Decorating pages one at a time

I have done some thinking and with a spurt of creative genius (if you can call it that), I redesigned and renovated my miniature chiyogami doll bookmarks.  The first thing you may notice that that she is bigger.  A LOT bigger.  The dimensions ballooned from 2 x 5.5 cm to 3 x 8.5 cm.  While the little ones are absolutely awesome, there are some benefits to this new substantial size and some design changes.  A bigger size means that she will not get lost as easy.  Her hair is made from black bond paper which will lay flatter inside your book.  And last but not least, she now has 4x the magnet power to keep your place inside your book.  

It also allows me to be a little more creative with hairstyle and it is a great way to use up some thin strips of discontinued paper.  Meet my first one, Umi, who is now for sale on Zibbet and Etsy.  I have been diligently chugging away on these and I have 4 different styles so far which will all be uploaded soon enough!  

But please, tell me what you think!  I value your feedback more than anything and these changes were due to some wonderful feedback I received from friends and family members.

Back to work!  I have many more bookmarks to assemble before tomorrow...

Giveaway of My Origami on Serendipity Handmade!

What an interesting week!  I had the lovely pleasure of being interviewed by Collette this week on Serendipity Handmade about my craft and my shop!  To read the interview and enter the giveaway, please click HERE!  

This is the first time I have ever been interviewed about my shop and it was such a great experience.  It is actually a strange feeling to try and put your feelings and experiences into words.  It makes me realize that there is really a method to my madness (scary!)

I will be giving away all of the items in this photo:

• 2 Origami Dolls (Mariko & Hiro)
• 1 Origami Pendant (Strawberry Marigold)
• 3 Chiyogami Magnetic Bookmarks 

Please give the post some love!  After all, who can pass up some free folded loot?  Thank you Collette!

New Product: Paper Doll Magnetic Bookmarks

I absolutely adore those little paperclip bookmarks that I have seen all over Etsy.  However, the reason why I don't actually use paperclip bookmarks is that they usually leave indents on my pages.  As an academic, I really treasure my books and I needed something that would not harm them.  

So I have taken the best part of the paperclip bookmark (the little bulbous part that sticks out of your book) and replicated it with paper and magnets.  The result?  These little magnetic bookmark dolls.  

Their bodies fold around the page with a magnet on each side to make sure your doll won't go anywhere when marking your page.  You know it is on secure when you feel the little magnetic "click"!  I am having a blast making these.  The are only 1/2 inch thick at the body and I have been using strips of chiyogami and washi paper to decorate them in the same way that I would an actual doll--obi, butterfly and all!  The hair is made from crepe paper.  I have not treated the paper with any varnish because it would warp the paper and take away from the appearance of the paper.  However, as long as they don't go swimming in the rain, these bookmarks should hold up nicely.  I have been using one in my book for the past week and she looks great.

I know not everyone is a fan of dolls, but love the appearance of chiyogami paper, so I have also made some "faceless" bookmarks to list.  Both types are coming in a variety of colors and be sure to keep your eye open for them in our Zibbet and Etsy shops!

Angels for Dillon: Bookmarks for a Cause

So a little while ago I was browsing My Craft Corner (a fun crafting community that I frequent) and I came across a forum post soliciting donations for a little boy named Dillon.  I have known about Dillon and his big sister (a fellow Etsian named Jennie @ Odeleya ) since I had joined MCC a few months ago.  He is a little boy who has undergone an amazing amount of surgeries to try to correct intestinal issues, and despite his handicap, he still brings tons of joy and love to his family.  When I saw a thread called "Donate for Dillon," I really felt that I wanted to do my part as a member of the crafty-community.

I am not made of money and so the one thing I can donate is my creativity and time (the latter which has been in high demand recently!)  And so, I created two bookmarks (Dillon & Angelica) whose proceeds will be promptly donated to Dillon through MCC (they are organizing the donation).  They are $6 a piece and are 2 inches wide and 6 inches tall.  I decided to go with an angel theme since I remember Jennie calling him that one time.  If you want to read more about Dillon, you can find information here and here.

Angelica: purple & white marbled washi paper kimono and purple obi, yellow crepe paper hair and, white cardstock wings

Dillon: cerulean blue washi paper kimono and white & purple marbled obi, yellow crepe paper hair and, white cardstock wings