Hello readers! One week to Halloween, are you excited? I am. But first, I have a fantastic Saturday Spotlight feature and giveaway for you this week. While all of the wonderful bloggers and shop owners I feature are unique, Anama from Paper Spirals is truly one of a kind-and you’ll see why. Anama is from Athens. Greece and she does a lot of wonderful art as well as some energy and Reiki work. How cool is that?
Don’t forget, if you’d like to be featured like this and you are a blogger with less than 500 followers or a handmade shop owner, I’ll feature you the first time here on my Saturday Spotlight series for free! Just fill out this form.
What exactly is “Quilling” and how did you get started doing it?
Quilling is an art form that involves the creation of intricate designs with the use of thin paper strips that are glued on their edge. The strips are usually coiled in spirals which are then shaped and combined in various ways. Interestingly, its origins date back to the Renaissance period, when nuns used it to decorate pictures of saints, religious relics and devotional artifacts with such cheap and easy to find materials such as paper.
I remember the first time I stumbled upon the photo of a quilled artwork somewhere on the internet in all its vivid details. Like it was yesterday. It was one of those aha moments that transform you instantly. I have always been fascinated with spirals and tried various crafts over the years, hopping from one to the other just for fun. When I saw this exotic art that combined my two passions, time stopped and I fell in love! That was back in 2011. Since then I have devoted myself to quilling, learning everything on my own and going where it takes me.
What inspires your creations on a daily basis?
There is only one source of inspiration and that is Spirit. Or whatever you want to call that which has no name. In most of the cases, I have a vague idea about what I am about to do and then just lose myself in the process to see what comes out of that silence. My main references are connected with my spiritual path and the theme of transformation, intertwined with the eternal geek in me. Osho, Rumi, Star Wars, The Wizard of Oz, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Japanese haiku poetry, ordinary acts of kindness and bravery, children’s fairytales, eyes that sparkle, truth can be found everywhere and everywhere is where I get my inspiration.
What has been one of your favorite pieces you’ve created so far, and why?
Interestingly one of my favorite creations so far is a Kusudama flower ball and not a quilling piece. It was a custom order, that was especially created as a present for a young lady. The customer sent me love letters they had exchanged over the years with his girlfriend, which I then cut into 60 squares, aged and refined to form the petals of the flowers and finally added stems of her favorite stones.
It was magnificent! In fact I get goosebumps just writing about it! Infused with so much love and passion. Whichever way you turned it a love message appeared in the petals. It felt like the most beautiful thing on earth, an artifact of love if you will.
I will not get into personal details but the feedback I got after he gave it to her was overwhelming. One of those moments that I felt so proud and honored for the opportunity given to me to make something so meaningful for someone else. I love helping people wow their friends with unique, thoughtful presents!
How did you become a Reiki Master?
Back in 2008, I experienced a major breakdown and was thrown into what is called a dark night of the soul. For nine painful months I was struggling on the verge of insanity. Through a series of divine coincidences, after trying everything I could possibly think, I was given a healing session and the door to the spiritual path opened up for me. I had never heard of meditation before but being desperate I dived in like my life depended upon it. Which was pretty much true. Meditation graced me with rebirth and changed the course of my life. It made a breakthrough out of my breakdown.
Reiki is just one of the many blessings I have encountered on this path. I started with the first degree with the intention of self healing and enhancing my meditation practice but soon fell in love with it and went on to take the second the third degree in order to go deeper into myself and higher into light.
What exactly does being a Reiki Master entail and how can it help people live better?
Being a Reiki Master means that you have been initiated to all three degrees of Reiki and on top of practicing it for healing yourself and others, you can also initiate people to it and teach them how to use it. So, most Masters are professional healers and teachers of Reiki. Personally, I do not make a living out of Reiki but rather use it for me, my family and friends and of course while I quill and create. I like how I can infuse my artwork with Reiki symbols and energy to elevate their energetic impact.
As a Reiki Master, I encourage everyone to at least get initiated in the first degree of Reiki which is mostly focused on self healing. It is one of the most gentle, yet powerful modalities to attract blessings in your life. There are literally no limits to how it can help you. It relieves stress, pain, cleanses, restores balance and awakens the body’s natural capacity for self healing. The most profound thing about it is how it shifts the focus from control to letting go and trusting. That alone is enough to move mountains.
What is one piece of advice you’d offer to someone who’s looking to start creating art?
My advice is to just forget yourself in creating and let your hands be a vehicle for inspiration. And that is my advice for just about everything in life. Enjoy!
Check out more of Anama’s art-here are a few of my favorite items in her shop:
Keep up with Anama by following her here:
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Anama is giving one lucky winner a free Kusudama flower ball ornament of their very own! These are beautiful one of a kind treasures you can hang in your home all year long. This giveaway is open worldwide, and entering below agrees to all terms and conditions in the rafflecopter.
