Linda & Harriett Letterpress Flower Pins

September 28, 2009 // kristen // 2 replies

I’m loving these amazing flower pins from Linda & Harriett, first spotted over on Amy Atlas’s blog. Each pin is made to order and is constructed by hand from letterpress misprints. What a great way to recycle, and what a pretty result! The pins could be used in so many ways — as pins on clothing, pinned onto front of the tablecloth at the wedding party table at a wedding, as gift wrap embellishments or closures for gift bags, shower favors, garlands, and the list goes on and on.

images from Linda & Harriett

Book Review : Home, Paper, Scissors by Patricia Zapata

September 23, 2009 // kristen // 0 replies

I recently had the first ever Paper Crave reader survey — thanks again to everyone who participated — and, in conjunction with the survey, I held a giveaway of Patricia Zapata’s new book, Home, Paper, Scissors : Decorative Paper Accessories for the Home. This is a book that I had been waiting to purchase since I heard earlier this year that it was going to be published, and the wait was definitely worth it!

If you’re looking for chic and sophisticated paper projects to decorate your home, then Home, Paper, Scissors should be at the top of your reading list. The book is divided into three sections — decorating, entertaining, and gifting — and contains step by step instructions for creating 30+ decorative paper crafts.

The first project that caught my eye was the colorful paper bowls featured on the cover. Made from shredded paper and a few other common items, these lovely decorative pieces can be customized to any color scheme. But this project is just the beginning, as there’s a treasure trove of paper goodies for you to make in this book.

One of my favorite projects in the book is the Fluttering Mobile (shown above). It’s amazing how a little lightweight paper and some monofilament can be transformed into such a stunning piece, and the use of the embroidery hoop was inspired!

What’s so great about a book like this is that it’s not just about the projects contained within its pages. It’s also about sparking inspiration within the mind of the reader. I see a project like the paper mobile, and suddenly my mind is filled with ideas for paper mobiles, and the inspiration just progresses from there.

In addition to chic paper decor, there are also a good number projects in the book for creating elegant packaging for gifts (bags, toppers, gift boxes), and several projects (a stationery set, a photo album, monogrammed journals) that are gifts in and of themselves. Perfect if you’re looking for unique packaging and homemade gift ideas for the upcoming holidays or for any time of the year.

Home, Paper, Scissors contains such a wide variety of projects that there’s sure to be one that you just have to try. From sunburst wreaths to tropical paper flowers, sweet little light covers (shown above), paper lamps, frames, and wall art, there’s at least a little, if not a lot, of something for everyone.

image from Home, Paper, Scissors

Half a Cup of Tea

September 15, 2009 // kristen // 2 replies

Half a Cup of Tea’s Etsy shop holds so many gorgeous little paper treasures, including their signature miniature paper carnations shown above, made with handmade Japanese paper and featuring beautiful watercolor edging.

Half a Cup of Tea also creates wonderfully detailed pop-up bookmarks and miniature paper sculptures:

See more of Half a Cup of Tea’s creations in their Flickr stream.

images from Half a Cup of Tea

Timeless Paper Place Cards

September 10, 2009 // kristen // 6 replies

I’m completely taken with the beautiful, handmade place cards that Timeless Paper creates. The three dimensional cards include ethereal butterflies, falling leaves, and even a peacock (love those peacocks) that will sit on the edge of a wine glass and add a touch of whimsy and elegance to any wedding or soiree. More place card eye candy from Timeless Paper:

images from Timeless Paper

Paper Source Chalkboard Goodies

September 09, 2009 // kristen // 0 replies

It seems like everything is being made into a chalkboard these days, and why not? Being able to write on something with chalk, whether it’s a table, a mug or napkin ring, wooden benches, or entire walls, is just plain fun! Paper Source has joined in this fun by carrying a number of chalkboard-inspired goodies, including the picture frame shown above, which comes complete with colorful chalk, and the adhesive backed decorative frames and placemats shown below. They even carry chalkboard “wallies” and a chalkboard candle!