Paper Source

My mom would go nuts here

Tonight I backed up the last of 2004’s photos onto two separate hard drives. There were a few stragglers from Chicago that didn’t make the cut. As I transition from photos to scanner for a while, I thought I’d go back and share this find.

A friend of mine has raved many times about the Paper Source, and I’m glad I got the chance to see what the fuss was all about while in Chicago.

Their company line is “Do something creative every day” and with these types of materials, I’m sure I would. Walls of printed paper. Shelves filled with different stock. All the tidbits needed for bookbinding. Tasteful stamps (and that tasteful part is important). They also had ribbon, but I’m not so into that. With almost non-existent craft kitsch (think “scrap-booking”), this store is a welcome find in a life that sometimes seems just a little bit too…completely digital.

I type that even though I scanned in a few of the sheets I bought. I think they’ll make great background patterns for websites. Repeating backgrounds are so hip with the kids these days. Maybe I can give them that distressed look.

Paper Source: Locations in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri and Washington DC — also, a comprehensive website.

3 responses to “Paper Source”

  1. CM Harrington Avatar

    While we don’t have a Paper Source, we do have a Kate’s Paparie in Greenwich, CT. They also have locations in NYC, but few places elsewhere. I go there all the time for really cool hand-made paper. This year, I wrapped all my gifts in paper I made from stuff I found there. It’s so much better than that horrible christmas wrapping paper they sell by the linear mile everywhere else.
    The other thing I was really impressed by was the “stuff” that they had all over the walls. The walls were covered with various things that the store employees had made (also some supplied by “the mother ship”) to show off the products on sale.
    oh, and I dig the patterns, even if they are a bit loud for my taste 😉

  2. Chris Glass Avatar

    I’ve heard of Kate’s somehow. Maybe I’ll hit one in NYC in a few months.
    Paper Source employees were behind the counter going through their mail, getting lots of holiday cards – homemade by customers. Giddy with the unfolding of complex origami greetings.

  3. CM Harrington Avatar

    That is so cool. The vibe of Paper Source is probably cooler than that of Kate’s. Well, if you do hit NYC, you know where to find me. I’ll take you out to lunch not at IHOP 😉