Field Trip: Fashion District

I've needed more obscure materials recently for a few wedding projects and have discovered that some of the best shops to find unique odds and ends are located in the Fashion District... in the heart (er, armpit) of Midtown. I’ve been venturing there on my lunch breaks in search of vintage ribbons, spools, trim. The sweet spots are along 37th and 38th streets, home to the shops Tinsel Trading Company, M&J Trimmings, Hyman Hendler, and B&J Fabrics. In addition to those, there are countless other great shops sandwiched in between to make the trip worthwhile.

Thrift Wrap: Part 5

I wrapped my grandmother's gift in a kraft bag I saved from my October visit to Terrain. Every piece of their packaging is so beautifully designed and worth holding on to. The graphic magnolias inspired me to finally use the vintage paper magnolia I'd picked up from Parcel a couple of years ago.

Thrift Wrap: Part 4

I stamped and stitched my way through this wrapping session.

Thrift Wrap: Part 3

The rich and colorful pages of Anthropologie catalogs make for great wrapping paper. I cut this page up and sewed it back together using Sajou metallic thread. That little bit of gold adds the perfect touch of glam.

Thrift Wrap: Part 2

In this little collection of gifts I reused packing materials from my online holiday shopping, tissue paper, and painter's masking paper. A handmade bird stamp and some stitches really dress them up nicely.

Thrift Wrap: Part 1

Anyone that knows me knows that I will drop good money on paper. My obsession helps keep stores like Kate's Paperie and NY Central in business. I also come across great paper finds on a daily basis, some that are so ordinary some people might mistake them for trash. Not me... almost anything has the potential for a second life as gift wrap including security envelope lining, butcher paper, catalog pages... everything's up for grabs!

Matters of the Heart

To hearts that beat in sync. Happy Valentine's Day!

Apple Bottom

The lonely apples hanging around in my fridge from apple-picking back in October made perfect stamps for homemade wrapping paper. After a night of experimenting I was so happy with the results that I suddenly saw fruit in a whole new light. Passing through the greenmarket I felt compelled to pick up some new shapes-- a teeny tiny crab apple and a firm bosc pear. I learned my lesson with the pear: No matter how much I blotted the surface, the pear was just too juicy to get a sharp print.

But that's okay, I've already moved on from fruit and am now eyeing root vegetables...potatoes, turnips, carrots. I have a feeling that they'll work the best with their firm flesh and low moisture content. I just wish I had a little more time before Christmas.

T is for Telephone

...and for Théo.

Bon Voyage little man as you make your first journey to Paris.

Oh Happy Day

It's a really good day. Kari and I are celebrating our 30th birthday... and 30 years of friendship. Before email we survived our long-distance friendship by writing each other letters and sending care packages. And the best gift we could ever give each other was stationery, and apparently it still is.

These days we're no longer using Precious Moments stickers to decorate our envelopes, but have discovered the grown-up version: HappyTape! With its multitude of patterns, colors and uses, its hard not to give in to the childlike urge to collect 'em all.

Leaves of Change

On July 3rd Kari and Brian got married!

Out of Print

Dave, one of the owners of Fishs Eddy, made a fortuitous find on a recent buying trip to the Midwest: Vintage metal stationer's engraving blocks from the 1940's and 1950's! He came back with hundreds of initials and full addresses, most in their original boxes with handwritten names and dates of when they were last used.

When I saw them they reminded me of my friend Josephine and the types of objects she often paints: aged and weathered surfaces, objects with historical content and traces of text. You can see some of her truly amazing works here. I thought if these engraving blocks didn't serve as her next muse, they would at least look great displayed in her studio.

I wrapped them in pages from old Anthropologie catalogs and adorned them with spare buttons.

Lovely Day.

Bon Voyage

I finally gave in and used the wrapping paper I had originally bought to hang on my wall. I decided it was worth cutting up to create a little pre-Paris excitement for Jess... and of course I know I can count on her to save the scraps. ;)

Totally Wrapped Up

I love wrapping presents and the process of layering new paper with recycled scraps, vintage adornments with homemade tags... I have a habit of accumulating decorative papers, boxes, and ribbon even when I have no immediate use for them because I know that at some point they will serve as the perfect gift wrap.

Butcher Paper Redefined

I found this butcher paper at KIOSK in Soho. Just one of the amazing finds from the owner's recent trip to Portugal.