Jumping Frog Origami

• Today's origami figures begin with the simple folds first creased centuries ago. Mastering the basic folds, the valley fold and frog base is the first step in creating origami.

• Just about any kind of paper can be used for origami: newspaper, typing paper, wrapping paper, recycled paper, foil-backed paper or traditional origami paper, which is brightly colored on one side and white on the other. Complicated figures require a thin, crisp paper for best results. Thicker papers hold creases better, giving a clean line to simple designs. For this frog origami, you'll need a 3 x 5 card (like a recipe card).

• The most important thing to remember in choosing paper is that the dimensions of the sheet should be exact. If you're starting with a square sheet, for instance, measure to be sure it's precisely square. Trim with scissors if necessary.

• Make your creases carefully, matching corners where indicated. You can get a good crease on folds by using your thumbnail, a spoon or any hard, smooth object.

Use this key, located on all of the pages, as a reference:

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