A perfect marriage of wool and paper.

It all started with a simple custom order request. I saw it on etsy, their feature called alchemy to be specific. Someone wanted tags for mittens, but not just any mittens — mittens made from former sweaters. Recycling! I thought the paper I make with wool added to it would be perfect, so I sent a message. And that's when I met Charlotte of HandCandy Mittens. She agreed that the tags would be awesome so I whipped up a little design using graphics she had and the tags were born. Well, that is, after I made so much paper so quickly I thought I'd never recover! But, I did. Good thing too, because she wants more! 1000 of them. Holy cow.

These definitely count as one of my favorite creations ever.

Although it takes a lot longer to make paper with wool, mohair and other threads — the effect is well worth it. I love how some of the threads hang right out of the paper so you can see and feel them. The yarn comes straight from the scraps left over from my husband's weaving. When he has to cut a piece he's woven off of the loom, he saves the scraps for me.

The paper is a mix of junk mail, used envelopes, used office paper and whatever else I find, and these ones included seeds that I collected from the plants I grow: lunaria, lavender, marigolds, bachelor buttons, snapdragons and poppies.

As a thank you, which was totally unnecessary but very, very thoughtful, Charlotte sent me not one but TWO pairs of mittens, and they came inside the coolest recycled bag ever - a black t-shirt made into a sack. The mittens are the perfect size and they are so soft and thick. They're lined with fleece. It won't be cold enough to use them for a while here, but when I need to, I know they'll be plenty warm.



Now my husband and I get to bicker over who gets what pair. I think he's going to have to order his own though.



You can get your hands on the mittens by visiting HandCandy's online store.

Better snap a few pairs up while you can — at only $20 a pair they'll be gone fast!