Tag: holidays

Gift guide: For the birds

~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ 1 Comment

Hello, my name is Kristin and I am addicted to bird-themed accessories. There’s a 12 step program for this, right? First step, admitting you have a problem. Truth be told, I have no less than two feather necklaces, one bird necklace, two pairs of feather earrings, a feather ring and a feather bracelet sitting on my dresser right now. Oh, and a feather-print dress in my closet. So anyway, I see no reason not to continue the theme!

We’ll start with something practical. This transparent resin bracelet by Rosella Resin features a polka dot feather from a spotted guinea fowl. It’s graphic enough to spice up any simple, modern ensemble, yet earthy enough to appeal to a granola girl as well.

Now for something a little more fanciful—amazing feather headpieces by Arturo Rios. I know hats are just starting to catch on over here in the U.S., but these are really just too beautiful to pass up. If you can’t imagine placing them on your head, what about on a table as your centerpiece or affixed to a light fixture in your home?

Feather hair extensions were very trendy this summer, but I think they’ll stick around for a couple more months. Many shops on etsy offer them, including this set from futska. I love the look, but I’m still trying to decide if they’re worth it! Luckily, these are so affordable it’s worth the gamble.

Gift guide: For the nerds

~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ 1 Comment

Let me just start out by saying, I do not mean ‘nerd’ to have any sort of negative connotation. I’m friends with lots of nerds (you know who you are) and most days, I’m one too! So, whether you’re really into books, computers, typography or whatever, rejoice! This guide’s for you.

First up, home decor. How do you let someone know the minute they enter your abode that you’re super into computers? (Unless, of course, your computer is the first thing you see when you walk in the front door… like me.) By PC-themed pillows courtesy of diffraction Fiber, of course. If you’re really really cool (…also like me) you’ll get the Mac version!

Cyberoptix shop offers nerdy neckties of all kinds: EEG brainwave patterns, circuit boards, topographical maps, Dadaist references… but my favorite of course features a typographical lorem ipsum pattern. Lorem ipsum is faux text designers use to fill copy space until the final edit is ready, one of those little things only another designer would get. Love it!

Ladies, don’t think I’ve forgotten about you. If you’re looking for a ladylike way to sport your nerdery, check out these necklaces from Baby Loves Pink (above) and Baubles by Jill (below).

Of course, since old-school is the new cool, no nerdery would be complete without custom letterpress stationery. Pick up these cards featuring an awesome glasses illustration in the shop!

glasses_4585

Whatever you do, make 2012 the year you own your nerdiness. You are who you are, you like what you like, and those you love will love you for it.

Plaid Friday | Small Business Saturday

~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ Leave a comment

So your turkey is brining, pies are in the oven… now it’s time to decide what to do with the rest of your week. If you’re like me, you stay at home on Black Friday. Sure, I could get a great deal on a new TV, but I’d also have to get up at 4am and risk getting trampled to death by my fellow bargain hunters. Uhhh… no thanks.

However, this year several shop local movements are tempting me to brave the traffic and push thru my day-after-Thanksgiving food hangover. I’m still not waking up at 4am though. You’re going to have to give me a lot more than a discount to get me out of bed at that hour.

Plaid Friday—the obvious alternative to Black Friday—is simply encouraging shoppers to swap the lines and crowds at your local big box shop for a more pleasant experience at an independent retailer. Not only do you eliminate the risk of a fight breaking out in aisle 87, you might actually get some decent customer service out of the deal and find goods that no one else will have. Plus, no need to be an early bird. Have I mentioned cutting your REM sleep to three hours to go shopping is insane?

If you simply must get your Black Friday rush, Small Business Saturday is for you. Same idea as Plaid Friday: support your local economy and celebrate what makes your town different from thousands of other mall-ridden cities. Take advantage of these opportunities to show your support for small businesses!

Gift tags galore!

~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ Leave a comment

Lately when I’m printing a run of cards or prints, I’ve been trying to stretch my ink and paper scraps a bit farther (I recently figured out just how much money I’ve spent on this venture and it scared me!) so I’ve started making gift tags. It’s great because now everyone can have a little taste of a limited edition piece or a custom order (the purple ornaments were ordered as a custom printing for my sister) and I’m doing something worthwhile with the extra paper that I can’t bear to throw away. I’ll be including a couple tags in each order from now until the holidays (or until I run out). Hope you enjoy!

622 press gift tags