Do you remember those folded paper fortune-tellers from back in the old school yard? This romantic version of the origami toy is at Colloco Homeware & Gifts (UK). It’s both a toy and an art object — and maybe an imaginative 3-d greeting card for Valentine’s Day?

There was always one kid in the crowd who knew how to fold one. At our school, it was Judy (who grew up to make her living from an interesting balance of crafts and computers). She wouldn’t tell anyone else how to do it, and drove us all nuts — you know how 10-year-old girls can be! — but I picked up a fortune teller that she’d dropped, took it home, and dissected it carefully to figure out how it all worked.

You want to know how to make one? No secrets here!
Here’s a video I found that gives particularly clear instructions for how to fold an origami fortune-teller:

At recess or lunch break, or sometimes in a slow-moving math class, Judy would pull out a neat square of folded-up notebook paper from her back pocket and open its corners to slip in her index fingers and thumbs. The other girls in our group would gather around…

First one, then another of us would “pick a number” — the number of letters in the name of the boy we liked best, most often — and Judy would open and close the paper fortune teller, one direction and then the other, while counting down the numbers.

Well, here’s how Wikipedia explains the rules:

The player first asks a question to the person holding the fortune teller. This question will be answered by the device. The holder then asks for a number and/or color. Once the number and/or color has been chosen, the holder uses his/her fingers to switch between the two groups of colors/numbers that occupy the inside area of the device. The holder switches these positions a specific number of times, which can be given by the amount of letters in the color selected, the number originally chosen, or the sum of both. Once the holder has finished switching the positions of the fortune teller, the player chooses one of the flaps that has been revealed. These flaps often have colors and/or numbers on them, and the chosen flap often is the same as the color/number originally chosen. The holder then lifts the flap and reads the fortune that is underneath. Any one of these steps may be repeated to suit the user.

Remember it now?
I’ve been thinking a lot about fun grown-up crafty versions of old schoolyard games and toys lately, so we can expect to take a few more little trips down memory lane in the next few weeks. What other cool homemade toys and impromptu games do you remember, from when you were a kid?

Crafter whateverjames loves Star Wars. Loooooves it. He’s got the Star Wars requisite tattooes, sure — but we’re talking, like, name-your-kid-after-a-movie-character level of fandom.

Yet, so great and earth-shaking is his love for his fiancee — James actually sold off most of his Star Wars action figures to buy her an engagement ring.

That be T.R.U.E. L.O.V.E., right there, people!

Now, as you might suppose, True Love (geek style) calls for a truly awesome, hands-on personal, knock-her-socks-off Valentine, not just some mass-produced store-bought card or last-minute long-stem bouquet.

“I decided to make her a valentine that would be simple, with the most powerful and honest statement I could give her,” James told the admiring crowd over at Craftster, showing his heart-felt orginal cross-stitch pattern: I love you more than Star Wars says it all.

“Plus,” he says, “once I came up with the idea for little lightsabers bent into hearts there was no going back!”

Folding paper is always fun, and folded paper is always a welcome gift.

As a last-minute Valentine’s Day flourish, why not show you cared enough to go to all the effort of learning a few new tricks with your hands?

This clever origami heart with a bonus coin at its centre is the Kathleen Weller design called “Change in Heart,” folded by Michele Rousseau and discovered for us by the ever-loving (but now vanished) Idea Girl blog.

Lookee here…
It’s a heart-hefting Chewbacca, Bringer of the LOVE!

This polymer-shaped, Sharpie-enhanced tribute to the Wookie of your dreams is available as a magnet or a pin, and evokes the spirit of Valentine’s Day with handcrafted humour.

And much like love itself…
this wookie is flexible, but fragile.

By BicycleOcean (Naomi) of West Palm Beach, Florida.

Confession: I’ve always had a few “mixed feelings” about the whole Valentine’s Day thing, myself… but our brand-new guest writer, Becky Ocasio, links a passion for home decor with, well, just plain ol’ passion, in a way that could make even a jaded cynic want to open the door when Cupid calls. Enjoy! ~ Jen

Valentine’s Day Ideas from a Hopeless Romantic

Valentines Day… Is it a day for hopeless romantics to swoon over their one true love? Is it a glorified Hallmark holiday? Ok, so I choose to be the hopeless romantic, even after almost 20 years of marriage, 5 kids and 2 dogs later.

I’ve given some thought (I’m sure you fellas are waiting for this for gift buying insight) as to what to do for your loved one on Valentines Day. Is the jewelry thing overdone? Flowers just die and chocolates, well there goes the New Years resolution. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of the “same old, same old”.

Here are a few thoughts…

How about a blue sky, a beautiful park and a picnic basket? This would be great — minus the 5 kids of course! Or maybe a picnic backpack instead of the basket. Get your Picnic Set, grab the grub at a local Italian deli, throw in a great bottle of wine, and you’re set!   The picnic set will be around for your next romantic rendezvous.

Guys, she will adore you for the thoughtfulness — trust me! This picnic set is so cute and stylish, she will be telling all her friends that you consulted with Martha Stewart herself!

Don’t like the outdoors?
Dim the lights and light the candles and enjoy a quiet evening alone.

Don’t forget the gorgeous set of candle holders. I would recommend the Prior Park or Auburn Candleholder sets. They are both gorgeous and have a romantic feel to them — and they will be around to show off at your next dinner party.

I love it when I have someone ask where I got the incredible box that I keep on my coffee table. My husband knew I had my eye on it and he bought it for me as a gift. They reply “Wow, he bought that?!” And I just smile. I do have to add that a few days ago he announced that his new favorite store was Ikea (one just opened up near us), and I fell in love with him all over again.

Make your better half a meal that will knock his socks off and leave him wondering what he or his stomach would ever do without you?! You have incredible recipes at your fingertips right here!

Don’t forget, presentation is everything — so jazz it all up with some hip dinnerware from Interior Style Home. My favorites are the Mosaic and the Vine patterns. Great items to spice up the kitchen. As a couple and as a family, we are in the kitchen constantly — might as well make it stylish and fun!

Gathering up pictures of memorable times and framing them in a collage type of arrangement would also be a great gift.

I always mean to take that special photo, frame it and place it somewhere for all to see, but there is never enough time in the day. It would be great if someone did this for me… hint, hint!

A Natane photo frame is a fabulous gift for anyone to display several memories.

You are probably saying to yourself by now, “this girl really loves Interior Style Home!”… Yep, I do! I happen to be the mad decorating mind behind the madness, or should I say, website!?

I love all things beautiful in the home — that’s a passion of mine that my family has to live with.

The truth behind the Valentine’s Day legend is cloudy, and probably has been elaborated over the years to become what it is today… so what exactly is it now? Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be a crazy show of affection ,or a “let me go overboard day”, but a day to show you appreciate that special someone, with a gesture to show you care.

Who says that Valentines Day has to be about jewelry and lingerie? A picnic, a romantic evening, an incredible meal, or a collage of great memories, you’ll be sure to get your point across, even though it may not be with a bow and arrow.

Becky Ocasio is an interior decorator in Oviedo, Florida, and the WAHM of 5 behind InteriorStyleHome.com. She loves nothing more than to hide away (“where the kids can’t find me!”) to create floral arrangements and custom window treatments, or to seek out the perfect home accents for her clients.

Technorati Tags: Valentine, gifts, romance, guest post

Heads up, all you lucky guys with serious tech-trending girls in your lives — Valentine’s Day is coming, and you know what that means!

You really need to start planning for a gift that will leave her breathless and affectionate enough to forgive you a year’s worth of leaving your socks on the floor and standing her up at Starbucks because your World of Warcraft game was just getting good…

Fortunately, my pal Pookie has exactly what you need — nothing less than the most romantic geek gift ever, a USB memory key in the form of a sparkling heart necklace. Lovely!

Oh, sure, it’s a snidgen on the pricey side (especially if you plan to throw in a fancy restaurant dinner and vintage vino to round out the evening), but… could you come up with anything more perfect? Practical… and oh, so very pretty!