Category: friendship

2016 is around the corner!

The joy of creating 

Is it that time already? Time seems to be flying by and
before you blink the New Year is upon us.

This usually means reflecting on the year that was and
setting your intentions for the year ahead.
The pressure is on to devise your New Year resolutions; lose
weight, exercise more, spend less, save more, work less, work more, give up
smoking, coffee, sugar etc.
However I wanted to propose a different idea from the common
traditional clichés with this new ecard.  A
resolution about committing to the idea of getting more out of life. By this I
mean giving yourself permission to take the time to do whatever it is you
enjoy. 

This
is not always so easy in today’s world, where we live in a landscape that
forces us to stay busy, future-oriented and stressed. Sometimes we just
need to build in more moments to breathe. Take in the present and become
mindful of the simple pleasures that we are in contact with every day if we
allow ourselves to become more conscious of them. 

When we created this business 10 years ago, our intention
was generate an income and lifestyle that would allow us to spend more quality
time together as a family, focus less on material things, and allow us the
freedom to invent whilst enjoying the process along the way.
Cat naps anyone??

Hence, the creation of Ode to Life ecard.
View the card
More hugs, naps, road trips, fun and moments of joy, love
and celebration. More laughter, dreaming, creating and sipping on hot cocoa. 
Taking the time to view more sunsets, smell the scents of fresh flowers, breathe in the zest of life! 

Life is for living.  
We are working so we can live, not living just to work.
Every moment is a gift!

2016 is the year for dancing!

This card is a compilation of the various animation styles of our favourite designs. Each vignette is intended to make you smile.

These are some of our resolutions for the coming year.
What are yours? What will bring more enjoyment into your life?

There is no better time than the present to set your intentions to invite more bliss into your world and enhance your well-being with the choices conscious you make. 

Come join with us in the commitment to make the most of your daily life by building in more momentary simple pleasures. 

Taking time out just for you

Paper Cutting or “Scherrenschnitte” Traditions

This is the first of a series of
blog posts on the tradition of paper cutting, a folkloric practice close to my
heart and my art!
Scherrenschnitte which literally means
scissor cuts in German, is the
traditional art of paper cutting. Using scissors or
a knife, a silhouette of the image or scene is cut from paper in a delicate and
intricate process requiring immense skill and meticulous attention to detail.
Although this craft has been
practiced in Northern Europe, its roots stem back to China around 750 A.D.

A gaekkebrev hand cut by Hans Christian Anderson

Paper cutting is not a dying art, and
instead it has undergone a renaissance and is growing in popularity. Its appeal
lies in using such a simple material such as paper, its versatility and serving
as a wonderful medium for storytelling.
In fact the renowned Hans Christian Andersen created some very famous free hand cut
designs that really celebrated his storytelling. Using a folding technique, the
author cut intricate designs with scissors as a form of therapy and relaxation.
The Danes are famous for their
paper cutting. Gaekkebrev translated to mean secret snowdrop letter is a
well-celebrated Danish tradition that is practiced around Easter time as the
snow is lifting. It’s a little game where you pick a snowdrop flower, attach
its delicate white buds to the paper cut design you have been snipping away at.

Example of a traditional gaekkebrev paper cutting

The idea is to write a poem or
verse, disguising your handwriting and give the paper cutting to someone. The
recipient’s job is to guess who it’s from.  If they guess correctly, then you have to give
them an Easter egg. You can sign your name in dots; one dot for each letter of
your name. This game can also be used on Valentine ’s Day for a bit of fun.
I have drawn inspiration from my
Danish roots to create a new Christmas ecard medium bringing paper cutting to
life in a digital format.
After hand drawing motifs, they are
scanned and brought to life by converting them to Vector illustrations and
digitalized.
This ecard was inspired by the
imaginary stories I would play out in my mind as a child. I created a heavenly
white village scene with paper cut flora and fauna animations fluttering and transforming
before your eyes.

Paper cut snowflake shavings falling  

In an nostalgic moment, I recalled
playing outside in the garden as a child as fresh snow fell, climbing under
branches and watching the snowflakes gently fall to the ground like pieces of
paper cuttings.  I would imagine make-believe worlds amidst a winter
wonderland, only to return to the warmth of my family home hours later with red
cheeks and numb fingers. I would spend hours transfixed on the delicate snow
gently falling outside. 

Due to global warming,
snowfall is becoming rarer before Christmas in my native country Denmark.
As I started working on this ecard, my friends and family back in
Denmark sent me photos of the very unusual first snow in November this year
which delighted and inspired me – making the process of the card’s
creation even more enjoyable.

Flora and fauna layered against a winter village backdrop

Set within a village scene transforming from day to night, the story begins with a fanciful paper snowflake being cut, dropping its paper shavings to a buoyant orchestral tune called A Whimsical Story by composer David G Steele. 

On closer look, we find deer, a fox, a rare and a variety of song birds, partridges and doves frolicking about a wondrous winter playground amidst vines and flowers inspired by traditional Polish paper cutting designs. 

The sequence ends with room to add your own Christmas message

This ecard is intended to be elevating and full of Christmas cheer. 

View the Christmas Paper Story e-card