Feliz Ano Nuevo!
And what January 1st would be complete without the obligatory list of resolutions?
This year our family decided that instead of coming up with our own lists, we’d help by suggesting resolutions for each other. And so, we now have two little people committed to “sharing more” and “yelling less” in 2012; as well as parents who are going to strive to “work less and play more.” [Which should be an interesting challenge for their father, who needs to propose, write and defend a PhD thesis in the coming months. Gulp!]
Wynn and I also vowed that we would do our (very) best to “make one new thing a day.” Something quick. Something simple. Something lovely. A mini-project that we can start and finish in the same afternoon (or thereabouts). I, of course, will do my best to share some of our brightest and best results here, with you.
And, so here’s our first project. We actually made several of these last week, but they are such a perfect example of our “One-A-Day” promise – I had to share them. They were also timely, since they are a fantastic way to make use of those old 2011 calendars…so don’t recycle those just yet!
Kusudama Flowers
I’ve been loving origami recently. You’ve often described knitting as meditative…a way to combine stillness, with creation. That’s how I’ve come to feel about folding origami. The other night, I sat down with a glass of something steeped, an NPR podcast humming at my side and folded these. And I was. So. Happy. Who would have thought that I could get such contentment and make something so beautiful with nothing more than an old calendar and a glue stick (not to mention a fantastic episode of A Prairie Home Companion)?
We actually gave a few of these to friends/neighbors to use as decorations in their Christmas trees…where they looked so very unique and truly at home.
Oh…and of course, I saved the month of April, just for you. <smile> Which I will pop in the mail and let you put together on your side of the ocean.
Warning: it’s kind of addictive.
But the good news is, once you’ve made twelve kusudama flowers, you get to make one of these…
Here’s a good step-by-step with nice, helpful pictures.
Enjoy the year – each fleeting, simple, lovely moment!
Those are so pretty. Can’t wait to make mine! There is a very popular Danish origami star that I was going to make this Christmas, but it looked a bit daunting. (I can’t even make the darn boats, remember?) In 2012 I will learn how to fold paper better! xM
Wow! I think I have mastered it, I just tried one to see if it works, so I have now to make 60. I will have a coffee, keep folding and let you know how I get on.
Happy New Year.
Hurray! I have found that what takes the longest is cutting up all my calendar pages into perfect squares. No doubt that using proper origami paper would make this go much faster — however, I get such pleasure knowing I’m recycling the paper myself. I’d love to see your finished product. 🙂 Happy folding! Off to make a cuppa of my own! 😉 ♥S
So beautiful! Really.
Well her I am days later after cutting and folding. Take a peek at what I made
Hi Ann! Great! Did you cut your own squares? Admittedly, it’s a bit of work, but hopefully you felt it was worth the effort. Where have you posted them? I tried your site, but didn’t see them? Do tell… ♥s