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!