Hopping into the Spring of things

Spring is bouncing our way and even though winter won't leave and it is still freezing we keep looking out for the return of happy bunnies and birds and other creatures that let us know that flowers and warmth will be heading our way. 

Our creativity is blooming with the weather and we have a large group of new cards set to go out.  We are in talks with two stores that may carry some of our cards soon.  Details will be listed here, as soon as possible, so keep looking at this space for more information as well as more cute cards with Iris Paper folding art!

[At least it wasn't an attack of the killer rabbits just some cute bun buns.]

Delicious Arts

We at C² RK love our sweet treats, so the above is a great example to use for when talking about using varying textures in Iris Paper folding.  When you use varying types of paper you can give your pieces different feelings.  It will help you express yourself better.  In the above cupcake the ribbed paper was used at the bottom to show the wrapper.  You just want to reach out and pick it up off of the card to take a big bite.  This is a great birthday card, a wonderful party card or fun sweet stationary being blank inside giving the card giver space to express themselves.  Never forget to have fun and create.  

Love is all we need

50 years ago this week The Beatles came into houses across America on their TVs and they have never left our hearts or music since.  Even in Iris folding paper art many other mediums inspire us.  Listening to music or singing and laughing is a constant while working on our creative pieces.  It is because we love doing them and they are all pieces made of love. 

On the Eve before Valentine's Day we here at C² RK would like to share in our thoughts on love.  Yes, The Beatles have told us that "All we need is love", but like them we realize that there is a great deal more than just romantic love.  So remember to greet those you can in love and friendship.  It'll make the world a little brighter.  Greet the day with a song in your heart and a smile on your face.

More artistic expressions

Iris paper art is always a challenging way for us to to craft and express things.  Being able to share it with others and help them express their feelings is just another way that we can share art with others.  Locating the perfect parings of paper and textures is one way we can do that.  

In the above example we use raffia for the tie off on the tag when in a previous example of a similar design we had used a red ribbon.   Our base designs evolve and change as well.  This example does not include the word Love on it while the one with the red ribbon did.

Coming up with new designs to work with is an amazing part of the fun too.  We have friends and family that ask if we could make ones that would look like this or that and sometimes we see it other times we don't.  Then again sometimes things just pop up and we go with it.

Though even if a design is similar you can change take different materials, a new iris in the middle and come up with something all together different.  The above card design shows three hearts and yes people automatically think of Valentine's Day, but it is so much more.  The way the two hearts are going into make the one in the middle showing how the two hearts really make one love.  How the two make a new heart, or new life that is bigger than the two of them were individually.  It is amazing how much more you can see if you just take a moment to stop and realize the art actually behind it. 

Celebrate, love and a more traditional Iris

You can always find reasons and ways to celebrate with creativity with C²RK!

Cupcakes are always a delightful treat for birthdays and celebrations.  The above cupcake shows one of the more "traditional" iris folding paper design made using fun holographic papers that really grabbed the light.  Because of the cupcake design you couldn't see the entire iris as part of it would be hidden. 

Here is another example of one of the more "traditional" iris design.  This example is more for those red hot romances, but it didn't just want to be a Valentine's day card, oh no.  It insisted that it was so much more than that because it knew that it could be an amazing Anniversary card as well.  Or it could be used as a show how much you loved someone just because card.  Guys - women love just because we love you cards... (trust me).

Consisting of a tag belonging to love that was almost jumping off the page with an iris that just gave it an extra spin this card caught the eye and didn't let go.  The paper here was shiny and metallic.  While the picture doesn't do the colors much justice it shows what I really wanted - the details of the folds in the iris.  This picture really got them to stand out and show the near waves into the center. 

Iris Folding Art doesn't just use one or two pieces to make the design to get the colors.  They are made up out of many layered pieces of paper that have to be positioned in a specific way to get them to come out just so.  Sometimes you make them 'traditional' where you can clearly see the waves, other times you just create them with colors to make beautiful art in the same pattern, but the colors are not defining the design that is there if you look at it hard enough. 

It's all in the eye of it.

A small taste

C²RK uses a paper art style called Iris Paper Folding.  It takes simple things you are already familiar with, like the above Holiday Card, and turns them into a small pieces of one of a kind art that you can share with another.  Each piece is hand made and one of a kind.  Besides cards we create other varying sized or more delicate pieces that may be framed or other pieces that may be sewn and more. 

The above piece was created in Dec 2013.  It was based off of a Holiday Tree for a card that was requested and has already been sold.  We will continue to bring you samples of pieces. 

Welcome to C²RK.  Working with paper we create art that you can take and share through various mediums including, but not limited to cards and framed art.  Pictures and examples will be following shortly.  Please continue to watch our site.  Thank you for your interest.