Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy winter, with all of its frosted window and snowstorm creating abilities, and I certainly live in a pretty good place for experiencing everything that winter has to offer. However, the sooty, sandy streets and brown grass do leave something to be desired.

The between-storm palette has left me craving color, so when I spotted Freshly Blended’s post about Three Sisters Ink, I couldn’t stop looking. I’m really digging the organic illustrations of Hannah Bureau, the artist behind Three Sisters Ink and, needless to say, I’m loving the rainbow of colors found in her work. Check out more at the Three Sisters Ink Etsy shop.

images from Three Sisters Ink

A new year brings a new website for letterpress favorite, Hello! Lucky. I’m absolutely smitten with the adorable food illustrations in the “Greeting Cards” section. Animated food makes me smile every time, and the dancing ice cream treats and condiments remind me of the “Let’s All Go to the Lobby” cartoon that theaters used to show before a movie! Anyway, do you really need an excuse to check out Hello! Lucky?

images from Hello! Lucky

I’m loving the super kawaii illustrations on this 3D printable 2009 calendar from Blackpio, spotted over at Folding Trees. The fun and colorful calendar is the perfect thing if you find yourself without a calendar for the new year.

images from Blackpio

Check out this beautiful Polish Pajaki chandelier that Wren Handmade created for her husband’s aunt (his family is Polish) for Christmas. She took her inspiration from a paper chandelier that she purchased at the Polish Art Center, and I’m so inspired by both creations!
Side note: Pajaki translates to “spiders of straw”, and if you do not like spiders, please be warned that Googling “Pajaki” will bring up lots of pictures of big, fat spiders instead of pictures of beautiful paper chandeliers. Bleh!
image from Wren Handmade

It’s a new year, and Paper Crave is delighted to welcome our newest sponsor, Paisley Tree Press. This wonderful letterpress shop is located in upstate New York and specializes in custom letterpress wedding invitations, birth announcements, and social stationery. They also carry letterpress cards for all occasions, as well as invitations, coasters, and gift tags. A little bit of everything! All of Paisley Tree’s products are hand printed on tree free, 100% cotton paper.

image from Paisley Tree Press

Happy New Year to all of you! Wow, it seems like it’s been forever since I last posted. My stack of paper cravings has only grown over the holiday break, and I’m back to sharing them with you starting today. So, enough chit chat and onto the paper goodies!

This is my last post before I take a little break for the holidays, and I wanted to wish you all a safe and fun time. 2008 has been a great one for Paper Crave, and I’m so thankful to all of you, who make this experience that much more enjoyable. A big thank you for your lovely comments, suggestions, and eye candy!

If you’re in need of some last minute food gifts, then check out the chocolate bark and candied pecan recipes over on my other blog. You can make and package both of these in an afternoon. Seriously! Printable PDFs of the labels are available for download, too.

Happy Holidays, and stay tuned for many more paper cravings in 2009!

image from Domestifluff

One last lovely calendar for 2009 (I just can’t get enough!), this time from the ever chic Pikku. The “Grove” calendar features an original, modern illustration screenprinted onto Baltic birchwood. The design serves as a backdrop to elegant, letterpressed calendar pages which can be refilled in the years to come. Alternatively, the calendar backdrop becomes its own work of art and can be put on display as such when the year is finished.

images from Pikku