It's official. The Paper Pickle is NOW on Instagram. The above image is a photo of my very first post. I will admit that my son, who is 9 (going on 19) did not think it was cool that I used the hashtag #myfirstpost. Ha! You can find us at thepaperpickleco. That's us. Look for many more posts! PS....you can also follow us on Facebook - The Paper Pickle Company.
Here is a close up of last Saturday's make & take. We celebrated the royal wedding with a pretty little card perfect for a spring wedding. It was so fun. Jules thought it would be nice to dress up for the big day. We even cut some Soloman's seal from the garden as it reminded us of wedding bells. It was THE perfect day of magical little details that I will remember forever.
We used a little washi tape from Alexandra Renke....
And this incredible 12x12 designer paper. Punch these circles out and craft like a superSTAR.
We've got a little bonus for you. This Saturday is Retrofest. That means the downtown will be hopping! We will have special one day promos PLUS a great make and take! It's free and it will be fun. Work with those beautiful hands and see our downtown at ITS BEST! More details to follow.
Retrofest 2017. It was perfect. The weather. The people. The cars. The energy. It was all there.
Lemonade Theme you say? How will this truck do?
When it comes to anything my sister's and I do, we have to have a theme. Gifts are always curated with a theme in mind. When we do scrapbooking or wedding shows, there is always a theme. Retrofest had to have a COOL theme. Somehow Jen and I decided the theme for Retrofest 2017 had to be "lemonade". So you could imaging my glee when Julia and I cruised up to the store first thing in the morning and I saw THE sweetest vintage canary yellow truck parked in front of OUR store! Trust me. This was not planned. It was like the party planning Gods were smiling down on 44 Fourth Street last Saturday!
Lemonade + Vintage = Sweet FUN
Big details like the lemonade truck and small details like these paper lanterns in various shades of yellow make a theme come together. Oh and did you notice our vintage girl in the window? Of course our bike had to make an appearance. Oh how I have missed her!
A successful event is ALL about the details.
One's party must have food and drink to match the theme. I found these adorable sparkling lemonades by 7Up at the grocery store. The retro style packaging got me. Man, do I love when plans come together!
Float-style cupcakes
Leave it to my sister and baker extraordinaire to create THE most perfect sweet delights to go with our theme.
Homebaked Kitchen - This is how you nail lemonade themed sweet treats
Beautiful sugar cookies that were beyond words and "float style" lemonade cupcakes graced her counter in three lovely flavours: raspberry, blueberry and peach. They were a wow. From the candied topper to the adorable little straw. Jen's talent and creativity amaze me daily.
The cotton candy treat was well deserved
Anyone who hosts an event knows that much of the success is due to the people filling their duties during the event. They must fill their roles with grace, professionalism and of course FUN! This is why we brought in only THE sweetest girl around to help with the make and take. I think she had over 70 people stop in to make a sweet card. Have a look.....She is all smiles because she found cotton candy at Vickie's shop next door!
I must also give a shout out to my nephews who did an incredible job sampling and selling pickles. They are business men in the making (just like their dad!). I wish I had a photo to share.
Sisters
Well that's a wrap. Another Retrofest is in the books and I couldn't be more proud. The Paper Pickle has brought so much joy to my life. I am so happy to have such incredible support from family AND customers like you. All I can say is thank you. This is what keeps me going. When life gives you lemons, I say make lemonade. ♥
Oh it's here! My favourite weekend of the year....RETROFEST! Hop in the car and cruise to the downtown core where you will see Chatham at it's BEST.
ENTIRE STORE is TAX FREE
Enjoy tax free savings on all items at The Pickle PLUS Homebaked Kitchen will be offering tax free savings on all her beautiful wares (sorry but baked goods are excluded). The store is STOCKED and waiting for you to explore. You should see the extra special treats Jen has prepared especially for you.
FREE Make & Take
We've got the sweetest little make and take card for you Saturday. Join us between 10-3 and make this adorable card. We are using the stamp set from Concord & 9th. Work with those beautiful hands and feel like a kid again. Or if you are a kid, show us what you've got!
Sugar Puff's Slime Launch Party
Well my little entrepreneur wanted to try her hand at a little business venture. Welcome Sugar Puff's Slime! Julia will be officially launching her slime business Saturday.
She has 6 beautiful pastel shades to share with you. A nice size container for little and big hands alike is only $2. Get it while you can! For those of you who do not know, slime is taking the internet by storm. You've got to check it out.
The Pickle Station - Pickle Sampling
The Pickle Station will be showcasing all 4 family members on Saturday at The Paper Pickle. Become acquainted with Grandad, Mama, Baby and Papa! We have brought these to our paper crafting shows and the attendees cannot get enough. We have people driving across Ontario to get their hands on just one more jar! Most of the time, they cannot even wait to get to their cars before they dig in. Yes. They are THAT good!
Phew! We've got an incredible Retrofest planned for you. Make 44 Fourth Street one of your go to stops! Happy Retrofest everyone. I don't think you will see me on roller skates this year, but who knows what fun I could get myself into. ♥
Kim
Store Hours
Wed-Fri - 10am-5pm
Sat - 10am-4pm (or later...just call to make sure we are still around 519-351-5220)
As a child, I was shy....like VERY shy. I sat at the back of the classroom and didn't say a peep (ask my teacher Mrs. Debresser). One of my aunts had recently reminded me of just how shy I was (not speaking, hiding behind adults legs, crying, etc.). My Grandma Prada gave me a job at her hair salon when I was in Grade 10 to get me out of my shell...and the rest is history! Ha. Goodbye awkward silence....HELLO roller skates!
I HAVE to laugh when I look at this picture because it looks like I have it all together. Those who saw me in my "$3 Goodwill find" Retrofest Saturday know the truth.....I nearly broke my neck a half dozen times (and that was in a matter of 30 minutes!). Hey...it's all fun, right!?
Yes. Retrofest was last weekend and it truly IS my favourite. I love being a downtown merchant and watching out city burst with pride, excitement and incredible cars. As you know, I appreciate the old, the vintage, the beautiful.
We had a bit of rain Saturday morning but that did not dampen people's spirits. They were out in full force enjoying the day. (Sigh). Why can't it be Retrofest EVERY weekend?
We celebrated the weekend with a sale, speciality cupcakes (strawberry lemonade and root beer float) and a make and take. Have a look at the cute little tags people created using the Power Poppy set called Sassy Succulents. I am in love with succulents these days. Has anyone else noticed they are EVERYWHERE!? The best part is that they are nearly impossible to kill (especially these below!). I loaded my fairy garden with them to save me from the disappointment of yet another wilted-beyond-help viola.
Sassy Succulents
While searching the net for a picture of the stamp set I used, I was floored by this simple yet incredible design by Tosha - a Power Poppy designer. I just HAD to share. I fall in love. With paper. Everyday.
Yes. Retrofest was a success and I want it to linger. For those of you still high on the Retrofest fumes, check out these adorable notebooks I brought in just for the occasion. They measure approximately 4x6 and are perfect for your purse. And at $5.50, they are the perfect little treat.
The covers are so fun and you will be reminded of our awesome festival every time you look at it.
So what is the moral of the story?
Celebrate your town and it's events or they will not take place.
Succulents are easy to grow and make you happy.
Don't be afraid to come out of your shell and look like a fool every once in a while.
My favourite weekend of the year is here! It is Retrofest's Sweet 16! Join the Paper Pickle and Homebaked Kitchen for tax free shopping. The ENTIRE STORE is tax free.
I will also have a fun tag make and take all day SATURDAY using Prismacolor Pencils and the new Power Poppy stamps (which are all ideal for colouring).
Me and Jen Saturday afternoon. Our first Retrofest together! Check out the gorgeous Coca-Cola product she brought in. I MUST have the apron on the far left.
Ok. Wow. What a weekend! Just as I thought, the 15th annual Retrofest weekend was definitely the biggest and best yet. I heard somewhere that there were 500-600 cars in Friday night's parade and move than 20,000 people walked the streets of downtown Chatham Saturday to participate in our premier festival event.
A HUGE thank you to those customers who visited us Saturday. From the time we opened to the time we packed it in, we were hoppin'. Maybe next year you will see me in my roller skates!
Pint size Pickle People
As promised, we had a pickle tasting station. Jules and her cousin Brody did a fabulous job. I was so proud when I heard them chatting with customers and giving them their "spiel" about how the cucumbers are grown locally, etc. At the end of the day, I walked them through their sales calculations explaining about things like "float" and margins. Based on their sales, they each walked away with $18.50.....not bad for a great day. They were thrilled! I think they had a little fun too. They got to play with Vicki's niece next door (who was their age and also helping out). Jules and Brody told me that they cannot wait to help next year! They certainly earned their spot and I will be counting on them next year.
The girls
I did get to venture out once. Here is a picture of Jules and I - Retro style! Thanks to Vicki's shop - Lady Blackbird Boutique for the perfect top.
Got another great car in front of the store!
As Jules and I drove up Wellington Street, we were both anxious to see which cars "we got" this year. We were both cheering in the car when we spotted our friends for the day. Check out this sweet car!
These bad boys in front of Vicki's. She was thrilled.
These were the trucks parked in front of Vicki's store. She is a farm girl (along with her many talents) and these additions to her store front were very appropriate. Also very appropriate given the construction going in down our road. Thank goodness the torn up road did not deter the vehicles. Our road was PACKED! Actually I heard EVERY street was packed. Just awesome.
Hard work pays off.
I promised the kids that we could go get an ice cream at the new shop called Sugar and Spice on King. They were lovin' their bubblegum ice cream on that sunny and beautiful day. The weather could not have been any better.
Make and Takes
The day would not be complete without our make and take table. As you can see, kids cannot resist our crafts. A few of our regulars also got in on the fun and that was so nice to see. Kelsey did wonderful walking our participants through our watercolor tag. We couldn't have done it without her help. You're awesome, Kelsey!
So there you have it. Another Retrofest in the books. Have I convinced you yet that you MUST come next year? The more the merrier in downtown Chatham. I am so proud of my community.♥ I will leave you will a video which summarized this years event!
So there is absolutely no hiding my love for these Prima watercolor pencils. I gushed about them at Scrapfest. I've done a couple of facebook posts confessing my excitement. This photo above was in fact my FB post Monday evening. Yep. Watercoloring on the patio with a nice glass of Prosecco on a summer's-like evening. ♥ I kept painting til the sun went down and even then I was squinting (not from the wine!) - but rather fooling myself that there was still enough light to keep going. Seriously addicted.
And not just addicted to these pencils and water brush pens alone but to another awesome product - Paintables by Adorn It. There are 12 unique sheets of 12x12 laid papers that have these adorable images and sentiments. You can use any colouring tool to jazz them up. I've been sticking with the watercolor pencils and the only additional product needed is some form of glitter (stickles, glitter pens, loose glitter). The glitter just seems to bring a little more life to the finished product.
The sheets offer images in various sizes including tags and even larger images that could be used on a page layout or wall hanging. Here are a couple of my favourites:
These Paintable sheets are perfect for those times that you want to be creative and crafty without having to pull out all of your "stuff". You don't have to think (and I like that!). You just pull out a sheet and start playing.
MAKE & TAKE - THIS Saturday
Just a little FYI - we will using both of these products SATURDAY during our FREE make and takes. A special advanced thank you goes out to Kelsey (remember our adorable student from years past?) for helping with this!
Retrofest SPECIAL
So it's no secret now. Shop TAX FREE Friday and Saturday at The Paper Pickle and Homebaked Kitchen. Applies to ALL items EXCEPT the baking!
One of my goals it to bring the latest and greatest in the paper crafting world to Chatham, Ontario and to The Paper Pickle specifically. If you haven't noticed, I kind of have a passion for pretty paper things. These things do not have to come in the form of paper sheets. They can be in the form of printed napkins, journals, wrap, etc. Many of my beloved paper crafting suppliers have now found themselves in new industries/markets and I couldn't be happier. Have a look at what Crate Paper has been up to....
DIY party supplies are HOT! This massive balloon kit comes with everything a little girl would go nuts for on her birthday! It includes the over sized balloon, string, tons of paper tassels, etc. Just take it to your local florist and have they blow it up for you! I brought mine to Scrapfest in Kitchener and it added so much cheer to our booth. This would be incredible for a photo shoot. Note: it is only available in pink at this point in time.
Well this is not necessarily "paper" but it does fall into the incredible DIY category. This is a 5' REAL crocheted doily garland. Ok. How beautiful would this be at a shower, tea party or decoration in your craft room? This product was really more than I had expected. Love when that happens!
12x12 wood frame
The possibilities are endless with this product from Maggie Holmes. Add it to a canvas, page layout, etc. How about adding pretty papers or materials to the back side and making a pin board? I cannot wait to work with this myself! ♥
Heidi Swapp - MemoryDex
I may very well be in LOVE. I have butterflies in my stomach and dreams of what the future holds for me any my MemoryDex. Why did I not get these in sooner? Umm...maybe it is because they have been back ordered due to the crazy response to this new product. Thank you again to Lori C. for pointing out how awesome this line was. I may need to hire you as my product scout!
Once again, leave it to Heidi to think outside the album. This girl is great at trying new things. I think this is a winner for sure.
Watch the video below and let Heidi herself explain the concept....
Anyone think this would make a great class?!?
Here is a less bulky project idea if you are not into Heidi's show sample.
Close up of the tray which is now in store.
The punch. Use ANY and ALL of your pretty papers to make your own cards!
These gold foil babies are in stock. Couldn't you see doing a memorydex with cards for all your loved one's birthdays? Cool...cool....cool! What a great gift idea. Don't tell my mom...this may be her Christmas present!
Also in store now. What would you do with these?
I don't know about you, but I think I have stimulated myself enough with this post....better leave a few things for my Friday's post!
Kim
PS...Don't forget about our Retrofest super secret sale going on (well it is a secret until Friday and Saturday anyways). Mention that you read my blog and save the tax on your entire order!
Store Hours
Wed-Fri - 10am-5pm
Sat - 10am-4pm (open late for Retrofest)
It's all happening! Retrofest. Downtown Chatham. THIS weekend!
For those of you who have been following my blog for a while, know that this is THE weekend that I live for. Seriously, I am so proud of my community and the excitement that this Festival brings to the streets of my downtown.
This was the sweet ride parked in front of the store last year!
For those of you who have never been to Chatham, this is THE weekend to visit. The streets are hopping with thousands of people. The downtown streets are lined with antique cars. There are special events and entertainment. Here is a link to more information (CLICK HERE).
Now how cool is this shot? Can't get more retro than 'Big Boy'. As you can see, Retrofest brings out the best in me.
This year marks the 15th year so you know this is to be one for the books. The festival kicks off Friday night with a cruise. It is so awesome to see the kids (old and young) smiling as the cars slide by. On Saturday, many of these same cars line the streets and you are able to chat with the owners and get a closer look at your favourites.
Paper Pickle FUN - Tax FREE Shopping
Of course we've got to have a little fun this weekend too! Shop TAX FREE all weekend! Actually, just tell the girls you saw my blog and shop tax free ALL WEEK! My loyal followers should get some perks once in a while!
Paper Pickle FUN - Make & Takes
I thought you guys may want to try these amazing watercolor pencils that I have been obsessed with. So let's get a little make and take going Saturday! Even if you are not the best at shading/colouring/painting, these pencils along with the water brush make you look like a rockstar! SATURDAY only.
Pickle Sampling - Saturday
Last year, I had the cutest little sampler girl and she has agreed to make an appearance! Sample the best retro pickles around - The Pickle Station brand. All jars $5.00.....Saturday ONLY!
Homebaked Kitchen - Special Offering
Ok. Yum. For Retrofest only, try a cherry coke cupcake from Homebaked Kitchen! Available Friday and Saturday ONLY.
So what do you think? Are you sold on this event yet? Truly, bring the family or a friend downtown Chatham this weekend. I know you will have a blast!
Kim
Store Hours
Wed - Fri - 10am-5pm
Sat - 10am-4pm (open late this week for Retrofest)
