Snarky Valentines

Etsy.

My husband and I have happily been together for many years, however we are not big on Valentine's Day. I buy fresh flowers for our apartment on a regular basis and we go to dinner all of the time. I don't need to fight the crowds and pay heavily for both just because it is a holiday. So I'll make a nice dinner and then plan out what candy I can buy at the store the next day for half off. Romantic, huh? :)

And it looks like we're not the only ones that take a bit of a cynical look at the big V-Day. I am just loving the assortment of snarky Valentines on Etsy. My hubby might just get one of these with a home-cooked meal this year.

Naughty Betty

Snarky stuff.



My husband and I are slowly becoming the last couple standing...the last couple to be sans child. All of our drinking buddies are dropping like flies and becoming grown-ups! Oiy vey!

But I know that our buddies are still trying to get used to the different sets of priorities that come with being a parent. Instead of taking advantage of an unseasonably beautiful day to go drink outside (my favorite past time), they take their child to the park. But deep down, I know they'd like to join us for an al fresco cocktail hour.

So when I recently ran across a line of products from a company called Naughty Betty, I couldn't stop giggling. Started by two 30-something moms, Naughty Betty is a compilation of products adorned with snarky comments that hit right at the heart of what my group of friends is experiencing.

And I think this pretty much says it all:



But make sure to check out the Naughty Betty site...it's chock full of some very clever stuff.

Boxsal

Packaging.

If you have been looking for a bad-ass way to make an entrance into your next picnic…look no further. Boxsal has made it easy with their cool picnic boxes disguised as briefcases, boom boxes and works of art. Each box contains compostable dinnerware and utensils and is just waiting to be filled with the fun food items of your choice.

Kate's Paperie

Party Supplies.

Kate’s Paperie is a place I walk by and stop to browse but I very rarely think of checking out their online store. Well times have changed and I will be sure to keep them as one of my frequent online stops. There line of cute napkins, recycled paper cupcake stands, candles and more is unique and perfect for your next party.

Save the Date

Paper.

While perusing my favorite blogs I ran across this generous gift from The Inspired Bride. It is a free downloadable Save the Date. It is a super cute design and talk about a huge savings and an instant theme.

The link has instructions, as well as, two different color themes to choose from. If you have an upcoming birthday party, bridal shower or even just dinner party…this is your lucky day!

New Sponsor: Storkie.Com

Oh boy...more paper to love.

Our newest sponsor, Storkie.com, has an amazing array of customizable invitations and cards to choose from. And we're not talking about customizing just the font types and colors. Storkie's dynamic designs allow you to customize the graphics too. I had so much fun playing with these two adorable invites to create unique color schemes and graphics. And I'm pretty sure that you will too.

Check out Storkie.com for everything from bridal and baby showers, to party invites, to custom stamps to match your design.

Classy Cookie Containers

Gift Wrapping Ideas.

Like many people, I like to make an assortment of cookies to give out as gifts. This year I wanted to make this traditional gift idea seem a bit more special with unique packaging ideas...because you know how much we love packaging. When I ran across this handful of amazing ideas on Martha's site, I just had to share my faves!

1. Homemade Sampler Box - An empty tin container divided with corrugate cardboard, rectangular baking liners, and tissue paper.

2. Loaf Pan - I love that this package make a useful gift for the recipient too.

3. Jewelry Box - Available in a wide assortment of colors, this box looks really elegant lined with linen and filled with a few financiers.

4. Paper Tubes - Are easily transformed into candy canes with adhesive backed paper cut into strips and wrapped around.

5. Baking Mold - Again...reusable and outside of the norm. Love it!

6. CD Sleeve - All you need is one big cookie and a cute label to make this gift worthy of giving to anyone on your list.

Watercolor Wonderland

Talent Spotlight.


I am constantly amazed by the talents of artists within all areas of design. Whether it is graphic, interior, industrial, or fashion design, there are so many places to find inspiration. My new stationary inspiration is Courtney Khail.

For anyone that can appreciate true artistry, her work will blow you away. Truly unique, Courtney's work blends dreamy hand-painted watercolor with the hard lines of stamping to create a look that is unlike anything that I have ever seen in the world of paper. And when I asked her to tell me a bit about herself and how she designs all of her amazing pieces, I could tell from her response that her work is a true passion. So I'll share those words with you:

"With my work I strive to keep the focus on the art and on the client. To me, something custom shouldn't just mean that it has your name or monogram- actually, I try to steer clear of that. I try instead to focus on what matters to my client- is it a certain color, flower being used in her wedding bouquet or activity they love to do? If so, that's what I want to work with!"

"So whether it is a wedding invitation, a set of note cards for a gift, or just to write "thinking of you" letters, I make sure that everything is especially created for my client. Each design is first drawn by me, then each piece is individually hand painted and then hand stamped with the design. You get to feel the ink, follow the brush strokes, and see the subtle variations of each piece."

So please make sure to take a look at Courtney's work and spread the word that there is some amazing new talent in the stationery world.

Creative Guest Book Alternative

Etsy Find.

Unique interpretations of wedding traditions can make some of the most memorable and creative aspects of your big day. And one of Hip Hostess' favorite things to switch up is the traditional guest book. And here's one of our new favorite ideas...

Cut the Cake Designs by Tara Lee offers a Guest Book Box that is sort of a take on a traditional recipe box. Each wooden address card box contains 26 beautifully designed dividers and 200 address cards for your guests to fill in and leave a thoughtful note. And Cut the Cake can do custom designs for the dividers to match your invitation suite as well.

And after the vows have been read and the dancing is done, you will have a very fashionable Rolodex all filled with your family and friends info and kind words. Love it!

PS. Make sure to check out the Cut the Cake blog. They are having an amazing giveaway next week from July 20 - 24th.

Papeterie To the Rescue

Paper.

One of my closest and dearest friends is getting married at the end of July and she's really got her hands full right now. Besides concluding her school year paperwork (she's a teacher), she finishing up her PhD classes, taking her comprehensive test for the PhD, closing on a house...and oh yeah, getting married...all within one month!!Luckily, she's got everything for her wedding under control with a lot of planning ahead and some really amazing family help.

But it got me thinking, what if you were someone that didn't have that kind of support on those final details of a wedding? Anyone that's gotten married will tell you that all the planning in the world won't prepare you for the last couple of weeks of "putting it all together." You've got programs to finalize, table seatings to assign (once everyone finally gets to RSVPing), and much more.

So while we are normally a proponent of DIY, sometimes you have to call in for some professional help to alleviate your stress. Which brings me to one of our favorite vendors, Papeterie. Besides the essentials of Invitations, RSVP cards and such...they offer an amazing assortment of menu cards, table numbers, place cards, programs, and even gift tags. All of the things that you need to alleviate some of that last minute stress. And their prices won't put you in the poorhouse either. So take a deep breath. Go online here. And just point and click. No cutting, printing, or sweating is involved.

Sweet Sushi!!

Fun Food Idea.

I saw this post on Mommy Knows and knew it looked like the perfect project for anyone with a children’s party in their near future. It looks super easy and there is no doubt every kid will be excited with this yummy mix of rice krispies, fruit leather, licorice and gummy worms. Not only is it a sweet treat but it is also a fun project to keep the masses entertained. Check out the how to right here.

Uniquity Invitations

Paper.

Uniquity Invitations is the perfect vendor for the budget conscious bride. Where else can you find a stylish and hip invitation suite that includes invites, rsvp, place cards, favor tags, table numbers, menus and programs for $79.00? Uniquity offers a variety of template choices that range from simple and elegant to modern and bold.

This is how it works. You check out the website and choose a style, once you have purchased the design you will receive, via email, the basic template. You are then able to adjust the font, color and size of text yourself. All that is left is printing, trimming and mailing.




Let’s say you are browsing through the templates and find something you love, but the color scheme is a little off or you need an insert. If you don’t see that option, no worries, just contact Uniquity and they will be happy to add some customization. Not only is this product easy on the wallet but it can also be a stress reliever. You don’t have to worry about knowing the exact amount of invites you will need right from the start. Let’s face it sometimes cousins, great aunts and family friends you never heard of suddenly show up on someone’s list at the last minute and just hitting your print button will solve this problem without any hassle.

NSS

National Stationery Show Recap.


A couple of days ago we had the opportunity to go to the National Stationery Show here in NYC at the Jacob Javits Center. After many, many hours of being awed by the amazing talent in the world of all things paper, we were inspired to create our own Best of NSS awards. Our categories may be a little unorthodox...but that's how we roll.

You might want to save this page as a guide so that you can link to all of the vendor sites, because each company is amazing in some way.

We fell for T&F immediately. They came up with amazing slate framed invitation suite that would be a stunner for any bride to be. And we LOVE the felted mid-century modern furniture cards.

People were probably staring at us cracking up at these edgy and funny greeting cards.



It's no secret that we love O+D. They pretty much say what you are really thinking.

The sweet sense of humor and charm of these cards are infectious.

These folders would make me feel a lot better about paperwork.

I would love to receive this complete stationery set from anyone that needs a gift idea.

And I could take one of these too!

This company specializes in vibrant color, easy customization, and a fantastic price point.

What we liked most about JH is their bright foiling process applied to vintage lace patterns.

TTP has an edgy modern interpretation of some traditional invitation motifs.

Wonderful colors and a great dutch-country flair make this line stand out from other companies.

Smock has an amazing array of ink colors and motif options to create custom invitation suites.

Fresh new ideas in letterpress designs make Tiselle a stand-out.

Coloring book cards, cougar cards, and great notebooks had us ooing and aweing.

Everything at binth is frameworthy. Alphabet flashcards, city illustrations, and custom playing cards were knock-outs.

Loop's hand sketched designs make for amazing wrapping papers and cards that could be amazing at a minimalist wedding or party.

Bobbin uses felt made from recycled plastic bottles in their charming designs.

We loved the fabric gift wrap options by CTC. When tied correctly a message is displayed at the top of the gift.

Kate and Birdie use recycled papers and power created by wind energy.

Linda and Harriet don't let their misprints go to waste. They make these charming hangtags.

We both were saying "why didn't we think of this" all day after seeing these cookie invites. They can be personalized by pens filled with edible dye.

There about a 1000 times a day that I could utilize these "stop talking" cards...especially on the subway or at restaurants.

These great tape designs make it so easy to address your invitations. Just print out basic Avery address labels and apply to this template. No cutting. No pasting. No writing. Love it!!