Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding. By making simple folds in a certain order, a piece of paper is transformed into a work of art. All origami designs are based on the use of a perfectly square piece of paper. Traditional origami paper is lightweight, and is usually printed in a solid color or pattern on one side, and is plain white on the other side.

Although there are modern masters of origami who invent original designs, origami is, for the most part, a traditional craft. The designs we make today are the same as those that have been made for hundreds of years. No one knows the exact source of these designs or who invented them. They have been passed down through generations, with only slight changes over very long stretches of time.

People of all ages enjoy origami. Books on the subject contain projects so simple that young children can have the satisfaction of completing them, and projects with so many steps and folds that experienced adults are challenged.

Many animals can be made with origami techniques: swans, frogs, pigs, dogs, and elephants are just a few of the creatures that can spring out of a folded piece of paper. But once you or your child has created a paper menagerie, what do you do with them all?

Use needle and thread and a plastic drinking straw or two and the best of the animals to create an origami mobile. Suspend it from a light fixture or ceiling fan where the animals are out of harm's way, but easily seen.

Then, move on. There is more to origami than making paper animals. Another way to approach the art of paper folding is to think of unusual ways to utilize the simplest of designs, as in the following project.

Strings of tiny twinkle lights used to be seen in our homes only at Christmas. But they bring such cheer to a dark window that many people enjoy having them up all year long. Along with the popularity of the strings of lights came all different styles of covers for them. Now you can use your origami skills to make some yourself.

This is a perfect family project. The cup that forms the light cover is very simple to make. And you will need lots of them, so help will be welcome!

The bright clear colors of the origami paper are welcome at this time of year. Use all different colors, as shown here, or choose ones that coordinate with the furnishings of your room.

And lights aren't just for windows. Drape a strand across a powder room mirror, or across the headboard of a child's bed. The college student in your family will appreciate the way a strand of lights can cheer up a bland dorm room.

TIPS:

The light covers shown are made from 5 inch X 5 inch squares of origami paper. If your paper is larger, use a straightedge to tear the paper into 5" squares. Don't worry about slight roughness to the paper's edge -- this will not show in the finished cover.
Try using other lightweight papers such as printed or solid colored gift-wrapping paper. Using semi-transparent paper from the card store will yield different results. Or make these light covers from the newspaper's classified ads or comics for a funky look.
Never leave these or any other strings of lights plugged in when you are not there. Paper light covers are for indoor use only.

YOU WILL NEED:

40 sheets of 5" X 5" origami paper
1 strand of 20 twinkle lights, preferably with white or clear cord
straightedge
hole punch

DIRECTIONS:

To make the origami cups that form the light covers, go online to the Website www.origami-usa.org. There under the heading "Things to Fold," you will find instructions for folding the cups. Make as shown, but use a double layer of origami paper, colored sides out, to make each cup.
Make 20 cups. To make them into light covers, proceed through the final steps.
Before opening the cup, crease it down the center (figure7).
Use hole punch to punch two overlapping holes into bottom of cup.
Open the cup, pinch the bottom up into two points..
Pop the light covers over the lights, pushing the cups up over the "necks" of the lights.