Christmas village church luminary: handcrafted of intricate layers of heavyweight watercolor paper, and it folds nearly flat for storage

Frequently Asked Questions

How I make my paper houses

I use creamy French watercolor paper, beautifully textured and very strong, as the foundation for each building.

I cut meticulous details with a blade, not a laser -- this means every cut is crisp and beautiful, never "toasted".

Everything is hand-assembled, with some luminaries having as many as nine layers, or close to 80 pieces.

Finally the most delicate bits are reinforced until every house is, literally, ready to shine.

The finished houses are folded flat for shipping and storage.

Your paper lanterns may differ slightly from the photos. As each one is made especially for you, every building is unique.

Set up instructions

Your pieces will arrive fully assembled. All you need to do is pop them up and put the tabs through the slots - no glue or tape is required. Tuck in the LED tea lights included with US shipments, and sit back to enjoy the glow.

At the end of the season, simply fold your luminaries back into their small shipping box and slip them into a drawer until next time.

They take up almost no space, because no one needs more bulky stuff to store.

The surprising durability of folding paper lanterns

Far thicker than traditional card stock, my 140 pound French watercolor paper is not only beautiful, it is strong.

With this mighty paper for a foundation, my buildings are designed to last for years. And unlike ceramic or wooden Christmas villages, these resilient paper lanterns are more likely to survive an accidental fall from a mantel, or from curious little hands.

Storages tips

Paper naturally absorbs humidity from the air over time, so it's important to stow your houses in a dry location with a constant temperature.

An interior space, such as a closet or a small box under the bed, would be ideal.

Then, when you pull your houses out next winter, they will be fresh and ready to go. Or, to glow!

Sustainability

Here in Northern California, sustainability is a way of life at home as well as in my business. I am proud to say that my studio is largely powered by geothermal energy.

I constantly search out papers from climate-mindful mills sharing my concern for our planet, including papers that are FSC-certified, CO2-neutral, or Cradle-to-Cradle Certified Silver. And because my papers are acid-free and archival, they'll last for decades.

My ornaments are created from the paper offcuts left after cutting larger pieces, allowing me to substantially minimize waste in the studio. And because my luminaries fold flat and ship in a small box, they require significantly less shipping materials (and less transport fuel) as they make their way to you.