Day 25 | How it's made
Last year I share a few vlogs on YouTube about how made some products. Photos of the process are harder to have, I'm usually so taken with the making and process that I seldom remember to photograph it. This is a halfway process of making pin badges. This was an older design that it's not available anymore.



Day 28 | Packaged
I try to only use paper on the packaging of Nuts for Paper products - kraft paper or tissue paper are often the ones that use along with baker's twine. I learned with a friend to enjoy the process of wrapping things, it's almost like each thing that I do and wrap it's a gift from me to you.


Day 29 | Most difficult to make
All hardcover notebooks, planners and journals. Especially because it has been a while since I did hardcover notebooks, and there are minor things in the cover that can make or break the final product. This only means that I need to make more of them!!

March Meet the maker 
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Studio | Week 4 | Week 5
...
March is the month of the March Meet the Maker created by Joanne Hawker
This year I decide to participate and share on both of my Instagram accounts some of the prompts.

Day 19 | Dream collaboration
It already happened - my dream collaboration was to design/illustrate books. Recently I designed and illustrated two activity books for young girls for a national publisher. Previously I had the opportunity to design a couple of books, but these two where the first fully illustrated and designed by me.
- O meu Diário Superfixe
- O Diário das Melhores Amigas
Published by Booksmile - 20|20 editora


Day 20 | Design Process
From paper to product/notebook
Everything starts with a pencil, paper and an idea. Then it's tested, and coloured on the computer. Then printed and checked if it works. This was part of the design process of last year Bloggers Camp exclusive journal.


Day 22 | Proud of
I am proud of Nuts for Paper
This year my brand is going to make six years and I'm very proud of everything that I did and achieve with it. (The brand birthday is on the 5th of June if you wanna mark it on your calendar ;))


Day 23 | Top tip or Advice
Make time in your schedule to rest and do other things not work-related. I learned it a little bit too late to avoid a small burnout. Nowadays I'm learning to balance both things: work and leisure

March Meet the maker 
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Studio | Week 4 | Week 5
....
March is the month of the March Meet the Maker created by Joanne Hawker
This year I decide to participate and share on both of my Instagram accounts some of the prompts.

Day 16 | Workspace
This is my Nuts for Paper Studio 2019 version. I can see that throughout the years my studio is getting more full and colourful (just like a well-used Nuts for Paper notebook). This is the main area of the studio, on the left is glueing station and my ream guillotine. In the front are the two main desks - the left one is where I cut cardboard and sew the notebooks; the one on the right is where I pack orders and where my computer sits (most of the time nowadays my studio is a computer free zone, which is interesting and makes me see how much time I spend at my computer). On the right is where the bookshelves are (check day 14 for a full view of them). I'm lucky enough to also have a workspace at home - which is where I draw and work on illustration. Have designated spaces for certain work help me on being more focused when I am working.



March Meet the maker 
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Studio | Week 4 | Week 5
...
March is the month of the March Meet the Maker created by Joanne Hawker
This year I decide to participate and share on both of my Instagram accounts some of the prompts.

Day 11 | Reducing Waste
For the most part, I've always tried to be true to the name brand and have more paper packaging instead of using plastic. Maybe the most relevant recent change is wrapped my products in tissue paper and replace the bubble mailers for cardboard flat mailers. It's not a big change, but small steps go a long way.


Day 12 | Hands at work
Some stills from last year video that I did showing the process of Bloggers Camp notebooks. I seldom have photos of my hands at work...


Day 13 | Photography
- I like to photograph what I made on white backgrounds (usually it's an IKEA table that I have at my parents living room).
- I try to photograph with natural and not direct light so usually means I can photograph from 10 am to 3pm (in my usual spot).
- I don't use a tripod, I prefer to search for the angles with the camera (although most of the time I photograph flat lays).
- I try to use things like other notebooks, clips, pencils, pin badges, bookmarks and other little things to make the photo more interesting.


Day 14 | How I learnt
It all started with books. When I was 11/12 years old my father started to gift me books about drawing, later I dwell in books about arts & crafts, design, art history even philosophy of arts. The books made me fall in love with art, with drawing and illustration... And also the craft. I learn from the books, from some teachers I had along the way and from the internet. Although I have a degree in Design, and post-graduation in Visual Design most of the things I do I learn them by making them, I learn with the experiences of others who bravely share their paths and experiences either on social media, blogs or books. I also need to credit a few workshops that I did - I might not have learned a lot from them, but at least I learned what I didn't want to do or what was not my path (and this is a very important thing)
These are my books, the ones that are in the studio


Day 15 | Motivation or Goals
One of the things that keeps me motivated is the people and how they react to my illustration and products. Other is the whole creative process - I love to create and make new things.
As for goals:
- at the moment my goal is to create a website for Nuts for Paper and have a page with the services and products that I do
- get back to create new products (stickers, planners, tote bags, mugs, etc are some of the priorities)

[Day 16 | Workspace - check next post]

March Meet the maker 
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Studio | Week 4 | Week 5
...
March is the month of the March Meet the Maker created by Joanne Hawker
This year I decide to participate and share on both of my Instagram accounts some of the prompts.

March Meet the maker 
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Studio | Week 4 | Week 5
....
March is the month of the March Meet the Maker created by Joanne Hawker
This year I decide to participate and share on both of my Instagram accounts some of the prompts.

Hardcover Planners

March is the month of the March Meet the Maker created by Joanne Hawker
This year I decide to participate and share on both of my Instagram accounts some of the prompts.

Day 1 | Favorite to make!
One of the things I love most to make is planners - from the interior design, pattern making or illustration creating, printing process, bookbinding... I just love the whole creative and handmade process. I think it's one of the things that I make that merges design with art and crafts. For me, it's the perfect mix!!

Pocket Size planners

Journal Size Notebooks (A5)

Day 2 | How you started
Nuts for Paper started in 2013 when I and a friend decided to do something productive and creative since we couldn't find design internships or jobs. Each one of us developed different things, my focus was on art directing, generating ideas for notebooks and draw. We open our Etsy shop a month after making the brand an official thing and a few months later did our first international sale!! I always have been passionate about stationery and making notebooks, so quickly I understood that this had a future (and one that I was particularly interested in).




March Meet the maker 
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Studio | Week 4 | Week 5