For the love of origami!
My Story
My love affair with paper started early. I grew up scrapbooking and crafting, and somewhere along the way, traditional origami found its way into my heart too. In college and during my years teaching, crafting took a back seat — though I always found a way to sneak origami into my classroom to help students build dexterity and focus. That's actually where my passion for it truly deepened.
When I made the decision to stay home and raise my children, I rediscovered that creative part of myself. I picked scrapbooking back up, then started exploring more and more paper crafts. Around 2009, I stumbled onto Etsy — first just browsing and buying, but slowly a thought took root: maybe I could sell my own work here too.
I started small, with a few frames and origami kusudama flower balls, and gradually found my footing and my niche. Today, KatiemadeOrigami is built around handmade paper art: origami flower bouquets, kusudama ball ornaments, nursery mobiles, shadow boxes, and one-of-a-kind pieces crafted from rescued books, comics, and maps. What I do now is truly a labor of love — I pour so much joy into designing new mobiles, experimenting with fresh color combinations, and giving old paper new life.
But what I treasure most is custom work. Whether it's a mobile for a nursery, boutonnieres for a wedding party, or a bouquet for someone who needs a little brightness — like the bouquets I've made for hospital and ICU rooms — I love sitting down with customers, learning their vision, and creating something completely one-of-a-kind. Every piece tells someone's story, and I get to help tell it.
My love affair with paper started early. I grew up scrapbooking and crafting, and somewhere along the way, traditional origami found its way into my heart too. In college and during my years teaching, crafting took a back seat — though I always found a way to sneak origami into my classroom to help students build dexterity and focus. That's actually where my passion for it truly deepened.
When I made the decision to stay home and raise my children, I rediscovered that creative part of myself. I picked scrapbooking back up, then started exploring more and more paper crafts. Around 2009, I stumbled onto Etsy — first just browsing and buying, but slowly a thought took root: maybe I could sell my own work here too.
I started small, with a few frames and origami kusudama flower balls, and gradually found my footing and my niche. Today, KatiemadeOrigami is built around handmade paper art: origami flower bouquets, kusudama ball ornaments, nursery mobiles, shadow boxes, and one-of-a-kind pieces crafted from rescued books, comics, and maps. What I do now is truly a labor of love — I pour so much joy into designing new mobiles, experimenting with fresh color combinations, and giving old paper new life.
But what I treasure most is custom work. Whether it's a mobile for a nursery, boutonnieres for a wedding party, or a bouquet for someone who needs a little brightness — like the bouquets I've made for hospital and ICU rooms — I love sitting down with customers, learning their vision, and creating something completely one-of-a-kind. Every piece tells someone's story, and I get to help tell it.