Angels and Christmas trees, folded books

I was asked to demonstrate how to make paperback Angels and Christmas trees. These are in the unfinished state. The top picture shows the basis of both Angels and tree. Simply fold the page, fold top corner to the spine, fold the folded edge to the spine, fold the bottom edge level with the bottom of the pages. Fold the book like that and you have a tree, Tear of the stiff front and back pages, For the Angel glue on wings, head, arms, hymn book/song sheet.

Bottom picture is my take on a Christmas tree. Fold page like first stage as above. Mark page under folded edge and cut to the middle of book. Fold half cut page to the bottom edge of the page and it will look like this.      
      
UPDATE...I have put a FLYING FOLDED BOOK ANGEL and WITCH and others on the July 25th 2012 blog post

I have been folding books in various ways, fascinated by the patterns the printed word made across the page and the way the gaps between words made tracks down the page. I investigated telephone books, TV guides, anything I could get my hands on. I wanted to combine stitching with folded paper by smocking the folded pages. In 2004 I won a place at uni for a practising artist to develop the ideas but left as my dad became ill and needed help with mum who had developed dementia. Still have the box of folded pieces.........one day....

bellycast with hands

Sometimes I do the cast with the mum standing and sometimes like this, sitting and leaning back on a chair. Gemma wanted to hug her bump and try to form a heart shape with her fingers and thumbs. The "bump" was affectionately known as Freddie. As you can see she is bound up in clingfilm (saran wrap) When I have finished and want to take it off I simply cut through the cling film at the back. The final cast was trimmed up a bit and painted white as requested to keep the look of the plaster bandage while sealing it. While dad was in hospital his grand daughter was also on the labour ward giving birth to little Freddie. (the name stuck) I had my first cuddle of Freddie last friday....lovely.......See May blog post for another belly cast.