How To Use 1000 Cranes:

In my last blog I showed you the process of folding 1000 origami cranes. I made these for my granddaughter’s wedding in Long Island, New York. I thought it would be fun to show you how we used the cranes in celebrating this occasion.

Once we arrived in Long Island we were taken to the church where the wedding was to take place in a couple days. My youngest granddaughter and I sat down to finish folding down the wings of the last 200 cranes which were to be used at each table setting for the wedding feast.

We had previously sent the cranes to NY with their wings still in the up position so                                                            they could more easily be packaged for the flight to NY.

The Majority of the Cranes in Place:

The day before I arrived most of the cranes had been strung on strings with various numbers of cranes on each. Some were long and some were shorter. Along with the cranes were several Japanese Paper Lanterns hung. The neat thing was, that since they were all white, the colored lighting could change the colors from pink, to blue, and yellow in an alternating fashion. Those who strung the cranes used a little dab of tacky glue to hold the cranes on the string with a little separation. When we came into the sanctuary for the first time the whole floor up front was covered with strings of cranes to be hung in and out of doors.

Some of the cranes were taken outside to a large tent and hung over the dance floor and eating area.

The Bride and Groom indoors

Father and Bride Dancing Under the Cranes.

 Cranes Are A Symbol Of Good Fortune

And A Long Lasting Relationship.

One of the interesting things about cranes is the way they mate for life. They have been a symbol of faithfulness and good fortune for thousands of years.

The Bride and Groom:

As a Christian I am reminded of the faithfulness of our God to His Bride, the Church.

What a celebration awaits us when He returns to claim His Bride. That will be a celebration like none that has ever come before it. I hope you are rightly related to Him so you can celebrate on that day too.

Read more about it in Ephesians 5:22-33.

Something New From Something Old:

I love to create new things from old things. In this blog post I have found a new way to combine the units I featured before in the *Eco-Balls and *Octo-Wreath blogs. You can see how to make both the solid and swivel units in those blogs. For this project: It will take six units: two of them swivel units, and four solid ones.

*. See Sept. 17th and 18th of 2017 to see the former blog posts.

Make the Units: Follow the directions in the earlier blog posts.

After folding and gluing the units you will need to form two three piece units. Place a swivel unit in the middle and glue two solid units to the ends like this:

Square It Up!:

Next, you will glue the two flat square surfaces together after flipping one over to match the other surface. Notice that the center part of each of the three-piece units is a flattened square.

Add a Loop: or…Try “No String Attached”:

Take a sewing needle and thread it. Insert the needle through one of the tops of the star and form a loop so you can hand it from a tree or use it in a mobile. These stars are also attractive with no strings attached as center pieces.

Old Things Become New:

While I was creating this new project I thought back to how God, in His mercy, has transformed my life since I accepted His free gift of salvation.

As much as I delight in creating new things from the old, I am reminded of God’s wonderful plan of redemption. He takes our old sinful lives and transforms us through salvation.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here!” I Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Said another way in the New Living Translation:

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has come.”

I hope you have come to know Christ as your Savior and LORD as I have. If not, He offers this free gift to all who believe in Him.

John 3:16 says it like this:

“For God so loved the world that He gave a His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

An Origami Challenge for You:

Can You Find More Ways to Combine the Units?:

Here is a challenge to all my origami friends. Can you find other ways to combine these units? I would love to see your creations. Origami is fun because you are always discovering new ways to fold paper using the techniques and folds you have made before. If you find a new way, send me a picture so I can add it to this blog.j

Here’s Another New Combination:

Below are some other sculptures using these same modules. The babies actually have moveable legs. You can also cut the swivel units in half giving you more design options.

Great Horned Owl

Scales and All:

One of the unit Origami creatures I have created takes on the characteristics of an actual snake. It even has an articulated body with scales. Whenever I have taught classes of kids Origami and offered them an opportunity to select their favorite fold from a wide selection, they usually choose these.

Begin with a Pinwheel Base:

To begin your snake you will need to fold several body segments using the Pinwheel base as a starting place.

Next you will need to raise each of the four points of the Pinwheel up like a shark fin. Push down on the tops so they look like the picture above. Then you turn the fold over and fold the four corners to the center while letting the flaps from the underside pop out. It looks like this:

If you turn it over the underside should look like this:

You can make as many of these as you like, the more you make the longer the snake.

Add just a tiny drop of glue between the units to hold them in their tucked position. Keep adding body units until you reach you desired length.

Heads or Tails or Both?

Now we need a head and a tail. To make a head choose a square of paper slightly larger than your body units. You will fold it in the same way as the body units and then add three more folds to shape the cheeks and nose.

The tail is the easiest part (unless you want to make a rattlesnake). Start with a rectangle as wide as the squares of paper you used to make your body units. Fold an airplane point on one end. On the same end, fold two more airplane points on top of the one you already made. This will make the tail long an slender. On the opposite end fold a single airplane point to make the flap that attaches to the body of the snake. Again, a small drop of glue will keep it attached.

If You Want to Make a Rattlesnake You will have to look at my blog on the Hexoflexagram. The rattle is just an unglued segment of the flexograms. 

Here Is a Finished Rattlesnake:

Here Are Some More Snakes 

Add a Tongue and Eyes:

You can create a tongue with a small thin triangle of red paper. Slit it down the middle and curl the sharp end. Glue into the slot under the snake’s nose. You can either add eyes with a felt tip pen or cut out pieces of paper to form the eyes. You can also add “wiggle eyes” that you get from the craft store.

Snakes Are Often Feared But They Get a Bad Wrap!

It’s interesting to see people’s responses to snakes. Though these paper ones are less fearful, the real ones are often greatly feared. If you know the first mention of the snake in the Bible you get a little insight into this response. It’s interesting to see that mankind is responsible for the fearful aspects of this creature. Before the fall of man into sin the creatures were considered just another part if God’s wonderful creation. It was the result of Satan’s possession of the snake and man’s disobedience to God’s command that the snake, as well as all creation, was cursed. I look forward to the day when God removes the curse in the new creation. In the meantime, we can still enjoy observing and learning more about these beautiful creatures.

Wrap Your Paper Snake Around Your Neck or Arm:

Since the body naturally curls it will easily wrap around your neck or arm. Share your creation with others.

Now That’s a Wrap!

Modify to Get What You Want:

One of the exciting things about Origami is that you can take an existing form and improve it. Several variations are possible.

From 2D to 3D

  The original model.

3-D Model:

The original penguin fold I learned several years ago was pretty basic and it was a flat 2-D model. It worked well for flat surfaces like greeting cards. I desired to create a 3-D form that could be placed on a flat surface to mimic a penguin standing on ice. It took several attempts to arrive at a model that seemed to represent a more realistic penguin model.

 Here was one of my first attempts. I made a smaller one and inserted it into the larger one to imitate an adult caring for its young.

 Here was another model.

 This model has a rounded belly.

Cut an Iceburg 

If you take a piece of white paper and cut an irregular shape, you can create a base. You can also make the base 3-D by placing rectangles on each edge and folding them down. You can also use a sheet of plastic foam or styrofoam for your icebergs.

Party Favor or Place Marker:

When mounted on a sheet of paper, these make great party favors or centerpieces for the table. You could also put names on them to indicate seating arrangements. I suppose you can think of many more ways to use them.

Do You Want To Fold One?

Start with a square of two-sided paper: black and white. Put the white side up to begin.

Next , fold a crease down the middle with the paper in the diamond position.

Now, fold an air-plane point on the top meeting in the middle.

Think of a Teepee for the next fold. Fold up the two sides of the black so it looks like an open door on a teepee.

Then fold the paper like this to the corner points on each side:

Next, pop fold the top part under the back like this:

 Repeat on the other side wing.

Turn the paper over to the black backside.

Fold the paper like this to form the head. It is like a zigzag:

Now, fold the form in half like this:

Pinch the head and pull back. Then squeeze the paper to hold the shape.

Now let’s form the head and beak:

Lay the  bird on its side. Next, fold the tail end diagonally up to shape the belly pocket:

 Pop fold it in:

Now, let’s form the foot:

Now, let’s open the belly pocket: put one finger in front to open the pocket. Put another finger in the back to push forward widening the body and forming the belly bulge:

Put a dab of glue on your iceburge and place the penguin where you want it.

Create a whole colony.

These amazing creatures like to live in large colonies. God gave them the ability to live in places other creatures would freeze. This allows them to raise their young with few predators to bother them. The fathers incubate the eggs and raise the young while the mothers are out to sea gathering food. Soon the mothers return to assume the responsibility of raising the young allowing the fathers to return to sea to eat after such a long time of going without eating.

Learn More About These Amazing Birds:

I am always amazed at the great design of our Creator, God, Who gave each creature the ability to reproduce after its own kind and survive in unique places. Each creature is a testimony of His greatness. Why not read the story of Creation in the Book of Genesis in your Bible. You can also learn much more about the various types of penguins by doing research on the internet or reading books about them from the library.

Origami Earrings Take It to the Next Level:

Origami forms can be taken a step further by using them in jewelry constructions. One of the best forms that works well for earrings, necklaces, and bracelets is Toshie’s Jewel made from the Sonobe base.

First Things First:

In order to begin you will have to fold up a couple jewels which require six Sonobe parallelograms, three unit for each jewel. Once you have formed your jewels, you are ready to go to the next step.

What You Need:

You should have on hand the following items to complete your earrings: earring hooks (I found a package of them at Walmart), some thin silver jewelry wire (also at Walmart), a large needle, some colored beads, a pair of needle-nosed pliers, some clear fingernail polish or spray on clear acrylic, wire cutters, and a lot of patience.

How to Assemble:

Cut off a couple strands of silver wire. Thread one end through the needle and bend it over. Place one bead on the wire and twist it so the bead stays in place at the bottom of the strand. Poke the needle through the jewel from the bottom up out a top point. Pull the end of the wire out of the needle and place another bead on the wire above the Joshie’s Jewel. Now, thread the wire into the earring hook and twist it to secure the wire to the hook. Cut off any remaining wire.

Seal the Deal!:

After you have constructed two earrings it is time to seal them with a coat of clear acrylic spray, or paint the surface with a coat of clear fingernail polish. This will make the form more rigid and render it water-proof. It also gives it a shiny surface.

Now All You Need is a Pair of Ears!

These make great gifts for birthdays, and other special occasions. You could also just surprise a friend with them or give them to a young person who might want to learn how to make her own. I bet the guys would quickly make friends with a girl by giving her a pair of these. He could also make a pair for his mother, a sister, grandma or a teacher.

Try Other Origami Folds:

There are also many other origami forms that would be delightful in earrings. Butterflies, Birds, Sonobe cubes and more complex forms. The trick is that they have to be small which requires more skill to fold than larger forms. Take a look on-line under “Origami Jewelry” and you can see many other types of earrings, bracelets, necklaces and more.

Here are a few more Sonobe variations. Two-sided paper allows for many patterns.

The forms above were folded from scrapbook paper.

Over the hundreds of years that origami has been developed one unit caused a stir in the origami world. It opened a whole new three-dimensional way of viewing the art forms that could be created using multiple units combined together.

 The Sonobe Cube

The Sonobe Base:

Where It All Began:

It all began, (we think), with Mitsunobu Sonobe when he first published a cube form made from his units in 1968. Once this came out many other origami enthusiasts decided to experiment with module unit Origami. The Sonobe base unit was the key since it could be combined in many ways.

Toshie’s Jewels

Soon thereafter, a new form was developed using only three Sonobe units. Toshie Takahama, in 1970, developed a hexahedron that became know as the Toshie Jewel. It is actually used as a jewel in necklaces and other ornamental structures. In order to form these units the central axis must be inverted so that the middle point goes outward, just the opposite of the former form. This was exciting because it suggested the base could be varied to create more construction possibilities.

The Octahedron Was Formed Using 12 Pieces:

After Toshie’s Jewel came more elaborate designs like Steve Kimbal’s 12 piece Octahedron ball.

These lovely forms were ideal for mobile applications in that they could be hung from a string allowing for circular motion. When strung on string many can be combined to form interesting hanging forms.

This Was Only the Beginning!:

Since the 70’s and 80’s, many new forms have been developed including forms using 30 pieces, 90 pieces, 270 pieces and more. Some create elaborate geometric shapes that have inspired architects and others in building forms. Others have experimented with variations in the forms to create wonderful patterns.

Here Is A Thirty-Piece Form:

New Surface Treatments:

Once the basic parallelogram shape was established it became obvious that many different color patterns could be developed using two-sided paper. By altering the surface color patterns some amazing designs become possible.  I have only experimented with 6 of these so far, but am interested in finding more and even developing some of my own. Below are a few variations combined in a similar cube form.

You Can Find More Examples:

If you are interested in exploring  Sonobe Unit Origami, I encourage you to go on-line and see what others have done with this exciting base unit. Some have even designed patterns for hanging on a wall or even becoming a wall. There seems to be no end to what you can do with this origami creation.

Strength In Unity:

As I work with these amazing paper constructions, I am reminded of the need for others. In I Peter 2:5, God’s Word tells us that each believer in Christ is like a living stone that must be combined with others to form a house, His Church. “You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” As I form each structure it has no integrity or strength until the last unit is added to the mix. When altogether you can actually make the structures better by adding pressure to the outside, just like a snowball. When together we can withstand the pressures that come our way from the outside and even become stronger.

Here is a side-to-side comparison of a twelve piece and thirty piece ball.