Fold Your Brain into Shape
This simple, ineffable brain exercise can be practiced nearly anywhere, nearly anytime. Perfectly portable, these gifts of gratitude share warm fuzzies.
Download. Cut. Fold.
Grab your printable stencil and fold your way through a full collection of dollar bill animals—frogs, turtles, dolphins, and more! These playful, brain-boosting folds combine focus, creativity, and fun for all ages. Follow along with our step-by-step video tutorials and turn your spare bills into a moving menagerie of mindful origami.
Check out the Video Library of HACKiBill™ Folds! The fast, no-talk versions were filmed at some of my favorite spots on Kaua’i. For slower, guided instruction, you’ll also find videos on a clean white background. Start with the peacock—fold it a few times, build your confidence, and enjoy the process. Let the addiction unfold slowly.
Appreciate the stencil? Consider a contribution to the cause 🙏🏼
No obligation, just a way of spreading the aloha!
Discover the mind-bending benefits of origami
When I was a wee lad, I saw a man fold an animal out of a dollar bill while dining at a Japanese restaurant. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. The server lit up when they received the little paper creature, and I remember thinking, I’ve got to learn how to do that…
Time has a way of slipping into the future… or something like that.
Almost twenty years later, I found myself in Pacific Grove, California, staying with a family and working as their “manny.” The boy, who was my main charge, on his 13th birthday received “The Buck Book”, with instructions on how to transform dollar bills into fun items. Inside they had several really cool folds, the elephant caught my eye and that was the first one I learned how to do.
Over the years I started finding other amazing folds, and I slowly started adding to my repertoire. It never became a full-on obsession like juggling or footbag, but I did collect dozens of dollar-bill folding books and hunted for the best of the best designs.
Eventually, I wanted to take the American dollar and transform it into something more liberating—and that’s when the HACKiBill™ was born.
Later, a friend suggested I add a splash of color to reveal the animal after each fold. That spark led to CRANiOGAMi™, a brain-bending blend of creativity, play, and art.
Origami may look intimidating at first, but once you start, the challenge transforms into joy. The benefits for the brain are off the charts.