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! 

2014 Can Only be Better

For most of us, particularly here in the Philippines, 2013 has been a rough year. This was the year that brought us face-to-face with the most devastating tragedy as of yet — the destruction brought about by typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan). The entire country is still coping, and it might take a while before we can actually get back on our feet. But while some may think that 2013 has been nothing but good, I beg to disagree. This has also been a year of good-naturedness, generosity and camarederie. All of these we witnessed when nations came together and put disputes aside to help those affected by the typhoon. Their acts of kindness, whether small or big, are treasured and we’ll be forever grateful for them.

As 2014 unfolds, we can only wish for better things for us. We have proven the world that we remained strong in the aftermath of the storm, it’s now time to prove to ourselves that we can go back to what we’ve once been — or better yet, be a better version of ourselves.

With that, I wish all of you a ridiculously amazing 2014!

Love,
Wendy 😉

The Moon and the Stars

I’ve been locked up in my room all day today. Being a Saturday and the start of a long weekend, I had the liberty to wake up late, lay on my bed lazily while watching a movie, and organize my washi and paper tape collection. I figured since I’ve been making my projects for two days straight, I needed some time off. Even just for today. Speaking of projects, I think I may have framed my favorite project as of yet. This is a commissioned artwork for a friend whom I’ve done plenty of papercuts for before. I just love the effect the double-glass frame makes on the papercut, don’t you agree? I think I’m gonna buy more from where it came from. I love the message too! Sending everyone an early New Year’s greeting! Here’s another one who’d also like to send her well wishes 🙂

Tips and Tricks in Papercutting

I know I’ve only been cutting for a good five months, but in that length of time, I’ve had my share of discoveries and mistakes in papercutting. And while I am still continuously making these (discoveries and mistakes alike), I just thought I could share them with my followers who might be interested in the hobby as well. Here are my ten tips and tricks that will be handy when you get into papercutting:

1. Buy your frame beforehand.

This first tip might seem odd to some, but this is what I’ve learned in my few months of papercutting. When I first got into the hobby, I was too excited to make papercuts that I made a lot of them in all shapes and odd sizes. By the time I realized I wanted to frame some of my best works, I had a difficult time looking for the perfect frame to fit them in. So yes. If you can, and if you can already picture your finished product, buy the frame first. Frame shops are very limited in Manila. And if you want to have a customized frame, it can really be expensive.

2. Make standard-sized papercuts.

If you would still prefer to choose a frame after making your project, make sure that the length and width of your project are the standards. By “standards”, I mean 8×10, 8.5×11, 8.5×13, 5×7, 6×8, and 4×6 dimensions (all in inches). These are the usual frame sizes that you can find in the mall or a bookstore. Others carry 9×12 and A4 sizes, but these are hard to find. And even if you find frames in an unusual size, chances are the color or design may not go well with your papercut.

3. Dont forget to leave an allowance for borders.

I hate to break this to you but while a 6×8″ frame may fit all of your 6×8″ papercut, not every detail will be seen, specifically the sides. Remember that some frames have wide borders which may cover the outer parts of your project, so take note of this before cutting. 

4. Change blades as often as needed.
Dull blades are the worst. They ruin the paper and make your project untidy. So when you feel like your blade is no longer cutting deeply into the paper, it’s time to change. I normally use a minimum of 2 blades per project, depending on the intricacy of the design. So buy spare blades. Lots of them. I hate it when I’d have to put off a project just because l ran out of blades. Trust me, you’d hate it too.

5. Cut diagonally.

Avoid pointing your craft knife vertically. There may be designs which are so intricate that you’d point your knife in a close-to-90-degree angle to make sure you cut right through small holes or lines. Don’t. This is the usual culprit for breaking the tip of your blade. When this happens, your blade is just as good as breaking the entire thing altogether.

6. Take a break.

Whenever I’m making a project, I make sure that I take a break from time to time — usually after an hour of cutting. Check your e-mail, drink a cup of coffee, open your facebook, whatever floats your boat. This will give your fingers a chance to rest for a bit and will prevent you from getting backaches after a project.

7. Cut to the music!

I can’t remember a time not ever listening to music while doing a project. Music – apart from coffee- is my fuel; it just keeps me going. Papercutting goes hand in hand with sound tripping (at least for me) so always be ready with your favorite playlist.

8. Sometimes, a “so-what” attitude helps.

You will, from time-to-time, commit mistakes. You’d accidentally cut a part you shouldn’t, realize you’ve misspelled a word after finishing an entire project, etc. When you do, try to repair the damage if you can. If not, so what? You’re only human. Mistakes, you gotta make them.

Notice how there’s a space between “always” and “be” at the last line. That’s because I mistakenly put “the” in between, so that it would’ve looked like “will always the be the same”. I just removed the extra “the” to remedy the error. Fortunately, the space is in the middle of the phrase so it kinda looks intentional.

9. Never, ever, pull a loose papercut.

You’ve finished cutting a project and found a part you haven’t cut completely. Whatever you do, do NOT pull! It’s tempting, yes, but doing so might tear the surrounding paper. Stop being lazy and grab your cutting knife so can cut through the loose part completely.

10. Take your time.

Don’t be too hard on yourself when doing a project. Instead, take your time and focus on the end product you want in mind. A project doesn’t have to be done in one sitting. Sometimes it can take days, weeks or months to finish a papercut. Remember, papercutting is a hobby. Hobbies are there to be enjoyed. So just relax and enjoy what you’re doing 🙂

I could think of more than 10 tips, actually, but these should do for now. I hope you find these 10 tips helpful in your next project.