Photo Walk

My friend Julie and I went on a photo walk. We stopped at a nearby mini farm where we met this young pygmy goat. Pygmy means anything very small of it's kind. I'm in love! Photo by Julie.

Photo Walk

On Friday, I went on a photo walk with my friend Julie. One of our stops, a local Thai restaurant whose proprietor was kind enough to let us both come in and take photos. We had great fun!

Cath Kidston Masking Tape

"Japanese-style decorative tape is the hottest new crafting material around." This set includes 3 rolls of washi tape featuring the wildly popular designs of the UK's Cath Kidston. Washi tape is so much fun! Like masking tape, except much prettier, it's slightly translucent. You can stick it, write on it, stamp it, tear it, reposition and remove it, all with ease. It can be used in a tape dispenser. This multi-purpose adhesive tape is excellent for labels, tags, gift wrapping, journals, collages, scrapbooks, card making and will enhance almost any craft project. Start your collection now!

Star (yellow) - 2/5" wide x 39ft long

Rose (floral) - 2/3" wide x 39ft long

Mini Dot (green) - 2/3" wide x 39ft long

Cath Kidston Masking Tape is available at chroniclebooks.com for US$8.95, click on my Chronicle Books ad and save 30%. You'll find more vintage inspired Cath Kidston products here. If you're interested in ordering from outside the U.S., please contact your local Chronicle distributor at International Orders.

Origami Christmas Tree Ornament

This Christmas tree ornament is a traditional origami design. Each ornament requires 2 square pieces of paper to make, followed by several easy folds. I used 15cm x 15cm origami paper with two coordinating green patterns, the result a paper ornament 10.5cm in length. Red ribbon to embellish. No scissors, glue or tape used! Tutorial below.

Tutorial: Origami Christmas Tree Ornament

Tsuzura Wallpaper Origami Boxes

These tiny boxes are made out of wallpaper samples. They measure approximately 3, 4 and 5cm square. The design is from Origami Boxes by Tomoko Fuse. Four square sheets of paper are required to make each box, two for the top and two for the bottom. This type of folding is also known as unit or modular origami. No scissors, glue or tape used! I think they would make fabulous ring boxes!

Origami Christmas Trees

I found this delightful design in The Christmas Origami Kit by Anne Marie Harris. It comes with instructions for six traditional origami designs and twenty four sheets of 5.25" origami paper. The trees can be made in any size by using a smaller or larger square sheet of paper. A 5.25" square folds into a 2.5" tree. I'm using them as holiday ornaments, gift tags and place cards. Make your own with the simple tutorial below. No scissors or tape, a little glue is handy. 

The Christmas Origami Kit is available for US shipment at peterpauper.com. The kit is also available in both my Canadian and US Amazon Store's for $7.95 and worldwide at select Amazon websites. Why not join my site with Google Friend Connect, bottom of page.

Tutorial: Origami Tree

2012 Asian Bird Calendar Review & Giveaway

16-Month Calendar

Weekly Format

Elastic Band Place Holder

Inside Back Cover Pocket

Note & Address Pages

Size: 5" x 7"

This pretty and practical 2012 Asian Bird Calendar is perfect for keeping track of your busy schedule. It's compact size and light weight make it easy to take everywhere. The cover design is printed with gold foil highlights and glossy accents adding an elegant touch. My favorite features, a handy elastic band that marks the week and a clever pocket that expands to hold things like photos, notes, cards etc. It makes a wonderful gift, I sure like mine!

The 2012 Asian Bird Calendar is available for US shipment at peterpauper.com for $12.99. The calendar is also available in both my Canadian and US Amazon Store's and worldwide at select Amazon websites. Other Asian Bird products include a Monogram Journal and Note Cards. You'll find more Peter Pauper calendars here.

peterpauper.com has generously offered to giveaway one of these pretty calendars! To qualify you must be a follower of my blog with a US address, and leave a comment below about a Peter Pauper product you'd like to give or receive this Christmas. One winner will be selected at random. Good luck to you! Open until Sunday November 27, 2011.

Update: The 2012 Asian Bird Calendar winner is bettycd from the USA. Congratulations! Thank you to all who participated.

The Christmas Origami Kit Review & Giveaway

I just discovered the most charming origami kit ever, The Christmas Origami Kit by Anne Marie Harris, published by Peter Pauper Press of NY. The thoughtfully assembled kit includes an 80 page book with instructions for six traditional origami designs, use as gift tags, place cards and ornaments for a touch of handmade this Christmas. Six festive patterns with solid colors on the reverse make up the twenty four sheets of 5.25" origami paper. The kit's trim size 4.25" x 3.50" x 1.50" and price $7.95 make it the perfect stocking stuffer and secret Santa gift. I just love it!

The book is arranged into three sections.

INTRODUCTION

ORIGAMI BASICS

Origami Symbols

Waterbomb Base

ORIGAMI PROJECTS

Trim-a-Tree

Delightful Bauble

Kirigami Snowflake

Heavenly Angel (Traditional & Contemporary Designs)
Sensational Star
Peace Crane

The Christmas Origami Kit is available for US shipment at peterpauper.com. The kit is also available in both my Canadian and US Amazon Store's for $7.95, and worldwide at select Amazon websites. You'll find more Peter Pauper holiday kits here. 

peterpauper.com has generously offered to giveaway one of these lovely kits! To qualify you must be a follower of my blog with a US address, and leave a comment below about a Peter Pauper product you'd like to give or receive this Christmas. One winner will be selected at random. Good luck to you! Open until Friday November 18, 2011.

Update: The Christmas Origami Kit winner is janetfaye from the USA. Congratulations! Thank you to all who participated.

Haiku: Japanese Art and Poetry

Haiku: Japanese Art and Poetry
Authors Judith Patt, Michiko Warkentyne and Barry Till
Publisher: Pomegranate; Bilingual Edition
Hardcover: 80 pages

Haiku, the Japanese form of poetry written in just three lines, is popular all over the world. "Its popularity is probably due as much to its brevity and seeming simplicity as to its imagery and evocative qualities."

Haiku: Japanese Art and Poetry is a collection of 35 poems composed by the renowned Japanese haiku masters of the past four hundred years, including Matsuo Basho, Taniguchi Buson and Kobayashi Issa. The haiku, written in English with Japanese calligraphies and transliterations, are paired with beautiful paintings, ukiyo-e prints and shin hanga woodcuts from the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Canada.

The book is arranged into three sections.

1. INTRODUCTION

The Poetic Form

Evolution of Haiku

The Lineage of Haiku Masters

Preparation of This Book

2. HAIKU
Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

3. ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Chrysanthemum, c. 1930s | Nishimura Hodo  | Woodcut on paper

Image ©Art Gallery of Greater Victoria 

Yellow mums, white mums--
as for me, I crave a red
chrysanthemum too!

--Shiki (1867-1902)
from Haiku: Japanese Art and Poetry

I chose an autumn haiku to share with you, the stunning chrysanthemum woodcut caught my attention. I read and then began to interpret the haiku, my first, observing that as a traditional haiku, it contained seventeen sound characters, a reference to a season, as well as a distinct pause or interruption. I learned that reading and practice are the best ways to enter the world of haiku, and that if I wanted to learn about the chrysanthemum, to go to the chrysanthemum. So I did, and my efforts were rewarded with a 'haiku moment', an experience where my heart moved in response to nature and its inspiring beauty. Now I know why people find haiku so fascinating. These short poems remind us to slow down and uncover the beauty of ordinary moments. Do you haiku?

Haiku: Japanese Art and Poetry is available at pomegranate.com for US$24.95. There's a Haiku: Japanese Art and Poetry 2012 Wall Calendar too, for US$13.99.  Pomegranate ships throughout the United States, Canada and world. They also have a selection of spectacular Christmas Cards.

Origami Envelope

This very practical design is from Origami Note Cards by Florence Temko. It comes with step-by-step instructions for 15 handmade stationery projects along with 48 large sheets of double-sided origami paper. The colorful folding paper, suitable for a variety of occasions, is patterned on one side and has a coordinating solid color on the other. Here an 8" square folds into a 4 3/4 by 5 3/4" envelope, perfect for your handmade cards. No scissors or tape used, just a little glue. Tutorial below.

The Origami Note Cards kit is available in both my Canadian and USA Amazon Stores and worldwide at tuttlepublishing.com. Tuttle has long been known for—everything from Asian literature and language learning to cooking, art, crafts and design. Check out their fabulous Fall 2011 catalog at Tuttle Publishing.

Tutorial: Origami Envelope

Origami Giveaway

Win six origami bookmarks also seen here, made out of exquisite handmade Japanese papers in blue. This unique yet easy to make bookmark slides neatly on to any corner of the page and stays securely in place. No scissors, glue or tape used!

To qualify you must be a follower of my blog and leave a comment below. One winner will be selected at random. Good luck to you! Open until October 9, 2011.

Update: The origami bookmarks winner is Merry from Indonesia. Congratulations! Thank you to all who participated.

M. C. Escher Kaleidocycles

M. C. Escher ® Kaleidocycles:

An Illustrated Book and 17 Fun-to-Assemble Three-Dimensional Models

[Box Set]

 Creator Doris Schattschneider

Designer Wallace Walker

Publisher Pomegranate

Paperback 48 pages

Simply put, this is the only kit of it's kind. Mathematics or art? Dutch graphic artist M. C. Escher (1898-1972) "was a genius of imagination, a skilled graphic craftsman, but the key to many of his surprising effects is mathematics." Kaleidocycles takes you on a fascinating journey through graphic art and geometry.

The book is arranged into six sections.

1. Acknowledgments

2. In Three Dimensions: Extensions of M. C. Escher's Art

Geometric Solids, Kaleidocycles, Repeating Designs, Surface Design of Solids, Surface Design of Kaleidocycles, Coloring the Designs

3. Notes on the Models - Geometric Solids and Kaleidocycles

4. Instructions for Assembly of Models

5. Sources for More Information

6. Authors

You will be amazed as you explore the form, design and color of the 6 geometric solids (tetrahedron, octahedron, icosahedron, cube, dodecahedron, cuboctahedron) and 11 Kaleidocycles (hexagonal, square, twisted). You learn by assembling, examining and playing with the models. "A Kaleidocycle is a closed chain of tetrahedra that can cycle endlessly through a center hole." It's a moving paper sculpture. Check out the video below!

I tucked my Escher book under my arm on the way to a doctor's appointment, something to do in case I had to wait. To my surprise Dr W knew of Escher's work, was very interested and even asked to browse my book! He was thinking about assembling the kit with his son. What a brilliant idea!

M. C. Escher ® Kaleidocycles: An Illustrated Book and 17 Fun-to-Assemble Three-Dimensional Models is available at pomegranate.com for US$24.95. You may also purchase an extra set of the 17 models for each additional participant. Pomegranate ships throughout Canada, the United States and world. For more Escher art publications please visit Pomegrante's M. C. Escher Gallery.

Square Kaleidocycle Video

Cranes and Peacocks: Japanese Folding Screens Notecards

Look at these Cranes and Peacocks: Japanese Folding Screens Notecards published by Pomegranate Communications Inc of California! The box alone conveys distinction. It opens to reveal notecards that can only be called exceptional. Each like a work of art, one more exquisite than the other, celebrating the art and culture of Japan.

The screens reproduced for this set of notecards are elegantly adorned with two revered and feathered creatures—the crane and the peacock—which symbolize such desired traits as honor, longevity, good fortune, and peace. Housed in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the screens date from the seventeenth to the late nineteenth century.

There are twelve blank notecards with white envelopes. Card size is 4 inches wide x 9 1/4 inches high when closed, and opens to three times the width. They make the perfect gift for someone special... or even yourself! I think I'm going to frame some and put them on the wall.

Cranes and Peacocks: Japanese Folding Screens Three-Panel Panoramic Boxed Notecards are available at pomegranate.com for US$15.95. Pomegranate ships throughout Canada, the United States and world. They also have a selection of beautiful 2012 Asian Art Calendars.

Origami Giveaway

Win a pair of charming origami photo frames as seen here, made out of this gorgeous handmade Japanese paper. Each frame is folded out of one 15cm square of chiyogami plum blossoms paper in lime. Finished they measure 7.5cm and 8cm square.

To qualify you must be a follower of my blog and leave a comment below. One winner will be selected at random. Good luck to you! Open until August 26, 2011.

Update: The origami photo frames winner is Berendina from Canada. Congratulations! Thank you to all who participated.

Origami Lane Social Notes

I love finding a handwritten note in the mail box. These very pretty note cards with delicate plum blossom designs are from Galison New York. You get two sets of 10 crisp note cards and 20 matching pink envelopes in a beautiful gift box. No folding required! Make someone’s day by writing and sending them an Origami Lane Social Note.

Origami Lane Social Notes are available at galison.com for US$12. There are Origami Lane Sticky Notes too, for US$10.00. Galison ships throughout the United States and Canada. Take advantage of a generous 15% off by simply entering coupon code ZZZ2 at checkout. Galison offers gorgeous boxed note cards and stylish stationery for personal gifts or correspondence.