A Paper Palette

Long time, no write...

Long time, no write!
It's been a while! A few changes to announce:

1. Store is now available at A Paper Palette (www.apaperpalette.com). We are still on etsy too! I'm just slowly trying to move products over to the standalone shop.

2. More colorfast products. I'm really trying to recreate all of the ribbons into colorfast ribbons. I have been asked many, many times if the ribbon is colorfast, only to answer "no". It's time to give customers what they are asking for!!

3. I'm playing around with different fabrics and different techniques. So far my favorite it this one:

Hand Dyed Silk Ribbon, 5 yards for jewelry making, packaging, weddings, craft supplies, tassels, garland, wands

https://www.etsy.com/listing/288327145/hand-dyed-silk-ribbon-5-yards-for?ref=shop_home_active_43

It's a gorgeous woven silk, hand "painted" rather than dyed. It is colorfast and will not fade. The difference in painting vs. dyeing is that in painting the ink sits on top of the fabric rather than penetrating it. I think it's beautiful, regardless of the coloring method used. (I'm going to try ice dyeing next! I'll post the results!!)

4. Crinkle ribbon listings! I've included a few different crinkle listings - meaning it is just crinkle ribbon / seam binding and a few crinkle ribbon bundles. I'll be adding more so check back regularly.

5. More craft supplies - miniature bottles have been added to the store! I use these quite often in my shadow boxes!! They make great Halloween apothecary bottles for miniature makers too!

6. We still have lots of hard-to-find Graphic 45 collections like Fashionista, Couture, Good Ole Sport... along with the Graphic 45 window pane shadow boxes at great prices! Make sure to check us out if you need one!

7. The biggest change is me... I'll do better and post at least once a week!!

Happy Memorial Day! I hope everyone enjoys the long weekend! Make sure to take a moment to thank our service men and women!!

Hi All!
How's everyone doing? We got about 2-3 inches of snow yesterday and last night, and we all know how southerners are when it snows: gotta get that milk and bread! Luckily, I left my 9-5 job just in time yesterday! LOL.

I have been busy adding new ribbon and new die cuts to the store. I've also been working on destashing, so look for more craft supplies! I have lots of Graphic 45 paper and tons of 7 Gypsies trays!

And check out what Melanie from Vintage Frivolity has created using some ribbon!

What a gorgeous necklace! I love how she uses vintage jewelry to create one-of-a-kind pieces. There is so much gorgeousness in her shop! I'm absolutely in love with these earrings:

Make sure you check out Melanie's store... her pieces would make stunning gifts for Valentine's Day!!

Stay safe... and warm!!

beautiful gift packages!

So I thought I'd show a few gift packages that I have done where I incorporated our ribbon. I love the look of pretty packages, and the ribbon just adds a little extra to them...

The first is a beautiful vintage roses paper where I used lace, Waverly binding, and few flowers. The ribbon really ties in to the pink color in the roses.

The second is a small box wrapped with vintage postcard looking paper. I LOVE this paper... it just seems so worldly!!

I used a strip of burlap, Vintage Stained seam binding, and a bow made from jute. Very simple and elegant at the same time. I love the monochromatic look!

Packages are so much prettier when you go that extra mile to add a little something special!! Wouldn't you love to receive a package as beautiful as these? Or GIVE one that wows???

Visit us on ETSY today! Be sure to give our other posts a look for special coupon codes!

coupons!!

New coupon code - just in time for the holidays!

Use BLOGSHIP until 12/31/15 for free shipping! Click here: A Paper Palette

completed table and other stuff...

Hi everyone. My new dining table is finished!! And it's absolutely gorgeous!! It's the table of my dreams!!

Contact Mike at Vintage Southern Creations on Facebook if you'd like to have him make something for you!

I would also like to talk a little about Ranger Ink. I was having trouble with two of my Distress Stains so I contacted Ranger Ink about them. The two colors I was having trouble with were turning everything green - seam binding, copy paper, cardstock... So I emailed Ranger Ink and asked if their inks had expiration dates. I was told that they do not; however, they do have a 3-4 year shelf life. I was asked to send picture of the bottoms of the bottles and the bottles themselves along with a sample. I did as asked and Ranger Ink replied to let me know that the code on the bottom indicated that the Distress Stain was manufactured in 2012. I purchased these two colors last year and informed Ranger Ink of this. And you know what they did? They replaced both bottles! I was so thrilled and wanted to shout out to them for their awesome customer service!

totally off the subject...

This is totally not related to ribbon or paper crafts or scrapbooking or mini albums or anything of that nature; however, it does have to deal with art.

A few months ago one of my husband's friends started posting pictures of the furniture he was building with old barn wood. So I contacted him about building us a new dining table (I'll call him M.)

I have always loved farmhouse tables but could never find (much less afford) exactly the table I wanted. So I thought M could build me exactly what I wanted. So I began the search for table legs. I looked on etsy and ebay for old porch posts and stair banisters but had no luck. I knew what I wanted - I had it pictured it my head; I just couldn't find them! For me, part of the appeal of farm tables is the legs. So many tables just had the post legs. And I knew I wanted something with a little more character, something a little bit quirky... so I ended up purchasing new turned legs from Maddox Mill Works on etsy.

They arrived and were gorgeous. Off they went to M. I searched and searched for pictures to send to M to show him what I wanted and sent him probably way more than he ever needed. We discussed barn wood, new wood, painted base, stain colors, etc. At first I knew I wanted barn wood - there's just so much character there. Then I got to talking to him and started worrying about the cracks and crevices and food falling in them and cat hair (because while I do not like it, I know the cats get on the table when we aren't home). This table was going to be the table that we use every single night for dinner - not just a table that got used once a year. So I decided to do new wood that was altered to look distressed.

Once M got started on the table, he told me that could fill the cracks and smooth the barn wood out so that the cracks and crevices would not be so bad. So I flipped back to barn wood. I knew I wanted a painted base, and I knew I wanted it white (even with 3 large indoor/outdoor dogs who like to come in stinky and smelly and sometimes even a little muddy). So he built the base. Here's what it looked like:

I was thrilled. I loved the legs. They were quirky and chunky and everything I wanted. M continued to work on my table as well as on other orders for other clients.

Then today, I get this text from him:

I'm in love. Seriously. I think I had a tablegasm. It's absolutely beautiful!! Although it is not finished, it is definitely going in the right direction. The table top is 100 year old tiger oak! I absolutely cannot wait to see it finished!! The top is going to be java stained; although I might be changing that. I'm not sure now if I want the java stain.

Stay tuned for finished product pictures!!!