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LIFE | Charming Daddy Daughter Dance Accessories

Monday, February 29


A peek at the charming accessories Ella wore to the Father Daughter Dance she and her dad attended on Saturday. I'll be sharing the DIY details of the corsage and boutonnière I made for them to wear, as well as more photos of Ella's dress.

But for today...I'm catching up on life! *wink*

KEEPiNG iT REAL
Wow! I am celebrating today my friends!! I can honestly say today is the first day since the end of January that I am not feeling completely under the weather. I am so incredibly grateful. Although I am still not 100%, I am finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and feeling some energy today - which is why I posted this on Instagram this morning!! *wink*

LET'S TALK TUESDAY | No. 6 :: Ideas + Staying Inspired

Tuesday, February 16


So fun!! Another opportunity to curl up on the coach and have a little conversation today!

Since my energy reserves haven't gotten back to normal yet (this darn cold and cough), I'm answering ONE simple little question today:

Q: Hi Jess. Where do you come up with your ideas and projects to share on the blog? I've been thinking of starting a blog and I'm thinking I'm just going to run out of ideas...and then what do I do? Or maybe the better question would be, do you ever run out of ideas and if so, what do you do? Amanda T.

A: Hello!! This is a great question and I think it's one a lot of people wonder or worry about when considering starting a blog. If you've been here awhile you probably know by now my brain never really shuts off. I have ideas circling in my head constantly. So I wouldn't ever say I run out of ideas because my brain craves learning and trying new things. I'm always searching, keeping my radar open and pushing myself to experiment with new techniques, colors, designs, what have you and I think doing this provides ongoing inspiration.

However...the motivation to actually follow through on getting a blog post up due to a busy work or family schedule, sickness, or experiencing seasonal "blahs" are what seem to be my greatest hurdles.

To keep myself inspired when feeling a little "meh", I'll either put on some good music, get outside, explore a craft store, read a few blogs, dive into a good book or get lost in the pages of a magazine. Oftentimes it's just a pretty color palette or cute packaging that fills me with inspiration. Like these cute new "candy by color" hershey kisses from Hershey!


Now, with that said, if you are looking for something tangible and fun to help keep you inspired, I've used these "Creativity Exercises" by Rhonna Farrer through the years too. The daily prompts are a fun way to push yourself and sometimes add to a project you are already in the middle of. I hope you find them interesting and helpful.


RANDOM GIRL TALK
Before I crawl back into bed, feel sorry for myself and take a little snooze before picking kids up from school, I can't help but wonder if you all know about the Spoonful of Comfort website?
I found it a couple of years ago when a friend of mine was sick. With as many people around me (including myself), that seem to be battling colds and feeling yucky, The "Get Well" basket would be perfect to send them. They have lots of other packages for a variety of occasions and I think it would be awesome to be on the receiving end of any of these.

xoxo my friends.

KEEPiNG iT REAL
I started battling this cold on January 31st.
Today is Feb. 16th. That's 23 days folks. 23 days of "make it go away"!
I'd love your prayers!! Mmmmwah!

FREE | Valentine's Day Ghirardelli Chocolate Bar Wrappers

Thursday, February 11


Introducing the cutest Ghirardelli Chocolate Bar labels...just in time for Valentine's Day!!
These charming labels are the perfect way to say I love you. (or even "I Like You) to everyone in your life. (kids, co-workers, friends, teachers, and of course, your beau).


Ghirardelli has a fun selection of chocolate bar flavors to choose from - and two sizes. (Small gold bar on the left, large gold bar on the right). And the labels fit BOTH sizes! Hello!! Bonus!!

And check out the gold foil wrapper! It's perfection.

Here's a closer peek at the smaller bar...

And a closer peek at the larger bar...

Just print off the labels...trim to size with a cute pair of gold scissors (totally optional)
and secure with some totally cute gold glitter washi tape (or any of these) on the back!! So easy!

TIP: If you want more of the gold to show - just trim a little more off the top and bottom of the label.
(see the difference between the "hearts" label and the "Love You More Than" label).


The "Love You More Than Chocolate..but ummm yeah, can we share this?" label is my favorite.
Because...well...you know it's the truth! *wink*

Here are the links to download the FREE LABELS:
Ghirardelli Chocolate Bar HEARTS label
Ghirardelli Chocolate Bar LOVE YOU MORE THAN CHOCOLATE label
Ghirardelli Chocolate Bar BUT UMM...CAN WE SHARE THIS label

If you are an email subscriber, you'll also be receiving the BONUS labels:
Ghirardelli Chocolate Bar - LIKE YOU MORE THAN CHOCOLATE
Ghirardelli Chocolate Bar OUR STORY IS MY FAVORITE LOVE STORY - a Pen + Paper Flowers original quote - please do not copy!
Ghirardelli Chocolate Bar LOVE YOU MORE THAN CHOCOLATE
with these additional funny phrases:
        1. but don't get crazy and not share this with me
        2. did you know sharing is a true sign of love?

If you want these EXTRA labels too, you still have time to SIGN UP! Emails go out later tonight!!
Otherwise, I hope you love the three FREE downloads!

I hope you are as smitten with these adorable labels as I am!!
Use them! You still have plenty of time!!

Did you miss the TWO BONUS BLOG POSTS with MORE FREE PRINTABLE from earlier today?
Teachers Who Love Teaching - today only download
You Color My World Valentine

Love you my friends!
Thanks for being here today for the marathon of blog posts and free printables!

xoxo...
Hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

KEEPiNG iT REAL
I may or may not have had to run to CVS (three different times) to replenish my supply of candy bars to be able to photograph them for this photo shoot.

COMING SOON | Ghirardelli Chocolate Bar Wrappers


Oh yes!! Just in time for Valentine's Day!!
These charming labels are on the way...stay tuned for the FREE PRINTABLES!!

While you are waiting, go pick up some Ghirardelli chocolate bars at your local CVS! *wink*

KEEPiNG iT REAL
I'd keep working the post but I'm thinking my kids would be really upset with me if I didn't pick them up from school. Ha! Gotta run!!

I should have the links available for everyone in a few hours - but just couldn't wait to share!!

GiFT iDEA | Teachers Who Love Teaching



We can't forget about sharing the love with our teachers for Valentine's Day!
Print, frame and tie it up with a pretty ribbon. Done!

I created this for a friend of mine who asked me to design something pretty using this ever popular quote by Robert J. Meehan! Download it for FREE TODAY ONLY and make that teacher in your life feel extra loved!

xoxo sweet friends!!
Jessica

KEEPiNG iT REAL
Shhhh. The roses in the photo are nearly two weeks old.
Blurring them out and cropping out the wilted and browned ones still makes for a pretty picture..dont' you think!?  You'd have never known!!*wink*

FREE | You Color My World Valentine


So I wish I could've pulled myself together last week and gotten these posted sooner...
BUT...you can do two things with this FREE "You Color My World" Valentine Exchange idea...

1. Print it today for handing them out tomorrow - because you need a last minute idea! *wink*
2. Pin it for next year - so you don't forget about it! *wink*

Maybe some of you will choose both options?
In either case, this is an adorable non-candy exchange option and it's SUPER easy.
Print, cut and tape on whatever "colorful" item you want your child to hand out to his/her classmates.



I chose to attach these adorable mini shuttle pens because it gives the kids ALL of the colors in the rainbow but you can substitute a few crayons, a Crayola Pip Squeak Markera few mini colored pencils or if you want to use candy, try these Mentos Mini Rainbow Candies or these My Little Pony Candy Powder Rainbow Straws

Disclaimer: I've never tried either of the candy options mentioned - and I don't know the real dimensions as far as fitting onto the packaging nicely.



I used some cute Washi Tape I picked up from Office Depot while I was having these printed.
You could also use glue dots.  *complete supply list at bottom of post*



Have your kiddo write in the name of their classmate at the top and then sign their own name at the bottom. I wish I would've taken a photo of Ella making hers. Dang it!! #momfail


I hope you love it!
Stay tuned for TWO other freebies coming this afternoon - for the teacher, co-worker, friend and for your beau! *wink*

Yep! I'll be posting twice today!! 
Because I love ya!!

SUPPLY LIST

Optional:
Corner Rounder Tool - I used something similar to this.

KEEPiNG iT REAL
Got to run back to the printer - I forgot to have some printed for Ella's gymnastics team. 
But hey! That means I can actually take a photo of her writing them out this time! *wink* 

iNSPiRE | Our Story is My Favorite Love Story Art Print

Wednesday, February 10


a Pen + Paper Flowers original quote - please do not copy!

Good morning friends!!
Valentine's Day is on our heels and I'm way behind in my preparations, how about you?
If you are scrambling to come up with something, and you missed me mentioning the "Our Story is my Favorite Love Story" art print, it might just be the missing detail for your special day. You can print + frame this to give to the love(s) of your life - including your kiddos. 
Toss in some candy or flowers and I'd say you are good to go!!

DOWNLOAD THE ART PRINT HERE - comes in three sizes!

I pinky promise to share with you the cute Valentine's Day ideas I have TOMORROW!!
(one of which is a FREE printable I'm using for Ella's 1st grade Valentine Exchange on Friday).

KEEPiNG iT REAL
Pretty sure I'll be "MINC-ing" this art print and using it as part of my master bedroom makeover.
P.S. I think the meds are starting to kick in but I completely lost ALL steam after yesterday's post!!
P.P.S. I answered your questions about Pens and Gold Foiling...just in case you missed it! *wink*

LET'S TALK TUESDAY | No. 5 :: Pens + Gold Foiling

Tuesday, February 9


Hello hello!!! It's our 5th segment of "Let's Talk Tuesday" folks and I'm soooo ready to sit down with you again for some girl talk! Grab your cup o' joe (mine looks something like this),  and let's get comfy!!

QUESTION #1
What pens do you use to do your hand-lettering? (and doodles). Monique S.

A: First, just in case you didn't know, I absolutely LOVE pens and have a slight addiction to them. (Hence "pen" being part of the name of my blog and brand). Anyway, I always carry around this little bag of assorted pens with me everywhere I go. It's small enough to stick in my purse and it keeps me occupied when faced with long waits. (I also always have a clipboard of clean white sheets of paper on hand too - or a sketch book).


I keep an assortment of writing tools in this bag - everything from ball point "gel" pens to sharpies to fancy brush lettering pens.

For sketching and hand-lettering, I keep a graphite pencil, click eraser and a couple of different sharpeners in here too. (I like the Prismacolor Sharpener for catching shavings and sharpening my watercolor pencils and a super sharp magnesium wedge).


Here are a couple of my favorite brush lettering pens - Tombow Fude Brush Pen, Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pen and here's the link to both the soft + hard set of Tomboy Fude Brush Pens. I also have a set of the Tombow Dual Brush Pens but haven't used them much since purchasing them a few of months ago - I guess because they are colorful and I seem to like to stick with the black ink.


With that said, not pictured in this post are my go-to pensZIG, manufactured by Kuretake. I love this 5-pack of ZIG Millennium Collection pens because it contains all five of the different tip sizes and they are great for lettering, drawing and scrapbooking.

Not that you care much about my "every day" pen but since we are talking pens I figured I may as well show you my current favorite. (current as in the past couple of years). *wink* And I prefer to write with it on stacked white paper instead of a hard surface. Is that weird?


So that's it for pens - I hope that was helpful?

QUESTION #2
Hi Jessica. Love your blog. I thought somewhere I'd read that you have a gold foiling machine?
Is it the Heidi Swapp one? And do you think it's worth the money? Alex J.

I DO have the Heidi Swapp Minc! And I LOVE it!!
For those of you who don't know, it's an amazing tool that allows you to gold foil anything you've printed on a laser jet printer. It's technically called a "gold foil applicator" because it's a way for you to get gold foil sheets to"stick" to the black ink from a laser jet printer.

If you love crafting and DIY's and gold foil, of course, it's totally worth the money because the projects turn out SO darling!!  For instance, here are some personalized "Sparkle + Shine" stars I made for Ella and each of the girls on her gymnastics team last year.


So fun, right?
And do you remember the "Keep Your Fingertips Sprinkled With Stardust" art print I made?

TIPS: Don't have a laser jet printer? Neither do I. I just have everything printed by Office Depot and then bring it home to gold foil it. Although I am contemplating purchasing this HP LaserJet, recommended by Heidi herself! It's quite affordable. (Have a laser jet you love? Let me know).

If the 12" Heidi Swapp Minc is out of your budget, there is also a 6" Heidi Swapp MINI Minc for half the cost.

Do you have one already? If so, do you love it?

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

So that's it for this week my friends...
but before we rush about and get on with our day here's some...

Random Girl Talk
1. For those of you who don't know...Barbie has a new body
2. Did you know Hershey now has "Candy by Color" available? You can find colored kisses (and other candies) in a variety of colors to match your events! Check out the Pink Foil Kisses, Blue Foil Kisses, Purple Foil Kisses, Green Foil Kisses and there's red, black and light blue, light green, and more.
3. Did you know there were TWO colors when Pantone announced their "Color of the Year 2016"? Loving the Rose Quartz. Serenity is pretty okay too.


P.S. Keep sending me your questions! I love hearing what you are curious about!!

DIFFERENT WAYS TO SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS
1. Email me directly: pnpflowersinc AT gmail DOT com
2. Leave a question on my Instagram feed anytime.
3. Leave it as a comment here on the blog.

KEEPiNG iT REAL
It took all the energy I had to finish this post you guys.
Still dealing with a nasty cold and finally went to the doctor yesterday and got some antibiotics.
But nothing was going to stop me from our Let's Talk Tuesday! I actually really look forward to these posts and I hope you do too.

Now...I think I'd better go take a little nap before I get the kids from school.

LET'S TALK TUESDAY | No. 4 :: Fonts + Blogging Tips

Tuesday, February 2


Good Morning friends!
I'm so excited to sit down with you today for our weekly meet-up.
I mean who doesn't love a little coffee, cocoa and conversation...right?

I think you are going to love today's "Let's Talk Tuesday" (LTT) questions I've picked to answer so let's get right to it...

QUESTION #1
Where do you get all the fonts for your art prints? Thanks! Monika W.

As a designer and someone who loves to do hand-lettering and doodling, I use a combination of my own hand-lettered fonts as well as fonts I've purchased. Anytime a person uses a font to create something for resale, a "Commercial Use" or "Extended License" for each font must be purchased. (which is why I try to use my own lettering a lot of the time - fonts can get expensive).

Although a lot of my fonts have been purchased from www.myfonts.com, you guys are going to go nuts over the new place I've been using for the last six months or so...Creative Market!!

They have a wonderful selection of modern calligraphy fonts and LOTS of other fun stuff over there!!   I LOVE it over there and I know you will too. It's easy to become addicted.

My most recent font purchase was Ink BanditsI used it to help create this NEW "Our Story is My Favorite Love Story Art Print in the shoppe!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

QUESTION #2
Q: Hi Jessica! Have you ever or would you consider "mentoring" someone who wanted to start a blog? Or maybe a LTT question with a shorter answer would be: Do you have a list of 5 tips for someone to get them started? I have wanted to for probably 5 years and just haven't done it for whatever reason and just need that little push. Thank you, Andrea B.

A: Wow! This question totally made me blush. First, I've never thought about mentoring someone who wanted to start a blog because honestly, I've never been asked...so I'm completely flattered by your interest. That's not to say I haven't been asked a variety of questions through the years by friends, family and others who are curious about blogging and how it all works exactly. I'm certainly no expert but with seven years of blogging under my belt, I'm happy to share what I've learned and what has worked best for me.

So...here are my SIMPLE blogging tips for starting a blog:

BE TRUE TO YOU
First answer this question: "Why do you want to start a blog?"
Your answer will help guide you on your blog journey.
Next, figure out what YOU love. What makes YOU happy? What warms YOUR heart? These are the things you should write about. These are the things your blog should be built on. These are the things that will fuel your passion as you begin your blog and these are the also the things that will continue to keep you motivated on your blogging journey.



LESS IS MORE
Keep your blog and the process of starting one simple - especially in the beginning. I've been using the Blogger platform forever. It's simple and it's FREE. Try out a free blogging platform to make sure you love it before committing to a monthly or annual fee. Here's a roundup of "The 10 Best FREE Blogging Platforms"

INSPIRATION 
Take some time to really look at the blogs you follow and read to figure out the things about each one you love. Is it the layout, simple design, color palette, content, photography? More than likely, you'll notice a pattern of elements you are drawn to that will help you define your own style. Use the inspiration to guide you as you design your own blog.

PRETTY PHOTOS
Imagery is what draws people in; Your words and content are what keeps them there.
Posting photos is a BIG part of blogging. You do NOT have to be a professional photographer or hire a professional photographer or have a fancy professional camera. For awhile there, I was posting photos from my iPhone because I got lazy and the process was a lot more simple compared to using my old DSLR. Just know that large, high quality, photos are essential.


If your photography skills leave you feeling intimidated or discouraged, you may want to try:

PHOTO EDITING APPS to help enhance your pictures before loading them onto your blog.
My favorite is Pic Tap Go because it's SO super easy and I've just recently played around with A Color Story.

PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKS for inspiration and learning the basics.
Here are a couple of suggestions:
1. A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book - I have this one and it's great for visual inspiration.
2. Picture Perfect Social Media: A Handbook for Styling Perfect Photos for Posting, Blogging and Sharing - I don't have this one but it sounds super helpful.

Check out these Photography tips and tools from Melissa over at Design, Eat, Repeat.  (again, the phone cameras these days provide great quality photos for posting on the web so don't get hung up on the equipment). I just thought you might find it interesting.


Last but not least, my final "simple" tip for starting a blog is...

JUMP
If you've been thinking about starting a blog for a long time, it's time to stop "thinking" about it.
Jump in and try it! Whether you love it or leave it, at least you will actually know either way because you took a chance. Don't overthink it. Just do it. Jump!!

And that's it for today my friends!
I hope you are inspired and feel like you've just sat down with your best girlfriend for some quick trade secrets. *wink*

Keep sending in your questions...I'll keep on answering them!!

DIFFERENT WAYS TO SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS
1. Email me directly: pnpflowersinc AT gmail DOT com
2. Leave a question on my Instagram feed anytime.
3. Leave it as a comment here on the blog.

KEEPiNG iT REAL
Battling a headcold over here people. My left ear is completely clogged. Ugh!
BUT...our master bedroom got painted this weekend - thanks to J's help.
Want a tiny peek? Check out my Instagram Feed!
Here is the BEFORE  and a teeny tiny peek at the AFTER.
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