Print-It Pleat-It Zinnia

More dimensional - offset graduated layers!

I'm thinking flowers (it's the Chelsea Flower Show) - but mine are papercrafted - and pleated. This pretty zinnia is pleated from a strip of paper. The printed design indicates how to fold it. 

The flower head and leaves are attached to a cake pop stick. You can embellish a cake or cupcake with a flower - or you can camouflage a lollipop (sweet for goody bags).

Here are your free print-and-cut templates:
Print-ItPleat-ItZinna.svg 
Print-ItPleat-ItZinnia.pdf 

I print my flowers on 160gsm photocopier card, but you can also use lighter weight printer paper. When you crease the folds, the flower head folds into shape. Swirl the flower into a circle, tucking the tabs over on the front. Secure the flower on the back with a snippet of adhesive mailing label (that is also how to attach the flower head to the cake pop stick). The leaves slide in place through the self-loop.

For a more 3-D effect, cut graduated layers and offset them.

Enjoy printing and pleating your flowers!
 

Precious Paper, by Bianca Capello. Review.

Precious Paper: Paper Jewellery Design

By Bianca Capello

Skira Editore, March 2018

Hardcover, 32 pages (Dual language: English-Italian), £22.50

ISBN: 978-88-572-3529-5

This unique publication is sponsored by Comieco, a body that advocates the recycling of paper products). It contains 21 die-cut and ready-to-assemble designer jewellery creations, fashioned from environmentally-friendly card in a range of rich, jewel-like colours.The die-cuts come in a folder attached to the book’s front cover. 

There are designs for necklaces, bracelets, the exquisite tiara gracing the cover, plus a delightful paper figurine that perches on a bookshelf. Each jewellery design is accompanied by a beauty shot of the project and an author-bio – so you learn each designer’s background and what makes them tick. Further info on each piece is available via scanning a QR code. 

By making the pieces you will learn about paper manipulation techniques.Much fun is to be had with eco-concious papercrafting.

Upfront, there is a concise – and extremely scholarly – history of paper in general, plus a history of paper jewellery specifically. Lots of fascinating facts – and papercraft greats are name-checked. 

 Designed by Caterina Crepax, (c) Skira Editore 2018.

The delightful fashionable figure above is meant to be an unconventional

bracelet when coiled around your wrist. When folded, it can perch whimsically  on a bookshelf.

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