Pickleball Craze

Three dads – Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum — whose kids were bored with their usual summertime activities created the game of Pickleball in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, a short ferry ride from Seattle, WA.  If it was invented in the 60s, you wouldn’t know it.  Its rise in popularity seems to have hit a feverish pitch over the last few years. The growth has been exponential!  In fact, it’s the fastest growing sport in the U.S. for the third year in a row and estimated that 36,000,000 Americans are playing it.  The commercial market for it is huge! In 2022, it was about $1.3 billion and expected to be a $2.3 billion industry by 2028! 
 
Pickleball has clearly been embraced and, interestingly, embraced by people of all ages. (Reportedly, the fastest growing age group is under 24 – lest you thought it was for retirees!)  People love how social and inclusive it is, how it does seem to be for all ages, and there’s very little learning curve.  All you really need is some hand-eye coordination and the willingness to learn (and a paddle, court, and balls!) 
 
It’s also probably best you find someone that is already into it, knows the rules, and can give you a few tips! The game is played on a badminton-sized court. It’s most often played as doubles, though you can also play singles. Each side has a no-volley zone which is called “the kitchen” – no player can hit a volley from there. There a few rules like your serve must be underhand, the ball must bounce on both sides before either team can volley, and you only win points on your serve.  You continue serving until you lose a point.  The first team to 11 points wins, but you must win by 2.  For more rules, follow this handy guide that we found online! It gives a great overview to the sport that does seem relatively simple. 

Of course, More Than Paper has picked up on the trend and we are pleased to share that we have a variety of Pickleball-related gifts (joining in on that $1.3 billion dollar market!) These gifts are perfect for your teammates, your Pickle friends who are having a birthday or need a pick me up, or a great hostess gift when you are visiting a pickler. Here’s a roundup of some of our favorite gifts! 

From notepads to towels to cosmetic bags, we have the gifts that will make them smile.  

 
When it comes to Pickleball style, we have cute bags for the players on the court. Check out these Pickleball Bags. 
 
This navy trimmed embroidered pickleball bag is a classy choice.  It’s made of heavy-duty, cotton-linen blend. It has adjustable straps on the cross-body style bag.  Also very functional, the wipeable lined interior with zip pocket keeps your bag clean and organized! 

 
We also love this retro-style Pickleball bag! Personalize it with your name, initials, or monogram in a variety of typestyles and color choices.  Visit here to see your options! 

Drop us a comment in the comments section if you have picked up on this craze… are you a pickler? Have you fallen in love with the fastest growing sport in the country? We want to hear from you! 

It's Wine Time!

Whether you enjoy the occasional glass or are nearly a sommelier (or somewhere in between), this post is for you! 

 

Hosting With Wine

 

Wine is enjoyed and appreciated by millions of people around the world. Enjoyed responsibly, it can be a fun way to discover regions across the world and new flavors, as well as bring people together.  Of course, wine paired with food can be a delicious experience and wonderful way to socialize. 

 

If you are hosting a dinner party, it can be daunting to choose the wine that best accompanies what you are serving.  We find that your local liquor store or wine seller can usually point you in the right direction.  (Though we also found this great ultimate guide by Food & Wine Magazine. Click here to view what wines the editors bring to dinner parties!) 

 

How much wine to purchase for a dinner party is also always daunting (and we tend to err on more is always better!  No one likes to run out.)  Plan on 2-3 glasses per person and you should be safe!  Go with less if you know that your guests are cocktail drinkers, or if you plan to serve an after-dinner drink. 

 

Gifting with Wine 

 

Wine also makes a great gift for many occasions, and More Than Paper has some wine accessories for the wine enthusiast!  These wine finds work well for housewarming, hostess, or holiday gifts.  

 

Take this Four Bottle Wine Carrier that can be personalized! This bag can hold up to 4 bottles of wine without straining or breaking and is made of sturdy natural canvas. The bag is available in a variety of colors, and you can personalize as you see fit with your choice of typestyle, monogram, name, or initials.  See all the colors & options by visiting here. The wine enthusiast will surely love this as a gift, or splurge on it for yourself! 

 

For hot summer days, cool spring nights, and for all your outdoor entertaining, we love this virtually unbreakable acrylic serving ware.  This wine cooler keeps your wine chilled and has stylish options for personalization. 

 

Personalized wine tags are a great item to have on hand.  Grab a bottle of wine and add your tag and bring it along to any dinner party or get-together as a hostess gift. We like personalizing it by saying, “Cheers!” and adding our last name.  There are a variety of seasonal options – if you think you will use only a few throughout the year, try a design style that works all year round like this one: 

 

Attending a lot of events this summer?  What about these stylish, nautical themed wine tags shown here. 

 

And don’t forget about this fun little hostess gift or anytime gift for a wine-loving friend. This notepad, “Cheaper than Therapy” is good for anyone who needs a laugh. Sometimes a glass of wine with a friend truly is cheaper than therapy.  Know who could get a laugh from it? Buy it now here. 

 

 

Wine for You 

 

If you are looking to upgrade your own wine glass collection, consider this set of 4 stemless wine glasses that can be personalized. Priced at 1 set for $65.00, you simply cannot beat the price of 4 stemless wine glasses! We love the personalization options, too. Be sure to check them out! 

We also were curious about wine-of the-month clubs and wine delivery services these days! It seems like new ones are popping up regularly. If this is something that is also interesting to you, here are some wine clubs that we found (Note: MTP has no affiliation with these companies). 

 

 

-       Bright Cellars: Get 6 bottles for just $70, shipped directly to your door! You can get a personalized experience by taking a short quiz. 

-       Wine of the Month Club: this boasts as the original shipped direct to you wine club.  As the oldest mail wine order club in America, it promises expert knowledge and fair prices. 

-       Naked Wines: This had very good reviews for customer service and a nice selection of wines in various price points. 

 

 

Have you tried a wine club or wine shipped direct to your door?  Is there something you are looking to see at More Than Paper that is related to wine? Drop us a comment here or on Facebook! We’d love to hear from you! 

 

 

Summer Bucket List Creation

Ahhh, summer.  It’s here!  School is out, camp is in session, and families are adjusting to new routines. What time does sailing camp start this week, again? Where are the kids supposed to go next week?  Do they need water shoes and a rash guard?  

It can get a little nutty if you are not organized, so More Than Paper has some tips to help you manage these new schedules and create new routines.  Also, we have some tips to ensure that you get to enjoy the summer, too. Isn’t that what it is all about? This 2023 will be your best one yet!

 

STAY STRESS-FREE 

Stress usually arises from being disorganized or when there is a lot of unknown.  Take control and write it down!  Being organized and planning will help you feel in control.  We’re big fans of paper organizers where you can write things down (digital calendars just aren’t the same.) Here are a few cute options.  Fill this one in with your reminders and notes – water shoes won’t be forgotten, after all!

 

What about this one for getting the whole family organized?  We love that there are slots to include every family members’ activities by day.  The organizer is in pad format so you can tear it off when the week is done and start new! 

 

 

ENJOY THE SUMMER  

Even if you work and aren’t taking much (or any) vacation this summer, we hope that you will get to actually enjoy the season and the carefree nature that it can offer.  Make sure to maximize the weather, the longer sunlight hours and be sure to get outdoors!  This can be done by changing up your routine and walking in the morning or an evening walk when you get home.  Squeeze in a game of pickleball or tennis or take a swim in a nearby pool.  

 

Another idea?  Create a summer bucket list.  Create a list of all the things that you want to do this summer. Be it a drive-in movie, an adventure to the waterpark, or an alfresco seafood dinner – think big and be intentional about how you will create memories.  Jot the ideas down on a “bucket list” pad like this one!  You can even personalize the notepad with your name, last name or initials. 

 

 

We also love the idea of planning a dinner party with friends and family.  Do you have an outdoor dining area?  Create one! Use nonbreakable platters, plates, and other outdoor serving ware to keep your everyday (and good) china safe.  We have splurge-worthy entertaining sets at More Than Paper that actually aren’t much of a splurge. 

 

Planning ahead will ensure a fantastic summer so get on it! Enjoy all that this summer has to offer. We hope it is a great one! 

 

How to Get Your Camper To Write Home

When you’re young, there’s nothing better than sleep away summer camp.  The sense of freedom and feelings of independence are unparalleled. Though it can be hard to send your children off to sleep away camp because you miss them, we take a lot of comfort in knowing it’s their happy place!  We find that camp is an incredible place for children to grow, learn, and make lifelong memories.  

Hearing from your camper through letters home helps make the heartache go away and gives us a window into their world.  Receiving letters from your camper also gives you peace of mind.  Are they eating? Are they sleeping? Do they like their camp bunkmates?  What about their counselors?  Are they visiting the health center to take their medication?  (We’ve never gotten answers in a letter answering the last question...That one usually requires a phone call to the nurse!)  

 

With all the activity that your kids are doing, how do you get them to slow down, stop, and write home to tell you all the fun that they are having? As parents, you are used to regular updates!          

 

We try to make the letter writing process as easy as possible to encourage frequent letters home.  Here are 6 tips we use: 

 

1.     Let them pick out camp stationery.  Even if you have some extra left over from last year, having your children pick out a new design for 2023 will open the conversation and hopefully, get them excited.  (We have some great new options to choose from below!) 

2.     Have a conversation and set the expectations. Be clear about how much it means to you to hear from your camper while they are gone and let your camper know how many times you would like them to write to you.  You should be realistic about what’s possible for your camper’s age, attention span, and then: try not take it personally if the frequency isn’t met.  Afterall, they are there to learn independence and have experiences without you! Hopefully “no news is good news.” 

3.     Create “to” address labels for your children.  This is the single biggest tip we can give! Rather than giving your camper an address book where they must search for an address and then write/copy to an envelope, type out addresses to yourself, Grandma & Grandpa, Aunt, their friends, whoever wants to receive letters. Print on Avery labels (found at Staples or office supply stores.)  When your child goes to write their letters at rest hour, they can look at the labels to see who they need to write to! If you are asking your camper to write twice a week, make sure you have enough “to” address labels to you for twice a week! 

4.     Include a diagram of how a letter needs to be set-up for successful mailing! While many parents like to pre-stamp and adhere return address labels to envelopes before the child goes to camp, we prefer to include a diagram with instructions on what to do – part of the growth at camp is learning to do things for oneself!  Show the camper where the stamp needs to go and where the “TO” label needs to go. For the return address label, we recommend having the camper use it as an envelope seal on the back of the envelope. Using a postcard, they instruct the camper to put the return address label in the upper left corner on the side of the “TO:” stamp (or buy our personalized camp postcards that have the “FROM” address already pre-printed. 

5.     Get a pen or pencil and include it with the stationery/envelope/labels. Or let your child pick out fun gel pens in lots of colors. No excuses here! 

6.     We like clipboards or writing desks to help make the process even easier (at this point… is that possible?) and possibly more fun. Choose a clipboard that your son or daughter will like.  Store everything inside (and then make sure they know that!) 

 

Modern technology with facial recognition is pretty awesome. We admit, we check our “Waldo” app several times a day and wait in anticipation for the latest upload from the camp photographer. But it does not come close to a letter in the mail with details from our kids. Encourage your kids to write thoughtful, age-appropriate letters and remind them how much you want to hear from them. Of course, you can set a good example and write your camper letters. Tell them what’s going on at home and ask questions. Become “penpals” while they are gone.  We’ve got some great options for parents to use here:

 

Here are some of our best-sellers!

 

Prepping for your camper to head off to summer camp is a lot of work. We hope you hear from your camper on a cadence that makes you happy.  Also, check out some of our favorite camp stationery sets for Summer ’23! 

 

Graduation Gift Ideas 2023

The end of the school year is here and we’re honoring graduates from high school and college with unique gifts that honor their achievement.  Graduating is no small feat!  It requires day in and day out commitment, hard work, and deserves to be recognized.  Whether you are gifting for the high school graduate or looking for a gift for the college graduate, we have something for you!  Our prices are up to 30% off, even for personalized products, so you can also feel good about the price you are paying, in addition to giving a great graduation gift. 

 

We like this bold initial stationery ensemble that includes a total of 50 personalized cards in 3 different designs and 2 different sizes.  Formatting is as shown below.  Are these a practical gift for the graduate? They’ll undoubtedly have a lot of correspondence to write after graduating and receiving all of their gifts. They can thank everyone in style with this stationery

 

 

Another practical graduation gift, especially for the high school graduate who is headed off to college, are these laundry hamper tote bags that are personalized with the graduates’ name or initials. Choose from navy, pink, grey, black or all natural color options and a variety of typestyles for embroidery. 

 

For the high school graduate headed off to college, we also love these personalized acrylic trays that are great for storing keys, wallet, phone, or jewelry! You can personalize the tray with the college name and the graduate name – we love double personalization! 

 

Toiletry bags and cosmetic bags are always a worthy gift for the graduate At More Than Paper, we have a variety of personalized cosmetic and personalized toiletry bags in styles for both men and women. This waxed dopp kit is a favorite amongst men. (It also coordinates well with the waxed laundry duffle that is nearly 30% OFF! 

 

 

 

For ladies, this gold metallic makeup bag is a hit for graduates headed off to travel this summer or to the dorms in the Fall! This bag is available in other color options, too. Click here to view all the color options! 

                                                               

 

Need a bunch of gifts for your graduates friends?  Popular this season has been the classic medium boat tote. Available in a variety of colors and the price point won’t break the bank.

 

There you have it!  A few personalized graduation gifts for the graduate this year that are practical but fun at the same time. Plus, with this sale on graduation gifts, you are sure to feel good about the price you are paying for personalized products for graduation! 

Summer Travel & Planning Tips

With all the end-of-year activities at school and fun around graduation, it’s easy to get bogged down in the day to day of May.  But summer is just around the corner and many kids are out of school in a few weeks.  What are your summer plans? 

If your plans include vacation, travel, or any trips to the beach or pool, we have some tips on how to make packing easier on you.  For some, getting ready for a vacation can be a lot of work, especially if you have the responsibility of packing for your children.  Even getting prepared for a beach day can be daunting with a bunch of kids and a lot of things to remember. We’ve created checklists and tips & tricks for our readers. 
 
Summer Travel / Vacation Checklist 
When traveling on vacation, being prepared is a must. Forgetting one key item has the potential to put a damper on your mood so the key is to be organized.  We involve our kids in the packing process to make things easier but also to get the kids excited about where we are headed.  Use it as an opportunity to talk about the weather, what’s appropriate to wear for your plans, and help teach the skill of advanced planning. 
 
Use this handy checklist when packing: 

• One day-time outfit for each day and coordinating shoes

• Note: If you are traveling for 7 days, you don’t need 7 pairs of jeans. Usually, 2-4 pairs of pants should do the trick. We recommend 1 black, 1 white, 1 grey, 1 denim wash, or some variation! 

• Several nighttime / dressier options and coordinating shoes

• Dresses pack so small! Don’t overdo it, though. Be realistic about how many dresses or dressier options you will need. 

• Accessories like bags / jewelry! Keep it simple. 

• Choose a few key pieces that will work with a variety of outfits. 

• Workout / yoga clothing

• Make sure you don’t forget to pack the appropriate shoes & socks  

• Undergarments for daytime, nighttime, and sports outfits 

• Toiletries and Make-up (under 3.4 oz. of liquid per item if you are not checking your bags) 

• Book / Kindle / iPad 

• All chargers.  

• We keep all chargers in a small, monogrammed bag that zips tight. (And when we say “all,” we really mean ALL. How are there so many charges to remember? From your Amazon tablet charger, headphones charger, iPad charger, iPhone charger, laptop charger (if traveling for work)…. Keep them all in a single bag. When you need a charger, just pull out the charger bag! 

• Do not forget headphones! 

• If you are traveling on a plane that may have entertainment in the seats, remember to bring headphones that plug into the seat (meaning those that have a 3.5mm aux jax – meaning those with a single pointy end )   Many airlines will sell them or give them to you if it’s a long flight, but if you have them, bring them to reduce waste.

For your charger bag, consider this one by CB Station that you can personalize with your name, initial, or choose to label it CHARGER.  Depending on how many chargers you must bring, this 7 x 11 x 3” bag is a good option. 
 

 
Need a make-up or toiletry bag?  Here are some favorites. 

 
 
Beach Day / Day-Trip Checklist 
We like to have a “go” bag for the beach or pool ready so we can “go” anytime without much effort.  For us, it stays in the laundry room packed and ready to go at any time! Keep your bag packed and stocked so the day of your beach outing or pool outing, you aren’t running around last-minute trying to find everything. Just add perishable items and hit the road.  Here’s what you should include in your fully stocked beach/pool bag. 

• Sunscreen. (Check the date at the beginning of the season to make sure it’s not expired). We go with a total of three sunscreens: 1 face stick, 1 spray, and 1 lotion. Keep them in a sealable plastic bag so there are no spills!)

• Bug spray 

• Quick-dry towels 

• Goggles 

• Small beach toys

• Hat and/or sunglasses 

 
Need a beach bag option?  Check out this Canvas rope tote that can be personalized with your initials or name. 

 
 
We also like the style of this one! 
 

And, of course, there is the classic Large Boat Tote – available in so many colors. This screams summer! Amply sized to carry LOTS of stuff.


 
For larger beach toys like Spike Ball net or corn hole, keep them somewhere where you can easily access them in your garage. 
 
On the day you’re headed on your beach or pool daytrip, make sure to pack some healthy snacks and salty/sweet snacks from your pantry.  Fill a small lunch bag like one of these shown below, available at More Than Paper, and toss into your larger bag. 

 
Don’t forget water bottles for everyone! We love these personalized water bottles from Boatman Geller! 

 
Wishing you happy and safe travels this summer. 
 
 

New Years Resolutions & January 2023

What is it about a new calendar year that makes so many of us (re) evaluate our lives?  Call them resolutions, intentions, or goals, millions of people turn the pages in their agenda to a new year and ask themselves… what do I want from the year ahead? 

Do you? 

 

We have found varying degrees of how people approach this process but it tends to be extreme! There’s the busy Mom who indulged in food and wine throughout the holidays but on January 1^st went vegan and is (attempting) to no longer eat sugar or drink alcohol.  There’s the man who has listed 12 resolutions that include: getting fit and eating better, spending more time with his family, taking a boys trip in 2023, vacationing with his wife, working harder at the office, and enjoying dinner parties & time out with friends. 

 

What is problematic (and mostly obvious to all of us) is that these resolutions are not only unrealistic, but are unsustainable, too. How is one supposed to work harder at the office but also take a boys trip, vacation with his wife, and spend more time at home? 

 

Why must these resolutions be so radical? Sometimes, too, they feel like they are in direct competition with one another. 

 

We’ve heard experts say that the key to meaningful change is making gradual changes.  In 2023, we advise you to take some pressure off yourself.  You don’t have to be a completely different person or change too much of who you are!  We like the idea of getting 1% “better” every day.  What’s more is that you should define what “better” is to you!   1% “better” in whatever way you see fit will make meaningful change by the end of the year. 

 

Take some time to write out what “better” means to you and break out how you will get there. If “better” means working harder at the office, does that mean your shift your habits to less distractions on your phone, less frequent water cooler breaks, or something else? Being specific about how you will achieve your “better” is important. 

 

Don’t forget something else that is important. You are already great.  Don’t let the calendar tell you it’s time to make changes when change might not be required.  Practice gratitude by writing down all the things for which you are grateful.   When people go through this exercise, many are helped by realizing how great they already have it.  Focus on the positive and all that you have done throughout the previous year and all the days to come in 2023.  

 

One new product we love that might help you on this journey are these Gratitude Finder Journals.  Beautiful colors and tons of stickers will motivate you. But no worries – these are not dated so you can start and restart whenever you like!  Choosing the color palette that speaks to you has the power to make this exercise feel more special and more impactful than just a scrap piece of paper.  There are even 3 that are specifically faith-based.

 

Feeling a little preppy, check out this one:

 

We feel this one brings a sense of calm:

 

These are for the kids (or for the adults who like to think like kids!):

 

After spending the year filling up this journal, you will have a wonderful momento to remember all the great things that happened – which will hopefully inspire you further in the year to come.

 

Another tip for the New Year?  Get organized, as best as you can.  When life feels overwhelming and schedules are busy, having a strong organization system is key.  Sometimes you just need reminders! We have a great selection of memo pads and sheets.  We like these for jotting something down real fast.  This acrylic holder looks great on your desk, too! 

 

And these new Reminder Binders are awesome at helping you keep track of the day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month. And who doesn’t love all the colors and stickers! And for a limited time, get a free monthly desktop calendar with purchase!

 

Whatever your thoughts are, journaling and writing are great ways to get it out of your head. More Than Paper’s journals, notebooks, and notepads are here to help you with this process in January and all year long! 

 

Wishing you a Happy New Year from everyone at More Than Paper!