The Sound of Music: All About Audio Pro's Addon Bluetooth Soundsystems

The moment we heard the Audio Pro Addon Soundsystems, we knew we had to bring them in. 

Audio Pro is a Swedish company that has been making audio products for almost four decades. Their products are ground-breaking and award-winning. 

The Addon systems are small and, we feel, rather cute. They feature two tweeters and a woofer in the front, giving it that distinctly speaker-like feel, only in miniature form.

With genuine leather handles and solid aluminum details, these systems are solidly built. No gimmicks, just pure quality.

Space is a high commodity for most of us, so one of Addon's biggest selling points is how easy it is to place on a bookshelf or tuck into a corner out of the way. It looks great displayed and - most importantly - it sounds great. 

With clear treble and a deep bass, these systems are the best models in their price range.

We have brought in two of their models: the T3 and the T5. Both have won Hi-Fi awards from critics such as What Hi-Fi and Digital Life.

Both models also come in a variety of colours - white, grey, black, and more.

T3

The T3 is the portable system. It has a battery life of up to 30 hours (12 hours at full volume), which means you can easily bring it with you on all of your adventures. If you want something that you can slip into your backpack or bring outside for a beach barbeque, we highly recommend this model!

T5

This model is slightly larger than the T3, though not by much. It has no battery, so it needs to stay plugged in when in use. Due to the slight increase in size, it can reach lower frequencies than the T3 and has a slightly clearer mid-range as well.  If you`re not looking for portability, then this is your best choice!

Both systems can connect to your devices via bluetooth 4.0 or an aux in 3.5mm stereo.

Whether you enjoy indie, hip hop, rock, or classical, the Audio Pro Addon systems will give you beautiful sound. 

Blog by Christine Wiebe

Christmas Gift Wrapping Ideas at Paper-Ya

Choosing personalized wrapping paper and ribbon is always a blast here at Paper-Ya. With so many options in store, we can help you truly customize your gift wrapping. Even though we cannot wrap it for you, we can do everything else to make sure it's easy for you to complete it when you get home!

To get your ideas rolling, we have brought together some beautiful combinations of ribbon and paper.

For a mature, festive look, we love red and purple tones. Bold ribbons provide a beautiful accent of colour.

For a more traditional look, choose reds, golds, and greens. Add an extra little flare to the gift by adding small ornaments to the bow. Layering ribbon also helps add beautifully contrasting texture to an otherwise simple paper.

Don't be afraid to be bold. And don't forget, raffia is a great way to uniquely dress a gift!

For a fun, whimsical look we recommend brighter, airier colours.

If you need any help or suggestions, just come see us here at Paper-Ya, and we'll help you find the perfect combinations. And don't forget, we've got you covered for gifts and cards as well!

Blog by Christine Wiebe

Back to School at Paper-Ya

School is just around the corner! Whether you're excited or dreading it, we've found everything you need to make your school days just a little bit brighter.

Agendas 

If you have to look at an agenda every day, you might as well make sure it's one that you love! 

Agendas come in all types of sizes, covers, and designs. You can choose larger ones that stay on your desk, or little ones that fit in your pocket.

Once you've decided on the size that you want, the next step is to choose what type of interior layout you want. Monthly, weekly, and daily agenda allow for various levels of detail in your planning. 

The most fun part is, of course, choosing the cover! 

Notebooks 

There are hundreds of notebooks out there, but we've narrowed down our in store selection to some of the best.  We carry blank, lined, dot-grid, and gridded notebooks in all different sizes!

Decomposition books offer fun covers and plenty of pages for all your notes. 

If you prefer to use gel or fountain pens, we recommend notebooks with thicker paper such as our Rollbahn journals.

Pens and Pencils 

We all have our favourite pens and pencils. If you ask any of us who work here, we will happily point ours out.

We have so many different kinds that we recommend simply coming in and testing them out to find your favourite! 

Pencil cases 

Do you carry just a couple basics or a whole assortment of pens? We have all different sizes that allow you to carry as many - or as few as you would like!

 Organization 

Binders, folders, and desktop accessories help keep all your notes and ideas in one spot. Because there's no such thing as being too organized!

And finally, we have bags to help you carry everything from your lunch to your textbooks!

We wish you all a very happy back to school! And if you're not going back to school... well, one can never have too much stationery... 

Blog by Christine Wiebe

What's up with Noodler's Ink?

At Paper-Ya, we have a lot of love for all of our inks. It's not easy to choose which ones to bring in!

Generous bottles of lovely inks and really fun artwork!

One of the brands we carry is Noodler's Inks. They come in an array of stunning colours, and each ink has its own unique properties. We do our best to bring in a wide variety of colours with each order. Whether you’re using a dip or a fountain pen or even using it for art, Noodler’s Ink will provide!

A fairly common question we get is whether left-handed people can use fountain pens without smudging the ink across the page, and we always recommend the Noodler’s quick-drying Bernanke black or blue. With its quick drying speed, it’s ideal not only for left-handed people, but also for people who use fountain pens on the go!

We love that so many of the inks are waterproof, archival, UV resistant, forgery resistant… the list goes on. Whether you’re taking notes in class, working as an artist, or even writing your meeting minutes, these inks will help keep your work preserved throughout the years.

The Noodler’s Ink website includes a photo sample of every colour of ink. You can see them all here!

We also recommend that people choose their paper carefully. Paper that’s too thin or too rough will bleed through or feather. If you're familiar with our store, you'll know there is a plethora of choices. But don't worry! We are happy to recommend a variety of journals and paper that are ideal for dip and fountain pens.

Ink newcomers and veterans - we'd love to see you and help you pick out ink, or hear about your experiences with it. We'll see you soon at Paper-Ya!

Blog by Christine Wiebe

Women Walking Strong: A snapshot interview with local artist Linda Klippenstein

Here we explore how she uses textured pieces of paper to create incredible works of art.

What is your inspiration for your series 'Walking Strong'? What are you hoping people take away from it?

My inspiration for that particular series came from women who I've met at the Warm Zone, a drop in centre for women who are street involved. Women at this centre live the most difficult of lives, are socially isolated, most are active in addiction as well as in survival sex work. I've been a volunteer at the Warm Zone for seven years, and I've been hugely impacted by women there.  They are survivors, strong and resilient.

I've created and sold artworks for private commissions with this theme, and I've also facilitated larger group projects with this same "Women Walking Strong" theme.  Currently I'm planning a large community project, taking canvases to a variety of locations to include women who otherwise wouldn't participate - women who are incarcerated, elderly women who are isolated, students. These canvases will open March 8 on International Women's Day and will be on display at TheReach art gallery till the end of March.     
                                                                       
I hope that people who help create the series, or who have purchased one of my pieces from that series, will understand that we are much stronger when we walk together, when we "see" each other.

How do you choose your papers?

 I love papers with fine, delicate designs because I cut or tear them into half inch pieces. I also use papers which take paints well. I usually highlight or shade my completed designs with paints, and papers that have a too glossy finish don't take paint well.

How long have you been making art? 

16 years.

Do you have any advice for people who want to try their hand at paper art?

Just start! If you don't like your initial design you can always cover it with different papers. Also, use a good quality adhesive- I use professional mediums such as Golden or Liquitex because they don't yellow over time.

The process:

Papers add a rich texture to your art and give it dimension.

First I buy papers. Sometimes, if I'm facilitating a project for a non-profit, and budget is an issue,  I'll paint some of my own papers and use a combination of painted and bought papers.  Papers are cut into small pieces.

I draw my designs, in this case, the design is of a group of women walking, surrounded by trees, with mountains in the background. The drawing is divided in to small sections, Mosaic like, and I choose which papers I want to put in the different sections and collage (glue) them to the canvas. Once they're glued down I'll add subtle high lights and shadows with acrylic paints, and then I'll varnish.

Linda Klippenstein is a local artist based in Abbotsford. You can follow Linda on instagram @lklip and visit her website at linda.klippenstein.ca.

Blog by Christine Wiebe

Gifts for the special peeps on your list!

You'll find the perfect gift for your friends, mom, sisters or lovers at Paper-Ya. (Ok ladies, we know you are going to be tempted to buy a little something for yourself! Thats okay, you're not alone!)

For youngsters, tweens, or kids at heart. Creativity, making and modeling gifts are always loved. And don't forget the stocking stuffers! Here are just a few ideas to give to those with busy hands.

Is it just us, or is it true that the guys are always hardest to buy for? We have chosen some of their favorites. It seems they like beer! And nature, and style and if all else fails, we have our new gift card!

You will always find something great for your coworkers who get you through the day. And don't forget that generous hostess who made your holiday season more special. 

And last but not least, making memories for the wee ones is the best part of Christmas.

We'll be open until 5pm on Christmas Eve (not that we're encouraging last minute shoppers, but we know how it goes sometimes).

Here's wishing you a safe and toasty-warm Christmas season — no matter how you celebrate it.

Christmas at Paper-Ya: A joy & delight!

Every year, at this time, we find ourselves immersed with heartfelt enthusiasm. We love decorating the store! Our store takes on a delightful feeling that we enjoy sharing with you. We all seem to have so much more fun, and why not, the world needs more fun these days. So let's get decorating!

For the foodie: big fat dill pickles, slices of pizza, hot dogs, and a burger make for a festive party in the kitchen or dinning room.

For the critter lover: and who does not love critters? Mantlepieces, table centerpieces, or the front door are all sweet spots for critters.

For the odd ball: eye balls of course! Hang on the car mirror...and keep smiling!

This is just a sneak peek of what's on our shelves now — Stayed tuned, we'll be posting more!