1. Creative gift wrapping: reusing a gift box

    Last month I needed a graduation gift for a friend. Deciding what was going inside the box was easy. Deciding how to jazz up my packaging took a little more time. I was traveling on a flight with this, so sturdy packaging was a must. I found a gift box I had saved (thanks, Anthropologie) that fit everything inside and was the perfect blank canvas. To personalize it I designed a piece to mount to the lid of the box, which featured a series of words related to my friend’s graduation in a variety of fonts.

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  2. Quick-step guide: Binding with the Zutter

    You’re probably thinking, “Zutter, what?” Or maybe you’re already a fan of this new DIY tool. To help you discover the magic of the Zutter Bind-It-All and its accessories, I created a simple keepsake book in five easy steps.

    Items needed:

    Zutter Bind-It-All
    Wire cutters
    ½” gauge wire (thinner books) or ¾” gauge wires (thicker books)
    Envelopes, cover stock and text for pages
    Chipboard for covers (try adding decorative paper or photos to the cover)
    Xyron 510 or Tape Runner adhesive for attaching paper to covers
    • Your imagination!

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  3. Creative gift giving: Flip flop bracelets (with printable tag)

    Among the small treats that make me happy (in no particular order): chocolate, coffee, sheets of Lokta paper, new felt tip pens and, now, flip flop bracelets! I love mixing different color palettes on my wrist with stacks of these recycled bangles, and I absolutely love the story behind them.

    stacked bracelets

    These bracelets are made by a group of women in Mali (West Africa), who collect worn out flip flops, melt them down and draw the plastic into colorful loops. Everyday flip flops are reborn as unique, handmade bangles. One can only guess the journey each one of these lovely trinkets has taken.

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  4. How-to: Summer cup covers

    Keep those pesky bugs away from your favorite summer beverage. These stylish cup covers are festive AND serve as a drink marker too… write your guest’s name on top! Use this super easy how-to at all your summer fêtes!

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  5. Upcoming workshop: Creative Spiral Travel Book

    zutter bindingOur newest crafting tool has me dreaming up great gifts, like the perfect graduation gift for my nephews. The Zutter Bind-It-All let me turn old photos, loose objects and paper into a spiral bound keepsake book. Since many of you seek unique graduation gifts and creative ways to package your summer travel memories, we’ve taken this project and turned it into a workshop.

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  6. Buyer’s favorite: Unique Father’s Day gifts

    Father’s Day is approaching and, whether your dad is sweetheart or a geek at heart, we have unique gifts for dad.

    geek dad book geek pen

    Geek is the new cool, so for the geek dad we have tons of options. The Geek Pen is my personal fave – It comes complete with a stylus, flexible LED light, UV light, red laser pointer, and clip. It is the ultimate gift for Dad to nerd out on. We also have a Geek Dad book with great geeky projects, like “Building the Best Slip N Slide Ever.” It’s just in time for summer fun! Read More

  7. Interview: 10 questions with Stylist Shana Faust

    stylist shana faustPhotography courtesy of Amber Marlowe Blatt and heybrooklyn.com

    Following yesterday’s Midsummer’s Eve Affair we spent a few minutes with Handmade Weddings coauthor Shana Faust, and let readers ask the artist about her creative process, to find out how this busy stylist is able to Do Something Creative Every Day.

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  8. Art of Craft: New recipes for DIY cards & crafts

    rubber stamping
    stencil crafts
    letterpress cards
    craft cutting

    As we mentioned in our Behind the Design post earlier this week, the new Paper Source catalog features an entire spread dedicated to a customer fave — Recipes! The Art of Craft lets you explore new techniques for rubber stamping, embossing and stenciling, along with digital die cutting and letterpress projects, through 46 easy-to-follow recipes.

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  9. Ask the artist: Stylist Shana Faust

    shana_faustPhoto courtesy of Joseph de Leo

    As we count down the hours until A Midsummer’s Eve Affair, we would like to give you a chance to get inside the mind of Shana Faust, freelance stylist and coauthor of Handmade Weddings.

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  10. Behind the Design: Silhouette samples from PS experts

    The latest Paper Source catalog hits mailboxes this week! Inside you will find a special feature on The Art of Craft, an inspirational resource page with recipes for rubber stamping, embossing and stenciling. We also explored DIY letterpress and digital die cutting projects.

    Paper Source associates, even many from your local store, offered their vision for an assortment of Silhouette Machine executions. Here are the stories behind their innovative designs, along with tips for helping you master this versatile cutting tool.

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