How well do you know the Woodland Friends?

This here notebook has the beginnings of a story. You may have seen on the listing about the 'finish the story' competition. If you haven't seen, well why not. ;)

I'll fill you in...

'How well do you know the animals? If you purchase a notebook you can enter into the 'finish the story' competition to win your own small, original Paper Panda papercut of your favourite Woodland character. Please email your entry to paperpandacuts@hotmail.co.uk by 1st September 2014. There are two age categories, under 11's and over 11's. Good luck!'

So there you have it, give those little brains a whirl and pop a little story over to us to enter! 

You only have this weekend left to be in with a chance, don't miss out!

The story so far...

It was tuesday in the forest. The Woodland Friends had gathered together for a spot of lunch. Bird sang happily in the tree and a great feeling of love was in the air as they played in the dappled sunlight without a care in the world. It was time to see what goodies were for lunch. Bunny found a lovely big cream cake and was just about to take a generous bite when...


Go grab your notebook and get scribbling then pop your story over to paperpandacuts@hotmail.co.uk

Please let us know your age, so we pop your entry into the correct category!
Good luck! 

*Squish*

I made this today...

 I made this today *proudly shoves in Mum's face in the hopes she'll stick it to the fridge*
The process went as thus (posh voice):
I drew a square in Corel Draw the same size as the mount in the final frame then drew some wavy lines and popped the writing on, remembering to flip it, then printed it. Why do we flip? Well, the back is the scruffy side with all the scribble. You can't rub it out afterwards because it leaves a right mess and you'll rip your cut. I did actually see a papercut in a shop once for over a grand and there was pencil marksall over the front. Pffft, amateurs *winks*
Sharpened my trusty pencil - okay, that's a lie as it's a propelling one but I mentally sharpened it then drew freehand the little people, lots of swirls and the stars.

Then I grumbled about hating to cut swirls and got to work.
I went against all my own rules and cut all over the place rather than just running from the top to the bottom. Why? Because I didn't want to get bored and my swirls get worse as they reached the bottom, or what can happen is that you can start out with little tight swirls and realise they are fatter at the bottom, so anyway, I randomly cut different parts all over.
I'd also usually keep all the pieces in until right at the end because it keeps the paper more stable, reduces the risk of it catching on the edge of the mat or your sleeve and you can also do a big "ta-da" reveal at the end.
 

 But I didn't so that because I was taking progress photo's which would have been pretty rubbish if they were all filled in the whole way.
So, here it is. I think we'll make a card design of it, what do you think?


*footnote* remember there's an online shop with a fab starter kit in it amongst other things that you would love, honest, it's great! Ask those people, there *points*  www.paperpanda.bigcartel.com

This week in Pandaland...

It's fabulous fantastical fish and chippy Friday folks!
This week in Pandaland...
Well I've been working on the book pages and also some material designs (which is what Alice is for) this week. I just deviated a little and made a couple of miniatures today, one of which is here *points* and the other is 'Stay Weird' hee hee. Also this week I've ordered some new stuff with naughty designs for those risque papercutting lovers out there so they'll be in the shop soon.
This week we've been working in the studio with new peeps Sam and Jo and it's free'd...freed...freeeed (you know how it doesn't look right when you type a word? Well that's one of them!) up a lot of time for Mr Panda to get back to being artistic again so he's been working on this sculpture which is still in the very early stages but I reckon the Death Of Rats is looking pretty cool so far, don't you?
I've been seeing how many packets of Fish & Chips I can eat. I say 'eat' but you have to suck them. Yes, really. Buy them, buy them now and rejoice in their salty goodness. I'm up to 15 today and my mouth looks like a cats bum. Mmmm.
Today I went to the salon (to be read in an american accent) and had my nails done (I had them Shellaced - is that how you spell it?) for holibobs so had to have it taken off again) and then on my way home nipped into the Damien Hirst exhibition in Stow. £3000 for a small printed red spot in a limited edition run? Wowsers. Just wowsers. BUT but but...butterflies - now they were gorgeous foil prints and satisfied my need for shiny things. Yes, I liked his butterflies. Dots? Not so much.
As was just typing there was a noise from behind me. I turn and all 50kg of Wooly Alaskan Malamute has climbed up onto the pink couch behind me. He has never done that before! I guess he's seen tiny puppy Chewy do it and though "why not?". Made me laugh.

Hello!

Hello! *big waves* How is everyone this week? I've had a fabulous post delivery today, look! There was a big box full of individually wrapped presents that made me laugh as I opened them. Samantha R thank you - I shall wear the glasses forever (nooo I didn't take them immediately off for the next photo, honest!) and the biscuits are actually gorgeous and you should have nommed them all yourself
And look! Probably my all time favorite present, how cute is this little plate from Angel? Thank you lovely, I'm glad you liked your pens and a big hello to your mummy Claire B xx
This week I've been kissing my desk and wondering how on earth I ever cut paper before. My hands hurt! My knobbly finger callous had started to get better while I was away - NOT a good thing as now my finger isn't protected and it's SORE. My neck aches from bending over my desk again. Basically I should never take breaks, like, ever because I clearly had a rhythm that's gone totally out of whack. Ahh well, *mans up*.
So as you know I've been working on the book templates. This means the page/shop is a bit devoid of new cuts as I'm not showing them to you yet, but see? I've included a handy 1cm strip as this IS a papercutting page after all :)  *tease*
Every day since my return I've been going for a little walk every night in an attempt to stop being so hermitty. Bourton on the Water is a beautiful place and once I actually put on my shoes and go outside I really quite enjoy it. On my travels I have actually found someone that is clearly just as bonkers as me. If you know who it is PLEASE tell me because I MUST meet the person that is sticking little messages (yesterdays read 'dirty lazy owner') in the local dog poo. They make flags from cocktail sticks!! It's very creative. It also makes you definitely make sure you have spare bags in your pocket so it DOES work....but really? REALLY??! I've censored the photo as it's lunchtime, but I had to show you, made me chuckle (also think of me bending over to take a photo hee hee)... Cotswold Life Magazine you need to get Dom Jolly to investigate this local phenomena...
Happy Wednesday everyone! P xx

Who's going to be Star Gazing tomorrow night?

Well, there were around 140 of you in the running and a name has been picked in the traditional Panda way, by an 11 year old randomly pointing at the list of orders. The 'Star Gazing' medium original has now been packaged and is leaving Panda Mansion today via Special Delivery to get to the lucky recipient before 1pm tomorrow.
But, I can't tell you who it is can I, that would spoil the surprise! All I can say is that there's lots of S's in the address, but none in the person's name... ooh, it's like a secret spy code! If that sounds like it could be you, then don't forget to answer the door to postie tomorrow (doesn't matter if you're still in your PJs) because you'll have to sign for your original Paper Panda papercut. We'd LOVE to see a photo of you with it.
Thanks so much to everyone who took part. If you weren't the winner, then I do hope you love your PP order anyway - thanks heaps! You're awesome.
P xxx

Star Gazing...

Would you like to own this?

'Star Gazing' Medium original 23x23cm hand drawn and hand cut original papercut floating over a dusty blue background creating beautiful shadows inside the handmade frame. 
There are a few of these floating around as there's a template that you can buy from our shop to cut it yourself, but this piece is the only one cut by me, ol' Panda Paws and was actually used to create the new DIY template.
If you buy anything from the Panda Store up until 3pm tomorrow afternoon(19th August 2014) you may receive this original piece when you wake up on Wednesday morning.
(unless you're outside the UK then I'm afraid it's a bit out of our postal systems remit to be THAT quick hee hee).
It applies to everyone from Zurich to Zimbabweeeee and there's no extra postage to pay or 'owt. At 3pm tomorrow I'll ask Poppy to choose one of your names to receive it in with your order. There's no discrimination or minimum order - you could buy a card or a canvas, everyone is in with a chance to win. It is framed in a handmade beech wood box frame 23x23cm and finished with the engraved Paper Panda tag. It comes gift boxed ready to give to a loved one, to rip open yourself or to chuck on eBay ;)
You can find all our products here.
Good luck!
Panda xx

Less Cruelty More Cuddles.

"The Many Faces Of Bunny" eBay Charity Auction.

Why did we choose to donate to this charity?

I recieved a lovely email from a long term fan of Paper Panda, Laura. She works for the charity Cruelty Free International and asked me if I'd produce a tee shirt design as part of a campaign being launched in September. So I did!

All of the designs that I make that are printed on any form of merchadise are still scans of original papercuts, so these ones of our friend Bunny were used to create the tee shirt design that will be out for sale in a limited edition run along with other artists who are also taking part.

Rather than chuck them away as I often do *shame on me!* I thought they'd make a nice little study of the different faces of Bunny that a collector might pay a couple of quid for to go towards this fabulous charity.

So we have Busy Bunny, Sad Bunny, Shy Bunny, Playful Bunny & Friendly Bunny all floating over a nice blue background with the traditional 'Hand da Panda' font below each one with his respective name. It is framed in a handmade beech wood frame 31x18cm, signed on the mount and on the reverse of each Bunny and finished with the Paper Panda engraved logo.
This is a one off piece, no copies have been made, and it has raised a nice chunk of money for a fabulous charity! Hurrah!

Less cruelty, more cuddles!

100% of the final bid has been donated to Cruelty Free International, the first global non-profit to campaign to end animal tests for cosmetics worldwide.

This eBay auction raised £194.00 for Cruelty Free International *Applause*

Thank you to everyone who has placed a bid, left a comment or like of support and shared this great cause! You are all wonderful!

If you would like to read more on Cruelty Free International you can do so with this here link:
http://crueltyfreeinternational.org/

Fallen For You

Remember that lovely fallen for you cut from t'other week? Well this is the lovely lady to whom it was sent. Isn't this just lovely?..
'Good day Mrs P, my name is Gail Walker, I've been a fan of yours for a while, I bought your first paper cutting kit but didn't do to great with it, infact to say I butchered it would be kind, I was saving my pennies to get the second one, It was my birthday on Wednesday I had the best surprise ever, not only did I get an actual real life paper panda papercut cut by your fine hands but I also had a box packed full of all your super goodies including a paper cutting kit mark 2, which is awesome the knife is so much better and I actually shocked myself at how well I did this time, my fiancée Chris burnley explained what you had done with the give away and that off your own back you included all those lovely things for my birthday, thank you so very very muchly you are a really super person and I just wanted to thank you for being such a nice gal you are truly good people
=^-^=
Gail xxxxx'

Saturday night Rock n Roll Panda lifestyle...

Sometimes...just sometimes and entirely without realising a nearly perfect negative is pulled away from a papercut. It makes me smile.
Jess & Brown Bear are running together, playing in the sun. A perfectly papery moment.
I wondered why people were rummaging through my recycle bin...

It's all rock and roll at PP HQ at the weekends...It's Saturday night so I'm out and about, raving it up, socialising and...oh, who am I kidding? I'm cutting miniature woodland animals out of paper. 

This week in Pandaland.

This week in Pandaland!
We welcome Sam/Tim to the madness (top left). He made the best cake out of everyone we interviewed so got the job, hooray! Well, we also welcome Jo who starts in a few weeks as she seemed wonderfully sensible and able to sort us crazies out AND we say a big HELLO to Sonia who has been working part time here too. So we have 3 newbies in real life and also Emma who is a virtual typey person answering emails and stuff. *waves* to new panda peeps, huzzah!
We also welcomed Chewy the Lhasa Aspo, wook at his widdle faaaace! He's been so very good and distracting me from working and making me go outside in the garden and watch telly and stuff. Chewy is a great addition, we loves him.
I've been papercutting my fuzzy butt off, though and have looooads of original cuts so that it's not all quiet when I go away on Wednesday. LOADS! The Mouse Circus cuts are my favourite - the new one is just divine and those that know me know that I don't say that lightly as I am my worst critic so don't miss the mice!
This week we also lost ALL our animals (except Chewy as he wasn't here then thankfully) when the big electric gates enclosing the garden opened by themselves at 5am and they all thought it was GREAT and ran away en masse. We woke up at 8am to frantic panic, chucking on clothes and legging it outside to round up 3 cats and a moose/dog. Somebody had scooped up Munch which is no mean feat as he's 60kg of massive Malamute and they kindly locked him in the courtyard of a local shop which is where we found him asleep. PHEW! He was soaking wet and had clearly been playing in the river for hours - I wish I had Munch-cam to see what he'd gotten up to. Much relief all round as what could have been a disaster was okay after 10 minutes of panic. Oh...and the gates have now been padlocked Electric-shmetric.
This week we've donated £300 to Macmillan in total, not to mention the thousands my mate Vicky raised by cutting off her locks. Vicky and I were quite frankly blown over by the generosity of you guys.
I've also designed a tee-shirt featuring our very own Bunny for Cruelty Free International and the papercut I made to actually create the design will be going up for sale very soon and the proceeds will be donated to them also.
I've sent off the gubbins to make rubber stamps for you arty crafty people out there to make your own stuff. They feature Bunny, Bird, Squiggle and FB Hedgehog. I can see you ink stamping EVERYTHING in sight!
We also gave away a Stag papercut (is it there yet?? Shout up if so!) and it was such a hit I think we'll be doing it probably once a month, what do you reckon?
PANTS! Why are there underpants included? Well these are special magic underpants that appeared here in the house this week...and nobody knows where they came from. Unless Munch has started wearing clothes again we are proper stumped, so shout up if these are your pants! You can't have them back though as I'm wearing them. No, not really.
Oh, and I got dressed today!!!!!! Surely the most momentous occasion EVER
Panda xx