Pico Business

Archive for the ‘Handmade Paper’ Category

Handmade bags are all the hype these days. Designer is great, don’t get me wrong, but there is nothing like a one-of-a-kind handmade bag with hand-stitched leather and patches of colorful embroidery. No two handmade bags are the same and their designs are often inspired by the craftsmen who make them. So if you’re looking for a chic conversation piece you can carry around with you, try making your own handmade bag or buying one from a talented craftsman. Your handmade bag will be sure to have a one-of-a-kind story you can wear on your arm on your next night out.

Many of these handmade bags incorporate colorful antique fabrics into their designs. This is a clever and creative way to reuse old fabrics, many of which are magnificent works of art. Antique fabrics were handmade by women weavers long before machines were around to do the work for them. Textiles were hand-dyed, hand-woven and hand-embroidered by the women in the families and often passed down from mothers to daughters for generations.

Antique Japanese kimono and Hmong tribal costumes from mountainous regions of Asia are some of the most exquisite embroidered fabrics being incorporated into today’s trendy, bohemian-chic handmade bags.

In Japanese culture, traditional kimono designs were rich in cultural, political, social and religious symbolism. The colors, patterns and particular motifs of a kimono were carefully selected to articulate the wearer’s status in society as well as his/her personal virtues and desired attributes. In wedding ceremonies and other celebrated festivals kimono symbolism was used to confer blessings, well-wishes and good fortune.

Today, Hmong costumes are still a very important part of Hmong culture. At a very early age, young girls begin learning the elaborate needlework and traditional designs needed to create each Hmong costume. This skill is valued so highly in Hmong culture that a woman’s desirability to a suitor is measured by the beauty and intricacy of her needlework. A different costume is made for each milestone event in Hmong culture. The finest, most ornate work is reserved for marriage and death. The celebration of the New Year is also a significant event, and fresh new costumes must be worn as an auspicious welcoming of the new year.

Patches of these colorful, hand-woven and hand-embroidered intricate works of antique art create a chic contrast when hand-stitched onto leather and hemp fabric contemporary handbags and purses. These works of art are traditionally passed down from generation to generation, making them rare finds in the fashion world. You certainly won’t find many of these handmade embroidered bags on a department store rack, if any at all.

Handmade bags with unique, antique embroidery are truly one-of-a-kind. Within each patch of antique fabric are generations of family, culture and tradition. How’s that for a conversation piece?

Almost every occasion calls for a cake from anniversaries to weddings. Why not make a paper flower cake to complement the edible cake? It makes a great decoration and allows you to really use your creative energy.

A paper flower cake can be a replica of the main cake or it can be much smaller or larger and simply be a decoration for the occasion. If you are a beginner at making paper flowers you will need a book with flower patterns and instructions.

· Anniversary Paper Flower Cake – Each year of an anniversary represents something. For example the fifth anniversary flower is the daisy; the color(s) are pink and blue. The gemstone is sapphire. To create a cake using the 5th anniversary theme items is simple. You make your flower the daisy in pink and blue and use a sapphire blue flower as the cake topper or centerpiece. You can make a round cake of a square cake all you need is a piece of white Styrofoam to attach the flowers too.

· Birthday Paper Flower Cakes – Will require a few plastic craft store items depending on the person’s age and interests. You will just insert these items into the flower cake. For a woman who simply loves flowers candles will work just fine. For a young girl (not a good idea for a boy) any item she likes such as Barbie will work as a special insert. The flowers and colors should of course be the favorite of the cake recipient. 

· Baby Shower Paper Flower Cake – If the mom to be knows the baby’s sex you can go with the traditional pink or blue. If not you can use neutral colors. Roses are ideal for new babies as the rose represents love and purity.

· Bridal Shower Paper Flower Cake – Using the flowers and color theme the bride has chosen for her wedding will make a beautiful paper flower cake. You add a few little bells, white doves, hearts and any other wedding related item to the cake to give it an even more special look.

· Home Warming Paper Flower Cake – For this cake I like to do a little something different. I use a square piece of Styrofoam as a base and place a small home in the center. You can purchase a small, medium and even large size wooden home at any craft store. I then paint it to match the color of the new home. I use the flowers to create a “front yard garden” theme. This flower cake is a lot of fun to create because you can add a little swing set picket fence and even a driveway with the same color and type of car the new homeowners own. Of course do not forget the mailbox! The new homeowners can use this as a decoration for several years to come.

· Wedding Paper Flower Cake – A wedding paper flower cake should be a mini replica of the real wedding cake. Use the same color and the flowers that the bride has chosen for the theme. This cake will look very nice on the gift table.

It is not only easy but it is fun to make paper flower cakes. The ideas above are just a few common everyday events that you can make a flower cake for. Don’t forget the holidays and other special occasions. If you make these cakes on a regular basis you should consider setting up a table at a local craft fair and selling them!

After the headache of simply choosing your wedding favors comes the additional agony of choosing the right packaging. Most commercially produced favor packaging revolves around small boxes, organza bags or mint tins. So if you are looking for something a little different for your wedding favors, then you may come unstuck.

The alternative is to make your own packaging; this gives you creative freedom over the design, shape and colors, whilst leaving you feeling very proud of the end result! Here are a few ideas to whet your creative juices:

Paper Cones

So easy to make and so stylish! You can use these for anything from confetti to chocolates. Make them large enough to stash one or two items inside, for instance a candle and a bag of chocolates.

These can be made quickly and easily with a template – check out local craft store for a durable one or go online and print out a free one on card; make them from decorative scrapbook papers which are nice quality & thicker than other papers or if you want something stronger choose a thin card.

Boxes

Now these will take some time to cut and assemble so possibly not the best idea for a large number of favors! There are plenty of templates available both to buy and free online. They are simple to make once cut out but the amount it will take may just put you off!

Aside from the traditional cube shapes, there are templates available for hexagonal and pyramid boxes, petal boxes and bags. Taking into account the amount of time effort, it maybe easier to simply buy them ready made!

Bags

There are two types of bags you could make – paper/card or fabric. Fabric bags are so easy to make and will take you no time at all with the aid of a sewing machine. Make a casing in the top so you can thread some ribbon through to tie them closed.

Paper bags may require a template so you can cut them to size and fold into shape. You will find templates for handbags, totes and simple gift bags.

Envelopes

Really easy to make although once again making envelopes does require a certain amount of cutting and gluing to put them together. You will find various sized envelope templates in craft stores, which will also include templates for matching liners.

Shapes include the traditional style with triangular flaps, square shapes and tall rectangular pocket styles. Envelopes make nice packaging for flat wedding favors such as cards, lottery tickets etc. Again you can choose from a variety of paper colors & patterns to coordinate them with your wedding style.

Making your own packaging can add that unique touch to your wedding favors that is so important. If gives you the opportunity to add some personal style and flair and your guests will be delighted when they discover you had handmade them yourself.