Getting Crafty!

The weather has been beyond gorgeous, but that doesn't mean there are some of us that need a little downtime out of the sun. I'm including some very fun, very creative rubber stamps that have joined us at Parchment this year. Great for rainy days, or when you are beached out (is that possible?) rubber stamps make creating and crafting easy and enjoyable.

Ink + Wit is one of our favorite new additions to the store this year. Perfectly packaged, these little themed sets make it easy to be an artist. I love their recipe card stamp, which would be perfect for creating a handmade recipe set for a friend, bride-to-be or to pass down old family recipes.

As usual, we have a wonderful selection of nautical themed stamps for all of our seaside lovers. How fun is little Mr. Whale? And if you're sending off an important parcel, what better way to add some flair than our "To" and "From" stamps. And for you last minute Lollies, our "You're invited" stamp turns any blank card into a sophisticated invitation with just a quick press of the stamp.

We look forward to seeing you!

Glitter Galore and Crafting For Sure!

Taking a break from Nantucket in the Winter is just lovely, and as much as I miss my Parchment family, coming home in the Spring is a true treat! I always look forward to seeing what new gifts, gadgets and papers Heidi has picked up while I've been off wandering. This year, one of the first UPS boxes I got to open was from Tinsel Trading Company. Heidi was delighted to hear it had arrived and I was beyond excited to see what it held. I'd proudly like to introduce all you creative crafters (and the not so crafty but oh so in love with pretty things) to the wonderful world of Tinsel Trading Company and Wendy Addison designs.

I will start by showcasing what I can only describe as gift canisters. We are constantly reprimanded for not carrying a wide enough array of gift boxes and so, here is our answer. Large and mini, these canisters are perfect for popping presents into. No wrapping needed! I just adore the mini size, as they would be the perfect place for a special pair of earrings or even as little dinner party treats filled with candies or a chocolate truffle. The large size makes an awesome gift card holder, or I even used it myself to contain a rolled up tee as a gift. Not to mention they look great on any desk, accumulating what odds and ends you happen to throw in there.



In keeping with the gift wrap theme, let me show you some very fun gift tags and bags. The party favor bags would be fun to fill for a kid's birthday...maybe with some japanese masking tape and rubber stamps for all those crafty kids. And let's not forget the hot air balloon tag. (It makes me want to float away this instant!)


For the grande finale, I present purely glass glitter and the bottled collection of beads, sequins and sparkles. The glass glitter is vibrant, fun, oh so colorful and yes, beautifully packaged! The bottled collections of beads and more are so perfect as is, I'd hate to take them out of their container. But what fun could be had with them...I see scrapbooking in their future. Or maybe some creative necklaces and snazzy earrings. The button collection is by far my favorite! Which is yours? So hurry down everyone and come see for yourself!

cupid is calling!

So, it's out there.

Valentine's Day is on the horizon.

Now, in my vast experience with Valentine's Day, it tends to be a buy-your-card-at-the-last-minute sort of holiday, especially for guys. However, I'm hoping that maybe this first of the Valentine's postings will inspire you to act now! Get crafty! Be a "Prior, Proper Planner"! You've got 3 weeks to have some fun and surprise your sweetie with something a little more special than just your name signed on the card.

First up is this great set of color-your-own valentines from That Sky Blue. You know you are always going to find some kind of under-the-sea creature at Parchment, and how can you not love this whale and octopus. It makes me want to bust out my watercolors and play. Can you just imagine them finished off with a little sprinkle of Martha Stewart Crafts glitter? Divine!

Next are these sweet little gift tags from Joie, making their Valentine's debut. Sure, you can tie them to a lovely bunch of tulips, but what if you add them to a larger card and attach with a grommet or ribbon? Throw a little Happy Tape on there, and you've got yourself a little piece of collage art. (And if you have a little person in your midst, like I do, it is a great afternoon project!)

Finally, we have these packages of pre-cut heart-shaped cards. No cutting required to get the perfect heart shape. A simple love note or special Rumi quote on here is all it needs to send a special message to your Valentine.

Now get out there and get crafty!

'Tis the Season...

The days are flying by, and we're working like little elves at Parchment to get ready for the busy holiday season. Want to know what I've been doing (since we all know I haven't been blogging!)? Here's a behind the scenes peek at how we create some festive holiday invites.

This is me: punch, punch, punch. (This is also why my hand hurts...)
Yes, don't they look so pretty!? All 80 of them...
After printing the invites and punching the snowflakes, I use our super cool glue stick to apply each snowflake on to the invitations.
And voila! This is the true beauty of the season--classy, sophisticated and streamlined with a touch of homemade love!

Stay tuned for more holiday ideas. (And come check out all the fun winter paper punches that we have!)

Calling all Kiddie-Os!

Wahoo! We survived Monday, and Tuesday is sure to start off with a bang! Our best friend/boss Ms. Heidi is probably mid-flight on her way to Ohio, and Little Alana, Whit and I are left to fend for ourselves. If you're out there...don't worry Heidi, we won't get too crazy!

Today I'm featuring the awesome collection of items found in our "Kiddy Corner." We know how hard it is to keep those little hands busy and out of trouble, which is why we have crafts, games and coloring supplies galore to happily entertain even the most energetic little friend on those grey Nantucket mornings. (Not that we have seen many lately...) Oh, and moms and dads, we also have what it takes to keep you on top in the crazy world of parenting. Check it out!

Our art set and coloring book selection is off the charts this year! New to our shop are the playfully packaged P'kolino marker, crayon, paint, and colored pencil sets that are perfect to keep on hand for all those budding artists out there. Our super fun "On the Go Art" sets make coloring more portable than ever. (Great for restaurants, boat rides, waiting for the planes...all that jazz!) And always a hit is the array of juicy coloring and drawing books by Taro Gomi including "Scribbles" and "Doodles" that are fun for all ages!

Here's a fun collection of some of my favorite items. Clockwise from top left: Our "Here we Go Travel Kit" is great for all of our on-the-go friends. Containing a mini-coloring set and crayons as well as a activity booklet, this is bound to keep our friends occupied on any boat trip. More mini colored pencil sets are great to throw in the purse to break out in emergencies and the sea-themed sketch books are just waiting to record summer adventures. YellowOwl's creative camp sets are a great gift to give if you're ever hoping to hear from your child at camp. And last but definitely not least, Rosie Flo's coloring books are inspiring for any future fashionista.

Need I describe? Who hasn't dreamed of writing their own message in a bottle? Send one to a friend, toss it in the ocean, or keep it as a souvenir to re-discover later on.

Talk about blast from the past...Remember these hypotrochoid sets from your youth? While away an afternoon making a collection of these addicting circular designs or help create a mini fingerprint story with your kid.

Moms, are you listening? Don't know how to store the report cards, school pictures and keep track of those masterpieces from first and second grade? The School Days organizer will help. Each grade gets a page AND folder to record important facts, paste school picture and organize any loose leaf papers you want to save (but don't want cluttering up your own desk). The gorgeous cloth covers make these books something you're more than proud to have on your shelves.

Don't forget we have a great collection of children's invites, baby announcements and mom-to-be shower invites. Also on the shelves are these super sweet kiddy thank you's from the lovely and local Ms. Molly Hess. Stop by anytime to see what other kiddy goodies we carry. You and your little one are bound to find something to enjoy.

The wonders of Japanese masking tape

During some last minute holiday shopping at the end of last year I stumbled across an intriguing item: Japanese masking tape. The packaging and pretty colors of the little tapes were irresistible and I knew that I needed to buy a set for my grandmother who loves gift-wrapping just as much as I do. Low and behold, the day we exchanged gifts it turned out that she had also discovered the masking tape- and decided to give some to me!

The more I used it, the more I loved it, so when Heidi brought the line into Parchment this year I was beyond excited. Japanese masking tape comes in many different colors, patterns, and sizes, suitable to all of your taping and decorating needs. It’s made of Japanese washi paper and, like everyday masking tape, is easy to remove (without leaving any residue!) and is waterproof. This makes it the perfect candidate for tasks like labeling and highlighting (the tape is slightly transparent when stuck so it’s ideal for drawing attention to a calendar date or important information). It’s also a fantastic alternative to ribbon for any sort of gift-wrapping or packaging. Honestly, the uses of Japanese masking tape are endless. Here are just a few ideas to inspire you!

Parchment’s masking tape department is well stocked- from pretty patterns to bright solids and metallics, you’re sure to find a design to fit every mood.

But wait… there’s even a book on Japanese masking tape! This beautifully designed book not only explains the history the tape, it also has tons of great ideas on how to use it, not to mention beautiful pictures and samples of the tapes.

We heart stamping

By now you probably realize that here at Parchment, we aren't only about fine papers, we also provide all the accoutrements to accompany your paper needs. Falling into the fun accessories category, are rubber stamps. What I love about rubber stamps is that they are perfect for even the most inexperienced, unartistic among us (aka: me!). Plus it is fun for any age (think children's birthday gift...) They are great for sprucing up a photo album page, or adding decoration to an envelope and of course for creating your own stationery. Not to mention all the bright ink colors make your average stamp...well...not so average! We try to keep our collection pretty well stocked with Nantucket related images such as scallop shells, whales and lighthouses. One of my favorites (featured below) reads "I hope my ship comes in before my dock rots." (Don't we all!?) New to our shelves this year are Yellow Owl's adorable little stamp sets. They do city themed pairs in the cutest cloth bags (see the NYC taxi set below) as well as some larger wooden boxed sets that are just fantastic! Another awesome find from the big boss, Heidi G. Yippie!!