Summer Dressing

Today, instead of the traditional crafting I'm used to do, I decided to craft a summer outfit. Here is what it looks like:

It's something I'd wear for a morning at the farmer's market, lunch with the girls, an afternoon of thrifting for treasures, and shopping for craft supplies. Oh summer, I'm glad you've arrived!

Fancy Paper Cuts

I hope, like me, you're getting the hang of paper cutting.

I'm learning a lot from this book.

Today I'll teach you a type of layered fold called the quadruple fold. 

Using a square sheet of paper (this one is 5 inches by 5 inches), fold the paper in half so each end meets and forms a triangle.

Fold this in half.

And fold again a third time.

I drew a pattern based from the book.

Then I cut on the lines using scissors or an Xacto knife and unfolded the paper to reveal this star. TADA!

This other one is a wreath of autumn leaves. Aren't they pretty?

Now that we have learned the basics of paper cutting, we can be more experimental with types of paper like old envelopes or book pages. We can then turn these into greeting cards or party decorations. TADA!

Have a beautiful weekend, everyone!

A Paper Cutting Tutorial

Thanks for visiting today!

This week is all about paper cutting, the techniques of which come from this book.

After learning about the single fold and the double fold, let's learn about the layered fold. 

Start with a sheet of paper cut into a square. You can use origami paper or regular paper cut down to size. This one measures 5 inches by 5 inches.

Fold the paper in half and crease the center.

Fold again in half to make a smaller square; crease the folds.

Draw a pattern with a pencil.

Cut on the lines with precision scissors, then unfold.

This double layered fold produces a doily-like design.

Here's another one with flowers. TADA!

There's another technique of you come over tomorrow. See you then!

More Paper Cuts

I'm trying my hand at paper cutting!

I'm using this book to help me out.

Yesterday, we learned about the single fold that produces two images on a sheet of paper.

Today, let's try the double fold.

We'll start with a square sheet of paper. This one is 5 inches by 5 inches.

Fold vertically in half and make a crease.

 Unfold, then fold each side in half toward the center crease. 

 Reverse the direction of the centerfold.

Fold again and crease all the edges.

Draw on a design on the outer panel. 

Cut and unfold. TADA! -- four repeating designs!

Here's another version with a candelabra.

Please stop by tomorrow for a new technique! 

Project: Paper Cutting

Happy Monday! For Father's Day and Mother's Day, I tried my hand at paper cuts. It's a craft I want to explore further.  

At the library, I found the book Creative Paper Cutting. It's a compilation of projects by Japanese crafters like Mari Kumada and Hiromi Koike. They're pretty simple to follow.

To begin, here are some supplies we'll need: a self-healing mat, ruler, pencil, Xacto knife, sharp pointed scissors, and a stapler.

And of course, we'll need paper. 

All this week, I'll share with you the basic folds, starting with this one: the single accordion fold.

Trim the paper into a square. This one is 5 inches by 5 inches. Fold the paper in half vertically.

On one side, draw or trace your desired design (this is a pattern from the book).

Cut on the lines with a sharp pair of scissors.

Unfold to reveal a mirror image of the design. TADA!

Here are a few other designs that I tried. Easy, right?

Please drop by tomorrow for another paper cutting technique. Have a nice day!

Yo Daddy!

Happy Father's Day to all you dads! 

Have a wonderful day.

Gearing Up for Dad's Day

It's Father's Day this coming Sunday. Are you preparing something special for your dad? 

Like any good daughter, I made him a card.

I used paper, paint, punches and rubber stamps. TADA!

Inside, I wrote down the reasons why I'm grateful for him in my life.

To all the dads out there, may you feel loved everyday, especially on Sunday!

A Pink Carpet

And just like that, it's June. How did that happen? Summer officially starts in three weeks but before the season turns, I want to give an ode to spring.

Enjoying the cherry blossoms has always been a springtime ritual. I've used cherry blossoms as a muse for watercolor, card making, wreath assemblage, and gift wrapping. 

This time, I'm inspired by the pink carpet formed when the petals are blown away from the tree.

It's art by nature!

I'll try to capture this beauty with watercolor and collage.

A few shades of gray for the background.

A new sheet, this time in shades of pink.

When the paint dries, I cut out tiny petals.

Then I glue these on the paper that I painted gray. 

I made sure to form some full cherry blossoms as a hint on what the artwork is about.

TADA! My take on nature's pink carpet.

I wish you all a wonderful week ahead!

Coloring for Grown-ups

Hello everyone! Did you like coloring books as a child? Thick coloring books with a big box of crayons were one of my favorite things as a little girl.

Did you know that there are coloring books made especially for grown-ups? You can read about them right here and here. It's a pretty recent trend and there are even coloring book parties where adults can socialize and get in touch with their artsy side.

Who wouldn't want to do this activity that's both therapeutic and nostalgic?

I decided to try it out with these postcards. 

I chose an art nouveau theme.

Instead of crayons, I'm using ink.

The marker's fine tip helps fill in the thin details.

I like the repetitive pattern of this postcard. 

I used a combination of marker tips to add color.

The bold hues really stand out.

This garden scene felt more calm so I used colored pencils in pastel shades.

Yes, the leaves of my plants are blue! No rules here.

Blank pages that I transformed from blah to TADA!