Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Craft Confession

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Sandwiches, look at this beautiful scrap paper city made by the clever At Swim Two Birds. (Thank you Justine for tweeting this! - By the way have you seen Justine's Tokyo Stationery Store round up? )

I also have a little craft confession. When I moved to Tokyo I packed...um...an entire box of scrap paper! When my mum read my packing slip with descriptions of box contents she was outraged that I was taking 'Scrap paper'! ha ha I know paper is so heavy but I had spent years collecting these pieces of paper which I use for everything from artworks to gift wrapping to making Christmas cards. I'd carefully collected snippets of paper from all parts of my life. The girls at VOGUE Living used to warn me when they'd just put all of the unwanted wallpaper samples and press releases in the bin and I used to rummage through the otto bin searching for floral and flocked wallpaper pieces. (glamorous I know!) There is something very inspiring to me about my scrap paper collection. I like arranging the pieces in nice combinations and seeing how the textures and colours react and relate to each other. In any case, that's my dirty little craft secret. And here are two little pics of my collection!

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I may go now and construct myself a little scrap paper city!

Love Love
Sandwich
xoxo

20 comments:

  1. Oh yes, I have an enormous suitcase of scrap paper, which sits centred, always open, under my desk. If I moved cities I don't know what I'd do!

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  2. "I'd carefully collected snippets of paper from all parts of my life."

    I like that part :-)

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  3. Your scrap paper collection is envy worthy I am sure! I keep a scrap paper bin too - but I do not have any fancy flocked wallpaper!

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  4. crazy girl! but thats what we love about you, you reflect our own insane paper collections:)

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  5. Cute post! The scrap paper city is amazing! I used to collect alot of scrap paper too but was forced to junk most of them when I shifted :(. I still hold on to my notebook collection though!

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  6. I'm like to stick pieces of pretty scrap paper, tags on my inspiration board. I'm running out of room.

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  7. haha you would bring a box of scrap paper! i love it! haha yesss make a wall like this! its exciting to see how different yours will be :-)

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  8. Ebz! I have 2 huge craft boxes. I pulled them out on the weekend and my flatmates were amazed at how much stuff I have acquired over the years. It always comes in handy though - I can't bring myself to throw anything out.

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  9. we looove collecting scraps of paper or images from magazines which i would later use to do collages and other mini projects

    www.sauceloves.com

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  10. Wow Ebony, this is so inspiring! I gasped when I read about the wallpaper samples, how wonderful! I too am a paper lover, I just wish I was as organised as you are.
    Sophie x

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  11. I love all the fun patterns and the unusual colour combinations on some of those papers. I've never been much of a flocked paper fan, but show me some nice flocking and I'm sure I can change!

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  12. This is super dooper Ebony! I used to go all around the city picking flyers and funny bits of paper... And I used to steal all those art show flyers that people stick up in school... A lot of them have nice floral/patterned bits. Hahaha..

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  13. well....... extra cute sandwiches --------
    scrap paper is such a fun and special thing - but do other sandwich parents also have an attic of every crayon and artwork you have ever owned?

    Mamasando is planning a HUGE garage sale of all Hellosandwich preschool artworks.

    All funds go directly to storage :-)

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  14. Hi there,
    I’ve given you the Stylish Blogger Award! There’s more info over on my blog gemmipopdesigns@blogspot.com
    I hope you’re having a great day!
    Gemma

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  15. when did you move to japan? i live in tokyo now! very cute photos.

    finally hatachi

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  16. this is simply amazing. i love the use of scrap paper to reinvent something so refreshing and new. that is so glamorous that they fish throguh bins for floral and flocking paper!

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  17. OMG I do this too!!! In the past six years I've lived in Chicago, Japan, Australia (Sydney, and then the countryside), Long Island, and now in CA. I take my paper everywhere! My husband thinks I'm crazy, but doesn't say anything as long as my paper doesn't outweigh his electric guitar! =)

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  18. I can't believe mamma sandwich wrote that, she's so cool. you know my mum has always complained about the stories of my everythings. I had quite so much that they (my sister and mum) got sick of asking me when I would take it. That they had a garage sale of all my stuff (that wasn't so precious) and threw out all the things (papers, cuttings, bias, paints, brushes and fabrics) that I most treasured.

    Heart breaking, but I get it, as I was always so emotionally attached to every paper or craft/design object I collected, and my artworks..

    Now I am a mother of 38 I get that I need to move on a little on the collecting phase, but I allow my kids to have mad moments like this in the future, cause I understand.

    I have never posted before but wanted to mention I L O V E your blog in the sweetest of ways.

    I would dearly love it if you checked into my blog sometime

    lalahiprism.blogspot.com

    even if i were to make it to you blog roll. I'd be ever so pleased.

    I just to live in Tokyo and worked for Kspace. I had a friend in Kichiyogi Park and my son was 2 when I lived there we went everywhere by bike. It ws difficult mothering and working a that time but I loved the spring. I took many photos too.
    It was good chatting.

    xxx Sandwich associate

    Kym Maxwell

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  19. I love your secret obsession.......because I have the very same one!!!! My family get so annoyed with me keeping gift wrap/interesting packaging/magazine cuttings but I just can't seem it give it up!!
    You have made me feel confident and happy in my addiction. We should start 'Scrap Paper Collectors Anonymous!!

    Love your blog, you're such an inspiration.

    Tori xx

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  20. Eherm..there is nothing wrong with that! When I moved from Shanghai to Tokyo, I also sent rather large amounts of scrap paper. Without it, how could I make cards and decorate gifts?

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