Day 11: The Balloon Box

Back to the Basics Are Not so Basic




Wow - that' all that I can say for today. This is ridiculous. I went to my new origami book called "classic origami" by Michael G. LaFosse. I like this book as it comes with paper and very simplistic traditional abstract origami - very beginner, very basic.

SO where do I start? The classic balloon. I chose it because you get to blow into the opening and voila! You flattened folded paper becomes a magical and beautiful balloon! Yet, when I try to go ahead and blow into it......well....it doesn't really fill up or it does and then instantly deflates. I try to fill it a couple times to no avail. By the time I am done the opening is wet and soggy and almost ripping and my balloon is dented in areas and not so awsome.

How depressing is this? A simple classic and basic balloon and all I did was drool on it till it started to fall apart. Geesh. Regardless this is a documentation of all my attempts and this cube is the best hat I could garner out of myself tonight. So here it is, don't laugh at me and please don't give up on me - I will get better.

Tomorrow...is there anything easier than this?.....well just check out tomorrow and hopefully I will have redeemed myself in some way.

Kirby

Day 10: The Seal

Day 10: Goodbye and good riddance for now - animal week.





So my apologies for the last posting of the final animal origami for week number two. My intentions were there and I swear on my dedication to this blog that the seal was made late on Friday night. But my camera was nowhere to be found and thus I had no way of posting the picture to the blog. Now, I could have tried to use my phone camera but here's the deal - I'm still in the dark ages and my phone doesn't have a camera on it - which I am thankful for.

Regardless, the seal was quite cute no? I really like his little whiskers. I think he does a good job at being a basic version of a seal - simplistic but you can tell what it is. Although his head was challenging and I had to fold and refold a couple of times to get it. I find that looking ahead to the next diagram really helps you figure out what you are supposed to be doing on the current fold.

I can't wait until a couple more months when I attempt another animal week and am able to do more lifelike animals that actually resemble their real life forms. But for now I am satisfied for my attempt (minus the pathetic penguin) but am happy to see it go so I can return back to the basics as this week has taught me more than anything that you really need to master the basics before jumping ahead.

So next week - flashbacks to the 80's - I'm going back to the basics. To where it all began - to a time of simplicity - tights and leg warmers - not sheep skin boots and merino wool socks.

See you next week - don't forget you stirrup pants.

Kirby

Day 9: The Paper Swan

Take That Penguin....we're back on track





So day 9 of the blog and day 4 of animal week. Again, longing to work out of my super advanced animal book but feeling inadequate at this point, especially after such a disappointing penguin yesterday I went back to the origami calendar. Again, as per usual searching through for something interesting as today's origami was a bench. Yes, that's right my friends a bench. Did I mention yesterday it was a cupboard door. HAHAHAH seriously take a square piece of paper, and fold it to make two door flaps....and presto.....you are an origami master! Long story short, my cute little swan is made of the directions for the cupboard door....hahahha sucker.

Anyways, the swan is cute and very easy to do again. But for some reason I really really love making birds out of paper they seem satisfying to me and always look nice and pleasing to the eye. And I'm pretty sure you can tell it's a swan too.....well maybe a duck.

Anyways, I'm happy with today's swan and happy that animal week is almost at an end because the next time I have an animal week it will be because I'm awsome enough to use my advanced animal origami book.

Kirby

Day 8: The Pathetic Penguin

Look at the poor thing....






First I would like to officially apologize for the missing blog entry for yesterday. My plan was to post the blog once I got home after work later in the evening after I played my soccer game. But as the fates would have it we would finish the night with our first team win (whohoo) but me in a crumpled ball of Kirby at in front of the net with a yucky swollen ankle that is quickly turning purple today. So, by the time I drove myself home (which in a standard with a useless ankle is hard) the blog had completely left my mind as what then became my priority was trying to suck out as much sympathy from my fiance as I could :)

So I would like to thank Krista for pointing out that my fingers aren't broke so that is no excuse and for my mother who constantly leaves me emails wondering why I haven't posted my blog for the day before lunch is even past....

So today, I have two blogs to post. So I would like you to know that the penguin was already made but the post was not put up so technically the best is still on.

So today's origami was the penguin. I picked him out of my calendar because he seemed simple for the day and the drawing of the penguin looked cute. But as you can see from the pictures - this is the lamest origami ever! Really? The penguin too four folds and when it was done I couldn't even really tell what it was. I had to draw two eyeballs on it just so people would recognize that it was supposed some kind of animal and not a salt shaker.

Anyways, seriously disappointed with this one and kind of embarrassed to have him in my cubicle. But the good news is my special origami book for animals that is far too advanced for me at this point has a really cool penguin in it. So the time will come for pathetic paper penguin to meet his match so he better enjoy his time while he has it.

Tomorrow, hopefully a little something more sophisticated.

Kirby

The Ominous Standing Crane

Day 7: The Standing Paper Crane




So day 2 of my animal origami week. Wow, the standing paper crane - nothing like the traditional paper crane that I learned to make a many years ago. This guy is serious and he looks serious when he's done too. He reminds me of a wise old man that you must be delicate with and respectful of the entire time. I could not imagine what would happen if you ripped a piece of him by accident.

I love this guy - by far my favorite. He to me, looks full on origami. He is what I would have imagined all my origami to look like. Sophisticated, elegant, complicated and traditional in a wise old way. He took a lonnnngggg time for me to figure out and I want to make a few more to get him perfect. He is by no means an easy or beginner origami - at least in my standards. I would consider him moderate for normal people and advanced for someone like me who really jumped into this with no background or understanding or ...I don't know more than 7 days of practice.

But regardless, this guy is the best and I love him the most. He will sit in a place of honour in my cubicle.....not sure where there is such a place but I will find it.

Welcome ominous standing crane - you have my full attention and respect.

Kirby