Saturday, August 9, 2008

The Cutting Edge


Where has the summer gone?

I'm not ready for the cool weather -- I want to continue to eat out on my deck and watch the finches at the feeder, the bumblebees gathering pollen and the confused mourning doves trying to correct their direction in midflight. I have more swimming and gardening to do! And I'm not ready to see my Young Thespian return to middle school and his busy life. 

I've been remiss on blogging, but I have something new to share. Recently I was in Barnes & Noble looking for the marvelous book "1000 Artist Journal Pages" when I stumbled across Kanako Yaguchi's "The Art of Decorative Paper Stencils." I was immediate captivated by her delicate mastery of the art of kirigami. Origami is paper folding. Kirigami is paper cutting, after folding it into the appropriate shape. It's a lot like cutting paper snowflakes, but with more variations. Yaguchi does amazing things with a piece of paper and a pair of scissors. You can see more at her Web site here.

I've been experimenting on my own, recycling out-of-date catalogs. The paper is nice and thin and easy to cut even when folded into eights or twelfths. I've been cutting mostly stars and flowers but what to do with the results?

I started by gluing a few of them into my journal. 


Then I decided to try using them as actual stencils. Being delicate, some stuck to the paint. I decided they should stay there.


Then one ripped as I was pulling it up and I really liked it. 


So I kept going.



Once again, I have backgrounds I love so much I don't want to put anything on top of them. Wish I had a job designing decorative paper. I have so many samples! 

If you decide to try this, or need more instructions, let me know. I'd love to see your results.

25 comments:

turningwheelfarm said...

Sounds like a great book, thanks for the tip. I love the look you got on your pages too. And I know what you mean about putting something on top of it. I worry I am going to mess it up. Would make good wrapping paper prints too though I think.
Amy
http://www.magicalmuse.typepad.com

Kathryn Costa said...

These are so yummy! I would run to a copy center and color photocopy them to use in journals and other projects so you can cherish the originals.

Thanks for the comments on my blog about my pay it forward post. I'm delighted to hear that you found an idea to run with. I can't wait to read about it!

{smiles} k

Kim Mailhot said...

These backgrounds are great ! Copies would be a great solution - then you could keep the orginals and glue over the copies ! Such fun !

Joy Logan said...

Love the shadowy effect,very nice

Rosie said...

Wow!! These are absolutely gorgeous! I love the green one best of all!
I know exactly how you feel about not covering up your backgrounds... ;-]

Maj said...

Beautiful! Something I will have to try! I like it, when part of the stencil tears and becomes part of the pattern. It makes it less perfect, but more beautiful, in my opinion!

Kel said...

Do you ever scan in your backgrounds and use them in other work?

michelle ward said...

JeriAnn! Wow - revisiting this post is the perfect thing for Braving the Elements! How cool that you had already discovered the value of creating and using and playing with snowflakes. Just gorgeous! I love that you investigated so many colors too. Thanks for sharing this post with the Street Team! Terrific way to get the crusade rolling.

Chris said...

I love that journal pages book! Thanks for the head's up on the stencils.
You have done great stuff with the challenge. The mysterious portioned shapes are the BEST!

iHanna said...

Yup, this post sure fits January's theme at GPP street team! Love your pages and thanks for the info on cutting shapes in japan, interesting!

Happy New Creative Year

Lorraine said...

love those colours

Aimeslee Winans said...

Way to rock the GPP challenge! Your backgrounds are indeed lovely. xoxo

Regina said...

Love your samples! I have the same book!!! I bought it a few months ago & was thinking it would be great inspiration for this challenge. You have convinced me.

Kim Mailhot said...

Wowie, you are a woman befor eher own time ! What a perfect example of the the braving the elements done at the end of August so far back ! Love how it included so many of the Crusades in one project.
You rock, Miss JeriAnn!

Anonymous said...

really lovely.

Megan Warren said...

Sounds like a great book - love the pages!

goudenregen said...

I really admired your colorful pages. Wow!

Mescrap said...

This is awesome.
What a funstatic cut out.
I've uploaded mine too :)

carolanne said...

I know the book you are talking about. I absolutely love kirigami!Your pages are beautiful.

Susan Sager Brown said...

Wow, you were really ahead of the game!! Great colors on your pages, thanks for sharing the book info. xoSusan

Julie Prichard said...

I've been hearing a lot about that book....these look great, JeriAnn!

teri said...

Your varied colors and layers are inspiring me to go back and do more with this project!

Jackie Wood said...

These are beautiful and I understand about having a hard time covering up your backgrounds.

Unknown said...

I really really really really really really really really love your Crusade with the snow flakes! :-)

scj said...

These pages are truly gorgeous. Thanks for the tip about the book which I must check out. Just love love love the colours too. Thanks for sharing.