crane

31 Mar 2011 6 Comments

Origami Earrings – Lesson 9

Spice up your fashion with your hand-made origami earrings!

If you are semi- to advanced origami folders, you might have experienced the same nightmare as I have in the past… in other words, you make all kinds of origami, but you have no idea what to do with them.

Then, I suggest – what about turning them into your original earrings? I am assuming most of the American ladies have had their ears pierced, and this is just such a low-cost and easy way to use both your skills and your origami.


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You usually pay $15 or above for a set of origami earrings at jewelry stores. All I paid for this project was a total of $14 – to pay for the $10  plier set and $4 earring making kit. If you want to go for any higher quality metals, you might have to pay a premium, but the whole experience of making different designs and your original crane earrings is right in front of you.

 

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What you need:
  • Needle
  • Pliers
  • Head pins / eye pins, and fish hooks
Things that might help if you have:
  • Waterproof ModPodge
  • Mini painting brush for precision
  • Beads in different colors (you can get these really cheaply at bead stores!)

 

 

Instructions:

ModPodge works pretty well with origami paper. It makes everything incredibly sturdier and if you buy the waterproof one (for outside work), it doesn’t get torn easily even if you accidentally splash water on it.

Here are some examples of what I made into earrings… click to view the larger images

*This idea was borrowed from my dear roommate, Sarah.*

13 Mar 2011 9 Comments

Circle of Peace Cranes – Lesson 6


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March 11th 2:46PM local time in Japan, or 4:46AM here in the US, one of our history’s worst earthquakes in the world struck the north eastern Japan with M8.8.

Leaving all my family and relatives back in Japan, my heart froze when I heard the news. Fortunately the phone call went through at the first attempt and I was able to get in contact with my parents quickly, who told me that my sisters and all the relatives were safe. However, I was not able to collect as much information about the earthquake because I was away from campus. And when I came back, I finally saw the devastating tsunami and damage in Japan, a crying baby that lost her family, an elderly couple getting locked out for three days without much water or food, and many more heart-breaking news.

I’ve never felt so helpless about something. It felt like as if part of me is crying out for help but I cannot do anything about it. Many of my American friends and friends from all over the world, even those that I haven’t been in touch for a while, contacted me to make sure both my family and I are fine. And my upset heart was saved many times. I went around and started praying. And this morning, I got an email from one of the Japanese American students on campus about fundraising for the victims by folding and selling origami.

 

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This is what I made for the fundraiser. These seven cranes represent the seven continents, and each crane also describes peace and happiness.  I just tried to express my appreciation that the parts in the world are helping each other as one - just like many countries are helping Japan right now – and my hope that it’ll continue to be that way in the future.

This crane instruction might not be as perfect as it should be, but I did my best for a short time to put together a gallery for you in case you would like to make your own.

 

 

[Update]

On March 18th, I was able to sell and donate this piece for 10 dollars for the struggling people in Japan. I’m very thankful!

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