One Down. Two to Go.

Ever drive by an especially charming Halloween tableu and notice Tom Turkey peeking over the Great Pumpkin’s shoulder? Even better — have you witnessed Santa Claus peeking over Tom’s shoulder?  Don’t laugh. It happens. Americans love their seasonal tableaux.  And today is All Souls/Saint’s’ Day where good Roman Catholics visit the grave-sites of their ancestors. Sugar skulls for everyone! So put away those spooky things and break out the Horn O’Plenty and silver tinsel! The starting gun for Thanksgiving and Christmas has sounded!

What does this have to do with paper? EVERYTHING. Though we grouse, most people love the holidays and cannot wait for them to get started. This year we look foward to seeing more holiday card designs, many on sale at ETSY stores or through on line stores of the featured designers. They must be printed on any Neenah Paper sheets. They must be in good taste. Contributor/Curator/Head Elf Donovan Beery says, “SEND US YOUR  HOLIDAY CARDS DESIGN ASAP! Hurry! Hurry! Get a move on! It is a rush!!! Do it now, NOW, NOW!!” (email:  donovan@eleven19.com). 

Oh what fun! We will taste holiday cooking and meal planning tips from Bryn Mooth  off her terrific blog, writes4food. We will unwrap great ideas in paper for seasonal wedddings courtesy of our Grand Rapids paper expert and designer Abbey Fowler of Old New Borrowed Blue. We will feature a story or two on AIGA’s Design for Good initiative to demonstrate the true spirit of the season and we will light up a great new promotion on Environment Paper by Chen Design Associates, scheduled for release in a few weeks. Patience!

Now, if you happen to capture that rare image of Santa’s Ginger Bread Elves peeking behind Thomas Turkey  peeking behind Jack-O-Lantern’s noggin, send it in. Your image will get a special post-Halloween, pre-Thanksgiving, pre-pre-Christmas blog and tweet shout.  We promise to make all sent images evident on the blog. The best among them might even get a set of Valentines Card and a box of homemade holiday potato chip cookies (recipe from Bryn’s blog!) from yours truly, Mister Editor. Paper, paper, paper — goes great, great, great with the Holidays!

Behind the scenes with Electric China Jack, the Fall Harvest Couple and the Gingerbread Elf thing.

We love this stuff! Keep those holiday card and gift ideas coming. We’ll share them on this blog.

Old New Borrowed Blue: Spring Weddings 2012

A guestbook is one of the most sustainable paper pieces you can make and hold. It is an item that should be touched and shared by all guests, making it a tangible artifact to cherish. Follow Abbey’s step-by-step process  to make one for your wedding  — or as a gift for someone you adore.

I suggest to clients that they make the guestbook more than simply an autograph book. With some thought and planning, it can be something wholly unique, and so much more than one of those store-bought varieties.  I have come up with a few samples here to demonstrate my meaning and intent.

For example, cut up small pieces of paper and ask your guests to write a special wish for the bride and groom, then tape the slips inside book right next to their signature. Here, I use the beautiful Japanese Washi Tape — something I also used to decorate the front of the book (tip:  make the tape long, then trim the edge).  The letters shown here are simply made:  I just spray-painted some wood letters I found at my favorite craft store. Remember, not every guest will write a note. Many couples will write a note together. You only need about 60% to 75% of those cards cut ahead of time.

My next example also features little pieces of paper, but these slip into small envelopes which guests are invited to write comments and wishes on. Double-sided tape is used to adhere the envelopes to the guest book pages. This cover was easy too: I simply found and printed a little saying on a nice thick paper and laid it on top. Rather than binding which could damage the pages or crush some of the offerings, just use a pretty bow and then find a beautiful box to set the guest book sheets inside!

A Guest Book of Memories, Not Autographs!

There is nothing more disappointing than an empty guest book. Here are some tips to make your guest book inviting and easy to interact with so that your guest book will be filled with some of the most treasured artifacts and thoughts from your wedding day.

• Provide Direction — Don’t assume your guests will see the guest book, or know what to do with it. Your sign can use some gentle humor or pleading to encourage them to set aside their shyness and put their love and creativity to work to honor you on your wedding day.

• Oops! Use pencils instead of pens. How often have you changed your mind in mid-thought? I constantly make mistakes when writing things down. You don’t want to put a big scratch out through your accidental misspelling of the groom’s name. How embarrassing! Pencils with erasers let them correct mistakes with (hardly) a trace.

• Outward Bound — Keep the binding simple. This makes it easy take apart all the pages, so multiple guests can easily write notes at the same time rather than stand in line loosing their courage to express themselves with eloquence and sincerity. One easy bindery technique is a hole punch in one corner and a binding ring… or simply tie a pretty bow around it and find a beautiful box to store it in later.

• Engage Your Neighborhood Stationer —There are a lot of small business owners like me who live to help folks like you find elegant and affordable paper solutions. Find a stationer convenient to you and ask for their help and ideas!

Featured Papers
CRANE’S LETTRA®  Ecru 220 lb. Cover
Used on the cover and back of both examples
ENVIRONMENT® PC 100 Natural 80lb. Cover
Used for the little cards to write on
CLASSIC CREST® Smooth 80 lb. Cover
used for the pages of the sample with the kraft envelopes

Something old, something new;
Something borrowed, something blue;
And a silver sixpence in her shoe.

(By Abbey Fowler) Once again, our theme borrows from that traditional wedding poem — Old, New, Borrowed, Blue. If you missed my previous posts, check out 2011 Spring, Summer and Fall! After this post, we will start with a new theme in Spring 2012.

Winter need not be blue or lack cause for celebration. This is the season of gathering, so keep these ideas in mind for all your non-wedding holiday entertaining as well! Since we’re wrapping up the holidays, now is a good time to “re-gift” out-of-date toys, gadgets & clothes so as to keep them out of the landfill. Donate toys to local charities and find one of the many companies that will pay you for old electronics.

Something Old — Paper Tablescapes

Start with a fun tablescape. If dressing up the table settings is in order, consider unique placemat options. Instead of buying placemats made overseas and shipped here using tons of our dwindling resources, repurpose some old materials and DIY.

Above are pages torn from an old book (Great Expectations, romantic and fitting) then rolled up then stapled together from beneath the bottom charger. This adds dimension and a natural feel. Other fun materials you can repurpose are music sheets or newsprint. This idea serves well as buffet trays if the notion of creating handmade place mats for your entire guest list appears too daunting. I even turned the sample pictured here into a to a holiday wreath after I completed my photo-shoot for this post on Against the Grain.

Another “Something Old” tablescape idea is to use old-fashion Rock Candy as a favor and napkin weight. The white rock candy looks like ice perfect for your winter wedding. Add color with a ribbon and “Thank You” tag.

Something New — Bridal Bolero (Locally Made)

Nothing is more unattractive than a bride in a bright purple puffy ski jacket. Winter weddings in my home state of Michigan require more warm attire and careful planning. Many brides add a cape, bolero, muff or fancy gloves to the ensemble. Such items aren’t often found off the shelf, so consider a custom design.

Working with a custom designer on gowns and accessories is the sustainable way to go. Many retailers offer truckloads of dresses that are “budget-friendly,” but do not support your local economy. Also, dresses, tuxes and suits are either made overseas or made from fabric that was manufactured overseas, depressing our local manufacturing opportunities. But, if you employ a local designer you get not only the gown/accessory for your exact style and body type, you may also select from locally made (or regionally or nationally made) fabrics. Seek fabric that has traveled the least or, at least, was processed in a sustainability-conscious mill. You’d be surprised how reasonable working with a local designer and using locally loomed, e-friendly fabrics can be.

Show above is detail of a bolero originating from Vue Design. The fabric is wool, perfect for the chilly walk from wedding to reception. Wool is a renewable resource, biodegradable and environmentally friendlier than oil-based synthetics. Wool from free grazing, ethically raised sheep supports traditional small-scale industry that once thrived across America.

Something Borrowed — The Wine Bottle Centerpiece

For my “borrowed” category, ask your guests to “lend” you some of their clean empty wine bottles. When I got married I used wine corks at the rehearsal to hold place cards – this required some borrowing.

Here is a wine bottle used as both table number holder and an element of the centerpiece. Low flowers or candles add texture and color. A full wine or champagne bottle makes the bottle for dual purpose: table number holder and beverage! If using ice, ask your stationer for waterproof label paper. Shown above is a Kraft paper label that is nice and thick, so it covers up the previous bottle label.

Something Blue – The Warmly Layered Invitation

Blue is a most common winter wedding color, often paired with silver or other blue shades and used in an array of details. In wintertime, many invitations are adorned with lace, tissue, ribbon or satin wraps to add dimension as well as a feeling of adding warmth.

If using a fabric layer, again, as discussed above, look for fabric that supports your local economy and green-conscious practices or repurposes that which you already have. For example, this is covered in burlap, a sustainable, natural product that uses all of the original plant and is 100% biodegradable. As a bouquet wrap, it lends texture to vases and other details. Now, burlap or thicker laces don’t fit well inside an envelope so a boxed invitation is required. While more material is not always the most eco-conscious design choice, for your more craft-oriented guests, suggest repurposing the boxed invitation to other uses including scrapbooks, gift tags or garden compost.

Stay Warm!

Winter need not be blue. Make it eco-friendly and as happy as possible, whether you’re celebrating a marriage, hosting family gathering or partying down with friends during the upcoming College Bowls and Superbowl festivities. See you this Spring!

Abbey Fowler from 6.25 Paper Studio

{From the Editor:  Abbey Fowler is the proprietor of 625 Paper in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 2008 Abbey left her job as Art Director at a publishing company and started Syd Design to concentrate on custom wedding stationery. After three years of growth, she re-branded as 625 Paper (her wedding anniversary is June 25^th) and moved into a small retail space in downtown Grand Rapids. Her popular seasonal column offers great wedding ideas in paper that are beautiful, unique and environmentally friendly.}