i’ve been gushing over this book for days now. paper to petal is a collection of products, handmade paper flowers, and objects that celebrate paper-crafts, each influenced by nature and imaginatively inspired. i think they would be especially nice to make during the winter when fresh blooms aren’t available (depending on where you live, of course!). i’ve missed having a little bouquet of flowers by my desk during the colder months, so paper flowers will definitely be on my crafting list this fall! head on over to amazon, barnes and noble or indiebound to get yours on pre-order now.

wrap up: {book} {craft} {flowers} {handmade} {paper} {petals}

as i mentioned earlier, one of my favorite things to do each year is choose a gift wrapping theme. one year it was recycled newspaper, the next was huge glittered initials for each package. last year i used kraft paper and made pretty bows, and this year i’m making ‘chalkboard’ packages! with a little black kraft paper and a few white paint markers, i think they’ve turned out to be really cute. here’s how i did it:

the first thing you’ll need is some black craft paper. i got mine right here and though i’m super happy with it, you should be warned: it’s a HUGE roll! i was so surprised when it came in the mail, i guess i didn’t take care to check out the dimensions! so anyways, we might be doing this next year, too. ;)

next you’ll need a white paint marker that will show up well on black paper. after some trial and error and visiting my local scrapbooking store, this is what i came home with:

1. tim holtz distress marker in ‘picket fence’. this one looks very ‘chalky’. it goes on clear, but quickly dries in white.

2. sakura pen-touch white. this is the one i used for almost all of the packages. it’s easy to work with and still hasn’t run dry, so one is probably plenty!

3. crayola white colored pencil. not the greatest option, but it does show up if it’s all you have.

4. painters opaque paint marker. this is another good option. the point is a bit finer than what i wanted, but would work great for detail work!

the next thing you’ll need is some good ideas! i took some time to sit down and jot down a few ideas before i got started so that i would have something to reference. really anything goes! just in case you would like to use some of the same motifs, i’ve made this a download for you to reference. just click on the image above and print!

so there you have it. my ‘chalkboard’ packages that have been so fun to make! they are simple, affordable and really cute all bundled together.

what are your packaging plans this year?

wrap up: {chalkboard} {christmas} {holiday} {packages} {paint} {paper} {pen} {white} {wrapping}

if you are a lover of snail mail, than today is your day! i’m so excited to share with you grace kang’s newest venture OliveBox. in a nutshell, OliveBox is a monthly subscription service for paper lovers. each month, members receive a delightful box of paper & lifestyle products delivered right to their front door. from cards to artwork to inspiring books and gifting ideas, you never know what exciting products you will unwrap each month!

with the goal of inspiring creatives to celebrate the journey of life and live beautifully, OliveBox encourages it’s members to pause and savor the moment every chance they get. OliveBox strives to help women live more simply and discover creative finds that inspire giving and beautiful living.

grace has also been kind enough to share a 10% discount just for you! enter code goinghometoroost10 during checkout. 1 per person, valid through october 31, 2012. thanks, grace!

wrap up: {box} {goods} {grace kang} {monthly} {olivebox} {paper} {pink olive} {snail mail}

 i’ve just been oohing and ahhing over these juicy gift wraps from smock (discovered here). i love the saturated colors and the fact that they’re reversible. they also have a lovely mission:

Who is Smock? We are faithful lovers of historic craft. We have letterpress ink in our veins. We are idealists. This means we believe in things. We read Walt Whitman. We fall head over heels for heavy cast iron presses. We believe in the creation of beautiful things. And we want, like you, to feel good about where our beautiful things come from.

wrap up: {bold} {colors} {gift wrap} {paper} {saturated} {smock} {wrapping}

anastasia makes handmade notebooks, journals and jewelry over at buntmal, all of which i think are super sweet. as she puts it, buntmal is a word you’ll never find in any dictionary, it means diversity of colors and shapes. books are her inspiration and passion, and i’m so happy she is sharing it with us! visit her shop and blog to see more!

wrap up: {books} {handmade} {jewelry} {journal} {paper} {sketch book}

when i discovered papercutout (via dearest nature) i was astounded. the intricate detail and earthy motifs are so incredibly beautiful! plus- just about any artist that combines lace, deer and a little fox tends to steal my heart. do they yours?

wrap up: {cutout} {deer} {etsy} {fox} {handmade} {lace} {needle} {paper} {punch}

now that the biggest shopping days are over and we’ve shopped ourselves silly, it’s time to start thinking about how to wrap all of those presents! (or did you only buy for yourself?) here to help is the lovely, paper and present- a shop full of  the most adorable wrapping supplies! as a super special surprise, melissa is offering ghtr readers 25% off through december 15th, just enter the coupon code ‘GHTR25′ during checkout, and may all of your gifts be beautiful!

wrap up: {25% off} {coupon code} {gifts} {paper} {presents} {supplies}

i’m pretty sure you all know our fab contributor ashley pahl, but did you know she was an amazing paper craftster as well? over at her shop, you’ll find just the cutest handcrafted papercuts and block printed stationery sets. i especially love this one!

ashley pahl elsewhere: {blog} {etsy} {facebook} {twitter}

wrap up: {ashley pahl} {card} {goods} {holiday} {paper} {papercuts}