1. Rubber stamping on chalkboards?!

    chalkboard sticker frame

    I’m so in love with our Chalkboard Sticker Frames! We use them around the store to highlight upcoming workshops and events – so much more fun than flyers. I usually write on the chalkboard surface with Bistro Markers, but I’m always looking for new ways to decorate them. So, what about rubber stamping?
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  2. European-inspired colors: Part 2

    When I travel abroad, I take a few photos of famous monuments and statues. But what I really love to capture are common elements like doors and windows. And the most remarkable to me are not the ornate or gold-plated, but the understated ones on tiny storefronts and countryside homes…the ones the locals walk through and look out everyday. Simple and modest, but so rich in color, texture, and feeling.

    European color: blue wall
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  3. Rubber stamping technique: masking

    Masking is a very cool rubber stamping technique that involves layering rubber stamp images to create depth. By rubber stamping images one on top of the other using masking you give the illusion that images are in front or behind each other. I’ve demonstrated this technique in the 5 steps below – give it a try to add visual interest to your next rubber stamping project!

    Rubber stamping masking technique

    Here are the materials I’ve used in this demonstration:
    • My own hand carved rubber stamp
    • Sky Blue Color Box Inkpad
    • Moss Color Box Inkpad

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  4. How-to: moving announcement postcards

    Just about every year, I find myself moving to a new apartment for one reason or another. This time around I wanted to send a creative handmade moving announcement to my friends and family to let them know my new address, instead of another mass email. In playing around with some of my favorite materials, I ended up creating the perfect “I’ve moved” postcard!

    I rubber stamped and embossed the front of a postcard, and addressed each one.

    Rubber stamped postcard

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  5. Paper monsters kids craft project

    My sister, a third grade teacher, is always looking for creative kids craft ideas. She recently asked me to come up with a fun project she could do with her students for Halloween. When I think Halloween, I think monsters, which led to these colorful paper monsters. The basic shapes are made from circle cards, printable labels, and scrap paper. For a fun dimensional look I combined two circle cards, folded the top card in half, adhered the top halves of each card together, and left the bottom halves free to create an open mouth.

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  6. Chicago mustache adventures

    Kerri's fake mustache

    Fun with fake mustaches

    Turns out the new Stylish Self-Adhesive Mustaches at Paper Source aren’t just for Halloween – I use them to turn everyday errands into funny adventures! Recently I bought a pack of these when a friend of mine was visiting from Los Angeles. While we toured all of the famous Chicago landmarks, we took photos of ourselves sporting the different mustaches. Sure we got a few glances from strangers, but we had tons of fun and ended up with a wacky photo album documenting our “mustache adventures.”

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  7. Handmade says it best

    More and more people are throwing parties and insisting that their guests not bring presents… “No presents, just your presence” seems to be the theme. In these tough economic times, that’s not a bad thing. However, I often find myself wanting to bring at least a little something – a token of my friendship with that person. I’ve found recently that a handmade card can be just the thing.

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  8. Paper Source Dedham, MA – Grand Opening Event this Saturday!

    Dedham Grand Opening
    This Saturday all Paper Source stores will be celebrating the Grand Opening of our 32nd store in Dedham, MA! If you live nearby, we invite you to visit our newest store at Legacy Place for our Grand Opening Event, where you can enter a raffle to win cool Paper Source goodies and check out our brand new digs! In celebration, Dedham, along with all Paper Source locations, will be featuring an entire day of creative crafting demonstrations.

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  9. Paper Source Special Event: The Grateful Table

    The Grateful Table Event
    Our last Girls Night Out of 2009 – The Grateful Table is coming up this Thursday at all store locations. In addition to a fun opportunity for you to spend an evening with friends exploring creative hostess gift giving and learning to make beautiful accents for your holiday tables, this a wonderful way for you to thank others by giving them the gift of our Girls Night Out. Treat your next-door-neighbor, babysitter, or any of the other people in your life you are oh, so grateful to, with a ticket to this wonderful event!

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  10. How-to: halloween mummy party favors

    Mummy Halloween party favorsI’m always challenging myself to find new ways to customize our favor boxes – they’re wonderful for so many occasions. Experimenting with our pillow favor box, I discovered that our ivory linen bookcloth worked perfectly for creating a Halloween mummy party favor. I love the color and texture, and tearing the bookcloth into strips makes it look like the real deal!

    Create a bunch of these party favors to fill with yummy treats for your Halloween guests!

    – Claudia
    PS colors: curry & fuchsia
    Latest fave: Mini Magnolia Paper Flower Kit

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