The latest Origami....Dragon, Walrus, Owl, And Eagles....Oh My!

As promised....the origami. Just wanted to post a few quick pics so that they will forever be in the my history. I wanted to try another Eagle because this one went well, right up until the feet. I tried to give him three claws and it did not turn out very well. So, I'll try again. As for the dragon, I'm pretty happy over all with the way it turned out. It was one of those designs I had to walk away from for several weeks and come back to. I'm not sure why it didn't click at the first try, but after a couple of weeks away from it, it went together like clockwork. I'm even impressed with the walrus, which is surprising. Anyway, hope everyone has a great week this week and enjoys the pics.

I'll Give it My All...Tomorrow. Life After 40!

So what do you do when you think that what you are currently doing is not really what you should be doing? I'm sure this happens to many people ( other than me) when they hit some magic number as they age. ( usually around 35-45) Well, Cheryl bought a manga about just such a character and it is totally AWESOME! If you find yourself in that age group and are searching for answers to questions that you don't even know you may have...then take a look at "I'll give it my all Tomorrow" A story of a man who quits his safe secure job and decides to become a manga artist ( to the un-initiated, that is similar to a comic book artist/writer). The Catch: he has never drawn a picture, written a story, and he is over the age of 40! IT is hilarious at times, sad at others, but you end up rooting for the guy as he climbs every wall that is put up in front of him. ( Sometimes in the least graceful way!) There are moments where I feel he is writing the story and he has taken a page out of my life! Constant rejection of his work, small time job that can't even pay the bills, and friends and family that constantly tell him he is an idiot for following his dream. Well, the third volume just came out and it was truly inspiring and funny....but not the way you might think. There is also a web comic where they post the latest chapters as they come out.. Find it here....
I've been working on some new origami, Hopefully I'll post some pics tomorrow. Enjoy the manga!

The Totally Awesome Origami Koi

I finally figured out the secret behind the origami koi with scales. I know that seems like it should have been easy, but it was just a matter of the size of paper. I needed a rectangle instead of a square! However you put it, Here is the results: My first attempt was so cool I decided to try it again with a little more care for the head. I'm pleased with both attempts, and I may just try it once again. Cheryl says I have to make an entire school of them to put them on the wall. I'm not sure how ambitious I will be, but the thought does sound appealing. Other than that, Iowa has become rather boring as of late. The factory work keeps us tied up and wore out. Even though we get off rather early, we are so tired from standing and getting up early that we basically eat and sleep then go back to work. I'm not sure how people do this for thirty years....Regardless, it does give us a steady supply of income for the time being, and that is nice. But there are other things that are creeping back into our life....such as our spending and eating habits. Perhaps the glamor less work causes us to overcompensate in other ways. Well, at least the weather is pleasant for the moment and summer is almost here. Hopefully I will blog a little more than this once a week thing. Hope everyone is having a great week so far!

The Computer WORKS! YEAH!

I'm not sure what Cheryl did, but the computer works! Hooray! At least I'll be able to post the Origami beetle I worked on. You might remember it from before, it's the samurai helmet beetle. The previous attempts did not turn out as well as this one. Also a dragon out of the traditional bird base. I also remember doing this one but not having it turn out as nicely. Anyway, I'm relieved that I got this computer working. And, In the event my Brother or Dad are actually reading this: I now have a computer that can print....so I will send you a letter soon. I hope you get this and feel free to leave a response.

Another computer and the standing Origami Crane

As the title mentions, I purchased another computer a few days ago because Cheryl and I could not share one at the same time. And since our online time is llimited by the time we spend at Panera, it ends up with one of us being bored while the other surfs. Its not really a problem when Cheryl surfs...I just do some origami and I'm happy. However, when it comes to my turn to blog and check Email, Cheryl sighs and looks uncomfortably bored! ( uncomfortable for ME!) So ...to fix this problem, I suggested getting another computer...but Of course! IT seems to be having problems with connecting to the Internet. Hopefully we will get it all figured out. All the pictures of the new origami are on that computer as of right now...but I did manage to save this standing crane on Cheryls computer. It turned out pretty good and it stands by itself.

An Origami Parade!

So last weekend I worked on a few new and some old designs. I thought I would just post them as a record, because they are all gone now. You see, I bring them to work and they mysteriously disappear! I'm actually flattered that my coworkers find them cool enough to take home. Anyway, I created another horse, a turkey, another mantis, another scorpion, a dolphin, a T Rex, and a triceratops. The triceratops is not pictured because I was not that particularly fond of it, I may attempt it again later, but it took a couple of days to work on and It always bugged me. Cheryl liked it thought, and so did whoever took it home from work, so perhaps I'm my own worst critic. So enjoy the pics. Oh! By the way, several of these designs can be found in the same origami book that the peacock was.
Jun Maekawa's book "Genuine Origami"

Black Butler, Sacred Blacksmith, and The Attack of the Origami T Rex!

So this week we purchased season one of Black Butler, the anime. Stand back all of you Gothic lovers, because this anime was written for you! It was fun! The scroll work is taken from a Louis XIV Mansion, even though it is set in 19th century London. After the first season, there are still more questions than answers and we are still uncertain about the contract between the master and the butler. The Young Master apparently lost his parents in a fire and now the Butler takes care of him and the household. It's entertaining, and I could at least recommend it to people with a clear conscience. As for the Sacred Blacksmith. I must say that it is a little to "fan service" for me. The story compels me to continue watching, but with 6 more episodes to go, I have to say, the "knight" should really quit her day job and become a barmaid. She is just way to "damsel in distress" for me and after the 5th time of having the blacksmith come and save her....it gets a little predictable. There are several episodes left however, so who knows....I may change my mind as the finally kicks off. As for the Origami, Cheryl had a little fun with the Jurassic park theme and decided to get the cat involved.

The Origami Lion post.

As promised, the Origami Lion. I'm not sure if it is truly original, nor do I care. All I know is that I made it without a book from my own tinkering. I'm very pleased with the results. Who knows, I may just try it again to see if I can replicate it. Anyway, I thought that it deserved its own post with more pictures from different angles. As far as the rest of this week, I really did not make anything ground breakingly new. So I will take this opportunity to post the lion. Enjoy!

A Successful Origami Peacock!

Yes! Finally a paper that can handle the pre-creasing and multiple reverse crease folding that is required to fold this Peacock! This design is from Jun Maekawa's book "Genuine Origami" And I have attempted this design several times before with limited success. The problem before was either the size of the paper ( too small) or the paper itself. It was always too brittle or crinkly to keep the shape. I usually managed to muscle through it, but it was never a shape I was proud of. Even now, My skills are challenged at keeping the creases where they are meant to be. The design itself has a challenging element right off the bat. IT calls for you to fold the paper into thirds! ( mathematically, it should be impossible to get exact since three is a repeating decible...i.e. 1/3 = 3.33333333.....infinity) Anyway, it is possible to get close and I worked very hard to get as close as possible and still had a few hang ups. Other than that....I also worked on an origami Rose. nothing special, but it does have an interesting "willow-wisp" shape to it like a dancing flower. I thought I would show it off. I still have to make a seperate post for my Lion. I'm looking at the pictures andam more impressed with it every time I take another look. But I will give thise sculptures their own post for now.

The Great Social Experiment.

Factory Work has been an interesting case study in human interaction. And although the research is still underway and a verdict is pending, let's just say that the entire experience is ...entertaining. At the very least, it allows me to focus on my Origami skills while having an outlet for the finished pieces ( other than the garbage can). I bring them to the break area and they disappear! And, with each new peice that is lost to the void, my fame and notoriety is expanded! This week I was planning on posting several posts on each individual sculpture, but the stars were simply not aligned. However, here are some examples of what I have been working on this last week. A rabbit, a dog and a Dragon! I must say I am quite pleased with the dragon. It was the first time I was able to give it a 3 dimensional look without it crimping up. I also did a penguin and a frog ( different version) But I did not snap any pictures of those. They were simple enough to replicate and I plan on doing a better job on them in the future. My poor lion from last week did not even last till first break. The guy who requested it did not get a chance to see it. I may make another one soon, as well as the rabbit ( another request) but I have so many other ideas in my mind that I have to explore!