The Season is alive and well at Paper-Ya!

Share the season of light and joy! We have picked a selection of gift giving ideas for your secret santas, hostess gifts and for those people in your life that make it special.

Under 20.00 staff picks

Under 40.00

Big time spenders...around 100.00

 simply wrap and give...with love!

We have a winner!

Check out our entries on Instagram #paperyafavourite. And follow us @paperyagranvilleisland.

Its simple and fun! 

1. Follow @paperyagranvilleisland on Instagram.
2. Post a photo of your favorite item from Paper-Ya on Instagram telling us why you love it.
3. Use #PaperYaFavourite in the post.

The winner will be announced on November 26. The Gift Certificate must be used in person. 
Good Luck!

Sending a card in times of sorrow.

Grief and loss are part of life and we all know this. But sometimes we are uncertain as to how to react and how to give to those that are suffering with a loss. It is often simply the acknowledgement that a loss has occurred that can help a friend begin to get through a distressful time. It is estimated that half of the stress during grieving can be decreased by talking and sharing with people who don't judge or advise.

When a loved one, a friend or an acquaintance is suffering with intense sorrow or some emotional pain we want to hold out our hand and offer our love and support. There are some excellent websites to give us some guidance in helping someone with grieving. Sometimes this helping hand can start with simply a card that acknowledges what has happened. Finding the right card can be a challenge so we try to have a variety of sympathy and  "thinking of you" cards for you to choose from. 

The talented Mr. Joseph Wu

In the western world we might think of origami as a small square piece of paper that one can turn into a crane. We might think of a children's folding game. As parents we might think origami would be good to help children follow instructions while keeping them occupied. We do not tend to think of inspired design, mathematics, architecture or therapeutic applications and certainly not vodka advertisements! Now we are thinking Joseph Wu!

But Joseph Wu knows all this and much more about origami's amazing applications and potential. He has been commissioned by advertising agencies throughout the world and his works have been thus published in magazines from Rolling Stone to Gourmet. 

Wu's latest inspiration is the kirigami technique which is paper cutting and he told us he is having lots of fun with it. In fact, it seems Wu has a lot of fun no matter what he is making. He started doing origami when he was 3 and made his first original design at 11, its no surprise it was an X-wing fighter from Star Wars. If you want to meet Joseph and other like minded creators you can head over to a group called PALM that meet monthly. Besides the immense talent and originality of Wu's original origami works his sense of community and sheer enjoyment of sharing the pleasures of origami is heart warming. Find him on Instagram and Facebook too.

Frame up our Amazing papers for your walls.

Could it be time to refresh your walls? No one wants the same old stuff in the same old place all the time! As the seasons change we get inspired to mix it up.

It couldn't be simpler with our amazing papers. Get yourself some one size fits all frames, Ikea is a good source, and pop these babies in them. Here, we are showing a few of our Chiyogami papers from Japan. These papers are traditional patterns but have a very contemporary feel to them. They look amazing with a wide mat and simple frame.

For the kitchen, the entrance or office, the kids room, and don't forget the bathroom! The average price of these papers is under 7.00 ! So, as the seasons change, and you want a different look, simply use the paper to wrap up some gifts and pop some new ones in! We are always bringing in new papers from all over the world. Have some fun as your own Interior Designer!

The houseguest gift does not have to be expensive but it does have to have a personal touch.

If you find yourself chillin' in the home of a friend or relative this summer, you are lucky! The houseguest gift is the perfect way to show gratitude for your hosts generosity. We chose a variety of gifts for every budget. 

For him or her, a gift that recognizes someones style is key. It is always a treat to receive a gift that is something special, and "just for you!" 

Journal notebooks, guest books and boxed set of thank you cards, are always appreciated. Our new Vancouver made candles are amazing, and who wouldn't love a sugar skull tea towel? We know you will find that special something for those kind folks that made your holiday extra special this summer! 

Collage in Printmaking : fun, simple and very effective!

Add color and texture easily with layering a variety of our decorative and handmade papers to your art. We continue with our series exploring artists working with paper or paper as art. Denise Carson WIlde's inventive and bold etchings from a series made in 1997 entitled "Marshes Library" uses various Nepalese and Thai papers to provide dimension of form and diversity to only one image. Each print stands out yet each print has a slightly different feel.

Denise Carson Wilde has used an archival PVA glue sold at Paper-Ya, that is often used for bookmaking. This type of glue provides flexibility and strength. The glue has shown itself to have absolutely no issues. But as in most artwork it is direct sun light and humidity that will alter your work. So be careful with displaying  and storing your art!

Collage or varied editions can be a free wheeling way to make images. Tearing the papers, letting the deckle edges show and layering a wide variety of papers can easily give your work a tactility and lively feel. The possibilities are endless. Enjoy yourself!