Woman Papercut – Sketch and Video

Sharing with you my latest papercut creation which took me an hour to sketch, 8 to cut, and another 8 to recover from a back ache. Seriously, though, cutting the tiny flowers turned out to be a very challenging process. In the end, I was pleased with how it turned out.

The Sketch

For the outline, I had to look for a head vector that I can follow as I’m not very good with proportions.

The flowers and leaves were all drawn by hand. They did not have to be perfect–as you can see above–but I made sure that all the parts are attached. That’s also the common thing among all my designs.

The Cutting Process

Below is a hyperlapsed video of me cutting the project.

 

The Papercut

Here’s the final artwork:

This piece is 8×10″ in size, cut from a single piece of water-resistant and acid-free paper.

So You Want to Join a Craft Fair…

You’ve mastered your craft and made enough items that you want to sell. Now what? Joining a craft fair for the first time can be intimidating–and, to be honest, I had to ask myself a hundred times if I was ready before I actually signed up for one. But there’s nothing more satisfying for a crafter than to have her items purchased and appreciated by others. The key here is to be prepared. Here are some things that may help you if you’re a fair rookie:

• Choose which event will best suit your craft. Some events purely showcase art works, some sell handmade wearables like accessories and clothes, while some may even have food booths in them. Study which fair will showcase your items the most and will be attended by your target market.

• Gather your materials. Your products are a given, but what else do you need? Make a list of equipment that you need for the event. I always make sure to create two lists: 1) Things to bring and, 2) Things to buy. Don’t forget to make a note of the little things you need like thumb tacks, frame holders, table cloth, non-skid mats and bubble wrap for fragile items, pen, paper, receipt booklet, scissors, etc. Most of all, never forget the bags to put your sold products in. It is also a good practice to take note of the booth inclusions offered by the organizer to avoid bringing unnecessary and bulky items. For instance, some will provide tables, while some will not — which leads us to the next item.

• Read the event guidelines. This should include the size of your booth, inclusions, and ingress and egress details. Your booth size will determine how your display will look. From that, everything else will follow. Some examples of booth inclusions are electricity, tables and chairs, racks, etc. The ingress and egress details will help you plan your schedule including the time you need to leave your house to set up your booth.

• Think of a fun gimmick to sell your items. Remember, you are just one of the many booths showcasing their products. You need to stand out–or at least be inviting enough for potential buyers. Aside from the aesthetics of your booth, think of quirky things you can offer like free gift wrapping for a minimum purchase, small freebies, discounts when they follow your social media page, etc. The list is endless. You just have to get creative.

For the specific event in the photo above, I added Christmas design elements since it was held in December. Candies were also for free!

• Do a mock set-up on the day before your event. Set everything up, table, table cover, the works. This will ensure that you do not forget a small detail. It will also help you pack things efficiently, i.e., the first items you need to unpack on the event day have to be the most accessible.

• Finally, have fun and relax! This is your first craft fair and it will always be a memorable moment. Take advantage of the opportunity to meet other makers, as well as create a bigger market for your products.

Good luck! 🙂

Papel de Pinay at FanFes Manila 2018

Papel de Pinay will be joining the first ever FanFes Manila on May 12 and 13, 2018 at the SMX Aura. For more information visit Cosplay.PH’s Facebook page.

See you there!

Papercutting Workshop – Show of Hands

I’m planning to hold another Papercutting Workshop in Makati this November. If interested, please leave your details (first name and email address) in the Comments section. Cheers!

Papercutting Workshop at Café Mithi

On April 22, Saturday, Papel de Pinay held its first workshop for 2017. There were 5 participants (who were all very creative, I must say) in attendance. As usual, workshop kits were distributed, and everyone enjoyed the sumptuous meals and drinks served by Café Mithi. 

Each participant applied their learnings during the final activity, where they made and framed their own papercut designs. 

Pretty impressive works for first-timers, yeah? 

It’s always a wonderful feeling to be able to impart one’s skill to another. It’s definitely a crafternoon to remember. 

LDR

What kind of woman is this that she looks gorgeous even as a papercut art? Hi, Lana del Rey. Life totally sided with you when everyone else asked for fairness. 

Papel de Pinay at Good Morning Pilipinas

March 17, 2017

People’s Television Network, Ch. 4

Thank You, 2016!

It’s the 28th of December — just 3 days short of it being 2017. I could’ve sworn I’ve just written a recap of 2015 in my blog, but hey, this year flew by like it had a mind of its own and no one could’ve stopped it if they tried.

Papel de Pinay had a late start in terms of kick-starting this year. The first craft fair I joined
for 2016 was at Estancia on March 19th. That was also my arm-knitted scarves’ debut. The following day, March 20th, I held a small papercutting workshop at Spectrum Lifestyle Store in Alabang. Spectrum was also where I had been a consignee since late last year. Unfortunately, the store ended its run in October. It was a good experience for me, though. It’s healthy to explore and take risks from time to time. 
Summer was the highlight of PdP’s year. April and May were all about exposure. LOL. Minimal exposure, yes, but who am I to be picky? In April, Maker’s Market collaborated with HGTV. An event filled with local and independent crafters was held at the Alabang Town Center on April 3rd. The place was packed mainly because the event was held in the atrium and a program with hosts was held late afternoon. The hosts took time to interview all makers — including myself 😉 — so the shoppers became more interested with the items for sale. I was told it was shown on HGTV, though I have yet to see it.

 

May came and I received a call from GMA-7 (a local TV network in the Philippines) inviting me to guest in an early morning show to showcase my items and teach the hosts some basic papercutting techniques. You could imagine my nerves then, especially that it was on live TV. Thankfully, I managed to calm my shaky hands and was able to move my lips when it was time to talk.

The craft fairs I joined in were spread throughout the year. Some of them were back-to-back events (I don’t encourage this if you want to have a life), and boy, was it tiring. Fulfilling, nonetheless. 🙂 It was also at a craft fair (my first 10a Alabama experience!) that I met Mai of Fake Alchemy through a common friend. This friend suggested that we do a collaboration of our works, thus, the birth of the handmade papercut glass pendants that we now both sell. Amazing how things come about, huh?

The third quarter of the year brought about my first ever radio guesting and my last papercutting workshop for the year. The radio guesting was at RX 93.1’s Heard on Thursdays show. I got to talk to Hazel and Raffy about my craft and experiences with papercutting.

It was also the perfect time to promote my then upcoming workshop in September, which by far is my biggest workshop to-date. I’m hoping for more of these next year. 🙂

Looking back, it makes me wonder how all of these happened considering the other things on my plate which kept me busy, too: a full-time job (including the wasted hours spent in traffic), my personal life, and a litter of puppies my family had to take care of since August (note: not an easy job!). But I guess, more than time management, cheesy as it may sound, it’s the people around me who made everything happen. I’m thankful for every single one of them. ❤

HAPPY NEW YEAR, FOLKS! Cheers to a more craft and love-filled 2017! 

Papercutting Workshop in Makati

You can now register by going to my Upcoming Workshops page. 10 to 15 slots only.

In this workshop, you will get to learn the basics of papercutting and some helpful tips and tricks. You will also get to take home a Papercutting Starter Kit, special paper for papercutting, and enjoy sumptuous treats from J.cuppacakes.

Register now! 🙂

Papel de Pinay at Unang Hirit, GMA 7