all things paper

Design and Make: Paper Jewellery - Book Giveaway

2012-02-27T08:55:00.002-05:00

Another giveaway so soon? Crazy, but true!

Sarah Kelly's paper jewellery caught my eye when I first began blogging... I posted about the striking laser cut necklaces, bracelets, brooches, and earrings she creates for her company, Saloukee. Since then I've been following Sarah's career with interest and was delighted to learn she was working on a collaborative book, Design and Make - Paper Jewellery. (Note: I'll be using the alternative spelling of jewelry throughout this post in deference to British Sarah :)

At last the book is available in the U.S. and having had the opportunity to thumb through it, Sarah definitely doesn't disappoint! I've enjoyed poring over the inspiring photos of avant-garde jewellery pieces created by paper artists from the UK, U.S., Spain, Thailand, Japan, Israel, Costa Rica, the Netherlands, China, Germany, Finland, Italy, Austria, Turkey, Belgium, and Australia.

Laser-cut Necklace by Sarah Kelly
Photographer: Gemma Dewson

Besides featuring a huge collection of feast-for-the-eyes images, the 128 page, softcover book presents techniques such as paper sculpting, molding, cutting and binding, crocheting, and encasing. Each chapter begins with step-by step instructions and accompanying photos as presented by one artist. The chapter's content is then followed by a gallery where high fashion, runway jewellery is shown alongside more modest, yet unique and completely wearable items.

Sugar Flower Brooch by Eiko Yoshida
Photographer: Lasse Johansson

For example, Sarah shows how to create geometric folds utilized in her origami jewellery designs and Paula Tew explains the art of stitching an exposed-spine binding using repurposed paper. There is also a helpful glossary of paper terms and a brief interview with each chapter artist at the conclusion of the book.

Obverse Bracelet, Saloukee (designed by Sarah Kelly)
Photographers: Jennifer Peel and Lucas Brodowicz
Model: Claire Pardoe

I was sent a copy of Design and Make - Paper Jewellery from publisher, A&C Black, for review purposes. The company has offered to send a copy to one lucky person worldwide.

To enter, just leave a comment on this post by Sunday, March 4. The winner will be selected by a random number generator, notified, and announced here, as well as on the All Things Paper Facebook page. Good luck!

Artichoke Favor - Imeon Design

2012-02-24T08:00:00.006-05:00

When I was a kid, a favorite food of mine was artichokes... no kidding!... and no doubt because of how much fun they are to eat. My sister and I would have the best time pulling off the leaves and dipping them in lemon butter. (hmm, maybe it was the lemon butter we liked most of all?)

When I first saw the stylish paper artichokes created by Noemi Hicks of Imeon Design, the memory of eating one came back in a pleasant rush.

Perhaps you've seen similarly constructed pinecone ornaments at holiday time. Noemi has literally turned the design upside down, transforming it into a place setting marker that doubles as a unique party favor. A guest can display it as is or switch the pin to the other end, add a ribbon, and hang the artichoke as a Christmas tree decoration.

Noemi credits a sister-in-law who believed she had talent and an eye for design as the reason for opening her shop, Imeon Design. She's drawn to clean lines and simplicity, no doubt influenced by her architect dad.

Have a lovely weekend everyone... btw, the I ♥ Stationery giveaway ends on Sunday. I hope you'll win!

Here are some Facebook Finds from the past week:

Josh Ritter's music video involves lots of construction paper
CocoDelay's clever new line of word pendants
Can a papermaker help to save civilization?
Quilling Texas-style
Make a book page rose to decorate a medallion

Quilling Inspiration - Rennie Mackintosh

2012-02-22T08:20:00.006-05:00

Recently I mentioned how much I admire the work of Scottish artist and architect Rennie Mackintosh and promised to share a little project I did that was inspired by him. Truth be told, this card is a representation of another person's work who was also inspired by Rennie. I'll explain...

A friend I met via an online cardmaking group visited from Scotland a few summers ago and brought me this glass clock that someone designed using Rennie's popular rose motif. I couldn't wait to recreate the strong lines with paper I had on hand... thus the colors aren't quite right and I should have made the quilled coils more angular, but still, I had fun making it. (Created only for my own personal enjoyment by the way - I would never-ever sell the design of another.)

It seems I'm far from alone in finding Mackintosh designs intriguing... a quick search will bring up any number of stained glass and even window and door companies that take inspiration from his influence on the Arts and Crafts movement. The spare elegance of Japanese design prompted Rennie to join this aesthetic with the Art Nouveau movement in the latter half of the 1800s/early 1900s. He was a master at effectively combining strong angles with floral curves.

Oh! I've been meaning to tell you that Blogger has a (new-to-me) feature where a Blogspot address (or even a domain name blog like this one) can be viewed magazine style. It shows the title of each post and the first photo/bit of text... rather handy if you're scanning quickly for a particular topic. It looks like this:
http://www.allthingspaper.net/view/magazine
All you have to add to the usual addy is /view/magazine. Nice!

I Heart Stationery - Book Giveaway

2012-02-20T08:40:00.009-05:00

The giveaway has ended. Scroll down to see who won!

If you're the type of person who enjoys perusing photos of beautiful paper goods while learning about the artistic techniques of designers around the world, I can pretty much guarantee the brand new book, I ♥ Stationery, will be right up your creative alley.

Block printing, letterpress, calligraphy, paper cutting, hand and digital illustration, and screen printing are introduced by author Charlotte Rivers in the compact, hardback book.

block printing

By Belinda - Los Angeles California

Terms and tools of each technique or process accompany inspiring examples of contemporary invitations, cards, notepaper, wrapping paper, calendars, journals, notebooks, and gift tags.

Tuesday Designs - Melbourne, Australia

Despite our living in the midst of the digital age - or perhaps because of it - more and more attention is being paid to unique stationery items that make it possible to communicate with a personal touch.

Field Guide Design - Kingston, New York

calligraphy

Campbell Raw Press - New York, New York

I was sent a copy of I ♥ Stationery from Universe/Rizzoli for review purposes and the company has offered to send a copy to two lucky commenters with a U.S. or Canada mailing address.

Ruby Wren Designs - Kettering, UK

To enter, just leave a comment on this post by Sunday, February 26. Winners will be selected by a random number generator, notified, and announced here, as well as on the All Things Paper Facebook page.

Credit: © I Heart Stationery by Charlotte Rivers, Universe, 2012.

Congratulations to the winners!

DellaLuna and LindaSonia were selected by random.org and they have been notified. Many thanks to all who took the time to enter. It's great to see so much enthusiasm for stationery - definite proof that communication isn't entirely digital at this point!

Stay tuned for another giveaway (worldwide) coming up very soon.

Clam Shell Book Sculpture

2012-02-17T09:00:00.009-05:00

Erica Ekrem binds beautiful journals using traditional hand tools and time-honored stitching methods. She studied graphic design in college and fell in love with bookbinding while taking it as a required course.

Erica matches pairs of butter clam shells she finds on the beaches of Orcas Island, Washington to use as journal covers. Pages of recycled, speckled paper are hand cut to fit the shape of the shells and linen thread coated with bees' wax is used for the stitching.

I might have a difficult time convincing myself to make marks on the pages, but can easily picture a clam shell sculpture gracing a bookshelf as an objet d'art.

Erica's shop, Odelae, is also on Facebook. Perhaps take a moment to see the variety of journals she makes from reclaimed materials... each one is unique and her photography is nothing short of stunning.

Facebook Finds this past week included:

Fresh life from wilted roses - mosaic paper
Huge paper-craft horse sculptures
A perfectly quilled cake
A new tower of Abraham Lincoln books in Washington, D.C.
Pretty paper cut greeting/video by Etsy's in-house artist, Nicole Licht
A backdrop of paper rosettes

Have a wonderful weekend!

MechaniCards

2012-02-15T08:50:00.002-05:00

Brad Litwin of Philadelphia creates miniature, hand-operated sculptures composed of paperboard that he calls MechaniCards. In addition to the paperboard, each card has wood, plastic, or metal elements that are integral to the movement.

Brad says he's always been fascinated by wheels, screws, and the relationships of moving parts... definitely evident in his well-engineered designs.

Brad's constructed models require little assembly, but for the diy enthusiast, each model is also available as a kit. You can see several of his sculptures in action...

If I had to pick a favorite, it's The Ambigulator (1:30 mark). With Valentine's Day still fresh in my mind, I'm thinking it would be a unique way to propose. :) By the way, Brad is also an avid musician and that's him providing the background music - quite a creative guy!

Tiny Fawn Collages

2012-02-13T08:45:00.000-05:00

I came across a few images of Darrah Dean Gooden's work via Creature Comforts, one of the prettiest blogs out there. Perhaps you read it too, but if not, I didn't want you to miss out on Darrah's captivating tissue paper collages that are reminiscent of origami.

Darrah, who has a BFA with an emphasis in painting, says the animals are inspired by colorful children's book illustrations. What I especially love is that as light and ethereal the images appear, each creature is grounded with the hint of a shadow, subtle perch, or touch of landscape.

Darrah first creates a collage on canvas which gives the colored tissue a nice texture, and then makes prints of the design on acid-free, ultra-bright white paper.

I can picture a little collection of Darrah's whimsical animals as nursery decor. That reminds me... remember the baby shower? I'm happy to report Emmy arrived safely and is oh-so-dear!

See more of Darrah's art at Etsy shop, Tiny Fawn, and her website.

Ticket Roll Teapot - Brian Jewett

2012-02-10T08:50:00.005-05:00

Artist Brian Jewett is drawn to alternative uses of ordinary materials. He created this whimsical teapot by shaping and sealing multiple rolls of tickets.

See additional beautifully sculpted pieces in Brian's Admit One repurposed ticket series here... there are interesting jars, bowls, and vases. He has also created lamps and baskets using unique items...cable ties, garden hoses, and vinyl tubes for example, along with a series of very cool film bowls. As you might have guessed, Brian has a manufacturing background - machinist, tool maker, and mechanical designer.

Brian was commissioned to create the Admit One teapot by Sonny & Gloria Kamm who have amassed an extraordinary collection of teapots since 1985. You might enjoy this Los Angeles Times article that describes the origin of the collection.

I was struck by Brian's creative process explanation: Even when I spend months working out a design I am happy with, I want the results to be simple and obvious. When someone sees my work for the first time I hope their reaction will be one of surprise and an instant understanding of the materials and process, something along the lines of: “Wow, of course, why didn’t I think of that?”

Facebook Finds from this past week:

Mini-eco's pixelated popup card
Carved Complexities: Works Cut From Paper exhibition
Printable Valentine fortune tellers
Paper cutter Mikito Ozeki in action - Pretty Neat
A gorgeous quilled (fondant) birthday cake

Quilled Valentine Card - Hearts and Flowers

2012-02-09T08:55:00.001-05:00

Just a very quick post today to share another Valentine idea. If you've been thinking of giving quilling a try, the design would be a good way to test the waters, so to speak, because it features just three different coils - the shaped heart, teardrop, and marquise.

You'll find the step-by-step tutorial on Craftzine.

New Quilled Designs from Natasha Molotkova

2012-02-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

You might recall that just last month we were introduced to the work of Natasha Molotkova. Recently she sent me images of her newest designs... each one is nothing short of fantastic.

This last design isn't brand new, but after Monday's post on cursive lettering, I can't help but feature the double-edged script Natasha used to create the word morning. Perfectly lovely!

I can picture a print of this piece as wall decor in coffee shops and kitchens, and I bet the inspirational gymnast would appeal to young athletes in the form of a bedroom or dorm room poster. By the way, all of Natasha's quilling is done by hand, not digitally.

See more of her designs at PaperGraphic.

Quilled Valentine - Cursive Lettering Tips

2012-02-06T08:30:00.011-05:00

We've been seeing a good bit of on-edge paper lettering in recent months and it's refreshing to watch this new trend develop. Box-style printing is popular, but I began wondering if cursive script would be easier.

Because there are no sharply angled corners, the word can be divided into sections instead of shaping each letter individually. I made the loops of the l and o as one unit, and the v and e are another. Lastly I added a tail to the l and a flourish on the e. Whoops, the top of the e looks a little downcast... let me level it out:

Here are some thoughts I jotted down while in the lettering zone - hope you'll find them useful:

1. Lightweight cardstock is ideal for on-edge letters, but because I have more colors of quilling paper than card, I usually use that. Any brand will do provided two strips are glued together to double the strength. The extra thickness, plus glue, makes the paper strong enough to stand on edge. Another option is to use the strips of quilling paper sold in tubes at Michaels as they're a quite a bit heavier than true quilling paper.

2. To glue two strips together, spread glue down the length of one strip with your fingertips. When the strip is thoroughly coated, place the second strip on top. Gently wipe away any glue that seeps out along the edges by running a damp cloth down the strip a few times. Set the strip aside and don't even think about rolling it until the glue has dried completely. Trust me on that; the paper will just buckle if it's damp. Major frustration ensues!

3. If cutting your own strips from a sheet of paper or cardstock, it's important to slice with the grain so the coils roll smoothly. You may need to roll a strip cut from each direction of the sheet to determine which way the grain runs; usually it's the length. (hmm, that doesn't sound clear; try it and I think you'll see what I mean.)

4. Sketch the design of your letters, or find a font online and print out the word in whatever size you like. You can shape your letters right on top of the pattern.

5. To curve the letters, run the strip along the side of your needle tool (or round toothpick, paper piercing tool, stiff wire - whatever you have on hand) as if you were curling paper ribbon.

6. When the letters are ready to be placed on the background paper, spread a thin layer of glue on a non-stick surface. I use a Styrofoam tray or the lid of a plastic container. Holding the letter(s) with tweezers, touch the underside to the glue and place the letters directly on the paper. Try not to slide them into place, as this will leave a snail trail of glue. Even though glue dries clear, the shine will be obvious.

This last photo shows the corner strips shortened to perhaps give the design more of a Rennie Mackintosh squares effect... though after I did that, I liked the original way better, sigh. I'll have another quilled Rennie-inspired card coming up soon... am a bit obsessed with his work at the moment. There's another script idea coming up later in the week too, so stay tuned.

Paper Maché Wavy Bowl

2012-02-03T09:45:00.006-05:00

Paper maché wears a variety of faces depending on whose hands have done the creating. Yamarilet Pacheco of etco shapes vessels that are obviously handmade, yet beautifully refined - not an easy look to achieve.

Born and raised in Venezuela, Yamarilet lives in New Orleans. She began working with paper maché a few years ago, and soon became passionate about the technique. Her process requires the layering of thin strips of recycled paper to give the bowls a lightly textured surface; each one takes many hours to complete.

Always the fan of a metallic glow, I like the way Yamarilet brings elegant sophistication to her designs by hand leafing the interiors with copper, silver, or gold. She's also a talented jewelry designer.

etco is on Facebook.

All Things Paper Facebook links:

Try your hand at book folding
The brand new Scissor Mouse sounds fantastic for cutting paper strips accurately
Cardboard fashions from Christian Tagliavini
Jeremy Kool's digital origami animals are pretty sensational
Framed word art you create yourself could be the perfect Valentine's Day gift
Beautiful origami architecture by Yee
MooDoo's laminated paper lamp features a folded heart. I can't imagine how the curved lines are created.

As always, thanks for all of the insightful comments this past week. Enjoy the weekend!

Welcome February Advertisers

2012-02-01T08:40:00.006-05:00

Am I the only one who thinks January flew by especially quickly? Here it is a brand new month and time to introduce you to three beautiful shops!

Garnish has gathered a stylish collection of packaging items that come in handy for so many occasions - Valentine's Day school treats and Super Bowl parties, just to get you started.

Garnish is where you'll find those pretty paper straws, corrugated cups, clear acetate boxes, and bamboo paper cones we see on gorgeous food blogs, but wonder where on earth to buy them.

Find lots of clever and affordable ideas on the Garnish blog. The company is also on Facebook.

Sara Tejada's passion for her business, Inkprint Letterpress, had me at hello... and that was even before I read this most interesting article that describes her introduction and attraction to letterpress printing.

Sara, a graphic designer, loves the antique press she's nicknamed Bertha. She uses it to create sophisticated, but approachable designs for wedding invitations, birth announcements, party invitations... any special occasion. In her shop, Sara sells cards and tags that have been pressed in her classy and colorful style.

Sara blogs and is on Facebook.

Melina Szapiro of Etsy shop Palomaria uses cold porcelain and paper clay to make lovely medallions, charms, and beads. She embosses each eco-friendly piece by hand using letterpress metal plates, paints it with acrylics, and finally adds water-based sealant as a durable coating.

Melina welcomes custom orders, whether you are looking for a personalized name necklace or very special gifts for bridesmaids.

Keep up-to-date with Melina's latest creations via her enjoyable blog.

Tissue Series - Lisa Nilsson

2012-01-30T09:00:00.003-05:00

Before the internet, most of us didn't know anyone else who quilled... now it's a breeze to chat with, and learn from, many others on a daily basis. A few weeks ago a quilling friend from far away Romania sent me the link to an interview with Lisa Nilsson, a Rhode Island School of Design graduate who lives right here in the northeastern U.S. Lisa's Tissue Series was exhibited last summer at a Massachusetts gallery, and featured quilled human anatomy cross sections displayed in silk covered, wooden boxes she made by hand.

head profile - detail

I wrote to Lisa to ask if she would share her thoughts on quilling and the process.

I had been aware of quilling growing up in the 70s, but hadn't considered it as part of my art making vocabulary until seeing a religious reliquary in an antique store. The first small quilled pieces I made were included in some box-type assemblages I had been making.

head - cross section

My interest in quilling is mainly in its compatibility with what I see in anatomical cross sections. There is a strong thread of interest in the intricate, time-consuming, and the detailed in my art making, but I make periodic shifts in materials and techniques. The last piece I made was of a cross section of praying hands... I like the idea of recognizable gestures as an area to explore.

head - detail

What is your tool of choice for quilling?

head and upper torso - profile

I'll use anything close to hand that gets the job done - pins, needles, dowels, drill bits. I have a bona fide quilling tool, but often I don't like the little initiating crimp it makes in the paper, so I usually opt for a pin or needle.

thorax - cross section

I've been experimenting with some of my husband's 8mm film editing stuff (not entirely satisfactorily) to roll some of the shapes that start with a very long - twenty feet or so- strip (I glue together smaller strips) that is loosely rolled, then folded in on itself. (Makes a great shape for brain tissue!)

thorax - detail

I have a burnishing tool that was made either for dentistry or for press type that is fabulous for pressing small pieces against other pieces that are already in place, much in the way you'd use the surface of your fingernail - though more precisely. Bone folders used for book making often come in handy too.

abdomen - cross section

I like to work with Japanese mulberry paper for its strength, flexibility, and the colors available, but that means cutting the strips myself.

The attention to detail in Lisa's work is quite incredible, and I like that she also uses gilded paper cut from the edges of book pages, just as the earliest quillers did.

abdomen - detail

Some of you may recall the anatomical series Sarah Yakawonis quilled that was featured here last year. A coincidence that Lisa has created a similarly themed collection? I find it unlikely that any artist would invest hundreds of hours on such an enormous project with the intention of stepping into the limelight of another. Just a few days ago, maker/blogger Pam Harris perceptively showed that through the ages, humans have often conceived of similar ideas independently. Her post brings clarity to the issue that comes up frequently now that images are so readily shared online.

Photography credit: John Polak

Book Sculpture Valentines

2012-01-27T08:45:00.004-05:00

You might remember the captivating birds that book sculptor and photographer, Bronia Sawyer, created from cut and folded pages. They went on to a gallery in Beverly Hills after being noticed here - not too shabby! Her newest work is a Valentine-themed collection for the windows of Waterstones Booksellers in Solihull, England.

Bronia and I stay in touch across the ocean via Twitter (@BroniaSawyer). She's currently preparing pieces for a gallery in Belgium, the Heart Gallery in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, and the Solihull Art Complex. There's also an upcoming exhibition in Leamington Spa, England with her brother who paints, and she's planning another stop motion film in the style of the short animation on her website. Busy gal!

And yes, Fab Friday is supposed to be just one photo that especially caught my eye during the week, but I simply couldn't decide... each is romantic and alluring.

All Things Paper Facebook links this past week included:

Siba Sihabi's latest work, Istanbul Twilight, is rolled felt instead of rolled wallpaper, but equally stunning.

You might recall the fab paper couture of Lia Griffith. Lia shared templates and instructions for making realistic paper roses.

These sparkly jewel cardboard rings look like fun and what a clever name, Tiphony, ha!

Lastly, the folks at the lovely paper goods shop and blog, Omiyage, kindly featured a roundup of my Valentine tutorials.

Enjoy the weekend!

Baby Shower Decorations

2012-01-25T09:20:00.008-05:00

I've been happily anticipating this post for quite a few months... ever since learning that a couple I know are expecting a baby girl on Valentine's Day. How perfect is that?! A shower for them and little Miss Emersyn-to-be, a.k.a. Emmy, was held recently, and of course I wanted to get involved with paper-y goodness when it came to the decorations. Here's a close up of one of the bunting letters to get things started...

Cecelia Louie, whose name might be familiar to you via her fab paper quilling, is also a die cut designer. I showed her a photo on Kiss and Punch of a bunting I liked... Cecelia ran with the idea, creating this beautiful garland. I'm so glad it will live on as decor in the baby's nursery too.

And ever since I first laid eyes on her adorable baby animal die cut favor boxes, I knew they would be perfect for the shower too. Bright and fruity had been selected as the color theme, so Cecelia rounded up cardstock shades in raspberry, lemon, and lime. Look how cute the boxes are all lined up, awaiting the guests. Animals on parade... just as sweet as the treats inside!

While we're talking babies and nurseries, Anais of Etsy shop Galerie Anais in France creates paper collages that feature all sorts of adorable and on-trend images such as birds, owls, and curly branched trees. She then turns the collages into paper or canvas prints. I had given a pair to the parents-to-be for Christmas that are already hanging in Emmy's room.

Here are a couple more party pics because we all like to peek at buffet tables, right? Guess how many {paper} diapers were in the centerpiece...

(The strawberry cupcakes were delicious.)

The answer is 73. Newborn-size diapers are so very tiny - I'd forgotten!

Paper Garments - Julie VonDerVellen

2012-01-23T09:30:00.002-05:00

Lest you think this site has suddenly turned into a fashion blog, let me assure you that everything you see here today is composed of paper... handmade paper fashioned into garment replicas by Julie VonDerVellen.

Julie created extraordinary collections titled Memoir Ensemble and Recollection-Tailored Narratives while in graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (MFA, 2010), adeptly weaving the storyline of each article of clothing into its very fabric.

She explains, Significant moments — personal stories and those of friends and families — are interwoven into handmade paper crafted from recycled cotton clothing.

I can recall exactly what I wore in each moment. My closet overflows with memories. Whether I remember the situation first, then visualize myself in the clothing I wore – or if I glance at the clothes, then place myself back into the situation – the garment tells the story.

The pieces are developed from journal entries, then designed with expressive typography and stitch patterns that reflect the tone of the story.

Julie has perceptively keyed in on something most of us can relate to. I know I have vivid "first" memories of certain articles of clothing... favorite suede shoes (oh how I wanted to keep them looking out-of-the-box new that first day of fourth grade), the first day on the job in a crisp nurse's uniform - anxious, but excited - and the sleek, black dress I borrowed from my sister the night I met my future husband.

Do you have a special clothing memory?

Visit Julie's website to see many more incredible garments and to read the intriguing narrative that accompanies each one.

Quilled 2012

2012-01-20T08:50:00.002-05:00

You might remember a gracefully quilled alphabet that sailed around the internet not long ago. It was made by Sabeena Karnik of Mumbai, who recently posted this beauty on her Behance page. Sabeena, a graphic artist, illustrator, and calligrapher, does mighty fierce paper cuttings as well, so don't miss those.

Hey, it's still January... let the New Year celebrations continue!

All Things Paper Facebook links this past week included:

Pretty book page teacups
Beautiful collection of repurposed books
Gigantic flowers
The Crimson Poppy makes it to the Golden Globes and Oscars!
Gorgeous rolled paper textiles
Little paper cubes

Remember, the giveaway for three copies of the new book Quilled Birds, Bugs & Butterflies ends this Sunday, January 22.

Have a great weekend! I'm already looking forward to seeing you again on Monday.

Silk Ribbon Embroidery by bstudio

2012-01-18T08:15:00.003-05:00

Brenda Kee's silk ribbon embroidery stopped me in my tracks as I scouted around the interwebs while Christmas shopping. bstudio is the newest sponsor here on the blog, and I'm delighted to have the opportunity to introduce her elegant greeting cards, pillows, jewelry, sachets, and wedding items to you.

I love the way Brenda's shop is arranged by color. With Valentine's Day on the horizon, you'll easily find all sorts of pink and red lovelies to give as little gifts.

It's probably safe to say silk ribbon embroidery is something that appeals to those of us who love fine handwork, whether it's done with paper or fabric. I admire Brenda for modernizing the art with her stylish designs.... this French knot ombré brooch on dupioni silk, for example - wow!

Originally Brenda was a commercial interior designer in Toronto, Canada, but now she and her husband live in the countryside where she appreciates every moment of her artisan lifestyle, a joy that's reflected in the beauty of her nature-inspired creations.

My mind is already turning toward spring, summer, and the great outdoors... and warm thoughts intensified when I spotted bstudio's dear nest ring, birch tree pillow, and honeybee necklace!

Brenda is offering a coupon code exclusively for All Things Paper readers to use from January 18th until January 31st. The code is 'BEMINE10' for 10% off any bstudio order before shipping.

bstudio is also on Facebook.

A couple of other things:

If you clicked on the links in Monday's giveaway post to order Elizabeth Moad's new quilling book and found it out of stock, fear not! Retailers should be restocked very soon as Elizabeth emailed to say she has already delivered cartons of books to the wholesaler.

If you would like to learn more about SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and why it should be important to all of us and needs to be stopped, Copyblogger and Google explain it well.

Quilled Birds, Bugs & Butterflies - Book Giveaway

2012-01-16T09:15:00.007-05:00

***The giveaway has ended. Scroll down to see who won!***

I'm delighted to announce a brand new book from popular paper crafter and quilling book author, Elizabeth Moad.

Her latest self-published title, Quilled Birds, Bugs & Butterflies, is perfect for quilling newbies or those who appreciate having loads of cute and clever card making ideas at their fingertips. It features sixty card and tag designs, along with excellent instructions and practical tips.

The step-by-step photographs are delightfully clear and easy to follow, not to mention the inspiring projects are beautifully styled. Elizabeth offers sentiment suggestions too, so helpful if you find yourself hung up on just the right wording.

Quilled Birds, Bugs & Butterflies is available from the Book Depository (free shipping worldwide and they accept PayPal), Elizabeth's online shop via her website, and Amazon merchants.

She sent the book to me for review purposes and has offered to send an autographed copy to three people with a U.S., Canada, or UK mailing address. To enter, just leave a comment by Sunday, January 22. Winners will be selected by a random number generator and announced on this post and on the All Things Paper Facebook page. Good luck!

Edited to say: I understand from comments and Facebook messages that the book appears to be sold out. Rest assured it isn't! Retailers should be restocked very soon as Elizabeth emailed me to say she has already delivered cartons of books to the wholesaler.

Congratulations to the winners!

The names were selected by random.org and the winners have been notified. Elizabeth will personally be sending out the copies. Thanks to all who entered.

Lenoria: I would love to win this book! I tried quilling several years ago but gave up and have only started back within the past 6 months or so and am loving it. I would love to win this book, thanks for the opportunity.

Meg@MegaCrafty: Those cards are really cute! I'd love to win a copy thanks for the great giveaway :)

Cindy: Love the ladybugs and bumblebees! Looks like a great book!

Nathalie Boutté - Collage

2012-01-13T09:00:00.005-05:00

Nathalie Boutté, a paper artist from Montreuil, France, cuts and gently layers paper strips with astonishing results. Her newest work is an emotional rendition of a beloved photograph of Nathalie's grandfather with her sister.

2011 Nathalie Boutté, Remember. Cut paper, 86 cm x 60 cm

Originally the piece was to be titled "The Little Music of the Memories" as the picture reminds her of Simon and Garfunkel song lyrics...

"Long ago it must be
I have a photograph
Preserve your memories
They're all that's left of you"

Bookends

Nathalie chose a music dictionary from which to extract the text, and the other is a very thick white paper she enjoys using. The piece appears dreamlike at a distance, but pixelated when seen close at hand.

It fascinates me that Natalie is able to convey likenesses, even age and small details - perhaps I spy eyeglasses and a mustache - with simple snips of paper. How many times must she step away to get a better view of her work?

Visit Nathalie's website and blog where you'll find collages composed of tissue paper, novel pages, and vibrantly inked tracing paper.

Facebook links this past week included:

A bookish video that's a joy to watch
Sephora holiday decorations: behind the scenes
Make a colorful polyhedra garland or a gerbera daisy ring
Smock Paper letterpress calendar giveaway (20 winners!)

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

PaperGraphic - Natasha Molotkova

2012-01-11T09:40:00.007-05:00

Because quilled lettering is such a frequent search term here at ATP, I'm pretty certain lots of you will enjoy seeing the perfectly executed designs of Natasha Molotkova.

While browsing Pinterest, my eyes were drawn to detailed paper typography ... Yulia Brodskaya's work, perhaps? No, it was an eye-catching piece created by Natasha.

Originally from the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, she was drawn to quilling after stumbling upon the art at university in England, (she's a recent graduate of a joint program of the University of Worcester and Worcester College of Technology) and remembers thinking how interesting it was.

I asked Natasha to tell us about herself and her interest in quilling.

"I studied fine arts in Russia and worked in the graphics department of a national newspaper. My degree program in England focused on fashion, textiles, and clothing construction, as well as a large element of general surface design. I was immediately taken by it (embroidery, felting, fabric printing, paper making, etc.) and especially surface design as applied to paper. I was curious if quilling could be combined with methods from traditional painting and drawing."

"I was inspired by the work of Yulia Brodskaya - isn't everybody? - and I practiced until I could produce work of a similar standard. I sketch the designs first, and then cut my own quilling strips and/or produce my own paper before applying these to the sketch. All of my quilling is done using a traditional approach."

Natasha has already put her education to use by forming her own company, PaperGraphic, which is based in Worcestershire. She provides original artwork, but is also adept at taking an existing concept - a company logo, for example - and using it to create a dimensional quilled or "PaperGraphic" display.

Quilled Ketubah

2012-01-09T09:30:00.005-05:00

This past fall I quilled a Jewish/interfaith marriage ketubah for a couple whose wedding took place in early December. The bride and I worked our way through the enjoyable steps of planning the design and selecting paper colors throughout the summer months.

The design was my interpretation of a monogram that Texas calligrapher Tara Jones created for the couple's wedding stationery. Tara lettered the warm white ketubah in a flowing, modern script.

The wedding color palette was smoke gray and pale blue, so I used two shades of gray quilling paper - actually silver and charcoal - along with blue-gray.

The 22" x 30" ketubah was signed at the wedding, and will be framed and placed on display in the couple's home to remind them daily of their vows and responsibilities to one another.

Best wishes to Amber and Jeff!

Wallpockets

2012-01-06T09:45:00.002-05:00

There's something about a new year that makes me want to organize and put away. You too? I'm thinking these cardboard-yet-classy Wallpockets would make straightening up even more satisfying.

While hiding away all sorts of small objects, the recycled cardboard pentagons double as modern art. Cleverly designed by Tim Karoleff for Ampersand.

Links I've posted on Facebook this past week included:

Round up of Anthropologie window and in-store displays
Yulia-quilled photoshoot (via Molly Smith)
Bergdorf Goodman holiday windows
Interesting way to add quilling to a fringed border

Remember, the giveaway for two packages of Box-Envelopes, perfect for mailing dimensional cards, ends this Sunday, January 8.

Enjoy the weekend!

Screen Printing and Paper Cutting with Retro Flair

2012-01-04T09:15:00.006-05:00

While perusing the internet for Christmas gifts, I stumbled upon Etsy's Vitamini, which happens to be one of the most perfect plays on a word ever. You see, it's a shop filled with a cohesive array of hand screen printed paper and fabric products that all relate to the adorable Mini Cooper car. Because someone on my gift list is a proud Mini owner, I had a good feeling that whatever I chose would be akin to the Holy Grail. Score!

Vitamini's owner, Casey Starks of California, is a landscape architect with a passion for crafting and decorating in her spare time. She admits she's been enamored by Mini Coopers ever since she was a little girl and could stand up in her uncle's tiny car, pretending it was an apartment. When Casey purchased her own Mini, she was inspired to create screen printed designs that would appeal to other Mini Cooper owners.

If you're like me... rather hazy on how to actually do screen printing, Wikipedia offers lots of information. I asked Casey to tell us how she got started and what's involved.

"I grew up doing tons of arts and crafts and have always been interested in learning new techniques. My mom did some screen printing in college and when she described it to me, it seemed like it would be right up my crafting alley. In January, 2008 I bought a simple Speedball screen printing kit on ebay and just jumped in!"

"I had no idea what I was doing, but through a bit of trial and error, I quickly got the hang of it. Once I got started I wanted to print on everything in sight. I was hooked! The process that goes into preparing a screen, from stretching the fabric, to coating the screen and exposing the design, makes the finished print that much more special. Maybe because so many things can go wrong along the way! Sometimes things work out perfectly and other times they don't, but I enjoy the challenge."

Casey has another shop too... this one is vitaMODERN, where all of the hand screen printed items reflect her admiration for mid-century design. Think retro and Mad Men.

VitaMODERN is where I discovered Casey is also a talented paper cutter. This screen printed tea towel, for instance, features one of her original cuttings.

I spent an enjoyable portion of New Year's Day reading Casey's Vitamini Handmade blog all the way back to the beginning - it's not often I do something like that! Well worth the time, as I came across her excellent how-to on paper cutting for beginners. She's planning a similar one for screen printing.

Vitamini is also on Facebook and Twitter.

A giveaway for two packages of Box-Envelopes, perfect for mailing dimensional cards, is on 'til this Sunday, January 8. If you've been having difficulty leaving a comment, try using the Anonymous option and include your name and contact info within your comment.