On Wednesdays we wear pink! Pink paper bead jewelry from Der Papierfuchs

Does anyone else out there just love PINK? For me, pink is one of those colours that puts a smile on my face, it's my 'happy' colour. For me it's also a warm and cosy colour (if a colour can be cosy) but at the same time there are a variety of pinks that can but outright sexy and wild, like an awesome hot pink. I don't think pink could really ever go out of fashion. I think it's one of those colours that lurks in most people's closets. 

For this reason I am never scared to include pink in my jewelry pallet. In fact after basic colours like black, white and grey, pink is always my next go-to colour when making beads and jewelry pieces.

Below are some examples of the pink pieces I've made recently. They are all made using pink paper that is either bought as pink card stock or has been hand painted by myself in shades of pink.  

So is pink also your favourite colour? Are you more into neutrals or do other colours make your day? I would love to know what other colours people enjoy wearing and which colours you believe go best together!

Art deco inspired stud earrings and pendant sets now available

Finally you can match my Art deco pendants with a matching set of stud earrings! These Art deco inspired stud earrings have been created using the same paper and resin doming method as the pendants themselves. They are mounted onto nickel free silver earrings and come with soft silicone backings. They are 10mm in diameter so quite dainty but big enough to be noticed.

 

I chose to use nickel free studs and silicone backings so that the finished earrings would be as comfortable as possible to wear, even for sensitive people. I personally have been wearing a pair I made for myself and they are so comfortable. Usually I have issues with earrings where they make my earlobes itch, but not these ones!

I'm slowly but surely starting to fill my Etsy shop with these earrings along with the matching pendants. I am offering 10% off (excluding shipping costs) when purchased as a set. So if you are interested please take a look!

Mother's day gift ideas with Der Papierfuchs's Memory Beads ORDER NOW

With Mother's day not too far away you might already be wondering what you should get your mothers. Chocolates and flowers are always a nice gesture but this year why not something very personal and unique?

As you might already know, I make paper beads out of personal photos. I have made several necklaces and earrings now featuring people's precious photos and memories. Some have already been made to order as gifts for mothers and grandmothers, while others have been for buyers' friends. See my post here for more examples.

Below is the flier for my Memory Beads jewelry with all the details regarding ordering. It's actually quite simple. Simply send me your digital photos to derpapierfuchs@hotmail.com or even message me via www.facebook.com/derpapierfuchs 

I am more than happy to help you with design ideas and there are several different types of necklace designs you can choose from. You can either order in gold or silver coloured finishings. Prices start from €9.00 for a set of earrings and up to €22.50 for more complicated necklaces. Buying and selling is done through Etsy which gives both buyer and seller piece of mind. Etsy accept credit cards and Paypal! I also offer free gift wrapping and can mail your gift directly to your loved one.

So when thinking about a mother's day gift this year do keep these Memory beads in mind and send your precious photos over to have them transformed into wearable memories!

Trash Fashion, turning trash into jewelry, New works in progress!

While I have been making my Art deco inspired paper and resin pendants I have also been working on a side project which has been inspired by paper artist and jewelry maker Liz Hamman. (You can take a look at my other post here to see some examples of her work.)

I might not be game enough to cut up books like Liz Hamman, (my father always drummed into me how important books are and that I'm never to damage books as they are one of our most precious resources)  I have no problem punching holes out of my paper trash. So yes with this project I no longer need to browse the aisles of luxury paper suppliers or craft shops, I now simply dive into the family's paper recycling bin and pick out the best pieces for my work.

 As you can see in the example below, this method doesn't have to result in colourless or dull pieces as I first thought would be the case. The example below is currently being constructed out of a used A3 sized postage envelope, with bits of airmail labels and stamps included, a blue piece of card my daughter used for a craft piece that ummm, well failed, one old Christmas card and some promotional bookmarks that were sent with my order from the Bookdepository.

The following example, which is actually my first attempt at this kind of jewelry making, is currently being constructed from a tissue box, toothpaste box, left over red and black card stock and a cough syrup box. I have also incorporated some gold acrylic paint, as one of my favourite colour combinations is red, back, grey and gold.  

I personally don't know if you could wear these pieces as jewelry, simply because the paper itself is not coated with any protective agent or sealant and could easily be ruined by sweat or water. I would love to know if Liz Hamman does anything to her necklace pieces. To me they look like raw paper. Maybe she uses a spray sealant or varnish?

For now I am just having fun making these on the side. They are time consuming but I find it so fascinating the process of taking waste and turning it into a piece or wearable art.  Let me know if you think I should continue with these. Are they something, when finished, that you would wear?

Until next time, thank you for visiting!

Art Deco inspired resin and paper pendants

Lately I have been working on new paper and resin pendants. The designs have been heavily influenced by Art Deco design. Beautiful geometric shapes, repeating patterns and just the sense of class and style that Art Deco design emanates makes it very attractive for me as an artist. 

With these pendants I have continued to use silver and gold metallic paper as well as blocks of bold colour. I have also kept the rectangular shape of the pendant but in the future I would like to make some with more complex shapes. 

The backs of these pendants are also finished with domed clear resin over a heavy scrapbook paper backing. From the photo below you can also get a sense of how thick the pendants themselves are with both sides domed with clear resin. 

 These pendants have matching stud earrings. The earrings are also made using the same gold, silver and coloured papers, domed over with clear resin. The backs are made from a silver metal that is free from nickel and cadium. They also come with silicone backs that are so soft and comfortable. I have really sensitive ears and usually hate wearing earrings because of the itchy feeling I get when I wear studs, but with these earrings I don't have any issues!

If you are interested in purchasing these pendants or earrings please take a look at my Etsy shop www.etsy.com/shop/Papierfuchsjewellery as I have started listing them and will continue to list more over the next week.

Simple Class, Simple paper bead necklaces that arn't quite like the others

If you've looked through my posts so far you might have noticed that I like to try making jewelry out of paper in many different ways. I'm still not sure if this is a liability or an asset. I mean usually artists have a defining style, something that they repeat and tweak throughout their collection and work. I on the other hand can't seem to make more than 5 or 10 items that are similar in process or aesthetics. I just love trying new things too much. On the other hand this may mean I can reach more people and have something in stock for a variety of tastes.

As you can see, my last post featured more traditional rolled paper beads, very similar to those you might have seen out of Africa. Today I would like to introduce you to my more unusual style of paper bead necklaces which feature very simple tube shaped beads in varying lengths. Like all paper beads, these ones are also made from rolled paper but the design of the overall necklace piece is focused on bead length and contrast in color. Again my love for metallics also shines through. Pardon the pun! The use of leather is also new for me. 

I am also a huge fan of creating pieces of jewelry that feature asymmetrical designs but that, as a whole, are balanced and pleasing to the eye. It's quite interesting but once you limit yourself to a couple of design elements, such as color and length, as your variants you get to see a more creative side of yourself.

I have to just say the following piece has been inspired by ancient Egyptian colors, Blue, black and gold is so often featured on Egyptian royalty. I'd like to make a few more pieces using this color combination. 

What do you all think? Is variety the spice of life? Does it really matter if an artist creates different looks? Which ones are you favorites?

Would love to hear from you so please leave a comment. xoxoxox

A bit of Color Therapy anyone?

As I've mentioned in other posts, lately I have been creating these colorful stretch bracelets feauting my hand painted and handmade paper beads. I have gone through the colors of the rainbow to bring a set of bracelets that can not only add a fun splash of color to your outfit but can also be used for colour therapy.

In a nutshell color therapy is the use of color in your everyday life to change aspects of your mood and health. It doesn'T mean you have to go around town looking like you walked though a rainbow. Each color has a meaning and corresponding qualities, thus you may focus on including more of one or two colors depending on your situation and needs.

Hear is a chart I found online that outlines what some of the most common colours are associated with.

As you can see being particular of the colors you choose to wear or incorporate more into your environment can help stimulate or increase certain qualities.

 Below are some of the stretch bracelet and earring sets that I have made. There are many more colors to choose from, just see some of my older posts for photos of these. My particular favorites are the ones with multiple color combinations, maybe that means I need help in multiple areas of my life? Hehehehe!

I would love to know if you have ever used color therapy in your life and which colors you love to wear. Please leave a comment below and share with us your preferences.

Until next time!

Paper Bead Bracelet and earring sets

I have mentioned before that I have been making stretch bracelets from my handmade paper beads in a previous post. Today I'd like to share with you the fact that these bracelets now come with matching earrings. The earrings use the same paper beads with either gold or silver coloured findings. I'm not sure if I mentioned this before but the paper used is actually uni coloured card that I have then hand painted in order to get the pattern effect which you can see in the photos. They are hand varnished with 2 generous coats of sealer and varnish making them strong and durable. Being stretch bracelets they are a one size fits all, no need to worry if they will fit.

I personally think these would make a great gift set for a friend, girlfriend or mother etc. A Valentine present perhaps? If you are interested in buying a set please leave a comment. I haven't as yet put them up in my Etsy store, so at the moment, you can only purchase them from me directly.

Until next time! Please feel free to also visit the Der Papierfuchs Facebook page and like if you enjoy what you see. xoxoxoxox

Horizons and Travels, a set of desert and highway inspired resin and paper pendants

 

Have you ever looked and marvelled at photos of desert highways, particularly those in America? You know those shots where tumble weeds roll by and on either side of the highway lay vast amounts of land with a few rugged hills and mountains and the highway just seems to go on forever?

I personally have and I just love those images, there is something so simple and surreal about them. I mention these images now because the latest set of paper and resin pendants I have made have been inspired by the roads and desert scenes that I have spoken about, though of course in a more abstract and simplified manner.

 

Each design has a main red line or thin shape that travels across the pendant, like the roads that go off into the distance. The round red circle element is sometimes a tumble weed, sometimes the rising sun. All four examples have a sense of some kind of journey taking place.

The colours I've chosen are in themselves more oriental, I love golds and reds and felt the contrast from the two colours, along with the silver helped lift the shapes and overall composition. The shapes have also been given more lift by the use of a black wax pencil that I used to share around each shape and the edge of the pendant.

I am hoping to make another set in the near future which also feature mountains and hills. I may change my colour pallet to reflect colours from the desert scenes.  So please stay tuned!

Until next time.

Mixing elements of gold and silver with a splash of colour, new paper and resin pendant

You often hear people say that they only wear silver or that they only ever wear gold. With my paper and resin pendants I challenge all jewelry lovers and wearers to embrace both colours/metals. Together silver and gold elements within a single piece of jewelry can create interesting contrast and added allure.

As you see here with my latest pendant design, whilst my pendant is predominantly gold in colour with only hints of silver, I have matched it with a silver plated bail and chain, which visually still works. Both colours are so alluring and inspiring, why not wear both?

As with all my paper and resin pendants, both sides are domed using high quality crystal clear resin from Little-windows.  This resin is specifically designed for jewelry making and is much less toxic than other resins. The backs of each pendant also feature beautiful scrapbook papers that complement the front design. Below you can see how the resin doming gives the pendant its form and thickness. Also note the shinny and smooth surface of the pendant which gives it a real sense of quality.

As you can see I am still very much interested in working with a minimalist abstract design, influenced by contemporary Asian design. I hope you enjoy my work as much as I enjoy making it. Please leave a comment letting me know what you think of my work, all comments are greatly appreciated. You can easily visit my Etsy shop by clicking the link on the side of this page.

As always, thank you very much for visiting Der Papierfuchs blog!

When paper jewelry is just awesome!

I thought I would use this post today to share with you some examples of AWESOMENESS. Sometimes you come across a piece of paper jewelry that makes your jaw just drop and your mouth start to drool. Following are some examples of paper jewelry that make me do just that. They are examples of artistic flair and craftsmanship which I believe are of the highest quality and to which I aspire to.

These pieces of AWESOMENESS have been created by the talented British artist Liz Hamman who makes her paper jewelry from reclaimed maps and books. 

First of all I love the colours used, the use of bold red and black are always so stunning in my opinion. The softness of the paper in contrast with the solid beads add a wonderful visual interest. In the final example the sculptural nature of those paper chains is just stunning and I personally think quite adventurous design wise.

Next are some examples of just stunning rings by paper artist Jeremy May. Again my favourite use of colours, reds, neutrals, flashes of blues are all incorporated in his designs.

What I am also most impressed by is the stunningly perfect finish he achieves. I am curious to see how he achieves that. Polished resin? The simple abstract designs are so stunning and the rings themselves are wearable, which I think is also important.

I really do hope that my own paper jewelry can one day also be held in high esteem by others. At the moment I am at a level where I am designing and making for the everday fashion lover rather than for high-end art galleries which I feel is where these pieces are at home.

I hope you have enjoyed the paper jewelry examples I have shared today. I am sure you would agree that they are just AWESOME! Stay tuned for more updates on my own practice with new pieces being blogged about frequently.

xoxoxo

Metallic papers and charming paper and resin pendants

 If I haven't already mentioned it, then I will now... I love metallics! I love gold and silver and I am always looking for ways to incorporate these elements in my paper jewellery. We don't often think of paper jewelry as being gold or silver, it's more often simply the color of card available or patterned scrapbook paper. For me using gold and silver metallic papers means I can achieve a level of preciousness that using other papers alone cannot achieve.

With my latest paper and resin pendants I have limited myself to using gold and silver paper matched with one other colour. The use of fine stripes of gold and silver I feel achieves a sense of delicateness that is in contrast with the bold block of colour and gold or silver background.

As you can see the backs of these pendants are finished using quality scrapbook paper card which lets me create a more stable and ticker pendant. Notice also that both sides have been domed with resin from Little-Windows.com which is a high quality non-toxic resin for jewelry making.

At the moment I am still in the middle of making more of these rectangular shaped pendants and once finished will photograph them and list them on my Etsy shop. Each pendant will also come with a silver plated necklace. So if you are interested please follow me by email or follow me on Facebook for updates. I am happy to sell outside of Etsy as well, just send me a message or leave a comment.

Until next time, thank you for dropping by.