A Bold Fold (or so I'm told)

I've discovered something about myself. I have these artistic urges, but I'm not really an artistic person. However, I AM very good at following patterns or designs that someone else has already figured out. I may have found the perfect hobby for myself: Iris Folding. Ever heard of it? I think it's actually considered a type of origami but the results can be used in some pretty snazzy ways, such as in the greeting card below.
 

Image by campbelj45ca via Flickr

Of course if you actually WANT to have paper cranes, swans and ducks all over your house, you should stick to origami.

Image via Wikipedia

I don't need this, do you?

For a good overview of Iris Folding, check out this page on Squidoo. 

I did my first small project this weekend after finding a little kit for this balloon at Stamping Cat Studio here in Salem.

It isn't perfect - I made all the usual beginner's mistakes, like accidentally gluing my fingers together - but I learned a lot and next time I'll know what I'm doing. 

Iris Folding has a lot going for it, for example:

1. It isn't nearly as hard as it looks, so you can impress people. ("WOW" is a common response. That either means they really like your creation or they can't believe you spend your time folding paper.)
2. It gives you an excuse to look for interesting pieces of colored paper (otherwise known as "trash")  everywhere you go. Experience the joy of discovery, like a magpie finding some dryer lint for his nest.
3. You cannot eat while doing this. Anything that keeps me from eating is a good thing. 
4. REAL greeting cards are very expensive nowadays. Make your own and save thousands. The more you make, the more you save, or something.
5. When a friend asks "What have you been doing lately?" you will actually have an answer other than "oh, nothing much", making you instantly less boring.

In my next post we will once again travel to far distant lands, but I did want to spend this artistic moment with you. They happen so seldom.