The Pea got started with origami when she was in first grade. Her amazing first-grade teacher realized all the educational benefits of origami -- it helps students with mathematical reasoning, spacial reasoning, following sequences, fractions, geometry, as well as enhancing fine motor skills, patience and attention to detail -- so not a week went by that The Pea went home with some origami creation or another. She's got quite an origami repertoire now, but even though she has a couple of origami books she hasn't really gotten back into it -- until we were invited to review Klutz's new craft book, Fashion Origami. Now she has a book that shows her how to fold dresses, purses, shoes and more, she's on fire!
The Basics
Klutz's Fashion Origami book lets girls create beautiful fashion items using the Japanese art of paper folding, origami. The book contains step-by-step instructions, beautifully printed origami paper, sequins, ribbon and glue.
Here's how Klutz describes Fashion Origami:
Turn single sheets of paper into sassy fashions that are anything but flat. Super-clear, step-by-step instructions show how to fold ten unique pieces, from party dresses to pajamas. The results are cute, cool, and uniquely dimensional. Custom-designed origami paper in an array of bold and bright patterns gives each project an up-to-date look — a fabulous fusion of fresh style and timeless craft. The included sequins, ribbon, and glue make it easy to add your own flair.
The Bongga
What a great concept for a Klutz book! I've seen origami books that provide instructions for animals (and Klutz already has a great Origami book), but this book really goes right to the heart of many girls' interests -- fashion. The projects in Fashion Origami are adorable, which means every girl is going to want to create one, and they're far more likely to keep using it.
The book takes things one step further by providing sequins, ribbon and glue, which The Pea loves since she can really bling her creations out. The results are nothing short of amazing:
I really think The Pea has me beat on this one; I really couldn't do any better. She's enjoys folding and decorating dresses and purses much more than she ever enjoyed folding rabbits and stars and cranes, and it makes me feel good that all the while she's folding, she's also learning, learning, learning. And she can keep using Origami Fashions even after the origami paper is gone. We can always buy more paper, but this book is irreplacable!
The Blah
The Pea had quite a difficult time with folding those shoes, and she said she would have liked it if each project had included a difficulty rating (i.e. 5 stars for expert folders, 1 star for beginners, etc..). To be fair, the origami shoe project did say that it was a difficult project, but I agree with The Pea: a star rating would be an easy, visual way for kids to know which projects they are comfortable attempting.
The Bottom Line
Klutz Fashions Origami combines girls' love of fashion with the exquisite art of origami. It's a wonderful way to occupy their time and develop crucial math, fine motor, behavioral skills. Parents will love the way this book exercises their daughter's creativity and sparks her imagination!
Enjoy a Free Origami Craft from Klutz!
Here's a fun, free project to get you started with fashion origami. Click here to download and print everything you need to fold a beautiful origami coat: step-by-step illustrated instructions and patterned paper included!
Win It!
One lucky Bonggamom Finds Reader will be chosen to receive a copy of Fashion Origami by Klutz! To enter, simply visit the Klutz website, then come back here and tell me which other Klutz books would catch your child's fancy (this is the required entry and must be completed for any extra entries to count).
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):
1) Sign up to be a Klutz Insider and leave a comment here telling me the email address you used to sign up.
2) Become a fan of Bonggamom Finds on Facebook (leave a comment with your FB id).
3) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(leave a comment with your Blogger profile name).
4) Tweet this giveaway (leave a comment with a link to your tweet). Here is a sample tweet you can copy and paste:
Win a Klutz Origami Fashions book from @bonggafinds! http://ow.ly/1pqHm #giveaway
Maximum of 5 entries per person. This giveaway ends at midnight PST on April 6, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on April 7 and post the winner's name as soon as the winner confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!
Disclosure: I received a complimentary product sample, but was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Unless clearly stated, the views and opinions expressed here are my own.
I think my girls would have fun with Fingerprint Fabulous. We love these books!
ReplyDeleteI am a follower (anncrabs)
ReplyDeleteI think I'd like The Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes but I know my granddaughter would love to try origami.
ReplyDeleteI tweeted.
ReplyDeletehttp://twitter.com/slmiresse/status/10925318281
I'm a facebook fan (sandy miresse)
ReplyDeleteThe Klutz Book of Animation looks fun
ReplyDeleteveniceangel@hotmail.com
I think my daughter would like The Spiral Draw Book. Thanks.
ReplyDeletepartymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
tweeted
ReplyDeletehttp://twitter.com/partymix25/status/10994574347
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
We would have fun with the Window Art.
ReplyDeleteBlog Follower!
ReplyDeleteso many fun books! would also love the Friendship Bracelets one. What a great rainy day project
ReplyDeletecopperllama at yahoo dot com
facebook fan
ReplyDeletecopperllama at yahoo dot com
Jaime Payne
blogger follower
ReplyDeletecopperllama at yahoo dot com
My son would love the Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes.
ReplyDeleteglossy bands
ReplyDeleteMy child would like the Bead Loom Bracelets.
ReplyDeletemonster6236(at)gmail(dot)com
tweet http://twitter.com/5memb/status/11243901636
ReplyDeletemonster6236(at)gmail(dot)com
My daughter would love the Good Growing book.
ReplyDeletechoateorama(at)gmail(dot)com
My kids would like fingerprint fabulous book
ReplyDeletekerrie@mayansfamily.com
I had the Incredible Clay Book when I was a kid, and I'm so glad they still sell it! My niece would love it, she's really gotten into crafting lately.
ReplyDeleteKlutz insider
ReplyDeletedecadent87 at gmail dot com
tweet - http://twitter.com/jsoldham/status/11327874162
ReplyDeleteMy three year old granddaughter would have fun with The Mermaid Palace kit.
ReplyDeletesmchester at gmail dot com
I follow you on Blogger as sweetsue.
ReplyDeletesmchester at gmail dot com
My daughter would also enjoy the Super Simple Sewing book.
ReplyDeleteThe Book of animation sounds great!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance.
mogrill@comcast.net
I'm a fan of BF on FB! :)
ReplyDelete(Heather S Chaffer)
h4schaffer at gmail dot com
I follow on Blogger as Heather!.
ReplyDeleteh4schaffer at gmail dot com
Hmmm...must have had an error, 'cause I just looked and my first entry isn't showing here. (??) I think my stepdaughter would LOVE the Doodle Journal! (Think I'd love it too...looks so cool!)
ReplyDeleteThanks!
h4schaffer at gmail dot com
My daughter already has the Paper Fashions, so I'm guessing the next one she'd love is the Fashion Origami :)
ReplyDeleteChristine
tintinalex@hotmail.com
The Spiral Draw Book.
ReplyDeletedjeanq(at)gmail(dot)com
My daughter would love Fuzzy Little Monkeys.
ReplyDeletehafner611{AT}gmail{DOT}com
I'm a follower.
ReplyDeleteMy son would love the LEGO® Crazy Action Contraptions.
ReplyDeleteerma.hurtt@sbcglobal.net
Dress Up Your Own Paper Pups would definitely catch my daughters eye.
ReplyDeleteMy kids would love the paper airplanes book.
ReplyDeleteeddingsfamily@prodigy.net
The Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes!
ReplyDeletetheyyyguy@yahoo.com
I like the Paper Fashions!
ReplyDeleteDraw Thumb People looks like fun!
ReplyDeleteMy kids would also like the LEGO Crazy Action Contraptions.
ReplyDeletepurehrt555(At)yahoo(dot)com
Which other Klutz books would catch my child's fancy:
ReplyDeleteDoodle Journal
Doodle Faces
My Style Studio: Design & Trace Your Own Fashions
Fractiles - 7, Travel-size edition
The Spiral Draw Book
Quilting
Paper Fashions
Paper Fashions Fancy
Create Anything With Clay
The Only Coloring, Puzzle, Game, Dot-to Dot Activity Book You'll Ever Need
Stencil Art
Lettering, in Crazy Cool Quirky Style
Fingerprint Fabulous
The Most Amazing Thumb Doodles Book
Draw Thumb Things
Paper Fashions Fantasy
Super Simple Sewing
prizehound7@yahoo.com
Cat's Cradle is always fun!
ReplyDeleteclarkmurdock@yahoo.com
My daughter would like the Super Simple Sewing.
ReplyDeletedonna444444@yahoo.com
I am a Klutz insider.
ReplyDeletedonna444444@yahoo.com
I am a follower.
ReplyDeletedonna444444@yahoo.com
I follow on facebook.
ReplyDeletedonna444444@yahoo.com
Window Art looks very interesting!
ReplyDeleteI signed up to be a Klutz Insider with the email address lilyk@mail2world.com.
ReplyDeleteI became your Facebook fan under the name Lily Kwan/likwan.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to the winner: #2, AnnCrabs!
ReplyDeletei must say really very nice and fantastic post blog here I must I love fashion here i must mention my favorite brand of shoes I like doc martens boots
ReplyDeleteoutstanding blog thanks for it
ReplyDeletehere I want to say with out shoes
fashion is incomplete
if you are fashion lover and shoes crazy then you should check the Fly London shoes collection
ReplyDeleteAw so cute!! I love origami and those little shapes looks really pretty!!! I want to learn how make origami shapes!
ReplyDelete