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!

Twelve Awesome 2017 Planners and Agendas

When I first started Oh So Beautiful Paper in 2008, it was nearly impossible to find a well-designed planner. I remember hunting for the best available options and just feeling SO disappointed. Well, fast forward eight years and we’ve got some seriously GORGEOUS planners on the market from some of my favorite companies. In fact, this year’s round up is our biggest yet, with twelve awesome 2017 planners and agendas – and there are even more cover and size options from the companies featured below! Yay for pretty planners!

Twelve Awesome 2017 Planners and Agendas

1. Rifle Paper Co. released their first-ever planner last year, and this year they’re offering four different cover options – plus a larger version for ultimate planning! The 17-month everyday agenda features monthly and weekly views, places to record important dates, and more. The pink desktop illustrated cover is my favorite design, but it’s so hard to choose!

2. The Ban.do 17-month agenda has a huge cult following, so if you’re already a member of the Ban.do Girl Gang chances are you grabbed your copy and started using it on August 1. But! If you’re still on the hunt for a great planner, Ban.do offers several different cover and size options, including this fun ice blue cover with hologram text. And there’s a TON of extras inside each planner, from stickers to coloring pages to monthly illustrations. So fun!

3. Sugar Paper just release their first-ever agenda, and it’s SUCH a beauty. Chambray cover with gold foil accents, extra thick paper, and a section to keep track of birthdays and thank you notes. Bonus? You can upgrade to one of three leather covers (including the most gorgeous pale pink) with monogramming options. Total luxury.

4. 17-month linen hardcover planners from Hadron Epoch with weekly and monthly views, space for notes, and a pocket in the back.

5.If you’re feeling overwhelmed by daily life, the Day Designer is all about providing a framework for balance, focus, and productivity. And it doesn’t hurt that the Day Designer flagship edition has the cutest cover options, from spotty dots to this fun palm frond cover!

6. A gorgeous navy linen cover with gold foil polka dots in this 2017 planner from Blushing Confetti

7. If a weekly agenda is more your style, I’m loving the new hardcover options from Rifle Paper Co.! The weekly agendas are wrapped in pink or navy book cloth and printed with gold foil – so pretty! 

8. The 12-month planners from One Canoe Two offer plenty of room to doodle and write in the big open squares of the planner’s weekly and monthly views. I love this illustrated floral cover!

9. Loving this colorful rainbow stripe cover on the Simplified Planner from Emily Ley!

10. This 2017 planner from Fox & Fallow features a black fabric cover with copper foil and weekly views inside!

11. For the modern minimalist, check out these sleek and modern planners from Appointed Co.

12. The Get To Work Book is a mega planner for creative professionals and entrepreneurs. 246 pages with 12 motivational text prints that are perforated so you can keep them as art prints, full monthly calendars, Monday – Sunday week-at-a-glance spreads, space for notes and brainstorming, a “year-at-a-glance” spread with space to write plans, 14 “project breakdown” pages to help you complete large tasks, 13 “reflect and goal-set” pages to celebrate past successes and come up with action items for the next month, and a pocket on inside back cover. Whew!

So many great options! Which one is your favorite??

Wedding Invitation 101: Where to Start

Happy Monday everyone! I’ll be away for a couple of weeks to catch up on some personal things, but I’m leaving you in EXCELLENT hands while I’m away! Ashley from Fine Day Press graciously agreed to fill in for me this week, and we’re kicking things off with the first installment in a series of posts about wedding invitations! It’s a wonderful primer for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the world of wedding invitations and save the dates. Welcome Ashley!! –Nole

Invitation-101-Where-to-Start-Title

Hey there! Ashley Austin from Fine Day Press here. Nole has kindly invited me to guest blog this week, and I’m super-duper excited to be here sharing some fun posts with you all! Today we’re kicking off a weekly series all about wedding invitations called Wedding Invitation 101. Invitations are a big part of what I do over at Fine Day Press, in addition to greeting cards, calendars and other paper goodies. Over the years, I’ve learned a few tricks to streamline the process, and I’m sharing them with you here.

WHERE TO START

Your wedding invitations are often the first thing your guests will see; it should represent the spirit of the day and set the tone. It’s never too early in the planning process to start envisioning your dream invitations!

Will your wedding be a formal affair or is it more of a barefoot-on-the-beach event? Think about your style as a couple – does gold foil on navy stock suit your style, or will you go for a more romantic vibe with something hand-illustrated?

Maybe you’ve determined your wedding location, chosen your dress, flowers or even selected your color palette… All of these details can inspire your invitation suite.  But even if you haven’t figured those biggies out, you can still start dreaming up your perfect paper pairing.

FIRST STOP: GET INSPIRED!

Collecting inspiration is a great way to kick off the process. This could be as simple as making a folder on your computer to save images as you’re browsing wedding blogs, clipping things out of magazines, or creating a Pinterest board specifically for invitation ideas (my personal favorite!). Below is an inspiration board I’ve created for example:

Invitation-101-Where-to-Start-1

Clockwise from top center: Bouquet via Southbound Bride; Hairstyle via Refinery29;  Soulmates painted sign Julie Song Ink; Invitation by Fine Day Press; Envelope & liner by Lana’s Shop; Naked cake via Wedding Sparrow; Milk & Cream type via Pinterest

Don’t just collect examples of invitations – think about colors, textures, ribbons, flowers, anything that might inspire you – like a throw pillow that’s the perfect shade of coral or the lace detail on the back of a dress.

Start researching stationery shops (whether brick & mortar or online) to identify a few you might like to work with. Found a stationer you like? Most stationery companies allow you to order a sample, so that you can see the paper and quality in person before committing to a bigger purchase. Local shops will have samples on hand for you to touch and feel.

CUSTOM OR READY-MADE?

There are as many ready-made invitation styles out there as there are brides-to-be, and finding an existing design can be a great option. Your selected design can often be customized with your colors and typography choice, among other details.

If you love being part of the creative process, or have a very specific design idea for your suite, a custom design may be for you. Crafting a custom design typically takes longer and may involve an initial meeting, moodboard development (this is where that inspiration you’ve collected comes in handy), and multiple rounds of design development. Budget will come into play here as well, as creating a from-scratch design requires significantly more hands-on time and pricing usually reflects this.

TO SAVE OR NOT TO SAVE

Sending out a Save the Date is a great way to give everyone on your list a heads up on your plans, and set the tone for the invitation to follow. Save the Dates are a great opportunity to do a less formal version of your invitation – for example, a magnet, a balloon or even a temporary tattoo are fun ideas! If you are having a destination wedding in a far-flung locale, a Save the Date is a must, in order to give your guests sufficient time to plan their travels.

Invitation-101-Where-to-Start-2

A beautiful printed Save the Date from Designer Rolodex member Sable & Gray

Are mailed Save the Dates a must-do? Not necessarily! If you are getting out your invitations super early, you could skip it. Or perhaps your wedding is small enough that word of mouth is sufficient until the invitations are sent. Some folks may prefer to send a digital Save the Date. This can also serve to direct guests to your wedding website. Keep in mind, though, that less digitally-savvy relatives (hi, Grams!) may feel left out with this option.

We’ll cover invitation timing in greater detail in a future installment of this series!

The 2016 National Stationery Show, Part 6

Today’s recap from the 2016 National Stationery Show is less about a common design style or color palette, and more about an overall vibe. In my head, I’ve been calling this group of booths the New Bohemians. Each booth has a laid back, offbeat vibe, with plenty of botanical details throughout. Let’s start with Wild Hart Paper, which was full of beautiful greeting cards, art prints, gift wrap, and more!

NSS 2016: Wild Hart Paper / Oh So Beautiful Paper

NSS 2016: Wild Hart Paper / Oh So Beautiful Paper

This post is FULL of photos – so keep reading after the jump too see more from Wild Hart Paper, along with the booths of Our Heiday, The Great Lakes Goods, Katharine Watson, Ferme à Papier, Idlewild Co., Heartell Press, and Banquet Workshop!

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The 2016 National Stationery Show, Part 5

Earlier this week I shared a recap from the 2016 National Stationery Show that was all about color – or at least the first installment of that theme, since there were a LOT of colorful exhibitors at this year’s show! Well, this recap is all about FOIL, from the now classic gold foil to my current favorite hologram foil and everything in between! In some booths foil was definitely one of the brightest stars of the show, while other exhibitors used foil sparingly to complement offset or letterpress printed designs. First up, the ladies of The Social Type with an exuberant booth full of glittering and shiny foil!

NSS 2016: The Social Type / Oh So Beautiful Paper

NSS 2016: The Social Type / Oh So Beautiful Paper

NSS 2016: The Social Type / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Okay, seriously – how gorgeous are these navy and gold foil matchboxes???

So many more photos after the jump – so keep reading below!

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