Happy New Year

From Paper Petals Studio

New product launches scheduled for 2009. I will keep you posted.

Best wishes for a prosperous and happy 2009 to all.

Cold Weather Flowers

Two of may favorite cold weather flowers are snow anemone and the pansy. The snow anemone is a perennial and most pansies need to be planted every year, but some varieties will come back in spring. In St. Louis August heat usually does the pansy plant in - and new plants need to be planted in the fall. I love looking at these flowers in the winter.

Little Holiday Treasures

Pots at Bowood Farms in the Central West End

Egg Kitchen Soaps at Maven in Maplewood

Paper Petals Trademark Holiday Wrap at the Ladue Chapel Boutique

While masses of people are filling up the discount stores. I have enjoyed spending my time driving right by these stores and checking off my shopping list with hand picked items from St. Louis' specialty store buyers. - Most of the gifts I will post are under $20.

I found these darling flower pots at Bowood Farms in the Central West End. I plan on tying a satin ribbon around them or wrapping them in Paper Petals wind power milled wrapping paper.

I found these fragrant handmade kitchen soaps at Maven -in Maplewood. The store owner makes the soap herself - she is a wholesaler and a retailer - how brave! They are made in the shape of eggs and perfect for the stylish kitchen.

Paper Petals wind power milled paper will be at the Ladue Chapel Holiday Mart starting this Thursday - the details are posted on my studio blog http://paperpetalsstudio.blogspot.com/

Get out there and shop! If you need to find shops go to our website http://www.paperpetals.com/

Gathering Holiday Gifts

This week I plan to start gathering my holiday gifts. I will be shopping the boutiques for hand picked affordable gifts and plan to share some with you. So before you go shopping on line, buy gift cards or make some of those baked mix concoctions - try shopping boutique and specialty first!

On The Road

Angels' Arms Event On the Road was held at the Kemp Auto Museum in Chesterfield. Great fun and the opportunity to mingle among hundreds who attended to raise money for the Angels' Arms foster homes. Although much planning went into the evening, the evenings sunset matching the invitation was a nice surprise. The electric martinis added to the shine. Many of the children spoke at the event showing signs of happiness and hope.

On the Road - Angels Arms' Fall Event this Saturday

Angels' Arms - a homegrown charity for foster siblings is having their Fall Event this Saturday at the Kemp Auto Museum in Chesterfield. Visit their website at www.angelsarms.org to purchase tickets and view some of the auction items.

Artists' Boutique in Kirkwood, Missouri

We are preparing for the Artists' Boutique at the Kirkwood Community Center, Kirkwood Missouri this weekend. Among many talented artists, Paper Petals Studio will be exhibiting and selling our stationery and introducing my new custom prints that are available. Doris (my mom) will be selling my fathers pencil sketch drawing as well. Take a walk in Kirkwood Park this weekend and stop in at the Artists' Boutique.

Paper Petals in AT HOME Magazine

See our ad in AT HOME Magazine. The home magazine for St Louis Magazine. The September/October issue is all about antiques shopping and other fall events. We love advertising here because the magazine is just so beautiful. See our August Ad on our August 3rd post.

Say Goodbye to Summer

In Missouri, we are so lucky to enjoy mild weather and late blooms in the Fall. I thought I would post one of my favorite sunflowers, the teddy bear sunflower from my garden to say farewell to bright and intense sun for now.

Natural Mulch

Gathering things like bark, twigs and acorn caps is fun in the Fall. Picking up natural elements from the earth is a great experience for kids because they discover other items in the process that they may not otherwise notice. I love to pick up some of these elements of nature (especially if they are on the path) of a walkway and use them to surround my favorite perennial plants.

Green Eyes

This year we spotted two praying mantis. The kids love these! This one I found near my rose bushes on the dusty miller and was brown and green.

Fall Fever Fashion Show Days Away!

Visit StLouis Magazines website http://www.stlmag.com/ to purchase tickets to Fall Fever Fashion Show featuring fashions from Saks Fifth Avenue from designers on the runway. Paper Petals Stationery is in the GIFT BAG!

Paper Petals Studio - BLOG

My new BLOG is Paper Petals Studio - listed under BLOGS. http://paperpetalsstudio.blogspot.com/ ENJOY!

Mammoth Bumblebee

This year the seeds I planted came up despite the large amounts of rain we had in Missouri this Spring. The garden is buzzing with hummingbirds, bumble bees, honey bees, dragonflies, and many species of butterflies and moths. Since it is such a rainy day today, I thought I would look go through some of my photos from this summer, and thought I would share this one. This bumblebee is about 2 inches long.

Natalie Wargin

Natalie Wargin is an artist who creates bowls and furniture out of paper. What I love most about her work is that it represents nature's full cycle and is really visually captivating. I met Natalie at a home show in Chicago and she recently moved to NYC this year. She is planning an expansion into new categories using some of the images from her work. Her website link is www.nataliewargin.com and features some of her furniture and decorative art.

Paper Petals Pretty in AT HOME Magazine

We Love how our ad turned out in AT HOME magazine! This issue is packed with summer goodness and fun places to shop. Look for the July/August Issue on newstands to see our ad and more top notch items and stories.

Must Have Flowers

Here is a shot of my front garden - bursting with color - the weather is mild and sunny today - time to get out the paint brushes!

Teen Choice Awards 2008

Teen Choice Awards 2008 - a couple of days away. Log onto the website www.teenchoiceawards.com to vote for your favorites (teens only). Anyone may vote for their favorite charity from www.dosomething.org . I designed the invitation for the official backstage lounge produced by Backstage Creations, and Paper Petals Stationery will be given to the winners and presenters of this years show. Just in time for back to school to pass back and forth in class, our notes are found at the stores listed on www.paperpetals.com on the "where to buy" page.

Water Hyacinth

My next door neighbor gave me one of her water hyacinths that bloomed this year. I was so happy, it is so beautiful. They only last one day.

Camp and Correspondence

Summer Camp - Freedom, Fresh Air and Notes to Home. Summer Camp is a great place for kids to get away from technology which is why it is a good idea to pack plenty of stationery, paper and notes for the kids to write to family and friends. I just finished writing my notes to some of my family at Camp Nebagamon and Camp Kamaji. Between my sister and myself we both have come up with a great strategy for making sure that the kids stay connected while they are away.

Send the kids with an address book - one that is a duplicate of their book from home just in case it winds up in the lake! For younger children its OK to have them address the envelopes or post cards before they leave.

Make sure that your child receives notes and letters at mail call. One sure way to prevent them from not receiving mail is to give your child the resources to initiate the correspondence. If a friend or family member receives a note from your child - it is a reminder for them to write back - always make sure that the camps return address is on the correspondence. Remember to pack plenty of stamps, pens, pencils and erasers.

Getting letters at camp and sending them out helps the child feel connected when they may be homesick and helps them to stay focused on having fun. My niece sent me a Paper Petals postcard that my sister sent with her and I was thrilled to find out her events of the day at camp, that she had just returned from sailing - one of her favorite things - and had to stop writing because she was leaving for lunch.

I love getting these postcards and notes in the summer. It reminds me what summer is all about - slowing down and enjoying some leisure time.

Sending kids fun designer and artistic cards is a great way for them to decorate their space in the cabin. They may arrange the stationery and cards that they receive in a creative collage. Remember to send your child to camp with plenty of stationery this summer and don't forget to write, it means so much to them.

Our website lists stores where Paper Petals Stationery is sold at http://www.paperpetals.com/ where to buy.

Diamonds in the Sky

Modern crystal chandeliers are sparkling up the interior design world. No longer do you have to have a old fashioned traditional crystal chandelier. This collection is called Diamonte is from http://www.360italiandesign.com/ The three photos show the same fixture in different settings. These fixtures are available through interior designers and architects.

CATNAP

I love shopping and finding great pet products. CatNap pet beds are so fun and stylish they make the average cat perches and dog beds look - well average. I love the colors and the fur fabrics. My son's cat should be so lucky! PURR....! http://www.catnapstore.com/

Natural Bouquet

Days at Dads

My sister and I are spending days at Dads to get ready for his retropective design and art show. At first my dad asked me just to help out, but after he died this February unexpectedly, I went from helping out to being in charge of it. I am getting the opportunity to see my father's 40 year body of work in the process.

I always knew that my father should be famous. He is a renowned artist in the region that we grew up in, but I can't wait to make sure that his art lives on and make more people aware of his paintings. If you missed out on knowing him during his lifetime, check back to find out the dates of his shows on this blog.

I loved growing up in the modern redwood butterfly roof house that he designed, in the city he designed.

Bark Markers

This summer I found a piece of shaggy bark hickory bark on the ground that spoke to me. It looked like a garden stake or marker (see marker below that labelled Straw Flower) I found a waterproof paint pen and more bark and decided to use bark this year to mark my garden. Even with all the rain, the markers are really holding up and look great and rustic too! This is a new tradition for my garden for sure.

Artists in the Garden at Bowood Farms

Today I am resting up from the Artists in the Garden Event that took place yesterday at Bowood Farms in the Central West End.

Lizzy McPheeters owner of the store was there along with Becky Homan, writer and event planner, Ellen Barrado, horticulturist and many gardeners. I was one of two artists at the store. We had examples of our work and talked about our products. I took my mom with me and we really had a great time. There were a lot of great blooms at the store ready to plant!

Just in case you missed it I uploaded a photo that Ellen Barrado took of me at the event. Visit Bowood Farms website to read more about the events that they have going on this summer.

Rain on the Roses

This Spring we have had so much rain in Missouri. It has been really great for the roses. They are blooming and what a spectacle it is. They are possessing an iridescent quality that I haven't seen in past blooms on the same bushes. I love Jackson and Perkins roses. The two roses above are Jackson and Perkins roses - but the names have escaped my memory since one of them is decades old. I received it from a neighbor. Her husband passed away and was the keeper of the rose bush, it was given to me after he died. The other one I planted twelve years ago when I moved into my home.

On a Personal Note -The Flowery Kind

I started my company Paper Petals Stationery in 2001 simply because I loved stationery. I particularly loved the notes my father gave to me that consisted of a hand painted cover that opened into blank white space. His handwriting decorated the inside of the card with a personal message written just for me. I first started printing my fathers watercolors of flowers, and soon after my own flowery print and pattern designs.

As soon as I launched my company, I was told by many people that I would have to print words on the cover, that the American public didn't enjoy writing according to a vast amount of data collected at the time - even told that I would struggle unless I turned my note cards into greeting cards.

A really great book emerged in 2002 named The Art of the Handwritten Note, by Margaret Shephard. I was so grateful for this book, as were a small handful of other note companies that were trying to make a name for themselves by making creative designs and pushing the handwritten note concept.

I am really proud of my companies accomplishments, selling thousands of note cards and by keeping my families tradition. The Art of the Handwritten Note by Margaret Shepard remains the best modern writing about the subject.

A few years later, the stationery category has surpassed greeting card sales. Now the handwritten pitch seems so trite, but is more worthwhile than ever, far from being lost, and I am happy to be a part of keeping it alive.

June Hutson at Bowood Farms!

Sign up for June Hutson, expert container gardener, classes at Bowood Farms. Bowood Farms is a fantastic urban garden center that is one of our Paper Petals Stationery feature stores and is on our website. Register for June's class at http://www.bowoodfarms.com/

Remember Becky Homan, formerly Garden Editor at the Post Dispatch, she's been busy writing a book and now she's back! Many people in the St. Louis region have missed her, and now she is planning events for Bowood Farms along with launching her new book. Missouri Gardener's Companion. http://www.beckyhoman.com/ The book is geared to help gardeners with the climate concerns of gardening in the region. Her website also features beautiful photographs of gardens planted by Missouri gardeners who rise to the challege and are successful.

Keep the Bowood Farms website as one of your favorites on your browser and don't miss out on any of these amazing events for gardeners or if you just love gardens! Have you been there yet?!

Purple Irises

E J Thias

1924-2008

Watercolor

Purple Irises

Bells are Ringing Spring has Arrived

The Lily of the Valley is blooming in Saint Louis. Blink and you may miss them, walk too fast and you will pass them by. Pluck the flowers from their deep green contrasting leaves and you will hardly be able to see them. Years have passed where I was busy with May shows and didn't take the time to get a close up look at these tiny flowers, this year I promised myself I wouldn't miss them!

If you love the idea of having these little bells ringing in your garden, the pips may be purchased at most garden centers.

Jane's Happy Endings

This past weekend at the Hindsdale Home Show was fun and definitely worthwhile. One of my favorite purchases was Jane Kern Brooks' Happy Endings. She artistically arranges the ends that are cut off of her handmade soaps and sells them in one colorful package. As promised I included a few photos from the home show and products that were at the show.

Home Show in Hinsdale

This weekend I am heading to the Chicago suburb of Hinsdale Illinois. Jane Kern Brooks is opening her doors for the Hindsdale Home Show. Jane will be selling her soap brand Beau Savon
http://www.beausavon.com/ . See the invitation on the events page. I met Jane a few years ago at the Beckman's Handmade Show in Chicago. Jane has been selling my line Paper Petals for a couple of years. I will keep you posted when the show begins and have photos! Stop in if you are in the area!

Rockwood School District Art Fair

Linda Sachs Art Instructor Ridge Meadows
Ridge Meadows Students Work


Ridge Meadows Students Work



Paper Petals Stationery Display



This weekend is the Rockwood School District Art Fair. I will be one of six featured artists. I have participated in international trade shows with thousands of buyers, but 7,000 young artists with questions --- that's new for me!

I have attended the Rockwood School District Art Fair before because my sister Linda Sachs, art teacher at Ridge Meadows creates amazing displays of her students work every year. Each piece labelled with the students name and grouped together by project.

Something that the district added to the fair this year is six featured artists and I will be one of them. The students always rush into the show parents in tow, to see their work on display. Now they will be able to meet and ask questions to six artists in various mediums at the show and see how they may apply their talents in their own unique ways.


Photos from Saturday:
Top Photo: Linda Sachs Art Teacher Ridge Meadows
Next Three Photos - Students work from Ridge Meadows - Linda Sachs Instructor

Bottom Photo - Paper Petals Stationery Display - showing kids that original art may be applied to commercial everyday products.

Meramec Mud

My father used to bring over bouquets of fresh flowers from his garden, scooped up from the masses of flowers he planted, leaves in tacked and oak leaves stuck between the stems. I love the natural approach of receiving a bouquet from an artist. I would stick them just as I received them in a pottery vase. There is just something so right about putting garden flowers in a clay pottery vase. My father gave all of us pottery vases that he purchased at the Meramec College pottery sale, where you may buy students pottery for 5-10 dollars, some signed by the students.
Having a potter and art teacher for a brother- in- law, Guy Sachs, is another reason I have become familiar with St. Louis and Midwest pottery. Some of my favorites are, of course Guy Sachs, he is busy teaching pottery at Ladue High School and coaching, although you may on occasion find him selling his pottery at Art and Air. Bob Allen, James Ibur, both also teachers. I could listen to Guy's story about his friend potter Don Reitz a hundred times about how he was getting ready for a retrospective art show and needed one more piece, grabbed the dog's dish, wiped it out with his shirt and a few days later it was on watch at a museum by a security guard. Don Reitz's pottery sells for tens of thousands of dollars per piece. I often say to Guy, tell me the story again about Don Reitz.

This year, after my father's unexpected death, my sister and I cut flowers from his garden for my mother (and ourselves), stuck them in one of our pottery vases and it really cheered us up!

I always encourage people to go to students art sales and support young art. Ten years from now fame may come to one of the young artists, so -their pottery looks familiar to you and you pick up a piece that you purchased for 5 dollars and find that you have one of the artist's first pieces.

Pottery, art and flowers, all natural. Photo above: Flowers planted by E J Thias. The potter unknown.

Dive into Spring

Another day of rain, cold and gloom. St Louis Magazine's Spring Fever Fashion Show is just a couple of weeks away. View the flash invite www.stlmag.com/events. All this cloud and rain make it even more of great reason to attend, along with a box of Paper Petals Stationery in the gift bag, Neiman Marcus spring fashion on the runway, liquid and limes to treat your winter blues. So much better than staring out your window in despair! Held at the Contemporary Art Museum of St. Louis. Thursday April 17th 7-10pm.

The Modern Mayor

You don't have to be a designer to make plans for a green community. Sunset Hills Missouri Mayor Hunzeker is making his model of a green community by protecting the cities green space as well as being an opponent of eminent domain. The city recently passed regulations that builders and developers may no longer bulldoze trees, but will have to get approval by the cities zoning officials to cut down trees.

I recently saw major Hunzeker at my father's tree dedication. The city planted a white oak tree next to the time capsule at the city hall to recognize and honor E J Thias. The city continually recognized my father's contribution to the city as planning commissioner when the master plan was designed. My father's design maintained the natural wooded setting. See more photos from the tree dedication on edwardjuliusthias.blogspot.com

It isn't a surprise that my father E J Thias supported Mayor Hunzeker's views on keeping the city green. Mayor Hunzeker healed the community after a long battle with eminent domain that made national news.

Bottom Photo: Mayor Hunzeker with a house portrait that E J Thias recently painted.
Next Photo: E J Thias' Alpha Omega Student. Linda Virga who attending his first class 45 years ago and his last class the day of his death in February. Also in photo Butch Thomas, dear friend of E J Thias.
Top Photo: A distinguished gathering of E J's employers, peers, neighbors, friends and family. Linda Sachs (daughter) with camera. Paul P. Pai Ed. D. President St. Louis Community College, Linda Virga student, Pat Bessinger neighbor and Historian for Sunset Hills, Phil Smith student, Ron Markland student, Al Price student.

Metal For Spring 2008, Heavy or Light

Expect metal this Spring for fashion accessories. Two of my favorites are Diane Katzmans' 2008 Spring Collection http://www.dianekatzman.com/ , go wild over her Mingled Metal Collection, light as a feather, or try to contain yourself with the heavy metal approach of Steel Couture http://www.steelcouture.com/ jewelry made of the same type of chain mesh used for medieval armour.

PIE Career Fair Visual Arts

This week I am participating in the Rockwood School Districts Partners in Education Career Fair as a Visual Arts speaker. I bring examples of my work from over the years for print and pattern in fashion, paper and other various products I have surfaced designed. I always enjoy seeing the amazement when the eight graders are made aware that someone designs and chooses colors for almost "everything" they use in their daily lives.

63% of artists and designers are self employed. I explain that I have designed as an employee, freelanced, designed my own line, and now am licensing my designs giving the students insight into many options of design. After participating for over four years now in the program, I ALWAYS get asked "How much to you get paid?"

The most enjoyable part of my career has been being self employed. I explain that I love the freedom and creativity to choose whom I associate with, giving me the greatest opportunity to express my ideas.

Truth

The truth attracts real things. John 1:4 verse 6

At Sunset

My father

Edward Julius Thias

1924-2008

Architect and Artist

departed this life on February 2, 2008 at sunset.

Eco Lounge At The Sundance Film Festival

Paper Petals Stationery was invited to be a part of the

Eco Lounge at The Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah this weekend . I designed the invitation for the event which will be up on our website in February http://www.paperpetals.com/ The Eco Lounge features companies that have environmentally friendly products to A-list celebrities at the festival. There is supposed to be record breaking turnout at the festival because of the writers strike and because the Golden Globes Awards were cancelled. Stars won't have to choose between the too. What a great time for artists, film makers and writers.

Above are two of the styles at the Eco Lounge.

Flowering Maple and Spring Dahlia note cards both available now in stores and started shipping in December (we started booking them last May) for Spring and Summer. Visit our website http://www.paperpetals.com/ or send us an e-mail for a store.

The (Pink and Yellow - Right) Dahlia flower is a signature flower in the Paper Petals stationery line. I have been designing a Dahlia print every year since 2002, our best customers already know that!

Sallie Home

I received this lovely message and a phone call from the owner of the most amazing boutique shop.

" I received one of your cards in the mail and am smitten. We must carry this line in our store. Look at our website and see if we aren't the perfect fit. www.salliehome.com Please send a catalog so I can order in time for Valentine sales." Thank you, Sallie

The shop sells fabulous products and I am so happy that Paper Petals will be sold at Sallie Home.