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collage-unsmelled-flowers-paperiaarre-title-2.jpg

vintage photo collage - unsmelled flowers

February 15, 2016

Vintage photo collage - Unsmelled Flowers by Kaija Rantakari / Paperiaarre

Hello, dear. How's your week begun? Mine looks a bit busy - lots and lots of photo editing since I've finally managed to photograph all the older books I want to put in a gallery on the new website. The website is coming together slowly but surely; I try to avoid the gravitational pull of working on it non-stop until it's done, as hours hunched over a laptop do so much damage to my body it would take weeks if not months to recuperate.

Self care appears to be a current theme around here, and it's something I should've learnt many, many years earlier. Part of my game plan is keeping up with the various projects I have in my life, so I don't need to feel guilty about not having made art in weeks, or about not having made any progress with the books I'd planned some time in August. A little progress with everything, every week, and I should feel quite content (and not achy, like I would if I only worked on one project at a time).

Vintage photo collage - Unsmelled Flowers by Kaija Rantakari / Paperiaarre

Last week's input: once again, playing around with the words of Wallace Stevens. More often than not my collages tend to be more on the feminine side, but I enjoy working with a delicate male portrait every once in a while. This vintage photo is a beautiful one, a bit torn and worn, and it has a metallic iridescent finish, like oil on water. A little helper on Instagram let me know this is degradation known as silver-mirroring. Of course I end up having a thing for damage...

Vintage photo collage - Unsmelled Flowers by Kaija Rantakari / Paperiaarre

The metal strips I used both sides of the photo are bits I just barely managed to save from going to trash. I now wish I'd saved more as they have such a beautiful patina and I could think of a hundred more projects to use them on. Unfortunately, I can't save everything, nor do I have the foresight to do so even when I could.

Vintage photo collage - Unsmelled Flowers by Kaija Rantakari / Paperiaarre
(vintage photo, vintage metal findings, cut up poetry, paper, board, linen thread, glue)
16,2x14x1,3cm  /  6.4"x5.5"x0.5"

I wouldn't mind having dapper gents like him strolling in the streets where I live. But I guess I would mind if V were one of them and I'd have to iron his gear...

[EDIT: for sale here] 

In mixed media art Tags mixed media monday
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Welcome to Paperiaarre!

Kaija Rantakari / Paperiaarre in her Helsinki based studio

Hello, my name is Kaija. I'm a master bookbinder / mixed media artist / accumulator extraordinaire / poet from Finland. This website is where I share my creations to fellow paper enthusiasts.

Paperiaarre is Finnish for a paper treasure, and I hope you find many of those here!

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The Paperiaarre shop is open again! I've now returned from the incredibly lush Edinburgh where I had the privilege to stay at a wonderful writing recidency. So many long walks, big hills, old kirkyards, and vinegary treats!

As mentioned, the shop is
Hello you, just a quick note that I'm spending May in Edinburgh at a writing recidency, so the Paperiaarre shop will be closed from April 30th. Any orders placed by Wednesday afternoon will be shipped as usual ❤️❤️❤️
Another great day for this bookbinder! Thank you all for your many orders - they really make my day every time ❤️
This golden floral kimono silk is one of my all time favourites. I love how beautifully light plays with the weave even on a cloudy day like today.

This notebook with semi-flexible covers is one of the five still left of yesterday's shop update. All
New books in the Paperiaarre shop! Four hardcover notebooks with heavier weight paper, and ten notebooks bound with the sewn boards binding style that results in semi-flexible covers. All made with repurposed vintage kimono silk.
On my to-do list is to add this stack of vintage kimono notebooks to my shop. Some time next week, I hope!

I made these using the sewn boards binding structure that creates lovely semi-flexible covers.
Wrapping a lovely order today 🤍🤍🤍

We've now made it through the darkest moments of winter, so maybe soon I will finally get to my stack of journals waiting to be photographed. Read: New books coming soon-ish!
New blog post and new books now available in the Paperiaarre shop at www.paperiaarre.com. There's postcard-sized watercolor journals perfect for travel journal use, too, and a small lot of the popular adorably tiny notebooks. All covered with repurpo
Watercolor journals and mini kimono journals for sale through my IG stories for the next 24h. Any remaining books will be available at paperiaarre.com in a few days 🤍🤍🤍
Every now and then I get requests for notebooks suitable for watercolors, and even though I don't do custom orders in the traditional sense, every now and then I hear your requests! This lot of six lovely A6 landscape format watercolor journals will

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