Don’t you love talking books and book recommendations? There were such great comments and suggestions on yesterday’s post. Thanks so much!
I walked down to the mailbox the other day and saw something on the ground. As I looked more closely, I saw this:
I couldn’t quite believe my eyes. Do you remember these? You fold the paper over and over until you get this, stick your fingers inside and hold it like this:
Then you move it into this configuration:
I can’t quite remember how you end up having to pick one number or the other, but after you choose a number, you lift it up and your fortune is told.
Nice dreams.
Still working on tenses, I see. The teacher in me wants to add a little red e at the end of ‘millionair.’
Bad luck. Oooh – you’ll kiss a boy! Note the Don’t pick written in pencil on the number eight slot. There’s also a number that has Pick written on it.
A tad ghoulish, don’t you think?
I was immediately plunged back in time to elementary school, when we young girls made fortune tellers exactly like these. I find it comforting that girls still do this sort of thing. In this computer-driven, high tech world, young girls still pull out a piece of paper and fold it over and over, writing down numbers and fortunes. It’s as if I saw some young kids playing Jacks. Or jumping rope.
Sigh.
Young girl, I’m sorry you lost your fortune teller, but I’m happy you lost it right near my mailbox.
I’ve been trying to get Scout to ‘pounce’ on cue so I could make a little movie of it on my iPhone. That girl! The minute I hold up the phone, she refuses to pounce. I did manage to grab one quick pounce, which you’ll see at the very start of this little video. Don’t blink.
Happy Monday.
Sheila says
I remember those! They were so entertaining. And speaking of entertaining, this video is great.Thank you for sharing Miss Scout and her pounce with us. Acting does, indeed, run in the family. She is precious with such personality.
xo,
Sheila
Claudia says
Scout should be pulling in some big bucks for us with her acting talent!
Connie says
I saw th’ pounce!!! LOL Scout sure is a treasure.
xoxo,
Connie
Claudia says
She is indeed, Connie.
Kris says
Took me back too! My daughter was telling me that her daughter, my granddaughter, was playing Heads Up 7-Up in school the other day. I remember playing that on rainy days in grammar school too!!!!
: ) Kris
Claudia says
I remember 7-Up!
Donna@Gardens Eye View says
I loved these…they were gold…and of course the Magic 8 Ball…
Claudia says
I wanted one of those balls, but I never got one!
Debra @ Homespun says
Sheesh I remember those but don’t remember how to fold them!
Claudia says
Neither do I, Debra!
Paula says
We called them Cootie Catchers!
Scout is so cute – I like the way she looks away when you are talking to her – my dogs do that too! When she barked, my dogs looked up!
Claudia says
I know that we called them something other than Fortune Tellers, I just can’t remember what!
Our dogs are communicating with each other, Paula!
Janice says
I was just thinking about these and games I played when I was young! I was trying to remember how we folded them.
Scout is a cutie! They never seem to perform when you want them to. It took us a month to get one of our cat in a pose he does every night. Soon as the camera came out he moved.
Claudia says
I guess Scout is like every pet in the world – they will not perform for the camera.
Nancy Blue Moon says
The video is so cute..How could we girls forget those..you found a little fortune there in a happy memory..
Claudia says
Took me right back in time.
Donnamae says
I remember those fortune telling thingies! Loved the video of Scout…she did indeed pounce! Nice to hear your voice too! ;)
Claudia says
Thanks, Donna!
Meredith says
OH I remember making those, they were so much fun. I think I always made one that I would marry a cute boy in my class. That Scoutie is so cute, I saw the pounce, but the best is when she looked away from the camera in total disgust.
XO, Mere
Claudia says
Of course, we had to put in the name of a cute boy we had a crush on!
cindy the cottage chick says
Ha! My 12 year old son loves origami and makes fortune tellers all the time :)
And Scout is just like my Bogart (and my kids)…they never do what you want them to do when the camera is on them!
Claudia says
I’m trying to remember hold to fold those things!
Linda Petersen says
What fun to see the fortune teller! Made scads of them in grade school~~~but I can’t remember the rhyme that you say to get a number to open. We’re all kind of in the same boat~~LOL Scout is a diva:0) Performing only when she feels moved. Too cute!! Have a lovely day~~~~.
XO, Linda
Claudia says
She IS a diva!
Chy says
I do love book recommendations. I’ve never heard of the Miss Read books and have already found them on the Chapters/Indigo site to order once I’m home from holidays. I might even see if they have them here at the library. Thank you!
Scout is just like a human child ~ performs off camera but the minute the camera comes out, the game is on! Love the pounce that you caught. Great job!
Enjoy your day. We’re off to celebrate Canada’s 146th birthday. Sad that I can remember the 100th birthday celebration. Happy I’m still here to celebrate more!!!!
Claudia says
Happy Birthday to Canada, birthplace of my mom and 3 out of 4 of my grandparents!
Chy says
You are part Canadian!! Yeah!!
Mary says
I recall making them too, and then helping the kids do them……….one of those fun things from childhood which are so hard to discover these days. Grandchildren now want laptops and iPads and most have no idea how to make their own little game from a sheet of paper to pass a rainy day.
Scout, your mom is too much…………….you don’t have to jump, pounce or do anything special for us, just stand/sit/lay about on her lovely cottage wood floors (which I want) and look gorgeous.
Hugs to you both – Mary
Claudia says
Making something from a sheet of paper is awfully wonderful and the simplicity of it is something I miss.
An Enchanted Cottage says
Oh – my – gosh – I love Scout! She is SO sweet!
Yes, I remember those folded pieces of paper, too! What a trip down memory lane, right along with hop scotch, jumping rope, pick-up sticks, and jacks. When we got a little older I remember recess was when a lot of the girls whipped out their little empty spools of thread with the nails hammered around the top in a circle, with all of us making LONG ‘crocheted’ tubes!
Looking forward to more videos of Scout!
Donna
Claudia says
I remember those spools, Donna! What a great memory!
Josje says
Yes I made them too over here! And the kids still make them. Fun to know this is a popular international game.
A quick reminder on how to fold them: fold a square piece of paper down the middle, open, turn and fold again so you have folded a cross. Open the paper and now fold each point towards the centre. Turn it over and fold the the points to the centre again. Turn to the other side again and fold the little squares into triangles. Put your index fingers and thumbs into the triangles and push the game into shape. Now decorate and make up something fun to write inside. Enjoy!
Scout is so cute!
Claudia says
Oh thanks so much, Josje! I’m going to make one right now – and I’ll mention your directions in tomorrow’s post. I didn’t know they were made overseas – truly an international game!
sharon Lovejoy says
Well, well dear Claudia, what a jolt from the past for me. I forgot all about these and now I want to show my grand how to do them.
THANK YOU for the fun and the good project for traveling in a car.
Love, love,
Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island
Claudia says
Love love to you, too, Sharon!
édis says
ELA É LINDA,
Luanne says
I saw the pounce! I use to make those paper fortune teller-thingies too. I didn’t think kids made them anymore now that they are all wired up & digital. We used to spend hours making & playing with them. Memories….
Luanne
Mary @ Ms. Redo says
Claudia, I decided to start with Miss Read, her books sound like just the thing I enjoy reading. Meanwhile wanted to tell you about a book I stumbled across at my library this weekend – The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap by Wendy Welch. Located in SW Virginia, the story of a couple who decides to give up their day jobs and open a used book store – great read about the lost wonder of local book shops (non-fiction).
Mary
Pat says
Ha!
I loved the pounce…:)
That girl is just hilarious and you too. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard your voice… You have a soothing friendly voice.
…and a playful tone with your baby girl.
Just like a kid to balk and not perform under pressure. Mine always made me look silly when they did that. It’s like they don’t know what you’re talking about.
…the fortune teller is a blast from the past.
If you’d made it. It would say… “You’ll make a video with a loved one today.” OR…
“Scout won’t do as she’s told. ”
Bwa-ha ha ha ha!
Pat
Teresa Kasner says
I remember those, but I don’t think I ever knew how to make one.. but then again.. I’m so old I’ve forgotten most of that stuff. :-) I saw Scout pounce.. talented dog! Teresa :-)
Grace says
It is a thrill to see Scout ‘live’! So lovable! And, i also remember these little folded papers and agree in how refreshingly uplifting that seems. Insofar books, i always have more on my wish list to read,you seem a fast reader and writer,for that matter(or maybe i’m just slow:))! Anyway,thank-you always Claudia!
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces says
I loved those when I was a girl! And I enjoyed cute Scout’s video…especially the little jump she does when she barks!
missy says
We used to call them “cootie catchers”..
Sandy says
I remember those and I remember making them! Can’t remember what we called them or what was written inside. It’s nice to see Scout in action!