(In Other Words... When Things Don't Go as Planned)   For the past year (at least!) I've had a little pile of quilled marquises and tight coils on my desk that have been patiently waiting for me to assemble them into a necklace pendant. I don't know why I never made time to finish the project, other than the fact that I didn't need the pendant for any particular purpose. But recently, I did... a top I planned to wear to a holiday get together would look nice with silver-edge black paper. Thus, this new necklace made it into reality at long last.  

Instagram is where the remarkable floral paper art of Marlene in Denmark caught my eye. I admire the way she doesn't shy away from, but instead embraces all stages of a plant's natural life cycle. From plump buds to fading petals and browning foliage Marlene strives to create accurate botanical examples.  

Each year at this time I like to look back on the holidays and show you paper gifts that I chose for others. I'm always pleasantly surprised if I happen to receive papery gifts... this year there were several so I'll include them too, along with a couple of paper decorations discovered here in Delaware.      Just for the record, I showcase many artists and crafters on this site and never expect anything in return... after all, posting their beautiful creations is what generates content (in blog-speak). But every now and then I receive a kind message from someone who has been featured who wants to repay the favor. So nice of them! Such was the case after I included Meg Jorgensen of FireBenchandBrush in this paper jewelry round up . She messaged me with an offer to choose any item in her shop as thanks... how incredibly generous! While I love the handpainted artisan paper jewelry she creates, I was drawn to this pretty blue chalcedony drusy and aquamarine pendant neckla...

Each Christmas season I kind of/sort of challenge myself to make a paper ornament in a style or technique I haven't previously tried. This year's is one I'm sure I must have made in elementary school, but rather than red and green construction paper decorated with way too much glitter, I used wrapping paper scraps saved from last Christmas to see if I could make a few ornaments that lean more toward elegant than kitsch.     

If you've contemplated making quilled Christmas cards to send to family and friends, but decided against it because you have a sneaking suspicion that after the holidays your efforts might be discarded, I offer a solution.     

It has become an annual tradition here at All Things Paper to introduce the newest items in Mayumi Fukuda's beautifully curated paper jewelry shop,  Mayumi Origami . This year you'll find she has added a patterned paper to the popular Mosaic line, and there is a brand new collection called To Issey . Each piece Mayumi creates is perfectly folded... even her stylish packaging is on point!