Thursday 5 May 2016

Speed Craft #5 - Origami notebook

Before we begin, sad news.  I thought I'd already told you but can't find any evidence.

We lost our beautiful Tiff.  Her cancer had grown very large and she suddenly stopped being the happy, nosey, boisterous Tiff that she'd always been.  She started sitting in a corner all hunched up.  I knew it was time and I knew what I had to do, but it was so painful (for me) and I still feel bad about it.


I loved her so much and I miss her.

A couple of posts ago I was telling you about the Speed Craft event that we went to at Debbie Bryan.  I still don't have my concrete or ceramic pieces back and I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to pick them up, so I'll tell you about the origami table, and then we'll have to move on and come back to Speed Craft later.

On our final table of the day, we made little origami books.  They were folded from a single sheet of paper (a lovely double-sided scrap book paper).  We could then decorate them with stitches, other papers, pens, stamps etc.



I had my first go at papercutting, cutting a W into the cover of my book.



I then decorated some of the pages with music paper and pages from books torn out.  



I stuck the W I'd cut out on the back page.



I cut my pages apart to have more pages in my book, so I needed to secure them together.  I used some Perle cotton to stitch the pages together.  It's not very well done due to the time constraints, but the picture is so bad you can't really tell!  In actual fact, it's sewn expertly, perfectly, professionally.  Honest.



We also made a little envelope, folded from a single sheet of origami paper.  I added three little stitches to hold it together.



I had fun making this little book and it got me all fired up with ideas about how else I could decorate little books if I had more time.  

And here's a photo of Kate, hiding in her nest.  She's still with us even though we couldn't pair her with Colin (they fought and Colin was badly injured - he started it though).  I'm fostering her for a bit and then we'll try pairing her with Harry.




I met a lady the other day who had been to Speed Craft and she said she thought that the crafts like this were pointless, but I disagree.  OK, I may have no use for a little decorated book in an origami envelope, but I enjoyed making it, I felt creative and I had a chance to experiment.  For me, that's all the point that's needed.  I don't believe crafts, or works of art, have to be practical, though of course everyone is different. I'd be interested to know what you think?

16 comments:

Bethany said...

I agree with you--I don't think things like that are pointless. You might not need it, but I don't think learning something new is pointless. Besides, it might be something you can use later. Now meetings at work, on the other hand....

D1-D2 said...

So sad for you loss :(

Liz said...

For me art is about THE JOURNEY. Once I'm done with something yes it's nice to go back and look at it, but the important part for me is the creative process. I have a tremendous sense of joy and well being when I create. Maybe people who claim they are "not creative" don't allow themselves to feel the pleasure of the moment because they are always focused on the outcome (the future). I don't know. I have very much enjoyed your speed craft posts. Practicality is but one measurement tool, and it should not be used to measure everything we do in life!

I'm sorry about your sweet little Tiff.

Liz said...

For me art is about THE JOURNEY. Once I'm done with something yes it's nice to go back and look at it, but the important part for me is the creative process. I have a tremendous sense of joy and well being when I create. Maybe people who claim they are "not creative" don't allow themselves to feel the pleasure of the moment because they are always focused on the outcome (the future). I don't know. I have very much enjoyed your speed craft posts. Practicality is but one measurement tool, and it should not be used to measure everything we do in life!

I'm sorry about your sweet little Tiff.

Liz said...

For me art is about THE JOURNEY. Once I'm done with something yes it's nice to go back and look at it, but the important part for me is the creative process. I have a tremendous sense of joy and well being when I create. Maybe people who claim they are "not creative" don't allow themselves to feel the pleasure of the moment because they are always focused on the outcome (the future). I don't know. I have very much enjoyed your speed craft posts. Practicality is but one measurement tool, and it should not be used to measure everything we do in life!

I'm sorry about your sweet little Tiff.

Sandra :) said...

I'm so sorry about Tiff - it's hard to go through that with our furbabies :( I hope Miss Kate does better with Harry than she did with Colin :D

Pretty envelope and origami book - how big is the book? As far as practicality versus pointless (the latter being a very mean thing to say - who ****ed HER cornflakes?!), I'm actually on the side of practicality myself. I don't want a lot of *stuff* (except fabric and craft supplies, lol) so I like things to be simple and useful and pretty ... and washable :D That's what floats MY particular boat, but other peoples' boats are floated by different things, so to each their own :D

Ellie Foster said...

I'm so sorry to hear about Tiff. Losing a much loved pet is heartbreaking and never gets any easier to deal with.
I think a chance to try any craft is a good thing - it's the 'being creative' that counts. Also little projects like this give you a taste of a craft you may not have tried before and who knows where that could lead!
Your book looks lovely, by the way.
Best wishes
Ellie

Christine B said...

So sorry to hear about Tiff... it is very sad to lose a beloved pet :( Moving on to the question of crafts.... I agree with you completely.... there doesn't need to be a purpose the creativity is the main focus for me! Christine x

busybusybeejay said...

I am totally with you on this.I love to make things ,just for the joy of doing it and proving to myself that I can do it.You have spurred me on to look iNto what you have been making.

margaret said...

sorry to read you have lost Tiff losing a pet is so upsetting.

Loving your origami work and the papers you have used are lovely.

I so disagree re what is the point it is lovely to be surrounded by pretty things especially when you have created them yourself. Must own up to thinking it is now time I parted with some of my useless objects! have 43 Royal Doulton figures but they give me such a warm glow when I look at them. Needs to downsize and if and when that happens will have to dispose of some things but not until then

Jane said...

sorry to hear about Tiff. I do love this book, and it could be so useful. I think some people fail to appreciate the value of creating something, the satisfaction it brings. Some crafts are useful, some we do just for the pure enjoyment, and it's a lot more satisfying than just watching TV!

Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers said...

Ah, it's lovely. The colours work beautifully together. Not quite so 'origami' as I thought.

As to whether or not crafted items need to be practical... Well I would argue that this little book IS practical. You could put four or five special photos in it and give it to grandparent. Or it could be made as part of a school project and have a collection of photos, drawing or words in it. I can see lots of uses for it.

My own view on crafting and purpose is that I have to be able to see a purpose FOR ME. It could be to be framed - no practical purpose, but a purpose nevertheless. I don't go in for needlework projects that are only of use because one does needlework - like flouncy boxes and the like. I would rather have a nice wooden box or keep the stuff in a sturdy, stackable shoubox. And I do seem to go in for a lot of blankets and covers, which I think of as wrapping the person under it (including, I hope, my descendents) in love.

But these thoughts are just about me. Crafting is such a personal thing that we each have to do what resonates with us, the only rule being that there are no rules!

Rachel said...

Hmm. Practicality is a moving target, and much overrated to boot. Personally, I tend to the idea that if I want to make something I will - eventually - find a purpose for it. Sometimes "eventually" takes a long time, though...

Sheryl said...

Hi Wendy, you enjoy spending your spare time crafting and learning new techniques whether the finished project is practical or not, that is your hobby Sorry about Tiff.

Anonymous said...

So sorry to hear about Tiff, but you did the right thing and shouldn't feel guilty about protecting your beautiful pet from unnecessary pain.

I think your speed crafting sessions are a great way of being introduced to new crafts which you may or may not take up in more detail later.

ukcitycrafter@live.co.uk

Joy from Days Filled With Joy said...

I'm so sorry to hear about Tiff, Wendy... sending hugs your way, it is always a hard thing when your pet gets so ill and you have to make difficult decisions... xxx