This is Origami

May 22, 2009 // kristen // 3 replies

This creative product concept, designed by Magdalena Czarnecki and featured the other day over at the incredibly addictive Dieline blog, is so inspiring. I’m fascinated with the idea of packaging as the product itself, and this is a stellar example.

The “This is Origami” project features empty paper bags containing step by step instructions that show you how to fold the bag into an origami animal. The reverse side of the bags feature corresponding patterns (bird cages for the whooping crane, etc.), and the bags transform into sustainable paper toys. The cost of the bag is directed to the World Wildlife Federation to help save the corresponding endangered animal. Pretty neat, huh?

images from The Dieline / Magdalena Czarnecki

More Security Envelope Creativity

May 13, 2009 // kristen // 4 replies

A couple of weeks ago, I featured a completely clever little house made by Rebecca of This Chicken using the recycled interiors of security envelopes. I just discovered, thanks to Felt and Wire, that you can also use the patterned innards of the humble security envelope to make very pretty wrappers for soap:

How cool is this?!

Felt and Wire also introduced me to the work of artist Nancy Shapiro, who uses recycled security envelopes, as well as the reply cards that fall out of magazines, to create these incredible collages:

I’m now looking at security envelopes in a completely new light and won’t be so quick to toss them in the the recycling bin.

images from Felt and Wire / Nancy Shapiro

How to Make Jeffery Rudell’s Very Favorite Box

May 13, 2009 // kristen // 1 replies

When an incredibly talented paper artist shows you how to make his “very favorite box of all time” and offers you the template to download, do you really have to think twice about it? Jeffery Rudell has done just this and has very detailed instructions, not to mention a free download, over at Craftstylish. Eep, and how awesome is that faux bois paper? You can purchase it in a variety of colors — including teal and lime green — from Hambly Screen Prints.

image from Jeffery Rudell

How to Make a Mother’s Day Message Box

May 06, 2009 // kristen // 1 replies

Amy of Living Locurto, a blog featuring many awesome art freebies, and Cathe of Just Something I Made, another fantastic blog filled with great craft ideas and freebies, have collaborated to create this wonderful printable Mother’s Day message box. The box is just the right fit for business card sized notes, and it’s available for download in a manilla design and a decorative floral design, which uses free vintage wallpaper graphics from another great freebie source, The Graphics Fairy. Fill your box with notes telling mom what you love about her, or repurpose the box as a business card holder or cool little gift box. What a great example of collaboration!

See more instructions, and download the box templates here.

images from Just Something I Made

DIY Favor Boxes

April 27, 2009 // kristen // 2 replies

Good morning, everyone! I thought that we’d start off the week with these oh so pretty DIY favor boxes that I spotted over at Style Me Pretty. The box templates were created by the talented Kathleen of Twig & Thistle, whose Li’l Tweet Stitch Kits and invitations I adore, and we’ll be seeing much more colors and styles of these fab boxes on Style Me Pretty in the coming weeks. You can download the template for the boxes pictured above here.

image from Style Me Pretty