
Alright, no doubt about it. We LOVE a good photo booth. We’ll take any chance to snap a few selfies or pics with our gals. Today we’ve stepped up our photo booth game with this origami Valentine’s Day-themed photo backdrop. Bonus — once you’re done with the backdrop, give out the origami hearts to your favorite valentines.
Materials:
– paper in various colors
– tape
Tools:
– cutting mat
– ruler
– scissors
– Scotch box cutter or X-acto knife
– pencil
Instructions:
1. Trace or draw a heart to your desired size.
2. Cut a line a third of the way down the center in between the two curves of the heart.
3. Fold one over the other and tape.
We’ll start you off with the easiest heart. First, you’ll trace or draw a heart on a sheet of paper. Then cut a line about 1/3 of the way down the heart, and fold over and tape to create a three-dimensional heart.
3D Heart
Instructions:
1. Cut a square to your desired dimension.
2. Fold once horizontally and once vertically to divide the square into four squares.
3. Fold the bottom edge of the large square to the middle fold line. Take the new bottom left edge and fold it into the vertical center line to form a triangle. Repeat this on the right side.
4. Flip the piece over to the front and fold the point to the top line of the square.
5. Turn the piece over again and press down the bottom fold to form a triangle.
5. Fold new square pieces to form triangles. Then fold the point of that triangle to form a flat edge.
6. Bring the outer edges together to meet in the center fold line.
7. Flip to the front and fold the triangles into the heart to reveal the heart shape.
8. Cut a rectangle shape that suits the size of your heart. Slice the edges on a slant to create a polygon shape.
9. Fold the polygon into an accordion. Pinch the accordion at the center and tape it together. Then tape your wings to the back of the heart.
When shopping for paper, try to pick the lightest weight sp it’s easy to fold. To start this heart you will need to cut a square.
Winged Heart
Fold the square in half vertically and horizontally. This will divide your square into four even squares.
Bring the bottom edge to meet the center fold line and crease down. Then bring the new bottom edge to meet the vertical fold line. This will create a triangular shape.
Flip the piece over to the front side and fold the point to the top edge of the paper.
Turn the piece back over and press down the folded piece into triangles. It should look like a bowtie.
Fold the tabs in to form triangles, and then fold the points of the triangles to form flat edges. Bring the outer pieces to meet in the center.
Tuck the pieces into the heart to reveal the heart shape.
This heart was inspired by a tutorial from The Glue Gun Girl, but we changed it up a little by adding wings! How very Pan Am of us.
Cut a rectangle to suit the size of your heart.
Trim the edges on a diagonal and then fold into an accordion.
Secure together with tape and attach to your heart.
We are loving the retro feel of this origami heart.
Instructions:
1. Cut a square to your desired size.
2. Fold the square in half and then in half again in both the vertical and horizontal directions. This will create 16 equally sized boxes.
3. Bring the outer points to meet in the center of the paper, crease, and then unfold.
4. Flip the paper over, pinch and lift the center outer edges of the paper, and press down. The paper will naturally fold into a square due to the way you creased it earlier.
5. Turn the piece over again and fold in both the vertical and horizontal directions to create the 16-box grid.
6. Bring the outer points into the center of the square.
7. Fold back the top layer of the four squares.
8. Flip over and peel back the first layer. Let the paper fold naturally and the four outer corners will meet in the center.
9. Turn the piece over again, and pinch the area that looks like a mouth. Fold these pieces into themselves to form a triangle. Fold three sections, leaving one still in the mouth form.
10. Tuck the points of the mouth into a square base.
11. Using the photo below, fold the large square into a heart shape.
12. Flip to the front side and fold back the center pieces to reveal the hidden geometry.
Take a deep breath and let’s get started.
Cut your piece of paper into a square.
Geometric Heart
Fold the square in half and then in half again in both the vertical and horizontal directions.
Bring the outer corners of the square into the center, crease and then unfold.
Flip the paper over and then pinch the outer edges. Let the paper fold naturally into a smaller square. Don’t worry, with a little guidance this will happen on its own due to the previous folds.
Turn the paper over again and fold to create 16 even boxes. *Hint — fold twice in the vertical and horizontal directions like we did in step two.
Bring the outer corners to meet in the center. Crease and then unfold.
Fold back the first layer of the small squares.
Flip the piece over and pinch the first layer to bring the outer corners into the center.
Now we’re going to flip the piece over again. Pinch the section that looks like a mouth and fold the outer edges in to make a triangle. There will be four mouths — only fold three of them.
Tuck the edges of the last mouth into the square center.
All I have to say is, fold accordingly. =)
Flip your heart over and fold back the center pieces to reveal the hidden geometry.
Congratulations! You did it! Cheers to you! If you prefer video guidance, check out the tutorial from Love Origami.
Here’s a few, but we’re going to need more for our backdrop!
Make them all different sizes to create a really dramatic backdrop.
Use sticky tack or tape to adhere them to the wall.
Set up your hearts in a cute pattern.
Ready, set, smile!
Create cute props for your photo booth. Props always bring your photo booth up to the next level.
Hi Cutie =)
Hey, I like your face =)
XOXOXO
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.