Glowing
If you looked at these and though "ooooh, I wanna color them" you're not alone! I've made a little coloring book with images of a couple of my favorites. It's free, and you can download it over here! And if you're worried they're hard, I've got a little free download over here with some sample folds so you can try it out ahead of time to make sure you can do it.
Every year, right about when the time changes and the sun starts setting well before dinnertime, I am overcome with the urge to make these. I fold them by the dozen and absolutely fill my windows. I can't explain it. I can't justify it. I have absolutely no idea how something made from nothing more than a few sheets of paper and a couple of stickers can be so utterly enchanting. But somehow they are.
They satisfy my brain in much the same way as knitting. You use simple materials (yarn, or paper), and a tiny handful of fundamental techniques (knit & purl stitches, or straight & diagonal folds), and repeat the same actions over and over (stitch after stitch after stitch, or fold after fold after fold). And somehow you end up with something that feels like so much more than the sum of its parts.
They've been a touchstone of my year for longer than I can remember (the family lore is that they were one of the holiday crafts the nuns at my German kindergarten taught me to make). They make even the darkest winter days seem just a bit brighter and more bearable. And, while I certainly don't have the commanding presence of an elderly German nun, I absolutely love the idea of sharing them with all of you.
I hope they bring you a little light when the world feels dark!
Gleaming
If you looked at these and though "ooooh, I wanna color them" you're not alone! I've made a little coloring book with images of a couple of my favorites. It's free, and you can download it over here! And if you're worried they're hard, I've got a little free download over here with some sample folds so you can try it out ahead of time to make sure you can do it.
Every year, right about when the time changes and the sun starts setting well before dinnertime, I am overcome with the urge to make these. I fold them by the dozen and absolutely fill my windows. I can't explain it. I can't justify it. I have absolutely no idea how something made from nothing more than a few sheets of paper and a couple of stickers can be so utterly enchanting. But somehow they are.
They satisfy my brain in much the same way as knitting. You use simple materials (yarn, or paper), and a tiny handful of fundamental techniques (knit & purl stitches, or straight & diagonal folds), and repeat the same actions over and over (stitch after stitch after stitch, or fold after fold after fold). And somehow you end up with something that feels like so much more than the sum of its parts.
They've been a touchstone of my year for longer than I can remember (the family lore is that they were one of the holiday crafts the nuns at my German kindergarten taught me to make). They make even the darkest winter days seem just a bit brighter and more bearable. And, while I certainly don't have the commanding presence of an elderly German nun, I absolutely love the idea of sharing them with all of you.
I hope they bring you a little light when the world feels dark!
Posy
Anyone with an Nonsense ($6) or Rampant Nonsense ($12) Patreon membership gets this e-book included free in their membership. Yes, that absolutely is cheaper than buying the e-book on it's own!
If you join, you also get access to a whole bunch of videos of me talking you through making these, plus lots of patterns. Here's a preview of the patterns you get at the Sheer Nonsense ($3), Utter Nonsense ($6), and Rampant Nonsense ($12) levels (there are a couple of goodies for free members too)! And of course, you can change or cancel your membership at any time, and you'll still have access to anything you download while you're a member, even if you cancel later.
I can’t in good conscience pretend these are anything other than a delightful frivolity. They don’t do anything. They’re not for anything. They don’t solve any problem or cure any ailment. But, much like real flowers, they’re pretty, and they seem to make people happy. And, unlike real flowers, they will neither wilt nor set off your allergies.
And while I can’t pretend they do anything useful, I can promise that they are absurdly fun to make. Seriously, I spent about six straight weeks making hundreds and hundreds of them, and every time I finished one I was shocked by how lovely it was. I only stopped because I ran out of things to do with them and people to inflict them on! I suspect I will, with only the slightest provocation, make many more in the future.
Plus once you know how to make them, you can make them with other people. No really, I highly recommend making a couple yourself so you know how then having your friends over for a grown up craft party. The supplies are inexpensive (and once you have the stuff to make your own, you’ll have plenty to share with others), it’s not nearly as messy as you probably worry it is, and you can make a whole bouquet in an afternoon.
You should do it! There’s something deeply satisfying about sitting with friends and laughing and making something with your hands, and I suspect we could all use a little more of that in our lives. In fact, I’ve included a page of tips to make that easier and a couple of one page guides you can print out to get folks started. Because I can think of nothing I’d like better than to spend time with friends making something sweet and silly and lovely together, and this is as close as I can come to inviting you all over to play!
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