The Origami Shirt - A Personal Gift Card for Dad

My children have enjoyed making this Origami Gift Card for dad.  Each one can be personalized with it's own special message inside the shirt. The shirt works best on quality gift wrap -- preferably without the printed graph on the reverse of many wrapping papers today.  Practice on a plain piece of paper until you've mastered it.  I've tried to make it as easy as possible with pictures and descriptions of what to do.  Be sure to read the instructions so you know when to turn the paper over -- otherwise you may get confused.  I still find origami very fun and fulfilling.

Start with a square sheet of gift wrap. This one is 8.5 x 8.5

Cut the square in half.  You will use only one (& have an extra one too.)

On left, fold over about 1/4" (start of collar)

Turn paper over.  Fold in half, then unfold

Fold up the bottom and top to meet center fold.

Take center layers and fold outwards a little.

Open up the paper leaving the center folds still in place.

Fold right to meet left edge & put just a little crease on middle fold with index finger.

Open up paper.  You will have small vertical crease mark  in center.

Fold right end to meet that center crease.

Fold your top and bottom folds back in now.

Take your center layers and fold out as shown -- sleeves.

Turn it over and when you do, it should look like this.

Now give that collar section another fold over.

Now turn it back over.

Fold down left edges (collar) at an angle to meet each other at center.

Fold the right edge up and tuck it nicely under the collar.  Voila!

Attach to card stock and decorate.  Put a little message inside if you'd like ;-)

see:  Little Boot Napkin Fold
see:  Swan Napkin Fold

Jack's Craft: Bumble Bee Foam Visor Summer Craft Project

Bumble Bee Visor Summer Craft Project

I was recently asked to help in my son's class with a summer craft project.  I wasn't sure what to have 18 little people make, but after having a look around I settled on this sweet Bumble Bee Foam Visor from Family Crafts.  It takes around 20 minutes to complete and is do-able for 4 years and up.  I had a little practice go and found that it's really quite simple.  Craft Foam is easy to cut and work with.  

You'll have to make your own wing pattern, but I used a visor template from firstpalette.com so I wouldn't have to purchase a kit.  The template requires elastic, which I like better for quality and fit.  You can get 3 visors from a large sheet of foam or 1 from a small sheet.  Many thanks to Farmily Crafts and First Palette for providing a fun summer art project that is very useful!

Hint:  I took a ruler and slid my scissors down the black foam, leaving indentations for the children to cut their strips. 

Here are some other Foam Visor Ideas.
see:  Hello Bumble Bee Bat: World's Smallest Mammal