Oh Brian Chan, what beautiful bug can’t you fold? I happily stumbled upon his website recently and was introduced to “wet folding origami” - a relatively new way of folding paper that, as you may have guessed, involves moistening the paper before you fold it to achieve a a softer, textured look with gentle curving lines. For Brian, this technique adds another level of realism to his already complex work. Not sufficiently impressed? Each of his pieces is an original design and each is folded from a single piece of square paper.  Amazing.

He does create more than just creepy-crawlies - they just happen to be my favorites.  See more of his work here and check out his Etsy shop.

For the junior origami entomologist, see this page for some basic bug designs.

We finally made it to see Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland this past weekend.  It’s always fun to see a classic story through fresh eyes. Miss Alice has had many makeovers through the years - both on film and in book illustrations.  I was excited to find a wonderful archive of vintage book illustrations compiled by artist and jewelry designer Diane Plumley called ‘We’re All a Little Mad Here.’ Diane uses select images in her work (see her shop Picture Purfect Design) but has also been kind enough to share a large number of the illustrations and ephemera she’s collected on Flickr.

One of the series I particularly love depict Alice as she’s falling down the rabbit hole. Like the wardrobe, or the looking glass or the tollbooth - the rabbit hole is that magical place of transition between reality and fantasy. Following is an except from Lewis Carroll’s original text describing Alice’s decent.

“The rabbit-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way, and then dipped suddenly down, so suddenly that Alice had not a moment to think about stopping herself before she found herself falling down what seemed to be a very deep well.

Either the well was very deep, or she fell very slowly, for she had plenty of time as she went down to look about her, and to wonder what was going to happen next. First, she tried to look down and make out what she was coming to, but it was too dark to see anything: then she looked at the sides of the well, and noticed that they were filled with cupboards and book-shelves: here and there she saw maps and pictures hung upon pegs. She took down ajar from one of the shelves as she passed: it was labeled “ORANGE MARMALADE” but to her great disappointment it was empty: she did not like to drop the jar, for fear of killing somebody underneath, so managed to put it into one of the cupboards as she fell past it.”

Well friends, it’s Peeps season and the Washington Post is now accepting submissions for their fourth annual diorama contest using the iconic marshmallow candy. Last year’s Peeps Show brought in more than 1,100 entries ranging in subject matter from classic Twilight Zone episodes to the “Miracle on the Hudson.”

You have until March 15th to create and submit your “…diorama of a famous occurrence or scene or concept. It can be a historic, current or future event. It can be a nod to pop culture. It can be an evocation of an idea or abstraction. The one rule is that all the characters in the diorama must be played by Peeps…” Think you might be up to the sticky challenge? See complete details here.

Pictured here are some of the past winners and finalists.  A slide show of the 40 2009 finalists can be found here.

[Via my pal Cathy of CA.  See the adorable Peeps window display she created on this blog post (scroll down).]

I still remember the first book I was able to read on my own, We Feed Deer. Believe me, it was not a literary masterpiece or even a children’s classic - but the combination of letters into words that I could comprehend was magical. I feel really fortunate that I developed a love of reading as a kid and I think one of the factors that compelled and kept my early interest were each story’s illustrations. So, it struck a familiar chord when I read artist Meg Hunt’s description of her new project Picture Book Report:

I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid I was a voracious reader. Shy, nerdy and awkward, I found books exciting worlds to leap into any time I saw fit. The smell of the bookpages, poring over endpapers and illustrations, and the sheer act of reading those little marks on paper just fascinated me, as it still does today. There is a certain kind of magic to books and stories that is hard to beat and for that I will always be excited to crack that next book open. At the same time, there’s this stigma against books with pictures, that they’re something you leave behind after you get to a certain age.

The urge to make our own mark upon this format is immense. To give back to that tradition of storytelling and share our own along the way; for me it is a constant driving force. Along with that urge comes the desire to make new projects happen, to curate and build upon the traditions we already know. For that, this project is important– to help bring back that tradition of illustration and books, no matter what the age group.

Picture Book Report is an extended love-song to books. Fifteen illustrators will reach out to their favorite books and create wonderful pieces of art in response to the text that has moved them, shaped them, or excited them. From sci-fi to children’s books to fantasy to serious novels, we’ll cover them all. For three weeks out of every month there will be a new illustration every day from one of us along with our thoughts, process, anything we can come up with. Together we will try to excite readers both new and old and capture some of that magic of storytelling.

Pretty great, right? Following is just a little sampling of what awaits you at Picture Book Report.

Below:
from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, illustration by John Martz

from Ella Minnow Pea, illustration by Lizzy Stewart

from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, illustration by Meg Hunt

from The Hobbit, illustration by Sam Bosma

from The Bremen Town Musicians, illustration by S.britt

Well, I’m pleased as punch to announce a crafty event for boys and girls ages 8 to 12 with myself and my new pal Clare Crespo. You may remember Clare from the post I wrote in December featuring her cookbooks the Secret Life of Food and Hello There, Cupcake! and her show the Yummyfun Kooking Series. We’ve put our noggins together and thinking ourselves quite clever have planned a fun morning of crafts, snacks and  a special guest appearance by a furry friend!

Inspired by vintage sugar eggs, participants will create spring candy dioramas packed with tasty birds, bugs, bunnies and a whole lot of imagination. Clare will be concocting a special (surprise!) spring snack and a punchbowl of fun. And we’ve confirmed that the kind folks from the Pasadena Humane Society will be bringing a live bunny for ooohs, ahhhs and gentle pats on the head! Egg-ceptional!

The event will be had at the lovely Home Ec store in the Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles. Visit the Home Ec site to sign up (space is very limited) or call the shop at (323) 906-8826.

Do you remember making dioramas as a kid? They seem to be a classroom staple - the basic idea being to create a miniature world inside a box. And for this project, that little universe will be viewed through a small hole in one end of the box - the results are magical! Stocked with bowls of sweets, Clare and I will walk your kiddo through some basic steps of crafting candy critters and then let them stretch their imaginations to create anything they like to populate their tiny box landscapes. We’ll have diorama boxes available in bubblegum pink and chocolate brown - crafters choice! Come join us - don’t miss out on all the fun!

Like most holidays, Valentine’s Day presents us with the opportunity to craft a little something special for those we love. For your consideration I’ve designed a little party favor, but truth be told you need not throw a party to make one. You and your kiddo can craft a kangaroo for her teacher, place a joey next to Junior’s juice at breakfast, surprise a co-worker with a kangaroo on their keyboard or fill the ‘pouch’ with something decidedly more adult (say, a champagne truffle) for your beau.

My merry marsupial is inspired by the random pairing of old school parties where every place setting included a decorated nut cup and those stylized Dakin Dream Pets that were so popular when I was a kid.  Hoping it’ll inspire you to tell someone how much you love them!

Materials & Tools:
copy paper and a printer
colored card stock
spray adhesive, glue, scissors
paper cup
candy/snacks

Step 1:
Click on the image below to download and print out the Valentine Kangaroo pattern and adhere it to a piece of colored card stock. I used a piece of red Plastisheen paper I had on hand, but standard issue construction paper works just as well.

In a well-ventilated space spray the back of the print-out with an adhesive like Spray Mount. Allow to dry for 30 seconds and then place on the card stock, gently smoothing with your hand to remove any air bubbles. You can use a thin layer of white craft glue, but this may warp your paper.

Step 2:
Cut out your kangaroo following the dark yellow outline. You may find it easier to navigate around arms and ears with smaller scissors.

Step 3:
Once cut, refer to the diagram in the lower right hand corner of the print-out. Following the red fold lines, fold the legs, arms, neck and ears using a bone folder (or the back of a spoon) for crisp edges. It can be useful to score your fold lines first using a bone folder and ruler.

Step 4:
Using colored scrap paper, design a face for your kangaroo. Cut out eyes and a nose and any other features you want to include and lay them out on your work surface. When you’re happy with the proportions and arrangement, glue them onto the kangaroo’s head.

Step 5:
Cut a paper heart for your kangaroo to hold. I used paper punches from the craft store, but you can cut one just as easily freehand - you know the old trick of folding a piece of paper in two and cutting half the heart along the fold to create perfectly symmetrical hearts. Cut two vertical snips in the upper edge of the heart, inserting one of the kangaroo’s paws into each slit as shown in the photograph below.

Step 6:
Create the kangaroo’s pouch by placing a paper cup between the legs - a small drinking cup, nut/party cup or cupcake baking cup would work well.  Glue the cup in place if you’d like to make it stationary/secure, or leave it loose so that it can be switched out for multiple snack times.

Now fill the pouch with treats!  I used cinnamon hearts, but you might also consider conversation hearts, grapes, pretzels, M&Ms, Goldfish crackers.  If you’re going to be transporting your Valentine Kangaroo wrap the treats in a napkin, piece of tissue paper or plastic food wrap and tie it with a bow before placing it in the pouch - this will avoid spill.

Your cutesy-poo ‘roo is now ready to hop into the heart of some lucky little (or big) kid!

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again - French based L’Affiche Moderne has some of the most charming art prints for children. This e-shop presents the works of young photographers, graphic designers and children’s illustrators, creating quality digital prints (strictly limited to editions of 300) that can be purchased with or without frames/mounting, printed on mounted canvas or mounted PVC - all ready to be hung on the wall. New to their roster of illustrators is Ingela P Arrhenius whose vintage inspired style I love. Save 15% off all prints through Monday January 18 when you use code 201001. Above: Friends in Tree Below: Friends

We’re only a few weeks away from the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver - and while I’m not exactly the athletic type I do enjoy watching the skiing and skating, bobsledding and luging. I am however the crafty type and would feel right at home trying out for the 2010 Handmade Olympics also hosted by the lovely Canadians - specifically our pal Kristal of RikRak Studio. She’s pulled together more than $2,000. in prizes to be awarded to winners in the following eight events:

Event 1:
Favourite handmade goodie with an innovative design
Event 2:
Favourite handmade goodie for kids
Event 3:
Favourite handmade eco friendly goodie
Event 4:
Favourite handmade item that inspires lovelieness + wellness (in our homes, for ourselves, etc.)
Event 5:
Favourite handmade personality/group forwarding kindness through handmaking
Event 6:
Favourite thrifty-forward, sustainable-minded blog, shop or site
Event 7:
Favourite FUN-FILLED handmade OR vintage goodie
Event 8:
Favourite handmaking-focus blog

Like I said, this is my kind of competition, unfortunately I don’t qualify for any of these events. Why, you ask? Because, Kristal was kind enough to ask me to judge event number 2 - Favourite handmade goodie for kids!

Learn how to nominate your own work and/or the work of someone else for consideration by reading the rules. Nominations are accepted through January 31st, after which the judges in each event narrow the selection down to ten entries - and then the voting begins!  Now, go join in the olympic fun (no training necessary!)

Thomas Clark cut his first paper snowflake in 1987 and since that time has created a veritable blizzard. In fact, this retired University of Michigan physician is so prolific that he’s garnered the moniker ‘Dr. Snowflake.’ His snowflakes eschew their natural geometric forms for representational images. Every flurry tells a story, illustrating Shakespearean sonnets to Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales. His current exhibition at the U of M Hospital depicts the biblical stories of Exodus and the Flood, running now through February 8.

If you’re interested in snowflake cutting basics for kids, folding techniques and patterns (a little less elaborate than Dr. Snowflake’s) visit PaperSnowflakes.com.  And a great site that allows you to create snowflakes online and work out your own patterns is Barkley’s Make-A-Flake. Download your handiwork, email snowflakes to friends or add them to the online galllery. Below are a few examples by Make-A-Flake users:

A new year means it’s time for a new calendar! There are so many great options and for 2010.  But to keep you on track with your budget resolutions I’ve assembled a nice little selection of calendars that you download and print at home. Each would look great in the family room, play room, kitchen or nursery and they’re nominally priced at around $5. each.

Our pals over at 3EyedBear have generously made available the ingenious Time-Manager, part paper toy, part calendar and 100% free. What’s that you say? FREE.  How nice is that!?  I printed mine this evening and in about a half hour had assembled the best dressed block-head calendar I’ve ever seen.

Simple and sweet animal silhouette images adorn this printable PDF calendar by Printable Project. $5.  [You'll find another equally charming (not pictured below) animal silhouette calendar by Camille Chung here.]

This nicely formatted blank calendar by A Little Hut allows you and/or Junior to decorate each month as you please! $5.

Two smartly styled text-only calendars from govango:top, bottom. $5. each.

M. Andrea Carreiro’s Somewhere over the Rainbow calendar is sweetly illustrated with Wizard of Oz inspired characters. $5.

Bold and basic Color Spectrum Calendar from Paper Tiger Design Co. $5.

And I’m head over heels for the beautiful Mibo Studio calendar - each month’s illustration is lovelier than the last! $4.50

A print and color calendar by African Grey depicting tide pool scenes. $9.