slateblu

make some origami shoes...

Instructions here.

origami you can use...

I love doing origami...I like the challenge when trying to figure out those intricate models.  It's instant gratification once you're done and then you fold a couple more, just to perfect the folds.  It's kind of like when you finish knitting or sewing a project.

I found a triangular box to fold online.  You can use it for a variety of things...favors, gift giving, holding random things, etc, etc.  It also depends on the size of your paper. I folded a few to show you the variety of the shape depending on how you fold the bottom.

You can find how to on the video here.

My pictures:

Here is the triangular box on my desk.  Here I've used it for stamps.  This is using an 8 1/2 inch square.

In the video, she mentions that folding different lenghts on the bottom yields different sizes. You can see that the green one is exactly like the video's but when I make a narrow fold, you get the skinnier sizes like the left and right side of the picture.  This leaves a little extra on top but it still functions.

You squeeze it open like this.

The inside of the box.

Use it for your tickets, stamps, or receipts. 

Use it to hold your BART tickets or business cards.  I bet you can use it for a lot of things.

Enjoy the video!

Off today...from the stresses of work.  Seeing a kindergarten play today.  They're going to do Shakespeare.  It will be a nice break.

 

$1 gift wrap

There's a Dollar Store next to our local Target.  I found this wrapping paper there and couldn't believe how thick it was.  It's like craft paper.  I love the brown and pink polka dots.  I folded my favorite origami ribbon.  I cut out a bigger square sized sheet out of the wrapping paper so it would match.  The link to the ribbon is here.  It might be a little hard to find but if you click on the "origami" category and find the picture of the ribbon, you will see the instructions.

curvy bowl (by david mitchell)

I remember seeing this origami bowl online and wanted to find out how to fold it.  I didn't get a response as I'm sure this person was busy. Origami was/is still a hobby of mine and I do have quite a collection of books.  I was browsing one of them and there in front of me was how to fold this curvy bowl.  The creator is David Mitchell.  I folded quite a few of these for practice.  It's also the bowl I used in this post.  It's such a beautiful piece...and of course I took pictures. Once you get the hang of it, it's not so hard to fold.  

I've been in an origami mood since I re-opened some of my books.  I'm thinking some of my upcoming posts may be origami related.

origami ribbons

I used to have an origami ribbon that I would make to put on presents but I lost the instructions. It was a two paper fold that you had to connect and would lay flat on the gift.  I googled to find an origami ribbon and was so glad to find one here.  It's only one piece of paper, but you do need to do some cutting.  I wrapped two gifts with it and made more with origami paper from Paper Source.  It's good to have a few on hand and ready to go when you need them. 

Wrapping a couple of Anna Sui books for family.  It's a beautiful book and if you're a fan of hers you'll love it.

 
 
My husband bought a big roll of butcher paper for me for wrapping Xmas gifts so I've been using it a lot. I use a lot of pleated folds to make the white paper not so plain looking.

 
 
I think you'll be addicted to making these ribbons.  You can either round out the sides or just fold them completely flat.

valentines

 
 
 instructions
 
Hope everyone had a Happy Valentine's Day!

Top to bottom: Jason's finished valentine cards for his classmates:Ava's lollipop cards:Origami Heart Crane cards for Jason's teachers:Cupcake from Bouchon

hearts, tags, and target

I'm getting a head start on my son's valentine cards. I'm using the same origami heart as usual. This one.

 
You can omit the sink fold in the instructions if you like.  It's actually easier if you do.

I decided to do a pop-out heart card.  It helps that this heart has straight ends so the fold of the pop out is crisp.

 
I made a little hut's simple gift tags.  I love them! They're easy, simple and creative all at the same time.  I have a butterfly stamp and used that to make these gift tags.

 
The stone colored paper I used for the butterfly matched the wrapping paper.

 
I'm off today to let my parents rest so I'm taking care of the kids today.  I have a couple hours until pick up time and homework.  I went to Target early this morning with Ava before she started school. Not sure about you, but EVERYTIME I go to Target, I get more that what's on my list.  I was good though and only picked up these Mossimo sandals (not on my list) in the olive color.  I think it was the 70 degree weather yesterday and the high 60's temperature today that possessed me to buy them.

 

 

Have a good week!

 

baby showers and paper flowers

There are a lot of babies being born in my family this year.  My brother and his wife in particular are having a baby.  We're hosting a baby shower at our house in a couple of weeks.  I was googling and flickring to find some ideas on paper flowers and I think I found a few I may want to make for decorations.  My sister-in-law is having a girl. She's not so into pink but more like green so we're going to have green decorations.  I found these origami-ish flowers I will probably make.  These are the ones I made:

I had different shades of blue origami paper and also used this paper. They came out pretty good and they're so easy to make.

This version is easier to make.

I like this one too.

 
We made invites and my sister ordered the baby shower stamps online.  You can guess that the theme is a pea in the pod.

My other flower options are from Martha Stewart:

The famous tissue paper flowers...

or these hanging paper flowers made out of colored paper bags.    

I'll off this week to watch the kids while my mom's on vacation and then a little trip to Vegas with my husband, sister and brother-in-law. A little busy but it's nice to have the week off from work.

happy valentine's day and three day weekend...

I made the same origami hearts I made for Jason's class in preschool - but this time I made them all red.  Here are the instructions.  I printed text on circle labels from Paper Source.   Jason helped with sticking heart shaped lollipops in them.  He was excited to pass them out. I took a half day on Friday from work to volunteer for his class party. It was fun. 

 

I had a girls day out with my sister and cousin today.  We ate lunch at The Rotunda. After lunch we went to see Valentine's Day.  Very cute movie.  

card ideas...and party ideas...

I learned of this site by Nicole. Her name is Brittany Egbert and has really great ideas and designs for parties.  Check out her site.  It's from her site that I saw this card/invite.  I remember seeing it in one of Martha Stewart's magazines and it was also in one of my origami books. You use a 12 x 12 square piece of paper but I wanted to try on an 8 1/2 by 8 1/2 sqaure so I could fit it in my printer.  I made a birthday card for one of Jason's birthday parties that he was attending and it came out great.  I had to make a template in photoshop so I knew where to place the words once the paper was folded down.  Folding an 8 1/2 square is not quite exact so I had to do some fudging.  This is how it came out:

I put who the card was from in the very center of the square - you will see it when the paper is completely opened.  This is the process of folding it down.

Closing all the way down...

Tuck in the flaps and you're done.

 
I was trying to experiment with other designs like flowers for this card.  Hearts would be perfect for Valentine's Day which is right around the corner.