1.11.2011

[the gifts of 2010]

Gifts2
When Jon and I were dating he made me a bouquet of paper tiger lily's for Valentine's that I absolutely fell in love with (a great way to score some serious points with a budding art student, don't you think?!). And it so happens that I fell in love with him as well...and things only continued to bloom from there. It's now sort of become our thing - in the past nine years (whew! I know, can you believe it!) he's given me various lovely botanical creations in paper, copper, you name it.

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In spite of all of this, nothing could have prepared me for the absolutely incredible paper flower creation, inspired by paper artist Jen Stark, Jon gave me this past Christmas for our $0 gift exchange. When I opened the package I was completely speechless. I had no idea he'd gone to such lengths to create such a stunning and beautiful piece of art. I'm so enamored with it.

We're now trying to figure out how to hang/display it. I'm not sure if we want to keep all the extra paper that fans out into a spiral or if we want to somehow cut it off (Jon wasn't sure so he left it for me to decide). I like it...but then I also like the idea of the focus just being on the flower. What do you guys think? Trim it, or leave it? And how to hang it? (All the petals are cut out from the paper beneath. No paper is, at this moment, adhered to another).
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14 comments:

  1. CarmenJanuary 12, 2011 at 2:03 AM

    That is absolutely beautiful!! You are one lucky girl!!
    I reckon keep the extra paper, it kind of act as a reminder of how the flower developed...

    You have a beautiful blog by the way.

    forgottenfancies.blogspot.com

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  2. HeatherJanuary 12, 2011 at 2:08 AM

    ok. how did he even make that? so awesome. and i would trim the paper or reverse it so the flower pops more.

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  3. UnknownJanuary 12, 2011 at 9:49 AM

    It's gorgeous as is. Don't trim it, the extra paper acts as a frame of sorts. How to hang it is a little difficult not knowing how it's made exactly. Could you glue a tie and then cover that with felt? Glass cased side table? Hope that helps,
    Annabelle

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  4. KatieJanuary 12, 2011 at 11:50 AM

    Wow, I'd like to know how he made that as well. Looks like so many layers of paper! I would keep it as is simply because that's how it was created for you. Is the depth too much for a shadow box frame of some kind?

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  5. Anna R. WilliamsJanuary 12, 2011 at 12:51 PM

    The extra paper looks really cool! Is there any way you could adhere it to a solid surface (like a thin slice of wood) and then attach something to that to hang on the wall?

    Such a lucky wife!

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  6. SusanJanuary 12, 2011 at 2:14 PM

    amazing!

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  7. LorajeanJanuary 12, 2011 at 4:13 PM

    This is incredible!!

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  8. LorraineJanuary 12, 2011 at 4:30 PM

    Jon, you artist you! This is great. Shadow box maybe? At least to protect it? Just an idea.

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  9. Vanessa @ {nifty thrifty things}January 19, 2011 at 2:56 PM

    Wow! This is incredibly gorgeous! How did he do that?!
    I would keep as is, as well. Since nothing is adhered with glue it's probably out of the question to mount it on the wall in a shadow box..?
    It's so beautiful. It reminds me on a cooked artichoke, when you pick leaf by leaf to get to the heart. Awesome!

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  10. CrystalJanuary 20, 2011 at 10:53 PM

    So is there anything Jon can't do?!..that definitely needs a prominent place on the wall.

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  11. objects of whimsyJanuary 21, 2011 at 1:51 AM

    you need and acrylic box frame it would be perfect for this. I would keep the excess as this would give you something to anchor the object onto as im thinking it will need some kind of backing board. It also adds to the object as it echoes it shows its construction process and emphasises the fact that it was constructed by hand which is the concept that it was born out of. Art framers should have those boxes available.

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  12. HeatherJanuary 21, 2011 at 5:39 PM

    2 things...

    1. my sister.in.law liz (shaun's wife) made scarves for us for christmas using your pattern. loved them!

    2. saw your cute pirate valentines on this blog http://www.goodlookcookbook.com/2011/01/valentines-day-cards.html
    and just thought i would let you know!

    ok 3 things...

    3. you are wonderful!

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  13. D-lynJanuary 24, 2011 at 6:44 PM

    Maybe use long pins and pin your flower paper to a some foam core to mount it. i wouldn't try anything else to mount it. I would think glue would ruin the cool loose affect.

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  14. robinFebruary 7, 2011 at 9:07 PM

    Just found your valentine's post on Design Mom - Too bad I already got the supplies for this years! I just started doing folded paper last week and I think you don't trim. It's about the paper too. Good luck trying to frame it though! I think the person that suggested pinning it to foam core had the best suggestion.

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