AHHH! It's tomorrow. The Big Pixie Collab event has rocked up fast with just over 24 hours to go I am busy putting the final touches everything. However we still have more incredible makers to meet. This time we are saying hello to Louise Dyer Paperlace. Louise creates stunning, intricate pieces of papercut art and I had the pleasure of stitching her floral 'you got this' design which pushed all of my usual stitching boundaries!
Tell us a bit about you!
I am a papercut artist and have been cutting pretty holes in paper for about 6 years now, I run most of my wee business through Facebook and absolutely love it. I live in Cornwall (easily the greatest place on Earth) with my husband, three children and our jack Russel dog. Papercutting is all consuming and is a huge part of who I am, all my designs are drawn by hand (usually on my trusty iPad Pro) and cut completely free hand using a scalpel, many many blades, and a ton of patience.
What does an average day look like for you?
On an average day I’m up early feeding buckets of coffee into my body, then it’s the school run (yuk) on foot as my job involves an awful lot of sitting, then home to admin work with yet more coffee, I then try to sketch up and finish any designs that need to be sent to customers for approvals. Then I reach for my cutting mat and scalpel where I get stuck into several hours of peaceful cutting, usually I’m listening to some paranormal fiction stories through audible. I’m often needing more coffee before the afternoon school run, I suffer from insomnia due to my crazy creative brain, I get all my ideas and design inspiration at about 3am it seems.
Collaborative work requires us to step outside our comfort zone, if you could work in a different medium what would you choose?
I have always always wanted to try linocutting and print making, but love the idea of glass blowing and oil painting, one day I’ll have plenty of time for experimenting.
What is the most challenging aspect of your work?
Always getting a design spot on for a customer, it’s tricky when they have a very firm idea of what they want but find it hard to explain, it’s challenging but also my most favourite part! I love drawing something very sentimental and meaningful! Making people cry happy tears is my favourit-est thing ever!
If you could share one tip for surviving in the small business world what would it be?
Be kind to everyone you come across and help people where possible, people are very good at spotting genuinely nice people and are far more willing to help the good guys succeed.
Who are you top three small businesses?
* Paper panda (she’s a god in the papercutting world, and my friend)
Obviously pixiecraft! Along with the profanity pixie.
And gosh it’s hard to narrow them down but I adore Rodica too.
Obviously pixiecraft! Along with the profanity pixie.
And gosh it’s hard to narrow them down but I adore Rodica too.
We have just one day left now! Make sure you are signed up to the event and turn up at 8pm tomorrow for a chance to nab yourself something beautiful. Click the link below for more info :)
THE BIG PIXIE COLLAB
Have a lovely evening and we will see you tomorrow for the big event!
Katy
Katy