Paper Bird Mouth (Ooplie or Nom Nom)

Ooplies can be entertaining, considering that they are extremely simple and easy to make.  You can make Ooplies out of papers of all sizes and can create an Ooplie family of all different sized Ooplies!  Once you make one, you can't put it down.  You can play catch with a paper ball, and you can make many of them in little time for all your friends.

Here's a list of things you will need to make an Ooplie...

-Standard sized piece of paper: 81/2 by 11" (you can use different sizes to get different sized Ooplies, but make sure it has a rectangular shape)
-Ruler (for measuring)
-Scissors (for cutting...what else?)
-Pencil (if you're a neat freak)

First, hold the paper, the short sides pointing up, the long sides pointing sideways.  Bring the short right edge into about where the middle of the paper is, and crease it.  Then do the same with the left side.  Fold the two of them back, so it makes a small accordion like structure.(See pictures)

After you fold the sides into the middle, take one corner, and fold it down (make the fold so that it is to the outside), so that the bottom of the fold is pretty close to the bottom of the paper.  Do it with the other four corners. The middle section, which it the one you made when you folded it back, should still be unfolded, and sticking up. Fold both corners down, like the rest.  It doesn't matter which way you fold it.

Take the ruler and pencil and measure about half way across the bottom of the trapezoid, which should be about 41/4"across.  Flip it over and do the same thing on the other side.  IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT!  If you are a cm away from the right place, that's OK.  Take the scissors and make a cut, that goes about an inch into the bottom of the trapezoid, starting at the pencil line.  Go through both layers, so they are even.

From the cut, fold the paper up, and gradually shorten the height of the fold as it goes down. (see picture)  This creates the effect of it having a real beak, and it gives it the ability to move easier.  Fold it four more times to create the upper and lower jaw.

Open it up, and bend it down the long way.  It may feel wrong, but it's right

Now you're done!  Make a paper ball and have a catch, or make a family of Ooplies!