This month it seems we have a love affair with all things French! From Lauren’s experiences in the color-filled countryside to our recent Parisian-inspired bridal shower, we’re smitten with the sights and sounds of France. And, to top it off, tomorrow is Bastille Day!

Get inspired at the Bastille Day Crafter’s Night Out happening tomorrow night (July 14)! We’ll have wonderful crafts, including stamped favor bags, paper covered magnets, and baby envelopes and stationery using Cavallini papers. Enjoy creating with fellow crafters while listening to classic French music and nibbling on light hors d’œuvre.

Sign up, find out more, and discover other inspiring Paper Source Workshops.

–Linda
PS colors: paper bag & persimmon
Latest fave: Academic Great Big Calendar

It’s a wonderful day when we get to put our products and skills to use at the corporate office, and a colleague’s upcoming nuptials certainly gave us reason to celebrate. The store operations team surprised bride-to-be Stephanie with a day centered around her favorite destination.

Our team created a Parisian-inspired bridal shower that would remind her of strolling through streets lined by iron lamps, inviting bistros and romantic florals. Knowing we were limited to conference room fixtures, we focused on Art Nouveau elements and pastels to elicit a nostalgic charm. A Silhouette-produced sign celebrated the couple and favored subway text of the city; a fresh assortment of paper flower bouquets, each designed by associates from our store locations, was the focal point of the room; and the shower spread included fresh fruits, delicious breads, and rich cheeses. The halls were flooded with the sounds of Edith Piaf and everyone took in the delight of spending a day in Paris.

Join us in congratulating Stephanie and Ryan, and check back for photographs from her big day and their romantic honeymoon in Paris (of course!).

Looking for more ideas? Check out Lauren’s French inspiration post and photographs.

– The Store Operations Team
PS colors: sage & bluebell
Latest fave: Paris Map Cavallini Wrapping Paper

Before returning to spend another summer interning at Paper Source, I spent 5 months reading maps, roaming markets, picnicking at parks, hiking trails, eating feasts, absorbing culture and speaking French. Studying abroad is an experience unlike any other. You are afforded the opportunity to delve deep into a new culture and learn through unconventional means outside of a classroom setting. My wonderful French host parents continuously spoke the words profitez-bien, directly translated as profit well but more commonly understood as make the most of it, or embrace life. This simple phrase soon developed as a reoccurring theme of my travels that I’ve come to embrace.

This joie de vivre, or joy of living, was particularly apparent in my painting and drawing course. My professors constantly alluded to living in the moment, whether we were figure drawing in the studio or painting landscapes in the countryside. Without saying much, they challenged our perceptions of color. I challenge you to do the same thing: take a look around, what colors do you see? If you are like me, you may think that water is blue and trees are green, but so much more is out there.

After 3 weeks, I started seeing colors I’d never seen before – stunning flower markets in Aix-en-Provence, rich red roofs in Portugal, elaborate mosaics in Barcelona, Monet’s “Water Lilies” in Paris, and the radiance of the Mediterranean Sea. My world brightened and my eyes smiled.

Coming back home, I am bombarded with a future-oriented mindset, but I truly have learned to value smaller nuances in life. So next time you’re going for a walk, take a look around and get inspired. There are new colors to see in the world and a million ways to profitez-bien!

–Lauren, Paper Source Intern
PS colors: chartruese & sage
Latest fave: Vintage Marquis Monogram A6 Flat Stationery