This little heart box is my attempt to organise my desktop with a few recycled boxes. For the first one, tried out a heart box. The base is made from cardboard, since I wasn't too sure I would be capable of weaving a heart shaped base!! 😄😄 The heart-shaped cardboard was covered with newspaper that was then painted the same colour as the tubes.

Based on the size of the box, I started with tubes placed at an interval of 1.5 cms. I find this is the ideal placement of tubes. I tried 2 cms distance but I found the weaving to be too spaced out. Smaller distances makes weaving difficult for me! So 1.5 cms it is.

After that, it was a very simple weave with 2 tubes. Finishing off was also pretty easy. Then it was just a matter of glazing the box to give me a really hard and sturdy heart-shaped organiser for my desk.

Model Details:

Model: Heart Shaped Desk Organiser

Difficulty Level: High Intermediate

Tutorial (making newspaper tubes): Youtube

Tutorial for making the edge: Youtube

Since I am fairly confident of making circular dishes using newspaper weaving, I decided to venture a little further and try my hand at other shapes. The model I had readily available with me was a square dish, so I decided to use that to make these knick-knack dishes.

I made a series of them. The first was made using pastel coloured newspaper tubes, that were actually left-overs from previous projects. I must say I was pleasantly surprised by how well it turned out!

For the next couple, I used a mix of brown and yellow tubes with the newspaper print visible. I have come to realise that people are more attracted to the products which show the print, rather than those made from the plain, coloured tubes. I guess when the print is visible, it provides additional proof that it is really made from paper? I don't know, that is just a guess 😀

Anyway, I have also developed a liking for these rolls, so I hope to make more products using similar paper. For now, I am happy with the way these dishes have turned out. The brown ones have been confiscated as soon as they were done - apparently my brother absolutely needs them to organise his office desk!  And the pastel one has, naturally, been taken over by Little Miss. So that was that. 3 dishes done and I still lack dishes to organise my own desk! 😄

This heart dish is a modular dish, made from 4 squares. An apt origami for Valentine's Day I thought. I am not able to find out the creator of this model. The youtube tutorial that I referred to, mentions that it is Tomoko Fuse, but unfortunately I am not able to find this model under her name on the Origami database. And well, whether the creator IS Tomoko Fuse or not, it is still a good one to fold, especially for a day of love.

Origami paper might be a bit too thin for the heart bowl. Printer paper or gift wrapper, about 80 gsm or so should result in a good, not-so-flimsy dish. Fill it with some hearts and it should make a very nice, unique, handmade gift :)

Model Details:

Model: Heart Dish

Creator: Tomoko Fuse

Difficulty Level: Low Intermediate

Paper Ratio: Square

Paper Size: 4 inches

Model Size: ~1.5 inches tall and 4 inches across

Modules: 4

Tutorial: Youtube

This Cherry Blossom dish is made from 5 squares and includes glueing. It is quick to make and comes out looking really good. I didn't really like the choice of paper I had used but I did manage to make it.

There is a kusudama, made from these units as well. It is a dodecahedron (a 12 pentagon ball) and is made up of 12 flowers, each with 10 petals. So it is made of 120 modules! A bit too much for me right now :)

Model Details:

Model: Cherry Blossom Dish 

Origin: Traditional

Difficulty Level: Low Intermediate

Paper Ratio: Square

Paper Size: 4 inches

Modules: 5

Instructions: Origami-Instructions

Tutorial (for making the Cherry Blossom Kusudama): Youtube