Crackers!

My final Christmas jobs are done. I completed with making Christmas crackers and baking shortbread.

It's time for a sherry!
Happy Christmas x

Christmas cards - just for fun.

I thought I'd share the Reindeer cards/tags I've made as my christmas cards this year.  I used old maps, a couple from the Bartholomew series which have really rich colours and a one-inch Ordnance Survey Map.

I've always loved maps, for the names of places, the patterns contours, roads, rivers and rail lines make and I particularly enjoy the colours.  As with other paper cutting that uses recycled materials I find the serendipity of patterns and shapes that reveal themselves really exciting.  I love letting it happen.

To complete the tags I used bakers yarn - here they are ready to make their journeys with christmas messages to friends and family.

It gave me great pleasure to send locations that related to where my friends live or are from.

Star Bunting for Debbie George

My lovely friend and painter Debbie George asked me to make her a whole pile of stars from wrapping paper made by Esme Winter, who describes herself as a modern British designer.  I think it is plain to see she is definitely that.

I'm a bit obsessed about odd numbers so Bee chose three designs and I set to with the scissors.

Once scored I lay them out on my kitchen table to enjoy their effect. 

Even in a pile they look great.  When Bee has strung them up she will let me have an image to show you.

Betty Loves Paper at Willow Tree Gallery, Holmfirth

Willow Tree Gallery is a small art space and framers in the cobbled back streets of Holmfirth. 

The star bunting is from one of my favourite vintage annuals Mandy for Girls.  Carrie and Debs have been fantastically supportive in getting me started as a little business, selling the paper globes and star bunting for me.  Thanks my darlin's!

Here I'm chuffed to bits that my paper globes are hanging along side the nationally known local artist David Mayne.

And the Hares with the 'Mandy Star Bunting' are made by another local artist Martin Norman.  Holmfirth is just full of artistic talent.

Installation for the Art Market, Holmfirth

In November I was asked to make an installation for the Art Market in Holmfirth.  This was the first time I had ever made anything on such a large scale.  I wanted to use the ceiling space so I made a whole heap of paper globes.  The paper came from an Atlas, a book of botanical illustrations, an art book from the  Metropolitan Museum of Art and photographs from the local photographer, Andrew Sanderson.  

Here they are, waiting in my living room the night before installation.  Bit of an invasion, eh!

This was the image used for the Art Market website.

I had them hanging in groups.  These in the window were my favourite.

The story behind betty loves paper

I started making paper bunting for friends a few years ago after they had admired some Christmas stars I had made to hang in my kitchen. I gave strings away as birthday presents, it was a way of giving something personal and unique. As a habitual hoarder of old wrapping paper, maps and picture books and always being short of time, I ended up often making these gifts from the scraps I had in piles under the stairs.

Bee's Birthday Map Stars

Jacob's Boys Bunting

Following these one off strings of bunting I had the opportunity to create something on a much bigger scale.  This was to decorate a marque for the wedding of some very special friends of mine.  I used an old Atlas and a 1970's Topper annual to produce 50 2m heart garlands, strung with coloured ribbon.  They moved gently in the breeze and looked stunning in the September sunshine.

Wedding Garlands

I received such a positive response, with guests wanting to take them home a souvenirs I got to thinking I could do more than just share them with my friends.