Publisher's Weekly Review
In a fun twist on an ancient art, the authors present a selection of paper-folding projects that use old envelopes, potato chip bags, and even magazine subscription cards instead of the usual origami paper. Each project is presented with full-color photos followed by a clear chart using standardized origami symbols that show exactly how to fold the piece. An accompanying DVD provides even more instruction, especially helpful for readers who learn best by watching. Projects include a candy wrapper butterfly, a crown towers and jumping frog game, photo cubes, snack bag wallets, and elegant boxes and envelopes. The "curler unit ball" project is a standout; it is a truly gorgeous, complex creation. While all of the projects are ingenious, some are more attractive than others; trash is trash, after all. But the low price point, accompanying DVD, and green tilt should help it sell well with crafters. Photos. (Oct.) Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.
Booklist Review
In this world of the three Rs re-use, recycle, repurpose confirmed origamists LaFosse and Alexander turn their attention to folded projects fashioned from throwaways. Such materials, the authors note in their introduction, range from glossy brochures and dog food bags to gum wrappers and those annoying reader response cards that fall out off every magazine at all-too-regular intervals. With little preparation and the assumption that readers understand the basics of this Japanese art, LaFosse, Alexander, and the contributing designers plunge into the two-dozen-plus projects with a lot of heart and many instructions and illustrations as well as a DVD. About half the items, such as crumpled mushrooms, curler-unit balls, and paper hearts, are purely aesthetic, whereas the rest different varieties of envelopes, a snack-bag wallet to hold coupons, reworked old games (checkers, anyone?) serve practical functions. Although readers will need some experience, color photos and pictorial directions fill in some gaps. Level of difficulty is not indicated, however, nor are here lists of materials. For advanced folders only.--Jacobs, Barbara Copyright 2010 Booklist
