Believe it. Mary Shota makes cranes out of quarter-inch papers.
The finished product is shown on a dime.
By Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin

---

This is the size of the piece of paper Mary Shota uses to create what she believes is the world's smallest origami crane:

She's been making these minicranes for 20 years, but only started selling them at craft fairs this year. "The first reaction is always, 'Omigod! It's so small,'" she says.

Shota uses her fingers and a tweezer to shape the tiny birds. And "If nobody bothers me I can make one in 5 or 10 minutes." If interrupted, the piece takes 15 or 20 minutes to make."People are amazed because they tell me it takes 15 minutes for them to make a regular-size crane (with paper 4 inches square)."

Shota started making the minicranes because she knew others who were already using 1/2-inch square paper to make lucky cranes, a symbol of luck, longevity, prosperity and a long and happy marriage in Japanese tradition.

"Everybody was making that size, so I just wanted to do something different," Shota said.

She sells her cranes for $5 in inch-long glass vials that can be strung and worn as a pendant. She'll be showing them at the following craft fairs:

Sept. 21 - Mililani Shopping Center, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Oct. 5 - Kamehameha Schools Kalama Dining Room, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Oct. 12 - Windward Community College Ho'olaule'a, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

All this, and she doesn't even get finger cramps!

For more information, call or fax Sho Creations at 235-7025.