Floral Globes

A couple of years ago I was given a gift card for my birthday to Barnes & Noble. I had been exclaiming over the book Kaleidoscope: Ideas & Projects to Spark Your Creativity previous to my birthday and my friend thoughtfully purchased a gift card to cover the cost of that book. I got to B&N and had Kaleidoscope in my hand while I wandered around for a bit.

I'll never know for sure if Kaleidoscope would have provided the promised stunning creative revelations because I got really distracted by Floral Origami Globes by Tomoko Fuse. That's the one I ended up purchasing and ran home with. I apologized profusely to my friend for not using the gift card for its intended purpose but she really didn't mind. I never did buy Kaleidoscope.

Here is what Floral Globes has wrought upon my life:The results are gratifying but here's a warning: these are very, very fiddly to make. The origami paper needs to be cut in half (30 times) so you have 60 rectangles. Then they are folded. Then you have to put them together and then interlock them to form the globe. That's when the hair-tearing and crying ensues. Then, after stopping yourself from stomping on it, tearing it to shreds or burning it, bit by bit, in the fireplace, you manage to finagle that last piece in place. The integrity of the whole is amazing when the final piece locks in. It's suddenly a solid little mass where before was chaos and weakness. The result is worth the aggravation.

This book is many variations on a couple of themes but they all end up looking different with creative paper combinations. Tomoko Fuse has some other great books on modular origami. If you like multi-piece origami this is the designer for you. If you want to start off a bit easier try some of the simpler models in Unit Origami or Fabulous Origami Boxes. Not quite so fussy.