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All Things Paper: 20 Unique Projects from Leading Paper Crafters, Artists, and Designers
Ann Martin has searched the world over for unique and beautiful paper crafts to feature on her popular website—AllThingsPaper.net. In this book she gathers completely new projects and shows how each is made step-by-step. All of the designs in this book were created by respected paper craft artists, such as Benjamin John Coleman, Patricia Zapata, and Richela Fabian Morgan, who have been making amazing things with paper for many years. Each of the projects, from simple to more complex, has easy-to-follow instructions and detailed photos. These colorful and impressive pieces include art objects to display at home, as well as items with practical uses. All of the projects make wonderful keepsakes or gifts that express the beauty, elegance, and versatility of paper.
Projects include:
Candle Luminaries
Citrus Slice Coasters
Silhouette Portrait Art
Mysterious Stationery Box
Everyday Tote Bag
Silver Orb Pendant
Fine Paper Yarn Necklace
Perfect Journey Journal
Projects include:
Candle Luminaries
Citrus Slice Coasters
Silhouette Portrait Art
Mysterious Stationery Box
Everyday Tote Bag
Silver Orb Pendant
Fine Paper Yarn Necklace
Perfect Journey Journal
- GenresNonfictionCraftsArt
112 pages, Paperback
First published June 11, 2013
About the author
Ann Martin
3 books10 followersI'm Ann Martin, a quilling enthusiast who explores the worlds of creative paper art and paper craft. My newest book is The Art of Quilling Paper Jewelry. Yes, stylish and durable jewelry can truly be made from simple paper! Previous titles include All Things Paper: 20 Unique Projects from Leading Paper Crafters, Artists, and Designers and Creative Paper Quilling: Wall Art, Jewelry, Cards & More!. The All Things Paper book will whet your paper crafting appetite with its wide variety of step-by-step projects that range from simple to complex. You'll learn to do book binding, paper and box making, upcycling, screen printing, paper stitching, paper crocheting, paper jewelry and card making, and paper cutting. Creative Paper Quilling focuses on a time-honored paper rolling technique and brings it into the 21st century via modern designs.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 10, 2025
many different projects here, lots of things that are unique. it's a compilation from multiple authors so some of the projects are very well described, others are much less.
October 19, 2016
All Things Paper: 20 Unique Projects from Leading Paper Crafters, Artists, and Designers definitely does not cover all things you might want to make with paper, but just a small, perplexing, and rather contradictory subset. Some of the projects are ridiculously simplistic and obvious, such as "Silhouette Portrait Art", which somehow drags out over three pages what basically amounts to "Trace someone's silhouette. Cut it out in black paper." or "Candle Luminaries" ("Use decorative scissors on a strip of paper. Wrap it around a votive holder."). On the other hand, one of the projects, "Citrus Slice Coasters" calls for buying an entire screen printing setup and materials (not cheap), this time inappropriately jamming the instructions onto just four pages, and pretty much glossing over the fact that this technique takes a bit of practice.
In addition to the wildly divergent range of difficulty, time, and skill required, I felt pretty lukewarm about the actual items one winds up with from these projects. For instance, while the screen printed coasters mentioned above are quite pretty, they'd be trashed the first time someone set a sweating beverage on them, as they are paper. I know that I'd be really cranky if I'd gone through all that work just to have my coasters turn into a warped mess. This was a project better suited to wall art. And speaking of impracticality, there is an entire chapter dedicated to jewelry. Jewelry! While the paper beads project (did you really need instructions on how to make rolled paper beads?) does suggest spraying the finished beads with a matte varnish, the majority of of the jewelry projects (many of which are quilled) – aside from the obvious danger of physical damage – wouldn't stand up to simple body oils, let alone even the lightest sweat. The final chapter was greeting card projects, none of which were as nice as what you'd find in a standalone cardmaking book.
I get that this is an anthology and that the different artists will bring their diverse styles and techniques, but it appears the contributors were given no guidelines as to the intended scope and skill level of the book's audience. Editor fail.
In addition to the wildly divergent range of difficulty, time, and skill required, I felt pretty lukewarm about the actual items one winds up with from these projects. For instance, while the screen printed coasters mentioned above are quite pretty, they'd be trashed the first time someone set a sweating beverage on them, as they are paper. I know that I'd be really cranky if I'd gone through all that work just to have my coasters turn into a warped mess. This was a project better suited to wall art. And speaking of impracticality, there is an entire chapter dedicated to jewelry. Jewelry! While the paper beads project (did you really need instructions on how to make rolled paper beads?) does suggest spraying the finished beads with a matte varnish, the majority of of the jewelry projects (many of which are quilled) – aside from the obvious danger of physical damage – wouldn't stand up to simple body oils, let alone even the lightest sweat. The final chapter was greeting card projects, none of which were as nice as what you'd find in a standalone cardmaking book.
I get that this is an anthology and that the different artists will bring their diverse styles and techniques, but it appears the contributors were given no guidelines as to the intended scope and skill level of the book's audience. Editor fail.
January 14, 2014
I love quilling so I went straight to the jewelry projects featured in the book. I was able to make the "antique key pendant" as well as the "teardrop orb pendant". I gave the orb pendant to my mother in law as a gift and she is in love with it!
This is a perfect winter craft activity book. In just a few hours you can make multiple projects. The two pendants took me about an hour and a half (but I do quill regularly). A great addition to your craft book arsenal. You'll definitely learn something new from this book!
The next project I have my eye on is the "sticky notes notepad holder", which features punch art and hand-stitching.
The projects DO require you to have quite a bit of supplies on hand, but substitutes and suggestions are provided throughout. Nothing a trip to Michael's can't fix. ;)
This is a perfect winter craft activity book. In just a few hours you can make multiple projects. The two pendants took me about an hour and a half (but I do quill regularly). A great addition to your craft book arsenal. You'll definitely learn something new from this book!
The next project I have my eye on is the "sticky notes notepad holder", which features punch art and hand-stitching.
The projects DO require you to have quite a bit of supplies on hand, but substitutes and suggestions are provided throughout. Nothing a trip to Michael's can't fix. ;)
June 24, 2021
This book is full of beautiful projects that I will definitely try, including some ambitious ones for me that I can't wait to attempt and learn from! The instructions are accompanied with detailed photos that give me confidence in replicating the techniques. Amazing artists - their individual websites and blogs are included in the back of the book and are all well worth a browse as well.
January 30, 2018
Various projects you can make using paper. Some cute and some not so much. At this moment in time nothing that I directly want to work on. There are a lot of quilling projects to make a few things I might like to learn and try in the future but not at the moment. I will come back to this book when I am ready to pursue quilling. At this time I'm looking more for paper crafts to cut out and this didn't have much of what I was looking for. Also a few projects are bizarre to me...not sure why anyone would want to do them and that is why I marked it down.
October 20, 2020
Cricuit has made me lazy
Throughout this book all i could think was "i could save so much time making this with my cricuit"
Good book for those who like the traditional noncricuit way of making things
Throughout this book all i could think was "i could save so much time making this with my cricuit"
Good book for those who like the traditional noncricuit way of making things
March 8, 2017
Some serious crafting. Most of these projects are for advanced crafters.
October 9, 2017
all things paper, like pliers, metal wire, and others. ugly hands pictured doing ugly crafts.
January 24, 2019
Love the eclectic look of the projects!
March 19, 2014
All Things Paper is a book of paper crafts by various artists that is curated by an expert in the field. Ann Martin is enthusiastic about paper, and it shows. These are 20 projects that truly showcase the range of paper as a material for artists and crafters to create things. From realistic paper flowers to beautifully bound books, this book is a fantastic collection.
There are all sorts of paper used in the projects shown. Some are upcycled from things you have around your house already, others use specialty papers. Paper is very affordable, and most of the projects in the book can be tried and practiced with plain paper before you cut into the more expensive sheets.
The instructions are all very clear, with lots of photos of the steps to illustrate. The photos are well done and well lit.
The projects are separated by use.
Home Decor covers projects that are used in the home, such as simple to make and elegant luminaries, realistic lilacs, a Japanese inspired stationery box ,a silhouette portrait and a few others. My favorite project in this chapter, surprisingly isn't the stationery box, which is gorgeous and a practical gift; but the silhouette art because of the way it combines with a pretty cut paper background to make a truly frameable personal piece of art.
Fashion Accessories surprisingly only has two projects, but that's only because Jewelry is another chapter! Between the two chapters, you'll see a tote bag, a Tiger Lily fascinator, some gorgeous quilled pieces by Ann Martin, and learn a new technique for creating something almost like paper mache but stronger that can be braided and shaped. My favorite project in these two chapters is easily the Antique Key Pendant because the basic idea key design lends itself to all sorts of adaptations to make a very special pendant.
Correspondence is the stationery chapter, and this includes cards of course. There are also instructions for a neat journal project that would be a good gift for anyone. The cards are miniature works of art, and frameable. I love the clear and concise instructions with a lot of photos for making a journal, and my favorite card is hard to choose. There is the very elegant cut out paper tree card, but there is also a fun and colorful 3d flower card.
At the end is great gallery, and also information and websites for all of the contributors to this great collection.I really recommend this book for paper enthusiasts, especially for beginners and intermediate crafters.
[The book reviewed was provided to me at no cost for the purposes of review. I received no other compensation, and my review is my honest opinion of this book.]
There are all sorts of paper used in the projects shown. Some are upcycled from things you have around your house already, others use specialty papers. Paper is very affordable, and most of the projects in the book can be tried and practiced with plain paper before you cut into the more expensive sheets.
The instructions are all very clear, with lots of photos of the steps to illustrate. The photos are well done and well lit.
The projects are separated by use.
Home Decor covers projects that are used in the home, such as simple to make and elegant luminaries, realistic lilacs, a Japanese inspired stationery box ,a silhouette portrait and a few others. My favorite project in this chapter, surprisingly isn't the stationery box, which is gorgeous and a practical gift; but the silhouette art because of the way it combines with a pretty cut paper background to make a truly frameable personal piece of art.
Fashion Accessories surprisingly only has two projects, but that's only because Jewelry is another chapter! Between the two chapters, you'll see a tote bag, a Tiger Lily fascinator, some gorgeous quilled pieces by Ann Martin, and learn a new technique for creating something almost like paper mache but stronger that can be braided and shaped. My favorite project in these two chapters is easily the Antique Key Pendant because the basic idea key design lends itself to all sorts of adaptations to make a very special pendant.
Correspondence is the stationery chapter, and this includes cards of course. There are also instructions for a neat journal project that would be a good gift for anyone. The cards are miniature works of art, and frameable. I love the clear and concise instructions with a lot of photos for making a journal, and my favorite card is hard to choose. There is the very elegant cut out paper tree card, but there is also a fun and colorful 3d flower card.
At the end is great gallery, and also information and websites for all of the contributors to this great collection.I really recommend this book for paper enthusiasts, especially for beginners and intermediate crafters.
[The book reviewed was provided to me at no cost for the purposes of review. I received no other compensation, and my review is my honest opinion of this book.]
April 17, 2014
As someone who loves paper craft so much, I’m always on the lookout for new books on the art. I was lucky enough to win a copy of “All Things Paper” from Tuttle Publishing.
The Table of Contents divides up the projects by type: Home Décor, Fashion Accessories, Jewelry, and Correspondence. The projects themselves are fairly standard: candle luminaries, paper flowers, greeting cards and paper jewelry. Each of these fairly common projects is given a twist to make them something unique to each of the artists.
Being that I am a book folder, I found the Phone Book Letter Holder the most interesting idea in the bunch. I saw it the first time I opened the book and was intrigued. I finished the project in under an hour, changing out some of the materials to suit those I had at hand. I preferred the look of a regular (although cut in half) book and book paper to ribbon and a phone book. Mounting the finished project onto a small, vintage book completed the fabulousness!
Other projects which look interesting include the Jungle Beads Necklace (although hand-coloring individual paper beads might be something I have the patience to do only when I’m in the hospital with a broken leg!), the fine paper yarn necklace (oh WOW!) and the Frameable Tree Card. It has intricate leaf cut-outs that also might require the broken leg, but I can’t stop thinking about it!
This book is good for all levels of paper crafters and has projects to appeal to a general audience. The pictures and directions are detailed and easy to see. It’s a valuable addition to the library of most paper crafters.
The Table of Contents divides up the projects by type: Home Décor, Fashion Accessories, Jewelry, and Correspondence. The projects themselves are fairly standard: candle luminaries, paper flowers, greeting cards and paper jewelry. Each of these fairly common projects is given a twist to make them something unique to each of the artists.
Being that I am a book folder, I found the Phone Book Letter Holder the most interesting idea in the bunch. I saw it the first time I opened the book and was intrigued. I finished the project in under an hour, changing out some of the materials to suit those I had at hand. I preferred the look of a regular (although cut in half) book and book paper to ribbon and a phone book. Mounting the finished project onto a small, vintage book completed the fabulousness!
Other projects which look interesting include the Jungle Beads Necklace (although hand-coloring individual paper beads might be something I have the patience to do only when I’m in the hospital with a broken leg!), the fine paper yarn necklace (oh WOW!) and the Frameable Tree Card. It has intricate leaf cut-outs that also might require the broken leg, but I can’t stop thinking about it!
This book is good for all levels of paper crafters and has projects to appeal to a general audience. The pictures and directions are detailed and easy to see. It’s a valuable addition to the library of most paper crafters.
April 1, 2014
20 Beautiful (and doable!) Paper Projects
Fans of Ann Martin's website, www.allthingspaper.net, already know her for her considerable accomplishments as a writer, as a crafter of exquisitely fine quilling, for her tireless efforts to promote the work of others, and for her uncanny ability to find, and bring to the attention of her readers, anything and everything that is happening in the world of paper crafts. With her new book, the similarly named "All Things Paper," she continues that good work.
The book is divided into four sections (Home Decor, Fashion Accessories, Jewelry, and Correspondence) and contains 20 projects in total. Along with her own work, she's invited some of the artists she's featured online to contribute projects, as well. The result is a collection of beautiful, charming, and clever projects; each accompanied by bright, clear photographs and easy-to-follow directions.
The tutorials run the gamut from simple (and fast) to the stunning (if a bit more time-consuming). There is plenty here for the beginner but more accomplished crafters will also find plenty to get excited about. Best of all, there's inspiration here for every level.
The book has only just arrived but already my personal favorites include Linda Thalmann's gossamer-like paper yarn creation, Patricia Zapata's delightful garland ornament, and the author's own gorgeous filigreed jewelry projects. Given the sheer number of paper artists the author seems to know and has worked with online, I expect (hope!) this will be the first volume in a whole series of paper crafting books!
Fans of Ann Martin's website, www.allthingspaper.net, already know her for her considerable accomplishments as a writer, as a crafter of exquisitely fine quilling, for her tireless efforts to promote the work of others, and for her uncanny ability to find, and bring to the attention of her readers, anything and everything that is happening in the world of paper crafts. With her new book, the similarly named "All Things Paper," she continues that good work.
The book is divided into four sections (Home Decor, Fashion Accessories, Jewelry, and Correspondence) and contains 20 projects in total. Along with her own work, she's invited some of the artists she's featured online to contribute projects, as well. The result is a collection of beautiful, charming, and clever projects; each accompanied by bright, clear photographs and easy-to-follow directions.
The tutorials run the gamut from simple (and fast) to the stunning (if a bit more time-consuming). There is plenty here for the beginner but more accomplished crafters will also find plenty to get excited about. Best of all, there's inspiration here for every level.
The book has only just arrived but already my personal favorites include Linda Thalmann's gossamer-like paper yarn creation, Patricia Zapata's delightful garland ornament, and the author's own gorgeous filigreed jewelry projects. Given the sheer number of paper artists the author seems to know and has worked with online, I expect (hope!) this will be the first volume in a whole series of paper crafting books!
May 7, 2014
This book takes everything from wearable paper art to items for the home. I have often marveled at the curled paper and quilled projects I had seen during the holidays and now Ann Martin has given us some step by step visual aids to make projects that will wow your friends and family. The key pendant and the orb pendant made me want to rush out and buy all the parts. The Crepe Paper Lilacs project was simply amazing. The flowers looked so life like and I wouldn't have to worry about killing them. Each piece is lovingly made and put together in a step by step fashion that is as easy as it is visually appealing. The candle luminaries was delightful and I could even do it!
This book made me want to delve more into the art of paper craft. There is something for everyone here--from the beginner to the skilled crafter. This is one book you will want in your library for the sheer amount of different projects--a few designs I did not care for, but the process to craft your own designs is there ready and waiting to explore.
This book made me want to delve more into the art of paper craft. There is something for everyone here--from the beginner to the skilled crafter. This is one book you will want in your library for the sheer amount of different projects--a few designs I did not care for, but the process to craft your own designs is there ready and waiting to explore.
December 2, 2014
I am a huge fan of Ann Martin's blog and was so excited when I heard she was putting together a book. And Ann doesn't disappoint. Every one of the projects in this book is so unique and not like anything I've seen in other paper crafting books. The steps are easy to follow and there are lots of pictures of each project being made. They all look like so much fun, I have trouble figuring out which I want to try next! The other cool thing is that each project features a different paper artist. I really enjoy reading the introduction of each project and learning more about what inspires each artist. So motivational! Such a fun book on so many levels.
March 12, 2014
I received this book in a drawing and was super excited to have received it so fast. The first thing that caught my attention when I flipped through the book was the detailed step-by-step photos. There is a wonderful variety of projects to try and I am excited to work my way through the projects. I am starting with the crepe paper flowers first and then perhaps I will delve into the quilled jewelry. I love books that inspire and this definitely fits that bill! Ann Martin is amazing and I love reading her blog as well!
March 7, 2014
I received this book from a Goodreads drawing. I like the simplified steps and multiple pictures showing each step. Good variety of projects. Can't wait to figure out my first project to begin over Spring Break.
August 10, 2013
Kinda eh. Good instructions, but only the box interested me.
November 24, 2015
Not my favorite paper creations book but has some easy projects. The one I was most impressed with in this book was the silhouette project towards the back.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews