We originally created a version of these classic 4th of July decorations for Inauguration Day 2009. To celebrate the day, the PS Design team had streaming video of the day’s events projected onto a wall, framed by curtains and hanging red, white and blue (lake, of course) paper rosettes. It really created a festive patriotic setting and we noted we’d have to remember the rosettes again in July. Well, here we are, halfway through summer (though not in Chicago) and ready to celebrate our country once again! Our take on the tissue paper rosettes you often see at Independence Day celebrations is SO easy. You’ll want to hang them from front porches, around backyards or patios, from tree branches or on the backs of chairs – wherever you choose to celebrate, they’re the perfect decorative spark!

Materials needed: Read the rest of this entry »

This breezy summer party invitation is easy to make using fill-in printable invitations and our honeycomb rubber stamps. The honeycombs take on a citrus look in these ink colors, but you can change up the colors and use them again and again for any occasion– make fireworks in red and blue for a 4th of July celebration, or a garland in red and green for a holiday party. We finished these off with clear embossing powder for a shiny, textured look.

Materials needed:
Recycled Black & White A7 Printable Party Invitations
Honey Comb Flower Small Rubber Stamp
Honey Comb Flower Large Rubber Stamp
Sunflower Color Box Stamp Pad
Moss Color Box Stamp Pad
Orange Color Box Stamp Pad
Clear Embossing Powder
Heat Embossing Tool

Instructions
1. Along the top of each invitation, stamp small and large honeycombs in a staggered pattern in various ink colors.
2. To emboss, begin by sprinkling clear embossing powder over pattern while ink is still wet.
3. Shake off excess powder. We recommend doing this over a large sheet of scrap paper so you can funnel the excess back into your jar — it’s totally reusable.
4. Set with heat tool to create a raised, glossy finish.
5. Pair with a colored A7 envelope to complete your invitation!

– Annie
PS colors: eco-white & pool
Latest fave: Zots Glue Dots

Okay, if it’s possible to have a total FAVE outside of PS designs, then these French canvas fabrics from Les Toiles du Soleil (”canvas of the sun”) have to be mine. They just scream summertime and the beach! The best news is that on top of using them to make our awesome French canvas journals (handmade at Paper Source here in Chicago), we are now selling the cloth online by the meter– ideal for summer craft projects! I have been hoping for years that we could offer it by the meter, so with five summery patterns now to choose from it’s a dream come true for me. Read the rest of this entry »

Our new India-inspired prints really got us thinking of summer– and what kinds of crafts and party decorations we could dream up for warm-weather celebrations. Using bright colors, including our vibrant new Fuchsia, we created these simple paper lanterns. They look great hanging from anywhere, adding a colorful touch to any outdoor occasion!

Materials needed:
One 26″ x 20″ sheet of text weight paper in each of 2 colors (one sheet of each makes two lanterns); floral wire; 1/8″ hole punch; double-sided tape; craft knife; ruler

Instructions:

Exterior sheet (outside frame of lantern)
1. Cut text weight sheet of one color down to a 10″ x 20″ piece. Fold each of the 10″ ends down 2″ to create a crease, then unfold.
2. Using craft knife and ruler, make vertical cuts between fold lines at roughly 1/2″ intervals. Read the rest of this entry »

This classic craft can be amped up using colored paper and rubber stamps. White ink, like Versamagic White Cloud, is one of our fave colors to use for this.

1. Begin with any color text weight paper. Have fun mixing and matching different colors. Cut text paper to 5 1/4″ squares.
2. Fold paper twice, corner to corner, creating four triangles. Punch an 1/8″ hole on the left side of each fold near the corner. Read the rest of this entry »