The Crane Chandelier Project

Remember back in August, when we told you about the Wedding Company's Crane Chandelier Project?

Well, the final product was unveiled at The Wedding Show in Toronto last weekend - complete with 10,000 paper cranes folded, signed, and sent from couples across North America and beyond.

The best thing about this project?  The Wedding Company is donating 50 cents for each one of those cranes to the Princess Margaret  Hospital Foundation in support of cancer research.

Find out more about The Crane Chandelier Project here.

Interested in Paper Crane Wedding inspiration?  Check out these posts: 1, 2, 3

DIY Paper Crane Cupcake Toppers

As we posted earlier today, you can find a great post over on The Girl in the Pink Wedding Dress all about incorporating 1000 Paper Cranes into your wedding.

But we wanted to tell you a little bit more about our DIY Paper Crane Cupcake Toppers!  These are simple, striking and super easy.... once you get your folding down.  So let's get that out of the way:

via Linares Blog

For our cupcake toppers, we used 7.5cm / 3 inch origami paper.  This is a standard size of origami paper and (we think) it makes the perfect sized cranes to use atop your cupcakes. (You can fold your cranes out of regular paper, but we find, especially when folding small cranes, it can be too thick to work with.)

For the first look, we started with our Peace Crane Aizome paper for cupcake wrappers, and shades of blue paper from our 50 Colour origami paper set.  Oh, and some toothpicks!

Once the cranes were folded, we cut cupcake wrappers out of the Peace Crane Aizome using this pattern. (You know - 'cause they're all the rage.  No one serves naked cupcakes anymore!)

In the tutorial over on The Girl in the Pink Wedding Dress, we said that you should glue your crane to the toothpick.  But we actually found that with our cranes the glue wasn't necessary.  When you fold a paper crane, a small hole is created on the bottom of the crane.  Ours was the perfect size to hold the toothpick pretty securely.  Anyway, glue or no glue, attach your crane to the toothpick.

Wrap cupcake wrapper around cupcake and secure.  Insert topper into cupcake!  That's it!  It's easy and pretty too!

We love the look of the blue origami cranes in different shades of blue perched on top of mounds of fluffy vanilla icing and a cupcake wrapper made of our Peace Crane Aizome paper.

For a different look, we also put together a pink colour story using patterned origami paper from our Traditional Patterns origami set and solid pink paper for cupcake wrappers.  So pretty!

Not planning a wedding? We think this project is perfect for all sorts of celebrations.  And don't feel the need to stick to origami cranes... origami butterflies, hearts or flowers would make great toppers too! 

Check out our selection of origami papers and traditional Japanese chiyogami, aizome and katazome papers on Omiyage.ca.  And if you're looking to incorporate origami cranes into your wedding and need origami paper in a specific colour, send us an email and we'll see how we can help!

And if you haven't checked out the post over on The Girl in the Pink Wedding Dress... don't forget to do so.  There's lots of great ideas and pretty pictures too!

Paper Cranes for Cancer Research

While I was researching paper cranes and drooling over paper crane weddings in preparation for today's post over on The Girl In The Pink Wedding Dress, I stumbled across the most amazing project!

Toronto based The Wedding Co. is celebrating their upcoming 10th anniversary in a wonderful way.  The Crane Chandelier Project!  Simply, they are collecting origami cranes from engaged and newly married couples all over the world.  For each crane received, The Wedding Co. will donate $0.50 to The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation for Cancer Research.  (And yes, you can send more than one!)  With a goal of 10,000 cranes by January 2011, there's still time for you to get involved.

We think that this is such a wonderful way to honour your engagement / marriage and to do a little good at the same time.  Congrats to The Wedding Co. for undertaking such a lovely project and letting the world in on it!  And you?  Here's your chance to get involved and spread a little love and hope while you're at it!

You can read more about The Wedding Co here.  For more information on the Crane Chandelier Project,  and info on how to get involved click here.

1000 Paper Crane Weddings

We've been seeing gorgeous paper crane weddings popping up all over the internet, and we're absolutely in love with the symbolism the cranes bring to your special day!

Head on over to The Girl In The Pink Wedding Dress this morning to read all about paper cranes and some fabulous ideas for incorporating 1000 cranes into your wedding celebration and decor!

We've even put together a delicious DIY using paper cranes that would be super sweet for your wedding, or really any celebration.  (Hint, hint: origami + cupcakes = magic!)

Wedding Tape!

We happen to think that Japanese washi tapes are perfect for weddings.  Today we're sharing a few (easy) wedding DIY project ideas using mt masking tapes in a feature over on The Girl In The Pink Wedding Dress.

Take a look and let us know what you think.  Any other fab ideas for incorporating tape into your wedding look?

It's a Tape Party!

Japanese masking tape really is a perfect tool for creating a cohesive party look.  Easy to use and super versatile, we'd love to see mt masking tape used for decorating your next party (or even wedding!)

To begin with, a cute idea for bunting invitations from mer mag via iDIY .  Rather elegant in a yellow, black and white, we think these would be perfect for a baby shower using tape in playful polka dots or for a birthday party in some fun colours.

Here's a look at a great party decor concept via Project Wedding.  With a fresh turquoise and yellow colour scheme, sweet tape garlands and flags, this look would be easy to replicate.  Perfect for a shower, brunch, etc.

Why not take the tape decorations one step further and decorate a wall with tape?  Spell out HAPPY BIRTHDAY or IT'S A BOY or a simple LOVE in tape.  Celebrating a particular person, couple or milestone?  Use the tape to attach pictures to the the wall.  A quick, easy and attractive wall collage that's just as easy to remove as it is to put up.  The hardest part will be deciding which pictures to use!

image from Livingetc via Poppytalk

We'd love to see an Amy Atlas style dessert table accented with Japanese masking tape. Use the tape as cupcake / straw flags, instead of ribbon on candy vessels, to seal small bags of treats, to decorate brownie pop or candy apple sticks.  So many ways to add a little pop of fabulous tape!

via Sweet Designs by Amy Atlas

via Sweet Designs by Amy Atlas

How gorgeous are these cake garlands from d-sharp?  Spotted on Poppytalk, we're thinking that you could recreate this look with Japanese masking tape.  For a wedding, birthday, shower... so lovely!

Planning a party?  Check out Omiyage's selection of gorgeous Japanese washi tapes from mt masking tape.  And don't forget, for a limited time, we'll send you a free roll of mt Deco tape when you spend $30 or more at Omiyage.

Planning a wedding? Tune in tomorrow.  We've teamed up with a great Canadian wedding blog, The Girl in the Pink Wedding Dress, to bring you a couple of great DIY projects for incorporating mt masking tape into your wedding day!