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Memories of a wedding day

Bride and Groom laughingWhat’s the most important thing about your wedding day?  Which moments or details will be something you remember forever and which will fade into the mists of time?

Traditionally marked with a gift made from paper, it may not surprise you to hear that a lot of my commissions are for first anniversary presents.  I’m always fascinated to hear the story of a couple’s big day and the memories which stand out for them. A recent commission based on a wedding photo got me thinking about whether it’s the little details or the big picture that matter most…

Scrolling through a CD full of wedding photos, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was looking for.  I had been asked to create a wedding anniversary papercut based on a wedding photo but the customer had left the choice of image up to me.  One photograph stood out.  It seemed to tell the whole story…

Wedding couple dancing

First Dance Papercut by Rosie and the Boys

 

Closeup of papercut detail showing tiny buttons on a wedding dress and the groom's hand

The row of tiny buttons on the bride’s dress and the supportive hand of the groom.

Closeup detail of the papercut showing the ruffled fabric of the wedding dress

The wedding dress had a beautiful ruffled skirt.

Closeup of papercut showing bride's hair.

I tried hard to capture the detail and texture of the bride’s hairstyle.

All those little details will be wonderful reminders of a magical day which happened because this couple only have eyes for each other.

 

Plan the perfect party – six tips to show you how

What advice would you give to someone planning a party?

Rainbow Star and Circle ConfettiPlanning a party should be fun but somehow it often turns into a nightmare. Recently a friend asked for help planning her wedding and it got me thinking.  As someone who used to work in the event industry I know how easy it is to get bogged down in tiny details like the colour of the napkins and forget the big picture – it’s meant to be fun.

So today I’d like to share some tips about how to plan a party and still have the energy to enjoy it!

When it comes to organising a party – play to your strengths

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No matter how much we might wish it otherwise, no-one is an expert at everything. Pick the stuff you’re good at and get some help with the rest.

If you’re not a baker, buy a plain iced cake and decorate it yourself.

Haven’t a clue how to cater for 50? Me neither, pop down to your local deli and get them to make some large platters for you instead.

Not sure where to start with decorations?  Read on for some great tips!

 

1.Pick a theme: (and stick with it!)

Choosing a theme will help you to keep focused during your planning and preparation and make sure you end up with decorations, gifts and food that look like they belong together.  We’ve all got a bit of magpie in us and it can be all too easy to add a bit of this gorgeous thing and a bit of that because it’s lovely until you end up with a confused mess and none of the lovely things you’ve chosen end up sparkling like you’d hoped they would.

If you fall in love with an idea or decoration which doesn’t fit in with your theme don’t worry, bookmark it for your NEXT party.  You can even make it the reason to have another party ( if you really need an excuse).

Choosing a colour as your theme is a great way to give your party a cohesive look. Stick to one colour or choose something like a rainbow or pastel theme.  You’ll still have lots of flexibility in how you interpret the theme and if you choose a colour that’s on trend at the time of your event you’re even more likely to find appropriate items easily.

 

Rainbow Party Table with garlands, balloons and gifts2.Create a focus point:

 

Whether it’s a beautiful buffet table, a photo booth back drop or an activity zone, a focal point helps set the tone for the party and creates a wow factor.

 

 

 

3.Decorations with a difference:

In my former life as an event florist I created decorations out of pretty much everything; glowsticks, toy cars, sweets, fruit the list goes on and on.

Rainbow Elephant Garland running from Red to Violet

A few key pieces such as this garland can easily be added to with less conventional items.

Glass jar filled with wooden blocks layered in rainbow spectrum

Even wooden bricks can become a decoration!

 

Keep an open mind and you’ll be amazed at how much you already have that can be transformed into a decoration.

Take a look at my Rainbow pinterest board to see how a simple pack of balloons can transform a room in next to no time.

 

 

 4.Let your guests do the work:

One of the best parties my boys have been to involved them making their own party bag and it’s entire contents! The children had a great time, loved their gifts and the very clever mum who organised the party had saved herself a lot of time and hassle.  Whether it’s adding toppings to ice cream, mixing their own cocktails or colouring in the table cloth, guests will enjoy the opportunity to get involved.

 

Paper triangles layered along a table in rainbow spectrum5.Transform your table:

 

Any table can be easily transformed with a table cloth and some coloured paper. If you’ve got a long or square table create a line of decoration down the middle of the table.

As long as you’ve got some coloured paper to hand and a pair of scissors you can quickly and easily create this rainbow effect by cutting random triangle shapes and layering the paper onto the table.

 

Got a hole punch?  Create circular confetti and create a graduated stripe running down the centre of the table.  (love the idea but haven’t the time – you can buy my rainbow coloured eco friendly confetti here)

Rainbow Confetti  used as a table runner

If I was using this idea for a circular table I’d place a jar of smarties in the centre of the table and surround it with a circle of the paper triangles/ confetti.

 6.Gorgeous Gift Wrap:

Particularly important at children’s parties, it’s always nice to give your guests a gift to take home.  Kraft sandwich bags or boxes can easily be transformed with a simple ribbon.  I’ve carried my rainbow theme through to the party gifts by using different ribbons for each box but if you’ve got more time take a look at my rainbow pinterest board for more wrapping ideas.

Rainbow Ribbon Gift Wrapped Boxes

Want further inspiration? Take a look at my rainbow party themed Pinterest Board

Fallen in love with my rainbow elephant garland? You can buy it here

Need to get your hands on some rainbow confetti? Find it here

 

 

 

 

Wedding Papercuts – a recent commission

Papercut showing wedding couple on a skiing holidayCreating bespoke papercuts for wedding presents is a true privilege. I love working with clients to weave together lots of different elements to tell the couple’s story. It is always a journey of discovery as ideas are sent back and forth and the design takes shape.

Sign post featuring wedding date and location

I’ve been looking forward to sharing this commission with you for a while but as I don’t like spoiling surprises had to keep this under wraps until now.

So much of this papercut design is deeply personal to the wedding couple and yet at face value it’s simply a picture of skiing trip. Everytime the newly weds look at this snowy scene they’ll be able to relive happy memories without feeling like their private love letters are on display.  And if people ask about the papercut they can share as much or as little of the story behind the picture as they like.

Closeup of Papercut Skiing Couple by Rosie and the Boys

Now that’s what I call a wedding present! If you’d like to commission me to create a special papercut for you simply drop me a line at rosie@rosieandtheboys.com

 

 

 

Going green – one envelope at a time

Eco=friendly Mandarin Duck design cut from offcut of paperAs a papercut artist it might not surprise you that I’m not really a believer in a paperless society. But using a product that results in millions of trees being chopped down each year doesn’t exactly scream environmentally friendly does it? So how do I justify my obsession with paper?

 

Don’t stop using paper – use it better!

 

 

Earlier this year we committed to making Rosie and the Boys as eco-friendly as we could without giving up on using paper (you can read about it here).  So here are the some of the ways we are trying to put our new maxim into practice:

Reduce how much we use

Sounds a bit obvious doesn’t it? But this isn’t just about no printing things when we don’t really need to, it’s about getting the most out of each piece of paper.

  • Similar to the concept of no-wastage pattern cutting I try hard to position cutting templates to make the most effective use of a piece of art paper.  High quality art papers are now the only paper resource we use that are allowed to hold single use status.
  • Challenging myself to reduce how much art paper I use has also meant I now actively look try to create designs to utilise the larger offcuts from commission pieces.
  • And what about the teeny tiny scraps of paper? Well I’ve even come up with a use for those!( Find out more in the next blog post.)

Reuse what we have

  • Reusing envelopes and scrap paper to write lists and practice designsI find myself writing endless lists; jobs to do, people to contact, which photos I’m going to use.
  • A sheet of blank paper can be daunting, somehow using the blank side of an envelope or scrap piece of paper takes away some of the pressure and you can get straight down to sketching.
  • Even though I use Illustrator to create a lot of my commission work it helps to block out a draft design on paper first.  Drawing takes practice, practice, practice. Not all the designs I come up with are “keepers”, sometimes I’ll redraw something over and over to get it right. Sometimes I walk away from an idea. By using scrap paper to practice first, I make better use of “The Sketchbook” or Illustrator to develop promising ideas.

Recycle what we can’t reuse

And what happens to all those to-do lists once they’ve been completed and the practice designs drawn on the back of envelopes?  What about the teeny tiny offcuts from papercuts that are so tiny they can’t be used? Well, this cardboard box now has pride of place under my desk ready to catch even the tiniest scrap allowing it to be recycled.

Ensuring we recycle every last scrap of paper at Rosie and the Boys

So here’s to changing the world: one envelope at a time!

If you’ve got any suggestions for how we could use paper even more efficiently then we’d love to hear them. Just add a comment below.

 

How to draw a love story…

papercut heart detail with namesRecently I was commissioned to create a papercut as a wedding present.  As I talked with the client about the design it became obvious that this gift would celebrate not only the love between the wedding couple but also the deep friendship between the customer and bride-to-be.  A catalyst sparking off memories for the couple and for their friends and family who had watch the relationship blossom.

As part of planning the design I try to discover not only the details a client would like to include but also the story behind them.  In this instance, I learnt about a couple who born thousands of miles apart had met in London and been drawn together by a shared interest.  My client told of holidays together, shared passions and special nicknames, a romantic proposal and plans for the big day.

Papercut map of London

With pages of notes, my task was to now create a design that would tell this couple’s wonderful story in a way that was beautiful as well as meaningful.

They had travelled the world and yet so many of the key moments in their relationship took place in just one city. The idea of an illustrated map began to form…and so here is how I chose to draw a love story:

Papercut illustrated map

 

 

The challenge to be green

Hand cut Wren Card – Available in our folksy shop

Have you ever received an email asking you to think before you print? Perhaps a cheery email at Christmas from Uncle Joe saying that in consideration for the environment etc he won’t be sending any actual Christmas cards this year but replacing them with a cheery E-card instead.

How do those emails make you feel? Guilty – because you’ve just printed 10 pages? Disappointed because you like displaying cards from family and friends at Christmas?

Going green can be tricky.  Rosie and the Boys wouldn’t exist without paper and ink but how does that fit with saving the rainforest?  This year I’m trying to make sure that my work is as kind to the environment as possible. It’s an important issue to a lot of people and I’m sure it’s important to many of you. But rather than present a big publicity spiel about how green we are I’d like to share with you some of the reasons behind choices Amy and I have made as well as the action we have already taken.

Today I’d like to tell you a story to help explain why I do what I do and why we think paper gifts still have a place in an environmentally friendly society:

My Auntie Hilda was an amazing lady who taught me a valuable lesson that is at the heart of Rosie and the Boys.  Great Auntie Hilda had a terrific sense of fun and made no secret of the fact that she was clearly besotted with us.  A few years ago when she passed away, we discovered just how much she loved us.

Personalised flower papercut available in our notonthehightsteet.com store

Whilst clearing her house we discovered boxes full of letters, pictures and cards. She had kept everything we had ever sent her. From clumsily written thank you notes to carefully coloured in pictures we had proudly presented as gifts when we visited.   She treasured them all.

Auntie Hilda recognised that people are special.  She made sure we knew she loved us and I hope the many cards I made for my aunt showed her that the feeling was mutual.

Personalised new baby papercut available in our Etsy store

Personalised new baby papercut available in our Etsy store

I’m not sure an E card would have conveyed the message quite as effectively. Whenever I create something, whether it’s a printed card or an intricate papercut I hope that it will be treasured for a long time.  It’s why I choose to use quality materials and work with skilled printers and crafts people. Yes I’m using paper that came from a tree but I hope the way in which it is used shows respect for the resource it came from as well as the person who will receive the gift.

 

 

Over the coming weeks we’ll be sharing more about our journey towards being green. If you’ve got comments or questions about our choices, we’d love to hear them!

A picture with a hidden message

Bespoke Peony Papercut created by Rosie and the Boys

Bespoke Peony Papercut created by Rosie and the Boys

So, um, what I mean is… you see..I…um…well… what I’m trying to say…

When you are trying to tell someone just how much they mean to you, words can sometimes get in the way.  There are people in this world with a gift, the ability to put words together to convey a message in a way which is both succinct and beautiful. Then there are people like me who either rabbit on for half an hour or mumble awkwardly.

From an early age I realised I was much better at letting people know how I felt by making them something instead.  By creating something especially for someone I discovered the winning combination of being able to let someone know that they are special and worth the effort without looking like a gibbering idiot

There is something about a gift which has been created with you in mind which makes it even more special.  This summer I have had the great privilege of creating a number of bespoke papercut designs to celebrate special occasions.

Message detail in peony papercut

Message detail in peony papercut

I’m thrilled to say I have been given permission by a recent client to show pictures of one of those bespoke papercuts.  A gift from one sister to another, the brief was to create design featuring peonies that incorporate a message in a very discreet way.

Hidden messages in artworks are not a new concept but I was really excited that this design would be enjoyed on a number of levels. A beautiful papercut for everyone to enjoy and a reminder of a special day and a sister’s love for those in the know.

Two detail views of the peony papercut

Detail views of the papercut

 

I decided that the message would be best hidden in the design as pollen stamens, so that viewed from afar it’s almost impossible to spot the message and yet up close you can clearly see the intricately cut details.

If you’d like to create your own custom piece with a hidden message just drop me a line: rosie@rosieandtheboys.com

Interview with The Handmade Cyclist

Today’s post is a fascinating insight into the work of Neil Wyatt aka The Handmade Cyclist.

Enjoy….

1.Tell us a bit more about yourself

I’m a lifelong bike geek – aside from a short period in my early twenties when the usual distractions of girls and music led me astray for a while – it’s always been about the bike.

I grew up in Ireland in the era of Kelly and Roche (and Earley and Kimmage), so it was rather like Britain now with Wiggo and Cavendish – suddenly everyone was into cycling. I still remember my first club run with Bray Wheelers (the club of the great Shay Elliott) – I was crawling by the end!

Orange and White Art Print: Tour De France Climb, L'Alpe d'Huez Image: Neil Wyatt - The Handmade Cyclist

Tour De France Climb, L’Alpe d’Huez Image: Neil Wyatt – The Handmade Cyclist

I’ve also always had a passion for design – so it was a logical step to bring the two together. I actually find that mentally they are similar experiences for me – just really immersive, you can just clear your mind and focus on it.

It also gives me great pleasure to know that all that time spent as a teenager (ok, and as an adult) reading every cycling book, biography and magazine I could lay my hands on was not put to waste!

It’s a bit of a cliché but there really was not a lot of cycling on the TV outside of the great Channel 4 coverage of the Tour (well, that and Trans World Sport… I miss Trans World Sport!). So cycling magazines were my bible. And the sport looked great in photos in the 80’s – no helmets, no Oakleys, some great kit and they all pushed huge gears so had the most cartoonishly huge thighs!

That love and knowledge of the sport from my youth has really stayed with me and hopefully you can feel and see that in my designs.

 

2.You describe yourself as a bike geek – what are your best and worst biking experiences.

A couple spring to mind as my best. I did the Marmotte a few years back, and it was such an emotional thing for me – to actually ride those roads I had read about for so many years. It was also pre-kids, so it marks the high-water-mark of my fitness as I had time to train properly! I will never be that fit again, sadly.

Photo of a group of cyclists taken by Neil Wyatt

The second is more recent – taking my five year old son out for his first proper off road ride. We were dead slow but seeing his concentration and pleasure was just so rewarding. Its great watching kids take to the bike – it brings all those memories of the simple pleasure and freedom they give you come flooding back. I think that’s one of the reasons why cycling is so popular – no matter how long you’ve given it up for, get on a bike and that pleasure is there. You never forget it.

Worst… well, the human brain has a remarkable ability to put bad memories in a box somewhere. But most likely one of the many times I’ve suffered from the hunger knock and you just wonder how on earth you ever will get home. Or the time a couple of years back when I crashed night biking – I broke my collarbone and in the words of a doctor “a bunch of ribs”. My friend Will had to ride home with my bike like a cowboy returning to the ranch with a riderless horse, whereupon he greeted my wide with the words ‘well the good news is I think his bike is alright’!

 

 3. So many cycling enthusiasts talk of the romance, myth and colour of races like the Tour de France and your work seems to capture it perfectly.  I was struck by your beautifully written descriptions of famous races and mountain climbs and wondered how the scandal of doping in professional cycling had affected your view of the sport and your work?

Well, its always been there, hasn’t it? I think for many fans the organised nature of the blood doping from the 90’s onwards really soured it – not just because it was so blatant but also the racing suffered. It got boring. Ha! Doesn’t that say a lot about how twisted cycling fans’ compasses can be? We tolerated drug taking for years because it was individual, amateurish and the exploits were still heroic. Put a team of doped up USPS riders on the front of a race to kill the romance, and the view changes.

Art Print: A Classification of Cyclists of Note and Notoriety Image: Neil Wyatt - The Handmade Cyclist

A Classification of Cyclists of Note and Notoriety Image: Neil Wyatt – The Handmade Cyclist

I actually have really tried in my work to make sure its not a rose tinted view – the ‘A Classification of Cyclists of Note & Notoriety’ print has Dopers and Cheats sections. Its part of the fabric of the sport and there’s some mind-boggling stories there. But I think for anyone creating art about cycling there’s a romance about the past that has been lost from the present day peloton.

But there’s hope! I really believe riders like Dan Martin and Taylor Phinney are doing it clean – and winning too. Maybe all is not lost. And the mountains and bergs will always be greater than those who ride them.

 

4. If you were creating your own personalised cycling art print what would your nickname be?

 I have really skinny legs so perhaps The Whippet. Not sure I am fast enough for that though. Or given my recent lack of time to maintain my bikes perhaps The Reluctant Mechanic.

 

Art Print: Nicknames of the Peloton Image: Neil Wyatt - The Handmade Cyclist

Nicknames of the Peloton Image: Neil Wyatt – The Handmade Cyclist

5. Which is your favourite words of wisdom quote and why?

Got to be ‘it never gets easier, you just go faster’ from Greg Lemond. Never a truer word spoken about cycling.

 

Art Print: Tour de France Cycling Quote - Greg Le Mond Image: Neil Wyatt - The Handmade Cyclist

Tour de France Cycling Quote – Greg Le Mond Image: Neil Wyatt – The Handmade Cyclist

6. What inspires your choice of colour?

It depends on the story behind the picture. For my Alpe print it just had to be orange – it’s the Dutch mountain! The Monuments prints set out to capture the essence of the classics. So it was all murky spring colours for Belgium, the bright sunshine of the Ligurian coast for Milan – San Remo, and the autumn setting sun for Lombardia. The idea dictates the colour scheme in most cases.

Cycling Art Print in Oranges, Yellows and Browns - Tour of Lombardy, Image: Neil Wyatt - The Handmade Cyclist

Cycling Art Print – Tour of Lombardy Image: Neil Wyatt – The Handmade Cyclist

7. Where do your ideas come from? Is it watching races, whilst out on your bike or reading about the cycling greats?

All of the above! I try to make sure all our designs are based on an idea or story, or some facts about racing. There should be something for the viewer to find out or decode. My favourite for this was researching the Classification print – I’d hope there’s no-one in the world who would know every single name on there. I like the idea of people looking up the names on there and learning about their story.

Cycling Art Print - Legendary British Climbs Image: Neil Wyatt - The Handmade Cyclist

Cycling Art Print – Legendary British Climbs Image: Neil Wyatt – The Handmade Cyclist

8. Do you think cycling can claim to have its own particular aesthetic?

For me, cycling is the most stylish sport. Particularly the golden era of the 1950s and 60’s – not too many logos, lovely bikes with loads of chrome – Bianchi, Masi… simple clothes in wool. Stripes. Short shorts. I should qualify that – cyclists are stylish on the bike, it takes rare rider indeed to look good in bike kit off the bike.

I also think that the aesthetic of suffering is important – it’s a sport that displays the rawest emotions at its greatest moments. Its pure. A window into the riders’ souls.

Set of 5 Cycling Art Prints - Monument One Day Classics Image: Neil Wyatt - The Handmade Cyclist

Cycling Art Prints – Monument One Day Classics Image: Neil Wyatt – The Handmade Cyclist

And the sport is defined by the landscape. There’s a lot of beautiful sports and art forms out there, but none that have the arenas of cycling. There’s not a stadium, golf course, opera house or theatre that can compare to the Izoard, the Lugurian Coast, the Dolomites. So you have a stylish sport, beautiful technology, and incredible landscapes – unbeatable.

9. What can we look forward to from The Handmade Cyclist this year?

We’ve got some really exciting plans – we should have some really great new posters out by the summer that we’ve spent a lot of time researching. I think they will give even the geekiest of bike geeks real pleasure and new things to discover. And we hope to have some new products too – we trialled a run of some mugs before Christmas and they sold out in a week, we could barely keep up!

4 mugs featuring cycling quotes created by The Handmade Cyclist

The very popular range of mugs created by The Handmade Cyclist last year.

10. How will The Handmade Cyclist be celebrating the return of the Tour de France to the UK in 2014?

My wife’s family are from Bridlington, so hopefully by getting up to Yorkshire, riding the route and seeing it as much as I can!

 

Bike Art Print

Bike Art Print “I love you more than you love your bike” Image: Neil Wyatt – The Handmade Cyclist

 

If you want to find out more about Neil’s work or grab yourself one of these gorgeous prints then here are the links you’ll need:

Shop: etsy.com/shop/TheHandmadeCyclist
Blog: thehandmadecyclist.tumblr.com
Twitter: @handmadecyclist

 

The Craft of Lasercutting

This year at Rosie and the Boys we have branched out into using the skills of others to help create some of our products. We are passionate about creating things by hand but want our products to be available to a wide range of people and budgets. With this in mind, we set about searching for some of the UK’s finest to help.

Our Cuckoo Clock celebrating the birth of a new baby seems to lend itself particularly well to the laser cutting process. Photo: Yeshen Venema (http://yeshenvenema.com/)

Our Cuckoo Clock celebrating the birth of a new baby seems to lend itself particularly well to the laser cutting process.
Photo: Yeshen Venema (http://yeshenvenema.com/)

I was thrilled to be stall neighbours with Jacques and Karli of Designosaur at December’s Crafty Fox market and even more delighted when Jacques agreed to help out with laser cutting some of my designs.

Designosaur logo

It has been fascinating learning more about the process behind creating a lasercut design and Jacques has been a very patient teacher.  Early on it became clear that many of the skills associated with “traditional” crafts are still required when using new technologies.

Jacques and Karli have very kindly agreed to answer a few questions about the craft of laser cutting. So here goes:

Laser cutting is used more and more in products. Why do you think it is so popular?

Laser cutting is amazing! You can take digital images and use them to create accurate Models, Cars, Jewellery, Electrical Components, Clothes and Art you can even use it to cook sausages. I think that it is it’s versatility in a wide range of industries that has made it so popular. It allows people to create unique products at the touch of a button and you don’t have to be a millionaire to do it.

Lasercut acrylic necklace inspired by Lictenstein

Lichtenstein Inspired Green Heart by designosaur Photo:Bob Prosser (www.hellomynameisbob.co.uk)

Can you laser cut anything?

No not anything, but nearly anything. It depends on the laser cutter. The laser cutter that we use is able to cut a long list of materials including acrylic, wood, cork and neoprene. It can also engrave anodised aluminium but not cut it. Jacques engraved a dinosaur onto the back of his phone to try it out, we are pretty sure this voids his insurance…

What is the best thing about laser cutting? And the worst?

The best thing about laser cutting is that it is inexpensive, the worst thing is that everybody thinks that it is easy to do it well.

Lasercut wood and acrylic dodo necklace

Darwin Dodo Necklace by designosaur Photo: Bob Prosser (www.hellomynameisbob.co.uk)

Tell us a bit more about the process – do you walk around with an Austin Powers style laser gun?

Unfortunately not! The laser cutter is a big machine, that uses a laser to cut out designs from your CAD drawing. It takes a matter of seconds to cut out a small shape but the more detail you have in a design, the more expensive it will be! Jacques does all of the laser cutting for designosaur, so for us, he creates the designs, makes sure all of the cut lines, engrave lines are in place, sets the plastic (or other material) up on the laser cutter, the laser cutter cuts the design, and the process is self finishing… HOWEVER if you use wood like us, all the pieces need cleaning afterwards. The laser cutter runs at different speeds and intensities and it is experience which means that you can get the best cut for each material, thickness and finish.

What creative opportunities does laser cutting provide designers?

The ability to use a range of mediums with only one tool. It also means that you can experiment without spending too much money!

How does someone get into lasercutting?

Lots of people are laser cutting at School or University these days, if those days are behind you then having good CAD drawings means that you can get your designs cut at any laser cutters. When you go to the laser cutter it is helpful to have an idea of the process so that you and the laser cutter are on the same page!

Detail photographs of Rosie and the Boys lasercut cuckoo clock

Here are some beautiful detail shots of our lasercut cuckoo clock
Photos: Yeshen Venema (http://yeshenvenema.com/)

Do you think 3D printing will take over from laser cutting? 

Definitely. The price for 3D printing needs to come down quite a lot to make it more accessible but eventually a lot more people will be using 3D printing for jewellery and everything else really! Laser cutting is a completely different technique which only works in a 2D form. 3D printing obviously means that you need to be able to model items in 3D. We think that converting 2D drawings into 3D drawings and keeping that designers style like you can with laser cutting will be a lot harder, so there are a lot of laser cutters out there that would need to 3D model!

Who are your laser cutting heroes?

 I get a new hero almost every day its great just seeing how people constantly use the laser to create amazing new designs.

Wooden lasercut Brighton Pavilion Necklace

Brighton Royal Pavilion Neckalce by designosaur Photo: Bob Prosser (www.hellomynameisbob.co.uk)

Some people may think that using a laser cutting machine is not “craft” in the same way as something like woodcarving for example. Can you describe the craft element of lasercutting?

The craft in Laser cutting is in the design not the making. However, the craft element is also in knowing your material and your process inside out. All woodcarvers will know that doing something a certain way could ruin a design – with laser cutting it is the same thing, to get the best results you have to know the process inside out. However we are quite happy to be known as designers not crafters!

To see more of Jacques and Karli’s work head over to: http://www.designosauryeah.co.uk/

To get your hands on one of our lasercut cuckoo clocks head over to: http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/rosieandtheboys/product/personalised-new-baby-cuckoo-clock-papercut

 

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About Us

Rosie and the Boys is a creative family team with a love of colour and soft spot for parties. Our products are handcrafted with attention to detail, quality materials and a smile on our face! Inspired by Nature and designed with the latest trends in mind, we provide a range of party decorations and greetings cards with a contemporary twist.

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