FOLDED CURIOSITIES

Are you looking for ideas on what to use as inserts in books, on cards, or just for general art work? If so, then the April workshop of Folded Curiosities, taught by Sandy Vrem, is for you. These Curiosities will include: Impossible Objects, Flexagons, Quadragons, Wow Folds and a Woven Accordion Flexagon Book. We will make prototypes so you will have models that you can use to explore other possible structures and unique decorating ideas. Sandy says "be ready to measure accurately and be prepared to do some trimming!" Patterns will be sent to you with the link for Zooming when you RSVP (contact information in the newsletter). You will need to print the patterns on appropriate paper and cut them out so we can have time to put them together. 

Here is an assortment of the various structures.

These are the Impossible Objects

Materials for the impossible Objects: 

Print out the Three (3) patterns on cardstock with the same color on both sides.

Flexagon

Materials for Flexagons:

Print out the three (3) patterns on text weight paper (computer/printer paper)

Quadragon

Materials for Quadragons:

Cut out four (4) pieces of cardstock 2" x 4" and cut out two (2) cardstock circles that are 4" in diameter.

Wow Folds

Materials for Wow Folds:

Cut out three (3) text weight paper squares 6" x 6" and cut out four (4) text weight paper squares 4" x 4".

Woven Accordion Flexagon Book

Above book opened

Materials for Woven Accordion Flexagon Book:

Cut one (1) piece of cardstock to 10" x 8" for the accordion, and two (2) pieces of text weight paper 2 1/2" x 8" for the woven strips.

Tools and other materials:

Pencil, eraser, scissors, craft knife with sharp blade, ruler, cutting mat, scoring tool, bone folder, clear tape or masking tape, glue stick, double sided tape, colored pencils or crayons in four different contrasting colors. Have a few extra sheets of text weight paper handy in case we have time to make more.

WHEN:   Saturday April 10 at 10 a.m. PST

WHERE: On your computer, tablet, or smartphone via Zoom

RSVP:    YES! to Dolores Guffey by April 2 to receive password and instructions

Workshop questions: Sandy Vrem

Zoom questions: Bobbie Hayes

Contact information for everyone is in the newsletter.

*Exciting News*

Check back here on April 1 (No Fooling!) for information about an upcoming collaborative project opportunity.

A WOW FROM MARGARET!

Since we, and most of the world, are staying home in hope of flattening the curve of coronavirus cases, this blog will strive to offer some comments on activities as well as projects from some of our members. We will try to update the blog every two weeks, so be sure to check in for new ideas as well as information about when regular NORBAG workshops will resume.

Our member from York, England, Margaret Beech, has always generously shared her ideas with us. Margaret takes simple structures and elevates them into beautiful works of art. If you subscribe to Bound and Lettered magazine you’ve probably seen some of Margaret’s projects. Below we offer Margaret’s version of a WOW fold and an envelope to go with it. She encourages you “to make something, pop it into an envelope and mail it to a friend as a Random Act of Kindness during the current time of national crisis and social isolation.”

This WOW fold uses a 20 cm square of paper and fits exactly into a 10 cm square card. (U.S. measurements would be 8" for a 4" card, however any size square will work and just adjust the card accordingly.) Margaret says, “I am not suggesting you should make anything very sophisticated — just something that will fit into an envelope to be mailed. You may prefer just to make a square greeting card with a square of your own decorated paper on the front. Or a square card with a tiny envelope on the front, perhaps with a tiny card with a cheer up or greeting. I would encourage you to make your own greetings cards generally. I always have a store of them (birthday, get well, thinking of you, sending love, new home etc.) and can honestly say I have not bought a commercial card for over thirty years –think how much money I have saved! And you could too!”

The WOW structure fits exactly into the card so Margaret suggests
 for an 8" WOW you might want to use a 4.5" square card. 

WOW opened

Back of card

Thank you Margaret for sharing your worksheets with us.

New Year's WOW

Let's kick off 2016 with an original WOW creation from Margaret Beech, our NORBAG member who lives in York, England. Dolores Guffey will stand in for Margaret to teach the workshop. It is a double-sided concertina with WOW explosion folds on both sides and decorated with a multitude of circles in vibrant colors. This structure can be made in any size and with any type of punch designs. ALL papers will be provided--you just need to bring your creativity.

Book closed

Book open

Materials to Bring:

• Your imagination
• X-Acto knife or Craft knife
• Scissors
• Cutting mat (or magazine or phone book on which to cut)
• Small paper punches (there will be some to share at the meeting). Circle punches in various sizes from 1/4" to 2" as well as any other punches in any shapes in these sizes.
• Bone folder
• FRESH glue stick (there will be a lot of gluing)
• Waste paper for gluing
• Glue rag with a small container for water to keep the rag damp

When:     Saturday January 9, 12 Noon
Where:    Eureka Methodist Church at Del Norte & F Streets
RSVP:      YES!!! Absolutely necessary as there are a lot of papers to be pre-cut. Please call or email Dolores no later than Tuesday, January 5. Her contact information is in the newsletter.
Cost:        $1.00