[uhp-steyt fan-see] - adjective

1. not exorbitant or extravagent by city standards, however in a rural setting (like upstate new york) it is in fact, quite fancy.

2. a wonderful blog dedicated to art, design and other things that are indeed upstate fancy.

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Sep
11 paper goods
CAKE MAIL or why snail-mail is awesome

I would be so stoked to get this in my mail box. Oh that’s right this yummy piece of cake is the trump l’oeil  of birthday greetings. Made from polymers, paint and cardboard this peice of cake can travel cross country in the mail. Well it does take a little more than .42 cents to get it there, but it’s worth it when you think of the smile it will bring to all the postal workers, and the recipient. I’m pretty upset that I found this after my sisters birthday last week, but you don’t have to make the same mistake. Go buy yourself some cake mail from TangBaby’s etsy shop before they blow out the candles.

cake_mail

Aug
26 paper goods
NATURE INSPIRED CARDS from yobittles

I really can’t wait for autumn. I love when the colors change and a walk through the woods doesn’t leave your shirt wet with sweat. WIth all this daydreaming about the changing seasons, I guess that is why I was do fond of these nature cards from yobittles. There are only a few styles currently available in her shop, but i suspect more are on their way. I love the simplicity of her illustrations and am looking forward to her next move.

Yobittles_leaf_cards

Jul
24 paper goods
WE GO TOGETHER like mac and cheese?

Loving these little paintings and prints from Bishop Art. Some of “history’s” most famous pairs immortalized on canvas for eternity. Okay so it’s not really that serious, quite the opposite actually. Choose some of your favorite duo’s, maybe mac and cheese, strawberries and cream, bacon and eggs? These little guys would be perfect for that mini gallery you’ve been working on, or even in a kids room. Either way they are sure to put a smile on someone’s face. 

mac_and_cheese

Jun
08 paper goods
ANIMAL PRINTS that remind me of being a kid

So renegade went well this past weekend. I got to meet some really cool people, an aside from some major sunburn, I had a really fun time. All weekend long out of the corner of my eye I had to endure seeing the cuteness that is Argyle Whale. Their adorable Gocco prints just sat there across the walkway taunting me every time I turned my head a little to the left. So yesterday evening before I started packing up my booth, the cuteness became too much and my willpower caved in. I purchased their nomnomnom print ( which is chewed by their pet bunnies) and the wooly bear caterpillar print as well. So i suggest you check them out and maybe you’ll find something super cute to hang on your wall, or even send to that friend that lives cross country that you miss so much. 

argylewhale

May
20 paper goods
DIY KITS to keep you busy this summer

my boyfriend was joking that i need a new project to work on, (I currently have 4 rather large projects going on currently, one of them is of course my product line.) But that got me thinking about all the great things that are available on etsy, and all the wonderful kits you can buy on there to learn a new skill, make something tasty, or just make someone’s day. I used to love getting craft kits to keep me busy in the summer months. So I took a peek at the vast pages of the etsy universe and here are a few of my favorites.

kits

a. DIY cheese kit from Urban Cheesecraft $21   b. Designer chair tablescape kit from L Brandt $30   c. Giraffe embroidery pattern from Penguin and Fish $6   d. Make your own cup cozy from byrd and belle $8   e. Spice kits from Purpose design $16   f. Cottontail needle felting kit from fancy tiger $12   g. Moss terrarium kit from Lady Farrah $35

Mar
27 paper goods
LETTER-PRESSED journals

I love pretty much anything letter-pressed. In college we had a letterpress in the basement of our art studio. I was never very good at it, probably because no one ever really showed me how to use it, but i did use the guillotine paper cutter quite a bit. The travel journal from Small Square Design really caught my eye this week, as I was looking through my etsy favorites. Its so very clean and simple and manages to be quite feminine without going overboard. If traveling isn’t your thing, fear not they have quite a few other journals and notebooks as well. I just wanted to close the week with something pretty and simple, have a great weekend everyone. 

journal

Feb
05 paper goods
LOTS OF LOVE in tiny envelopes

Who ever said its the small things in life that matter most, might have been talking about the World’s smallest postal service. Run by the wondrous Lea Redmond out of San Francisco, the Worlds Smallest Postal Service (WSPS) is a teeny tiny transcription service. She sets up her miniature desk all over the Bay Area, and is also now offering online orders. You can write a letter to whoever you want, and Lea transcribes them onto tiny paper, with tiny stamps, and seals them with an itsy bitsy wax seal with the senders initial pressed into it. And no need to worry if the recipients eye sight isn’t the best, each mini letter comes packaged with a magnifying glass. It’s a good day to send a letter with a little bit of love. 

letters

Jan
21 paper goods
PLEASE JUST check the map.

We at upstate fancy couldn’t be more stoked on tonight’s return of LOST. With that being said, check out these great topography inspired cards from crafterall. These great finds are all hand made and hand-cut, so each one is unique. I love the color choices and simplistic shapes, so simple but they really stand out.  While I can’t guarantee  these little cards will give you the loacation of the next Dharma station, or keep you safe from “the others,” I do guarantee they will look great in a frame or in the mailbox. 

topo

Dec
01 paper goods
I’D BE GLAD to do that for you

I remember one year for mothers day we had to make “coupons” to take home to our moms as a gift. These coupons could be used for “one free hug”, “washing the dishes”, “walking the dog” and other easy chores. Last night I ran into these great chore cards from Heidi Burton. I absolutely love her humorous illustration style and think these guys would make great gifts all year long. 

Nov
20 paper goods
ON THE ROAD again

So this holiday I have been toying with the idea of doing a few mini presents instead of one large present for my sisters. They are 2 of the most athletic girls I have ever met and I am proud that they are my sisters. A few times a year they find themselves in a new state or new country competing with their field hockey road team against some of the best teams out there. I think these super creative travel journals from cracked designs would be the perfect way to keep track of their trips. I have always been fascinated with maps and pins and the cover of this little journal has it all. Perfect for a 2 week trip, or a few mini trips. I wish I thought of this one myself.

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