, embellish with rubber stamps and more. Plus you can enter to win cool creative stuff!

We hope to see you Saturday!

–PS Princeton Team

P.S. In celebration of our Princeton store opening, we’ll be offering free demos at ALL Paper Source stores on Saturday from 11:30am – 2:30pm. Come on by!

*Valid for purchases made through 8/1/09. Redeemable through 8/15/09. One coupon per transaction, good for one-time use only.

Using our box mailers as a frame, this silhouette box makes a great homemade wall decoration! Choose any colors or prints, and any silhouette– here we used a bird along with a paper from our India collection. Personalize the silhouette by tracing a photo of a family member or favorite pet!

Materials Needed: Read the rest of this entry »

We’ve all had them and we’ve all used them. The free calendars that businesses often give away each year (think your local bank or dry cleaners) become a necessity when trying to collect a family’s activities all in one place. Yet the part we all most appreciate about these freebees is the grid, not the art (as lovely as those pastoral scenes may be!). This year we decided to try our take on the grid calendar, hoping to make it both useful (on desk top or wall) AND artful.
In the past when we’d go to print a new pattern, Sue our founder would encourage us to tail onto the print run a variety of extra sheets of our PS colored papers – just to see how they would look once printed. It was a great way for us to learn how different color combinations printed on the solid paper backgrounds. Through this experimenting, we discovered that a tone-on-tone effect of pattern on our colored papers was simply beautiful. We couldn’t wait to find an excuse to try this technique on the right PS product!
And so was born the 2010 Paper Source Grid calendar, 17 months of tone-on-tone pattern in Chartreuse, Pool and Papaya. And yes, a nice big calendar grid for capturing all of life’s details. It’s truly a pleasure to flip through and adds a burst of color wherever you use it!

P.S. While proofing the calendar press runs Karen discovered a pile of production waste paper that she brought back to share with the team. We LOVE the ink pattern patchwork of layers resulting from the multiple runs through the press (see photo at right). Now we just need to think of a new product to use it on…

– Cindy
PS colors: chartreuse & pool
Latest fave: PS India Elephants Wrap – I love the proud marching elephants with their beautifully painted toes!

Created by one of our assistant store managers, these make great kid’s party favor boxes — or a rainy day project for kids to make themselves. Come by your local Paper Source store to see this favor box created in person!

Materials needed:
Chocolate Pocketbook Favor Boxes
Chocolate Oval Scallop Cards
Cover Weight Paper in Eco-white and Strawberry
Brads in Chocolate, Pool and Silver
Scallop Paper Punch
1/8″ Round Hole Punch
Scissors
Gluestick

Instructions:
1. Fold and assemble favor box according to instructions in package.
Ears & tail
2. Cut one scallop circle card in half lengthwise and fold each down to create two ears.
3. Cut a half moon or u-shape out of another scallop circle card to create tail, folding end about 3/4″ to create an anchor.
4. Using 1/8″ hole punch, punch holes in the ends of each ear Read the rest of this entry »

One of the things that is so stunning about Paper Source is all of the gorgeous fine papers from around the world. I walk in the store and pause to just say “ahh” at the beautiful ladders full of papers. Like many customers, however, I haven’t always been sure what to do with them (especially the papers I buy and save at home because they are “too special” to just wrap a present with). Some people are technically skilled at bookbinding or collaging and make incredible paper projects. My favorite uses are a bit more everyday– accessible techniques that are also inspiring and fun (relying on the artistry of the paper for a great result, rather than any required artistic perfection on my part!). Read the rest of this entry »

Invited to a summer BBQ recently, I tried this fun decorative idea to transport my go-to homemade brownies (a jazzed up version of the boxed kind that could fool anyone). While I like to use something inexpensive that I can leave behind, those disposable aluminum trays kind of kill the presentation. And if my mother taught me anything, it’s that presentation is key.

The solution? Read the rest of this entry »

I am loving our new rocket rubber stamp, one of many new stamp designs that we recently launched (no pun intended). It’s perfect for kids’ parties and is an image that’s timeless for year round use. Here we used it with our For Date Time Place rubber stamp to make a folded card into an invitation, with details on the inside.

Materials needed:
Rocket Ship Rubber Stamp
For Date Time Place Rubber Stamp
1/8″ Round Hole Punch
Versamark Watermark Inkpad
Brilliance Starlight Silver Inkpad
Metallic Silver Embossing Powder
Read the rest of this entry »

The countdown begins, only six days left until the Paper Source annual Girl’s Night Out! Some stores have already sold out– but don’t worry, encore events are already slated at select stores for Thursday, August 13. Don’t wait, register now!

In honor of our new India Collection, this year’s evening is themed “Indian Summer.” Join us at your local store for India-inspired crafts, treats, teas and cocktails,* plus enjoy a private shopping experience complete with 10% off your purchases for the evening.

Tickets are $35 (they are sellling quickly) so reserve your seat today.

WHAT: Paper Source Annual Girls Night Out – Indian Summer
WHEN: Thursday, July 16, 7:00 – 9:00pm. (Encore events slated at select stores for Thursday, August 13, 7:00 – 9:00pm.)
WHERE: Paper Source stores
WHY: Make your own unique stationery, invitations and paper lanterns in gorgeous summer colors, and enjoy India-inspired refreshments during a private shopping experience complete with 10% discount.
HOW: To purchase your ticket, call your store or reserve your seat online.

*Alcoholic beverages will not be served at all store locations due to restrictions, call your store for details; participants must be 21 or older.

As useful and handy as this craft tool is, we think the word “Xyron” should be in the dictionary. Until it is, we figured we’d help explain for those who haven’t had the pleasure of getting to use one.

A Xyron is a machine that applies an adhesive to the backside of any paper you run through it. Besides being super easy, what makes this adhesive so useful is that it is dry — ever tried using a glue stick and noticed everything you glued began to curl? This happens to most surfaces, but especially paper, when introduced to the moisture of wet glue. With the Xyron machine, you create a dry adhesive akin to a sticker– no wet, no curl, no mess. All in all, a smooth, clean and fast way to add creativity to any project.

Xyron machines come in many sizes, each appropriate for different kinds of projects. The 510 machine, which takes paper up to 5” wide by 10’ long Read the rest of this entry »