Monday 4 April 2011

Playing With Paper

I could never make those chains of paper people growing up, I'd always concentrate on getting the folds right then somehow after the chopping I'd end up with a half a dozen sets of couples and have to get out the sellotape rather than unfurling a nice chain of hand holders!


It felt like a fairly momentous moment to turn out a little chain of hearts a couple of days ago, so I thought I'd take a picture or two for posterity, Mum will be proud!


I've been collecting old books, stamps, scraps of wrapping paper and old postcards for a while now as I much prefer to recycle than buy specific card embellishments, I've also been giving altered art a whirl - very much a beginner there though!  I made a couple of bookmarks I planned to give to the Mums this Mother's Day, but naturally, completely forgot to pack them in the parcels before posting.


The back view of the bookmarks - they're made from strips of cereal packet wrapped in leftover Paperchase wrapping paper, then a strip of text and some butterflies made from pages that fell out of an old book I have. 


The one thing I remember vaguely from Origami club at primary school is how to make these paper flowers - the mood struck after I'd finished the bookmarks and made a cup of tea so I cannibalised a couple more pages from the already dead book and tried to recall exactly how to do the folds.  


They're a little wonky and imperfect but I have the paper craft bug once again so I'll be fine tuning and experimenting with different papers in the next few weeks. 

Take care,
Jem xXx


23 comments :

  1. these are great makes Jem I love them!

    Bee happy x
    Have a delicious day!

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  2. Oh I love those book flowers, my stash of sheet music paper would be great for them. Do you fancy doing a tutorial or is it too complicated? I can make lillies out of paper, but that would be fiddly to show the steps on camera.

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  3. Oooh, i looove the paper flowers. I have a few old books that I use pages out of for different things, there's soemthing about old words on paper that I love. Em x

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  4. Look at you crafty little minx - love them all! Please do a tutorial on the flowers as Lakota asked as would love to give them a go. The bookmarks look amazing too. I couldnt do the people chains either, the hearts are super cute. Your out of your crafty funk now them - look at all these!! Scarlett x

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  5. Hi Jem!
    Oh wow ~ your paper flowers are gorgeous! Funny, I was really impressed with the paper hearts - teehee - really, I was. But these flowers are amazing.
    Have a great week.
    Hugs,
    Sabre'

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  6. oooh wow Jem, these flowers are so stunning and I love the bookmarks too-id love one!id be really interested in a tutorialto have a go myself.is there anything you don't have an eye for?lol.x

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  7. You have a beautiful blog and these origami flowers are just amazing!

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  8. Ooooh it's paper and it's pretty... I very much approve! xx

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  9. i could never do those chains of paper people growing up too! love the chains of paper hearts you made though!! I've never tried origami and now that I saw what you did and made those lovely paper flowers, i'm tempted!! they're not wonky at all! i think it's a marvelous idea to collect old books and stamps and scrap papers coz they do come in handy, i want to start collecting stamps too now! i'm sure the mums that you will give those lovely bookmarks are going to love them! xx Susan

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  10. Love all of the above, Jem! So talented xo

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  11. I love those flowers and hearts You going to give a tutorial at all? Hint hint. lol

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  12. Jem, those beautiful flowers don't look wonky to me at all...please show us how to make them... x and the hearts too

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  13. Jem,

    It's so great that you had an origami club at school-I can't even imagine having anything similar when I was in primary.Your flowers are so beautiful and I'm with the others in pleading for a lesson.

    Ann-Marie

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  14. Jem: These are beautiful. And you did a perfect job with them. Yes, please a tutorial.
    Thanks for following my blog from so far away.

    Laurie

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  15. Those flowers are AMAZING! I have some collections of stamps, postcards and paper scraps too... I totally understand! Your paper creations make me swoon! X

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  16. I can't believe you made that! It's incredible, and such delicate work. Also really pretty :)

    http://www.seren-dip-a-tea.blogspot.com/ Please follow me :D

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  17. I think altered art would welcome you with open arms! your creations are lovely...and I am sure your Mum would be proud :)

    I found you from FPTFY link~
    XXOO

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  18. jem, bardot in a bottle - what an incredible product that would be!

    love this post, i've just started a stamp collection : )

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  19. These are really great! I would love to do some of these. Thanks for linking up at I Made It! Monday at Ninth Street Notions. I can't wait to see what you have this next week!

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  20. these are wonderful paper flowers, the nicest I've seen. So so pretty! I was browsing through some other posts too and very much admiring your recent finds from the Salvation Army. Thank you for your very nice comment, made my day! :)

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  21. beautiful papercraft, I'm going to have a go at that heart chain right now with a till roll I got down the oppy the other day x

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