It’s been crazy at Paper Demon Jewelry this past month! Gift bags, giveaways, promotions, 4 local markets, teaching my first series of Japanese Papercrafting classes at the splendid EMU Craft Center, and a steady stream of orders on Etsy. Amidst all that, trying to find time to create and perfect new jewelry designs, and switch our entire operations over to all-green mediums, sealers and finishes. (I’m excited to post on this cool all-natural specialty fiber hardening product I’ve discovered–Paverpol–that comes from the Netherlands!)
But for tonight, let’s keep it short. I want to introduce my latest items on Etsy. I’ve been doing a lot with chiyogami/yuzen paper lately. Actually, ever since my post on the Japanese Paper Place. For awhile there I was completely entranced with my stained glass, sculptural, and shoji jewelry, all of which played on the color, translucence, and fiber texture of pure plain washi.
But as I explored the hundreds and hundreds of brilliantly colored patterns of chiyogami/yuzen washi at the Japanese Paper Place, I started to feel that maybe I’d abandoned it prematurely!
Chiyogami/yuzen, by the way, is the colorful patterned Japanese paper that so many Japanese crafts are made from. Here’s how The Japanese Paper Place defines the term:
These wonderfully decorative patterns on paper, known as Chiyogami, are silkscreened onto machine made sheets of mixed kozo and sulphite. They are more popularly known as Yuzen in the United States.
Originally, Chiyogami designs were developed in the Edo period as woodblock prints by papermakers during the farming season for use as accessories in the house to enliven the interiors. They were based on the bright kimono textiles which the papermakers from the countryside saw on the fashionable wealthier ladies in the larger cities, especially in Kyoto, where the area known as Yuzen had become famous for its sophisticated techniques for dyeing cloth.
Chiyogami was meant to be cut into pieces and made into paper dolls or pasted on tea tins or small paper boxes; still today the scale of the patterns is reminiscent of these early uses. And still many of the symbols depicted hearken back to auspicious occasions when fancy kimonos would be worn: cranes for long life; bamboo for flexibility; plum blossoms and pine boughs for beauty and longevity.
The striking pigment colours, careful registration of screens and wide range of designs make these papers ideal for picture mats, books and box making.
The range of Chiyogami patterns is endless, and Japanese designers today are tireless in their development of new fascinating patterns. These patterns are constantly stocked at The Japanese Paper Place.”
Yuzen patterns are the ones that look most like kimono fabric patterns and contain a lot of gold. Chiyogami are traditionally more repetitive, with smaller scale repeating patterns that are excellent for utilitarian crafts (ie, wrapping tea canisters).
Here are some chiyogami images, taken from The Japanese Paper Place’s website. The first block are quite modern patterns; the second block are more traditional (don’t stress about the ‘discontinued’ note–the JPP stocks over 1000 patterns and is constantly cycling in new ones and phasing out old ones, and can order anything a person needs, as I found out this past week! Thanks Nancy!)
Some modern chiyogami
Some more-traditional chiyogami patterns
How can you not yearn to create with these papers?
I mean, the austere simplicity of kozo washi is a fine thing…. 
But look at these colors! 
So, to make a very long story (with nice pictures) short…. I am working on chiyogami jewelry this past couple of weeks. And here it is. Even Chiyogami Gem Pencils for Back to School! They’re selling like hotcakes–especially the Chiyogami Gem Bracelet.
The Geometric Possibilities of Chiyogami
"All Our Efforts Must Tend Toward Light" inscribed on back
Chiyogami Gem Pencils
Sleek Modern Sterling silver dangle earrings
On a chunky Susan Kazmer Bezel
Chiyogami Gem Bracelet
PAPER DEMON JEWELRY 