Get Inspired and Challenge Yourself with Origami 365 Days Challenge 2023

After taking on the daunting task of completing an origami model every day for 365 days, (for the second time in my life, see the first attempt here) I’m proud to say that I’ve successfully reached the 31-day mark!

In this article, I’ll share my experiences, insights, and lessons learned from the first month of my origami 365 days challenge 2023.

Here’s how my journey has unfolded so far.

January: 31 days of origami progress

Welcome to my presentation on the origami models I folded in January!

I’ve been practicing origami for several years, and I’m always amazed by the beauty of the models that can be created from a single sheet of paper.

I’m excited to share the models I’ve folded this month with you, and I hope that you find this presentation informative and inspiring!

Now, let’s go into details for each and every model. I will mention the model’s name, who designed the model, what paper I used, what size and of course where you can find the diagram or the tutorial.

As I got a Scribd subscription to be able to access origami books, when I will mention the books I will share my Scribd invite link.

This means that if you are to decide that you also want a Scribd subscription you will get 60 days of free reading when you join and I will get 30 days of free reading time for every person who joins.

This is just to be transparent.

You do not have to join or do anything that you don’t want to do.

Day 1 - Origami Apple

One thing that you can celebrate on January 1st is Apple Gifting Day.

The tradition of giving an apple on the first day of the year dates back far beyond modern times, when students often bring an apple for their teacher on the first day of school. Apple Gifting Day can be traced thousands of years back, where it played a significant role in welcoming the New Year.

Apples hold a special significance, representing various aspects of life such as love, good health, knowledge, beauty, abundance, and renewal. In ancient times, when fresh produce was less accessible, presenting someone with an apple on Apple Gifting Day must have been a special treat.

One of the most well-known fruits worldwide, apples are a convenient choice due to their longevity (when stored properly) and versatility in the kitchen, as they can be used in baking a variety of tasty treats.

Day 2 - Origami Cat

January 2nd is Happy Mew Year for Cats Day.

Like the less important human celebration of New Year’s Day, cats can reflect on the fresh start of the new season and all of its potential during this special day. They might consider the possibility of their human switching from dry to canned food or the tomcat next door making a move.

After all, cats are the rulers and dogs simply slobber, right?

Day 3 - Scarab, Scarabeo

Please click on the tutorial link to see how beautifully this model looks like folded by Adriano.

It has a better shape than how mine turned out. Don’t get me wring I like how mine looks as well.

Day 4 - Origami Fox

This model has a gorgeous shape. I love how simple but elegant it looks.

Day 5 - Pelicano

National Bird Day is observed annually on January 5th to raise awareness about the importance of protecting birds and their habitats. It serves as a reminder of the significant role birds play in our environment, as well as their beauty and diverse species. On this day, bird enthusiasts, nature lovers, and conservation organizations come together to celebrate birds and promote efforts to conserve them.

Day 6 -Wale

Day 7 -Simple Crane

Day 8 - Origami Horse

Day 9 - Origami Horse

Day 10 - Bald Eagle

National Save the Eagles Day is observed on January 10th every year to raise awareness about the conservation of eagles.

This day is dedicated to educating people about the challenges faced by these magnificent birds, such as habitat destruction, pollution, and illegal hunting.

On this day, conservation organizations and wildlife enthusiasts come together to promote the protection and preservation of eagles and their habitats.

Day 11 - Simple Butterfly

Day 12 - Wen's Dragon

Day 13 - River otter

Day 14 - Simple Star

Day 15 - Puppy

Day 16 - Dragon

National Appreciate a Dragon Day is observed annually on January 16th to celebrate the mythical creatures that have captured the imagination of people for centuries.

This day is dedicated to recognizing and appreciating the unique characteristics and cultural significance of dragons.

People around the world take part in various activities such as dragon-themed parties, watching dragon-related movies or TV shows, and reading dragon-related books.

The day is also an opportunity to reflect on the enduring popularity of dragons in folklore, mythology, and popular culture. National Appreciate a Dragon Day is a celebration of the imagination, creativity, and magic that dragons bring to our lives.

Day 17 - Origami triceratops

Day 18 - Koala

Day 19 - Octopus

Day 20 - Penguin

Penguin Awareness Day is observed annually on January 20th to raise awareness about penguins and the challenges they face.

This day is dedicated to educating people about the biology, behavior, and habitats of penguins, as well as the threats they face, such as climate change and overfishing.

Is a celebration of the unique and adorable qualities of penguins and a call to action to protect them and their habitats.

Day 21 - Squirrel

National Squirrel Appreciation Day is observed annually on January 21st to celebrate the furry little creatures that are a common sight in many parts of the world.

This day is dedicated to raising awareness about the biology, behavior, and habitats of squirrels, and the challenges they face, such as habitat destruction and disease.

Day 22 - Moon

You can see the bunny in my Easter article.

The Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival, is a significant traditional festival celebrated by many East Asian countries, including China, Vietnam, and Korea.

On 22 January 2023, the year of the Rabbit will be welcomed in with joyous festivities, such as reunions with family and friends, traditional meals, and exchanging of red envelopes filled with money.

The festival symbolizes the end of winter and the beginning of a new spring, with the hope for prosperity and good fortune in the coming year.

The celebrations typically last for 15 days, ending with the lantern festival, marking the end of the festivities and a return to everyday life.

Day 23 - Action Horse

Day 24 - Boat

Day 25 - Mouse

Day 26 - Dolphin

Day 27 - Peacock

Day 28 - Daisy

On National Daisy Day, we pay tribute to the diverse and vibrant daisy flower family.

With over 20,000 different species, these flowers boast a wide spectrum of colors and an abundance of variety.

The daisy has a rich history, with roots tracing back to Ancient Egypt where they were cultivated not only for their beauty but also for their medicinal properties.

Over the centuries, daisies have been cherished by Europeans and symbolize purity, new beginnings, and joy.

National Daisy Day is a celebration of this bright and magnificent flower.

Day 29 - Snail

Day 30 - IvaMia kusudama

Day 31 - Lily

My Plan

So what was my plan?

How did I decided to tackle this origami 365 days challenge 2023?

I did tried this challenge before and I only got to 104 (making one origami model a day).

Then I decided to still try to get to 365 even if I am not folding daily, and got only to 122 (so that’s only 18 more models)

It’s a hard challenge for me. I am not good at forming habits and sticking to them.

This time around I have a new plan.

At the beginning of each month I will check the daysoftheyear.com site to see what funny holidays are that month and what works for origami models (I do like that site a lot).

I then mark them down on a paper calendar that I got for Christmas (it’s with cats so helps too, as I love cats).

And then, beside having a few ideas of what models to fold on some days, I decided that whenever I feel too tired or not in the mood to fold, instead of pushing me to fold a new model I will just fold something extremely easy, like a crane, butterfly, boat, lily and so on.

I also try to start the day folding before going to work.

I find that helps too.

I also have some origami models I saved on my Instagram, Facebook and YouTube over the years.

I know I once wanted to fold those models, so now it’s the perfect time to do so.

Another important step in this plan, is the fact that I am also giving myself permission to fold simple models and not go overboard (this is also a bit easy as the biggest paper I have is 20 cm).

I do want to get to a point where in weekends I fold more complex models, but for now, until this really becomes a habit, simple models it is.

I also look on Pinterest and YouTube for models as sometimes following a video is easier.

So how was it?

The first month of this origami 365 days challenge 2023 was ok.

In the beginning it was hard, I wanted to quit I think in day 3 or 4.

And a few days after this is when I decided to just give myself permission to fold anything. It can something as simple as a crane, that I think I could fold with my eyes closed.

By doing this, even if I haven’t folded anything until after dinner, which happened a lot, I still would say to myself, only 10 minutes and you are done for today.

Fold something that you already know, no need to look for a new model and understand the diagram, just fold.

I also made the photos with my phone, no need to get out the camera.

This was a bit of a bummer for me, as some photos are not so pretty, but it’s fine. I am trying to form a habit for the moment more than having beautiful photos and exciting new models.

Deciding to start a subscription on Scribd also helped, as I can find lots of origami books there.

My Advice:

Try to plan the models but don’t feel like you have to stick to that plan.

If you are not in the mood or tired, just fold a crane, it’s easy.

Whenever you see a model that you like, save it. You might not fold it now or even this month, but you will create a gallery a models that you know you like and want to fold someday.

Give yourself permission to fold really simple models and even to refold the same model again.

Try not to think that you have to impress somebody with the models you fold. That your effort is not an effort if you are not folding complex models. That is not true.

And of course, have fun.

Tools I used when creating this origami 365 days challenge 2023 article:

Images

The photos have been taken with my phone, I have them saved in Google Photos, then I added them to Canva to make them square and used some filters to make them pop a bit, as some of them are a bit dark and not that well exposed.

SEO

I use Squirrly SEO for all my SEO needs for my site.

I use Ezoic to add ads to my site and try to monetize it a bit.

Text and Apperances

I use Elementor to create my layout for my articles. I use ChatGPT to help me create part of the text (intro and when I mention the holidays that I wrote down to make the models for)

Where can you see my progress daily?

I post everyday on Instagram. There is where I decided to track this challenge daily.

Cristina

I am a Origami Artist