Write Design: Clever Pencil Sets From Paper Pastries

above: the Chef's Pencil Set has basic cooking definitions printed on No.2 pencils

Paper Pastries is a Los Angeles-based greeting card and stationery company run by Margaret Haas. The site and her accompanying etsy store offer custom invitations, announcements, and calligraphy.

Amongst her clever and cute stationery items, she also offers five fun and original pencil sets which make great and affordable gifts.

Know It All Pencil Set:


Set of 6 pencils: 

PI is 3.14159265358979323846 Gray pencil with red writing 

H20 BOILING POINT 100C 212F Pastel Blue pencil with orange writing 

I BEFORE E EXCEPT AFTER C Yellow pencil with green writing 

1920 WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE Red pencil with dark blue writing 

Primary Colors-Red, Yellow, Blue 

LARGEST MAMMAL- Blue Whale
No. 2 pencils
Comes in a 5 x 8 muslin bag. 
"Know-it-all pencil set" is stamped in brown on bag.

New York Pencil Set


The greatest pencil set on earth for the greatest city on earth, 
representing all boroughs:
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 
 BROOKLYN 
 BRONX 
 MANHATTAN 
 QUEENS 
 STATEN ISLAND
Set of 6 pencils, comes in a 5 x 8 muslin bag. 
"New York pencil set" and the skyline is stamped in black on bag.
No. 2 pencils


Chef's Pencil Set:

If you ever need a quick reminder of what that term means, just check your pencil! 
Perfect for the chef, or aspiring cook in your life.
AL DENTE- SLIGHTLY CHEWY 
 SAUTE- COOK QUICKLY IN OIL 
WHIP- BEAT RAPIDLY TO EXPAND 
 KNEAD- TO WORK DOUGH 
ZEST- GRATE COLOR OFF CITRUS 
 MINCE- CHOP FINELY
Comes in a 5 x 8 muslin bag. 
"Chef's pencil set" is stamped in green on bag.
no. 2 pencils

Make a Point Pencil Set:


Inspired by leather bound book collections.
Set of 6 pencils, 2 of each:
Noteworthy- gold writing on burgundy pencil

Get the lead out- gold writing on blue pencil

Do the write thing- gold writing on a brown pencil.
No. 2 pencils
Comes in a 5 x 8 muslin bag. 
"Make A Point pencil set" is stamped in blue on bag.

Enamored Pencil Set:


Perfect to give away to family, friends & sweethearts- and still keep one for yourself.
Set of 6 pencils, 2 of each:
Xoxoxox- red writing on light pink pencil 

You're just my type- white writing on a red pencil 

Blue without you- red writing on a light blue pencil
No. 2 pencils
Comes in a 5 x 8 muslin bag. 
"Enamored pencil set" is stamped in red on bag.


Paper Pastries, Confections For Your Correspondence

Each set is $10.00 and you can purchase them here along with other items by Paper Pastries.

Happy And Not So Happy Valentine's Day Gifts

Valentine's Day gifts for both those who are head over heels and those who have loved a heel.
Just click on any of the pics below to be given more info and a link to purchase.

Great and hip Valentine's Day gifts for those in love:
Here are over 100 gifts that truly are unique, memorable, hip or collectible. Many are custom, one of a kind. No crappy gold-filled jewelry or heart soaps on here. Just the good stuff.

See over 100 romantic gifts on my Seriously Good Valentine's Gifts list at ThisNext.

Anti-Valentine's Day gifts for those who'd rather celebrate the massacre:
Valentine's Day isn't all hearts and candy for everyone. With the single population higher than ever, divorce rates increasing and those who's hearts are on the mend, here are some products for those who'd rather celebrate the St. Valentine's Day Massacre than the holiday.

See over 30 anti-valentine's day gifts on my I Hate Valentine's Day list at ThisNext.

Happy And Not So Happy Valentine's Day Gifts

Valentine's Day gifts for both those who are head over heels and those who have loved a heel.
Just click on any of the pics below to be given more info and a link to purchase.

Great and hip Valentine's Day gifts for those in love:
Here are over 100 gifts that truly are unique, memorable, hip or collectible. Many are custom, one of a kind. No crappy gold-filled jewelry or heart soaps on here. Just the good stuff.

See over 100 romantic gifts on my Seriously Good Valentine's Gifts list at ThisNext.

Anti-Valentine's Day gifts for those who'd rather celebrate the massacre:
Valentine's Day isn't all hearts and candy for everyone. With the single population higher than ever, divorce rates increasing and those who's hearts are on the mend, here are some products for those who'd rather celebrate the St. Valentine's Day Massacre than the holiday.

See over 30 anti-valentine's day gifts on my I Hate Valentine's Day list at ThisNext.

Talk About Rad Art. David Foox Exposes Himself For Love.

As the daughter of a retired radiologist as well as an art-lover, it's as if these unique Valentines were made just for me.

Artist David Foox, shown blow, has created a limited edition of 8 anatomical hearts painted upon actual X-ray films. Priced at $3,000 a piece, they are mounted on a lightbox and measure 20" x 17" x 3" each.


above: artist David Foox

A very different and personal way to give your heart (well, actually David's heart) to someone for Valentine's Day.

How did he do it?
He painted an image of his own heart, using heavy duty acrylics (hand mixed from powder to liquid paint by himself), atop real X-Rays of his own chest.


above: an example of one of the types of equipment used for taking chest x-rays

Talk about your Rad Art! ( sorry, medical joke... Rad is a unit of a measurement of radiation)

Three examples of the series of eight are shown below:

detail:



detail:



detail:


The number of pieces (8 in total) are directly related to the amount of radiation David had been told he could withstand in a year and were created specifically for this year's Valentine's Day.


above: a simplified graphic explaining how one gets a chest X-ray (oh, what artists will do for their craft)

"I hope I don't get sick and need any more X-Rays, cause according to my doctor I am not allowed any more radiation!", says FOOX in talking about this Valentine's Day special series of Hearts.

Each piece comes framed in a backlit box and exudes an eerily personal quality about it. "Imagine having your very own heart painted on top of an X-Ray of your body," continues FOOX in talking about his work.

These 8 unique pieces are already sold out, so you'll have to hope he can withstand the same amount of radiation next year!

David Foox, who goes by FOOX-U on many sites, is the designer behind those fun and fabulous Organ Donor Dolls, as well as many paintings and other projects.


If you never saw his unusual vinyl organ donor dolls, check those out here.


above: David hard at work

David works in so many various mediums and styles, it was hard to decide to do a post on his Buddha Series, his Scary Money or these. But in light of the fact that Valentine's Day is around the corner, this seemed the most appropos. So be sure to see more work of his on his site.


his flickr site
his blog

Talk About Rad Art. David Foox Exposes Himself For Love.

As the daughter of a retired radiologist as well as an art-lover, it's as if these unique Valentines were made just for me.

Artist David Foox, shown blow, has created a limited edition of 8 anatomical hearts painted upon actual X-ray films. Priced at $3,000 a piece, they are mounted on a lightbox and measure 20" x 17" x 3" each.


above: artist David Foox

A very different and personal way to give your heart (well, actually David's heart) to someone for Valentine's Day.

How did he do it?
He painted an image of his own heart, using heavy duty acrylics (hand mixed from powder to liquid paint by himself), atop real X-Rays of his own chest.


above: an example of one of the types of equipment used for taking chest x-rays

Talk about your Rad Art! ( sorry, medical joke... Rad is a unit of a measurement of radiation)

Three examples of the series of eight are shown below:

detail:



detail:



detail:


The number of pieces (8 in total) are directly related to the amount of radiation David had been told he could withstand in a year and were created specifically for this year's Valentine's Day.


above: a simplified graphic explaining how one gets a chest X-ray (oh, what artists will do for their craft)

"I hope I don't get sick and need any more X-Rays, cause according to my doctor I am not allowed any more radiation!", says FOOX in talking about this Valentine's Day special series of Hearts.

Each piece comes framed in a backlit box and exudes an eerily personal quality about it. "Imagine having your very own heart painted on top of an X-Ray of your body," continues FOOX in talking about his work.

These 8 unique pieces are already sold out, so you'll have to hope he can withstand the same amount of radiation next year!

David Foox, who goes by FOOX-U on many sites, is the designer behind those fun and fabulous Organ Donor Dolls, as well as many paintings and other projects.


If you never saw his unusual vinyl organ donor dolls, check those out here.


above: David hard at work

David works in so many various mediums and styles, it was hard to decide to do a post on his Buddha Series, his Scary Money or these. But in light of the fact that Valentine's Day is around the corner, this seemed the most appropos. So be sure to see more work of his on his site.


his flickr site
his blog

Love or Hate Valentine's Day, I've Got The Gifts For You

Love Valentine's Day?

I'm bummed at all the crap people are posting on social shopping sites for V-day gifts. Just because it's red or heart-shaped doesn't mean it's a great gift! Here are some gifts that truly are unique, memorable, hip or collectible.

From love spells and naming a star to customized rings made from your profile and sexy bed sheets. My 'Seriously Good Valentine's Gifts' list contains over 80 hip items, in a wide price range, for the one you cherish. No crappy gold-filled jewelry or heart soaps on here. Just the good stuff.

Click on each image below for details and place to purchase.

See more of my Seriously Good Valentine's Gifts list at ThisNext.

Hate Valentine's Day?

So... what if you're single, spurned, bitter or just plain against the commercialization of Valentine's Day? Well then I have gifts for you, too.

Valentine's Day isn't all hearts and candy for everyone. With the single population higher than ever, divorce rates increasing and those whose hearts are on the mend, here are some products for those who'd rather celebrate the St. Valentine's Day Massacre than the holiday.

click on the images above for details and place of purchase.

See more of my I Hate Valentine's Day list at ThisNext.