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Welcome to the P.S. blog!
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Now open: Paper Source Palo Alto!
After lots of hard work and preparation, last weekend we welcomed the 30th store to the Paper Source family, located at the Town & Country Center in sunny Palo Alto, CA. A wonderful addition to our Bay-Area gang, the Palo Alto store is warm, inviting, and choc-full of charm. We have a fabulous team, led by Matt, the store manager. Next time you’re in the neighborhood, stop by and say hello—we’d love to see you! -
How-to: paper pinwheels
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. -
Easy home décor idea: recycled vases
Imagine this: the fragrance of arrabiata sauce fills the kitchen as it simmers on the stove top. Oh, the daunting task of clean up. As I sort through the mess, I hesitate to throw the empty tomato can in the recycling bin. As usual, I’m scheming, plotting, thinking: what could I make with this? -
What’s your Colorscope?
Though I’ve been doing it for nearly 7 years, mixing and matching Paper Source colors never gets old – I continue to be amazed by how well they work together (despite knowing they were designed with that intention!). Like our color palette, our “Colorscope” is also about coordinating colors– and then learning how those colors reflect your personality. Our founder Sue felt that a person’s favorite colors revealed something interesting about them, and thus was born the Colorscope. Try it, pick out your two favorites (mine, at the moment, are classics Chartreuse and Pool) and read what they tell you about yourself. Just as I’m wowed by how our colors work together, I’m blown away by how my favorites really speak to who I am. Try pulling the Colorscope out at your next fete, we find it’s a great icebreaker – and who knows, could even become a matchmaker!— Cindy
PS colors: chartreuse & pool
Latest fave: PS Wall Calendar — it’s wonderful to look at across the room. -
Tools & techniques: what is a bone folder?
We’re very protective of our bone folders around here. So protective, many of us refuse to even lend one to a friend for fear we may never see our much-loved crafting tool again. And for good reason: a bone folder forms to the user’s hand over time, remembering your index fingers and palm after years of loving use. So, not unlike a great pair of blue jeans or your favorite Birkenstocks… yours has a “hand blueprint” and fits only you the best. -
The making of a rubber stamp
If you’ve ever seen the dedicated wall in our stores or our large selection online, you know we have a soft spot in our hearts for rubber stamps. Our very first rubber stamps were created from drawings done by Paper Source’s founder Sue, and to this day, stamps are still created from drawings and designs by our design team. For stamp ideas and inspiration, we try to dream up all the occasions and creative projects we’d like to use rubber stamps for– and of course we ask our stores what stamps our customers are looking for.Once our design team creates a stamp design, the stamps themselves are handcrafted in our production area. Rubber stamps consist of three parts – the die, the cushion and the mount.
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Fresh spring party favors
Here’s a fun, affordable way to do a fresh take on party favors (think also wedding favors or baby shower favors). I picked out these sweet mini grape hyacinths at the market and set them into our recycled takeout boxes, lined with a simple wax paper to prevent moisture from showing. An unexpected gift for your guests, not only does this create a wonderful aroma, but it gives them something to plant and grow when they get home. And they make for a lovely table decoration during the party. Any small flower will do– pansies, mini daisies, spruce seedlings, etc. This simple little takeaway will leave a lasting impression, and it’s eco-friendly too!–Linda
PS colors: chartreuse & pool
Latest fave: Saddle Stitch Notebooks -
Cool paper craft idea: paper kites
This is a great craft idea we put together to brighten our moods on a rainy spring day. Paper kites are a fun project to work on with kids and they make wonderful party decorations, or wall décor.(One day when we are master kite-makers we will figure out how to make these for outdoor flying, but for now, these are indoor-only!) We find the kites to be most interesting when different paper patterns are used for the kite panels – here we used three papers from the Fauna & Flora paper collection.
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Fresh spring party favors
Here’s a fun, affordable way to do a fresh take on party favors (think also wedding favors or baby shower favors). I picked out these sweet mini grape hyacinths at the market and set them into our recycled takeout boxes, lined with a simple wax paper to prevent moisture from showing. An unexpected gift for your guests, not only does this create a wonderful aroma, but it gives them something to plant and grow when they get home. And they make for a lovely table decoration during the party. Any small flower will do– pansies, mini daisies, spruce seedlings, etc. This simple little takeaway will leave a lasting impression, and it’s eco-friendly too!–Linda
PS colors: chartreuse & pool
Latest fave: Saddle Stitch Notebooks
