'Tis the season for decking the halls! We love a decoration, and, as you may have guessed, we love paper. So we thought what better way to celebrate Christmas than by designing a shimmering paper mistletoe for you to make at home. We've teamed up with the mesmerisingly talented paper artist Lydia Shirreff (have a read of her Q&A below) to create a pattern which you can cut out and stick together.
We'll be putting special Make Your Own Mistletoe packs in the first 500 Papier orders starting from Thursday 7th December, 2017. Alternatively, you can download the design here and print it at home. Then follow our step by step guide below for a crafty Christmas.
What you'll need:
– Papier mistletoe designs
– Scissors
– Glue
– Scalpel (or something sharp to score the paper with)
Step 1
Cut out all the shapes. You should have six mistletoe stems, berries, ribbon bow, ribbon tails, two small rectangular strips – one smaller than the other.
Step 2
Bunch stems together, fold and stick the longer rectangular strip around the stems to secure them.
Step 3
Stick on berries. Where you stick them is up to wherever you think they look best. You'll probably need to hold them down a bit to make sure they're stuck fast.
Step 4
Fold the red bow so that the ends meet each other in the middle, leaving gaps between the sides of the bow so that it's not flat. Fold the smaller rectangular strip around the middle of the bow and glue to the back.
Step 5
Score the ribbon tails along the dotted line and fold upwards.
Step 6
Stick the tails to the back of the bow. Hold down to make sure they glue together.
Step 7
Stick the bow and tails to the bunch so that the tails point down as the mistletoe hangs.
Et voilà! A gilded take on a Christmas favourite which you can hang with a pin or simply a bit of tape.
Starting Thursday 7th December, the first 500 Papier orders we pack will receive a Make Your Own Mistletoe kit. Alternatively, you can download the design here.
5 questions for paper artist Lydia Shirreff
How did you start?
I studied fine art at uni and played around with sculpture, so I was always interested in making 3D things. When I left uni, I started working in paper because it was cheaper and easier! Once I got used to it a bit more, I realised it had a lot of potential and gradually it became the only medium I worked with.
Who are your influences?
I’m influenced mainly by modern and contemporary artists, Donald Judd, Esther Tielemans, Anthony Caro, and I’m in awe of Olafur Eliasson and have been for many years. I work with a lot of photographers and they really inspire me, as well as collaborating with them. It’s so refreshing to see things through a photographer’s eyes.
What's been the most unusual project you've done?
With this job everything’s different, so I’m not too sure what usual is. Recently I was asked to make butterflies out of the faces of serial killers. That was pretty unique.
What is it that you love about paper?
I think me and paper are at a stage in our relationship that feels really comfortable and relaxed. We support each other emotionally, and I know paper will always have my back when things get tough.
Dang! We picked paper.
And finally, what would you pick in a one off round of paper, scissors, stone?
Scissors. I have a pair of them permanently in my hand anyway.
