Origami

My daughter discovered something a year or so ago, and it's been a consuming passion for the past six months. I thought she would get tired of it and move onto something else (which is my children's wont) but she hasn't. In fact, she has continued to be more fascinated with it and keeps buying more stuff that has to do with it.



I'm talking about Origami. She started out with a book/kit her grandmother gave her for Christmas last year, and went on from there. Her favorite store to shop is Barnes and Noble (she's a bookaholic as well) and they apparently keep much of this stuff in stock, because she comes home with something new every pay period. At first she was buying books about it -- how to fold more, etc. Then she discovered little kits with loads of paper. Apparently it's all about the paper.



There is big sheets (well, relatively) and small sheets -- then she came home with a mini-origami set. I couldn't believe it. That's her favorite size. She thinks they're amazing when their little. I think it's fun, and it's good to see her doing something other than read...grin.

For Easter, she folded up some butterflies for us out of the paper napkins I had bought for something else and had left over. It was fun to have them on the plates. I had her fold up a selection of what she does without even needing the instructions. She has made me a ladybug (which is kind of my trademark) and a heart for Valentines Day. As you can tell by the picture, she's gotten pretty good at it.



In doing some quick research on the art, I've discovered lots of interesting sites from basic to complex. I guess the best way to get started is with a basic kit. According the the Wikipedia, you can use any medium that can be folded to create an origami. Apparently it's been around since the 1600's in Japan, when Buddhist monks brought paper over from China. Even Samurai warriors would give gifts with items that could have been origami on them. (I guess you could say that means it's not necessarily a feminine thing -- and neither is giving gifts...lol)

Personally, I always thought it was cool, though I never bothered to learn how to do it. I'm sure most people are familiar with the basic form since that's what is shown in the movie Pearl Harbor with Ben Affleck.

I never thought I'd have a daughter caught up in it...

I'm just glad we don't watch tv and have young teenage daughters, then we'd be caught up in the whole American Idol thing with David Archuleta and his fame. Which -- by the way -- if you have this problem in your household, you might want to check out the interview they have at yourldsneighborhood this week about Brett Hales, the family spokesman.

Oh...and I finally got the program installed on my computer so that I can post the pictures from my son's bday party. Hopefully I'll get to that tomorrow.



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