Each and every day, whether at school, at work, at home or at the grocery store, people need to practice patience. This is difficult for some individuals, especially for the child who is waiting their turn for the swing for example. Origami can be used to instill this importance of patience in both children and adults alike. Because origami is time consuming and often includes tiny objects, it's important to have paper that can withstand the process. Having the perfect paper for origami is the same as having the perfect canvass for a painting. Without it, the individual cannot be certain of success. Who ever knew that folding paper could be so complicated? If you have some cloth napkins with an oriental print you can make mini kimonos to grace the plates. Small paper dragons, pigs, rabbits and tigers become chop stick (or knife) rests, or attach them to your place cards for a decorative touch that your guests can take with them. Picnics: A large plastic cloth can be folded into a picnic basket then unfolded and used as a tablecloth or picnic blanket when you are ready to dine. While most people think of Origami as being a strictly Japanese art form, many say it actually has it's roots in China going all the way back to the first or second century. Back in those early days paper was so rare and expensive that origami was a pastime reserved for the wealthy. Certain set shapes were fashioned from folded paper for special occasions like weddings, while serrated strips of white paper were used to adorn sacred objects in the shrines, a practice that continues to this day. What Can You Make Using Origami? What you can make using origami depends totally on the level of skill and knowledge you have about the activity. Origami involves folding a piece of paper which may seem relatively easy but in actual fact it can become quite complicated and complex. Not everyone is prepared for the challenges associated with advanced origami projects. Once they begin to design their own origami compositions, people find themselves entering contests and competitions to showcase their work. Going beyond the point of using origami as a hobby can put a person in the category of a serious origami artist. This is great if that is what the individual wants and enjoys.