"Golden Week" is coming in Japan!!

In Japan, we have a long holidays called "Golden Week"from the end of April to May. This year it's from April 29 to May 7. Banks, post offices, companies and schools are closed except May 1 and 2. I took both days off from work so I have a long ones!! He he he!!
Those pink peony is from my garden. Every year around this time, it gives us so much happiness with beautiful flowers. I love this gorgeous flower and I think I took a great photo of it!!

And I'm adding more photo of my new bag collection for the up coming season!! This one is special one with retro-like flower. I do love the fabric a lot!!















The right-sided fabric is showing the traditional Japanese summer scene. A golden fish. This pattern is often used for Yukata (summer Kimono). Very Japanese-like fabric and I love the colors.

The left-sided bag is also using Japanese traditional pattern called "ya-gasuri", but in a modern way.

I used the new bag pattern I created on my own.

new collection of bags

HELLO, my dear friends. I've been busy with new bag collection for up-coming season at my shops. Here're some photos. Every day, I spent hours in front of my sewing machine for two weeks.
I'm so excited as I met so many great fabrics at the local shops. In many cases, an idea what to make occur to me right after I see the fabric for the first time.
The area I live is called "Shonan" and people say it's "Japanese Hawaii". We're facing to the Pacific and surrounded by some mountains, people enjoy surfing and other marine activities and so on.
At my Japanese bag shop, I make lots of bags with fabrics from Big island of Hawaii and they sell so well. I have many local customers who love Hawaiian kinda feeling. It's so much fun to choose the fabric, too. I myself love these kinds of fabric, vivid colors and lovely flower print. It gives me so much power! Those fabrics you see are brand new. I just got from Hawaii a couple weeks ago.


I just signed a paper that I leave the company I've been working for the past 8 yrs at the end of July. I'm now working on a project with big money, and I feel bad to leave in the middle of it. So I'll stay here until this project is completed.
What will happen to me, then? Who knows!! Let's just hope things won't be that bad. I'll be free, anyway! Right?

Sorry for my silence...

I know I've beeb very bad updating my journals these days. Sorry about it. I'm so busy with my online shops and other things. It should settle down by the next month or in June, I hope.
I just made a big decision in my life. I'm quitting my work as soon as I finish my project at work. I'll say goodbye to all stupid work,boss and commuting time!! Gee, I feel so happy and free now.
I've been unhappy with my new boss and new assigment for the past year, and now I decided to go on my way!!

Last weekends

Last weekends, we visited the Forest Park in Fujisawa, our neighbor city for the first time. Look at this shot. So beautiful with gradation of colors with Sakura flowers. As I keep telling you, now is the best season to enjoy the scenery all over the Japan. Since we're surrounded by lots of mountains/hills, it's so beautiful to see pink/white here and there.
We found a very old Japanese farm house in the Park. This house was built in Edo Era (18th Century)!! So old!! And it's so huge!!
You see how huge the house is!! It's still in beautiful condition. How nice!





Inside of the house is so sophiscated even though it was built more than 300 yrs ago. This is "zen", eh?

Ohanami picnic

Last Saturday, we had a "Ohana-mi" picnic at the park next to our house here in Kamakura.
"Ohana-mi" means "cherry blossom viewing". It's a special event during the season and I believe all Japanese do this at least once!!
Japanese have been enjoying this activity for hundreds years now. We have a park next to our house and there're lots of big cherry blossom trees.

My husband prepared our lunch boxes right away. Since we both works, he takes the turn to cook on weekends. Fair enough, eh?
This drink is called "Ama-sake", sweetened sake. Very typical drink for Girls Festival on March 3 and Ohana-mi. He also prepared this for us! Can you see the Sakura flowers on it?
Here's a happy girl with daddy's yummy food!
Umm, oishii!!