Diana Official Blog

For my first quilling demo, I had wanted to bring along and display business cards so attendees would know where to find more tutorials on my blog. I searched for existing DIY business card holders out there (SVG files for digital cutting machines), but they were either meant for carrying or displaying, not both. So my brain kept at it and here's what I've come up with so far. When it's closed, it's akin to a pack of cards – contained and compact. I made the lid 1/4" shorter so it gives me something to grip when separating the two pieces. Then I simply slide the top upwards (cue Transformers theme music), bend the top backwards, then slide it back down. Ta-dah! It stands by itself! It still needs a bit of work because all I did was reduce the bottom overall. However, that doesn't truly allow for proper paper tolerances, as seen by the bowing along the length and over-snug fit in the depth. I'd like to improve my understanding of proper calculations one ...

Before anyone goes out to buy this, I'd like to say that I won't be using this to quill! It spins so fast, I can't keep the strip edge even. However, I'll explain my "just because" experiment. When Ann Martin of All Things Paper reviewed the Quill Ease Slotted Motorized Quilling Tool , I was reminded that I've always wanted to see if an electric eraser would be a good "Macgyverism". Off to Daiso (Japanese dollar store) I went, and picked up this electric eraser for $2. I went to the one in Richmond , but there are many US locations as well. It's easy to take apart by twisting the upper ring and separating the halves. I had hoped my mini Japanese quilling tool (far right) would fit, but upon closer comparison, the diameter is too big to replace the eraser. Plus I don't think I could bear to damage my beloved tool. Not to be deterred, I trimmed down a toothpick, gave it a slit, and shoved the pointy end into the eraser. Here's what my...

My brother-in-law is a teacher and was subbing for a class of 7th graders. He decided to engage them in a way they'd never been before, by showing them how to quill. I gave him a quick one hour lesson of the basics the night before, using toothpicks and .5" strips of white photocopy paper we cut by hand on a guillotine cutter. After showing some examples, they started quilling. Both boys and girls got into it, but the girls took it to another level with focused and larger pieces, varying from the examples they were shown. I was astonished at what they achieved in just one hour! They grasped the basic shapes immediately and started creating their own unique pieces without any patterns. Some girls decided to stay and finish their quilling during recess. I just love the bird (top right) and wonder if she felt it was finished? As an adult, I think I over-process new things to my own detriment. I loved hearing how the kids dove right in unimpeded. I've got lots to learn!

My friends got engaged and I wanted to quill them something to commemorate the happy occasion. Champagne glasses immediately came to mind and then I wondered what to put around the clinking glasses — confetti and streamers of course! I think of pink for a rosy congratulations, whether for a graduation or even an invite to "eat, drink, and be merry". The example shown here has the pink dots ready-to-print along with the frame. For a classic golden hue, great for an anniversary or to give to your spouse, you can choose to hole punch your own paper out of 1/8" (shown here) or 1/16" hole punch. As you can see, there are two frame options available, and both come with and without pink bubbles, so you can choose whatever you like. Both have a ribbon along to bottom so you can type whatever message you like. After scoring and trimming, your finished card will be 4.5x6.25 inches when folded. Of course, it's not complete until you've assembled a customized envelope i...

I was buoyed by my quick and happy results from the cut coil technique for pointed petal flowers I showed in an earlier post, and assumed a rounded petal version would be just as easy. I started off well enough, with this flower as my first attempt. It was a rocky road after that. I found it difficult to achieve results consistent enough to explain my process. From top left to right, the strips measurements I used were: 1) 3 x 3" strips, not loosened 2) 4 x 3" strips, quilled with a skewer 3) 1 x 1.5, 2, 2.5" strips 4) 4 x 4" strips, uncoiled and re-coiled by hand for a looser coil = too many large rings 5) 3 x 3" strips, flattened curves by hand after cutting 6) 4 x 3" strips 7) 4 x 3" strips, not loosened at all 8) 4 x 3" strips, curves massaged after cutting 9) 4 x 3" strips, curves massaged after cutting I enjoy these flowers overall, but want to make them more consistently, so they look like a bouquet and belong together, because I...