25 Days of Paper 2015, Day 1

Today begins another 25 Days of Paper to celebrate the season of giving by sharing the wonders of paper. 

This year I’ll be featuring various paper companies, artisans and products on odd days, starting today; on even days (starting tomorrow) I will provide instructions for one of the 12 projects pictured above. Special thanks to all of you who purchased a custom paper pack (I still have 10 paper packs left for any of you who feel left out)! And of course you are welcome to make the projects using your own papers.

I’ve started a FB group where we can share our creations, leave tips and comments and ask questions (only really important ones please). Join us!

Tell your paper loving friends, too! The response so far has been great, and I hope to make this an annual tradition and continue to grow this group.

Now the fun begins!

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Discover Mizuhiki(Mi-zoo-he-key) Paper Cords, from Paper Tree & Miki’s Paper

Mizuhiki is a traditional Japanese paper cord that come in many colors and is often tied in elaborate knots as decoration for gifts, especially money wrappers. Cords come in many colors, in shiny mylar foil, wrapped in silk thread, or simply painted. It is said that Samurai used Mizuhiki to tie their topknots. The cords are 36” long and you can discover many ways to use them. Our favorite way to use Mizuhiki is to gather 3 or 5 cords to tie up gift packages. A simple square knot holds the cords in place, and you can even thread the ends back through the center knot to create simple and elegant designs.

Explore the possibilities of Mizuhiki for yourself with this special offer: a selected sampler of 100 assorted cords (retail value $35) for only $15 including shipping. A complete list of all the colors available and an instruction sheet for how to tie two basic knots will be included. Place your order at our retail website. If you find yourself in the San Francisco Bay area, please visit our retail store Paper Tree in the Japantown area, or our newly acquired store Miki’s Paper on Fourth Street in Berkeley.

A bit of history: since washi paper is very strong, it was natural to take long narrow strips and twist them into twine for tying packages (and for tying samurai’s long hair into top knots). At some point the twine was painted and tied into elaborate knots for decoration.  At wedding ceremonies Mizuhiki is tied into a male and a female butterfly and used to adorn sake bottles.  At most weddings and other special occasions, Mizuhiki is tied onto folded paper envelopes used for money gifts, a tradition that continues today.

About our sponsor: Paper Tree is family owned and operated since it’s inception in 1967. Miki’s Paper (est 1987) was acquired this year and allows the company to continue to share its love and knowledge of Japanese papers and origami craft.

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About the 25 Days of Paper 2015: It’s a great time to celebrate paper, and I’m delighted to share my ideas for using this amazing material with you. Throughout December, I’ll be posting a paper tutorial on even days, and every odd day will bring news about paper artists, stores, distributors and more! Receive updates via e-mail by adding your address in the upper right hand corner of this page. Enjoy the season, and feel free to leave a comment below and check out what people are making in the 25 Days of Paper FB Group!