Story of "The Grateful Crane" (Tsuru No Ongaeshi, Japanese Title)

This set is based on one of the Japanese classical stories, “The Grateful Crane”  However, the designs are unmistakably original of mine.

Brief story of “The Grateful Crane”

Once upon a time there was a very old man who sold some firewood to town to make a living.  On the way, he found a trapped crane and he helped her get free since he felt very sorry. 

 When it was a very snowy day, a beautifully woman who got lost knocked the old man’s door.  His wife let her stay overnight but the snow didn’t stop for a few days. 

The beautiful woman asked him to buy some threads so she would weave some rolls of cloth and he could sell them.  The first roll of cloth was surprisingly beautiful and he could sell it with very very high price.  He bought another threads and she made the second roll of cloth.  While she wove them, she told them not to see her.

 But the old man and woman wondered how she could make such a beautiful cloth unlike anything else and they could not resist a temptation to look at her just a little. 

 Surprisingly what they saw was a crane which was weaving the cloth with thread and her feather. 

 She wanted to be their daughter forever but now they know who she really was, she had to fly away. 

 How I use “wafer paper”

I wanted to make a lift-the-flap book.  To make it a little round (not completely flat), I made some cuts and glue the cuts.

 Indoor doors for Japanese room usually have wooden framed and paper screen.  This kind of door is called “shoji”  I drew the shade of weaving machine with black cocoa powder and a little oil on wafer paper.

 Candle and rolls of cloth

The cores are cookies and they are wrapped by wafer paper.  I did this when it is raining and there was no trouble handling wafer paper.  If it is too dry, the tip by @Alison Friedli may help.  http://cookieconnection.juliau...lip/dreams-come-true

For rolls of cloth, I attached SugarVeil, that was inspired by @Manu biscotti decorati   http://cookieconnection.juliau...p/fun-with-lace-lace

Crane

The feathers are wafer paper.  Black feather is colored with black cocoa power and oil.

 Old man’s hair

His hair is wafer paper

 Crane on the cloud, Origami

Origami crane is wafer paper.  SugarVeil is also attached. 

 Thank you for reading through.  This story is very very old and it is slightly different from place to place.  

Jaw dropping, Ryoko... amazing work.

Manu posted:

Jaw dropping, Ryoko... amazing work.

Grazie, Manu

I really did not have time to bake cookies beautifully, some got burned and edges are rough.  But the wafer paper part, I really worked hard.  Especially origami, I tried to fold it many times.   Thank you for liking my clip and your support. 

Amazing set, Ryoko! Another beautiful story of yours! We have a similar tale here as well. Amazing work again, but I can not take my eyes off the candles! You say they are cookies, how on earth you baked those?!!! Perfect, but I'm serious, I really want to know

carouselselsel posted:

Amazing set, Ryoko! Another beautiful story of yours! We have a similar tale here as well. Amazing work again, but I can not take my eyes off the candles! You say they are cookies, how on earth you baked those?!!! Perfect, but I'm serious, I really want to know

Thank you, Zara.  I wonder what is the story of yours.  

I also think these candles look really good.  I rolled the dough, made sticks, baked them but they were not straight so I shaved to make them round and straight.  Then I wrapped with wafer paper.  The fire is also wafer paper. 

Ryoko, this is really breathtaking. All those details, I can't take my eyes off them. How on earth did you make the old man's hair? It looks so real.

This is a stunning, perfect, and meaningful set - please find a save place for it so that it may have a long and happy life!

Laegwen posted:

Ryoko, this is really breathtaking. All those details, I can't take my eyes off them. How on earth did you make the old man's hair? It looks so real.

This is a stunning, perfect, and meaningful set - please find a save place for it so that it may have a long and happy life!

Hi Leoni, ありがとう！

The hair, it came out much better than I thought.  It was O.K. to cut the wafer paper very thin but while I was placing hair on his head with tweezers, I really could not breathe, that part was hard.  I tried to have the bald area a lot because I lost a lot of his hair while I was breathing.     Danke!  

Amazing! 

Ryoko!  You have done it again!  What a beautiful story.  You have "cookified" it so perfectly.  Having worked with wafer paper myself, I am so impressed with that origami crane - getting the paper folded so perfectly without breaking is a feat in itself.    I had no idea you could create a black "paint" from coca powder and oil.  I will be sure to try that our for myself!  I could go on and on, but really, this is an amazing entry!

Evelindecora posted:

Amazing! 

Hi Evelin, thank you.  Your comment is very encouraging. 

Bakerloo Station posted:

Ryoko!  You have done it again!  What a beautiful story.  You have "cookified" it so perfectly.  Having worked with wafer paper myself, I am so impressed with that origami crane - getting the paper folded so perfectly without breaking is a feat in itself.    I had no idea you could create a black "paint" from coca powder and oil.  I will be sure to try that our for myself!  I could go on and on, but really, this is an amazing entry!

Hi Christine, thank you for this challenge.  Because of this challenge I got wafer paper for myself, did some experiments and tried this and that, that was really interesting.  Kitchen table was oily, I made holes on wafer paper .....  I have one more design but I really did not have enough time.  I will do them later.   Have a good day!

p.s.  I also got a new SugarVeil rose mat!  Yay!

What a treat to read and experience the delight of this story! Thank you for putting this vision into cookie form! Love love love it!!!

Kim Damon posted:

What a treat to read and experience the delight of this story! Thank you for putting this vision into cookie form! Love love love it!!!

Hi, Kim.  Thank you for reading through and thank you for your comment. 

Remember I pray for you. 

Ryoko ~Cookie Ave. posted:

Kim Damon posted:

What a treat to read and experience the delight of this story! Thank you for putting this vision into cookie form! Love love love it!!!

Hi, Kim.  Thank you for reading through and thank you for your comment. 

Remember I pray for you. 

<3 Thank you dear friend. 

Amazing.  

Tina at Sugar Wishes posted:

Amazing.  

Thank you

What a superb work, Ryoko! I loved to read the story and all of your explanations! Outstanding <3 <3 <3!

swissophie posted:

What a superb work, Ryoko! I loved to read the story and all of your explanations! Outstanding <3 <3 <3!

Hi Sonja!  Thank you for your lovely comment.  Actually I dropped a lot of part of the story to make it short but it is really good.  The woman made only 3 rolls of cloth and after the third one she left.  But the cloth was really beautiful and could be sold with high price, the old man and woman could live with the money rest of their lives.  The crane sacrificed her feathers and her life. 

I really wish I could make cookies like yours.   I want to see them actually. 

Amazing work as always!

Cookieland by ZorniZZa posted:

Amazing work as always!

Thank you. 

Beautiful composition!!!

Cool Sweets posted:

Beautiful composition!!!

 

Thank you

Just stunning! Love all the fine details and how you have portrayed the story through cookies.

Kimmoiye14 posted:

Just stunning! Love all the fine details and how you have portrayed the story through cookies.

Thank you

Ryoko ~Cookie Ave. posted:

swissophie posted:

What a superb work, Ryoko! I loved to read the story and all of your explanations! Outstanding <3 <3 <3!

Hi Sonja!  Thank you for your lovely comment.  Actually I dropped a lot of part of the story to make it short but it is really good.  The woman made only 3 rolls of cloth and after the third one she left.  But the cloth was really beautiful and could be sold with high price, the old man and woman could live with the money rest of their lives.  The crane sacrificed her feathers and her life. 

I really wish I could make cookies like yours.   I want to see them actually. 

Thank you, Ryoko ❤️! I love all of your work! It's creative and beautiful!!!

Absolutely fantastic work! Masterpiece <3

Incantata posted:

Absolutely fantastic work! Masterpiece <3

Thank you