Isagra Naglia

Today's Template Tuesday is a twofer. I tried to make these a little more simple for kids to do, but I think I always wind up doing things a little too adult. I'm going to see if my boyfriend's son can help me with figuring out what little kids might want. Check back next Tuesday to see if I'm successful. For now, here are two things I enjoy -- love-birds and squirrels. Go ahead and take a whack at these and see what you think.




I separated the templates into two different files. One has just the animals on it and the other just the hearts. When I created the final piece, I pop-dotted them to each other so that there was more depth. You can do whatever you want.



Hope you enjoy these simple valentines! Here's the templates: Animals & Hearts.

A little before Christmas, I was asked to do this papercut. If you can't tell what it says, it reads, "Bidden or not bidden, God is present." Meaning to say that whether you know of Him or not, whether you want Him there or don't, He's there and that's that. There's comfort in those words for those who seek it.

Last weekend I went to the Daughters of Utah Pioneer Museum up by the capitol. It was my second time going there and I enjoyed just as much as the first time. They have two papercuts in the museum and I love looking at them and trying to see techniques from the past. One of the papercuts I saw was this Pioneer Valentine. The writing on it says "Pioneer Valentine cut by Clarissa Wilcox Mieling at the age of 84. Born March 20, 1863 at Mt. Pleasant, Utah. Address 893 N. 5th W, Provo, Utah." If Clarissa is making papercuts like this at the age of 84, I'd love to see some of the things she created in her heyday.


So I tried making up my own version of a pioneer papercut using some of the same elements that Clarissa used in her Valentine and this is what I came up with. Have any of you seen any other pioneer valentines before or any pioneer papercuts? I'd love to see more of them.


Here's what the template will look like. It's a folded cut, so remember not to cut through the areas like the beaks. You can cut through all the gray areas all you want.Enjoy! Pioneer Valentine Papercut

Almost two years ago, I had a show called Winter Wonderland at the Gateway Mall Children's Museum. I don't think I ever actually showed details of too many of the pieces. I think by the time the show was over, I was exhausted. The other day, I did a piece for a friend that I had sold at that show to another friend. It's so adorable. Have any of you ever heard of the Wynken, Blynken and Nod poem? This is my take on how it might look.



If you've never read the poem, here it is:

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod (Dutch Lullaby)
by Eugene Field (1850-1895)

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night
Sailed off in a wooden shoe---
Sailed on a river of crystal light,
Into a sea of dew.
"Where are you going, and what do you wish?"
The old moon asked the three.
"We have come to fish for the herring fish
That live in this beautiful sea;
Nets of silver and gold have we!"
Said Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.

The old moon laughed and sang a song,
As they rocked in the wooden shoe,
And the wind that sped them all night long
Ruffled the waves of dew.
The little stars were the herring fish
That lived in that beautiful sea---
"Now cast your nets wherever you wish---
Never afeard are we";
So cried the stars to the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.

All night long their nets they threw
To the stars in the twinkling foam---
Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe,
Bringing the fishermen home;
'T was all so pretty a sail it seemed
As if it could not be,
And some folks thought 't was a dream they 'd dreamed
Of sailing that beautiful sea---
But I shall name you the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.

Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes,
And Nod is a little head,
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies
Is a wee one's trundle-bed.
So shut your eyes while mother sings
Of wonderful sights that be,
And you shall see the beautiful things
As you rock in the misty sea,
Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.

happy New years to all bloggers