12/05/2018

2018 Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for Kids

If youâ€™re on the hunt for creative gift ideas for kids, this guide is for you! We try to focus on having a smaller number of toys that the kids truly love and play with all the time, instead of a tons of toys that the kids ignore or only play with for a few minutes before moving on. Today I’m excited to share a few of our tried-and-true favorites in a range of prices! Since I have two girls, this guide is a bit more geared towards girls â€“ although boys also love building toys, play kitchens, and STEM activities, so there is plenty in here for all kids. I hope you find something helpful below!

1. Magnatiles will always have a spot on my gift guide for kids. It’s the only toy that my kids consistently play with for hours â€“ and play with together! â€“ and it’s fun to add to our collection each year.

2. These adorable t-shirts from Jean & June are more of a gift for the parents, but as a mom of daughters I just couldn’t resist! I picked up a set of matching shirts for me and my girls and love them so much!

3. These notebooks from Wee Gallery are absolutely GENIUS â€“ and the perfect stocking stuffer for kids that love to draw!

4. As much as we love our Magnatiles, I’ve always wanted to invest in a beautiful set of classic wood blocks. This castle wood block set is surprisingly affordable, and my girls will love that it looks like a castle!

5. This photo printer would be a great gift for teens or tweens. Our 13 year-old niece has started doing little styled photo sessions with her friends and taking really artsy photos with her phone, and it would be fun for her to be able to print out her favorites!

6. For any STEM-inclined kids, this crystal growing kit looks very cool. And you can even use it as a night light once all the crystals are fully grown!

7. Gathre makes the most beautiful modern leather goods for kids, from changing pads to floor cushions. These modern playmats are perfect for smaller kids, and you can even take them out to the park or the beach!

8. Wood transformers! This toy folds into a variety of different configurations, from robot to vehicle. So cool!

9. Love these sun printing kits! So great for artistically-inclined kids.

10. I’m not sure I was mentally prepared for Caboodles to come back, but here they are! Perfect for holding a variety of little treasures for girls of all ages.

11. You can’t go wrong with a cute purse! I love this glittery heart-shaped bag and this iridescent gold bucket bag.

12. One of our local indoor play spaces has this amazing architecture play set and Sophie absolutely LOVES playing with it, so I’m thinking about getting one to have at home. Great for kids over 5!

13. Dolls are the perfect gift for babies and younger toddlers. These dolls from Cuddle & Kind are ridiculously adorable, and each doll provides 10 meals to children in North America and around the world.

14. The dreamiest play kitchen I’ve EVER SEEN â€“ all completely non toxic and made from sustainable wood. It’s really quite the showstopper.

11/28/2018

2018 Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for Creatives

We’re kicking off our first official gift guide of the season with some gift ideas for creatives! I did things a bit differently this year and asked for input through Instagram stories â€“ and you guys all had some really great suggestions! We’ve got a little bit of everything below, from books and art supplies to my favorite styling resources. So whether you’re searching for gift ideas for your creative friends or planning to send this gift guide to your well-meaning family and friends, hopefully you’ll find the perfect holiday gift below!

1 – 4 Styling Supplies: So many of you said you’d love to receive styling supplies and equipment as a gift! My favorite styling boards and backdrops come from One Stone West (I especially love their canvas backdrops) and Woodville Workshop. I also love using small ceramic dishes from Suite One Studio and The Object Enthusiast in photos to hold small things like cute paper clips, wax seals, and vintage postage stamps. Finally, a good telescoping tripod and light diffusers are essential pieces of equipment for taking beautiful photos. Plume Calligraphy and Angela Liguori offer some beautiful styling pieces, including vintage ink wells and glassine envelopes â€“ you can also browse eBay for vintage ink wells! This handmade ceramic watercolor palette is both a beautiful piece of equipment and would look gorgeous in photos!

5 – A desk calendar is a wonderful gift idea! I love this simple black and white calendar from Our Heiday, but you can find even more calendars right here!

6 and 8 – Apple Pencil and Procreate Brushes: I heard from a number of calligraphers and illustrators out there with an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil on their holiday wish list! But if you’re lucky enough to already have those powerful tools in your arsenal, Isidore Augustine just released a brand new set of Procreate brushes just for calligraphers.

7 – Scissors: Every creative person needs a beautiful set of scissors, and Angela Liguori makes the most beautiful scissors on the planet! These Fiskars scissors are my go-to for everyday crafting.

9 – Gift Cards! I know gift cards can seem like a lame gift idea, but they have the potential to be a really personal and thoughtful gift if done well! A few gift card ideas: an Airbnb Gift Card to help your favorite creative go on a solo weekend creative retreat, a gift certificate for a manicure at a local nail salon (especially for calligraphers and stationers), And for someone just starting out might really appreciate a gift certificate to a high-end supplier like Artisaire (wax seals) or Pressed Paper (handmade paper), or even to Blick Art Supplies or a local art supply store.

10 – Artist Supplies and Equipment: So many options! Choose from shiny crafting machines like the Minc Foil Applicator or Silhouette Cameo (I have both and LOVE them!), invest in a heavy duty paper trimmer, or keep things simple with paint, paper, and pens. It’s the perfect chance to try something new, like this Artist Pad Collection from Legion Paper with twelve 9×12 drawing and watercolor pads, this Coptic pen set, or this watercolor set from Sakura of America. Oh, and don’t forget a nice bag to carry things with! I’ve had my eye on this Madewell leather tote and this Everlane tote.

11 – Books and Magazines: So many great book ideas for artists! Check out the shopping widget below for a few of my favorite suggestions, including The Designer’s Dictionary of Color and The Gift of Calligraphy. A subscription to a cool magazine like Uppercase is also a great gift idea!

12 – Classes and Workshops: Online classes and in-person workshops are a fantastic way to develop creative skills and find new inspiration. Look around for in person workshops in your area, including letterpress printing, screen printing, calligraphy, watercolor painting, paper marbling, weaving, macramÃ©, etc. If in-person classes aren’t an option, look for online classes you can gift â€“ or gift a Skillshare membership! I love the online weaving and natural dyeing classes from Rachel at Smile and Wave, and Simply Jessica Marie offers a range of online watercolor and brush lettering classes.

13 – This amazing Wood Drawing Board and Portable Easel would be such a lovely gift for a painter or illustrator!

14 – This adorable enamel pin by Cami Monet would be a perfect stocking stuffer for your favorite artist!

11/16/2018

Friendsgiving 2018

Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Are you hosting this year? What about Friendsgiving? We always go up to my in-laws for Thanksgiving, but I have dreams of hosting my entire family someday. And now that my kids are a bit older, we might even be able to pull off hosting a small Friendsgiving gathering! Today I’m teaming up with Wheatley Vodka and a few seriously talented DC-area creatives to dream up my ideal cozy Friendsgiving celebration. And in addition to table inspiration, we’re sharing printable stationery and a couple of holiday cocktail recipes that you can make this holiday season!

I imagine an informal potluck style dinner with cozy candles, delicious cocktails, and of course some of our closest friends for company. And whether I’m planning a birthday party or a small dinner gathering, I always start by choosing the color palette. Neutrals are perfect any time of year, but I also brought in a few seasonal pops of color like burgundy, rust, and mustard yellow in the flowers and a few of the details. So cozy and welcoming!

The table settings are pretty simple, which is perfect for an informal gathering. Light gray ceramic plates, woven placemats for texture, some of our favorite glassware, and a couple of vintage brass candlesticks. Lori and Colleen from Wld Wst, a local floral design studio here in the DC area, made the most beautiful fall floral arrangement for our table. I also made a few DIY pom-poms in our fall color palette and wrapped them around knotted dinner napkins in mismatched colors (we used white, light blue, and pink). One of these days I’ll learn how to properly fold a napkin, but for now I’m really liking the napkins this way!

You know we’re all about the signature cocktail, and the holidays are no exception. Wheatley Vodka is made by the same folks behind Buffalo Trace Distillery, which has been making bourbon whiskey along the banks of the Kentucky River for more than 200 years. That’s more than two centuries of spirit-making knowledge! Wheatley Vodka is crafted in small batches using a one of a kind micro-still, using the same red winter wheat grain used for Weller and Pappy Van Winkle bourbons. The red winter wheat grain gives Wheatley Vodka a smooth, delicate finish that is pure and crisp on the nose, with hints of soft vanilla. It’s pretty much perfect for crafting holiday cocktails!

We made two holiday cocktail recipes with Wheatley Vodka for this Friendsgiving celebration: a bright and fizzy take on the classic French 75 (served in the coupe glass above and garnished with fresh herbs) and a winter punch that you can make in a huge batch for larger gatherings!

Cocktail illustration by Bright Room Studio

Wheatley 75

2 oz Wheatley Vodka
1 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1/2 oz Orange Liqueur
1/4 oz Aquavit

Shake the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and strain into a coupe glass. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with a sprig of rosemary or thyme. Enjoy!

The Wheatley 75 is bright, effervescent, and a little bit tart â€“ absolutely perfect for this season! If you’re making this cocktail for a group of people, you can even mix up 2-3 at a time in your cocktail shaker, then just top with sparkling wine in the glass. We used prosecco, but any sparkling wine should work!

Cocktail illustration by Bright Room Studio

Spiced Winter Punch

1 bottle Wheatley Vodka
1 bottle Apple Cider (about 64 oz)
3 cups Lemon Juice
1 1/2 cups Cinnamon Syrup
1 1/2 cups Orange Liqueur
6 oz Allspice Dram
48 dashes Cardamom Bitters

Combine all the ingredients in a punch bowl and fill with ice and citrus slices. Serve in punch glasses and garnish with seasonal herbs or a cinnamon stick. Enjoy!

We’ve gotten so many requests over the years for an easy winter punch, and I’m beyond thrilled with how this recipe turned out! It’s basically all of my favorite fall flavors in one cocktail. Feel free to adjust the quantities depending on how many people you’re expecting â€“ this recipe will definitely fill up a punch bowl, so cut the ingredients in half if you’re expecting a smaller gathering.

Another favorite party tip: I always a drink station where friends and family can gather and chat before sitting down for dinner. All you need is a big punch bowl filled with spiced winter punch, a cheese board for snacking, and a floral arrangement â€“ or a vase filled with eucalyptus or foraged greenery. A little bit of greenery can go a long way and helps to balance bottles or punch bowls on the other side of the credenza.

Lindsey from Bare Ink Co. created these absolutely stunning invitations for our Friendsgiving. I love the way Lindsey’s lettering feels both a bit fancy but also relaxed and informal â€“ perfect for a Friendsgiving potluck!

Lindsey also made food and drink menus and the sweetest little conversation cards that you can place on each plate in lieu of place cards! I’m so excited to offer the menus and conversation cards as a printable download for all of you. Just download the files at the bottom of this post, print on regular letter-sized card stock, then cut out around the black outline! You can add your own text in Adobe programs if you have them, or just drop the entire file into Word. Easy peasy. We printed our menus on both vellum and card stock, and it’s absolutely impossible for me to pick a favorite!

We also personalized the invitations and menus with a single brushstroke of dark green paint on the left hand side. It makes every invitation and menu feel personalized, and it’s such an easy way to bring more of your color palette into your stationery!

I know the food is the heart of the holiday season, but it’s definitely more our style to make a signature drink or two instead of a traditional Thanksgiving dish. I love the idea of giving your guests drink menus instead of food menus at a holiday gathering â€“ especially if you’re doing a potluck style dinner! We placed our drink menus right on the plate so guests could keep them as a reference while trying the different cocktails.

And seriously, how cute are these little conversation cards? You can download them through the links at the bottom of the post! We placed them on custom engraved wood coasters by Michele from Meant to Be Calligraphy. Michele also engraved one of the Wheatley Vodka bottles with the word “gather” and I can’t think of a better sentiment for this upcoming holiday season.

I hope you all have a wonderful Friendsgiving weekend and Thanksgiving holiday! If you make any of our holiday cocktail recipes, please be sure to tag @beautifulpaper and @wheatleyvodka on Instagram so we can see how they turn out!

PRINTABLE FOOD MENU

PRINTABLE DRINK MENU

PRINTABLE CONVERSATION CARDS

Creative Direction and Styling: Nole Garey of Oh So Beautiful Paper

Prop Styling: Joanna Carden

Stationery and Calligraphy: Lindsey Swink of Bare Ink Co.

Cocktail Recipes and Vintage Glassware: Liquorary

Florals: Lori Tran and Colleen Rogin-West of Wld West

Wood and Glass Engraving: Meant to Be Calligraphy

Cocktail Recipe Illustrations: Bright Room Studio

Venue: Common Room Studio

Photography: Lauren Louise Collective

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

11/15/2018

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Hand Painted Acrylic

Acrylic signs have become quite the wedding and party staple over the past few years! You’ve seen a few of them here on OSBP, from these DIY acrylic cocktail menus four years ago to signs at the paper party during the National Stationery Show. Normally we see clear or solid color acrylic, but lately I’ve noticed a lot of hand painted acrylic for a more modern abstract art-inspired look. I’m absolutely loving this new trend, so I thought I’d round up a few examples to share with all of you!

How stunning is this hand painted acrylic invitation by Swell Press?? It’s seriously a work of art!

Beautiful hand painted signs â€“ a cocktail menu and a no cell phones ceremony sign â€“ by Anne Robin Calligraphy. Photos by Erin McGinn.

The sweetest hand painted acrylic welcome sign by Bare Ink Co.

Beautiful neutral hand painted acrylic bar menus by Hawaii Calligraphy

How cute is this rainbow acrylic sign by Deets&Things and With Love Calligraphy for a rainbow-themed birthday party?? Photo by L&B Photography via 100 Layer Cake.

I’m not sure if these faux sea glass table numbers by Bash Calligraphy are made from acrylic, but they were too beautiful not to include!

This deep green and gold acrylic drink menu by Bare Ink Co. is so perfect for fall events!

Colorful acrylic dinner menu signs by Bright Room Studio

Love this burgundy and gold sign from Bare Ink Co. letting guests know about a sparkler sendoff at the end of the evening!

Pretty hand painted table numbers by Mulberry Market Designs

I love absolutely everything about this hand painted acrylic sign by Hawaii Calligraphy, from the white paint and gold lettering to the copper frame and orchids!

So there you go! I think the hand painted look is so fun for modern weddings, but I want to hear what YOU think! Are you digging the hand painted/abstract art-inspired look on acrylic?? Or do you prefer clear or solid acrylic signs?

11/13/2018

Bonus November Wallpapers + Workshops at Common Room Studio!

Happy Tuesday friends! I have some fun holiday gathering inspiration coming up this week, but first I wanted to share a couple of upcoming events at my studio space â€“ Common Room Studio! This weekend we’ll be learning all about making wall mounted vines (!!), or come learn paper marbling and bookbinding just in time to make some handmade holiday gifts. Itâ€™ll be so fun â€“ if youâ€™re in the DC area, weâ€™d absolutely love for you to join us!

If you saw the tour of Common Room Studio’s living room area a few months back, you may have seen just a few houseplants hanging out in the corner by our south-facing windows â€“ and a few more over by our favorite Article sofa. We probably have around two dozen plants around the studio at this point! I don’t have quite as many at home thanks to the kids and cats, but I’m a big fan of bringing houseplants into your living space, from small potted plants to larger indoor trees. Not only do they help soften a space and improve indoor air quality, but they also bring in color and texture. I’ve been wanting to learn how to create wall-mounted vines and ferns, so I’m thrilled that the ladies of Rock Paper Plant will be joining us at Common Room Studio for a living wall hangings workshop this Saturday, November 17 from 11 am – noon!

Wall Mounted Plant Workshop

In this workshop, you’ll learn how to make a beautiful living wall hanging with easy-to-care-for philodendron vines â€“ and go home with your very own wall mounted plant! In their natural environment, these plants grow on rocks or trees, not in the pots you see at the garden store. You’ll learn how to grow these plants vertically with a little bit of moss and tree bark. No experience or green thumbs needed! All materials, including plants and care instructions, will be provided. Sign up right here!

Paper Marbling Workshop

I’m also thrilled to be hosting a paper marbling workshop with Kelly Laughlin of Odette Press on Sunday, December 9 from 10 am – noon! If you haven’t ever done paper marbling before, it’s basically magic and SO much fun. And also kind of meditative and soothing? We held our first marbling workshop back in April and I loved every second of it! You’ll create your own collection of marbled paper, either for yourself or to give as a handmade holiday gift! The class is $55, with all materials provided and no previous experience necessary. Sign up right here!

Bookbinding Workshop

After the magic of paper marbling in the morning, Kelly will teach a bookbinding workshop on Sunday, December 9 from 1 – 3 pm. If you’re looking for a fun handmade holiday gift idea, I can’t imagine anything better than giving someone a handmade notebook or journal! We’ll learn all about bookbinding tools and processes and head home with two hand stitched journals made with our very own hands. Tickets are $70 and include all materials needed to make two notebooks in class, along with a take-home tool kit for creating your own journals at home. You can sign up right here!

Desktop | iPad | iPhone

Finally â€“ now that the election is behind us, I have a bonus November wallpaper from Kim of Bright Room Studio for you! Kim created this fun watercolor pattern of gourds and fall leaves, which we turned into wallpaper for your desktop, iPad, and phone! Just download the appropriate size through the links above, and enjoy!

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2018 Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for Kids

2018 Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for Creatives

Friendsgiving 2018

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Hand Painted Acrylic

Bonus November Wallpapers + Workshops at Common Room Studio!