Origami: Page 9

Christmas will be here before you know it, which means weeks of festive parties, spending quality time with friends and family, and, if you're the crafty type, making presents and other favors for friends. This year, surprise your loved ones with a truly unique gift by making this Christmas elf.

Okay, so we have to admit something to you: This isn't actually an origami craft in the strictest sense of the term. Origami dictates that an object be folded into being from a single sheet of paper, but for this goldfish we take a bit of a shortcut, literally. Instead of folding to get all the pieces in place, we make a few cuts to facilitate the fish-forming process.

Whatever happened to the mix tape? A few years back, there wasn't a better and more meaningful gift to give someone than a mix tape full of jams specially tailored to his/her tastes. But with MP3s and internet streaming being the most popular forms of music listening these days, we suppose it's no surprise the mix tape has died out like the dinosaurs.

Honestly, we're getting a little tired of purchasing mass-produced cards. Not that we don't adore Papyrus, with its often handmade-like cards and pretty details, but more and more we're finding we enjoy gifting our friends and family something authentic for special occasions.

We don't know where the penguin trend started, but for the past couple of years the arctic animal has been getting some serious loving. From "Happy Feet" to Club Penguin, penguins are flopping around everywhere in the public conscoiusness. And who can really blame our fascination with penguins, given their chubbiness and adorable waddling?

So we have to admit something. We're not entirely sure what this project is. It looks like one of those Sweedish straw ornaments you hang on the tree during Christmas, but then again it could also just be an abstract representation of the sun.

The basic tenet of origami is to create an object - a bird, cube, monkey, etc. - using a single piece of paper. And while for the most part this is possible, there are notable exceptions, including modular origami and this menacing red bull.

This origami project is fun if for no other reason than we get to blow into it at the end of folding and turn it from flat to so phat (sorry). This origami cube is simple and quick to make and is a great introductory project for origami beginners who are looking to increase their finger prowess.

Thanks to popular folklore, few of us would be happy to cross paths with a black cat or a raven on our way home. The creatures supposedly bring you bad luck (though, frankly, we've seen our share of black cats who were chubby and adorable).

As kids, we had dreams of becoming a fighter pilot, menacing enemies and saving the day with our stealth fighter plane. Needless to say, our pipe dreams kind of went bust, but that doesn't mean we still don't dream of piloting one of those things!

It's safe to say that this is one ape that you won't soon see climbing the side of the Empire State Building, terrorizing Wall Street snubs and taking damsels in distress at his whim.

Do you know how to fold an origami flapping crane? If you do, then great, because that's the only origami project you need to know how to fold in order to complete this origami bird. A variation of the crane, this bird has larger wings and you can make them flap by pulling on the tail.

Seriously, how could you NOT fold this adorable kiwi? Chubby, tiny, and totally kawaii, this origami kiwi is a proud and beautiful mascot for its indigenous habitat of New Zealand.

Are you practically handicapped when it comes to crafting or doing anything at all that requires hand-eye coordination? We hear ya. While we aren't the most coordinated ourselves, even we have been able to complete the simple origami project in this video.

Think the crane is the end all be all of origami birds? Think again. While folding cranes is an excellent way to build finger dexterity for future projects, if you are already at an intermediate level in origami folding then it's time to start challenging yourself!

Have you finally completed the 1,000 cranes project, achieved luck, prosperity, and all that goodness, and are finally ready to move on already from folding the same crane day in and day out? Then consider this project a beautiful release.

Tired of paper airplanes? Make a paper helicopter! You can download and print out a pattern off the Internet to make a toy helicopter with a real spinning paperclip propeller! Use colored paper and colored pencils on your rig, and hold contests with your friends.

When it comes to planes, is there really anything cooler than a surreptitious stealth fighter? We think not. Faster than the speed of, well, just about everything, streamlined, and oh so sleek, stealth fighters elicit involuntary drooling from guys everywhere.

If you're not afraid to stray from your origami craft, then kirigami worth a shot. It's just like origami, but you're allowed to cut the paper, not just fold it. Kirigami makes origami look more mature and more accurate, like when it comes to flowers. This video will show you how much better a kirigami cherry blossom looks! Learn how to make this cherry blossom with five petals.

This tough origami gorilla would totally kick King Kong's ass in a one-on-one match-up. Or at least we think so. With a broad, intimidating body and a strong, confident scowl on his face, this gorilla is not one to be messed with.

Ah, this dinosaur origami project takes us back to the good old days, when Power Rangers was the bomb and all the girls wanted to be pink ranger kelly with her skirted pink costume and pink pterodactyl robot thingy.

No one would ever fear the sight of a vampire if they were this adorable. Part Dracula and part bat, this is a hybrid origami figure that attempts to intimidate but whose penguin-like figure and cuddliness gives him away as a sweetheart.

Bunnies are the last things you'd expect to eat your face off, but behind those cute, beady eyes and fuzzy fur lies a ferocious monster just waiting to get out. Or at least that's the case with this fiendish rabbit monster.

Eagles are the most effective of the predator birds. With eyesight like nobody's business, a huge wingspan for excellent air foil control when flying and diving down for a yummy little mouse, and a strong, muscular body, it seems eagles were designed to, well, kill.

The Shoguns were ancient Japan's most brutal and elite warriors. As military dictators, they were said to maintain order and subdue barbarians. Shoguns were fierce in battle and, as bloodshed was a daily thing for them, equipped themselves with state-of-the-art armor and helmets.

Most of us are familiar with the names Pikachu, Jiggly Puff, and Maril. If you grew up during the late nineties, then it was virtually impossible to get away from Pokemon fevor, and these were the chubby and cute crowd pleasers that everyone loved. But, if you were (or are) a true Pokemon fan, then you know that Pokemon lore extends far beyond a yellow electricity-conducting rodent.

Do you know why we hate those envelopes that come with any greeting card you buy at Hallmark, Papyrus, or a drugstore? They're SO boring. Always the same rectangular shape, always the same opening mechanism, with the only innovation for each envelope being the color, which does vary to match the card.

So we're going to ask you one question that will change your origami folding life forever: Are you ready to move beyond cranes? So many people get stuck and attached to making origami cranes because they're easy, cute, and pretty.

Is it just us, or does this ferocious alien/monster strangely resemble a cute, chubby wubby penguin? Whatever you decide this animal is, all we want to do is tickle its copious belly. Maybe this project would look like the alien it's meant to be if you drew ferocious eyes on it?

Japanese samurai warriors weren't all ferocious. In fact, many warriors prepared for battle by taking long, luxurious baths in concoctions of steamed rose petals so that in combat, their enemies would be taken off guard by the delightful scent just long enough for the samurai to plunge a well-placed katana into his loins.

Yeah, you can probably find a countless number of videos on YouTube about how to make "origami wallets." But let's be honest here: Just how usable are these wallets? While you could probably stick a few dollars inside, we doubt you can put in any more safely.

In this origami how-to, learn the art of folding a paper lily flower. This fold will start from the frog base, so if you already know how to fold the frog base, make one and skip ahead to the lily part. You'll need a sheet of origami paper and a pencil. If you use orange paper it could look like a tiger lily!

This video tutorial is in the Arts & Crafts category where you will learn how to make a magic paper ninja star. For this you will need 8 sheets of square paper, all of the same size. Fold one sheet in half, open it up and fold both corners of one edge inwards along the centerline. Now fold the whole sheet in half inwards. Then fold the lower part in a triangular pattern, make a crease and open up the sheet. Fold the lower part inwards from the center and collapse the sheet over the fold. Do...

This next video tutorial is going to show you how to make a cool looking, yet difficult origami star. If you have never folded anything before, you can expect a little bit of trouble. This origami eight point star is made by using one sheet of paper and and can turn out to be one cool looking piece of art. Good luck and enjoy!

For this next video tutorial, you're going to find out how to make a really simple and easy origami crane. Origami is the traditional Japanese folk art of paper folding which took place during the 17 century.

Origami is an art form that requires time, patience, and the ability to fold things in order for it to take a 3D shape. This next tutorial is an easy video on how to make an origami box. You can use three magazine papers so that you can actually hold things in it. It's good for holding things in like paper clips, orange peel, and much more. So sit back, pay attention, and enjoy!

If you're interested in taking up the art of origami, this next tutorial is very helpful and shows you how to make a cool looking flower. This video is a tutorial on how to make an origami flower. These instructions are easy to follow and can help produce a colorful looking piece of work. Good luck and enjoy!

If you're interested in making a ninja star from scratch using non fatal equipment, then check out this tutorial. It's a very simple project that requires a regular square piece of paper and the right folding lines and it should be simple. So check it out, pay attention, and enjoy!

In this tutorial, we learn how to make a paper football for distance. First, take a piece of copy paper and fold it in half on both sides, then fold in half again, making a crease. Next, fold the bottom of the paper down into a triangle shape. Continue to fold this down, making a right and then left triangle until you reach the bottom of the paper. When finished, you will have a small strip of paper left on the bottom. Tuck this piece into the pocket that you created with the triangle pouches....

This video shows viewers how to make a paper airplane. You should begin with an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper and fold one corner to the opposite side, making a triangle. This should be repeated on the other side, so that a cross is formed on your paper. Folding down opposite sides of the creases, you should have a triangular flap on your paper. Fold both sides of the flap upwards and then flip the paper over. You should then take the tip of the paper and fold backwards. Fold the paper in half so...