1. DIY Valentines — Sweet Without the Sugar! with Guest Blogger Rebecca G. from Not-So-SAHM


    a child writing in a valentine's day card

    I have to admit that I fall firmly into the camp of loving Valentine’s Day. And I love that my kids are on that bandwagon too. They love to think of kind (and often elaborate) gestures to show people dear to them how they feel. And that includes each other. Seriously.

    Now, don’t get me wrong. They spend plenty of time bickering over the most trivial things possible, but when pressed, they’d both answer that they are each other’s best friend. But because so much of the holiday is fueled by candy, I like to help them put together a sweet valentine for each other that sends the love without the sugar.
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  2. Heart Card Critter Valentines Recipe

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  3. DIY Valentines: Part 2

    We love to D.I.Y. valentines – it’s the perfect way to show just how much you care. Here are more how-tos to get your creative juices flowing. (And check out Part 1 here.)

     

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    Add dimension to your Valentine with heart shaped party picks and gold heart doilies!

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  4. DIY Valentines: Part 1

    One of the best things about Valentine’s Day is that it gives us another reason to create handmade cards with thoughtful messages for the people we care about the most.  If you are looking for a way you can share a little love with those who are dear to your heart, we have a few ideas for you. We’ve been busy D.I.Y.-ing Valentines and “Galentines” with some of our favorite new products – pick your favorite and give it a try!  For even more inspiration, visit one of our stores.

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  5. Paper Source Workshop: Adults & Kids Valentines Classes

    For our Valentine workshop this year, we had a hard time deciding between a kids class or an adult class…so we created both! For our hopelessly romantic Girls Night Out gals, we have a workshop in which we’ll share our love of Victorian folded Valentine creations embellished with Paper Source accents. And since so many of you LOVED our Gingerpaper House Workshop for kids, we created a Sweet Handmade Valentine Workshop (with Mom or Dad) perfect for ages 7 and older.

    Classes vary by store location – we’re so sorry if the class you want is not available at your local store! But don’t forget to check workshop schedules for surrounding stores in your area, or plan your own Valentine private party with just 4-6 people (call your local store for more information)!
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  6. 2024 ‘Stuck on You’ Card Making Contest by Paper Source

    Hello to our favorite sticker stashers & sweethearts,

    We have an opportunity for you to show off your stickers and creative card-making skills during the 2024 season of love.

    Create a handmade Valentine for a chance to win up to $300  We are crushing hard on all our new Valentine stickers (dropping soon!) and want to see what you create with them!

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  7. Card Designer Spotlight: Smitten Kitten

    The Card Designer Spotlight is a series featuring independent makers whose greeting cards you can find in Paper Source stores.  Meet and be inspired by a new designer every month on our blog!

     

    Amy Kwong of Smitten Kitten is a creative entrepreneur and an absolute vibe. From her storytelling to card designing, everything she does, she does with fun, flair, and a love for Fridays. Amy’s continued hard work, well-rounded skills & personality founded her thriving business while the universal language of humor connects her with her quirky audience.

     

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  8. Card Designer Spotlight: Cards by Allie

    The Card Designer Spotlight is a series featuring independent makers whose greeting cards you can find in Paper Source stores.  Meet and be inspired by a new designer every month on our blog!

     

    Cards By Allie is an ‘unapologetically corny’ and visually appetizing brand that was built on artistic passion, challenging one’s creativity and an expression of our card designer’s punny personality.

    How did you begin your card-making career?

    This story really comes full circle and has a lot to do with Paper Source.

    My adult career started by interning all over New York City. My first internship was down the block from a Paper Source…the first I was ever in! I would walk to and from work and stop in at least once a week just to browse. I would recognize local New York City artists on the shelves with envy.

    Fast forward about 3 years, I graduated college and landed my first full-time corporate job.  Every Holiday season, the company would host an in-house fundraising event. For the event, the creative employees all donated hand-made goods to sell in a ‘market’.  At the time, I was a ‘non-creative’ employee surrounded by a ton of talent! I was insecure that my job title didn’t reflect my artistic passion. I usually sat on the sidelines for these events, but that year decided I would doodle some greeting cards to put in the market. Long story short, the cards were well received by our employees, and I was hand-drawing the same illustrations over and over…and over and over! After that, I posted them on Instagram and people began requesting them in my DM’s. That’s when I realized I might be onto something!

    My mind INSTANTLY went to Paper Source. I knew if I were going to see this through, my goal would be to sell my designs in Paper Source. And that’s just what I did.. Paper Source was Cards By Allie’s first customer!

     

    Where do you draw inspiration from? Food? Pop Culture? Timeless Motifs? Playful Puns?

    Food, obviously. Cards By Allie has a delicious card for every occasion! Additionally, I can’t make a card without a shameless pun. Cards By Allie represents my passion for drawing and my unapologetically corny sense of humor.

    What does your day look like as a card maker and designer?

    Always different!

    Some days are creative. There are tables full of paint, paper, and pens. Late nights drawing and accidentally drinking paint water. Some weeks are intense with busy production lines. When Cards By Allie gets bigger orders, it takes A LOT of work to get them filled. These weeks consist of long hours, cramped hands, and towers of boxes. In between creating and production, I am busy formatting/editing cards, reaching out to customers, filling orders, checking inventory, marketing, bookkeeping, and everything in between! Small business ownership is very BUSY, I have learned so much on this journey.

      

    What is your preferred medium?

    MICRONS! I love to draw with pen. I love to crosshatch and sketch. My comfort zone is in black and white. For the cards, I add watercolor in addition to my pen drawings. The juxtaposition really helps the illustration to pop!

    What does your creative process look like?

    I have a wall of inspiration Post-It’s in my apartment, neatly aligned with very rough silly sketches. Whenever I think of a pun, I write it down. Some days I glance at that wall and come up with an idea on how I want to illustrate a pun. On other days, I’ll scroll through Instagram and see a delicious sandwich, and then soon enough I’m drawing a delicious sandwich! Once the drawing starts, I lose track of time. This piece the process is like therapy! After the drawing is complete, I scan the artwork into the computer and format it for print!

    What are you most proud of as a creator and card maker?

    I am proud of so much. I never imagined I’d be able to achieve building a small business on my own. Looking back, I am so proud I that I didn’t give up because Cards By Allie brings me so much joy. For a very long time, I was scared to peruse art/creativity in a job. I was scared because I thought it would take the magic away and make it too serious. I was afraid of rejection and judgment. Card design gives me a safe space to create. Cards By Allie’s brand identity grants me permission to make bad jokes and silly drawings! I am just so happy I get to draw and that there are people who like what I am making.

    I also recently designed a line of cards with my mom. She illustrated a mini-series for Cards By Allie called “The Masters Series”. I couldn’t be prouder to share these moments with my mom!

    Any personal tidbits? Or special talents/fun facts that you would like to share with us?

    My Cards-By-Allie fun fact: My boyfriend is a Chef and I run every illustration past him before sending them to print. I love to get his feedback on how the food illustrations look, he gives great feedback on color and texture!!

    I would be remiss not to shout out my family and friends here! Building this brand has meant calling in a lot of favors from my loved ones. You all certainly know who you are!!

     

    Find Cards by Allie’s Cannot Resist You Love and Brie Mine Valentine’s Day Card at your local store or online at papersource.com. For more inspiration and behind-the-scenes action, follow @cardsbyallie on IG.

  9. Free Tech Downloads for February 2019!

    We’ve cherry picked our favorite print of the month just for you!

     

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  10. Crafted from the Heart

     

    Create one-of-a-kind valentines starting with the Paper Bar and a few key ingredients.  Follow the simple steps below to make our favorites or get inspired to design your own!

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