library session, origami folding resources and references

This post accompanies a live origami "Paper to Pin" folding session offered at the Strathcona County Library.

During the session, folds are taught live and by demonstration. It is an analogue, embodied, traditional knowledge experience supported by the web, not replaced by it.

The links below are provided as optional references for participants who would like to revisit the forms later.

They point to external resources with diagrams or guides that are free to view and good for beginners.

Patterns explored today:

* Simple Origami Cup at Origami Club

* Heart Pendant at Origami Club

* Tanzaku (traditional, unpublished)

* Mini Zine at Migra Whistle

Note: 

*Many variations of these origami models exist; these links are offered as starting points rather than definitive instructions. 

* You are welcome to bookmark or explore these pages on your own time if you want to practice a fold again or make more origami models at home.

Origami Pattern References

This link leads to diagrams and folding guides for simple paper forms like hearts, cups, and more:

Origami Club — Diagram Library 

Origami Club is an index of a large collection of origami diagrams, folding animations and videos that you can explore by category and by western and Japanese seasonal holidays (animals, objects, basic shapes, Valentine's Day, Star Festival etc. ).

Zine Folding Instructions

Migra Whistle

Fold a single sheet of paper into an 8-page mini-zine using this beginner friendly guide.

This page includes downloadable zine folding diagrams and printable files that show how to fold and assemble simple zines. 

The downloadable files on this site include a Zine Folding: How To document you can use as a reference for folding a mini zine from a single sheet of paper.

welcome: origami, mindfulness and community

Welcome and thank you for being here

This blog, One Love Origami, is a quiet archive of my long relationship with paper - folding, teaching, experimenting, and exploring origami as both a creative practice and a mindful one.

You’ll find photographs of past work, reflections on process, and examples of how simple materials - paper, time and attention, can become tools for learning, connection, and care.

About the work

My approach to origami is not about perfection or complexity. 

It is about:

* presence over performance

* curiosity over mastery

* process over product

I am especially interested in how origami can support:

* community learning spaces such as libraries and classrooms

* inter-generational creativity

* mindfulness, emotional regulation, and gentle focus

* storytelling through making

Much of the work shared here has been created for workshops, public programs, quiet personal practice, or collaborative community settings. It has been shared in libraries, classrooms, and community spaces as a way to invite mindful making and shared creativity.

About this blog

This blog functions as an archive and visual reference rather than a frequently updated journal. 

Some posts are recent; others reach back many years. Together, they reflect an evolving practice rooted in care, slowness, and accessibility.

You might enjoy browsing posts by image, or starting with earlier entries to see how ideas and forms evolve over time.

If you are here following a library presentation or community event, you are warmly invited to browse at your own pace. There is no particular order — follow images, titles, or your curiosity.

Using this work

Unless otherwise noted, images and ideas here are shared for inspiration and educational purposes. 

If you are a librarian, educator, or program coordinator interested in adapting similar activities for your own space, please feel welcome to do so with credit.

If you would like to discuss workshops, talks, or collaborative programs, this blog offers a sense of the tone and approach I bring to those spaces.

A gentle invitation

Origami asks very little of us:

one square of paper,

two hands,

and a willingness to begin imperfectly.

May you find something here that encourages curiosity, calm, or quiet joy.

- Tara

trending 2026: analogue bags

2026 is the year to embrace anologue. 

Let's wean ourselves off of our phones by loading up baskets and bags to reach for between tasks. 

Stash craft supplies, notebooks, puzzles and pens to support your well-being and reduce screen time. 

I know what's in my bag - a good book, a healthy snack, a commonplace book and origami paper! 

What's in yours?