working for the show!

These are new item to be introduced for the show next month. They're 10 sets of a placemat and a coaster with comination of Hawaiian print and Lithuania pure linen. I made them dreaming of having a cozy meal under the tropical weather in Hawaii. I think it's quite interesting to mix those two different kinds of material. What do you think, gilrs?

lately...

Sorry for a silence. Jade has been sick with flu, and we're still visiting to the otological clinic to check her ears. And I started to work on the bags I'll take to the show. I set my concept on "Holidays in Hawaii". As I mentioned to you before, my living area "Shonan" is called Japanese Hawaii, and my bags with Hawaiian print sell very well here. Now I'm making 2 kinds of the most standard styles in my shop with different colors of fabrics. Also I'll make some
Home & Decor items later on. Oops, I'll have to prepare shop's card and other promotional materials, too. But I'm now concentrating on sewing up all kinds of bags! I need more time!! You know, I still work for the German firm and I go to work to Central Tokyo almost every weekdays as I'm managing a big project to publish our latest catalog in Japanese language. So I cannot take days off at all... Need more time!

These photos are from the local botanical garden here in Kamakura. They're both Japanese wild hydrangea. Isn't it so beautiful? I love the way they displayed them, too!

I'm so excited!!

Just yesterday, I got an e-mail from a famous tezukuri artist and she's inviting me to join her trade-show next month! Lots of famous handmade artists join the show to show and sell their works!
Gosh, I'd never talked to this lady (she's well-known handmade artist making candles and other zakka in her own style and her house is introduced in many books and magazines and so COOL!!). She said she likes my style and it would be fun for me to join the event! At the last show, there were more than 2000 visitor for the 5-hour-event! Gosh, I'm so thrilled and excited. I don't have much time left and don't know what to do as this would be my very first show or event in my life to join!! I'm kinda panicking right now.

brunch at home on weekends

Since my husband and I both work, we take turn for cooking. I cook every weekdays, and he dose over the weekends! Fair, eh? Last Friday, we had our friends at home and they stayed until 3 AM!! So we had a lazy weekends at home. On Saturday, we had sunshine until the afternoon (Yes, we're in the middle of the rainy season right now!!). So we had our brunch at the patio. Isn't it great to have a meal outside with some sunshine? We just love it!!
The menu was a plate of sandwiches with bacon, cheese, fresh tomato and lettuce, cherries and banana!! Nothing special but cozy brunch at home under the sun!!
Hope you had a great weekends, too!!

Let's make Shiro-Tama Dango today!

These days, I enjoy cooking with my 3-year-old daughter every weekends. She’s so much eager to learn new things and wants to try out. I discusses with my hubby that we’ll give her a beautiful “real” houchou (Japanese cooking knife) for children as her 4th b-day gift in autumn. She’ll be thrilled

This Sunday, we made Shiro-Tama Dango (White ball Dango). Dango is one of Japanese traditional sweets made of rice powder. Curious to know the recipe? It’s so simple and easy, but I wonder if you can buy the Shiro-Tama powder in your area.
Okay, here we go!!
First of all, pour the one packet of Jyosinko (上新粉: rice powder) into a bowl and then add some warm water. Mix it up until it gets the hardness of earlobe. Make small balls about 2 – 3cm dia. Just like my daughter is doing in the photo! She did a great job on that.
Put them into boiling water and wait until they pop out from the water. I’d say it takes about 3-5 min. or so.
And rinse well with cold water. Pour some “anko” (sweet black beans) or “kinako”
(soybean flour) to serve.
Got it?
Enjoy!

The rainy season started...

Here in Japan, we've just got into the rainy season "tsu-yu" from today. Yuck. From now on we'll have lots of rain and higher humidity for a month. Sigh...
But we need it for the trees and flowers, and also for our daily water. You don't wanna know how gross the Japanese humidity is...
Okay, girls! Have a great weekends!

Shop updates!!

Finally, I finished the uploading work!! Now you can see the brand new Atelier JADE!! Let me know what you feel about it compared with the previous one. I wanted to do it on the first anniversary day (June 2), but couldn't make it!! Aagh!
Anyway, I hope you enjoy!!
http://www.h7.dion.ne.jp/~atelierj/

cross stitching!

My daughter is suffering from inflammation of middle ear again. She had an operation in Jan. and was hospitalized for a week. Every other day, we visit the local otologic clinic for the treatment. I didn't want waste the waiting time at the lobby, I started and finished my cross stitching project. It was an order from my Japanese customers as a gift.
The letter is "R". Can you see? It took me quite a lot of time as I haven't done it for a while. But it was fun!! I usually make bag or other stuffs using a sewing machine, but it's also lots of fun to make something with your own hands without any help of the machine.

and another crafty project... GREEN

I love pink as many of you already know. But I came to love green as well these days. Look what I had made for the past one week. All in green (and white)!!
The first one is a summer outfit for my 3-year-old-daughter, Jade. I don't make many clothes for her (because it takes a lot of time and patience. Oh, and skills, too!!), but one day it all came up mind all of a sudden. I mean the fabric and design of it. And here it is!! I know my instinct was just right!! I added two coconut flower shaped button and lace for her sleeves. Cute, eh?

And I made two bag with white/green fabric I found at a local store. A kind of thick canvas-like fabric with beautiful flower all over. I like this kind of print fabric a lot! I made 2 designs of bags, the smaller one to carry my Canon EOS camera with a big telephoto lens to walk around the town. And the bigger one was made-to-order for my Japanese customers.

crafty days

I know I haven't posted any crafty shots these days. I'm spending a lot of times to renovating my Atelier JADE site for a month now. I'm not a professional or anything regarding building up a website, so it's taking me so much time! But I get order for crafty works so here're some photos from my recent works.
One day I got an order from the US for 150 chopstick sleeves for a wedding!! What an exciting order! The wedding color is pink and the customer liked the pink on my Washi (Japanese Crepe Paper). I wish her a wonderful happy wedding!!

1st anniversary!

Last year I opened my 4th online shop, Atelier JADE on June 2. And I'm celebrating the first anniversay today! I thank to all of you for your support. THANK YOU and ARIGATO. I've met so many great people from all over the world and so happy about it. I'm renovating my website at the moment, and I'm hoping to upload it next week to have a fresh look. Of course, I'm adding more cute Japanese fabrics and goodies.
Okay, have a great weekends!!
xoxo
Kumi