Tuesday, April 28, 2009

International Charm Day - a Tutorial ... I hope

Many of you already know that I have a thing for paper cranes, so in honor of

International Charm Day
(click above to be directed to the event blog)

I give you my step-by-step on taking a paper crane from ... paper to charm.

(fingers crossed)

Materials: Assorted Origami Papers
Petal Porcelain (or other preferred setting agent)
Paint Brush
Wax Paper
Needle (or straight pin)
Head Pins
Various small beads

Step 1: Select your paper.

I highly recommend using thin paper (thinner than copy paper, but that can still hold an edge - tissue paper is out). The sheets below are 6"X6" origami papers.



Step 2: Cut your papers into 1" or 1-1/4" squares:



Side note: The smaller your squares, the more difficult they will be to fold, but practice - I promise it's worth the effort.

(I used the 1-1/4" squares for the photo's below)

I like to cut up a bunch of squares in one sitting, so I'll have a nice stack to work with:



Step 3: Put on some favorite crafting music or pop in a movie
(preferably one that doesn't require your full attention and is good for a giggle)

Step 4: Fold yourself some little paper cranes - I usually fold at least a dozen at a sitting.
(more is better as I almost always have a few casualties in the dipping process)

Another Note: If you don't know how to fold a paper crane, I recommend CLICKING HERE. (There's even a printable PDF link on the page - don't be daunted by the instructions; they look more difficult than they actually are. Also, practice a few on larger 6"x6" squares first.)

The picture below shows a nutshell progress of the folds:



Step 5: Once you have your flock, take a photograph of them!



Sorry about the bad photo - happens when you wait till after dark to take pictures.

Step 6: Dip each crane in The Setting Agent.
(I generally dip them twice - one time I hold the crane by the tail and the other time by the head)

**** Sorry - I don't have pictures for Step 6 Through Step 14 ****

Step 7: Brush off the excess Setting Agent and allow it to dry completely.
(at this step, it is common for the beak and wings to want to turn up - try to push them down gently with the paintbrush as you are removing the excess Setting Agent - also, if you are really careful, you can sometimes "reshape" them once they are completely dry from the first dipping.)

Step 8: Repeat Step 6

Step 9: Repeat Step 7

Step 10: Carefully poke a hole through the bottom of the crane
(if you brushed the excess Setting Agent off, there will still be a hole in the bottom - you'll see)

up through the center of the back
(as close as possible - it's fairly easy to find the center as you will be able to see where you folded the paper)

Step 11: Feed a head pin through the hole, add a bead (or beads).

Step 12: Trim any excess length off the head pin.
(keeping in mind that you will finish the head pin off by making the end into a loop for hanging)

Step 13: Can you guess?!? Yep, finish the end of the head pin by turning it into a loop for hanging.

Step 14: Add a coat of clear varnish for shine
(optional ... you might choose to paint your cranes prior to adding the varnish if you used a solid color paper)

Viola!



Yes, I know, this isn't a crane from this batch - the first flock is still drying. Thank goodness I save ALL my photo's.

As an added bonus, I'm offering sets of six dipped cranes to two people. If you'd like to be included in the drawing, please leave a comment on this post by midnight EST time on Thursday, April 30th. I'll let Sadie draw two names from the hat (or bowl, or bag ... ) on Friday, May 1st

BONUS that'll be May Day ... the first day of my birthday month!

Have fun visiting all the participants from the first ever

International Charm Day!

(click above to be transported to the event link)

Thank you, Amber Dawn, for hosting such a FUN event!!

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

These are lovely!! Thank you so much for the tutorial! I want to try making some of these! =) Is Petal Porcelain the same as the silk flower stiffener stuff? Just wondering, because I DO have some of that...

I'm been so, so busy in my own world and I've missed reading your blog!

Hope all is well with you!

Donna Patrice

deb said...

What a great tutorial and what adorable charms. Thaks for sharing.

Janet said...

If only I could follow directions ;-)

Marilyn said...

Thanks for a great tutorial--I love your paper crane charms!
Happy International Charm Day--thanks for the link, I'm off to take a look!

cr8it said...

great idea! Thanks for the inspiration!! It reminds me of a few years ago we hosted a girl from Japan. She attended our local community college and she taught me to make those cranes. In Japan they make 1000 of them and string them together to give to someone that is sick as a get well present! Can you imagine 1000 cranes!! Thanks again!!

Anonymous said...

Those are just fabulous!!! I unfortunately have never been able to fold paper cranes even when it's been hands on!
Pattee

Arlene Mobley said...

Great tut! Your crane charms are darling!

Arlene

Anonymous said...

wow, you have gone to such a huge length to show us, it must have taken you hours. Thanks for the tutorial, i always wondered how they stayed so pristine, now I know.

Chris said...

Holy Crane-oli! LOOK at you, with the photos and stuff! This is hard to do, sister! I love this. I love this! I'm going to do this.

Chris said...

Okay, I already have a question.
When you say 'other preferred setting agent' what are my options? gel medium? paper glaze?

If I make a life-sized crane, can I just take it to a car wash and put it on 'wax' cycle?


you're not laffing, right? at my real question?

Unknown said...

Thank you for this tutorial! I love origami....I have LOTS of origami cranes that a fellow worker gave me....he had a little square day calendar and every day that he tore off he folded a crane and through into his drawer. When he left the company he gave them to me.

3rdEyeMuse said...

thanks, everyone - I am beyond thrilled that it

1: makes sense

&

2: is something of interest to more than just me. :)

sharon said...

This is a great idea!! I must try it! Thanks for the giveaway, please enter me in!!

Jennifer Juniper said...

Oh wow! I have always wanted to learn how to fold those, and to make them into a charm takes the cake!!!

sharon said...

Thanks for the well wishes!! I'll be back !

SpiritMama said...

Cute! Your paper cranes are "charming", maybe i should give it a try.

Sue said...

Oh I love these! Must go to the PDF link. I've always been fascinated with origami and the little cranes. I love that these are coated with a solution and then incorporated into jewelry. Gorgeous!

Thank you so much!

Saucy said...

Thanks for sharing about International Charm Day! I had no idea. Today I posted an earring giveaway on my blog, and I made the charms so that counts as a celebration, right??

Our Hands For Hope said...

I just want one...can we swap?

Tumbleweed Trails said...

The charms are wonderful. Thank you for the tutorial.

JD

visionquest2020@msn.com

Lorraine said...

very clever..will email you my address for my swap shortly

Cindy said...

Hey gurl! Thanks for a fun and totally "charming" tutorial! :D (Sorry, I could not resist). I am always in awe of your tiny little "foldings", so wonderful!

-c

dkuroiwa said...

Oh Man! I was right there with you...all the way through Step 3...and then...."now fold the cranes"...errrrrrrrrrch.
sorry. that's where I get off the bus. these fingers? have ruined many an origami paper.
So just put my name in the hat (or bowl or bag or whatever) and tell Sadie I'll love her forever if she picks my name!!

Marva Plummer-Bruno said...

Oh how cool!!! These are fabulous! Thanks for the tutorial, I may have to give that a try. Marva

Snowbrush said...

That really looks like fun!

Pursuing Art... said...

These are so cool Michelle! You did a great job on the tutorial too! I've got origami paper and even a book...I'm really going to have to make a few of these little birds! I didn't know about using a setting agent...that's a great idea and to spray them with a sealer too! Brilliant! Love that you made them into a charm! They'd make a great mobile too.

Hey...Happy May birthday to you...me too! I've always loved that my b-day was in May! It's always warming up and the flowers start blooming! My birthday really became a special day because I was married on that day and every once in awhile it falls on mom's day too! ~wink~ Taurus too?

Thanks for sharing the tutorial with us! ~Lisa ;-)

Jamie Lott said...

Did I ever tell you I had a praying mantis as a pet once? A few years ago one snuck into my kitchen window and he stayed there...for a long time. He'd go out and get a bite to eat and then he'd come back. I put out a little water for him in a bottle cap and he'd drink that and sit there and watch me do dishes...Your 'Say, cake' pic reminded me of it. Okay back to the business at hand....LOL

Pip and I thank you for visiting our giveaway. Comments are now closed....Pip will be choosing his new home shortly....stay tuned!


Jamie ~ The Beldame

Adrienne said...

That's beautiful. Thanks for sharing the tutorial. I've never tried playing with that petal porcelain - it looks like fun.

Melissa Valeriote said...

Brings back memories of my daughters childhood. e would spend hours making oragami animals. Their little fingers were always better at making those small folds.

shiborigirl said...

Great tutorial, Michelle. Thanks!

I saw a book today that made me think of you. Here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/dhz4zy

Origami SHOES! :D

Kate

The Studio at Crow Haven Farm, LLC said...

Michelle, OMG this is a wonderful Tutorial you posted. Thank you so much...I have to try this one...Beautiful!
Cheers!

ArtPropelled said...

They look so pretty and as delicate as flowers. Together they look....Wow!

Margaret Ann said...

These are lovely...as is your giving spirit! A wonderful tutorial...I'm saving it for "some day"...! :)

Denise said...

this is really neat. I would love to make lots of these and suspend them from my ceiling in my art room! that would be so neat. hmmmmm. what fun.

Kathryn Costa said...

I feel so lucky that I already have a set of these darling charms (earrings).

xoxo k

Lea said...

These are so lovely Michelle... and so appreciate the steps that you share!