Origami Elephant

Dear Reader,

Here is another addition to our herd of origami elephants.

Check out these origami elephant instructions.

Best Regards.

Origami Dachshund

Dear Reader,

Here is a neat origami dachshund ( sometimes spelled as daschund ).

Check out our origami dachshund instructions.

Best Regards.

World Animal Festival 2011

What is your favorite animal?

This is a question I often ask people.  Being an animal lover I am always curious as to what kinds of animals people like.  My favorite is sloths.  Ever since I visited Aviarios Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica, I completely fell in love with these peaceful creatures.  The photo below is Buttercup, an orphaned three-toed sloth that got rescued by Aviario's.  Isn't she the cutest?  She was totally posing for this photo.  She even got that Mona Lisa Smile.  Buttercup melts my heart...!

There are no sloths at our own local Oregon Zoo, but for the past 5 years, I've always enjoyed working there as an origami vendor for their annual World Animal Festival.  I demonstrate, display, and teach my origami work.  There, I ask each visitor my usual question, "What's your favorite animal?" and make whatever the response of the animal I hear in origami. 

It has always been such a treat to visit and work there, and I look forward to this event every year.  This year, I will be working there on Sunday, September 25 from 10am to 4pm at their Elephant Plaza.

Origami Flowers

I just received a very unexpected, lovely gift the other day.  It was a bundle of beautiful origami flowers with a thank you note from the youth librarian at Woodburn Public Library, where I taught an orizomegami workshop last month.  I put them in a vase, and now it's displayed on my work station.  How lovely!  Thank you, Jeannie!

Crane #501 - #600

My friend Jo got married last weekend. As she's a big origami fan, she asked me to make some cranes for her wedding, and so I got folding.

There were 56 used to make an archway in the cinema where they got married...

...and the other 44 were strung up from the wish tree, which typically again I have no photos of, but it looks much like 44 cranes strung up from a tree :)

Crane #493 - #500

Yes, the halfway point is here. And for once, I don't have any photos...

I started a new job about 2 months ago, and ended up chatting to people about the crane project. As a result, a few cranes have popped up here and there along the way. There's one on my desk, then I taught my colleague Jo to make them before she went off to Canada on holiday, so made four as part of that (which she took away to string up). And then on Thursday I had a tough day and so took a 10 minute break to have a cup of tea and make three cranes, which are now brightening up the staff room.

It's gone quicker than I expected, and the 1000 target is looking pretty doable. We shall see...

Article by NW Kids Magazine

NW Kids Magazine provides lots of practical resource guides to family and kids-friendly events and activities in the Portland area.  They just published their annual Birthday Issue, which included me as an origami entertainer.  They also posted an online article about me as an origami artist.  I would like to thank Beth, the NW Kids Magazine editor for interviewing me.  Here is the article.

Origami Modular 8-Pointed Star

Dear Reader,

Here's another star, this one is a modular 8-pointed.

Check out our origami modular 8-pointed star instructions.

Best Regards.

Origami Modular Pyramid

Dear Reader,

This triangular pyramid is made from 4 pieces of origami paper.

Check out our origami modular pyramid instructions.

Best Regards.

Create Your Own Toys in Origami

I have a new program coming up at Multnomah County Library locations!  It is called Create Your Own Toys in Origami.  In this program I will introduce models of origami toys that are not only fun to make but also fun to play with!  Featured models include jumping frogs, finger puppets, ninja stars, spin tops and more.  The photo below shows the spin top model, which is the highlight of the program.  They are not only fun to spin, but also pretty to look at!

Saturday, September 10  2-4pm at Albina Library

Saturday, September 17  1:30-3:30pm at Gregory Heights Library; register for it from here.

Origami Pop-Up Star

Dear Reader,

This is another neat origami star, that pops up at the end of folding sequence.

Check out our origami pop-up star instructions.

Best Regards.