New Advertiser : Worldlabel.com

August 02, 2010 // kristen // 1 replies

I’m happy to welcome Worldlabel.com as the newest advertiser on Paper Crave! Blank labels are a great thing to have on hand for all sorts of creations, and you can use them to make everything from custom address labels for any type of card and package you have to labels for favors, place cards, jars, and sticker gift tags. Worldlabel.com has a number of different sizes available in a variety of styles and colors for inkjet and laser printers. My favorites are the full sheet labels — I always keep a stack of these on hand because I can use them for lots of different projects.

images from Worldlabel.com

Weekly Wrap #32 : Summer Lovin’

July 09, 2010 // kristen // 2 replies

This gift packaging idea from Carolyn Roehm is the perfect wrap for summertime gifts and favors, don’t you think? The baby blue and white gingham bow is the cherry on top, and the white silk flower and white on white patterned gift box are light, sunny, and beautiful.

You can purchase the favor size boxes from Carolyn Roehm (half off, too!), but if you need a custom size or something a little larger you could also use embossed scrapbooking/craft paper or even the embossed, paintable wallpaper adhered to cardstock to create your own gift and favor boxes.

image from Carolyn Roehm

DIY Father’s Day Shirt & Tie Gift Boxes

June 16, 2010 // kristen // 48 replies

A little while back, I was brainstorming Father’s Day craft ideas, and I had one of those “a-ha” moments. Don’t you just love those? These Father’s Day Shirt & Tie Gift Boxes actually make use of the favor box template that I created for my feature in the first issue of Nonpareil, with an alteration made to add a “collar”. I’ve provided a necktie template (and a bow tie template, in case your dad or husband is a bow tie kind of guy) that you can use with any patterned or solid colored paper to put the finishing touch on your own box(es). And now I’m thinking about all of the other holidays for which I can customize the template, so don’t be surprised if you see more projects that make use of it in the future!

Father’s Day Shirt & Tie Gift Boxes

Supplies you’ll need:

gift box template + bow tie / necktie template
a printer
cardstock for the box and tie(s)*
scissors
a ruler
a pen or pencil
glue dots
double-sided tape
1/4 inch circle hole punch (for bow tie box)
a scoring tool (optional)
a cutting mat (optional)

Print the box template onto lightweight cardstock, cut out along the solid lines, and assemble according to the directions found in the template file. Place your gift in the box, and use double-sided tape or glue dots to securely close the flap. Print bow tie/necktie templates, cut out, and trace onto your choice of patterned or solid colored paper. Cut out the tie(s) and attach to the box flap using double stick tape or glue dots. If making the bow tie box, punch out three 1/4 inch “buttons” using a hole punch, and attach to the front of the box using glue dots (small Zots are the perfect size).

Alternative directions: Assemble the box and attach the tie to the top flap first, and add your gift last.

These boxes will hold a variety of small Father’s Day gifts, including watches, fishing lure, small food treats, gift cards, and tech gadgets like iPod Nanos or USB thumb drives.

* The patterned paper I used for the ties is Flannel from Cosmo Cricket’s Mr. Campy collection.

images from yours truly

New Advertiser : Finch & Hawk Paper Goods

May 25, 2010 // kristen // 1 replies

It’s my pleasure to welcome Paper Crave’s newest advertiser, finch & hawk paper goods. Erin Vale is the talented designer behind the finch & hawk line, which includes snarky notepads — I use my Pain in the Groceries and Freakin’ To Do lists all the time — as well as customizable, printable and printed favor boxes, seed packets, and other details that are great for gift packaging, weddings, and parties. You can check out the entire finch & hawk shop right here.

images from finch & hawk paper goods

National Stationery Show 2010 : All About Details, Part 2

May 25, 2010 // kristen // 1 replies

Miss the first part of All About Details? You can check it out here.

The Smock booth was a feast for the color lover’s eyes. I loved seeing the vibrant colorways in their new card collections, and the bent wire signage was something else — hello, mini smock hanger! Smock’s new gift boxes and bags are really cool, too, and their patterned boxes would make great office paper storage, as well as being fantastic as reusable gift boxes. And the gift bags — very sturdy and made from paper handmade in Nepal using 12th century papermaking techniques. Pretty neat stuff.

Wiley Valentine’s booth was like a super luxe lounge. I think they even had a couch in there! I really enjoyed their use of the birdcage wall hanging as a display for their cards and calendars, and their letterpress art prints were a feast for the eyes. Seriously, though, the “Let Them Eat Cake” print was making me hungry, and their oh so pretty recipe cards were making me want to bake. It must’ve been around lunch time when I visited their booth. Yep, that’s my excuse.

The Mr. Boddington’s Studio booth made fantastic use of paper! From the white paper cobblestone walls to patterned envelope liner awnings, there was a little bit of paper in every corner, and it was a beautiful display for Mr. Boddington’s greetings. Plus, how cool is that post box business card holder?

Paisley Tree Press oh so cleverly used chicken wire as a display for their beautiful letterpress cards and coasters. Who knew that chicken wire could be so elegant?

The hand cut wood sign at The Mincing Mockingbird was completely awesome, and I thought that the white on white in the booth made it look like a modern gallery space, perfect to display their bird paintings and prints. One of my favorites was the Pi is Infinitely Tasty card, perfect for the mathematician or pie lover in your life. Versatile!

Lots of color and fun cards in the Amy Smyth Made It booth. Hee, Not Old Owl card! I thought it was neat that the back of the booth was covered with “framed” versions of a variety of the cards.