Letterpress at Home

I found this from a Paper Source email blast a month ago...letterpress machine! I looked into letterpress invitations for my wedding, but it was very costly (I'm talking thousands). I could only drool over the most beautiful imprints that letterpress makes on paper. Now, you can do letterpress cards and crafts at home for about $150!

Apparently, this baby is selling like hot cakes - it's on backorder, all sold out if you wanted to make your own Christmas cards. What I'm most excited about is when the Paper Source lady does an arts & crafts video with this machine!

Who Says Packing Tape has to be Boring?

While I was doing wedding research months ago, I came across packing tape with lace imprints that brides used on their favor boxes. It had both function and style. The lace caught my eye since I love patterns - the lace was prominent, yet it let the color of the box peek through. The idea of patterned tape totally inspired me to dress up my plain ol'packing tape.

Image from FredFlare.com

I had some purple paper scraps left over that I had saved from our wedding (yes, I've been called a pack rat), so I used my fancy paper puncher to cut out shapes, and sprinkled them on the sticky side of the tape. Again, using the boxes I had saved from the thank you cards we bought, I put in my items to be mailed and sealed them with my home-made pretty tape.




I may be a pack rat, but I do it for mother earth. No extra trees were killed in the process!

Paper Source Love

I window shop a lot in Paper Source - in their store and online. They have stores in practically all the major cities except for NYC. They have such a nice selection of everything, from paper, rubber stamps, invitations, gifts to greeting cards.

Lately, I've been looking at their rubber stamp collection, with their lovely display of little samples of papers that have been stamped and embossed. I love how they show you what you can do with their products - that somehow makes me feel less lost in a paper and crafts store.

Above all, I love the wacky lady who shows you project ideas through video on their website. She's so funny and entertaining. You can tell she's not a neat freak or a control freak. This is a nice thing because it's good to know that you don't have to be precise to be a crafter.

Above, image from Paper Source

How to Fold an Origami Paper Crane

This is the craziest post I've done...folding and holding a crane in one hand, and a camera in another. This is the kind of anal-retentiveness that got into being an anal-yst!

Anyways, below are the step-by-step instructions.

• Top row - Start out with a square piece of paper. Fold by half from the upper right hand corner to the lower left into a triangle. Make a smaller triangle by pulling the upper left hand corner to the lower right.
  
• Bottom row - Open up the inside by one end and flatten into a square (just line up the crease to the corner). Then flip it around so you can repeat that step. Details to come...
  

• This is what it should look like up close when you've flipped it around:
  

• To repeat what you've done on the other side, open up the inside:
  

• It is easiest if you line up the outside edges...:

• ...and make a crease along the inside edge:

• Flatten it out by pulling the top down, and line up the corners:

• Make creases on the right and left sides:

Here it becomes more complicated. Ready?

• Top row - The first one on the left is what you should have after making those creases. Open up the top flap. Start with the right hand side - line up the inside edges. Line that up all along the bottom and the top of the flap. If you can't follow, I have some close ups to come that may help...


• Bottom row - Repeat that step for the left side. Then flip it over.

• Here're the details to lining up the inside edge - line up the bottom, then the top flap (line up the edge to the middle crease for the top flap):
  
  

• Don't be afraid to flatten it out; this is probably easier to see the inside edges and line up to the middle crease:
  

• After you've repeated that on the left hand side and the opposite side as well, this is what you should have:

• Make sure you have the right side up - pull down the upper flap; if you see an an upside down triangle, you're good. That upside down triangle is the back or hump of the crane.

• Top row - The first below is the starting position. Begin on the right hand side, line up the outer edge on the bottom half to the inner edge. Make a crease for the new outside edge.
  
• Bottom row - Repeat what you've done on the right hand side to the left hand side. Flip it over and repeat.

• Below on the left is what you should have after making all 4 folds.
• Then pull the flap on the right side to the left. Flip and repeat.

• After pulling those flaps around, you should now see the back or the hump of the crane facing you.
• Next, pull the bottom flap up and make a fold on the bottom edge. Flip the crane-to-be over to the opposite side.

• Below on the left is what you should see after you've flipped it over.
• Repeat pulling the bottom flap up and make a crease to make a new bottom edge.

• Working with that same bottom flap that has been pulled up, get a good grip with one hand...

• ...so you can use your other hand to get the flap on the right hand side over to your left:

• This is what it should look like after you've done it for the flip side as well, so now you have two wings, with one of them facing you:

• Between the wings, you'll find either its head or tail. Pull one of them out; make a crease on the bottom so that what you're pulling out will stay in place:

• Repeat for the other side; now you'll see a head-to-be and a tail:

• Pick a side for its head. I like to make a crease with my finger nail:

• Fold it in where you see a crease in the middle:

• Flatten it out at the top with 2 fingers; make sure you make the crane's head tilting up near a 90 degree angle so you have a proud bird:

Voila! You have now one happy crane!

I plan to use the cranes I've made at my wedding, but you can certainly make one for your loved one just because. I'm sure they'll be impressed. Or you can make 1,000 of these and make a wish!

How Many is 100 Cranes?

I have now 800 more to go! I have to say that folding paper cranes has been pretty therapeutic. For those of you who haven't met me before, if you see an Asian girl folding origami cranes on the T in Boston, a bus in Boston or in NY, that's probably me.

Above, 100 paper cranes in a 6"x4" vase

Instructions to come soon!

More than 900 Cranes to Go

Inspired by Stacie Tamaki's artwork of cranes, I decided to attempt one (because I have so much time on my hands). I figured if I make 10 a day for the next 10 months, I can make well over 1,000 cranes for good luck at my wedding!

So, I stocked up on origami paper, and I am soooo ready. I just started today and made about 20 paper cranes already!

Vintage Tones in Photoshop

I have been digging through my photos from Paris to see what I can do to them on Photoshop. I have to preface this by saying that I'm not a great photographer (I've been told so by my lovely sister), and I'm not an expert at Photoshop either (I just play with whatever functions I can find or know little of).

Anways, below are my latest projects...all I did was use Auto Levels if needed, then play around with Color Balance to add a vintage tone. Some needed extra work like rotating the photo if crooked and clone stamping if something needs to be taken out. Sadly, I don't think I have enough wall space for all the pictures I've done so far.

Place des Vosges before

Place des Vosges after - vintage tone added

Pont Neuf before - taken at sunset

Pont Neuf after - levels adjusted, vintage tone added

Tuilieries before - crooked

Tuilieries after - straightened and vintage tone added

Tuilieries garden before - garbage can in the way

Tuilieries garden after - garbage can removed, vintage tone added

1,000 Cranes for Good Luck

I was browsing through weddingbee, one of my favorite daily reads, and stumbled upon this beautiful work of art by Stacie Tamaki. Named "Spring Cranes," this beauty is made out of 1,000 origami paper cranes hanging off a bamboo parasol frame (that number of cranes symbolizes good luck for the bride and groom).

above from Stacie Tamaki

I loved origami and especially folding paper cranes when I was younger, and this brought back such memories. Spring Cranes also reminds me of Preston Bailey's elaborate chandeliers covered by flowers. I often drool over his over-the-top deigns for weddings and parties.

above from Preston Bailey

All this gives me an idea for a craft project for the wedding...I may attempt something like Spring Cranes. Best of all, it can also function as a show piece in my future home!

Fun with Silhouettes

Here's a project I'm working on possibly for the wedding...and most definitely my future home. I got the inspiration from my daily reads, Design Sponge and the Bride's Cafe.

Above from Design Sponge

Above from the Bride's Cafe

It just looked so fun that I had to try it! So I took a picture of my fiance and turned it into a silhouette in Photoshop.

All I have to do now is add some finishing touches...add a picture frame then I'm done!