Brazilian design studio BrainBox Design Estrategico just won a bronze in the 5th Annual Festival of the Creation Club of Paraná for their fun brand identity package. Using recycled materials from a specialized paper company called Hörlle, the business cards are sturdy and beckon a DIY feel. The company’s cute but effective icon is an open head container of pencils to emphasize BrainBox’s belief that despite our technological age, the best ideas still start — you guessed it — the old-school way. Refreshingly true.

Photo from Aletp.com

Wedding invitations are often reflective of the type of affair they represent. Thick, glossy paper and gaudy gold trim, not to mention extravagant calligraphy are usually indicative of a stuffy affair. If you’re planning on getting married anytime soon and don’t want to go the traditional invitiation route, perhaps you’d be interested in some of the designs from Unless Someone Like You’s Etsy shop. Run by a 27-year-old mom out of Chicago, she specializes in creating custom poster invites using an illustrated photo of the couple. It’s a memento of love that, while maybe not traditional, is certainly enduring as a work of art. If wedding posters aren’t your thing, the shop also offers other beautifully illustrated invitation options that are worth every penny.

We fell in love with the original Speakerdog — Ben the Illustrator’s creation that starts out as a piece of standard letter paper and with a few folds, turns into an adorable puppy — and now, there’s even more to love. From postcards to vinyl toys, you can enjoy Spearkdog in a variety of mediums. Via a series of frameable posters, you can follow Speakerdog’s adventures as he travels the world. Or you can show off your support for the cartoonish canine with four button collections. And, if you really can’t live without having your best friend by you day and night, Ben is offering a line of softies which make it easier to take your puppy friend for a walk. Although, if you’re at this point, you may want to pull back on the Speakerdog reins. People are starting to talk.

Sometimes a Blue Mountain e-card of two squirrels hugging to a midi version of Love Will Keep Us Together doesn’t accurately express what’s in our heart. Zeichen Press, however, knows just how to make a Hallmark moment. Whether it’s the Valentine’s Day wish of “I hate you. I always have,” or expressing congratulations for a friend’s new arrival with “I’m glad you’re having a baby and I’m not,” the act of sending a paper card will always say more than a few impersonal clicks. (Unless, of course, it’s from somecards.)

To match their philosophy that yes, you can conquer the disarray of notes written on scrap paper spread all over your desk, in your bags and pockets (hello, that’s me), the brainiacs at Field Notes went on an organizing binge for the redesign of their site to include more information dispersed into different sections, including an updated blog that spotlights a vintage memo book, an Idea File area and links to publications obsessing over them. Field Notes caused quite a hubbub last year when they debuted their retro-looking notebook modeled after the practical format of old agricultural record books, which uses a graph-paper design. Until Thursday, you can get one three-pack of Field Notes for free if you order at least four with the code ONEGRATIS. Each pack comes ready for a flurry of productive note-taking with pen, pencil and other surprises they don’t reveal.

As promised, Information Architects just released the poster version of their super-sexy Web Trend Map 3. For $50 plus shipping, you can have your own map of Web 2.0 on your wall; for free, you can visit their site for downloadable versions appropriate for wallpaper and printing, as well as an interactive variant, updated daily.

There's nothing quite like unwrapping a present...the anticipation...the thrill of that first tear of gift paper...and ultimately the disappointment at receiving a pair of socks or a Wii Game you already have, proving once again that it is ultimately better to give than to receive. More proof that's it's better to wrap than unwrap can be seen in the line of gift paper from New York Based Giggle Designs. Their Giggle Wrap, being sold at the MoMA gift shops, add a certain beauty to the art of wrapping presents by covering the decorative paper in tourist photos and “memories that aspire to bring something more personal, inspiring and emotional to the act of giving gifts.” While you revel in the aesthetic joy of wrapping that certain surprise in a grass at the park design, a birthday cake, or spaghetti and meatballs, don't be surprised when your loved one rips open that lovely paper and recoils in horror at that Milli Vanilli CD you thought would be a funny birthday present. Even if the outside is beautiful, ultimately it's what's on the inside that counts. Girl, you know it's true.

There's a saying that goes, everything old is new again (or something like that). While we think that mostly has to do with bellbottoms and polyester jackets, we don't see how it can't apply to traditional items employed in religious rites of passage, too — in fact, we think it applies beautifully to the New Ketubahs by Tsilli Pines. The Israeli-American graphic designer and artist has put quite the refreshing spin on an ancient practice by creating a modern version for design minded folks who have a hard time finding something that fits their style in the way of the Jewish wedding documents traditionally used as a legal contract and more broadly as a statement of commitment between the bride and groom. Pines' creations are simple and elegant archival designs with parts that are sewn into the paper for that handcrafted touch, making for a marriage contract sweeter than honey and apples, or that glass of Manischewitz.

While your wall is no doubt adorned with many posters boasting all of the experiences you've held to be sonically pleasurable, we know they've been enjoyable to your auditory senses in different ways. However you could probably sum them up their representative artwork in one unifying exclamation…SWEET! The folks at the University of Maryland agree with your rock poster sentiments and thus are running an exhibit called Sweet: The Graphic Beauty of the Contemporary Rock Poster. The exhibition commences today and runs through March 29th. As a special opening day bonus the Sweet Booth, will feature several of the participating artists such as 33RPM Design, Patent Pending, Mike King, Strawberryluna, doing a meet and greet, displaying a mini-Flatstock, as well as selling rock posters, unique works of art, and clothing. If you do swing by, say hi to our friends at Hero Design Studio, printers of some of the sweetest posters around.

Trying to figure out if you're all set for your big Super Bowl party this Sunday? Alright, well lets run through the checklist: Chips? Check. Queso dip? Check. Big Screen HDTV and crystal clear sound system? Of course. Well, what about the Hi Definition Napkins. Huh? What? You heard us, Hi-Definition napkins. The guerrilla marketing geniuses at JI Worldwide have come up with Napkin 2.0, the next great marketing tool aimed at those who can't keep food on their plate or off their face. Their innovative new billboard displays crystal-clear visually stunning images on delicate tissue paper that's ideal for wiping that milk mustache off your upper lip with a “Got Milk?” ad. What's next, musical potato chips that play Mellencamp songs?

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and since your relationship dodged quite a bullet last year when you waited until the last minute so the sweet shop only had leftover Hannukah gelt, it would probably be a good idea to plan ahead this time around. First things first, you need a unique card to express the ultimate sentiment to your sweetie so she doesn't dump you like yesterday's trash. Luckily, we've got just the thing. San Francisco-based procurers of paper, cloth and home goodies,Chewing the Cud have created a set of adorable cards with witty puns for the lucky loved one who caught your eye the moment you were struck by cupid's arrow. What are you waiting for? Head over to Chewing the Cud's Etsy Shop and get your lucky love a card before it's too late...or maybe you should just consider buying your relationship a bulletproof vest.

Via Oh Joy!

Despite their recent embrace of Capitalist tendencies, the Chinese have yet to ditch their Commie reds in favor of monetary greens, proving that the old guard has not completely eroded. Much like the culture of the country they represent, Design Night's 2008 limited edition Year of the Rat Li Xi Envelopes are a mixture of old tradition and new ideas. This modern twist on the customary craft of the Chinese Red Envelope gives credence to the time honored institution of the Chinese New Year, but unlike other envelopes, which are printed, the Li Xi gift envelopes are entirely laser-cut and carefully hand-assembled. We love the Rats just as much as we loved the pigs last year. See, innovation and institution can co-exist.

Hugo and Joachim, the men behind Other Side of Silence and Anothercompany, respectively, just released a tiny booklet called “Thank You Too,” a business card-sized collection of appreciative comments. The idea behind “Thank You Too” is to give people the chance to offer a quiet nod of appreciation to people who make our day to day living a little bit easier; people like the ones who help you find a good book at the bookstore, or put extra whip cream on your hot chocolate without your asking. There’s even a card in the booklet that offers gratitude for a stranger’s hotness, which is my personal favorite, mainly because I have gotten like thirteen of them so far. If the idea of slipping cards into bags and across tables is too conspicuous for you, “Thank You Too” also comes in the form of postcards and a stamp (I like the idea of just walking by someone and laying a stamp on them; Hey, I want to say thanks! Bam!). Head here to start spreading the love.

UK designer Chrissie Macdonald combines set decoration, art, design, and a whole lot of paper in order to create her work for clients like New York Times Magazine and Dazed & Confused. Charming, detailed, and richly colored, Chrissie’s amazing compositions mix 3D objects with paper-doll-like paper images, resulting in a mix of dimensions that intriguingly combine reality and make believe. As a member of the UK’s super-talented collective, Peepshow, Chrissie probably has her work cut out (cut out — like with scissors — I’m funny) for her, so browse her work here, then try to imagine her work in the form of a family portrait over your fireplace. I have no idea if she does that kind of thing…I just think it would be a good way to make sure everyone’s smiling.

I could keep track of time in 2008 via the same old Cutest Baby Seals Ever! calendar route but — as unlikely as it initially seemed — something better has shown up. Noa’s calendar, the work of Helsinki’s Noa Bembibre, keeps track of the months’ passing with a refreshing take on text and graphics. At a little over 11 by 16 inches, the calendar offers itself up as a slightly larger than normal reminder of how old you’re getting, leaving you a bunch of white space to jot each month’s appropriate reminders and explicits. If weaning yourself off of baby animals is on your list of resolutions too, head here for this worthy replacement.