$21 from InkSpot Workshop.
Handmade Hellos
Handmade Hellos: Fresh Greeting Card Projects from First-Rate Crafters
“Signed sealed delivered! In this delightful book card-making mavens Eunice and Sabrina Moyle of Hello!Lucky letterpress gather together more than 25 projects from today’s most talented paper artists. Simple instructions outline card- and envelope-folding basics plus how to screen print use a Print Gocco machine hand-bind emboss stamp stencil and much more. Ready-to-use patterns and spiral binding ease the process while easy-to-follow directions cute illustrations and finished project photos make it a cinch to create stacks of boutique-worthy greeting cards.” → more info
A Little Bird Told Me…
Nothing reminds you that Spring is here better than the little birds chirping away outside of your window.
Bird motifs are everywhere in fashion and home decor right now. They represent many different things in many different cultures such as: joy, happiness, luck, love, and freedom. The bookends pictured above, made by graphicspaceswood, are handcrafted in their family’s wood shop and are just one of several different adorable woodland creature products that they create. Each of their products is laser cut and assembled from a mixture of different types of wood to create a layered and modern look. Perfect for a nursery or children’s room or to add a little charm to a bookshelf anywhere in your home.
As I’m sure you know, it is very common for different areas in your home to accumulate a mixture of loose papers such as mail, appointment cards, to-do lists, etc. Add a small memo board to your space and force yourself to rummage through your pile to only hold onto the important pieces and pin them to the board. The clutter will cause you stress every time you walk by…so lose the trash and clear your mind! The burlap message board above is the perfect size to hang in any area of your home where you tend to collect papers. Find this and many other bird and vintage inspired home decor in the shop of nextdoortoheaven.
I came across this delightful and functional little project sack for our readers out there who love to knit and/or crochet! Handmade in Europe from all natural linen, KnitterBag carries all different sizes of these lovely project bags as well as wristlet pouches, and needle organizers to keep all of your supplies neat and organized. The owl bag shown above even comes complete with pockets for your knitting needles…could it get any more cute?
Save The Date
When I got married 12 years ago wedding invitations were sent and only a handful of people had prior knowledge of the date. However in the past few years ‘Save The Date’ cards, like the above from Artcadia Wedding Stationery, seem to have become the norm when thinking of wedding stationery.
Yet as these ‘Save The Date’ cards are a relatively new concept brides can easily be confused as to the etiquette regarding to whom and when to send these cards. The above bookmark style cards by nmi Photo Creations are especially creative.
Traditionally wedding invitations are not sent until 6-8 weeks before the wedding. Yet by sending a ‘Save the Date’ card, like those above by The Little Stationery Company, you can give your guests a heads up of the wedding date, 4-6 months in advance. This is particularly beneficial as guest lists become more spread out throughout counties, states or countries. Therefore by providing the date of the wedding in advance people can start planning necessary travel arrangements.
Many weddings are held in the Summer months at peak holiday time, so by sending a ‘Save the Date’ card you can avoid the main wedding party and important guests being on their summer holiday at the same time as your wedding. This great card by Serendipity – Beyond Design is perfect for a destination wedding. Obviously this is also an important consideration if your wedding is to be at Christmas or during other key festivals or holidays.
Whilst etiquette suggests that an r.s.v.p. is sent in response to your wedding invitations there are no rules for responding to ‘Save the Date’ cards, like the above typographically-inspired cards by ABSINTHE Custom Print. However you maybe able to gauge a response from speaking to your guests, enabling you to have a preliminary head count.
When you have sent your ‘Save the Date’ cards you need to remember that these people will be those who receive an invitation to your wedding, so you need to be very sure of your final guest list prior to sending these. The above cards from Ello There are a fun way of confirming your head count. However you can add to your guest list after sending ‘Save the Date’ cards.
By sending a ‘Save the Date’ you can provide your guests with a first impression of your festivities, as these are often in the same design as you wedding stationery. The above card by ABSINTHE Custom Print announce a very formal upcoming event, whereas the below card by eb1 lets you know the wedding is likely to be more close and intimate. These notes can just say the couple’s name and the date of the wedding however it may be a good idea to include the venue location so that guests will be able to consider travel arrangements in advance.
So when you have booked your venue it’s time to choose your ‘Save the Date’ stationery and let your guests know the date of your big day.
Gung hay fat choi!
During the time that The Mascot and I were living in Vancouver, BC, we always got caught up in the excitement of Chinese New Year. To be honest, it was hard not to; with over 30% of Canada‘s Chinese population living in Vancouver and its surrounding cities, the cultural influence was everywhere. The time of year that this was most apparent was at Chinese, or Lunar, New Year. Every year around this time, the stores in our predominantly Asian neighborhood would be full of the traditional foods, decorations and gifts that make this annual celebration so vibrant and special.
One such offering that has always intrigued me are the “lucky” money packets, which are traditionally bestowed upon unmarried recipients to ensure wealth for the coming year. The envelopes, called “Ang Pow”, are always red in colour to symbolize prosperity and ward-off evil. A lovely and very unique example of Ang Pow are these by Qipao (above). Unlike most rectangular packets, these are in the shape of Cheongsam, the traditional fitted Chinese garments. And, it’s not just their eye-catching shape that makes these Ang Pow different; each one-of-a-kind envelope is upcycled from greeting cards that would otherwise be tossed away!
A slightly more traditional (but no less clever) version of Ang Pow are these DIY ones from Katwrite’s shop (above), featuring the image of this year’s Chinese Zodiac Symbol – the Tiger. Kat of Vancouver was inspired by traditional Chinese paper-cut art when she created these intricate cards to enclose your monetary gifts. A gift for the environment, too, they are available as a printable PDF to eliminate extra packaging. (Tip: go green and remember to print your cards on recycled or eco-friendly paper!)
Another DIY project perfect for Chinese New Year decorations is this stunning set of luminaries by Prudence Octavia. Each luminary is created by layering two unique, hand-cut designs over a heavy vellum sleeve. Don’t be scared-off by the apparent complexity of the project, though; all of the intricate work is done for you. The completed luminary sleeves are flat-packed and carefully wrapped for easy shipping from Hong Kong. Once you receive them, all that is left is to wrap them around a votive candle and fasten with the enclosed adhesive. It’s easier than learning to use chopsticks!
Like I was, Heidi of Burnaby is another British Columbian caught up in the excitement of Chinese New Year. After a recent wander through Vancouver’s colourful Chinatown, she returned home inspired by all of the unusual and exotic items that she saw. What came from that inspiration was this skein of hand-spun and hand-dyed yarn (above), created in honour of the upcoming celebrations. The beautifully varigated vegan yarn, which is available in the Quo Vadis Handspun shop, comes complete with a little Chinese coin for luck.
Finally, I would be remiss if I let you go without a little something sweet at the end of this week’s article. Fortunately, for all of us who ate more than our fair share of dim sum this morning (ahem), this treat won’t go straight to your waistline. Cleverly upcycled from lambswool sweaters and packaged in a hand-stamped “take-out” box, Anne Potter’s felted fortune cookies make a cute gift or decoration all year round. The “cookies” are available for purchase in Anne’s shop and can contain either an assortment of fortunes, or your own custom messages. Stuck for something to say? “Gung hay fat choi!” is the traditional Chinese New Year’s greeting, meaning “may you become prosperous”.
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