I've just discovered my first true crafting nightmare--origami. We bought a bargain origami book at the bookstore the other night. Today Levi decided he wanted to make a penguin and I was game. So we got the stuff out. Most of the directions are graphic--arrows and a variety of dotted lines telling what to do. Bad start. Then there's all this turning and folding in and out. Argghh. I was reminded that visual-spatial thinking is not my strength. Some help I was. Levi finally drifted off after I mangled one penguin. I tried a dragon next which looked much easier but, as the saying goes, looks are deceiving. At least the book only cost $5.99!
Maybe at some point, one of the kids will decide it's interesting and try it on their own. As for me, I don't know. I had a return of those intense feelings of frustration I had when I learned how to sew as a teenager. I would get to a point where I just wanted to take the whole heap--machine, fabric, thread, needles, pattern and pins--and light a bonfire with it in the backyard. In order to avoid an infantile display of frustration over folding paper I've thrown in the towel for now. Though, in light of my earlier post about 10 Dangerous Things, perhaps it would be worthwhile to use it for lighting a fire . . . .
