Italy Paper Crafting Haul

My husband and I recently returned from a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Italy.  It was absolutely amazing, everything we had hoped and planned for and more.  Twelve days spent in Rome and Florence, reconnecting with each other and taking in some of the most impressive art in the world.  One of the parts of the trip that made it extra special is that we reserved time to delve into our individual interests, not just sticking to the main tourists spots.  And my interest, of course, is paper crafting!

I came across Paperness weeks ago while researching possible paper crafting outings in Rome and began following the craft store on Instagram.  I quickly fell in love!  Their instagram is full of bright colors and inspired, accessible artwork…so fun!  On our first full day in Rome, my husband agreed to walk just over an hour with me to the outskirts of the city to hunt down the little paper shop that I had discovered.

Scrapbooking and paper crafting stores are becoming harder and harder to find.  There are plenty of big box craft stores like Michaels, Hobby Lobby, and Joann’s in the United States, but small paper crafting businesses are disappearing because it is hard to keep up.  The downside is that if you only ever shop at the big box stores, the variety of supplies can feel limited at times.  I was so happy to be able to find one of these small paper craft businesses in Italy, and even happier to support such a wonderful, knowledgable business owner.  Maria answered any questions I had, showed me some products she thought would interest me, and even gave me a tour of the classroom area and a sneak at her collage art journal!

The shop is absolutely adorable and filled to the brim with colorful displays.  There is a mixture of more specialized products and popular paper crafting lines that can also be found in the United States.  Even my husband had a great time exploring all the nooks and crannies while pointing out some products he thought I would like!  I had a hard time not buying ALL THE THINGS!

Alas, I did have to narrow it down…I had a great time collecting treasures!  Here are a few of the items I purchased for my stash at home:

While taking in the traditional sites and sounds of Italy were certainly impactful, connecting with another person around the world that shares my love of crafting was a special moment for me.  I think it is going to be a personal goal of mine to seek out small paper-crafting stores every time I travel now.  Connecting with people from a different city, state, or country through a shared interest makes this vast world feel a little smaller and more beautiful to me 🙂  I highly encourage you to seek out these small businesses…and then let me know where you find them!

Keep it creative,

-The Scrappy Wife