It was so interesting to see what all of the couples – the brides, along with their entourage – created at last week’s Wedding Suites workshop. At our River North store in Chicago we had some really fun folks join us for an evening built around learning DIY basics for creating their own invitation suites. We thought we’d share some photos with you starting with David and Sue, the raffle winners for the embossing heat tool. Based on David’s impressive techniques, I know who will be the one using the tool to stamp and emboss their wedding invitations!

Paper Source associates, Cheryl and Erin work their demo magic for inspiration!

Deidra and Larry made a fast friend, and by the end of the evening Cheryl was exclaiming “I heart Larry!” Read the rest of this entry »

We love making these little versatile booklets – great for keeping track of projects, to give as gifts, even use as event programs. We love making them so much ourselves that we decided this would make a fantastic workshop. They’re so simple and can be made using a few different stitches in a vertical or horizontal format.

Above are a few of the notebooks we’ll be making in our upcoming Variations on the Booklet Workshop on Saturday, March 13. Not only will you have a kool new collection of booklets for yourself or friends, you’ll learn all the steps to make dozens more!

–Linda
PS colors: chartreuse & pool
Latest fave: 2010 Paper Source Letterpress Calendar

We had such a great turn out for our Paper Wedding and Morning Tea events. What fun it was to show off our new wedding invitation collection, as well as to have the chance for our customers to experiment with wedding rubber stamps and assorted stamp pads at the demo and make & take tables.

We know many of you are wondering if there is another opportunity to attend one of our wedding events…the answer is YES! Our Wedding Suites Workshop, which sold out last year and even had a waitlist, is running again this year on Thursday, March 4, from 6-8pm. We have designed this event to reflect the desire of both brides and their entourage to “learn by doing”. You will create your first invitation suite in order to learn technique and gain ideas, then for your second suite, add in your personal style and wedding color palette – making it uniquely your own.

WHAT: Wedding Suites Workshop
WHERE: All Paper Source stores
WHEN: Thursday, March 4 from 6-8pm
HOW: Visit our workshop page to find your store & purchase your $30 ticket. Sign up with a friend (your fiancé, bridesmaids, mom, etc.) at the same time and receive $5 off both reservations!

If you’d like an evening of learning simple DIY wedding tips, Read the rest of this entry »

This year celebrates the 5 year Anniversary of our signature Bridal Event—Paper Wedding! To give you some background on the events’ inception we have to reflect upon the notion that “Good things come in small packages.” Indeed, it was our wonderful little store in Kansas City that provided the testing grounds for our first ever wedding event, and ultimately the proof that brides would love a weekend full of wedding inspiration.

This year our Paper Wedding open house event has been expanded to two full days. Join us this weekend Saturday, February 20 & Sunday, February 21 from 12pm to 4pm, for demonstrations, to see our walls of wedding inspiration, and partake in a few hands-on rubber stamping opportunities. We feel certain we will inspire even the most traditional bride to “do something creative every day!”

Since 2005, our love affair with brides and grooms hasn’t lost its first blush of excitement! Year after year we continued to expand on Paper Wedding, and as of last year the event is hosted by all 32 stores!

Back in the day, our multi-talented National Manager of Invitations, Betsy Campbell Read the rest of this entry »

This year we decided our bride-to-be’s deserve a morning tea, done the Paper Source way! Join us for The Wedding Tea workshop where we’ll give you a personal introduction to our brand new 2010 Wedding Invitation line (hot off the press!), hands-on projects to build your DIY skills, great raffles, and the bonus – a 10% off coupon to use towards purchases made that day (get your wedding supply list ready)! All while you sip tea and nibble on sweet treats.

Mark your calendars for this one hour morning event on Saturday, February 20 from 10-11am. Then stay for our free event, Paper Wedding the same weekend – February 20 and 21!

Don’t worry, we’re covering all the categories of wedding tradition:

Something Old
We’re old pros at showing you the tips and tricks for creating your perfect wedding suite.

Something New
Our fabulous new collection of exclusive Paper Source wedding invitations and accoutrements!

Something Borrowed
Use any of the kool crafting supplies we have at our workshop tables to build your make and takes.

Something Blue
Ah yes, we built the whole Wedding Tea theme around our lovely blue shade of pool.

Space is limited, so sign up early and perhaps bring a friend to help you take notes. We can’t wait to spend the morning with you!

Cheers,

–Linda
PS colors: chartreuse & pool
Latest fave: 2010 Paper Source Letterpress Calendar

This blog post has provided me with an opportunity to talk about two things I love: Our wonderful bindery department (yep, heard me right!) and the joy of learning to make handmade books. When I first came to Paper Source 7 1/2 years ago, our founder, Sue Lindstrom wanted to create our very own in-house bindery. She was interested then, as we are now, in creating hand-crafted products that speak to the core values of our company: use quality materials; pay close attention to the details; and above all, do it better than anyone else! All these years later, I am proud to say we are still making exquisite handmade products in our bindery at our headquarters here in Chicago.

Here are a few shots from our Paper Source bindery showing the items that eventually become the lovely photo albums, journals and guest books that you see in the stores and on our website. Some are covered in our Paper Source prints, some in our imported fine papers. And I couldn’t resist a photo of our imported German paste brushes that are so well-used, well-loved and last forever!

Now, if you’ve always wanted to learn to make books from scratch, then this blog post will satisfy that requirement too! Coming from someone who truly loves to make things with her hands (top of list are books), this next piece of information will make you very happy… this year we made sure to include on our New Year’s list of classes, a “how to craft an album or book by hand.” So, for all of you bookbinder wanna-be’s, this Saturday, January 30 ALL stores will be hosting a Fabulous Handmade Album workshop. We’ll teach you the in’s and out’s of making a 6″ x 8″ album by hand. You’ll not only leave with a finished album (plus get to be the envy of your friends), you’ll get to start the year off with a checkmark next to this one! Sign up while seats are still available.

Cheers & happy gluing!

–Linda
PS colors: chartreuse & pool
Latest fave: 2010 Paper Source Letterpress Calendar

We are thrilled to introduce the Paper Source 2010 Wedding Invitation Collection – now available in stores and on our website. What labor and love the teams here at PS put into the design and execution of this year’s wedding invitations. Planning our collection was not unlike planning an actual (BIG) wedding, just without the pretty dress, fancy cake and amazing party!

To kick off the development of our new wedding invitation collection, we began by creating an inspiration board. We looked at current trends in color, pattern, fashion and design, and gathered things we love – buttons, bits of lace and fabrics, branches and flowers. We also considered feedback from our wonderful customers about what was missing from our 2009 collection, and what they loved!

Much of this inspiration and insight eventually made it into the 2010 wedding collection in the design of our new embossed Faux Bois invitations; the introductions of curry and beet letterpress ink colors; the whimsy of the Carnival suite; and the much desired inclusion of black and white patterns and styles! In addition to beautiful wedding invitations and save the dates, we also created wedding guest books and rubber stamps that coordinate with many of our new designs so you can carry a theme throughout your wedding.

P.S. In planning your wedding, consider building yourself an inspiration board. You’ll have such fun doing it and it will remain a great reference for you throughout your planning process. And, when you’re happily married, it will be a wonderful remembrance of all the planning, labor and love that you put into your big day!

– Karen and Cindy
PS colors: moss & papaya and pool & red
Latest faves: India Calico File Folders and Dutch Woodcut Floral Wrapping Paper

With so many Paper Source favor boxes to choose from it’s easy to see why we love sharing our countless wedding favor ideas. Though our favor box assortment means endless possibilities to us, we know that our customers can feel overwhelmed by all of the choices. That’s why we’re always developing new wedding favor workshops that provide you with a framework for your favor project.

At this month’s Wedding Favor Workshop we’ll share ideas and decorating techniques to get you headed in the right direction. By the end of the class you’ll have the know-how and completed samples to make creative decisions for your own wedding celebration! Our workshops are also a great way to spend quality time with your mother, future mother-in-law and bridesmaids. A real treat for all of you!

WHAT: Wedding Favors Workshop
WHERE: All Paper Source stores
WHEN: Saturday, January 16 from 11am-1pm.
HOW: Visit our workshop page to find your store & purchase your $35 ticket. (Save 10% when you sign up with a friend!)

–Linda
PS colors: chartreuse & pool
Latest fave: 2010 Paper Source Letterpress Calendar

For our Valentine workshop this year, we had a hard time deciding between a kids class or an adult class…so we created both! For our hopelessly romantic Girls Night Out gals, we have a workshop in which we’ll share our love of Victorian folded Valentine creations embellished with Paper Source accents. And since so many of you LOVED our Gingerpaper House Workshop for kids, we created a Sweet Handmade Valentine Workshop (with Mom or Dad) perfect for ages 7 and older.

Classes vary by store location – we’re so sorry if the class you want is not available at your local store! But don’t forget to check workshop schedules for surrounding stores in your area, or plan your own Valentine private party with just 4-6 people (call your local store for more information)!

Sweet Handmade Valentine – Victorian Fold (for adults)
The romantic at heart will love making the Victorian folded Valentines as seen in Martha Stewart Living. We’ll also decorate a favor box with rubber stamps and paper – a perfect way to present your handmade Valentine to your someone special!

WHERE: Select stores
WHEN: Thursday, January 28 – 6:30-7:30pm
The registration fee is $15. To register visit our Workshops page.

Sweet Handmade Valentine – with Mom or Dad (for kids)
Perfect for a Mom & me or Dad & me morning! Your kids will learn to fold a “fortune teller of love” Valentine and decorate it with our rubber stamps and accents. Then you’ll get to help them create a petal envelope to store their Valentine, using a heart boot punch, brads and string!

WHERE: Select stores
WHEN: Sunday, January 31 – 10:30-11:30am
The registration fee of $15 covers the cost of one adult and one child. Add a second child for $10 (two children per adult maximum). To register visit our Workshops page.

Check out what fun Read the rest of this entry »