Origami

You never realize what can calm you, help you procrastinate, or even help you break a habit until you find that one thing and you realize that it is that one thing. So, my boss, Karin, who is one of the most awesome bosses anyone could have, got me hooked on a new hobby. I call it a hobby because, yes, I have spent money on it... Probably about $40. I have discovered the art of origami, better known as a form of fancy paper folding.

Ok, now for some history:
Origami is the Japanese art of paperfolding. "Ori" is the Japanese word for folding and "kami" is the Japanese word for paper. That is how origami got its name. However, origami did not start in Japan. It began in China in the first or second century and then spread to Japan sometime during the sixth century.

At first, there was very little paper available so only the rich could afford to do paperfolding. The Japanese found useful purposes for their origami. For example, the Samurai would exchange gifts with a form known as a noshi. This was a paper folded with a strip of dried fish or meat. It was considered a good luck token. Also, the Shinto Noblemen would celebrate weddings by wrapping glasses of sake or rice wine in butterfly forms that had been folded to represent the bride and groom.

For centuries there were no written directions for folding origami models. The directions were taught to each generation and then handed down to the next. This form of art became part of the cultural heritage of the Japanese people. In 1797, "How To Fold 1000 Cranes" was published. This book contained the first written set of origami instructions which told how to fold a crane. The crane was considered a sacred bird in Japan. It was a Japanese custom that if a person folded 1000 cranes, they would be granted one wish. The origami crane has become a global peace symbol.

So my crane count: 5. I have a long way to go until I reach 1000! The reason my crane count is so low is probably because I really like to make other shapes. The dining room table has become a zoo with a pig, cranes, a toucan, a macaw, a cat, a dog, several frogs, a whale, a penguin, a duck, a swan, a scorpion, a turtle, a peacock, a pelican, and a fish. I also have some lilies and a pinwheel. My favorite ones include the three-headed moat monster and the macaw. There is no way that I have exhausted my origami possibilities!

What's exciting about folding paper you may say? It's the feeling of accomplishment and beauty that you have after you finish your work. It's also distracting me from my bad habit of biting my nails. It picks at my brain and helps me to figure out complex puzzles. It is frustrating sometimes, but it is teaching me patience!

So, keep your eyes open for fun, pretty origami paper. Let me know if you see some, that way I can get it and make something, maybe for you (just ask!). If you would like to see my gallery, you'll have to come by my house!