Green Options » origami

DIY Valentine: Make Your Own Custom Envelopes from Recycled Paper

Julie Finn — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 02:16:53 +0000

I have just finished making an entire stack of freakin’ AWESOME Valentines for my Valentine’s Classroom Card Exchange swap over at Craftster, and the last thing I intend to do with them is stick them into a bunch of boring, mass-market, chlorine bleached, old-growth forest envelopes. And also? I made my Valentines weird sizes.

I am a crafty chick, however, and as my friend Autumn says, happiness IS recycling folded paper, so I’m going to take this atlas I found dumpster-diving, in which the Berlin Wall (Boo!) and Tibet (Yay!) are both alive and well, and I’m going to fold some pages into rockin’ envelopes to house all my many missives to all my many Internet sweeties (You out there, superhooker? Pumpkinbear says hi!).

Why don’t you give your own sweetie a smile and craft along with me?

Origami and a Movie

Autumn Wiggins — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 04:56:33 +0000

I love those NetFlix commercials where all the different movie characters deliver themselves around the neighborhood. Maybe the fantistic voyage the actual envelopes take is less evocative than portrayed, but you have to give them props for the clever design that allows the movie to be returned in the same packaging. All you are left with is a puny flap of paper, and I’m happy to report that you can now put it to good use.

Netflix Origami has over a dozen different well illustrated examples of folded critters, containers, and more. Thinking ahead to the holidays, many would make great substitutions for bows on small presents. The cube and heart would be cute tree ornaments too!

If any of you get Blockbuster instead, I’m wondering if those flaps work for this as well? Experiment and let us know in comments.

Happiness is Recycling Folded Paper

Autumn Wiggins — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:28:18 +0000

Let me guess, you have a ream of 100% recycled, Rain Forest Alliance Certified paper conveniently stacked next to the printer. You earn additional eco-brownie points for printing on both sides of each sheet. Good for you! Now, don’t take off running for the recycle bin. Your humble memo may be destined for a higher purpose before meeting it’s maker.

We are all familiar with tiny paper cranes and jumping frogs in the world of origami.These popular characters often require a specialized paper that is thin and square. However, if you think outside the box, then you can make a box, along with many other useful items.

The following video shows you how to create an amazing flower shaped CD holder by tracing around the disc. You will need something a bit bigger than copy paper. Expired wall calenders or old posters might enjoy this fate. These materials would even be good for making super-sized versions of the 8.5″x 11″ sheet projects linked below.