Harry Potter and the Wonderous Theme Park

If you're anything like me - and the rest of the reading world - you'll love the Harry Potter books. I fell in love with them a few years ago, and since then have been collecting whatever I can on the topic of HP wizardry.

The LA Times recently reported that a 20-acre Florida theme park will be created, with more than $200 million going into it. Hopefully the park will open in 2009. Disney apparently turned down the opportunity to create it, which I guess is kind of stupid on their part, since HP is big business. And even bigger for J K Rowling, the author, who's bound to get all sorts of royalties.

Wow! Imagine all the great things you could have there - train stations with invisible platforms, candy stores galore (with, of course, chocolate frogs!), wand stores, costumes, castles... flying cars! ... Strange creatures! The Times says there will be three areas, the Hogwarts Castle (of course!), Hogsmeade Village, and the Forbidden Forest (brrr... no creepy spiders for me).

Watch the video announcement here.

And in homage to that news, my origami for today is a popcorn box!

Finally, my origami pics!

I've finally gotten to getting all my origami pics online. Here's my paper hat that I posted about a while ago.

You can go back and find the posts have been updated with the relevant pics. There's the sumo wrestlers, a hat, and a butterfly. I'll add more over the next week or so.

Robbers foiled by coins!

This piece of news has been floating around my group of friends for a couple of days now, and I've finally been able to hunt down the article.

The NY Daily News reported a little while ago on some robbers who were pretty stupid. Three guys broke into an elderly man's home, shot the man in the leg, then stole his safe. The safe had $120 000 in coins, baseball cards and stamps - which was so heavy, the robber carrying it dropped it in a backyard. The really stupid move was when that robber came back later to get the safe!

Unbelievable! This made me and Sandy laugh for ages! :)

State of the coin

Today I was standing in Central Park, waiting for Taki. I had my hand in my pocket, and I discovered a coin - ok, not that exciting. But I looked at the coin, and realized how different it was. Did you know that the US Mint has made special quarters, one for each state?

The NY quarter, which was produced in 2001, has the Statue of Liberty on it. I didn't even know they made these types of coins, I just figured one coin was the same everywhere. But apparently, they've been producing state quarters since 1999, and are going to finish making them next year. This year, the mint is releasing coins for: Montana, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah.

So really, discovering a coin in your pocket can be really interesting. I'm going to keep my NY state quarter, maybe make a nice little origami frame for it. Maybe one day it'll be worth something. (You can find out more about the state coins here.)

Asia cracks down on video pirates

Edit: Here's the butterfly pic...

Who hasn't gone out and bought a cheap DVD or video, only to discover that it's a pirated version?

Recently, James has been complaining, because every time he tries to buy a rare DVD of some obscure movie, it ends up being a fake. You know how pirated movies always have at least one person standing up in front of the screen, or a phone going off, or the screen goes blurry for a second? Well, it occurs to me that collectors of film and TV items have a huge disadvantage. They are working against all sorts of forgers, frauds, and other people. (For example, my recent discovery of fake movie autographs on ebay) How on earth can they possibly buy authentic merchandise, when so little of it is actually authentic?

So what's being done about all those naughty pirates? Most of the pirated movies are coming from Asia, where it seems it is fairly easy to go into a cinema, set up a camera, and press record. But I found out recently that Malaysian ushers are using night-vision goggles (yes, that's right!) to spot pirates in the dark. So far they've caught 17 people, and have even gotten trained dogs to sniff out DVDs - with good results!

Read more about it here.

Oh, and today's origami piece is a simple butterfly.

Wal-mart to close fabric and craft sections

I'm in the middle of a big craft project at school this week, and needed to buy some papers, string, that sort of stuff. I thought I'd be able to get it at my mom's local Wal-mart; visiting my parents makes it ideal, as my mom loves the store and goes there all the time.

But I was really disappointed because my mom's local store has decreased its area devoted to crafts. James almost had to take us home, because we spent an hour trying to figure out if they'd just moved the crafts to a different part of the store. Finally, we gave up.

I've been talking to some friends and family, and apparently they've all had similar problems; Wal-mart seems to be closing down all their craft and fabric departments.

James suggested I look it up on the net, and I found some stuff about it. Here's a petition to stop Wal-mart from closing the departments. There's a blog post on it here.

This makes me really mad, because my mom loves making and collecting miniatures and dolls, and I know that she has spent a lot of time in Wal-marts. I can't believe that they would just make the departments disappear, with no warning, and nothing to replace the hole that is left. Ha! Wal-mart says that 'celebration centers' - with yarn, fabrics, and 'celebratory' items like birthday hats, etc - will be the replacement. But I doubt that there will be a good selection like there was before.

Send a letter, spend a little more

Edit: Here's the sumo wrestlers pic...

Today’s project? Two sumo wrestlers, origami style! Tee hee, they are so cute! (I really need to get myself that scanner, so you can see all the cool pieces I’ve made!)

You know, I was reading Yahoo yesterday, and everybody has probably heard the news by now – stamp prices are increasing. I didn’t think much of it, and this doesn’t sound like interesting news, but James made a good point about it last night: for every time a stamp price increases, a new batch of stamps must be made with the new price on it. And that’s big news in the collecting world, since that means a lot more stamps to collect.

Read about the news here.

Ooh – and before I forget – props go to Origami Tessellations, for all their inspiring links! This is a really neat site, with lots of pics. Today’s post includes a step-by-step instructional video on how to make corrugated paper. See it here. I’ve already started mine!

Yahoo! auctions due to close

After last week’s outrage on eBay, I thought it would be good to investigate other online auction sites, and see what else was out there. I still really like the idea of buying stuff online, especially as it always brings out fantastic items I would never find on my own. And would you believe it, I discovered Yahoo only too late. Apparently the Yahoo auction sites in America are closing; read more about it here. I guess eBay really does monopolize everything, as I’ve heard from friends that Yahoo is closing because they can’t compete with eBay.

Perhaps I can find another auction site...

Finally - a real autograph dealer

Today I went on a trip to find a reputable dealer in autographs. After the scandal of the eBay hunt, I thought it would be better to see the autographs in person. I had a nice stroll around the city, and met up with an autograph dealer at lunch. Very happy! Got a great present for Taki, with lots of physical proof that the autograph is real. I even got to watch a video of the signing! And the dealer was really helpful and nice... maybe we need webcam capability on eBay, so that we can have in-person discussions about the auction. Anyway, it was just good to be able to talk face to face with someone who was an expert on autographs. I showed them the Star Wars poster that I’d bought, and they said it was definitely a fake; he showed me a poster that was genuine, and boy, there was a huge difference in the signatures. The whole day made me remember that there really are good guys out there. Just not all of them are on eBay.

Real or fake - autographs on the web

I got so frustrated about that whole autograph thing that I had to go and do some research. How could I possibly buy Taki a real autograph, when I didn’t know how to find one.

Let me just say this:

I am shocked.

I can’t believe there are so many people selling fake autographs on eBay. I really had no idea about all this. Like many of my friends, we just sign up and bid, and I guess we get so caught up in the excitement of a ‘rare find’ that we don’t even think about whether or not it is real.
On my search, I discovered a group of people – maybe they sent me the email – from the UK. They’re like autograph spotters; they look out for shady sellers, help people identify fakes, advise on what to do if you bought a fake, etc. Though they’re in the UK, because so many of us buy from overseas sellers, they really are worth joining.

For autograph collectors – Taki, Bess, Lily, I know you’re reading! – you should go read these tips:

http://reviews.ebay.com/How-to-SPOT-an-ILLEGAL-SCRIPT-of-AUTOGRAPH-FORGERY_W0QQugidZ10000000000761445

http://pages.half.ebay.com/help/tns/ques_autograph.html

After all this, it really has made me think twice about bidding on eBay. The worst thing of all is that all this information was already out there, but I just didn’t know to look. It’s really a warning for other eBay bidders out there: if it looks too good to be true, it probably is!

eBay disaster!!!!!!

Oh my god!

Last night was a nightmare! You know how I was going to bid on a Star Wars poster? Well, I bid on one that was a fake!!!

I can’t believe it – I saw a really nice poster, with an autograph, up for sale on eBay. It was cheap, about $20. I’m not really into the whole autographs thing, so that to me sounded like a good price. I put in a bid, won the autograph (at which point I was pretty pleased with myself), only to have an email an hour later from someone informing me that the autograph was a fake! I can’t believe it!

I’d post a link to the autograph, but the auction’s been removed.

I’m so infuriated right now!

eBay hunt

I’ve been really getting into the posts from ‘The Fitful Flog’ lately. Philip doesn’t just make great origami, but he also photographs them in wonderful ways. His pentagonal compass rose box is such a very nice piece that I wish I could take it home with me (I think he might be offended if I just turned up and demanded he hand it over). Anyway, I just thought I’d give some ‘props’ to the guy, as I really enjoy reading all about his life and his origami in one hit!

This week I’ve been scouring eBay for a present for a friend. He’s really into film posters, and I thought I would get him a Star Wars poster that was autographed. I tell you what, eBay is just the best. Whatever you are looking for, it’s there. I’ve been able to buy all sorts of origami stuff, including some of my favorite origami books. I find it so amazing that so many people have so much to sell – it makes you think about how many things we throw out every day that someone else might have a use for.

Anyway, I think I’ll go and bid on something before it disappears!

Where it all starts

Someone asked me the other day how I got started collecting origami. They saw all my pieces lined up on my bookshelves and windows, and was rather curious as to why.

It made me really think about it, because to be honest, I'm not really sure. I guess it started as a bit of a thing when I was a kid. During big family meals, like on Thanksgiving and Christmas, we'd use these fancy napkins that were about twice as big as normal. Down near the kids' table, we'd have the luxury of *huge* paper napkins, since as a kid, everything seems bigger. One day, my grandmother sat down with us. She took a napkin, folded from corner to corner, and then the other corner-to-corner. She then delicately drew each edge to the center-point, folding them inwards. "Flip," she said, and turned the square shape over. Then she'd fold the edges into the center again. "Flip," she said – big grin on her face, as all of us kids were enchanted – and folded the edges to the center again. Lastly, she drew out the four folds at the top, and lo and behold, my grandmother had made a lotus origami. To please use further, she picked up my glass and put it in the center of the 'petals'. It was now my coaster.

Later in life, I would forget that moment, but now it seems obvious to me that my obsession started the moment the glass touched the origami.

At school, at home, wherever there was scrap paper, I would twist, turn, fold, pleat, until I had made something. Nothing of any particular recognizable shape, like some sort of abstract fine art, but I had made something.

Finally, one of my friends dragged me to an exhibition of origami. It was amazing! There were modules and folds that I'd never seen before – and before my very eyes, one of the largest collections of paper hats I'd ever seen. A whole bunch of schoolkids had come and made their own hats, and here they were, up for display. It occurred to me somewhere that this was the fun-est thing I'd ever been to. And as we were leaving, my friend bought me a short book on origami.

That was it. I was hooked.

Since then I've been collecting origami that people have made or discarded (you'd be surprised at what people drop on the streets!), as well as making my own. There's a range of difficulty to origami which makes it ideal for 'coffee break' games. There's a reason why this stuff began in Japan. It's very zen!

I know this blog is very new, but if there's any collector out there reading it, I'd love to hear your story of how you got started! I find the whole 'origin' story very interesting, and I'm sure others do to: add your story to the comments!

My letter

Edit: Here's the bonnet pic!

So today’s origami project is a little bonnet. I mentioned in my previous post that I had an Origami-a-day calendar: well, this is today’s. Unfortunately, the instructions aren’t all that clear, and I’m stuck at the point where ... never mind. I was looking at the instructions and the folded piece in order to write an explanation of where I was stuck, and then *poof* I got it. (It was the point where you valley fold the end of the paper to make the bonnet’s hem. I don’t think I was reading the instructions very carefully, because if I’d looked at it properly, then I would have understood.

I’m not exactly doing the origami in order, so the next piece I’m folding is a paper hat.
James was telling me this morning that I should post on my swap meet find – the 1840s letter – because he finds it so fascinating. Apparently. I’m not sure if he’s sarcastic, so if he is, then this is really going to bore him.

I bought the letter for $6. It is fairly unintelligible, but I think the address is to: A Stevenson Esq., B L Co, Langholm. I think that’s in Scotland. The paper itself is a bit damaged, with deep creases in the folds and some discoloration. There is one large page, which has been folded in half, then glassboard folded, and then folded over into a third of its size (making an envelop). The letter obviously had a seal, as there is a clear imprint on the paper; there is also a swirly design embedded in the paper. Inside the letter is as follows:

“New... 18 June 1840 –

“Dear Sir,

“I think that it ... no more than common courtesy to wait the arrival of the Post ... before noting Bills and being in such a luxury to extend the .... At least ... that it is the practice with all the ... Branch Banks at Warwick to make noting Bills nearly the last thing ... shutting up and also at the National Laugholm.

“...

“yours ...

“Aml Armstrong”

Eventually I’ll work out the words where I inserted the ellipses, but for now, who knows?
I don’t normally buy letters when I’m out collecting, but I thought it was such an interesting example of history. Most people would find a letter about a bill to be mundane – heck, I know I do every time my utilities arrive – but this is a perfect example of my comments in my previous post. In this letter, there is a snapshot of time, expression, language, style and fashion, and pure commonality. I was reading the National Geographic yesterday (April 2007 issue) on the plight of our sea-going creatures. It noted that in New Zealand, they try to preserve areas of their seas that are both unique and average. By doing so, they think they can preserve a wider range of sea life. Perhaps my letter is just a way of preserving a little of the average of someone’s everyday life.

... Now get this thing out of my pocket, it’s starting to creep me out! It’s a bit creepy carrying around someone’s bill from the 1800s.

First post!

Wow! My first blog! I'm so excited!

I know people have been blogging for a while now, but really, I've only just caught on. All my friends have been doing it, and they keep saying for me to get one... and now I have! (So there James :P)

Anyway, I thought I'd start by blogging a bit about my collection, since that's what my blog is going to be about. As mentioned in my profile, I collect paper and origami, but I also like collecting in general. There's something really exciting about going to a yard sale and seeing what you can find. This week I found a great little swap meet that sold all sorts of neat stuff. There was even some ephemera (I'm teaching myself all these new words; ephemera is all types of collectible papers), and I went home with a letter written in the 1840s! I'd post a pic, but I don't have access to a scanner at the moment.

But I do have a pic of some origami I made... hmm, no I don't. Still no scanner!

I'm not really that great at making origami, but my mom got me this Origami calendar, where you make a new one every day. I think it was from 2002, but hey, at least I'm still doing it :)

Actually, I wish I had been in New York this week - though I live in NY, I'm home visiting my folks - because I read on the Post that the American Museum of Natural History had a big sleepover. My kind of fun! The whole point was to get people to stay the night at the museum, and allow them to view displays at their leisure. Not only do you get to camp out 'under the whale', but you get origami classes, midnight fossil hunting, a look at the night sky through the planetarium, plus heaps more. *Sigh...*

The Post even lists a whole bunch of other museums which offer extra activites, which I think I'm going to have to check out at some point. I'd love the 'Roar 'n Snore' in Baltimore!