I'm over the moon today! I've just found out that my Sterling Silver Origami Crane Pendant is a finalist in the Etsy Design Awards! As a finalist, I have the chance of winning not only exposure in Inside Out magazine, but the people's choice winner also gets a trip to New York to visit Etsy headquarters! How amazing would that be!
The origami crane holds a special place in my heart. When I was in primary school, my teacher read us the story of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes and it was my first connection to Japan, a country which I would later call home for six years. When I was in my 20s, I went to Hiroshima and visited Sadako's memorial and was so touched by all the paper cranes folded and sent from children all around the world. When I was teaching in a high school in Japan, if ever a student was sick in hospital, the school would get together and fold 1000 cranes which would then be delivered to the child's ward.
The crane also has other symbolic meanings attached and I love how a simple square piece of paper can be folded into a message of peace, love, health and longevity.
To create this crane, I first folded the paper, coated it to make it waterproof, had a mould made and then I get it cast in sterling silver by a local company. I then finish it off with a brushed finish to give it a paper-like texture and burnish the folds to a lovely shine as a contrast.
So now excuse me while I beg.... please vote for my beloved crane! Pretty please! You can do so over here. Oh, and there's also a chance you could win yourself a $250 Etsy shopping voucher while you're at it!
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