Spring has sprung. Hop on over to our website, or find a store near you, to take a gander at our selection of gifts and crafts that were hand-picked for the season.

Easter is March 31! Celebrate with this egg-stra special garland! Decorate and display the Egg Garland Kit on a wall, mantel or doorway.

This colorful garland is 10 feet long and features 12 eggs, each 4 1/2″ x 6 1/4″. The kit includes pre-cut shapes, papers, ribbon, stickers and templates for creating our sample… but it’s also fun to customize with your own style using paper cuts, stickers and other embellishments.

You can even grab individual die-cut eggs for additional accents or coordinating craft ideas.

This Easter craft is a colorful addition to any home and the perfect kit for beginners or the time-strapped crafter.

See this and other Easter Kits online.

If you enjoy handmade creations — crafts that give you a chance to add your own personal style — we have Easter card making ideas online, like the egg, chick and carrot cards featured above.

The Easter egg cups (also shown above) are easy to modify with your favorite PS colors and embellishments. Find this and other craft inspiration on the PS Blog.

Springtime always makes us crazy for daisies! The Daisy Wreath Kit is the perfect accent to mark today’s changing season. Crisp white daisies paired with clover green leaves feel spring fresh.

Make this wreath on a rainy afternoon and enjoy the cheer it brings! Adorn your front door, hang above a mantel or display in a window.

Daisy inspiration extends to our custom products too! Shop a variety of invitations, stationery and gifts featuring this happy sign of spring. We even have a few fine paper varieties that show off this lovely bloom.

See these and more daisy-inspired products online.

Today also brings Spring showers… and not just rain showers that offer ample time to craft and create. Many of our customers are also looking for baby, bridal and wedding shower gifts. Shop by recipient, category or price easily from our new Gifts page. Or, ask an associate at your local store for assistance. We’re always happy to help you create something unique.

Check out March’s great workshop offering. Remember workshop participants receive a coupon for 10% off purchases after every workshop, so these classes are a great way to learn and shop!

March 14 – Itajime Folded Dyed Japanese Papers Workshop

Featuring the artful technique of folding and dyeing Japanese papers (called Itajime Shibori), which is similar to tie dying, this workshop is designed to help you create a collection of four beautiful designs (like the samples featured above). The finished 18 1/2″ x 25″ sheets are perfect for gift wrapping, book binding, or card making. In addition, you will also make a small swatch book collection to recall the folding and dying techniques learned during the workshop.

March 23 – Chevron Tray with Paper Vessels Workshop

Learn box making techniques to create this contemporary gold chevron patterned tray. The workshop will teach you how to glue book board, along with wrapping tips for fine and decorative papers. We will also review uses of PVA & Methyl cellulose adhesives and tricks for cutting papers. To complete the collection, we’ll create DIY accents to accompany your finished tray. Perfect for gifting this Mother’s Day or to keep for your own home decor.

Find a store and see our full line up of workshops online.

We are bringing in the Easter holiday with our latest how-to — a handmade Easter greeting card! This project is suitable for little hands to help, and works with varying card colors too. Between this creative fun and our seasonal gifts, we’re hoping your bunny ears are perked and you’re ready to celebrate Spring!

Materials Needed:

Follow the assembly diagram outlined on the Easter Greeting How-To PDF, then use the left over punched out sheets and shapes from the kit to create simple Easter greetings.

Option 1:

Option 2:

-Claudia

Favorite PS colors: curry & fuchsia
Latest Fave: Red & White Paper Straws

The Evolution Embosser from Lifestyle Crafts has us inspired. This universal craft tool lets you die cut, emboss, and letterpress all with one lightweight and portable tool. From wedding favors and invitations to handmade cards and paper accents, here are just a few ways you can personalize your paper crafts with this incredible tool.

Two embossing folders come packaged with the Evolution. These translucent folders can be used with 12×12 scrapbook paper, card stock or even paper bags. The sample above uses the “tide” embossing folder and soufflé pen accenting.

Make an impression on our kraft bags, then add washi tape and rubber stamp accents for an incredible look for an everyday favorite.

Throwing a party? Use our favor box to accent your event. By running the lid through the Evolution and tying ribbon around the outside, this project idea is suitable for any occasion.

These pillow boxes are transformed with the Evolution tool. Create a one-of-kind gift box by embossing and embellishing.

Did you know? The Evolution is compatible with leading cutting dies and embossing folders, including Lifestyle Crafts, QuicKutz, and Sizzix accessories.

We’re often asked how it compares to other tools on the market…

• How does it compare to the Cricut?… or the Portrait?

The Evolution is not an electronic cutter, instead shapes are manually cut using metal dies that are placed on a platform and run through the machine. The Cricut and Portraits are great for digital cutting projects, but they cannot emboss.

• How does it compare to the Fuse?

The Fuse adds inks to the pattern, cuts a shape, and presses a textured pattern all in one pass. It is also three times the price of the Evolution machine.

• How does it compare to the Vandercook?

Well, the Vandercook is a professional’s tool. While the Evolution has the ability to letterpress paper in a home setting, it does not replace a professional letterpress machine, like the Vadndercook. The Evolution provides access to letterpress techniques for the everyday crafter. It is important to note that the kit we are selling does not include components for the crafter to begin letterpressing at home right away – inks and plates are needed for letterpress projects. The Evolution kit does include tools to begin embossing and die cutting right away.

Already own the Evolution? Tell us what are you making. Share some of your samples with us and help inspire a community of crafters!

Roll out the red carpet! It’s Oscars weekend, and the party is ON. Set the scene with a little DIY Oscars party inspiration from Paper Source!

Bring the glamour of award season to your home with bold golds. This Friendsgiving Tablescape, created by a Paper Source Holiday Craft Contest winner, provides the perfect backdrop with our Chevron Table Wrapping Paper.

Use Gold Chevron or Gold Confetti invitations to further accent your event. Print your menu, use as place settings or create an Oscars watching game.

Or, you can simply print the Oscars Ballot we’ve created: 2013 Oscars Ballot

While you’re watching the red carpet, have each guest fill out their guesses for this year’s winners. Throughout the show, attendees can keep track of their votes. Up the stakes by pooling a cash prize or simply supply your own prize (like a PS Gift Card). Once all winners are announced, the guest with the most correct votes takes all!

You can also gift your favorite bottle to the winner, and complete your theme with a gold rosette. Create large versions for decoration or scale back for an accent, using this How-To-Paper-Rosette PDF

We’re sure this gold and glamour Oscars party will having you saying, “They like me, they really like me!”

When Paper Source fan Stephen C. and his wife announced their big day, they took on the project of creating one-of-a-kind invitations inspired by Stephen’s old train tickets.

We own a public relations and design company, so we were really interested in making our wedding invitations. I designed them with inspiration from my old train tickets from London to Paris that I’ve been using as bookmarks.

The couple’s invitations were enclosed in #10 Open End Shimmer Gold Envelopes with a string and button enclosure that was fashioned by hand. They printed #10 Savoy Cotton Notecards at home to achieve the faded look, then finished with rounded corners.

Using a perforating wheel the couple created a tear-off piece that could be placed in purses and wallets, and the black strip across the top is magnet tape for refrigerator posting.

They also included a QR code on the rear. With a scan of a smart phone, guests are taken to either their Adroid or iPhone app store to download the couple’s wedding app.

With their know-how and creative thinking – and the help of basic note cards and envelopes – the couple created a project that instilled the essence of their wedding’s theme. We were truly excited to hear from Stephen, and equally excited to share his project.

– Stephen & Dana, Stellar Impeller — Austin, PS Customers

Favorite PS colors: PS colors: persimmon & curry
Favorite PS product: Patterned Gift Boxes

Want to share your creations with us? Email us at: psfan@paper-source.com

Our teams have been inspired to create fresh, new projects for 2013 and our store team has found the perfect way to turn these ideas into workshops and classes you’re sure to enjoy.

Check out some of our faves for Feb!

February 16 – Party time Banner & Accents Workshop

Create a party collection that includes a decorative banner, stamped treat bags, place cards and more. Discover new tools like Tonic cutters and X-acto knives, decorative punches and the new Evolution die-cutting/embossing machine and learn techniques for folding, layering, and stamping to create this festive collection for any occasion! Register online!

February 21 – Cabbage Rose Wreath Workshop

Using the new Evolution die cut machine and an assortment of tissues, create this lovely soft palette cabbage rose wreath. Perfect for spring, this project looks pretty hanging on the wall or as your table centerpiece. We’ll introduce you to a few simple tools and let you discover new techniques. This class is not to be missed! Register Online!

Find a store and see our full line up of workshops online.

The latest Paper Source catalog hits mailboxes this week! Inside you will find a special feature on The Art of Craft, an inspirational resource page with recipes for rubber stamping, embossing and stenciling. We also explored DIY letterpress and digital die cutting projects.

Paper Source associates, even many from your local store, offered their vision for an assortment of Silhouette Machine executions. Here are the stories behind their innovative designs, along with tips for helping you master this versatile cutting tool.

Butterfly Box by Wendy Parks
Paper Source Evanston

Q: What inspired your design?
A: SPRING! I like to think of creative ways to spruce up something simple (like a kraft box) in minimal time.

Q: What tips do you have for successfully executing this Silhouette project?
A: I loved the idea of layering butterflies to give them a 3-D effect.

Did you know: You can get 1 free download each week to add to your library! It’s like iTunes for images.
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We’re counting down the days to our big DIY celebration (20 to be exact), and we hope to see you at one of our 43 store locations on June 4th. In fact, as a special treat to those who register, we’re giving away one FREE copy of Handmade Weddings – Register by Sunday, May 22nd to be included in our drawing (winner announced on Monday, May 23rd).

What’s even better is our Berkeley store will host Eunice and Sabrina Moyle, coauthors and founders of Hello!Lucky, and our Brooklyn store will be visited by coauthor and stylist Shana Faust. Treats and refreshments will be provided at each store location, along with two hours of inspiring crafts that will transform your special events and parties.

Here’s a peek…

DIY projects like these, and the 50 crafts featured in the pages of Handmade Weddings, will make this an affair to remember. Don’t miss out!