Paper Cuts (the good kind!)

Aren't paper cuts (the artistic kind, not the office hazard kind) just the most amazing things? Seriously imagine, for a minute, sitting down to a giant piece of paper...armed only with a blade...and producing something as intricate & carefully composed as the examples below.  I don't know whether the artists are just light years ahead of me and my craft knife, or whether they use special knives & have unlimited patience (probably all of the above) but I just cannot comprehend the work that goes into these pieces.

Famille Summerbelle was the first place I really discovered paper cuts. They do these interpretations of city maps...Paris, New York, London & the latest addition San Francisco...in the most whimsical ways. They even take reader input into city secrets that locals will recognise when looking at the final product, but the details alone will entertain you even if you've never been to or lived in these cities. You can buy laser cuts of the originals, or prints if you don't want to spend as much.  I bought a print of the London one in soft grey as a wedding present to some friends who recently moved from the UK back to Australia...I had a hard time parting with it...when framed they look amazing.  You really need to go check out their website, they sell so much more than just prints & paper cuts...wallpaper, cushions, decorations...I really could buy the entire store.

Watch the video below that shows the making of the San Francisco piece. I tell you, you would want to have some good podcasts to listen to whilst making one of these!

Rob Ryan, or Mister Rob as he is known, is also another place you can get lost in the world of paper cuts. I remember a few years ago, Donna Hay magazine included one of his tea towels as a freebie and I seriously considered framing it (or wished I had an oven door handle on which to display it).  You can buy originals at his store (online or in person if you're in the UK) but as you can imagine these are quite pricey...deservedly so for the amount of work that goes into them.  Then there is also his Etsy store for prints and variations of in other products.  I love how a lot of his work includes beautiful words to go with the images.

Then, of course, there are more Etsy sellers just waiting for you to browse their creations.

1 & 4: Ashley Pahl - I would want to frame these cards instead of giving them away! Ashley was recently listed as a featured Etsy seller (includes bio & mini interview), and you can visit her beautiful blog here...I just added her to my ever growing list of blog reads...you might like to as well!

2: Loula Belle At Home - Loula's mantra is to put a little glamour into mundane chores...and that she does. Blog here.

3: Evil Little Fingers - Noko is from Sydney & she has a quirky take on paper cuts that helps her stand out amongst the crowd of paper cuts on Etsy!

Next stop...Pinterest...where it is increasingly hard to find the original sources of pins due to everyone just re-pinning like crazy...I am totally guilty of this!

1: An installation by Chris Natrop

2: Source unknown.

3 & 5: Julene Harrison...just discovered whilst writing this post...in the words of Rachel Zoe..."bah-nanas/I die" (translation: I defy you not to be mesmerized by Julene's website)...just found on Etsy.

4: A paper cut letter by Annie Vought.

Finally, if you're interested in trying it out for yourself, there's a tutorial at Skinny LaMinx (by Heather, photo credit same).

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