Guest Post No. 24 Beebee

Hello there, I’m beebee from walkotws.blogspot.com. I am a student, blogger, and aspiring designer from Malibu, California. I love exploring my garden, taking photographs, crafting, winter sweaters, and letter writing.

I recently ordered from the newly opened Fog Linen Shop, which sells gorgeous linens, tea towels, checkered trays, incredibly soft pillowcases, and simply pure, and minimalistic daily items that you just can’t live without. Upon receiving my order (which consisted of two lovely gingham tea towels and a pack of linen tapes!), I hoped that I would be one of the first 75 Fog Linen customers, as they were giving away a free “Around Fog Linen” book/catalog filled with inspiration for the home, crafts, and a peek into the lives of many creators. So, as I opened up my package, my eyes lit up as I slowly pulled out my shiny new book.

I must say, it is filled to the brim with exceptionally well- lit photographs, homes so beautiful and perfect that they are impossible not to envy, and interesting interviews with questions such as, “what is your breakfast today?” I was sold on the first page.

The overall layout is different that what one would expect, as it organized in such a way that the pictures are randomly placed on the page, but somehow, it works. The book itself has certainly been perfected to the last page, as the paper stock, font, and even smell of the book has been meticulously selected. Of course, this doesn’t surprise me, as Fog Linen’s products are always designed tastefully.

My favorite interview was of “Sally and Chris” from design within reach (one of my favorite design shops!), as their home seems to come straight out of a catalog, and I also appreciate the fact that they have a wall of washi tape. Simply genius.

Anywho, “Around Fog Linen” is available for purchase on their main webstore, Fog Linen Work, along with their other lovely publication.

Guest Post No. 23 Tana

Dear Paper Pastries readers,

Hi there! My name is Tana and I'm a freelance photographer, henna artist, runner, and stop-motion enthusiast.

I'm constantly inspired by the content and photos on Paper Pastries and adore all the items in the shop.

I'm excited to guest post today and wanted to share with you a little experiment I worked on this weekend-- HENNA CUPCAKES! 

My mom taught me how to apply henna when I was growing up and I've been applying it for fun ever since. 

While making the cupcakes, I thought it would be fun to make a short stop motion video to show how I did it. It was also a perfect way to combine three things I enjoy: photography, applying henna, and stop motion. 

HennaCupcakes-Final from Tana Gandhi on Vimeo.

Guest Post No. 22 Matchbox Kitchen

  
Hi Paper Pastries readers, this is Sara of Matchbox Kitchen. While Margaret is away getting married (congratulations Margaret and Tony!) I'm here to fill in her blog today.
As a baker I thought I would share some tips for making cakes:

1. Make sure all your ingredients are room temperature, including eggs, butter, and milk. This helps all your batter emulsify and make a fluffy and evenly baked cake.

2. For best accuracy, weigh your ingredients with a digital scale instead of using volume measurements. It is very easy to add too much flour when using cup measurers, resulting in a dry cake.

3. Make sure you have enough frosting for a nice even coat and filling. I love using swiss meringue buttercream for it's perfectly not quite sweet flavor.

4. Once you place your cakes in the oven, don't open the door for at least 20 minutes! The hot air will rush out and disturb the baking and rising process. After 20 minutes rotate your pans so they bake evenly, and keep checking on it every 5 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.

5. Have fun experimenting with flavors and textures! My favorite cakes always consist of more than just cake and frosting. Try adding caramel sauce, sprinkle on some chopped nuts or dried fruit, or add a thin layer of your favorite jam.

Guest Post No. 21 Life etc.

My name is Magali & I'm a blogger & photographer. I blog at Life etc. & I'm an avid instagrammer too, that's actually where I discovered Paper Pastries! I live in the huge city of Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India.
I'm excited & a little nervous because in three & a half years of blogging, this is the first guest post I'm doing. I'm thankful to Margaret who invited me here & happy to be filling in for a bit here while she gets married!!
Film photography is one of my favorite hobbies so today I'm going to be showing you something that combines my hobby & my city : photos of a bit of my daily life, on film.
Mumbai local trains have the largest passenger density of any urban railway system in the world. It is part of the daily commute for thousands of Mumbaikars & always overcrowded during peak hours. In the rare occurrence of a railway strike, so many people get stranded & there's a lot of overall chaos.
Right now I'm work mostly out of home but for four years of college the trains were a big part of my day too. I had to go to college early in the morning (not very pleasant!) but the commute back home was always enjoyable. It was afternoon so trains were pretty empty & it was fun to look out the door.
One day I decided to chronicle a bits of my day with my toy camera, a cheap Superheadz Wide Lens camera with a plastic lens & no batteries. This is what I got:

One of the Golden Rules of Lomography states 'Try the Shot from the Hip' which basically means you should click pictures from different perspectives without looking through the viewfinder & all of these are just that. I just stuck my hand out & clicked! (it's easy to do when the camera is so light). The first two were taken when the train was moving, so I like how the photos covey that. That is what I like most about film photography- it's not perfect but the resultant images are more real that any of my digital photos.
I hope you enjoyed your short vicarious commute through Mumbai with me. Thanks again for having me over, Margaret!

Guest Post No. 20 Tiny Inklings

Hi there! This is Kayla King from Tiny Inklings. I'm so happy to be here guest posting while Margaret and Tony are away getting married. Today, my thoughts have turned to chillier weather. While we don't have a true winter by any means here on the Central Coast of California, there is a definite nip in the air this time of year, which makes me want to add an extra blanket to the bed and put on my "Thanksgiving Pants". I've put together a little roundup today of my top eight winter essentials (fire-in-fireplace not included, because that's just a given). 1. Pretty mug that's big enough to warm your hands. This one's from Iittala. 2. Vanilla tea. I love the fancy kinds, but this one by Mighty Leaf is affordable and easy to find in the regular grocery store. 3. A good book. Admittedly, I've already read this one, but I'm including it here as an encouragement for you to pick it up. It was seriously one of the best books I've ever read (and I read. A LOT.) 4. Salted caramels. If they have chocolate on them, even better. 5. Fingerless mittens. If I'm on the computer in my office, my hands get freezing and these let me type and keep from getting frostbite. 6. A cozy wool blanket is a winter essential no matter where you live. Bonus if it naturally includes a furry puppy underneath like mine usually does. 7. Candles. Bring 'em on. The more the better. 8. Penning letters in cute stationery to send to friends during the holidays is a rainy day activity that's a no brainer.

Cyber Monday Flash Sale

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday so I look forward to it all year, and I'm never disappointed. For those of you who like to get started on holiday shopping as soon as the last piece of pumpkin pie is gone, we're having a flash sale. Enter PUMPKIN for 20% off your entire order. Good on pencils, custom stamps and the lot of it. Happy Shopping! Click here to go to our online shop.

Guest Post No. 19 Book Bound Bindery

Hello friends! I'm Sarah and I run a little book making business called Book Bound Bindery. I'm so happy for Margaret and that she gets to take a few days off to celebrate her big day. Today, I'm posting a snake book tutorial. Snake books are little pop-up books that make great greeting cards. I'm sure you'll find it handy this holiday season! HOW TO MAKE A SNAKE BOOK Supplies: square pieces of paper (I used 6 in this tutorial) tape or glue (I used 2-sided tape) bone folder (optional) Step 1: Fold the square in half. Step 2: Fold the square in half the other way. Step 3: Fold the square a third time, making a triangle.      Step 4: Invert the fold from step 3 in on itself... Step 4 continued: ...making a square a fourth of the size of your original square. Repeat steps 1-4 with the rest of your paper squares. Note: I used a paper with a pattern on one side and a solid color on the other side (to make it easy to follow this tutorial). I folded half of my squares so the pattern is on the outside and half so the solid is on the outside. The variations here are endless. Keep reading to see how it affects the end product.      Step 5: Attach together with tape, making sure to attach the head to the tail each time.       Step 6 (optional): Add front and back covers. Follow the directions on the accordion book tutorial for how to make covers and then glue them on your snake book. Step 7: Enjoy. Embellish. Share. I think these make great cards. Or you could make these into invitations for a party. Or a note in your kiddo's lunchbox.      After you make this, you will feel super cool. Happy book making!

Guest Post No. 18 Merissa Cherie

Aloha Paper Pastries friends, so happy to be here today. I'm Merissa and just like Margaret, I too love stationery and  mail. So today, I decided on showing you an easy way to take a plain paper envelope and add a bit of coolness to it by using paper scraps and whatever you wish.

Feel free to get creative. Use stickers, rubber stamps, clip art, and random pieces of paper. I came across a subscription insert in a Japanese book that I found interesting and turned my junk mail envelopes inside out and used the security lining, I used both in my envelope collage. Just be sure that everything is properly glued down. I love Mono Aqua liquid glue and Mono Adhesive Permanent sticky tape, both by Tombow. Collaging would also be great on an inner envelope if you wish. Brighten a mailbox today, send some snail mail art to someone. 

Mahalo Margaret for having me here at Paper Pastries. It was truly a pleasure. xo, Merissa.

: | merissa-cherie.blogspot.com | :

Guest Post No. 17 Cotton & Flax

I’m Erin Dollar, the creator and maker-in-chief of Cotton & Flax. I’m currently living in Los Angeles, California, but I am a native Oregonian, and a Portland girl at heart. I’m obsessed with printmaking, textile design, snail mail, reading books, and geeking out about handmade culture in general. Visit my blog, shop, or twitter to learn more!

I am a big fan of vintage postcards, and I keep an eye out for them whenever I step in a vintage shop, or visit the Rose Bowl Flea Market. I just bought a handful of great ones a few weeks ago, and I'd love to share them with you all.

I love the strange, colorful charm of old travel postcards. They feel so much more romantic than contemporary travel postcards, and the nostalgia factor makes them even more charming. There is something about an old postcard that harkens back to an age where people seemed to be much more conscious of the grand majesty of the natural world around them.

The captions on these old postcards are intriguing as well. Who wouldn't want to visit the "Land of a Million Smiles"?

I keep an eye out for postcards that feature a more bland local. The contrast between these two postcards is pretty fun: one depicts a beautiful mountain landscape, and the other, a goofy looking bakery.
I'm not a big collector of vintage stamps, but I think these owl stamps would be a great match for this postcard, featuring a "perfect tree."

Postcards are such a simple way to say hello. Do you prefer vintage, or modern stationery?

Guest Post No. 16 Lauren Elise Crafted

Hi Paper Pastries readers! My name is Lauren from Lauren Elise Crafted and I am so excited to be sharing a DIY here today while Margaret and Tony are off getting married. My biggest congrats to them! I met Margaret through Renegade, have shopped her wonderful products many times and have continually been inspired by her love of cute paper goods. She has such an eye for color and calligraphy don’t you think? I am thrilled to help her out today by posting.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner so I thought I would share this simple autumn project which will add a crafty touch to your festive dinner table. These clay place cards will help guests find their seat but they can also be made into gift tags for presents or ornaments. You can get a lot of use out of them this holiday season. Spend some time this weekend before the start of the Thanksgiving commotion to put them together. Your guests will enjoy the handmade and personal touch!

Materials:

• white polymer clay
• leaf cookie cutter
• rolling pin
• cookie sheet
• embossing tool
• metallic bronze acrylic paint
• fine paintbrush

Directions: 1. Remove the polymer clay from the packaging, set it on a hard surface and begin rolling flat with a rolling pin. You may want to use a rolling pin designated for crafts, one that no longer comes into contact with food. Roll the clay out until it is about 1/8" thick.

2. Position your leaf cookie cutter over the clay and then firmly press it down. Once pressed down, slightly move the cookie cutter around side-to-side. This will ensure a cleaner cut.

3. Lift up the cookie cutter and pull away the scraps of clay from around the leaf. Carefully pick up the leaf and place it on a cookie sheet.

4. Combine the scraps back together and again roll them out flat. Cut out another leaf with the cookie cutter and continue this process until you have used up all of the clay.

5. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees (or follow the specific directions provided with the brand of clay). Arrange all of the leaves on the cookie sheet. Use the embossing tool to punch holes into the stems of each leaf so that a ribbon or piece of string can pass through later on. Bake the leaf tags for about 15-20 minutes.

6. Remove the leaves from the oven and let them cool down.

7. Once cool, use a fine paintbrush to write out guest's names in bronze paint. Go over the names with a second coat if necessary. Let the paint dry.

8. String ribbon or twine through the leaf tags and display at each place setting on Thanksgiving.

I hope this autumn project inspires you to get crafty this holiday season. Are you making any Thanksgiving decorations by hand this year?

Guest Post No. 15 Sass & Peril

Hello Paper Pastries readers, this is Shannon from sass&peril. I'm honored to be a guest blogger while Margaret is getting hitched! Today I have a fun Holiday Stamp DIY for you! With just a few supplies from your local arts & crafts store you can make some darling tree and star stamps that you can use to personalize your gifts and packaging this Holiday season.

First you'll need to gather a few supplies. You'll need:
- A rubber block to carve your stamp from, I used Speedy-Cut‚Ñ¢ by Speedball.
- Cutting tools, I used my linoleum carver set by Speedball.
- Block Printing ink, an ink pad might also work just fine.
- A brayer, if you are using block printing ink.
- A pencil to draw your design onto the rubber block
- Lastly, paper and packaging products to stamp your designs on. I used folded cardstock, a kraft paper bag, and homemade blank gift tags in this tutorial.

Next you'll want to draw your designs onto the rubber block. I cut my block into smaller pieces so that I could get more stamps out of it. If it helps, you can fill in the areas that you will be leaving solid so that you know to cut around them and not into them. 

Then you'll want to start carving away! My carving set comes with a few sizes of tips that come in handy when you need to get into those tight corners. Then there are larger tips for carving away bigger chunks. Don't worry if your lines aren't straight or there are little chunks in the designs, that's part of the allure of the block-printed look! Oh, and please cut away from your hand. Those little blades are sharp!

When you're done carving away the rubber around your designs go ahead and prepare your ink. If you're using block printing ink, grab your brayer and a piece of glass or some sort of non-porous flat surface and roll your ink out nice and evenly. 

Now you're ready to roll your ink into your blocks and get to stamping! If you choose to use an ink pad just make sure you firmly press each block into the pad to ensure good contact with the ink. You may want to test a few stamps before you apply them to the actual materials you plan on using.

Here are some products that I stamped. I made some Holiday cards, gift tags, and gift bags, but the possibilites are endless. You can even use water-based fabric ink to create some lovely textiles like tea towels and cushion covers.

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial and that you'll be able to come up with some beautiful stamps for yourself this Holiday season! I'd love to see your creations so leave a link to your images in the comments below, tweet them to me, or tag me on Instagram!