Etsy announced their winners of the first ever Etsy Design Awards and I'm happy to share that my WONDERS OF SEA & TREE ketubah was declared the winner in its category Festive Celebrations!
“We’re constantly looking to uncover the latest trends emerging on Etsy, and the Etsy Design Awards were an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the highest quality items created by talented makers around the world.”
-Dayna Isom, Johnson, Etsy Trend Expert and competition judge.
I certainly didn't feel like it when I applied. Truth was, I was in a slump. I was reading articles and workbooks by creative business coaches and filling out branding questionnaires and suddenly this Etsy Design Awards opportunity appeared in my inbox. I only applied not after reading the pitch, but after reading the application questions. I found myself thinking the questions over and decided that if I was going to answer them for myself I might as well send them on for other people to read. I'm sure my fellow winners will agree, the questions in the application form helped me remember why I create my art in the way that I do. How satisfying it is and how connected I feel to my craft. I honestly felt a weight lifted off my shoulders with every impassioned answer I gave. My answers helped me and my business before I ever knew I was chosen as a finalist!
Awards are recognitions of qualities you want to celebrate and encourage in the whole community, not just the recipient, so being chosen as an Etsy's Design Award recipient is not only a boost to my confidence as a creator - it's validation by my community. I’m so humbled and thrilled that Etsy agrees there is room in this modern world, in this wedding industry, for these handcrafted artworks.
The Wonders of Sea & Tree papercut ketubah perfectly embodies the renewed spirit of this ancient wedding artistry: highly decorative with elements of both land and sea, it illustrates the merging of the bride and groom's lives together. Creatures of legend surround the marriage pledge and bestow a sense of adventure and excitement onto the wedding vows. Both worlds come together to create a design lush with symbolism and color that honors the sacred wedding vows and celebrates the the sentiments that inspired the wedding union.
I began making papercut ketubahs to celebrate the love pledge between lovers in a modern style that both honors the tradition of the ketubah’s craftsmanship and celebrates all modern love stories. At their core, all my papercuts begin with the story my clients share, of how they met and fell in love. The craftsmanship I put into creating them makes the sentiment behind a marriage covenant just that much more special and heartfelt, and I aspire to make each of my tactile artworks as enchanting as the love pledges they frame.
I approach each client with patience and a wish to help, because I know that many are unfamiliar with wedding artwork - traditional or otherwise - and I am here to educate and guide. The process of ordering a wedding keepsake should reflect the positive energy that brought the clients to this milestone, and be as breathtaking and joyful at the end.
| Animated GIF by Ted + Chelsea Photography
I hope to always keep papercutting, creating and sharing beautiful artistry that my clients will cherish and cultivate in their own homes.
Etsy's first ever Design Awards were covered in different publications, including APARTMENT THERAPY, HOUSE BEAUTIFUL, and HUFF POST.| Gorgeous studio photography by Nechama Jacobson Photography
| Animated GIF by Ted + Chelsea Photography
When Ruchi and Eric first contacted me for a bespoke ketubah to celebrate their destination wedding ceremony, I knew instantly this was going to be a beautiful artwork for me to design and create for them. Their interfaith wedding meant that both Hindu and Jewish cultures would need to be featured and with so many intricate and ornate symbols typical of both faiths, I couldn’t wait to bring the two together to represent their union!
I N S P I R A T I O NRuchi and Eric adored my Mehndi Dreams ketubah and there were details they wanted to feature having seen it. From the Star of David with the Om symbol to the Hamsa, I filled the design with good luck charms nestled betwixt symbolic elephants, peacocks, mandalas, lotus flowers and stars to feature in their design.
Whilst this may seem like a long list of components to include, thanks to the consult process I do Ruchi and Eric provided me with a really clear vision of the ketubah they were looking for so I had a strong groundwork to start designing for them both!
The couple chose a rich palette of midnight blue, ivory and super gold to bring a decadent and regal look to their ketubah and I love how the three so naturally complemented the design references they had asked for.
T H E D E S I G NI came up with the concept for Elephant’s Kiss to symbolise everlasting love and wisdom. Showcased beneath the ketubah text, two elephants create a focal point with their trunks lovingly entwined to signify a kiss and I added traditional Mehndi designs to them as a nod to Ruchi’s culture.
Sitting proudly about the ketubah text is a single peacock as a symbol of prosperity, protection and good fortune. I then designed around the animals to create a wonderland of decorative flowers, foliage with dainty hidden gold treasures thoughtfully placed throughout. The more detailed the papercut, the laciest it will look, and the ornate elements only enhanced the concept of this ketubah's design. It's fun to papercut, too! It's designs like these that challenge me to improve my skills with the blade and develop a style that's uniquely Woodland Papercuts.
From design to creation, Elephant’s Kiss took me around three weeks to produce. I refined the digital design twice for Ruchi and Eric, making small changes to give some of their favourite elements a little more visibility.
I am so thrilled with how this bespoke ketubah looks and I love how it brings together two truly beautiful cultures. As with every ketubah, these are paper heirlooms to treasure forever and I was delighted to have the couple proudly display theirs in their home following their wedding ceremony.
If you’d like a bespoke ketubah for your wedding ceremony or celebration,
please get in touch with me here.
please get in touch with me here.
I'm honored to share that WONDERS OF SEA & TREE papercut ketubah is an Etsy Awards Finalist!Etsy's been a bright guiding star in my life. It has steered me into this ocean of freelance opportunity and exciting community I never would have adventured to on my own. Etsy has empowered me to live a life I would not have dreamed possible and I AM SO GRATEFUL!
I discovered Etsy in 2007 when searching for cupcake-shaped pin cushions. Down the rabbit hole I went! I was earning a BA in illustration at the time and told EVERYONE about this site. I opened my own tiny stationery shop on Etsy then and I'm pretty sure most of my class followed suit, listing their posters, paintings, and art dolls. Several are still active today - check out TushTush and Tosya!
A full time independent creator and business owner, I am an Etsy success story. This small crafters marketplace changed my life for the better! I’ve witnessed it grow over the years as I’ve grown. It connected me with other artists, shared stories of success and advice, showed me opportunities and encouraged me to be brave. I opened WOODLAND PAPERCUTS in 2011 and found a life worth living - full of creativity and heart.
Thank you Etsy editors for picking one of my ketubot for your first annual awards! And guys - go take a look, there are so many great artists on the list and beyond - just writing this I searched for my old shop and discovered a collection of new makers!
If you're interested in WONDERS OF SEA & TREE - this beautiful masterpiece was first inspired by folklore of land and sea - creatures of legend surround your marriage pledge and bestow a sense of adventure and excitement on your wedding vows. 18X18 inches big this design is entirely hand-drawn and hand-cut. Just choose your text & colors and off we go!
"I think I'm quite ready for an adventure!"WONDERS OF SEA & TREE was nominated in the Festive Celebration category - for all things wedding that are the life of the party. This category is a perfect description of what a ketubah is! And this ketubah specifically embodies perfectly the renewed spirit of this ancient wedding artistry.
A ketubah needn't be boring, traditional, or closed off and secretive. It's a celebration of love - it should be shared! On Etsy I found likeminded artists who were trail-blazers in this niche industry. With the help of Etsy we shared the ketubah with a wider audience than ever before. No more unimaginative designs and low-quality prints, here you found story-tellers that created with care and a personable touch. I believe I was of the first few to sell papercut ketubot on Etsy, breathing new life into this dying artistry. You couldn't find a handmade papercut ketubah in an open, young style anywhere else but Etsy! Discerning Jewish, Quaker, and Artistic brides and grooms found us on Etsy and I'm thrilled to see this niche category has grown so much!
Wedding photos by Tristan Crane Photography
Even intimate celebrations are worthy of a cherished artwork to commemorate them. Such is the case with Alexandra & Shawn's destination wedding to Florence, Italy.
Alexandra was not my usual client as she wanted me to emphasize not nature but rather the spectacular man-made structures of Florence, Italy - namely the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio. From my past work you'd assume this is not in my wheelhouse, but now, Florence is my dream vacation destination! I'm an art history buff and the Italian Renaissance is my favorite art era so I understood why she wanted to feature them in her ketubah. I knew these buildings would carry my handmade style well and I was thrilled to have this little bit of Italy in my studio!
As with all custom orders, we delved deeper into the couple's vision for their ideal ketubah. After our 1-on-1 consultation we added more elements to the design: like the statue garden of the Four Seasons Hotel they'll be married at, the logo for the local restaurant where they'll be having their rehearsal dinner, the couple's initials, the bride's flowers, and the lace pattern of Alexandra's wedding gown. All in a white and gold color scheme worthy of a Medici. Or at least a modern descendant:)
FLORENCE IN LOVE
13X19 inches | Ivory, Gold Leaf
(click photo for best resolution)
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My favorite detail of the design is the gate peeking from the tree foliage, which is the central gate in the hotel gardens. That's just the illustrator in my, though. The design went though several variations in my studio because I couldn't decide on the placement of the structures - each is such magnificent masterpiece in itself! But I made it in the end and sent it to the client who luckily quickly approved of my choice.
Because the ketubah will be flying from the US to Italy the bride asked me to have the text layer separate from the papercut layer, a request which also informed the design I created. It's sad for me that the entire piece will not get to bask in Italian sunshine, but no-checked-luggage is always best.
Because the ketubah will be flying from the US to Italy the bride asked me to have the text layer separate from the papercut layer, a request which also informed the design I created. It's sad for me that the entire piece will not get to bask in Italian sunshine, but no-checked-luggage is always best.
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