Welcome!

**This is a sticky post and will stay at the top of the page!**

I devised this "Cranes of Thanks" project because I love origami, working with children, and the "heroes" that defend our country!  I am teaching youth to fold paper origami cranes which will be placed on a coloring page with a letter on the back to be sent to our soldiers overseas.  This project will continue until we have completed 1,000 Cranes of Thanks!  All of the supplies have generously been funded by DoSomething.org.

Click HERE for some examples of children's coloring pages.
Click HERE for examples of what teens could make.

Coloring Page!

Good news, my wonderful artist friend, Hannah, finished creating the coloring pages!  Take a look at the girl...

Isn't it adorable?  That was rhetorical - of course it is!

The origami peace crane has been glued to the outline of a crane.  Also, you might be able to see a crease from where I folded the page in half - it needs to fit in a gallon baggy if we don't want to fold the cranes AGAIN.  Sooo cute!  Thanks Hannah!

Make Sure Your Crane is the Right Size

What could be worse then giving me your picture and finding out that the crane outline you drew was too small... or too ginormous.  Well, I'm here to help make sure that doesn't happen!

When you print your picture you will fist want to measure from the top of the wing to the bottom of the crane.  If it measures about 3 inches then you are good!

To be extra-sure your crane outline is the right size, you should measure from the "beak" on the head to the crane's tail.

If you have any troubles printing your crane to be the correct size then please contact me and I can send you a real crane to trace.

Thank you DoSomething.org

This is just the beginning to what I pray will be an amazing project and experience.  I applied for a DoSomething.org 9/11 Remembrance Grant and... I won!  DoSomething.org generously donated $500 to get my project off the ground.

You can visit the list of winners here: http://www.dosomething.org/grants/winners-remembrance

A description of my project is posted here: http://www.dosomething.org/project/cranes-thanks

Thanks again DoSomething!

Make Coloring Pages on the Computer

ON THE COMPUTER:

1. Save the PNG file of the crane that is found HERE.

2. Open up a new document that is 8.5x11 inches in whatever program you want to use.

3. If the program allows you to set the resolution then I would set it at 300 (that’s what I use in Photoshop) so that the crane remains proportional.  The higher the quality means that the picture looks better when printed out.  If you have any issues or need a different resolution of a crane outline please contact me.

4. Create your picture!  (Please don’t use clip-art or images with copyright or anything…)
5. Print out your picture if possible.  Measure the crane from the tip of the wing to the bottom and if it is just under 3 inches then it is the right size.  Go HERE to see an example!

6. Save your picture as a PNG or JPG file, if possible, and e-mail it to me.

How To Fold Origami Cranes

If you are making a coloring page and would like to trace a physical crane you can either e-mail me your address and I can send you one... or you can learn to fold one yourself!

Video instructions:

The video is completely silent but the motions speak for themselves.  IGNORE the final two steps where they fold down the crane wings so the bird looks like it is flying.  (This is not my video.)

Printable instructions:
http://www.origami-fun.com/support-files/origami-crane-print.pdf
Please do not do step #12.

Website instructions:
http://www.origami-fun.com/origami-crane.html
Please do not do step #12.

Making Pictures with Paper and Pen

If you’re here at this page, it’s because you’re not sure how to make coloring pages specifically (although you may have done drawing or art in the past.)

PAPER AND PEN:

Alright, if you are most comfortable using a paper and pen I can help you some, but not a lot, since I don’t actually know how to draw.

1. Print out the crane outline HERE and cut it out.

2. Trace the crane outline somewhere on the paper.  You also may use a real origami crane made from 6x6 inch origami paper (instructions here) Send me your address if you would like me to send you a crane I have made.
3. Measure your crane from wing-tip to the bottom and if it is just under 3 inches then it is the right size.  Go HERE for an example.

4. Draw your picture!

Getting the picture to me (there are several options here):

1. If you have a scanner this would be the best way to get the picture onto the computer and then you can e-mail it to me.

2. E-mail me for my address and if I know you then I will give to you so you may send the coloring page to me in a large flat envelope and I can take copies of it.

3. Try taking a picture of it?  I’m not sure if this would actually work, it might distort the proportions, but if neither of the other options work then you could try taking a photo and e-mailing it to me.