Slow gift wrap

We now sell gift wrap! Go and check it out if you like.

And naturally I couldn't make it the easy way, by copy and pasting some elements in the computer, no I had to cut and paste the elements in real life, because I'm a stickler for process and all those lovely flaws and variations you get over the course of making an entire sheet of pattern . . . by hand.

I made the Green Chequerboard Gift Wrap by carving a shape from a rubber and using it as a stamp to build up a pattern, I love how wonky the lines go in places, I chose to line them all up by eye. I then added little accents with oil pastel.

I made the Blue Geometric Pattern Gift Wrap by taking a piece of beautiful bright blue paper by cutting it in to increasingly small pieces and playing around with how they might tesselate and be arranged over a whole sheet.

I made the Pink Folded Pattern Gift Wrap by painting a piece of paper then cutting and folding it to show the white on the back. I love the way the pattern looks a little bit 3D.

Each pattern was a bit like a marathon, a journey. Starting off optimistic and happy, just making a lovely pattern . . . by hand. Further down the page is a zoning out section, in a meditative sort of way. Then there's a section of wild-eyed, self-flagellation as I start to question every choice I've ever made but especially the choice to make an A2 sheet of small pattern . . . by hand. Then there's the elation as I near the end as I stick/stamp/fold the final elements! The final joy, beautiful!

No wonder I felt the need to add some little words to the bottom of each sheet, something to reflect the emotional journey undertaken to create each sheet of pattern.

I'm very grateful to be a small designer working for myself really, it gives me the opportunity to indulge all these ideas and make products that I'm ultimately so pleased with!

Now go buy yourself some patterned paper: thanks!