My Favourite UK Crafter of the Week - quirky dolls and decor from Cut and Tear

You know when you see something for the first time and instantly need to see more? That's exactly what happened when I saw one of Cut and Tear's retro paper dolls. I'd never seen any like them before so was intrigued to find out more. And I discovered a lot more beauties too!

As usual, this post is in no way sponsored or influenced. The crafter featured is genuinely a favourite of mine; all quotes are the crafter's own and the opinions are mine. So, with this in mind this week's UK Crafter of the Week is...

Cut and Tear 

I have to say something to start with. I've bent my own rules slightly to feature this week's crafter; although based in London for a long time, Kate (the crafter behind Cut and Tear) grew up in the Czech Republic and now lives and works in Munich. But I love her work so much I'm counting the years in the UK here!  And looking at her wonderful creations I'm sure you'll agree with me that it's okay and worth it, especially as she admits, "Craft wise, I belong to Britain and its uniquely quirky craft aesthetics."

Retro articulated swimmer doll £6.00 each Cut and Tear

Kate's beautiful paper dolls are based on her original drawings and designs. When I first saw them I loved them but then thought 'what are they for?'. Kate suggests using them as bookmarks (a wonderful image of the woman's head in her swimming cap poking out of the top of a book!) and I think they'd also make lovely original artwork in frames. As well as paper dolls, the lovely ladies are also transformed into different formats including brooches, dolls and magnets.

Mini brooch - Marie Antoinette £4.00 Cut and Tear

Working as an art teacher for over 15 years, Kate has built and shared her skills developing her style and range of products. Like many creative people, she started young with a "passion for craft" and was particularly inspired by her female relations who "were small geniuses that saved and transformed every scrap in reach." This has influenced her work today and she loves to use discarded materials and "stuff that no one needs or wants anymore" to make her original creations and pass on the idea of upcycling and making unique pieces to her students.

Eleonora comfort doll £20.00 Cut and Tear

A wonderful example of Kate's reusing of old objects is this unique idea for an advent calendar which is cased in an old DVD case. The string and pegs are ready to hang one house with a doll illustration on it each day. The packaging adds the element of upcycling and a joyful, quirky edge that all Cut and Tear's products offer; and for Kate "the joy is multiplied when in the process a material has been saved from a scrap heap."

Advent calendar garland £16.00 Cut and Tear

To find out more about Cut and Tear take a look here:

Cut and Tear's website
Shop on Etsy
Cut and Tear's blog
On Facebook