Origami: The Art of Paper Folding (ISBN 1592231934)

Book Description:
Anyone who entertains knows that for a special occasion the dinner table should look really sensational. Decorations with a personal touch are always worth the effort, and with this book a host or hostess can make simple, step-by-step origami projects that will add color, style, and fun to their table settings. Invitations, place cards, serving boxes for nuts and sweetmeats, individual gift boxes, and flowers for decoration are only a few of the elegant items covered in this book. The kit contains sheets of art paper, pre-printed with easy-to-follow instructions, from which a stylish gift box can be made.

Gem of a book:
Gay Merrill Gross has done it again. This gem of a book has delightful projects that are so clearly diagrammed and explained that success is all but guaranteed. No special paper is needed so once the supply that comes with the book was exhausted, memo cube paper, copy paper etc. made for charming results. The picture index at the back is particularly helpful and the full color plates are inspiring. Also, there are diagrams for everything pictured in the book and on the covers.

Delightful:
This is a delightful little book. The only negative I have to offer is that it comes--in a growing tradition--grossly over packaged. Although described as "hardbound," in fact it is a soft bound book of 64 pages inserted into a hardbound cover which includes a huge plastic pack that would easily accomodate about 200 sheets origami paper. There are only 25 sheets, however. While I admit that this would allow the enthusiast to store additional sheets safely, I feel that the intent was more to impress the purchaser. That always irritates me, irrational as that may seem. That said, however, I have to admit that there is very little to complain about. 25 sheets of origami paper might easily cost a dollar or two, depending upon variety, so the book, it's admittedly attractive packaging, and the paper are very reasonably priced. Most of the designs are rework of those seen elsewhere, but the updates are attractive. Even more attractive are the author's suggestions for use. So often one finds very clever folding patterns with little apparent application. I admit that to the purist, the challenge of the design is an end in itself, but I'm one of those practical types who needs to find a "use" for most crafts. Ms Gross seems to have the same turn of mind, for she has presented a wide variety of suggestions. There is something here for almost everyone. For the flower enthusiast, there are several floral arrangements, and several clever containers for them. For the card maker, there are a number of very clever objects intended for cards, placecards and envelopes. For the scrapbook crafter, there are a number of items that might well decorate your pages. For the purse maker, there is a lovely handbag, a little coinpurse, and a small book suitable for an address book. For the book crafter, there is a design for a small book that might be made to any size desired. For those who like making their own ornaments, there are several items that would make delightful Christmas ornaments. If you enjoy making clever toys and moveable objects there is a totally magnificent "slinky." All in all a delightful little volume.

PLEASE WRITE MORE BOOKS LIKE THIS!:
This author seems to have a talent for selecting the most appealing designs and pairing them with the clearest to follow instructions. Every model in this book offers a bonus of being both functional and fun. I used beautiful Japanese paper to make the Paper Pouch and gave these as gifts to friends to use as a card case for credit cards and business cards. I taught my nephew how to make the case and he immediately used it to hold his library card and bus pass. Now he wants to make one for each of his friends. Following the Notebook instructions, I used a map to make the cover for a travel journal for my frequently traveling friend. My niece made the same Notebook with a cover folded from giftwrap and used it as an autograph book at her grade school graduation. My favorite project in the book is the Basket of Flowers. This colorful arrangement is made entirely of paper and requires no glue or tape or wire. It's easy to make and makes a lovely hostess or thank you gift, or to cheer up a sick friend. I am looking forward to trying the Heart and Flower greeting cards - these are cleverly created without a drop of glue! The book even shows you how to make a clever origami envelope. If you do scrapbooking or make handmade cards, there are many designs in this book that will add unique touches to personalize your pages. There is a flat version of the Flower Basket, a wreath that can be used as an ornament or a picture frame, and a clever Envelope that can be attached to a scrapbook page to hold small mementos. In the final pages are several action toy origami models: a Spinner, a Fluttering Butterfly, a Beating Heart, and a Flapping Parrot. For a party table or gift-giving there are wonderful boxes: colorful Nesting Petal Boxes, a Vase for the clever Flower fold, and an ingenious Gift Box. This book is a wonderful introduction for someone who has never folded before and also perfect for the experienced folder looking for new models to delight themselves and others. The beautiful color photos show how creative use of paper can add to the appeal of each design. This is the fourth origami book I have purchased by this author; I eagerly await the next one.

An excellent selection of innovative origami models:
In Origami: The Art of Paper Folding, Gay Merrill Gross offers an excellent selection of innovative, simple but splendid origami models, several of which are her own creations. A concise introduction to terms, symbols, and folding techniques plus clear diagrams made using standard origami notation make the step-by-step instructions easy to follow. This book includes models that can be made with one piece of paper -with suggestions on variations, such as a charming flapping bird; and a few models that are made with two or more pieces of paper. I particularly enjoyed the kitty, made by folding and ingeniously assembling two pieces of paper. There are complete instructions for all the models shown on the cover, and inside you will also find photos for all the other models being taught. This book comes together with colorful origami paper, and although the whole package becomes a little bulky, the elegance of the models and the expertise of the author makes it a worthwhile book. I will recommend it as a solid introduction to the delightful world of paper folding for people of all ages, or as great addition to the library of any origami enthusiast.

Origami: The Art of Paperfolding:
You can never go wrong with a Gay Merrill Gross origami book. After viewing the photos of the models, you will want to fold everything in the book. The diagrams and text are clear and easy to follow. This book comes with good quality paper and a nice storage area for you to keep it in. The models range from playful, to decorative, to useful and are all fairly easy--a good book for a beginner.