A Thanksgiving DIY: Watercolor Place Cards

 

We have had a lot of fun in the office lately! Styling, brainstorming, painting...you name it! The creative juices have been flowing and we are loving it. Seeing as Thanksgiving is just around the corner (less than a week!) we wanted to get a little something together for you guys. These watercolor place cards are so sweet and festive- and as any DIY should be, simple.

All you need is:

watercolor brush (I used BLICK studio, 14)

maroon watercolor paint (or red/brown)

place cards (you can find these at Paper Source)

gold calligraphy paint pen

Instructions:

1. First, gather your supplies. Make sure to get plenty of place cards. You will want to practice, and have some backups in case of mistakes or misspellings!

2. If you can, work with these on an angled surface. It allows the paint to travel wherever the water goes, and it just makes painting easier!

3. Paint using different shades by varying the amount of water you use. Make sure to add a touch of a darker shade (less water) to the card.

4. When the cards are dry, use the gold calligraphy pen to write your guests names down on each card.

Other than that, these little guys are up to you! Practice makes perfect- have fun with it!

 

 

Happy Weekend!!

Let's Get Cozy

1 2 3 4 5 6

Boston was cool and a bit drizzly this past weekend, so all I wanted to do was cozy up on the couch and drink tea and have cozy blankets and light Autumn scented candles and just be. Ya know? With Thanksgiving coming up in the next few weeks, I thought that I'd put together a little inspiration board of some of our favorite things this holiday season. These six things will make your table pretty, your house cozy, and your taste buds happy. ;)

We always need more Thanksgiving decor- what are some of your favorites?

Fall's classiest decoration

If you've been following Pearls for Paper for awhile, you'll know that I'm a sucker for all things festive. Give me any holiday and I'm ready to run with it, from food to decor to excuses for little get-togethers! Halloween is no exception, however I would rather focus on fall as a whole since I don't really get into the hype over ghosts and witches. Pumpkins, bright leaves and all things cozy really get me psyched for the season. While there is no replacement for the fun & traditional orange pumpkins, this year I have my eye on white pumpkins. You better believe I'm scoping out ideas for how to decorate these little beauties and today, I wanted to share some fun ways to incorporate them into your holiday decor...

Striking centerpiece

Carve out the center of the pumpkin and pop an old vase or even an empty can to fill with water. Find some gorgeous seasonal blooms and you're all set! I've seen this done with orange pumpkins before, but I love how chic this variety looks!

{via}

Bowl bound

Simple and elegant. I love this collection of mini-pumpkins in a bowl! If you want to add some pizzaz to them, you could even pick an accent color from your home decor and decorate each one. Pick 3 different designs for some variation but keep them all in the same color for cohesiveness.

{via}

Put in place

And of course, I saved my favorite for last. There is nothing more fun than dreaming up a holiday tablescape and I love this idea for place card holders! If you're having a fall dinner party, you should probably check out this DIY ASAP.:)

{via}

Happy weekending!

Independence Day party prep

This time of year I can't help but to fall into the trap of thinking that everything red, white & blue is appropriate to buy, make or eat. Seriously, it's what we do in America, right?! Well in honor of the grand celebration tomorrow, I'm finding these easy summer treats pretty irresistible. If you're headed to a celebration of any kind, consider whipping one of these up...

{1} via

{2} via

{3} via

{4} via

Whatever you end up feasting on tomorrow, may it be filled with deliciousness!!

Happy Easter weekend!

Alas Friday is upon us and though it's been a fabulous week in the Paper Moss office, we're rearing to start the festivities of the weekend! What do you have planned this weekend? Will you be celebrating Easter or paying homage to Spring in another bright & cheerful way?

{via}

Getting fancy for Easter

With Easter quickly approaching, my friends & I are planning quite the celebration for Sunday. Naturally, we're planning the menu, activities {the annual egg roll competition... it gets competitive} and stocking up on festive decorations. Of course, I'm most excited about my favorite Easter tradition- decorating eggs- which obviously requires careful attention and precision. This year, there are so many fun ideas... it's hard to decide!! Here are a few of our faves:

Origami flowers

Striped eggs

Gold Marbled

Calligraphed eggs {of course we love these ones!!}

Monogrammed eggs

Pantone eggs {obviously!}

Sprinkle eggs

Any suggestions on which route to take?! What fun ideas do you have for decorating eggs this year?

Celebrating St. Patrick

St. Patrick's Day in Boston is quite the occasion! Whether you're planning an epic celebration or a humble tribute to St. Pat, it's been impossible to ignore the hype. Though last year my celebration was quite tame {hitting the slopes in Maine in lieu of hitting the bars in Boston sounded a bit more refreshing}, there is no shame in admitting that this year will be similar. While enjoying a quiet celebration, it's absolutely necessary to incorporate some Guinness into the festivities... :)

{Guinness/ Guinness Chocolate Cake/ Guinness Marshmallows}

Have a fun and safe St. Patty's day!!

Be inspired, Valentine!

Whether you're planning on having a romantic celebration with your love or a party with your besties, you can't deny that tomorrow is a day to celebrate those who are most important in your life. Yes, I was once a hater of this holiday, however the last several years have been infused with appreciation of my dearest friends and family who are so incredibly loving and encouraging. THEY inspire me. Said Valentines will be celebrated tomorrow indeed, but this is my first Valentines Day with my man and I couldn't be more excited for our date!! What do you have brewing for tomorrow night? While putting the finishing touches on plans {or pulling them together last minute} enjoy a little Valentines day inspiration..

{via}

{via}

{via}

{via}

{via}

{via}

And this last one is a free printable that looks super cute in a frame. I love this verse and think that it would be a super cute decoration regardless of the time of year!!

The sweetest of all

Happy Monday! Wow, what a weekend that was!!! How did you East Coasters all survive Nemo? It's absolutely crazy to think that I missed the ENTIRE storm {while weekending in Minnesota} and came back to the city slowly getting back into the groove of things with mounds of white lining the streets & cars buried and the subway finally up and running today. Stories of a crazy weekend will be coming for weeks, I'm sure! Things feel more wintery than ever though, and it's just in time for Valentines week! We saw this super cute & fabulously festive cheesecake over on Cooking Classy and it seems like a perfect treat to whip up while we're passing time bundled inside!!

{via}

Do you have any fun Valentines week plans yet? Any plans to make a special dinner or craft a delicious treat to share with your most loved ones?

Cheers to Christmas & a happy 2013!

We can hardly believe that Christmas is almost here! We've been busy finishing holiday shopping, polishing up those pretty presents, spending some extra time in the kitchen getting use out of the kitchen-aid and now we're packing up to head on our way to spend time with friends and family. So as we depart, we leave you with one last delicious, Christmasy, hand-crafted cocktail recipe...

{via}
While we won't be posting until after the New Year, we will certainly be thinking of you, wishing you the happiest Christmas yet and a very safe & sparkly celebration to ring in 2013. Cheers!!
xoxo,
Anna & Emily

 

Glam gift wrap

One of the best parts about gift giving is the anticipation... wondering what's inside {if you're the recipient}, wondering if they will like it {if you're the giver}. Ah, 'tis the season! Naturally with our love of all things paper, we teeter on the line of going CRAZY when it comes time to wrap those gifts. It's exhilarating, coming up with a wrapping concept: will it be a more rustic appearance this year or funky with bright, punchy colors? Boxes or bags?! To top with sparkly ribbons or baubles?? There are so many directions we could take, but this year, we're feeling compelled to embrace the seasonal neutrals & naturals {kraft, gold, white & green} and tempted to add some textured flare to each package. Take a peek at some of our inspiration...

 {image 1; image 2; image 3; image 4; image 5; image 6; image 7}

What is your favorite way to wrap gifts? Do you have a plan of attack for this year!?

Gift ideas: Going custom

There are 10 days until Christmas and the holiday shopping madness is about to really set in. You know what we're talking about- it only gets worse with every day we get closer to Christmas. I you're stuck on what to buy that 'hard to shop for' friend or family member, our favorite route to take is to gift something personalized. Being that we're obsessed with monograms, here's a round up of some super fun & feminine ideas... but jump on these ASAP so they arrive in time for the holidays!!

1. Monogram necklace

2. iPhone case

3. Chevron pillow

4. Navy cuff

5. Jute + leather monogram tote

These are so fun for newlyweds... but if you're a bride to be, wouldn't any of these also make adorable bridal party gifts? Any reason to bring more monograms into the world!!! :)

Holiday fave: Eggnog!

From the moment those festive little red cups debut at Starbucks, our seasonal fixation with eggnog begins. Eggnog lattes, mistos, milkshakes, cheesecake... from November- January, we can't seem to get enough. A few years ago, I attempted to make an eggnog buttercream frosting, which turned out decently, but I'm ready and willing to give up perfecting that eggnog frosting in order to try this recipe for Eggnog Cupcakes + Spiced Rum Buttercream Frosting! LOOK OUT!!

{via}

The downside to said obsession? When it's over, it's over... in years past, that day comes in January where we can't seem to bare the thought of consuming another eggnog flavored treat. Until then... we FEAST! If you're a fellow nog lover, we hope you try out {and enjoy} this recipe!!

Giving back

Have you started your holiday shopping yet?? Honestly, we've hardly scratched the surface and there is much to be done. This year however, we're trying to be extra thoughtful about the gifts that we're giving... not only to make sure our friends & fam absolutely adore them, but also to make sure that we're giving back to causes that we truly believe in, and BETTER, causes that the recipient believes in too. WIN!! So yes, the holidays are rapidly approaching, but it's not too late to order some of these fabulous items to support causes charity: water and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

{1} Large Leather Travel Case

{2} Glassy Baby

{3} Thistle & Bee Ruffle Cuff

{4} Alpaca Infinity Scarf

{5} Leather Evening Bag

Stay tuned for some more gift ideas that give back... including some last minute ones!! {not to encourage procrastination or anything...} ;)

Sweeten up the season

One thing I look forward to most about the holidays is the Christmas Cookie Baking day that my mom and I designate each year. The perfect time to crank up holiday tunes, sip on some cocoa & peppermint schnapps and dirty up the kitchen... and our holiday aprons! Oh sweet memories! Sadly, this year with my mom still in Seattle and me in Boston, said cookie baking day will look a little different. Even still, I'm managing to bite my lip and make a list of holiday treats I plan to bake before I head out west. Some of these are favorites and some are newbies. What are your staple holiday cookie recipes??? Please share!

{Recipes clockwise from top left: Sugar cookies; Red Velvet + peppermint whoopie pies; Outrageous chocolate cookies; Chocolate hazelnut & caramel thumbprint cookies; Stained glass trees; Candy canes; Raspberry almond linzer; Chocolate hazelnut biscotti}