It takes just ten steps -and less than ten minutes, to make this iPhone stand.  No printer needed, no scissors, no glue, no mess! All you need is a letter-size piece of paper.

How cool is that?

This Smartphone stand is a creation of origami master Francis Ow. He has generously given me permission to make this teaching video of his model.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5LxyR4kpfA

If you enjoy it, please share the video with your friends!

Remember seeing the images of the devastating Japanese earthquake and tsunami in March of 2011? On that tragic day many children in Japan’s Sendai area lost their parents.

To address the urgent need of these orphaned children, Japanese origami master Mr. Makoto Yamaguchi established the Origami Caravan.

Following his lead, June Sakamoto and Vicky Mihara (US), then came up with the idea of holding an online auction, which they named the Origami Caravan Auction, allowing participation by people from around the world.

Seventeen origami original pieces by artists from different countries and one hard-to-find classic origami book will be auctioned at this year’s Origami Caravan Auction event from May 5th to May 24th, 2012.

In support of this effort, I am honored to have had  one of my origami Pre-Columbian Frog brooches accepted for inclusion. The brooch is gilded with 23K gold leaf and its auction opens on May 11.

For information about all participating artists, and the pieces of origami art being auctioned, please visit the  Origami Caravan Auction website.

Don’t miss the opportunity to own an original piece of art! Mark the dates and do your part to support a very worthy cause.

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Related article: Pre-Columbian Style Origami Frog -Video

Many people have mentioned how much they love their multi-use bamboo folding tool. With it we don’t have to carry a bone folder, toothpicks, skewers, or a pointer for teaching. It is a great all-in-one tool for folding paper.

The best thing about the tool is that it reduces finger stress when folding many pieces -don’t we tend to overdo it!

I must confess (shhh!) that I have eight of these bamboo tools for my personal use in different corners of my house. And, I always carry at least two with me when I go out.

Recently,  my friend Tony Cheng created a nifty case to carry and protect this tool. Life is good!

Tony’s case can be made out of a 8.5 x 11 (US Letter size) or A4 rectangle. If you make it from a bright piece of colored paper it will be easy to spot inside a crowded bag. Also, the little triangular tab at the top of the case makes for easy insertion and removal of the tool.

A special note to watercolor painters: Tony Cheng’s carrying tool case is perfectly designed to hold a few fine paint brushes and will protect delicate bristles from damage. Life is even better!

Be sure to check this out and make a case or two. Thank you Tony for letting me show how to fold your carrying case in this five-minute video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oF8mMkaxZc

And speaking of cases, in case you weren’t aware of it,
you can purchase the multi-use bamboo folders HERE through Origami Spirit.

Secret tip:
The shipping cost is the same whether you purchase one or five of the folding tools!

Are you a mother? I am sending you many hugs and kisses to honor and celebrate your motherhood. I also invite you to  make a long garland of origami hugs and kisses and bring it to your own mom for mother’s day.

And when father’s day comes along we can give him many hugs and kisses as well!
My father and mother are the shiniest stars of my Universe.  I adore them both!

The garland is festive and easy to make. Watch this short video and learn just how simple it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcI1K1opkD4

Feel free to share this video and pass it along!

Both the cross and the double ring module are inspired by a Palm Sunday cross featured here.
The double ring module is a creation of Karen Reeds (US).

As I connected the cross module to Karen’s double ring my husband said “Oh, hugs and kisses!” so the hugs-and-kisses garland was born!

If you haven’t yet, click here to subscribe to this blog
and receive coming posts via e-mail.

XXOO

On her website, Happy Folding, Sara Adams published an excellent review of Onion Skin paper, written by Ilan Garibi and Gadi Vishne. The article describes in detail the properties of Onion Skin paper, also known as Bible paper,  as used for origami, and shows photographs of models folded using it.

I have used Onion Skin paper and love it. To share my experiences regarding coloring this  paper, I’m posting here an article I had written in 2008 for my previous blog, The Braid. In addition, below I feature a gallery of models I have folded using this paper.

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Onion Skin paper is not actually made from onion it is similar to onion skin as it is white, translucent, and quite thin. (Here is an online source of Onion Skin paper.)

This paper is beautiful and a joy to fold. To add to the versatility of this material, I have also incorporated the following coloring technique:

• On one side of the paper I add color by stroking the paper with oil pastels (Caran D’Ache Neocolor wax oil). I then rub the pastel color into the paper using a cotton ball and a drop of turpentine or mineral spirits. The turpentine dissolves and dilutes the oil color, and the cotton ball allows for delicate manipulation. As I rub the now colored paper, the color is spread over the entire surface . The resulting layer of color is bright but not too uniform with a marbleized texture from the hand manipulation. (see photo of the coloring process). The hens in the photo above are an example of how this coloring looks.
• Since the paper is translucent, when turned over the color appears more subtle and more uniform than it does on the colored side. I have folded paper prepared in such a way so that the uncolored side is to the outside of the finished model as in the case of the elephants below.

Onion Skin Paper vs. Tracing Paper

This picture shows the difference between one and the other. As can be seen, tracing paper is thinner and more translucent. Tissue paper (not pictured) is also translucent but definitely thinner than either onion skin or tracing paper.

Here is a related post on how to decorate Onion Skin paper to make butterflies.

Gallery of models folded with Onion Skin paper

Visit Origami Spirit Youtube channel and watch this 2-minute video for a FREE chance to win this original photograph by Leyla Torres, signed and printed on archival paper.

Deadline April 18, 2012.

April 18 update: The winner was Kristin B. from Massachusetts.

Congratulations!

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Draw conducted via Random.org
Entrants can verify their participation by entering their youtube username here.

Typogami from Jeroen Krielaars on Vimeo.

Typogami is an animated typeface created in Adobe After Effects. The characters are inspired by origami and kirigami.

Clever and ingenious typeface, I’m sure Typogami will be perfect for those working on a project in need of a contemporary do-it-yourself look.

Typogami typeface is available for free on Calango’s facebook-page download.

No long ago I featured a rabbit lantern on Origami Spirit that may also serve as a basket. Around Easter, many beginning folders contact me because they are having difficulty with one step or another when folding this model, and ask for clarification.

I’ve requested and received permission from Mr. Jacky Chan (Hong Kong), the designer of this rabbit model, to make a video –with accompanying English audio and Spanish subtitles, for those who need help with his model and which I’ve posted here below. I hope you find it useful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_Sawn3q5Us

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Related post: Confession of a Passionate Origami Enthusiast (or how to fold an Easter Bunny Rabbit Container)

Today I spent the day absorbed in creating this Easter bunny rabbit container, and a video on how to fold it. It was so hard to not eat the chocolate eggs as I filmed, especially while a little voice kept whispering in my ear: “Don’t postpone joy!”

Despite my disciplined resistance to the temptation of folding paper, I must confess that I…
… didn’t make my bed (unheard of!)
… avoided completing year-end tax preparations.
… missed hitting an editing deadline.
… failed to prepare a healthy lunch.
… forgot to take my daily multivitamin.
… let a gorgeous spring day pass by without going out for a walk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWFUfs_s-sQ

This Bunny Rabbit Box is my entry to a Simple Origami Design Contest hosted by Nick Robinson and Himanshu Agrawal on Facebook.

Isn’t it fun when you are not supposed to be folding paper and you do it anyway?

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Related Post: Origami Bunny Box –Revisited!

When I entered the kitchen for breakfast this morning, I was pleasantly surprised to find a small cross resting on a plate at my table place. My mother in law, Yvonne, had placed it there for me in celebration of Palm Sunday.

I have always loved the crosses Yvonne makes on this traditional holiday. After thinking about it for a minute I asked if she you would teach how to make it in a video tutorial for the Origami Spirit community. Yvonne graciously accepted the invitation and so here she will teach us how to make this beautiful little ornament.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmtg7m7Ion8

I love how these boxes function as holders of notions like thread, buttons, pins, or thimbles. They could just as easily hold chocolate eggs, pebbles, rose petals, grain, beans, staples, rubber bands, or clips.

I’ve developed a folding sequence for this model, which I share here in a video with permission from Carlos Aguilar (El Salvador) .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoK7RN1eRq0

Carlos  designed this lovely box inspired by the heart and lock described in an earlier post on Origami Spirit. It is a pleasure to see how an idea generates another and how two different-looking models relate to each other by the way they are folded.

What would you put in this heart-petaled origami box?

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Related Posts:

Origami Heart Chain
Don’t Wait for Halloween to Fold this Bat-winged Heart
Unique Ways to Keep Romance Alive – Part 2 of 3