Feb 22, 2013






Do you still follow us on this blog? If you do, you're likely wondering why it has been so quiet over here. It's because we've been blogging over on new blog under our new company name. In 2011 the company changed from Penny People Designs to The Penny Paper Co. If you're not following our  new blog you may be missing out on awesome product announcements like the addition of ribbon sampler packs, new stamps, new art prints + more. I'd love it if you added http://pennypaperco.blogspot.ca/ to your blog reader! xo Lindsay

Aug 29, 2011

What's new...

Did you see what's new over on our *new* blog? For awhile we'll be posting in both places so our long time customers know about our awesome new products. But we'd love it if you follow us on our new fancy blog here.
One thing that I'm quite excited about with the new design direction for The Penny Paper Co is the focus on collections. Here is an example of one collection I called "English Manor". I thought that the pattern and soft green would be something you'd see in a formal setting but of course, bringing it to present day, the colours blue and orange add that hit of modern fun. This collection has Address Labels, Flat Stationery Sheets and a Note Pad. Click here to see the whole collection

Aug 17, 2011

Whoa ... Big Change!

Did you hear? Our company name changed! We're now called "The Penny Paper Co." and "Penny People Designs" has retired. So this means, new name, new products, and .... a new blog! It's a little sad because I've been blogging on this site since March 2007. CRAZY!

I really appreciate the amazing following that this design blog has, so I hope that you will follow me over at our new and improved blog here http://pennypaperco.blogspot.com/  This blog will be where I showcase new products, show you insights into the design process.

If you want to snoop in on our home renos and my daily life, then you'll want to follow me over here too:
http://www.aubreyandlindsay.blogspot.com/.

This blog will still sit here for past articles you may find interesting but commenting has been turned off.
Pop on over to http://pennypaperco.blogspot.com/ 

Jul 4, 2011

How a stamp begins

At the cottage last week, I sat down with my sketch pad and just drew. It has been forever since I did this, and got into my zone. Curled up on the big comfy couch while the little man slept, I thought that these Penny People characters would work perfectly as a stamp. A lot of the designs in our little shoppe begin this way - as a sketch.

I came home, scanned in the images and touched them up so that they would work for stamp printing. Click here to see the stamp and your options. :)

Jun 18, 2011

Another neat idea for custom stamps

Have custom stamps made with a greeting of your choice, to customize your envelopes, and make them truly unique. Pricing starts at $18.95 (Unlimited proofs, and time with a designer) Available at PennyPeople.com

Jun 14, 2011

Recent Order

Just shipped, a set of colour dip calling cards but done in a custom colour to match a special bag that the client loved. 2 sided, full colour.

Jun 7, 2011

Calling Card

I just love this Calling Card Design. It is so preppy and modern. Click here to shop this shop online.

May 20, 2011

NEW! Custom Wooden Handled Stamps

*NEW* at Penny People Designs is a growing collection of Wooden Handle Custom Stamps for $18.95. These not only make a beautiful gift, but are a beautiful addition to your stationery drawer to compliment your Penny People Stationery. And, as always, you work one on one with a designer to perfect your custom design. Click here to view our collection but check back for more designs as we add them, or contact us to discuss a custom stamp.

May 11, 2011

New for Spring, Calling Card Designs

Have you seen our new Calling Card Collection for Spring 2011? Mouth watering citrus colours, pinks, and greens. not sure about you but I crave colour after coming out of a dreary winter. Shop our Calling Card collection here.

Jan 23, 2011

New Calling Card Design

Being added to the site on Monday is this new calling card design that I designed for our home blog. 2 sided and full colour, I chose to keep the text grey on my card instead of your typical black font in order to soften it up.  Blue + Green stripes are preppy but also colours seen in our house a lot so it seemed like a perfect combo. :) If you too like it, you can order the same design starting tomorrow. Want different colours? Just ask. Changes like that are free + included in the cost of your order.

xo Lindsay

$65 for 100 more designs available here

Jan 19, 2011

New Number Print


New! 13x19 Number Print in our popular soft pallet. $25
Available here

Nov 8, 2010

New Holiday Photo Cards



And more are being added over the next few weeks! But don't wait to see if something comes up that is your style...if you don't see something that is *just* right let us know. Custom designs are no extra charge. We just ask that you discuss with us ahead of time the design, so we can make sure that we can do it! E-mail us at info@pennypeople.com with your ideas. And the designs that you do see on our site are easily modified in colours, fonts and layouts.

Canadian+Handmade




I just found out that we were featured on this awesome blog called Canadian+Handmade. Ummm. Love it! First of all, their feature was blush worthy (thank you!) but secondly, the blog is filled with artisans that are all Canadian. Thank you so much for the feature, but also for now a new blog to follow as I try to support other Canadian Artists!

xo

Oct 12, 2010

Photo Birth Announcements, 3 Printing Styles

At Penny People Designs we believe that everyone should have the ability to announce the arrival of their precious little in style one no matter what the budget. Because of this, we have three ways of designing & printing Photo Birth Announcements. From our Digital Design Package, where we design you a beautiful announcement and you work with a designer to perfect, (but YOU print it), to our customer favourite...The "Deluxe" Birth Announcement (2 sided Printing & awesome cardstock paper)...below is a helpful chart showing the features & benefits to each option.

Here is a helpful chart showing you a nice breakdown to understand each printing style.




Click here to see our Birth Announcement Section online at PennyPeople.com

Sep 14, 2010

Spotted in....


The October Issue of Today's Parent ---- Thank you!! (Thanks to Jennifer for e-mailing me to let me know!) xo - Lindsay

Aug 17, 2010

Favourirte toy - 2.5 Months

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I wasn't too sure that the little guy would like these mats, but just within the last week he's been babbling like crazy as he stares at the space themed items. Lamaze Space Symphony Motion Gym via MastermindToys.com

Aug 6, 2010

Handmade by Belua Designs

belua designs

My husbands Aunt from Edmonton brought us back this little monster named Frifflon, made by Belua Designs. He cracks us up, and is great company for little Oscar on the road. ;) Check her out on Etsy.

Aug 5, 2010

Recent buys...

I'm finally getting some more office time, thanks to a pretty helpful husband - so one of my goals is not neglect the Penny People blog. It's been far too long. But since I'm getting slowly back into the work thing, but haven't had a problem buying stuff lately, here is a roundup of some of my favourite purchases this past month....



(1) Zoku Popscicle Maker - I craved banana poscicles in the pregnancy (like insane amounts) We just bought this for at the cottage.

(2) The English Professor - Mustache on a Stick via Whisker Works

(3) Knit Hoodie via Baby Gap

(4) Aden & Anais Muslin Swaddle 4pk - The BEST blankets - I got some as a gift when Oscar arrived, and they are hands down the best swaddling blankets around. I've been buying them as my gifts now for new parents - I totally recommend these! Available at Dear-Born Baby

(5) Baby Bjorn Balance Babysitter - My neighbour bought one and I put Oscar in it and he LOVED it. Searched craigslist until I found a used one, but you can buy the new ones here

Aug 3, 2010

New - Bunting Flag, Personalized Art Prints

New - Personalized Garland Flag Posters!



These prints were inspired by the bunting flag I made for the nursery -

garland_1
Available online here

Jun 6, 2010

Look what the stork brought....

In case you didn't hear about it over on our home blog, let me introduce you to Oscar! He joined us on May 29th rather quickly and a wee bit ahead of schedule - impatient little man. :)

oscar

Everyone is home, and I'm amazed at how quickly one can fall in love with someone. :)
xo Linds

May 5, 2010

Art Prints - did you spot it?



Thank you to Casey for pointing out to us this morning that our Personalized Alphabet print was seen in the background of a Today Show segment on Mother & Baby bonding. Eeek. That was a nice way to start the morning!

May 2, 2010

We're still waiting!

It's been awfully quiet on this blog, and I think most of you know why! I'm still waiting for the birth of our little one, and I've also been taking the free time that I do have now to focus on getting the nursery ready, doing home projects, and still creating our Alphabet Prints (which are still available for sale btw)

For those of you that haven't seen progress to the nursery from our home blog, here is a sneak peek at how it's coming. Still working on it, slooooowly.

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Anyhow, just popping in to say hello! After our last eUpdate that I sent out about Alphabet prints, some people were asking if I had popped yet. Nope. Not yet. ;) Although we are getting close! I will post when our newest member of the family does arrive. :)

Mar 15, 2010

Southern Flourish Magazine

southern

Thanks to an blog commenter, I woke up this morning to find out that one of my favourite Correspondence Card designs was featured in Southern Flourish Magazine. Thank you!! So, it was a little ackward because the feature comes on the heels of my post of saying I'm taking a break to welcome baby into this world. So I relaunched this one card. I know. One card. Whop-de-doo. But I think I can handle one card design in the shop! ;-) Thanks for all of the nice e-mails that I've received congratulating us on our expected arrival. I'm super excited to relaunch new designs and new features to PennyPeople.com after baby comes.

Mar 14, 2010

Quick hello!

With the recent step away from thAdd Imagee stationery side of things until Baby comes, I've been trying to tie up loose ends. I'm already feeling a weight lifted off my shoulders, and I'm able to get some things done that I wasn't able to before. Organizing office? Check! Finding stuff for baby + nursery? Check! Finishing renovating our bathroom....still on our to-do list. ;)

Part of the last part has been that we've been getting the nursery ready, and I was delighted to be asked to do a series of blog posts on my "finds" over on Dear-Born Baby's blog. I'm doing a fun blog series called "Adventures of a Mom-to-be".

new blog series

It's a fun little hobby to do these posts, I've only done one (as I've only tackled our crib purchase!) The change of projects is getting my creativity back. So take a peek, I hope you'll pop over and comment sometimes!
-Lindsay

Mar 8, 2010

Safari Birthday Party

Just had to post this super cute safari birthday party theme found via Twig & Thistles blog! It's absolutley TOOO cute!

1st_Birthday_Party-500x1118
Originally found on Anne Sage

Mar 6, 2010

Updates from the studio - Preparing for baby

As you may have noticed I have been seriously lacking on my end with updates on this blog and twitter. Here I thought I'd be super "mom-to-be" and juggle it all: A growing belly, doing the personalized stationery, the personalized art prints, and updating the blog + twitter. But, it's time for me to announce some changes. Explaining the changes will be a huge relief on my end as I can then focus on doing more fun updates on other things, and you wont be left hanging wondering what's happening on the business side.

changes

As most of you know, there are many components to Penny People. There is the Personalized Stationery (PennyPeople.com), our Personalized Art prints (sold on Etsy and in-stores) and I also, I do work for corporate clients doing graphic design. There are a lot of elements to the business that happen over here, all which I love equally as much, and keeps my creativity flowing. But, juggling it all started to become difficult. And therefore, in order to keep things simple, I had to make some changes so that I would welcome this baby into a stress free zone. :)

invitation and favour box

First of all, the most major change is that I've scaled back the stationery on PennyPeople.com. But, although you no longer see our awesome stationery on PennyPeople.com, rest assured, this change is not permanent. It's just taking a wee break.

You see, Penny People stationery is how it all began back in 2004, and the heart of the business. But the stationery is very time intensive because it's so personalized. We do proofs, we work one on one with you to make sure everything is perfect - and in order not to take away from what makes this process so amazing, I decided that I had to scale it back. I've put on hold the stationery until after baby arrives. You can read more about this on PennyPeople.com where I put up a little note. But I have to stress that although you don't see it offered, it doesn't mean it's gone completely. We're taking this break to rejuvenate the product line, and offer, after the baby comes, some new fresh designs, that I know you will love.

Personalized Alphabet Prints
(Penny People Personalized Art Prints)

Although the stationery side is on hold, our Art Prints are going to be offered until baby comes, and the first thing that reappear after I take a few weeks with baby. So you can still order our personalized art prints, or go into your local store (see here for the stores that carry them) and order your personalized print. :)

And this blog, oh, my blog. My plan is, that now the stationery side of things is on hold, I will focus some energy on this blog.

And so, there you have it! Sorry again for the lack of posts, but it was a difficult decision on when to scale things back. But now that it's been done, we're able to focus on making new designs, doing some fun blog posts and creating our fun Personalized Art Prints. :)

Jan 12, 2010

Ok, does the shopping obsession start now?

First of all...wow. 2 posts in one evening. After a dry spell of no posts. Well, when it rains, it pours. And I've had some caffine, which I have had little of for the past 4 months, so it's keeping me up, and between printing orders, I'm browsing online for fun stuff to add to my "shopping list" for baby.

I was on one of my favourite sites, True Cuddles, which I adored pre-pregnancy, but now that there is a bun in da' over, I'm loving it even more (but my visa card is starting to smoke).

Posted on PennyPeople.com Blog


I came across this super cute shoe company called Bugaloo. Ohhhh, the owls!!! I want, I want.


Posted on PennyPeople.com Blog

So be preapred folks, for some of my "oh-my-god-I-have-to-have-that" posts. ;)


What's new for 2010


Quick update: We've been experiencing a little issue with incoming e-mail for the past 24 hours to our computer - so responses are a little delayed.

Happy 2010!

With the new year, brings new changes at Penny People Designs. We're busy working on some new colour combinations for our Alphabet Prints, redesigning some of our favourite designs of stationery, and gearing up for an awesome spring time (wishful thinking that spring is closer than it maybe is?) And of course, we're also excited for the upcoming arrival of our first baby in June!

Some people have e-mailed to ask me what my  plans are for when baby arrives come June. It's a bit soon to know what my exact plans are, but I do know that I'll be taking a wee break once the bambino/bambina arrives to enjoy this new chapter in my life called Motherhood. But Penny People will continue on, and I know that our new addition will bring new energy, and inspiration to our designs.

We've been busy making a nursery come to life for our little one, which you can read about over on our home blog. :) Unfortunately with life, and getting our home ready, and running Penny People I've neglected our twitter account. *sigh* We'll get back on track!

If you have any recommendations on new products, feel free to shoot me an e-mail! I'd love to hear from you!


Dec 20, 2009

Thank you!

Thank you to all that included us in their Holiday Traditions this year! Here is a sampling of some of our favourite cards that went out this season.

thank you

We're still in the studio, working away, but the studio will be closed the following dates.

December 24th, for Christmas Eve
December 25th, for Christmas
December 28th to January 4th for our annual winter holidays.


Although orders can be placed during this time on both http://www.pennypeople.com/ and on http://www.pennypeople.etsy.com/, the order(s) will not be processed until our reopening on January 5th.


*Don't forget --- we're always closed weekends + Mondays. :)

Dec 13, 2009

Alphabet prints now sold at...

print1

We're delighted to announce that our 8x10 Alphabet Prints are now available to purchase at MadebyGirl.com.

Dec 8, 2009

Candy Cane Bark - Free sticker download

It's no surprise that I love Candy Cane bark around this time of the year, and it's a great baking project to do with friends + family. A few weekends ago my younger sister, her friend and I got together and made some candy cane bark for them to give as gifts to friends.

After making the bark, we put them in celophane bags (easily found at craft stores/cooking stores) and tied them shut with a silk ribbon. We labeled each bag with a sticker - done in a candy cane motify! Click here to download the 8.5x11 page template and print on heavy paper and make tags, or print on sticker paper to make stickers!

Step 1: Get Candy Canes. :) I prefer the red + white ones. :)

candycane

Step 2: Buy White Chocolate. I started with white chippits from the Bulk store (Bulk Barn in Canada) However, do read on, as I wouldn't recommend them.
candycane2

Step 3: Buy Pepermint Flavouring
candycane3

Step 4: Put the candy canes in a zip lock back and go to town! :)
candycane4

Step 5: Double Broil the Chocolate - I do this for the best consistency (no burning of the chocolate) However, the white chippits, although they look like they are melting, didn't work so well. It turned out like cookie dough batter, and was giving me a panick attack!
candycane5

Step 6: Mom saves the day. My Mom ran out and go us Baker's white chocolate while I manned the kitchen. They worked PERFECTLY.
candycane6

Step 7: Melting a sucsess! It was MUCH runnier and a whole lot better. :) I pour in a little peppermint flavouring at this stage, just to make it that much more flavourful. Add per your taste. :)

candycane7

Step 8: Spread the melted chocolate on parchment paper and then sprinkle candy canes on the still warm chocolate. Put in fridge and let cool. I suggest 15-20 minutes.
candycane8

Step 9: When cooled, break apart candy cane and place in bags!
candycane9

Want your own sticker sheet? Click here to download. :)

Enjoy!!
* Sticker will be available until December 25th. :)