2016 Gift Guide: For the Cocktail Enthusiast

Today’s gift guide is all about gift ideas for the cocktail enthusiast! We’ve rounded up some of our favorite bar tools, syrups, glassware, and cocktail books for your favorite imbiber – there are plenty of options to go around! We even included a couple of favorite spirits, including a limited edition spirit that I would love to find under my own tree this year. Here are a few ideas to help get you started!

2016 Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for the Cocktail Enthusiast

1. Dress up your bar cart with one of these gorgeous shakers – a gold French-style shaker or this blue enamel shaker and jigger set!

2. Don’t forget to make drinking water available during cocktail parties! I’m loving this gold banded carafe (and it’s currently on sale!)

3. Basically the most beautiful bottle opener I’ve ever seen, by Sarah Cecilia via LEIF.

4. + 5. When in doubt, give booze! This limited edition Lost Spirits Polynesian Rum is at the top of my wish list and this Roundstone Rye whiskey from Catoctin Creek is a local favorite.

6. Of course, vintage barware and glassware always makes a lovely gift.

7. This copper and brass pitcher and cocktail spoon set is so beautiful.

8. Three of our favorite syrups from BG Reynolds (especially for Tiki cocktails) – and available as a gift set here!

9. These swing bottles are our favorite way to store home made syrups – and the larger size is great for serving big batch cocktails at parties or infusing liquors at home. We also suggest a sturdy funnel set and a simple embossing label maker to help identify random bottles in the back of the fridge.

10. Three cocktail books currently at the top of our wish list: Amaro, Smuggler’s Cove, and Regarding Cocktails

11. Speaking of infusions, this iSi Gourmet Whip is great for making quick infusions at home – here’s the tutorial!

12. + 13. Loving the brass inlay pattern in these wood coasters and the modern design of these black and gold coasters

14. A Lewis ice bag and mallet is a MUST for any self-respecting cocktail enthusiast, especially when it comes to ice-filled summer drinks. These tools allow you to control the size and coarseness of your crushed ice, and the cotton bag soaks up extra moisture so the crushed ice doesn’t immediately stick together and form a single large block of ice.

This post contains affiliate links. By clicking on these links, you’ll help support Oh So Beautiful Paper while also purchasing some wonderful gifts. I only recommend products that I truly love and trust that you’ll love, too. My full disclosure policy can be found here.

Happy Weekend!

Happy Friday everyone! Since we usually travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, we’re just now getting our Christmas decorations out and getting our home into the holiday spirit. Alice still has no idea what all the fuss is really about, but Sophie is so excited to decorate! We’re getting our Christmas tree this afternoon from a fundraiser at Sophie’s school, and I’m sure we’ll spend the rest of the night stringing lights and hanging ornaments. With a two year old and four year old in the house, I finally bought a set of shatterproof ornaments and will set our breakable glass ornaments aside for a few years. I’ll be sure to share our tree on Instagram later tonight or tomorrow! But in the meantime…

Esther Clark Co. via Instagram

Image by Esther Clark Co. via #dailydoseofpaper

…a few links for your weekend!

This week on Oh So Beautiful Paper:

That’s it for us this week! Have a fabulous weekend, and I’ll see you back here next week! xoxo

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale Retailers!

You guys! Today is a really, really exciting day. I’m teaming up with Etsy Wholesale to share ELEVEN of my favorite independent stationery stores and boutiques across the country, all in the spirit of shopping small and local this holiday season. I’ve admired every single one of these fantastic stores and their talented proprietors for years, and it’s always a treat when I get to share photos of their beautiful shelves with all of you! Shopping small and local is such a great way to support both your local community and independent artists and designers by supporting the retailers that carry their goods. You can also browse the listings on Etsy Local to find even more independent shops that carry handmade goods in your area!

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Spruce Stationery and Design

Spruce

These eleven stores stock their shelves with exquisite greeting cards, accessories, gifts, home décor items, jewelry, and so much more – many of which are created by talented Etsy artists and designers on Etsy Wholesale. If you aren’t already familiar with Etsy Wholesale, it’s Etsy’s private wholesale market – where retailers connect with wholesale-ready independent designers and makers to stock their shelves with unique products. Etsy Wholesale offers retailers the opportunity to reach a wide variety of artists, including the ability to search for specific product types to fill gaps on their shelves and discover new artists. It’s such a fantastic resource for both sellers and retailers! And for those of us out shopping this holiday season, we’re guaranteed to find something really special on the shelves of Etsy Wholesale retailers. We also asked each retailer to share some of their favorite products from Etsy Wholesale sellers currently on their shelves, which you’ll find below!

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Gus and Ruby Letterpress

Gus & Ruby Letterpress / Photo Credit: Emilie Inc Photography

The eleven retailers below all have absolutely impeccable taste and are trendsetters in their communities. If you live near any of these shops, I hope you’ll stop by and say hello for me!

Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store / Brooklyn, NY

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store

We love working with Etsy Wholesale sellers because their products are so unique and you can’t find them anywhere else. We can pick and choose from so many great resources all in one place and shop anytime! – Ann of Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store

Seoul Little

There are so many Etsy Wholesale designers that we LOVE! But in terms of one I discovered through Etsy Wholesale – it’s got to be Seoul Little. Their jewelry is amazing, I wear their earrings EVERY DAY!!! – Ann of Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store

Broadway Paper / Milwaukee, WI

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Broadway Paper

My favorite part about working with Etsy Wholesale is the ease of buying. Having the ability to peruse, shop, order and pay for an order all in one place (with multiple sellers) is invaluable. I also very much enjoy the Etsy Wholesale email blasts that are sent out; I have ordered from a handful of the featured sellers. –Kate of Broadway Paper

Lucky Horse Press / Broadway Paper

Lucky Horse Press

My favorite designer that I currently carry that I discovered on Etsy Wholesale is Lucky Horse Press. Their unique look and clever greetings have gone over very well with our customers. – Kate of Broadway Paper

Clementine / Middlebury, VT

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Clementine

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Clementine

Etsy Wholesale sellers have the heart of handmade crafters with the knowledge of how to interact successfully with retail stores. Also, the checkout makes it really easy to make an order quickly. – Emily of Clementine

Little Goat Paper Co. Bloody Mary Birthday Card and Enamel Pin

Little Goat Paper Co.

I stock over 160 lines at Clementine and at least a quarter of them sell their work via Etsy Wholesale – they’re all my faves. But I did recently discover Little Goat Paper Co. and love their simple cards and corresponding enamel pins. With social media, writing for OSBP, and my friendships in the stationery world, it’s rare that I find something I haven’t yet seen, but her letterpress printed illustration of a Bloody Mary (“Hope your birthday is chock full of good things!”) and a pin to match…had me saying: Yes please! – Emily of Clementine

GREER / Chicago, IL

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Greer

My favorite part about working with Etsy Wholesale sellers is the independent creativity they bring to our merchandise mix. And it feels great to support the passion and effort of so many small makers. – Chandra Greer

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Greer

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Greer

Heirloom Tomato's / Greer

Heirloom Tomato’s

I can’t say I have an absolute favorite  product or designer we discovered on Etsy Wholesale – I love them all – but one of the newer designs that we’re excited about and amused by is a line of award ribbon greeting cards from Heirloom Tomato’s. I’m also a big fan of Alisa Bobzien, another designer we discovered on Etsy Wholesale, because I’m personally in synch with her design inspirations – books, coffee and positive thinking! – Chandra Greer

Alisa Bobzien / Greer

Alisa Bobzien

Gus & Ruby Letterpress / Portsmouth, NH

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Gus and Ruby Letterpress

Gus & Ruby Shop Photo Credits: Emilie Inc Photography

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Gus and Ruby Letterpress

We love that we can discover smaller companies that we might not have been able to find easily and then share their incredible talents with our awesome customers. We care deeply about the artists and makers whose work we carry so supporting up and coming designers is such a treat. – Samantha, Whitney, and Byrdy of Gus & Ruby Letterpress

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Gus and Ruby Letterpress

Card by Parrott Design Studio and available for purchase here / Photo Credit: Emilie Inc Photography

Harvest Paper Co. Matchstick Jars / Gus and Ruby Letterpress

Harvest Paper Co. Matchstick Jars / Photo Credit: Demri Rosekrans

We carry so many Etsy Wholesalers so it’s really tricky to choose just one as a favorite. At this very moment, we’re really loving the bold, graphic pouches, buckets, and bags from Zana Products. Their quirky designs and fun patterns are so eye-catching and the quality construction and materials makes for some seriously awesome pieces. – Samantha, Whitney, and Byrdy of Gus & Ruby Letterpress

Herringbone Planters by Elizabeth Benotti Ceramics / Gus and Ruby Letterpress

Herringbone Planters by Elizabeth Benotti Ceramics / Image Credit: Demri Rosekrans

Inkling / Chicago, IL

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Inkling

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Inkling

Worthwhile Paper Co. / Inkling

Worthwhile Paper Co.

My favorite designer I’ve found through Etsy Wholesale is Worthwhile Paper Co. She’s been super easy to work with and is always finding creative ways to incorporate her designs into different products. Her line is evolving but she definitely has a distinct style and I always look forward to seeing what she comes up with next. – Stephanie of Inkling

Mac and Murphy / Charleston, SC

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Mac and Murphy

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Mac and Murphy

Chalkscribe / Mac and Murphy

Chalkscribe

It’s always fun to have a mix of products that keep up with pop culture and Chalkscribe does an incredible job creating hilarious greeting cards. Even though we order through Etsy and don’t get to meet the designer you always know with someone like Chalkscribe that you’ll be immediate friends. We love that about our brands on Etsy. – Ami and Liz of Mac & Murphy

Papél New York / Brooklyn, NY

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Papel New York

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Papel New York

I meticulously curate and hand select every item that enters the shop. So I find that Etsy Wholesale allows me to search for items that are not easily found elsewhere, and are made with care and integrity versus the big box vendors. Sellers are super flexible about minimum order requirements, sending samples before placing an order, and the like. – Raegan of Papél New York

Lemon Drop Papers / Papel New York

Lemon Drop Papers

Lemon Drop Papers is one of my favorite discoveries via Etsy Wholesale. Their tiny love notes are a staple at our counter and simply put, folks just love them. Who wouldn’t want a tiny card and envelope the size of a postage stamp?! – Raegan of Papél New York

Red Barn Mercantile / Alexandria, VA

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Red Barn Mercantile

For any retailer to stay in business they have to stay current and fresh. Etsy Wholesale artists make that easy for us. These are the creative minds that are coming up with the next cool thing. They are innovative and interesting, which keeps my store relevant to all generations. When Etsy launched this wholesale program it was a game changer for both makers and retailers. It’s an amazing platform for small businesses to find each other and grow together. –Amy of Red Barn Mercantile

Paula and Waffle / Red Barn Mercantile

I love Paula and Waffle for sweet, understated stationery and Upper Metal Class for modern and edgy jewelry. My customers have responded to both enthusiastically! –Amy of Red Barn Mercantile

Salt & Sundry / Washington, DC

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Salt and Sundry

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Salt and Sundry

We’ve been introduced to so many talented designers and makers through the Etsy Wholesale platform. I love that we can connect and learn the sellers’ stories and processes, and the platform makes it so simple to order. – Amanda of Salt & Sundry

Worthwhile Paper Co. / Salt and Sundry

Worthwhile Paper Co.

We have so many beautiful goods from Etsy Wholesale sellers in the shop! We just added the gorgeous letterpress printed and screen printed leather goods from Almanac Industries, which I can’t wait to receive. I’m also crazy about Worthwhile Paper‘s lunar prints and phases of the moon calendar. – Amanda of Salt & Sundry

Spruce / Bellingham, WA

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Spruce Stationery and Design

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Spruce Stationery and Design

Etsy Wholesale a diverse community of entrepreneurs and small businesses in one marketplace and that allows us to bring in beautiful products sourced from all over the globe. Small businesses are the heart of any community and we love that if you shop with us, you’re really supporting a wide network of communities all over the world. – Brittany of Spruce Stationery & Design

Shop Small with Etsy Wholesale / Spruce Stationery and Design

Fox & Fallow

With the new year fast approaching calendars and planners are our favorite! A fresh start is always inspiring. Etsy Wholesale designer Fox & Fallow is a husband and wife team located in Brisbane, Australia and their 2017 positivity calendar has all the good vibes we need to take us through the rest of our American winter. – Brittany of Spruce Stationery & Design

Don’t forget – you can browse the Etsy Local listings to find Etsy retailers in your area. Yay for shopping small and local this holiday season!

This post was created in partnership with Etsy Wholesale. All content and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make Oh So Beautiful Paper possible!

Romantic Gold Foil Calligraphy Wedding Invitations

We may be heading into winter, but Spring will always be my favorite season in my heart. I adore the combination of spring floral illustrations and  whimsical calligraphy in these romantic gold foil calligraphy wedding invitations by Kara Anne Paper. Kara designed this invitation suite for her own wedding and incorporated many meaningful nods to her family, including her new family crest and an illustration of her father’s home. What a special invitation suite that will certainly be treasured for a long time to come!

Romantic Gold Foil Calligraphy Wedding Invitations by Kara Anne Paper

Romantic Gold Foil Calligraphy Wedding Invitations by Kara Anne Paper

From Kara: Designing my own wedding invitation suite came easy! After finalizing our wedding style and color scheme, the late night invitation doodles began. Staying cohesive with all the paper details was important to me.

Romantic Gold Foil Calligraphy Wedding Invitations by Kara Anne Paper

Romantic Gold Foil Calligraphy Wedding Invitations by Kara Anne Paper

William and I wanted a chic backyard wedding filled with beautiful spring colors and a touch of gold accents. I felt introducing an original watercolor invitation cover was just the perfect touch for our gold foil calligraphy invitation. The invitation was printed on 220# Crane’s Pearl White Lettra with gold painted edges. We also included a tri-fold reply card with our new family crest on the front and an illustration of the ceremony location and reception venue. This design was letterpress printed on 110# Pearl White Lettra. Our special wedding suite was all tied together beautifully with silk blue ribbon and placed inside a Crane’s Royalty envelope. The front of the envelope was graced with gold calligraphy to match the invitation.

Romantic Gold Foil Calligraphy Wedding Invitations by Kara Anne Paper

Romantic Gold Foil Calligraphy Wedding Invitations by Kara Anne Paper

The wedding program was one of my favorites! The small booklet included a cover page with a pop-up illustration of my father’s house, where I was raised and where William and I first met. To tie the program back in with the wedding suite the cover was a blind embossed printed impression of the same floral pattern used on the invitation cover. Behind the pop-up, on the inside page was the illustration of the pond and dock where William and I exchanged vows. The pages that followed included the ceremony and wedding party details.

Romantic Gold Foil Calligraphy Wedding Invitations by Kara Anne Paper

Romantic Gold Foil Calligraphy Wedding Invitations by Kara Anne Paper

Although our rehearsal dinner was indoors we wanted it to have a fresh spring, outdoor feel. We had fresh flowers that matched the watercolor paintings used on both invitations. The invitation was placed inside a wood and glass box with preserved green moss laid nicely on the bottom. The top of the box included the guest names with a pretty blue silk ribbon tied around it. Our closest friends and family were invited so we wanted these invitations to be extra special and personalized.

Romantic Gold Foil Calligraphy Wedding Invitations by Kara Anne Paper

Romantic Gold Foil Calligraphy Wedding Invitations by Kara Anne Paper

Thanks Kara!

Design: Kara Anne Paper

Check out the Designer Rolodex for more tal­ented wed­ding invi­ta­tion design­ers and the real invi­ta­tions gallery for more wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits: Kara Anne Paper and Kim Box Photography

Classic Gray and French Blue Letterpress Wedding Invitations

Romantic elegance will never go out of style! These classic gray and french blue letterpress wedding invitations from Lauren of Darling + Pearl feature a custom crest illustration, an illustrated map of the wedding venue, and elegant type selections – all letterpress printed on cool gray and white paper with hand torn edges. We’re loving the combination of classic serif type with an elegant script that conveys the look of modern, organic calligraphy. What a lovely, and classic, invitation suite!

Classic Gray and French Blue Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Darling and Pearl

From Lauren: I find that clients with a clear, cohesive vision are just as much fun to work for as the clients that really want to put the creative power directly in my hands. Both creative “scenes” are the birthplace for beautiful design that really, in the end, reflect each couple and stationery that fits their history as well as their event.

Classic Gray and French Blue Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Darling and Pearl

Kara first contacted me with a very clear vision for her wedding invitations. Kara and her fiancé, Andrew, were planning their October 2016 wedding at Fernbrook Inn and Farms in central New Jersey. Fernbrook is a stunning farmhouse style wedding and event venue and we really wanted to encompass an organic and classy experience within their wedding stationery. The venue is a gorgeous 1750s Georgian Manor House in the middle of a 250 acre active farm with tented reception area.

Classic Gray and French Blue Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Darling and Pearl

The list of Kara’s must haves in regards to their invitations included: mature modern style script, torn edges, and the cherry on top was an illustrated map of the grounds complete with parking areas, outlines of several ceremony options, the reception area, and T-Bone, the farm mascot.

Classic Gray and French Blue Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Darling and Pearl

The weather vane crest was taken in part from the groom’s own artwork. We added a more detailed and textured rooster and they both couldn’t have been more blown away with the final result. Not to mention, I really enjoy that little guy looking towards the future, how fitting for a union of two amazing people!

Classic Gray and French Blue Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Darling and Pearl

Classic Gray and French Blue Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Darling and Pearl

The entire wedding invitation suite was letterpress printed with french blue ink on a combination of cool grey and natural white 100% cotton stock. And naturally, ALL the edges were hand torn. These were an absolute pleasure to design, have on press and see through for the final result. Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Robinson!

Thanks Lauren!

Design: Darling + Pearl

Map Illustration: Erin Niehenke

Darling + Pearl is a member of the Designer Rolodex – you can see more of their beautiful work right here or visit the real invi­ta­tions gallery for more wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits: Lauren Reed of Darling and Pearl