Free Springtime Pillow Box

Gingham and rickrack - they just say Springtime - fresh and cheery. Here's a peek-a-book pillow box, suitable for gifting small goodies in. A gift tag, too.

Here's your free papercraft printable:
GinghamPillowBox.pdf
GinghamFlowerPillowBox.studio3

The template is for the smaller size box. For the larger size, enlarge by 20%. 

To make:
1 Score the folds with a fine-point embossing tool. Pay special attention to the curves. Butt against a small metal ruler for the straight folds.

2 Crease the folds.

3 Cut a piece of clear cellophane using the cutting guide. Place double-sided tape all around the window aperture on the wrong side of the box. Apply the cellophane.

5 Join the long edge.

6 Pop up one side of the box and seal it. Insert contents. Seal remaining side.

7 Add optional gift tag if desired. (You will have to pierce or punch a hole in the uppermost marquise shape through which to pass the tag string.)

Enjoy your Spring Gingham.

Shakespearean Origami!

In a serendipitous coincidence, both Shakespeare – and  The British Origami Society – are celebrating milestone anniversaries this year (well last year for Shakespeare, but close enough). It is the British Origami Society’s 50^th. To commemorate the event, they have issued a delightful booklet of Origami Inspired by Shakespeare.

Within the pages of the booklet (compiled by Nick Robinson), you will find Yorick, Titania (Fairy), Dagger, Witches Cauldron, Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet, Shakespeare (another version), and Oberon. (I am not posting pics because I believe that they are member’s perks. Rest assured, they are all great fun.)

To celebrate the British Origami Society’s 50^th, the BOS50 convention will be held on Friday 1- Sunday 3 September, 2017 at the Crowne Plaza, Stratford –Upon-Avon (Shakespeare’s birthplace). The festivities include illustrious guests – big names in the origami world – Tomoko Fuse (modular origami), Giang Dinh, Robert Lang (physicist and origamist), and Paul Jackson (paper manipulation authority). There’s also a gala dinner.

I can heartily recommend joining the BOS – their fabulous magazine is worth the price of the subscription alone. It always illuminates and entertains. There are also regional groups that meet regularly, and twice yearly conventions.

Pretty Paper Party Baskets... on Craftsy

Spring is in the air... if you have a vivid imagination. I have just posted these cute party baskets up in Craftsy Paper Crafts Patterns ...for sale. The handle is built-in - so it is really quick to make. And I can make the printables up in the colour of your choice. :)

House of Cards, by Sarah Hamilton. Review.

House of Cards

By Sarah Hamilton

Pavilion Books 2017

Hardcover £14.99

ISBN 9781-1-919904-57-2

Star rating: ****

This  just in and I couldn’t wait to share – House of Cards – great title, great book. This is a compendium of step-by-step card designs from talented expert contributors. Very nice, you say – been there, done that? No. This book has a super angle. Its aim is to provide nitty gritty info so that you can become a successful commercial cardmaker – if you want to that is. If your goal is a personal creative outlet, you will find quality projects in a variety of craft techniques (silkscreen printing, decoupage, papercutting, linocut printing, collage, handstitched paper, digital illustration, textile foiling, and letterpress printing). A tempting mix, yes?

The author of the book, Sarah Hamilton, founded the Just a Card  Campaign in 2014, with the goal of helping to support indy artists and retailers, who find it so very difficult to stay afloat financially. Sarah Hamilton is an artist and designer with impressive credentials, having designed for Paperchase, The Conran Shop, and Habitat. Sarah has written a section on Finding Inspiration for the book, pro tips shared. 

The upfront section of the book is invaluable – and a delight. Here you will find a capsule history of the greeting card, tips on selling cards (including the “To Bag or Not to Bag” dilemma faced by all greeting card crafters), licensing designs, and a section on charity cards. Plenty of fascinating info to keep you informed and entertained.

Each project welcomes you into the designer’s studio – you learn what makes them tick. The project is then provided with photographic step-by-steps.

Not all of the projects are papercrafted – designer Kirsty Elson creates cards from found objects. This involves toolshop lite skills. Lucy Featherstone does handstitched card on paper – string art (as popular in the ‘70s), with a contemporary spin. Jessica Hogarth’s project is an intro to digital illustration – transforming your sketch into vector artwork (suitable for colouring). Papercutter Sarah Morpeth’s contribution is lovely woodland scene in “beak book” format – this is a dimensional card.

House of Cards is extremely giftable. Perhaps you know a crafter who is thinking of taking the leap into selling. Or perhaps you yourself deserve a treat...

Note: I was provided with a review copy of this title.

Love Mandala Valentine Card Liner

A bonus today - a card liner for yesterday's Love Mandala Valentine
The liner is just a smidge smaller than the card itself, so it will fit smartly with just a piece of d/s tape at the top.

Here's your card liner:
LoveMandalaCardLiner.pdf 
LoveMandalaCardLiner.svg  

Happy Valentine's Day! :) 

Love Mandala Valentine

Friday Freebie for you. Channelling the mandala trend - and inspired by the '60s exhibition at the V & A that I'm hoping to see - a retro hippie card. 

Here's your free Valentine:
LoveMandalaValentine.pdf 
LoveMandalaValentine.svg 

Have a great Valentine's Day.

Magic Milk Carton - now on Craftsy

This is a heads-up to let you know that I've just posted my Magic Milk Carton (Quad) for sale on Craftsy. It's an exploding box update - fun milk carton design in a pretty bandana print. Lift the lid - tah dah - four flip-top triangular mini-boxes. And... a bonus... there's a secret storage compartment in the "attic" of the lid.

I'm selling a PDF download, but I can supply .svg cutting files for all my Craftsy designs on request! :)

Yay! I'm on Craftsy

Yay! I am now selling my original printable papercrafts on Craftsy.
The designs are .pdf files (plus step-by-step instructions - so you will have to cut them out by hand (no outlet for digital designs - yet). 

I am selling my patterns as The Papercraft Trading Post - to differentiate them from my blog, The Papercraft Post. The patterns that I am selling have never been on my blog - they are all fresh and new.

The first two Craftsy patterns are suitable for Valentine's Day or all-year-round. There's a Tea-L-C Mug Hug Organizer and a Scandinavian Heart Ice Cream Cup.

I am a big advocate of the Craftsy website. Their courses are superb!

Soutache-inspired Gift Bag

I've been admiring a lot of soutache jewellery lately - flat braid, rolled like quilling and interspersed with beads. A form of passementerie. Love the scrolls, swirls, and squiggles.(Not that I'd actually wear it - but it looks great fun to make :) ) Like this:

(I have not read the above book,Elegant Soutache but I have been clocking it on Amazon - looks tasty, does it not?)

Back to today's project - a souctache-inspired gift bag, suitable for packaging Valentine's treasures. (Note inspired by - lots of swirls and arabesques - and beadlike circles.)

Here is your free gift bag:
SoutacheGiftBag1of2.pdf 
SoutacheGiftBag1of2.studio3 

SoutacheGiftBag2of2.pdf 
SoutacheGiftBag2of2.studio3 

There are two print-outs because you have to join two pieces to make
a big enough gift bag. Either use glue or double-sided tape to join the seams. The notches are there to indicate scoring lines. For best results, score the patten templates before cutting them out. Make sure you score around the side triangles. You must also cut a slit in the box base, a small rectangular hole in box side (this takes the closure tab, and you must cut around the semi-circular closure tab (in hot pink on the top flap) with a craft knife.

I make the bag out of 160gsm printer card - but you could also use plain copier paper.

The box design is sort of a milk carton cousin - an easy-close variation.
Quick to make, fun to give. Enjoy.