What to do when you have lots of cardboard

FoldSchool... i'm all over it when my boxes arrive from NL... cute kids furniture folded from cardboard. This is the rocker pictured left, their most advanced project.
It got me inspired, so I googled and found some more free guides:

• plenty on instructables
• a cute cat scratching pad
• designer cardboard/foldable chairs, some with instructions
  

Bibs for bigger people

For someone who is very interested in origami I have to sheepishly admit that I don't know many napkin folds. I am not the cook in the house (perhaps that was my excuse) but my new year's resolution is to make a nice table for the delicious food that graces it.
So this year I have learnt one fold - the rose (click here to see how). It's wonderfully easy - especially if you remember the fortune teller (salt cellar) fold from your youth.

Origami inspires

Now I have no sewing machine, I am thinking of other ways to keep my hands busy (besides typing). Since origami is an old passion (I blogged about that before), I have been thinking of that a lot lately and just need to get inspired. So,
Browsing through the origami listings in Etsy, I came across so many different ways people were inspired. From fabric to silver, outrageously expensive to how is that profitable, and mostly very personal. Here goes

• I love that you're my friend, a peace crane + postcard sent to your friend
• silver origami dog earrings, I wonder if she uses a sheet...
• paper napkins prefolded peacocks, perfect for weddings.
• origami vinyl wall decals, I will have to have these
• fabric flower brooch, not too fond of the fabric, but the idea is great
• bonsai it's exquisite. Just perfect for 1 year wedding anniversary presents
• money rose made from $100 bill - insane (but she sells a $5 one too)
• crane mobile - this one is also insane, but wonderful, worth every penny (but you could even make it yourself)
• set of 100 stars - last but not least and a good deal (see picture)

Origami crane mobile

I have been fascinated with origami since I was a child, when I folded all sorts of things during school holidays with my mom. I once folded a telephone directory into a Christmas Tree, and a working Jack In the Box.

Now I don't do much origami anymore (have run out of uses, sad excuse I know), but when baby C came along I got cracking, and made her this origami mobile to hang above her cot. The great thing about it is that the cranes have an interesting shape when viewed from underneath (not all mobiles take into account who they are intended for).

The quilt in the photo on the right was made by Granny AfricanCotton

If you would like to buy an origami crane mobile from me, please send me a message. To make it yourself, you need

• 6 pieces of origami paper (or any square paper). I used the size 20cm/8"
• some wire (soft enough to bend, but strong enough to hold the paper)
• some thread
• 6 small beads
• Needle

Step 1
Fold 6 cranes. Follow this YouTube video or these instructions with photos If it's your first time you may wish to practise before using your special paper.

Step 2
Cut 6 pieces of thread about 15cm/4" long.
Tie the beads to one side of the thread and trim off any extra thread.

Step 3
Thread the needle with the beaded thread and push from the bottom through the crane.

Step 4
Cut 3 pieces of wire. The first piece should be around 45cm/17" the second 35cm/14" and the third 25cm/9". Bend the wire into a curve with a loop in the middle and two loops on either side.

Step 5
Tie the cranes onto the loops on the edges of the wire curves. Take care to make the thread length equals on both ends of a piece of wire so they are balanced.

Step 6
Cut 2 pieces of thread and use them to tie the middle points of the wire curves together from the twisted circle points in the middle. The large curve should be on the top and the smallest curve on the bottom. Cut one more piece of thread and use this to hang the mobile.