Posts Tagged paper crafts

Paper Universes

Posted by Danielle in Crafts & Hobbies on May 26, 2010

Copernican System paper model Ptolemaic System paper model

One of the things I adore about the Japanese is their near-magical ability to transform, manipulate and just plain BUILD with paper. Take this person, for example, who has concocted mechanical paper models that move, including the astronomical models shown here. A delightful project for children and adults — download the printable PDFs here (zip file, 4.4 Mb. Thanks to Debbye for sending me all the files!) The instructions have lots of diagrams, so you should get by without a reading knowledge of Japanese. (I hope!)

Copernican System paper model, in action Ptolemaic System paper model, in action

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Crafty Star Wars

Posted by Danielle in Crafts & Hobbies on April 5, 2010

R2D2 Amigurumi

Credit: Lucy Collins (LucyRavenscar/Angry Angel) / All Rights Reserved

I will always be a Star Wars geek. Yes, I like Star Trek, but it’s not like you can crochet a USS Enterprise amigurumi… well, ok, maybe you can, but, point being, there’s lots of things to craft when it comes to the Star Wars universe, and I am not seeing a bunch of Star Trek crafts online. You see? Star Wars WINS. Ahem. ANYWAY. I flipped when I saw these amigurumi at Geek Dad, especially Chewie here. Chewie, you are adorable and totally worth buying a $3.50 pattern so I can create you myself. (You can buy all ten patterns on Etsy.)

Chewbacca Amigurumi

Credit: Lucy Collins (LucyRavenscar/Angry Angel) / All Rights Reserved

Another item in the amazing crafts department is this metro-ticket X-Wing fighter:

Star Wars X-Wing Fighter made from old Paris Metro tickets

Credit: Hubert de Lartigue

It’s a thing of beauty, truly. (I love the X-Wing.) Them being Paris metro tickets makes them that much cooler, I admit.

Last but certainly not least: not really a craft, but LEGO art of the most charming sort. A cross between Star Wars and the utmost in British sensibilities, the cup of TEA. The creator has made the two Keep Calm and Carry On posters available for sale as cards and posters: Imperial version | Rebel version

Keep Calm by Balakov on Flickr

Credit: Balakov @ Flickr

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Paper Astronaut

Posted by Danielle in Books & Literature, Children's Items on December 11, 2009

Paper AstronautI found this little gem over in the craft section of the nearest Barnes & Noble. Paper Astronaut: The Paper Spacecraft Mission Manual is packed full of information, with some punch-outs in the back to assemble various spacecraft. I was surprised by how much of the book was info, and how relatively little of it was craft materials — it’s even got a foreword by Buzz Aldrin! It certainly wasn’t what I expected to find in the collage and papercraft section, and I’m delighted by how educational it is (speaking from experience with space-themed origami books and the like.)

This review sums it up pretty well:

“By the time you’re finished assembling paper models of spacecraft from the book’s meticulously die-cut blueprints, you’ll be intimately familiar with many of the details of 20 different iconic spacecraft, as well as the broad arc of space exploration history and the basic principles of spaceflight. It’s not exactly rocket science, but it’s certainly a blast.” ~SeedMagazine.com

I don’t often plug things so heavily, but if I had a little space cadet, I’d be buying them this for Christmas. It utterly charmed me — a delightful gift for any age!

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Retro Rockets scrap paper pack

Posted by Danielle in Crafts & Hobbies on June 13, 2008

Retro Rockets scrap paper pack

An Etsy find for Friday — all I can say is that I’d use every piece of this stuff. Every. Piece.

This is a collection of 50 scraps inspired by science-fiction style space travel. Included in this bag are pieces of colored and patterned paper, tags, tabs, brads, labels, vintage book illustrations, stickers, die cuts, printed scrapbooking bits, chipboard embellishments, tracing paper and anything else that seemed to fit the theme.

Add some “good-old-fashioned” artistic inspiration to you sketchbook, alter an old book, make up some sweet cards, glue your way to a fabulous collage, or outfit a highly original scrapbook!

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