Paper Porn

{Just Because Card - I Miss You Card - Just Because I Felt Like It by JulieAnnArt}

The best reason to send cards...just because.

See more Paper Porn on Pinterest...

** Love stationery & paper products? Follow my Paper Porn board on Pinterest or submit something you like to: Kbatty {at} ymail.com or tweet @kmbatty **

Tuesday Talk :: Jersey's Freshest

Hi all! Welcome back to Tuesday Talk! This week, let me introduce you to Molly Larobina of JerseysFreshest. My Tuesday Talk interviewee from last month, Rain at Cheeky Kumquat,  recommended I check her out. She was spot on in knowing I would love & appreciate Molly's work. She is another excellent greeting card maker, another gifted crafter.

Let's chat...

Jersey's Freshest? Where did your shop name come from?

I make cards, which really has nothing to do with the name of my shop. Although, they are made in New Jersey, and I feel that they are rather fresh. If you hadn't guessed, I'm a New Jersey resident; born and raised. Anyone who is familiar with Jersey birds should know that most of us have this weird station pride thing going on, although on the inside, we have a love-hate relationship with the state. So, when I was brainstorming a name, I had a moment of Jersey pride, combined with our state's produce motto, which is Jersey Fresh. And so was born JerseysFreshest.

{Hand Cut FOLD OUT LOVE card}

I love this from your Etsy profile: I love art, and cards are art that I can share with other people, and then they can spread the love, by sending them to others. How often do YOU send cards? Who do you sent them to?

I'm not a card-sending fiend or anything, but I do send and give cards to close friends, family and my daughter's teachers for occasions that warrant it...My daughter often makes requests for certain people to have certain cards, made by me - the latest project she has me working on is a kitty birthday card for her little cousin. I have also been known to make and give the occasional card set in gift baskets, mostly filled with other handmade goodies, made by myself or my 6 year old daughter.

{Blank Note Cards Set of 8 - Peeking Text - Custom text - Custom Patterns}

Seriously, we are birds (though, not Jersey birds) of a feather. I love giving handmade gifts.

Also in your Etsy profile I noticed that you studied paper making in school. What a labor of love! Do you ever still make paper?

I do...but that paper I make is nothing like the paper I  made in school. It's really just for personal use, mostly due to the quality. Without a press, it's nearly impossibly to get the aper to any sort of standard. I just save up my scraps of a paper, and when it's warm enough outside, I blend up some pulp. and pull some sheets with a mold and deckle made from picture frames. I press it out with cookie sheets, and lay it out to dry. It sometimes get a bit wonky, but once the paper is dry, weighting it helps all that. I know I could just recycle it, but I fell like reusing is better than recycling.

{Hand Cut Card "I love you. The end."}

When did you start making greeting cards?

A year ago, in Janurary...it all started with a set of handmade Valentines for my daughter's Preschool Class.

{Hand cut card TULIP BUD card/customizable message}

Instead of adding designs TO the card stock, you seem to design by taking it away. I love all your cut outs! Where did the idea for that technique come from?

I'm pretty sure the idea came out of necessity...sort of...I remember the first card I cut - It was a Mother's day card I was making for my cousin to give to her mother last May. I was drawing designs and staring at them, thinking hey that's pretty nice, but it's not saying enough...I think it would look better cut out, with a design showing through...I really liked the design and wanted it in my shop. Replicating the card made ne realized that cut designs would be more accessible, than all of my one of a kind, collages *Which, really, I wasn't too happy with anyway...but, hey, that was all a part of finding myself as a card designer.) After that, came summer and all card-making ceased due to motherly duties. Once fall returned, I began drawing up designs and must have had that flower card stuck in my brain, because most of the drawings turned into cut outs.

{LEAVES Thank You card}

Can I ask a non-stationery related question? Is that YOUR tattooed finger in your product pictures?? It's awesome.

It's mine. It's my engagement and wedding rings, actually tattooed in two installments. I don't wear jewelry, so I decided that his was a better fit. My husband has  band tattooed on him as well...He likes to say "until death or laser surgery do we part."

You knit!! Me too! Where do you like to buy yarn? Any favorite projects?

Ahhh, knitting... I love it...almost too much. Honestly, a lot of my yarn was given to me by my aunt - two garbage bags worth. I have given myself the challenge of using as much of that up before buying more...Prior to that, I liked buying yarn from knit pick, or I would just find some random little shop on the internet that had just what I was looking for. 

As for favorite projects...first I must confess, I love finding patterns on Ravelry:

The Bee Keeper's Quilt by Stephanie Dosen of Tiny Owl Knits (tiny owlknits.wordpress.com)
Vintage Hankie Washcloth by Julie Tarsha of Simply Notable (simplynotable.com)
And, one I just recently finished: The Keyboard Cat (www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/keyboard-cat)
Mine wound up looking like the Mouse from the Children's book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, but I was thrilled witt that, since it was for a two year old, and I firmly believe in books for birthday presents.

{Hand Cut Card: NEON GEOMETRY - custom text}

You're on Ravelry! Me too! I will look for you...Other than your own stash, where do you go for greeting cards?

I really don't go anywhere else...Sometimes I use carsI have made, but I really enjoy making something new, and personal for the particular recipient and event. I enjoy the challenge of making the card a "perfect" fit. I have, however, considered buying cards to tie to my husband from other sellers on Etsy - The Cheeky Kumquat, Sweet Perversions and Fun Girls Cards to name a few. The humor in them is hard to resist, but I do because he is pretty much anti-cards...maybe I should change that.

{CHRISTMAS BALL ORNAMENT Christmas Card}

A friend says to you that they are terrible at sending greting cards. They ask you how they can be better at it. What advice do you give them?

I think I would suggest a marked up calendar...I find that when I don't send cards it's because I've simply forgotten until it's too late.

{Mini Handmade Journal OOAK Handbound Mini Journal Pocket Journal Travel Journal}

Plans for the rest of 2013? Beyond? New cards coming out?

Plans...hmmm...make it though Christmas...joking. Really I just want to focus on growing my business more, outside of Etsy. I want to keep on making cards, and focus a bit more on wall art and notebooks. As far as new cards to come, a confident yes is in order.

Molly, thank you for hanging out on the KBatty Blog. I look forward to seeing what you come up with next!

I had a seriously hard time picking product photos for this post. Others I considered are numerous...like these gift tags, or her entire section of Wedding/Anniverary cards or her smiley card, this coffee card...the list goes on. Go find your favorites on her Etsy shop & make sure to "like" Molly on Facebook.

Next month, Tuesday Talk will feature one of my EtsyNY team members & her illustrated cards. Adorbs!

Tuesday Talk :: Puddleduck Paper Co.

Welcome to a new Tuesday feature! Once a month, I'll be posting Tuesday Talk - a conversation between me & (usually) another stationery/paper person. We will talk paper. We'll talk life!

Mattie Tiegreen of Puddleduck Paper Co. is a Southern kindred spirit. Design-wise, especially. I love her use of color, type, envelopes as part of the design & not an after thought...

So! Let's chat...

Puddleduck Paper Co is such a fun name! Where does it come from?

My favorite question! As I’m sure you can imagine, I get it a lot. My mom used to call me “Puddleduck” after the character Jemima Puddle-Duck in the Beatrix Potter stories – favorite childhood books of mine. When I needed a business name, mom suggested the obvious. I thought it was silly at first, but it stuck! It’s definitely memorable.

We are heavy into wedding season! What kinds of choices are you seeing brides make this season? Any similar themes or colors this year?

Yellow is a wildly common color scheme in my recent designs – which I am loving. It’s my favorite color and can be seen in some of my favorite designs, Puddleduck’s branding, and in our own wedding a few years ago.

Did you design your wedding invitations? Can we see??

I did! However - if you can believe it - we have NO pictures of any paper from the wedding. I guess I had other things on my mind that day..? :)

I LOVE your envelope choices. Tell me about how you choose your colors.

Yellow! Just kidding. I think the envelope can make or break the wedding suite. The most beautiful card can get lost in a plain envelope if you’re not careful. I choose and suggest envelope colors based on the bride’s color scheme but tend to suggest a complimentary color as opposed to going the ‘matchy-matchy’ route. I like an unexpected pop of color.

Is that your calligraphy on your blog? If yes, when did you learn? If not, do tell where it came from!

That’s my handwriting. I am self-taught (and still learning!) and have such an appreciation for the craft of hand lettering.

How did the National Stationery Show go for you this year? This was your first year! Congrats! How did you prepare?

Thank you! It. was. amazing. I have been toiling over attending for two years and came very close in 2011. It just wasn’t in the cards for me then, but I’m a firm believer in a greater plan. 2013 was the year for me, I suppose.

It’s so much planning, organization, and – um – money. I worked non-stop from December until May printing samples, measuring and designing the booth, calling vendors, creating a catalog and pricing structure, and reaching out to other exhibitors for advice.

I still kind of can’t believe I did it. I am so, so grateful for those who believed in me and humbled by the response I received at the show. It was incredible to meet some of my greatest inspirations, make new friends in the industry and grow this little paper adventure of mine. I’m already planning for 2014!

Tell me your favorite/most memorable/funniest greeting card you’ve received.

My sister’s mail tends to make me cry – happy tears. She is my biggest cheerleader and seems to always know when I need snail mail. It’s almost always a Quotable Card or letterpress ditty that says just what I needed to hear. Sisters are good like that, huh?

Last year when the military separated my husband and I for five long months, she sent me this card (https://propertopper.com/store/item/quotable-larson-believe-in-yourself/in/263) It still makes me smile.

Do you have personalized stationery & what do you use it for?

I do! I send way too much mail. Our mailman is a rock star, bless him. I use my stationery for thank you’s, of course, but also for pick-me-up and just-because cards for friends and family. They can tell you, though, the designs change constantly. I get inspired and make new designs for myself before I debut them in the shop.

Who are a few of your favorite Etsy shops?

Oh, so many!

Gypsa // https://www.etsy.com/shop/gypsya?ref=pr_faveshops

Sara Bergman // https://www.etsy.com/shop/sarabergman?ref=pr_faveshops

The Boutique Minimaliste // https://www.etsy.com/shop/BoutiqueMinimaliste?ref=pr_faveshops

Coriumi // https://www.etsy.com/shop/CORIUMI?ref=pr_faveshops

Little Low Studio // https://www.etsy.com/shop/littlelow?ref=pr_faveshops

Edie’s Lab // https://www.etsy.com/shop/EdiesLab?ref=pr_faveshops

Charlie’s Nest // https://www.etsy.com/shop/charliesnest?ref=pr_faveshops

Should I stop? One More.

Quill and Fox // https://www.etsy.com/shop/QuillandFox?ref=pr_faveshops

You are a fellow Southerner. How do you stay cool in the hot Georgia summer?

We love hiking, so we tend to escape especially hot Georgia weekends with a trip to the mountains. The lake is another favorite of ours - nothing beats the water. If we’re in town, we tend to post up on the porch with the ceiling fan going and sip cold beer while our pups play in the yard. To us, that’s the good life.   

Oooooh...I miss a porch. We have a screened in porch at our place in North Carolina with a ceiling fan. I know exactly where you are coming from.

Mattie! Thank you!! Keep up the amazing work :) 

If you like Mattie's work, check her out at the following:

Etsy :: Her blog, somethings :: Puddleduck's website :: Facebook 

Ode de Letterpress - week 2

Hi all! How was your 4th of July weekend? Mine was fabulous! And busy. I needed a vacation from my vacation.

But! That's not why we're here! I'm back with a round up of fun letterpress things I've seen this week, around the web.

{Clockwise from top left: Thank you dear - Letterpressed 4Bar card and envelope, Hats off to you, Sir - Letterpressed 4Bar card and envelope, Thanks for Holding Me Together - Letterpressed 4Bar card and envelope, I'll drink to that - Letterpressed 4Bar card and envelope}

Fun vintage illustrations with quirky messages from Kerrie Kirtland of Kirtland House. She's a Chicago-based graphic designer with a great selection of cards on Etsy. You can see more of her work on her website, here.

{Letterpress Cloud print. You make me happy when skies are gray. - Sycamore Street Press}

{Letterpress Bonjour Art Print. French Bulldog - Sycamore Street Press}

These art prints are from Sycamore Street Press. They show off the deep printing impression that draws so many people to letterpress, even when printing delicate lines. {FYI, as a guide, stroke lines less than .25pt are not recommended. They don't print well.} Cotton paper, such as the kind these are printed on, is so popular for letterpress printing because it helps show off that deep impression & really takes the ink well for a vibrant print.

{Letterpress Lovers Club Membership - 3 months}

Letterpress of the month! Great idea! This 3 month or 6 month subscription comes from Sunlit Press, through their Etsy shop. Also, for some of their great wedding invites & other projects, go to their blog, Adventures in Letterpress.

SOOOOOO much fabulous letterpress! So little time...

Cards of the Week - Dad's Day

{Dad Since 2011 - Personalized With Any Year - Charcoal Cotton T-shirt - Father's Day Sale by Pamela Fugate Designs}

Hi all! Happy Saturday! Raining here. Perfect time to figure out what you're doing for Dad for next weekend if you haven't already. My brother & I took care of our dad last week, I'm proud to say. I have a card planned for him too, but I learned after posting this for Dad's birthday that if I tell you, dear readers, about my plans for my parents here on the blog, they find out about it. My parents read my blog. They are the best!! I'll share the card AFTER he gets it this time.

So, a few cool cards for your dads...

{Father Daughter Father's Day Card by Amy Walters}

Great illustration, plus what looks like hand-done type on this card! I get that the daughter is delivering the message to her dad without any corny talk bubbles. If you're a redhead, there's a version for you too.

{Funny Hilarious Father's Day Card / for Father, Dad / "I Need Money" by Neat Things}

{Funny Clever Father's Day Card / for Father, Dad / "Best or Worst Dad Ever" also by Neat Things}

ROTFLMAO! These 2 cards by Neat Things from Denver, CO are great. Normally I do not send serious cards & the funny ones these days are seriously pushing the cheesey limit. But, these...there is not a block of cheese in site. Just good ol' laughs. And there are more good ones in their shop.

{Letterpress Notecard - Father's Day by Presse Dufour on the left, Father's Day Letterpress Card by Parrot Design Studio on the right}

Unless this is your first time reading my blog, you know I have to get some letterpress in here somewhere. The card on the left, by Karen Dufour of Presse Dufour, looks very manly, with vintage illustrations on kraft paper. On the right, by Parrot Design Studio, this more modern card is for a preppier dad (or card giver) with its swanky chevron print. Love the gray with the chartreuse!

Usually putting this post together takes a while. Searching the internet for cards in whatever theme I've concocted for the week is sometimes a pill - but not this week. Tons of great stuff on Etsy. So much so that this week I didn't even look anywhere else. Check out my search here if you're interested in more.

Hope you're having a great weekend! If you're in Brooklyn & don't mind the rain, head to McCarren Park for the Renegade Craft fair!

PS How fun is that T at the top??

Cards of the week - Bunnies

This week I have been combing the internet for cool cards with bunnies on them. Not just your garden variety Easter card, but something else...Bunnies with a twist.

{Keep Calm Bunny Greeting Card by African Grey}

Here is a new take on an old design, by African Grey on Etsy. The Keep Calm and Carry On message {and countless knock-offs of it} have literally been seen everywhere. I don't know what it is, but I love to see this cute little bunny there, holding the poster. It actually makes me feel calmer, just looking at him. So cute.

{Mr. Bunny Notecards by Bubbledog}

This little guy is cool. Maybe it's his tie. He's a kind of hipster bunny. I like that it's all in orange, brings in that carrot reference we see so often with rabbits. Bubbledog has a great shop if you like this little character. I'm crushing on her Happy Spouting Whale t-shirt.

{Rabbit Family Note Set by Zoetrope}

Fun family card! This would be great to send for thank yous or just a quick "hi from the group" type message. The good news is they are on sale! The bad news is that Zoetrope is discontinuing them. But no worries, if you miss these there are several other great cards in her shop. I'm digging these and these.

That's it for this edition of Cards of the Week! Hope everyone has a great weekend & a lovely Easter. May you find all the Easter eggs you basket can hold!

I Heart Moms

And now you can too :)

Presenting, from the K. Batty Etsy Shop: I heart Mom Mother's Day Greeting cards in 2 color combinations - teal with red & navy with gold. PLUS! Since Mother's Day is closing in on us, I'm offering FREE SHIPPING on them.

{I heart Mom - Teal & Red}

{I heart Mom - Navy & Gold}

Both color combinations have matching envelope liners inside white envelopes, are 4.25 x 5.5 folded & are blank inside for your message.

In past years I have had a hard time finding a card for my mom that wasn't super cheesey. So! I pulled out my sketchbook & went to work. I'm really glad to have these beauties ready for sale in my Etsy Shop...What do you think? Do you heart them??

Don't forget, there are also lots of great personalized gift ideas in my shop for Mom!

Cards of the week - Pink.

Hey Sports Fans! It's Friday, so you know what we are talking about on the blog today...Cards of the Week of course. As I teased earlier, this week's color is pink!

None of them are from Etsy this week. Shocked?! I was inspired by a Real Simple article, showing off cards from 12 online retailers...one of course was Etsy. Several other popular sites were listed, but these posts come from 3 new ones to me. Check out the article here for the others, which were all fabulous as well.

{Sorry, I F-ed Up, on RedStamp.com}

Sorry I F-ed Up by Whimsy Press, in Atlanta, GA, that I found on RedStamp.com. How funny is that???? And usually when you send an "I'm sorry" card, isn't that exactly what you're saying?

Red Stamp might be my favorite new site, card-wise. AND they have an iPhone app to send e-greetings which I snagged. **People in my address book beware! I will be sending you cute, stylish e-cards via text or email!**

{Hey Ladies, on GreerChicago.com}

Greer Chicago was also new site to me. I could spend hours on their site. They carry this fun fill-in invitation called Hey Ladies, by Snow & Graham, in the windy city, Chicago, IL. I hope you are familiar with Snow & Graham. If not - go check them out...when you are done here, that is...

{Madeline Congrats, on Broadway Paper.com}

Thirdly, we have Broadway Paper with this Congratulations card by Smock Paper, in Syracuse, NY. Again, if you are not familiar with Smock Paper, they are worth the time browsing their site - as is Broadway Paper.

What I am astonished by is that I saw that each site carries some of the same card makers, but didn't buy any of the same designs! Amazing! I hope you'll give these card makers some love by going by their websites for a look-see.

Have a great weekend!