I love love love these “Notes to Grow On” letterpress cards/seed packets from Lizard Press.  Lizard Press only has limited edition press runs, so you know you’re getting one-of-a-kind piece.  Not only do you get a frameable illustration, you can choose your favorite herb and plant some for your home.  Plus, the paper is 100% post-consumer recycled.  A great housewarming gift accompaniment, or buy them for your favorite gardener!  One of the most original notecards I’ve seen!

Hello dear readers!  If you haven’t checked out my other site, teensygreen, yet, now’s your chance!  my new friend subu and I are doing a notebook giveaway today through Wednesday at midnight!  Leave a comment under the post and I’ll be choosing a random winner.  Have fun and good luck!  And keep your eyes open for a PaperPusher giveaway tomorrow!!!

Have trouble sending out cards? Hate going to the local paperie to find the perfect sentiment?  (ok, maybe not this group, but you know someone who does).  You may want to pick up Cardstock by Set Editions.   Cardstock contains 40 of the most useful cards for the year – birthday, mother’s day, father’s day, valentine’s day, etc.  And, Set Editions uses only post-consumer and recycled cardstock, so feel good knowing you’re stocked up with eco-friendly greetings for a calendar year…

Found at Rare Device (Coleridge, anyone?)

These Craft Mafias are out of control!  I’ve been doing research all week, and more than anything wish I could go back to the states to hit up some of the amazing craft fairs and events going on all over the place…Here are some of my favorite finds from various Craft Mafia members…and if you’re looking for something other than paper, check out the main Craft Mafia website to find a group and event in your area…

My Aim is True’s penpal cards are perfect for us paper-lovers who are abroad! Part of the Norfolk Craft Mafia. 

From the Mother of all Craft Mafias – the founding group in Austin, TX – vintage Barkcloth journals from Naughty Secretary Club (ok, I really wanted to write that and I’m so glad they had something paper-y!)  Comes in a HUGE variety of fabric!

Adorable button mini-cards by Crimson Cat, from the Phoenix Craft Mafia.

And for a non-Etsy showing, here’s something from the Glasgow, Scotland Craft Mafia.  I just felt the lights dimming and smelled burnt pizza when I saw this card…

I first heard of Craft Mafias when I purchased these awesome vintage fabric bags from mamadelic, one of the founders of the Miami Craft Mafia.  I guess they’ve moved a little north, because they’ve renamed themselves Hollywood Craft Mafia…wherever they are, they make excellent crafts worth checking out through their site or Etsy.  (If you live in Florida, they’ll pop up at one of the many, many, many fairs during the fall and winter as well).

This little notepad is from Dragonfly Crafts.  Made with index cards, the notepad has a side of blank pages and a side of lined pages, giving it sort of a sketch/list feeling.  And the vintage feeling will make you feel like the woman/mom/domestic goddess you’ve always dreamed you were…

A really awesome blogger and bookmaker, subu, recently linked me to her site, and I couldn’t be more honored.  More than making these beautiful custom recycled notebooks, which you can find on Etsy, she’s part of a very unique and clever group located in cities all across the country – the not-so-elusive-but-very-intimidating-sounding “Craft Mafia”.  Specifically, subu is part of the Pittsburgh Craft Mafia…

What are these crazy groups?  Craft Mafias are groups of crafty people who get together, craft together, and show off their craftiness at shows in their areas.  My first Craft Mafia encounter was on Etsy almost three years ago…but I digress.  I think this week I’ll devote my posts to Craft Mafias, what they stand for, and how they defend their turf (aside from with sewing needles and letterpress equipment!)

Anyway, today you can check out subu’s recycled, handmade notebooks.  The colorful books can be made completely customized -choose your color, with embellishments or text on them.  But the inside of the books are the coolest.  subu uses discarded printer paper as stock, so some pages have the print they came out of the printer with.  Now, I used to work in publishing, and I remember with horror how much paper we wasted from printer mishaps.  Makes me feel better to know some of it is being put to good use…

What a dilemma…Etsy is just chock full of Gocco and I couldn’t choose just one designer…here’s a semi-condensed glimpse into what people can create from this little, people-powered machine…

                                mix-tape by heatherjeany

                           Kokeshi card by Blue Snail Papers

                                Hola! by Juniper Berry

                                  Two Bikes by Supastarr

                                WhatZ BuZzzZzzing by nsquare

Here’s the best pic I could find of a Gocco system.  It’s tough to see all the parts up close, but you can get a good idea…basically, Gocco is a silkscreen/stamper combo.  You create an image on a screen, then impress it onto the machine and make multiple prints by pressing down on it.  I’ll keep looking for visuals, but for now, heeeeeeere’s Gocco!

When I started this blog, I thought letterpress printing was the only way to produce original, beautiful designs on paper (ok, screening is pretty cool too).  Then I found Gocco – sounds like the name of a large lizard, no?  Gocco is actually an amazing, compact, totally self contained full color printing system invented in Japan by Noboru Hayama in 1977.  Gocco really gives prints a handmade look.  Having been popular in Japan for many years, Gocco fever is now spreading among crafters in the US – just as Gocco was beginning to be discontinued overseas!  The “Save Gocco” campaign has done just that, and now anyone can buy Gocco products and begin printing.  The system is a bit pricey (about $400 for a starter kit), but if you consider how much letterpresses cost (much more), you might find it’s worth looking into.

This week I’ll be highlighting Gocco papermakers and the wonderful world of Gocco!  The notecards you see here are from Bubbledog, and they really show how vibrant Gocco prints can be.  Check out Bubbledog’s Etsy page or her website.

In keeping with my recycled paper theme this week, my search through Etsy led me to Blossom Creations, a Brisbane, Australia-based woman who quit her job to study graphic design and start her own stylish sustainable products company.  Along with placemats, napkins, and other accessories, Blossom Creations also has these adorable hand-screened notecards, sold in sets or individually. I love her “Lovebirds” and “Animals” prints.  They’re made from 100% post-consumer waste recycled card stock, and come with brown kraft envelopes.  Check out her website, too.  A welcome addition to the world of sustainable products!