Little Acorn

I sat down to make my grocery list...

... and instead started drawing some ideas for a new squirrely valentine. I took a break for the last couple of years, but those are still the posts I get the most hits on (over four thousand a day recently when it was featured on a Japanese paper cut site) so I should probably give the people what they want and do another valentine pattern. I really  love papercutting. The doodling and designing and then that soothing meditative work as you slice into the paper again and again with that wickedly sharp blade.

If you want to see the previous patterns the links are here for 2008 and here for 2009.

Watch for updates and hopefully a pattern by no later than the 1st of February. Now that I've said it, I have to do it, right?

Squirrely Valentine, 2009

I got so much positive feedback from my squirrel valentine last year and so many of you made the pattern, which totally made me smile, so I decided to design another papercut project for you for this Valentine's Day. Of course it features squirrels - what says "I Love You" more than squirrels?

This papercut is a bit trickier than the last one, with more fine details that might frustrate a beginner a little and I definitely suggest an x-acto blade and a cutting mat rather than scissors this time. If this is your first time papercutting I'd suggest using last year's pattern and tutorial first to get a feel for the tools and techniques. Or just go for it. It's just a piece of paper, right? Just make sure you DO NOT CUT TOWARDS YOUR HAND. This lesson was hard learned as I cut out one of these valentines for you! This year you can choose from a classic, folded, cut-both-sides-at once pattern or a no-fold-in-the-middle, takes-twice-as-long full page pattern and they can be yours by saving the images from this post to your computer and then printing them at full size or by downloading the pdf files below. If you use the folded pdf pattern, please note that it doesn't fold right in the middle of the paper. If you make one I'd love to see it and please let me know if you have any questions or problems.

Happy cutting and long live squirrely love!

 

Download Squirrel Valentine 2009, folded 

Download Squirrel Valentine 2009, full page

Out of the Woods

This is my third papercut and my first that isn't a folded Valentine. The cutting is much more intricate in places and I still have all my fingers! David was late getting home and I was doing some fairy tale inspired sketching in front of the television. I thought I was working on an idea for a Little Red Riding Hood softie, but instead I ended up with this papercut. To me it looks like an illustration for a modern fairy tale of the cautionary variety.

A Little Acorn Valentine For You!

Just for YOU, dear blog readers, I've designed this papercut Valentine that you can print out and make! All it takes is a printer, two sheets of paper in contrasting colours, a small x-acto knife or scissors, a cutting mat and spray adhesive or other glue.

Directions:
1) Click on the pattern image here to open it up full size then print it at 100%. A heavier paper stock is  nice to work with, but regular printer paper will work too. Card stock would be too stiff for the papercut, but would make a nice backing.

2) Carefully fold the paper so that the middle edge of the pattern is aligned (note that this isn't the exact centre of the paper).

3) Starting with the centre part of the heart, use your x-acto knife or scissors to remove everything that isn't the pattern. I started with scissors, but moved to a blade quickly and found it faster and more accurate. Remember to protect your work surface and your hands - those blades are SHARP!

4) Using pinking shears or other decorative scissors if you like, cut out the main heart shape.

5) Unfold and turn over.

6) Using spray adhesive or your favourite method, attach the cut out heart to a contrasting piece of paper. Remember to have the side with the pattern on it facing down.

7) Using your pinking shears again, cut around your heart, leaving a little border.

8) Give to someone special or keep for yourself, make some cookies and spread the squirrely love!

Hey! My squirrely valentine was featured on the Craft Magazine Blog! I'm THRILLED!