Paper Butterflies and Dots Confetti

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Walls Touched by Lavender

Lavender, in scent and color, is one of the most soothing things.

I like it in my tea, I like it in my Dagoba chocolate, and I really like it on my walls.

Check out these new hanging paper flowers a.k.a. wall art pieces - made on winter afternoons.

Add more aqua to your life...

Maybe it's the snow casting blue shadows outside, or the color of the sky today, but it has me thinking in happy bluish tints :)

When you need a few blue touches to your day...

I shamelessly suggest these from my shop :)

- Book Paper Flowers Pomander
- Aqua Paper Flower
- Paper Owl Wall Art Decoration
- Peacock Paper Flowers Bouquet

City Lights and LED Tea Lights

These are some of the Cambridge city lights coming into our place through the living room window... and also a single LED tea light in a paper flower holder.

Dragonflies in December

Yes,...dragonflies... what could be more Christmasy?
:)

Well, ok, maybe dragonflies don't spell Christmas, but these larger-than-life-size paper dragonflies were made to embellish creative gifts this holiday season.

Custom-made for a friend.

Winter Colors Bouquet

The colors for this paper flowers bouquet were drawn from the feathers of a peacock.

...brilliant blues...
   ...shades of purple...
...a dash of pink... and
    ...rich hues of gold
are tied together
by
soft tender pearls...


Handmade paper butterflies land on petals here and there.


Vintage buttons adorn the centers of flowers in original shapes.

I used designer print papers, card stock, paper that shimmers, paper that folds ever-so-beautifully, tissue paper, inked paper...

Flower stamps and inks in many colors add that extra touch.

Lavender silk ribbon.

Aqua satin ribbon.

See it in my shop here.

Yellow Paper Butterflies w/ Crystals

Newly hatched batch of paper butterflies :)

These we made especially for my friend Belinda.

Something Pretty on a Cold Day - Handmade Fabric Moths

Anyone who has visited my blog knows that I have a thing for handmade butterflies. I love to make them from paper, throw in a dash of glitter, a touch of ink, a crystal or a pearl or two, and use the little darlings on gift boxes, bouquets, pomanders, picture frames, floating around candles, and so on.

This morning, after my 1.5 mile walk to work in this freezing weather, I found something amazing that made me warm almost instantly. You know, the way only a spark of imagination and excitement can make you go from a sneezing snowman to a bright-cheeked creative person :)

Check it out!!!

These fabric moths were created by an artist who now lives in Lyon, France, that goes by the name of BlueTerracotta on Etsy.

I so love her sewn ornaments, owls, fish and mosaics.
Amazing...

Monarch Butterflies Landing on a Paper Flowers Pomander

This was created on a Sunday afternoon during a dull rain over Boston and Cambridge.

First I made the 20 paper roses from papers in shimmering pink, white, and designer prints. Thanks to my newly-purchased cat-eye inks, each rose petal gets its own definition and depth.

The white paper butterflies were added at the end. They are Monarchs, pretty as can be, and quite delicate.

This could be a gorgeous handmade decoration for a wedding, birthday party, garden party, or just a pretty something to cheer up a favorite room.

The whole thing measures about 5" in diameter, and for a limited time can be seen in my shop.

Etsy Finds - Calendars

Etsy is overflowing with beautiful calendars this time of year, so if you haven't found your perfect calendar for 2011 yet, it might be worth the search.

These are some of my favorites.

2011 Giclee calendar - Watercolor birds by joojoo.
Animal Portraits Calendar by papersparrow.
2011 Birdie Desk Calendar by joom.

Glimpse of New Paper Flower Shapes

... I got all my neat

little gift boxes ready,

and the paper flower toppers

to go with them, too...

Lights in December

As I go home after work, my train ride takes me through dark Massachusetts forrests, fields and mini-lakes.

In December, these rides happen in the dark.

As my train rushes through the cold night, sometimes the darkness is broken by a flash of Christmas lights outlining houses, porches and windows.

I see a random street drenched in yellow light here and there. Some car's headlights. Some inflated Snowman sitting in the yard.

I see them for a split second before they disappear behind.

Flash, and they're gone.

But sometimes it's all it takes to make you warm.

 
Art (from top to bottom): Field at Night by Harry Boardman; Night Lights in the North End by Hillary de la Bruere, and Sparkle and Dance by Irene Suchocki.

Paper Peony as Cake Topper

This paper peony is one in a series I made for a fellow Etsy artist. She will use these to decorate a baby shower "cake" constructed from baby clothes.

I love the idea of baby shower decorations made from baby-friendly materials. A while back, we sent a baby bunch bouquet to my sister-in-law in Graz the day she had her daughter. The flowers were made from baby clothes, with small buds here and there made from wood - for keepsake.

I can't wait to see what Jennifer will create with my paper flowers. Not to reveal too much, but I've seen some of her work, and it is quite lovely.

Stay tuned, updates will follow...

Making Paper Decorations and Paper Flowers Bouquets

Ever since I started creating paper pieces for my wedding, constructing individual flowers and butterflies that would one day become a part of something greater (like a paper flowers bouquet) has brought me many many hours of happiness.

I find it also brings me peace.

My wedding day came and went in a daze, but the joy of making something with my hands has stayed with me. Lately, I've been creating new and even more beautiful paper flowers for other weddings and baby showers.

Coming up with new shapes of flowers, new patterns, new petal forms has become more than a way to spend an afternoon at my home studio. I now know that those delicate wall flowers I've been making will go to very special people (Belinda and her daughter Lizzie), or that the paper flowers pomander that I created new peonies for will be enjoyed by Laura. Victoria will carry the paper flowers bouquet I made from designer paper (see below), while Lisa will hang my paper rose sphere somewhere in her home.

My paper decorations are not just things I do to relieve stress any more - they have lives of their own. And the people I'm making them for are not just people that shop through Etsy. They now have names and stories, and I'm so lucky to become a part of their big day, in a however small way.

Highlights from My Trip To Vienna

Vienna is magical this time of year. The Christkindlmarkt (Christmas Market) at Rathauspark is in full swing, and the snow that started falling last Saturday night turned our Austrian stay all the more delightful.

Graz was pretty awesome, too. Growing up in a small town and cobblestone streets in Macedonia, it was a great joy to visit Graz's pretty city squares designed just for pedestrians.

The cobblestones, which were repaved in my home town, are still at large in Austria.
What could be more charming? As you walk, each step has it's own melodic sound, especially if you walk on those high heels, terribly inadequate for long promenades :)

We found some great shops featuring handmade decoration pieces from independent artists, as well as always-stylish home accessories from Alessi (which are so hard to come by in the States). 

I just love the hanging branches and presents in this window display :)


Another thing I'll remember Austria by: Maroni - the roasted chestnuts sold at every street corner.

I could never resist chestnuts in any form, but these delicious treats, though a bit expensive (10 chestnuts for 2.5 EUR), were absolutely perfect - every time.

In the end, Austria was all about re-connecting, eating (Sachertorte, maroni, fabulous breads, and lots of meat) and drinking (spiced wine, and lots of alcoholic coffees like "faiton" with a shot of rum or "corretto" - espresso with a shot of grappa).

Birds Continued...

I've recently blogged about some beautiful bird creations by Etsy artists. Since then, I've come across more note-worthy pieces, which I've now decided to share with you.

Check them out:
- Birdie Gift Tags by Skinnylaminx
- Cut Out and Eep Card by Skinnylaminx
- New To This World by Freya Art