Do More of What Makes You Happy!

It all started when I saw an imported paper wallet in Singapore last 2010. It was just very simple, no sewing, just lots of folds and then that's it! I, being an OC (obsessive-compulsive) person, I wanted to have my own version of paper wallet, the one I would be proud and happy to carry anywhere I go. :)

So when I did my product design & consultation stint for my handmade paper supplier last June 2011, I suggested we try to make our own version of paper wallet - an eco-friendly with a lot of "chic-ness" in it. ;)

One of the designs in the 1st batch of paper wallets released last year was the Damask in black. I super love it and decided to give all my girl BFF's one as a Christmas present. Then sometime in the wee hours of morning in February 2012, an idea popped in my mind! I want to design my own paper wallet using a collage of scrapbook papers & washi tapes! I must admit I am addicted to these 2!

True as they say "Its not about ideas...its about making ideas HAPPEN." It took me months to make it happen...designing & creating took a backseat when families came over, Holy Week celebrations & it was summer! :)

It started with this:

Then this:

Into this:

From collage to machine-sewn paper wallet.
The base for the collage is handmade paper and the collage is coated with a glossy gel medium for protection

I was super duper happy when I finally saw the finished product! :) Makes me want to create MORE of them everyday. I actually did (see my previous posts on collages) and will show you on my next post what happened to the other 2 collages I posted previously. **excited!**

On learning SEO and stuff...

I'm trying to learn SEO (search engine optimization) the for the past week since I am planning to update my website (www.handcraftedexpressions.com). I heard about SEO and meta tags but never really got to know the technical part of those terms. While browsing, I came across several websites that featured me and my work. I was surprised because I was not aware of some of them! I am thankful nevertheless because the writers took time in writing and posting my work and that gives me some mileage in Google searches. :) And for that, I am grateful to all of them. Thank you!


Shiela is a budding writer. She just texted me last year asking me if its ok to have my business featured on her website. Of course, that would be great. Thank you, Shiela! :)

Website: The Golden Apple

Ajay's Writing on the Wall 

Annalyn is a former client of mine. I just saw her blog entry a few days ago while browsing and I was surprised that she posted her invitation among her other wedding suppliers. Thanks, Annalyn!

She even had her article published on a newspaper!

The PlanetEye Traveler

Marianne, a Filipina blogger & prolific writer whom I met online emailed me last year if she could write an article about my work. Of course, I said, by all means. :) Thanks, Marianne.

Jemps & Jason's Eco-Chic Wedding

I admire this couple whom I worked with last year. They proved that anyone can have a memorable & chic wedding without harming the environment much more inspiring us and to quote them "Every green choice makes a difference - no matter how small!" Just reading the article about their green steps towards an eco-chic wedding is so inspiring you would want to sign up to Greenpeace! :) Congratulations, Jason & Jemps! Thank you!

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Lastly,  I just learned from my husband that there was an online version of the Business Friday article about me. I *heart* this one because it captured everything that is me and to think it was just a serendipitous meeting with Madonna, the writer. The one I posted almost 3 years ago was a scanned image. Thank you, Madonna.

Masigasig Magazine
Ms. Prime S. and I met when we shoot the video of Kumikitang Kabuhayan years ago. Then she went on to become the editor for Masigasig Magazine of Globe Telecom. Thanks, Prime! 

I am just a small business owner. I cannot afford to have paid advertisements/write-ups on the magazines & newspaper. Its my passion that fuels me to stay in the business. Its more than the money and I thank these people who saw that passion in me and took time to acknowledge it and they do it for free! THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!
Now, who says nothing is free in this world?

Trifold

For the past 2 weeks, I and my staff are working on 2 big orders from the U.S. Coincidentally, both brides are from California and invite style they wanted was also the same but the colors are different. This is actually another version of my "Natasha" invite which I originally designed for an Australian client. As much as I wanted to make each piece of my work unique, some clients wanted to use my existing design. However, I still make it unique but applying some touches on it.

The first bride's color motif is purple, sage green & ecru. But honestly, even if you tell me sage green, apple green, celadon green - I cannot really tell exactly which is which because for every client that I encountered, they have their own version of green, whatever shade it is! So what I do is to let them choose among our green swatches. :)


For the inserts, I used our off-white handmade paper embedded with sweet honesty flowers (statis in the native dialect).













The tri-fold envelope has 3 kinds embedded flowers in it - statis, seruwalai & i-still-can't-remember-that-yellow-flower's-name! They add depth on the paper and the fibers add texture and the handmade feel. The green border thingy is actually another piece of paper that serves as a mat.

This kind of invitation is more labor-intensive since I have to adhere everything on the green mat but its ok with me. That's part of the process. :)

On my next post I'll show the plum & fuschia version of this 6"x8" trifold invite. Gotta go for a delivery.

Today is BLOG ACTION DAY!

Last August, I stumbled upon a website about the environment - The Blog Action Day. Bloggers are encouraged to post a topic about the environment- whatever they want to discuss, off-topic or not. And since I am into handmade papers, I guess I have to do my part in educating people regarding the effects of using handmade papers to our environment & our people.

{TREE-FREE}

A big part of my passion using handmade paper invitations & other paper products is knowing that the medium I am using does not come from trees. It is actually called a tree-free paper. And we know that here in our country, deforestation is at an alarming rate. And we can see the effect of this when we have floods all over the cities & provinces when it rains (not even typhoon!)

Our Philippine handmade papers come from Abaca fibers, Cogon grasses (which is actually a waste grass) and other plants & fibers locally available. By not using trees to make papers, we help conserve them and this is what I always tell my clients. Somehow, many of them are clueless as to where handmade papers really come from. At least I get to share with them the reason why I am pursuing to promote our handmade papers.

Commercial papers are made from trees, if not 100%, at least some of them have some "post-consumer" components (from recycled papers), but STILL they have TREES as their "ingredient". It is my hope that soon paper manufacturers will only use recycled papers and/or natural fibers (except trees) so we will not bald mountains & flashfloods.

By the way, handmade papers are different from recycled papers. At least our handmade papers come from different fibers but not from used papers. When we say handmade, the process is done by hand, sheet per sheet, with the use of mould and deckle, hand-embedded with flowers, leaves, capiz & other components. Whereas recycled paper comes from used papers and mostly machine-processed.

{ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY PROCESSING}

The process of making our handmade papers are done without sacrificing the environment. No chemicals are used to harm the environment and there is a proper waste disposal. This is what differentiates it from machine-processed papers.

{LIVELIHOOD}

From former fisherfolks, the people who make our wonderful papers are now earning regularly (and fairly) making papers. Even the housewives are able to work as pressed flower designers in the comforts of their home while looking after the children.

We hope to continue operating as a socially responsible and harmonious business group that produces ecologically friendly and globally competitive handmade paper and related handicrafts. It is our vision to continuously pursue efforts for the improvement of the Filipino people within the framework of sustainable development.