Isagra Naglia

So, the audience scope for this one is kind of narrow, but it was one I felt like doing. Last week I went to Oregon and Washington for work. While in Oregon, I saw all sorts of bumper stickers that had the shape of Oregon with a little heart symbol in the middle. I thought, "I don't think we have anything like that that is really prevalent in Utah." We're kind of like the girl with the low self-esteem that goes around saying, "I'm fat..." until everyone starts to believe her. I've heard, countless times, and have even been guilty of it myself, the question, "Why Utah?" when asking someone why they moved here. So, that trip, I decided to change my attitude. I like it here. I bought a house here. I have a dog here. I have great friends here. My neighbors left me a care package for Halloween. I can go hiking here and the streets are wide enough for my carriage to turn around on. So, here's to Utah, the 45th state.

Here's what the template will look like. However you create it, make sure that the tall part of the state is on the left hand side when it's finished.
Download your free papercutting template of Utah Love.

Here is some of the reasoning for my images:
State Bird: California Gull
State Flower: Sego Lily
State Insect: Honeybee

I have the gull eating a Mormon Cricket. My friend Kim in an entomologist and I helped her stuff some of those Mormon Crickets for pinning. They are huge! For those of you who don't know the story, and it's a good one, check out Miracle of the Gulls.

I keep forgetting to talk about this, but I'm very excited to teach a class on Friday! I'm going to be one of the teachers at The ART Weekend. If you live in the Salt Lake area (or even if you don't) come and join us for a weekend of the arts. This little scene from the Frog Prince is what I will be teaching people how to make (quite timely if I do say so myself):


My class is on Friday from 4:00-5:50. I think one class costs about $45 and the more classes you take, the greater the discount. The class is located at the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel on 122 W South Temple. Hope to see you there!

My Halloween templates all seem to be on their way somewhere. This witch, maybe she's going to a party? I love it when I see cats on leashes. They never seem to really enjoy it.

Here's what the template will look like:

Please download your free papercutting template here: Halloween Witch

This one was my favorite piece of the whole show.

I have always loved deer. Growing up in Las Vegas, I heard that Wayne Newton had a deer in his backyard (he also had penguins and raised beautiful Arabians). In my head, that made Wayne Newton the coolest person in the world. It still kind of does.

I have a fondness for all of the pieces I came up with for this show, but I really enjoy that she is growing birds in her garden.

This werewolf is so excited for trick-or-treating. He brought his pet raven along with him.

I still haven't gotten around to making the template for the 3d spider, but I will! Hopefully before Halloween! So here's a papercut that's a little bit more on the easy side. The thin lines of the pumpkin handle and the leash might be a little tricky. Just remember to cut from left to right so that you can see where you're cutting (unless you're left-handed). Also, make sure you have a fresh blade if you're using a craft knife.

Here's what the template will look like:
Download your free template here: Halloween Werewolf

Here's one of my pieces for the Festival last Saturday. This one I called, "The Diviner" but I don't know if that guy is really a diviner. I don't know if that guy is even really a guy. When I drew him, I was thinking of him as a guy but everyone I've shown it to thinks that it's a woman. I guess I just drew a pretty decent shim.

I have five that are similar to this. They are all pretty small - the green part measures 4.75" square. So teeny!

Anyway, thanks to all who came to the show. It was nice to meet those of you who I hadn't met before!

Here's a little hint of this weekend's show at the Utah Local Festival of the Arts (see below for more information).

Don't you just hate getting attacked by a giant spider?

Okay, guys, I don't have time to make the template for this because I have an art show on Saturday, but I will post it shortly thereafter.

BUT...if you want to learn how to make this papercut, I will be doing a demo at this art show if you're in the general vicinity.


Website: http://www.utlfa.org/
Tickets: $4/Adults Advanced, $5/Adults at the Door, $3/Students Advanced, $4/Students at the Door, $2/Seniors Advanced, $3/Seniors at the Door
Dates: Saturday, October 10,
Times: 5-11pm
Location: Salt Lake Masonic Temple
650 East South Temple
Salt Lake City, UT 84102

It's at this place, which, to tell you the truth, I'm pretty excited about.

I don't know how chaotic everything will be, but I'll try to do a demo around 7pm and 9pm. I'll just show you how I make it and then you can take the template home and try it for yourself. It needs to be done on something at least as thick as regular scrapbooking paper.

This one is for my friend Kim. It's her birthday today. She's an entomologist and so, while probably overused and she's probably tired of getting bug things, the theme still works. Here is one dung beetle giving another dung beetle a birthday present.

Happy Birthday, Kim!

Here's what the template will look like. Remember, do not cut on the parts that fold.


Download your free template here: Happy Birthday Beetles

Today is the first official day of Fall and it's not being shy about it. Last night I went to a little gathering at a park and it was downright chilly. I guess I'm going to have to start wearing socks again. I did buy a couple sweaters at the mall this weekend, so I'm pretty excited for that. I did a simple papercut today because I've been doing a lot of more tricky ones lately and I just need to tone it down. I'm getting out of control. Here's a mirror image cut. These are so fun to do because you do half the work and get a really pretty end result.

Here's what the template will look like. Remember, fold your paper and put the dotted line on the fold. Then cut out the inside bits first and then the outer lines. Careful not to cut the hinging parts on the dotted line.

Download your free scherenschnitte template here: Fall Equinox.

I'm at the Mall of America for Scrapfest this weekend (I work as a product designer for Making Memories). If anyone is in the area and swings by, come say "hi!"

My friend Joe proposed to his wife on the catwalk of this building. It was his anniversary just a little while ago and he commissioned me to make a papercut of it. It took me forever because I was moving and I finally finished it this week. Do any of you know which building this is?

In honor of one of my childhood favorites, here's a little bouquet of flowers for Patrick Swayze. He just seemed like he was a really nice guy.

Here's what the template will look like:

Click here download your free papercutting template: I Had The Time Of My Life.

Sorry about the sparseness of posts lately. Filling holes in hardwood floors and finding my way through boxes takes time. I think it will get better soon, I hope!

My co-worker, Audre, has always been a fan of papercuts. When I gave the previous scherenschnitte to my other co-worker who just had a baby, she was a little miffed. I told her I'd do the next one for her and asked her what she wanted. She said a mountain scene and then I completely went and disregarded what she said. She has this little demon dog, Looey, who only loves her. She also loves to ride her bike and has a basket to go with it. So I thought I'd combine the two. The nights are getting a little chilly again and the scent of Fall is in the air. There probably won't be too many more bike rides left in the year for us working girls. Here's a little papercut to remember the days.

Here's what the pattern will look like. Remember to cut out the inside parts first. Also, remember that whatever way you cut something out on the back, the image will be reversed on the front.
Here's your free papercutting template: End of Summer Bike Ride

Also, a big THANK YOU to One Pretty Thing, Craft: and How About Orange for featuring Scherenschnitte on their blogs! I'm gonna have to send you guys some papercuts too!

I just moved into a new house and everything is so overwhelming so I'm trying to ignore the chaos and put some normality back into my life. I figured I'd do that by starting up exercising again. This silhouette was going to get pushed aside but I decided to take advantage of my new porch and the moonlight and the giant floodlights the old lady had put up who previously lived there and sketch a little something. I'm researching mushrooms for a different project I'm doing and thought I'd try out a little scene with that theme.

Here's what the template will look like. Remember to cut out the gray areas first and then the outlined area in the back.

Download your free scherenschnitte template here: Mushroom Bunny

I cut this out at work and am using a different mat than I normally would use. This one doesn't suit me. If you are trying to use a craft knife to cut out your papercuts and it tears all the time, maybe try getting a different mat. It'll make a big difference.

Hey! Look who's featured in an online Deseret News article!

This one is one of my favorite pieces from the show. It's a small one, but one of the more intricate ones. How often do we find ourselves stuck in the same place, time after time, doing the same thing we always do without trying something different? We have the option of getting out and expanding, but we like the false sense of security developed in the everyday patterns of our lives. Go on, get out there! Try something new!

Available at the Terra Nova Gallery.

So I was sitting in church on Sunday and I turned to my friend Sarah and said, "I've got to do a template for my papercutting blog on Tuesday, do you have any ideas?" Then, for the next hour, she proceeded to whisper a variety of ideas to me from pioneers standing around burning woodchips to the invasion of the Mormon crickets (which are both excellent ideas that I will be using in the future). I went with the idea of a pioneer crossing the plains with a handcart. It's called Sarah's handcart. I don't know where Sarah got those two kids since she's not married. Maybe they're from a sibling who passed away while crossing the plains? Maybe Sarah had a rough life before she joined the church? Maybe that dog warns them when wolves are around? I don't know. So much happened while crossing the plains.

Here's what the template will look like when you download it. The parts you cut out are the gray areas. Be sure that however you cut it out, the finished piece has the pioneers facing to your left (like in the color image above). We don't want them going back to Missouri.

Download your free template here: Pioneer Day - Sarah's Handcart

The poor mini people of the village were always getting terrorized by this bird until they started offering up sacrifices to him. It's a good thing that there are always plenty of bugs around!

Size: 5" x 7"

This one is still up and showing at the Terra Nova Gallery!

Here is one of the small papercuts I did for the show. This one is pretty simple. I love squirrels.

You know what happens at midnight tonight, don't you? The next Harry Potter is available for the American masses! I think everyone in Europe has already seen it. I thought and thought about what papercut to do for template Tuesday and when my friend Joe asked me to go with him to the first showing of Harry Potter, I decided that would be the perfect theme for today! I researched quotes from the movie and this one I thought was pretty nice and not too terribly dark. Most of the other quotes I found had to do with messed up spells and You Know Who. This one isn't accurate though, technically it's supposed to be, "Don't count your owls before they are delivered," but the design works well this way.

Here's what the template will look like. It's different than other ones in that I made the positive parts gray. Please remember to cut out the inside bits (negative space) first and then cut around the outside. This image is reversed so that if you print it directly onto the back of your paper it will read right on the reverse side. If you want to print this out and then tape it to your paper to cut it out, you will want to flip the image so that the words read right to you.



This has a lot of thin lines. When you cut these, it's easier to cut from the place where they start towards the middle of the line, then pick up your blade and do the same at the other end of the line, drawing it into the middle. I don't know why this works, but it seems to make it so that I don't cut through too many things. Does that make sense? Also, if you're right handed, be sure to work from left to right so that you can see the thinness of the lines you're cutting.

This papercut takes a bit of time to do. If you complete it, be sure to let me know!

To download your free scherenschnitte, click here: Harry Potter Owl

Here's my final large piece from the show. This was one of the first ones I did and I hadn't struck upon the cloud idea yet. Originally, for my theme, I wanted to have it about "The Things We Do For Love" and show all sorts of people in weird situations, good or bad, that they only got into because they were infatuated with someone. The theme is pretty much carried throughout all the pieces, but I think this one carries it's essence. Here is a guy who doesn't know how to dance. He's surrounded by a world of people enveloped in a new culture of dance, fashion and lifestyle. There's this girl he really likes who he wants to impress and he'd try anything to get her to be his.

Note: These new pieces are all on display at the Terra Nova Gallery.

P.S. If you're on Facebook, click on that little link on the right and be a fan!

This is one that I've been thinking about for quite some time and I'm sure I'll revisit the theme again. The scene depicts the moment directly after Mary has seen two angels within the sepulcher and they asked her, "Woman, why weepest thou?" She replies, "Because they have taken away my Lord." She turns from them and looks into the garden and sees a man standing there who she identifies as the gardener. From that moment, to me, happens one of the most beautiful interactions in the scriptures. John 20:11-16

Note: These new pieces are all on display at the Terra Nova Gallery.

My parents came to the show on Saturday. Even though they had no clue this papercut would be in the show, my mom spotted right off that it was about them. If there's one thing I dread, it's driving in the car with my parents. My mom tells my dad how to get to a place and he gets all mad at her for telling him what to do, but when she doesn't tell him what to do, he misses the turn or gets lost or whatever.

When I was a kid, my dad went away to go get a car. He towed it back to our house in Las Vegas. It was a 1959 Chevy Impala, the last year it had it's wings. It was a beautiful car.

I just got back from Nebraska so I don't have a Template Tuesday yet, but hopefully I'll have one tomorrow and I'll sneak it up and pretend like it was posted today.

What I DO have are pictures from the art show opening at the Terra Nova Gallery last Friday. Featuring Randel McGee, Ada Gardner and Rick James Marzullo. You're very excited, I know. Here's me with one of my coworkers, Hillary and her sister, Ashley. Kudos to Hillary for coming all the way down!


Jamie, who has a friend who likes my stuff but she didn't come along with her!


These are my old landlords who became friends from my college days, Mike and Jenni. I would someday like to be as cool as they are.


My mom and my dad are to my right, to my left is my dental hygienist and her husband. Random, right? Especially when you learn that they heard about the show because they were up here flying hot air balloons and Kim's parents told them about it.


Erin! One of my most favorite companions from my mission. She can sing like an angel.


Kim, who was such a wonderful help the whole show, and Stephen.


Marie, Lena, me and Rachel. I really like these ladies. I'm so glad I've gotten to know them a little better over the past little while.


Kim's parents, Ron and Carol!


Randel and his wife, Marsha! Randel is the reason I was in the show in the first place. He's a talented papercutter AND a talented puppeteer.


Kellie and Brigham! I was so excited to see them again and they even bought the roaring 20s piece. It was one of the ones that I got some of the most comments about the whole evening.


Ryan was someone I met that night but have known for a little while. I'm so glad he showed up!


El Stevo! Steve and Krista showed up too. The time is farspent in between viewings of these two.


Christian and Kirsten! It was so good to see them as well. Christian has a new movie coming out pretty soon.


Whitney with Mary poking her head in between us.


Michelle! Michelle bought this piece for her collection. I think she has the largest collection of Cindy Ferguson papercuts of anyone I know besides maybe my mom.


Erin. I can't even say how happy I was that she was there at the show.


This is David Hawkinson, the owner of the gallery where we had our show. He is such a nice guy and I was so glad to be able to work with him.


All in all, the show was a great success and I hope that if you haven't seen it, you can go down to the Terra Nova Gallery and take a gander (41 W 300 N, Provo). Thanks all!