Here's another Jen Stark sculpture. She created this from a pad of 11x14 construction paper. It looks like she just carved right into it, and exposed all the rainbow sheets of color underneath. Fantastic idea! I find her so inspiring.

I love surfing around the Internet looking for interesting paper artists. This is Jen Stark's work. She calls it "Assorted Explosion" and she created it with an 8x8" stack of construction paper.

I went to a stamp show yesterday and got a whole stack of stamp catalogs with colored photos in them. I know it won't look as cool as this one to try and make a sculpture from one of the catalogs. But I should experiment with it. I was going to use them for origami boxes, but I could sacrifice one to trying a sculpture. This is so cool!

This one is sweet. A bit more lavender in color than the one I posted a few days ago, and a bit smoother in texture. I think I like the rim on the other bowl better, because it has more jigs and jags in it. But this one pleases me a lot.

$10 plus shipping. Paypal is OK. Hope one of you wants to take it home!

Here's a bigger version of the dark purple bowl. Instead of shredding angel wings, I used them whole in this one.

This should satisfy the magpies among you! $20 plus shipping. Paypal is fine.

Here's another bowl I made recently. I had a whole bunch of purple construction paper, thanks to some kid friends of mine who saved it for me. It allowed me to get a darker purple than normal, and I added some angel wings to give me a feathery texture to the rim. I also used some sparkle mod podge to make it gleam a little. Shiny purple ... the color most in demand!

$10 plus shipping ... Paypal accepted. Let me know if you're interested; I expect this one will go quickly.

Here's a bowl I had on display in an art gallery recently. It's small, only about 3" high and 5" across, I think. It's made with muted colors and came out greyish, but I like the yellow speckles in it. And I used some sparkle mod podge to finish it off, and it gleams a little.

$10 plus shipping. Paypal is great. Let me know if you're interested!

I recently got a commission to make pink and purple cards for a friend. She wanted 20 cards, so I made 10 of each. The two odd purple colored ones (2nd one from the left) are made with some yellow flowers in with the purple, so from a distance they came out looking less purple. But up close, they are clearly purple.

She liked the cards, and used some of them in a Valentine card swap with other artists. I'm glad she enjoyed them! They are fun to make.

Can I make some for you? Leave me a comment and let's work something out.

Here's a little action shot from my papermaking class last weekend. That's me in the black shirt, pointing out something important to one of the class members, though I can't recall what it was now!

I like the gallery where I taught. It's an art gallery by week, and on Sunday it's a classroom. It's inspiring to work around all that beautiful art!

This ad ran two weeks before my papermaking class. It showed some of the greeting cards I've made on commercial (100% post consumer content) cardstock, with handmade paper designs on the front. It was about 1/3 page in size, so I was extremely surprised and delighted that the newspaper devoted so much room to advertise my class.

I taught a class in papermaking last week. This was the ad that ran in the local paper the week before the class. I like the way it turned out! And the ad sold the class, for sure ... we had a full house, and a waiting list. So I'll be teaching again in March for the overflow.

I like this bowl. It was in the Salem Open Studios show, but it didn't sell. It's yellow inside, and purple outside. I just received a solicitation for a show in May; the gallery is seeking submissions of spring-themed art. The colors are reminiscent of spring to me, and there is a leaf in the bottom ... I'm going to submit this bowl and see what happens.

I got a wonderful demo on making paper beads this past December. I have no pictures to share, but here's the basic technique. It's really easy; you should try it with pages from magazines and mail order catalogs! You can string them together to make jewelry, or look back into history for another idea. In Victorian times, women in England gathered in dining rooms to make beads by rolling scraps of wallpaper on knitting needles. They would then string the beads on long pieces of yarn to create curtains that separated rooms. 

What you'll need:

• scraps of wallpaper, magazine pictures, used wrapping paper, colored paper, etc.
• pencil, ruler, and scissors
• paste
• drinking straws
• thread or yarn

Before you begin, gather all of your supplies together and put them on your work surface. Read all of the directions from start to finish. Now you are ready to begin.

1. With your scissors, cut long triangles from your paper scraps that are about 1/2-inch wide and 2 1/2-inches long. Make a template to trace, if you wish.
2. Cover one side of a triangle with paste. Put the paste on the inside of the paper so that the colorful pattern will be on the outside of your bead.
3. Place the triangle's glued short side on a drinking straw.
4. Wrap the paper completely around itself on the straw.
5. Cut away the straw at both ends of the rolled paper.
6. To make beads with different shapes, vary the size and shape of the paper triangles that you cut.
7. Let your beads dry, and then string them together on your thread or yarn. Knot the ends of the thread together.

Adapted from Papercrafts Around the World, by Phyllis and Noel Fiarotta
(Sterlilng Publishing Co., Inc., New York)

I search around the Internet periodically, looking for recycled paper art that pleases me. I found this wonderful weaving by Polly Harrison. This is what she had to say about it:

MY RECYCLED MAIL:

When I conducted artist-in-residence programs in schools, a favorite material that we recycled was "Junk Mail"... We used it in weavings, collage and with hand-made books.

When I looked at all the mail I receive from Moon Calendars and personal correspondence, the stamps and envelopes were so appealing, I just couldn't toss them. Eventually, I had boxes of stamped envelopes that I tried to find a use for.

The Plaiting Prison Art technique that I used for the edges of the film panels came to mind and I began cutting and working with the envelopes to make a panel so the stamps would make a design. I had planned to use the panel as a floorcloth, but it seemed to migrate up to hang on the wall.

As an annual project, I save my mail for a piece that I call "My Mail"... The piece is as large as the amount of mail I receive and I write my memories of the year on the back.

She also had some other fabulous baskets made with discarded 35mm film. I imagine if you hold the baskets to the light, you might be able to figure out what was in the photos! They are really beautiful.

I love the idea she has for saving her mail and writing her memories of the year on the back. I wonder if she keeps the annual artwork, or if she sells it or gives it away. I have no more room for art in my house unless I start exploiting slanted walls! If I started making an annual artwork this large, I'd have to give them away or sell them. I wonder if such a personal piece would be appreciated by more than just the artist.

Four more cards for sale. Then that's it for a while! The one in the top left has no title. The one on the top right says "Hearty Greetings." The one on the bottom left says "Many Happy Returns." And the one on the bottom right says "Good Luck."

 They are all made with postally used vintage postcards on the front, which are about 100 years old. They show signs of wear and tear, but they are in generally very good condition. The colors are rich and saturated. I love these cards, and almost don't want to sell them. But I need to move things out and make some room in my papermaking studio.

$2 each, mix and match with any of the cards in the previous few posts. Send a check or pay via Paypal. The cards are on 100% post-consumer recycled paper cardstock, and look very elegant. You won't be disappointed!

Four cards that say "Best Wishes" on them They are all made with postally used vintage postcards on the front, which are about 100 years old. They show signs of wear and tear, but they are in generally very good condition. The colors are rich and saturated. I love these cards, and almost don't want to sell them. But I need to move things out and make some room in my papermaking studio.

$2 each, mix and match with any of the cards in the previous few posts. Send a check or pay via Paypal. The cards are on 100% post-consumer recycled paper cardstock, and look very elegant. You won't be disappointed!

Five more birthday cards for sale. Each one says "Birthday Greetings" on it. They are all made with postally used vintage postcards on the front, which are about 100 years old. They show signs of wear and tear, but they are in generally very good condition. The colors are rich and saturated. I love these cards, and almost don't want to sell them. But I need to move things out and make some room in my papermaking studio.

$2 each, mix and match with any of the cards in the previous few posts. Send a check or pay via Paypal. The cards are on 100% post-consumer recycled paper cardstock, and look very elegant. You won't be disappointed!

Here are a few birthday cards that I made from vintage postcards. These are some of my very favorite images in this category! I don't think the photos do them justice; the colors are actually very rich.

Cards are $2 each; mix and match. Paypal or a check.

Most of the cards say "Birthday Greetings" on the front. One says "Best Birthday Wishes." I guess they just didn't say "Happy Birthday" back then, any more than we say "Merry Birthday" now.

All cards are made on 100% post-consumer recycled cardstock and include envelopes. The images are vintage postcards, approximately 100 years old. Nearly all of them were postally used, so they show signs of age (little dirt marks or scuffed edges). Reduce, reuse, recycle; I'd rather recycle the cards into greeting cards than throw them out.

Here are a few more Valentine cards. They are so hard to find; I wish I had more to offer.

Cards are $2 each; mix and match. Paypal or a check.

Five valentine cards. These are hard to read in the photo! The top left says "My Heart's Dearest With Fondest Love" on it. Middle top says "My heart I am sending by special route It will reach you Valentine Day no doubt" on it. Top right says "A Greeting from thy Valentine" on it.

Bottom left says "To my pet." Bottom right says "True Love."

All cards are made on 100% post-consumer recycled cardstock and include envelopes. The images are vintage postcards, approximately 100 years old. Nearly all of them were postally used, so they show signs of age (little dirt marks or scuffed edges). Reduce, reuse, recycle; I'd rather recycle the cards into greeting cards than throw them out.

I have a lot of new cards for sale. Valentines, birthday, and general greetings. These are some of my very favorite images in these categories! I don't think the photos do them justice; the colors are actually very rich.

Cards are $2 each; mix and match. Paypal or a check.

Five valentine cards. The one in the top left says "To the Queen of my Heart" on it, plus it has a line of vintage writing on it ("to my cousin I send a valentine I hope it finds you well and happy"). Top right says "To my Valentine." Bottom left says "Yours Forever." Middle bottom says "A message to my love." Bottom right says "To my sweetheart."

All cards are made on 100% post-consumer recycled cardstock and include envelopes. The images are vintage postcards, approximately 100 years old. Nearly all of them were postally used, so they show signs of age (little dirt marks or scuffed edges). Reduce, reuse, recycle; I'd rather recycle the cards into greeting cards than throw them out.

I found this company years ago, and I've been very pleased with their stuff.

Draggin Ink tracing templates

I've tried several of their envelope templates with handmade paper with good success.

I think my favorite is the bubble mailer. Use a nice thick piece of handmade paper, and some stronger glue. A glue stick isn't sturdy enough (in my experience) to keep the flap sealed shut on the curved surface. Try a wet scrapbook glue, or one of the sticky tape guns. But if you've got a nice piece of paper, this will be strong and elegant-looking.

The tracing templates are also a lot of fun with gift wrap, maps, a pretty mail order catalog ... basically anything that is on the thick side. You don't want to put something in one of these boxes and then have it tear through the glue strip because it's too heavy for the paper!