I am definitely one for hand-written letters and thank you cards. I love the thoughtfulness that has gone into someone taking the time to create it, or select something special and not mass-produced…
I am definitely one for hand-written letters and thank you cards. I love the thoughtfulness that has gone into someone taking the time to create it, or select something special and not mass-produced.
Not everyone is particularly adept at creating their own, and you don’t need to be, with the plethora of handcrafted-type products out there now.
Here are some great local sites to look around for somebody special: Presse.co.nz, Littledot.co.nz, stampinup.co.nz, and thepaperface.com.
Pictured left: Little Dot mini cards
Presse Papiers
Two sisters Charlotte and Olivia, both mothers, have begun their own blog and online store www.presse.co.nz around the art of gift wrapping. They confess to regularly recycling paper from presents, and hoarding ribbon and string, (guilty pleasures of mine as well!) and now retail some of their favourite commercially-produced NZ and international invitations, gift bags, divine wall prints, children’s colouring books and party invites, wall prints, journals and more. Many of the products have been beautifully crafted from recycled, sustainable materials by eco-conscious designers and lovers of pretty things.
The Paperface
Headed by Auckland creative couple Andriano and Kalpana Laitflang, The Paperface is a graphic design and printing business that has exploded into unique stationery. I love that it is of the highest-quality but still feels lovingly crafted and not too commercial. They also have a great sense of humour. I adore the Mother’s Day poster I bought that has WOW and MOM written one under the other, in mirror-image writing. Gorgeous and clever.
I also have one of their custom-made bunting banners on my daughter’s wall:
I have three of their print over-runs from the card printmaking process as my living room art.
They are quite font and text-based, rather than illustrative. Here’s one of their designs with a Kiwiano slant, and their cards come as posters too.
The Paperface are on Facebook and they have an online store at their website here http://thepaperface.com/blog/shop/
Little Dot
Alice Tiankaizi Bi is one of the most creative illustrators I have met. Her "fashionery" (fashion + stationery) line features her whimsical illustrations that she doodles into charming existance.
Below: Diary ($24.99)
I have two of her dolls in my home; Little Dot and his friend, Lulu ($40 each or $77 for the pair, available online.)
Read more about Little Dot on Thread here and you can buy it online here www.dearlittledot.com
Stampin! Up
I’ve been having a play with some of the rubber stamps from Stampin’ Up! It’s not available in stores, rather, it’s a direct-selling company that offers rubber stamps and paper crafting products through demonstrators. Sort of like Tupperware parties but a lot craftier. You can keep quite basic, or very very advanced paper craft and card-making. They do a variety of papers, stickers and so on but I think the best thing they offer is their beautiful rubber stamps.
Contact Stampin! Up at dsnz@stampinup.com or phone 0800 202 722.
Megan Robinson 25 November 2011
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