I'm making a wish for peace in 2010 - for the world, for my family and friends including all of you, and for myself.
The paper crane is a symbol of peace. In 2001, I gave out paper crane ornaments (like the one in my current header) as my holiday cards, and this year I'm planning to make one daily - at the end of the year I'll turn them into something cool and auction the resulting piece for a donation to a peace-related charity (not sure which one yet).
The cranes are easy to make once you get the hang of them. A google search will reveal many, many tutorials for making them, including this animated diagram one here (I think it's pretty easy to follow.) Adding some beads makes the cranes hang a little better and look good as a stand-alone mobile. I use jewelry wire threaded through a long needle (large enough to fit through the body of the crane, from the center to the point on the top). The first bead can be a charm or dangling bead, and you can add others or just pass the wire through the body. You can also put more beads above if you like, or just make a loop in the wire to thread a ribbon through for hanging. For the last few years, I've made these often, and I keep them on a branch in my living room; if I need a quick gift for a visitor or to enclose in a note, I just grab one.
For several years, I've been making the cranes mostly from recycled papers (like the ones in the photos above). Here are a few close-ups of some from last year (though I apologize for all these crappy pix). These ones are from security envelopes:
And these are made from (left to right): a page in a magazine, a map, and a calendar page.
There are several excellent children's books about paper cranes, including this one by Rosemary Wells, one of my favorite author-illustrators. Yoko makes cranes to stay connected to her grandparents who live far away, which is a nice use for your cr
3 Comments on Peace in the New Year, last added: 1/4/2010
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Wow, Carol, what an interesting post to start off the new year with. I didn't know the paper crane was a symbol of peace and I'd completely forgotten Sadako's story.
A single paper crane a day culminating in a charity donation sounds like a wonderfully unique new year's goal.
Although I have a funny picture in my head of the clock ticking loudly and you sprawled semi comotose on the floor surrounded by paper cranes :o)
Good Luck for 2010!
Maureen. www.thepizzagang.com
Great easy directions for the origami crane, thanks Carol!
You have inspired me to borrow Sadako from our Library! Chele x
Lovely post! And beautiful cranes! I have never made a crane, but treasure the one Diane made me for Christmas 20 years ago. I usually leave it out so it can sit on a branch somewhere in the house all year long!