Exposing garlic – friends forever

Thanks for the company this week. I’m taking some time off and will be back here early next month. If you’re on my email list, look out for September’s newsletter real soon.

Rose candle-making kit

To conclude this week’s spotlight on roses, allow me to light*en things up with this candle-making kit found in a delightful shop called Tuk Tuk (in Japanese). All it takes is to soften the sheet of wax with warm water, then shape the petals + leaves and adhere them onto the white candle ball. Isn’t it interesting and so simple?

[For those of you who wanted to know, it is available at Amazon jp]

I’ll be taking a break starting next week but I’ll be here tomorrow with another hilarious garlic picture. If you haven’t seen any of my previous garlicky shots, you must!!

Origami roses

The sight of these classy chocolate roses got me into a serious mood to make roses, paperwise that is. And I ended up making 3 different kinds cos’ they look so beautiful that I couldn’t wait to learn to make them all!

1. Kawasaki rose

I first tried the Kawasaki rose, named after its creator Toshikazu Kawasaki, by following this demo and cross referenced with another demo [part 2|3]. The leaves are folded based on this tutorial.

Notes:

There were several steps I had no idea what to do, so after some struggling and hair-pulling, I finally figured out what was going on EXACTLY!

1. Begin with the left flap (indicated *). Take note of the diamond square (marked by the 4 dots) in the middle.

2. Pinch the fold, bring point 1 down to point 2.

3. Repeat step 2 on all three sides and keep in view of that middle diamond. The paper will be in an awkward stage but persevere on!

4. This is how awkward it’ll be.

5. Slide a finger along each of folded strip (from step 3), moving gently in an anti-clockwise manner, tending towards the centre. You will have to use your finger to pop up/help the diamond take shape along the way. The diamond should eventually twist (anti-clockwise) and then flattened (provided the paper is thin) in place, if not just press it down.

6. Done. [close-up]

7. Turn over.

8. Start at the top (*). Identify all creases. G and H are for step 12 and 14 respectively. Open up the flap.

9. Identify D and use a finger to push it up.

10. C and A should be perpendicular to each other and a depth between C and B is formed.

11. Repeat steps 8-10 on the other 3 sides so as to end up with this.

12. Identify E and F. F is half of crease A.

13. Pinch E.

14. Then lift F to align with H.

2. Bird base rose

I watched this demo to make the Bird base rose created by James Sakoda.

Notes:

1. Close up the 2 front flaps.
2. Do the same for the other 2 flaps behind.

3. Fold down top flap to the front.
3. Fold down the next standing flap to the back.
4. This is now ready for the next step.

3. Standard rose

Followed this demo to make this rose bud.

Notes:

Both centre creases must be well-creased mountain folds, so that the folding up of each quarter will be easier.

The real beauty of all these three roses is they are not too complicated to make once every step is laid out clearly and every intended fold well-creased. And as with every origami pattern, you can’t help but marvel at the ingenuity of their creators.

Origami leaf with or without veins

This leaf is a great green companion to these roses or to any origami flower.

1-2. Fold paper in half diagonally.
3. Fold one third from the peak down. Repeat on the other side.
4. Fold up a triangle along the dotted line.
5. Fold down along dotted line.
6. Fold up again along dotted line.

7. Continue until the end.
8. Turn over. Fold down along dotted line.
9-10. Fold up along the line. Continue until the end.
11. Unfold the fan-like folds.
12. At the base, fold a strip as shown.
13. Open up.
12. Bend gently around the pointed edges to shape leaf.

To make without veins, skip steps 4-11.

Rose brooch etc

Can anyone possibly get sick of looking at roses of all sorts?

Not me, for sure!

Rose garnish

A beautiful potato garnish by Peggy Bucholz, author of Fine Dinings. She also has instructions on using lemon rid, lime rid, beets and turnips to make roses.

Other how-tos: Radish rose | Tomato rose | Orange rose | Strawberry rose | Citrus flower garnish

Rose etc

Exposing garlic – stand tall stand proud

Aren’t you surprised that these stalks are part of garlic? I certainly was when I held one up in my hand for the first time! All too often we rip the cloves off too quickly and don’t pay attention to the structure that makeup the bulb. The stalk is known as a neck and the ones pictured here are the soft necks of Snow White garlic, a variety readily available in our local supermarkets.

So stand tall stand proud and take pride in all that you do! Even if it’s taking pictures of garlic! Join me next week for blooming ideas on everything roses!

p.s. You can keep track of all my garlic pictures right here.