Mail Day, again!

First, we got one big box from Grace, USA on late Thursday evening. I knew Grace had sent something for Jade, I saved it as it was as she was already sleeping. So she opened the box the next day!! Voila. She got such a big teddy bear!! She just loves it. Now she goes to her nursery with the teddy next to her child car seat!! Thanks so much, Grace.

And Friday, we got another parcel from Joyce.
Look at the nice packaging she did!

This time, she sent Jade a beautiful set of ABC cards. I've never seen anythink like this before. The card is really hard so a child cannot bend it easily, and it has beautiful picture on each alphabet. So nice!!

And this beautiful zippered pauch is for me. It's handmade by Joyce. She's taking sewing classes and it sounds so interesting and practical. Congrats for your beautiful work and thank you so much for beautiful pouch, Joyce!

Japanese Beauty - sweets

Look at these beautiful sweets! This is a flower of SAKURA , the famous cherry bloosom.

card and envelope

This is my first complete set!! I used Yuzen Washi Paper for the notecard. According to the Mountain Idea (http://www.themountainidea.com/productinfo/yuzen.htm),
"Yuzen paper is a type of Japanese Washi (rice) paper. The name comes from the method of dyeing, which is partially mechanized. Made from the strong fibers of certain shrubs, Yuzen Washi paper is very thin yet durable. It is commonly dyed in beautiful, vibrant colors for use in a variety of crafts including stationery, origami, gift boxes, and floral arrangements."

my first crochet project

This is my first crochet I've done ever since I was in elementary school!! I did it when I was staying at the hospital for a week for Jade's surgeries. I didn't want to get bored, so I brought in so many kinds of craft projects. And this is the one I devoted the most!!

Finally, Jade's Teddy has something to cover himself at night when he sleeps!

handmade gift from a friend

Look what I got in the mail box!! The package was from my friend in Japan. She lives in Yamaguchi Pref. (quite far from the place where I live). She enjoys patchwork and other crafts just like I do.

She has sent me the gifts as I'm having my birthday next Monday. I'm so happy with this surprise gift!

Happy Valentine's Day

A big kiss from Kamakura, Japan to all my friends all over the world!

Love and Peace...

photo: Jade at LEGO shop Tokyo

my first handmade card

This is the kit I got from Joyce. With the template of "the Cardmaking Kit", I made my first handmade card with tranceparent papers.
I'm so happy! I'll make more with Japanese "washi" paper to make it more original!

latest bags I created these days

These days, I'm in love with kimono-kinda fabric. I happened to find some nice fabrics at a local fabric store the other day and here're some creations I did with them.
This bunny one was so chic. I love the base color of gray. It's really a fantastic color even though it looks so simple dull color. And of course, those bunnies are so cute!
And this one is different kind. I just love the gorgeous print of flowers. I used a beautiful grosgrain ribbon as a trim of the bag. I love the design, too.

a card

I have a question, Joyce. Is this your handmade card? Really beautiful.


Now I'm so into card making. Since I enjoy Origami, this interest came naturally. The big box Joyce has sent me is a card making kit from Chronicle Books, San Francisco. So many goodies are inside and you can create your own cards and envelopes. Cannot wait to start it!

swap with Joyce, USA

Yesterday, I got a big envelope from Joyce, USA. We had a swap the other day and I got a package from her!
Look at this book! So beautiful. And what's more, the book is written by a Japanese!


Emily's Balloon by Komako Sakai
My daughter, Jade screamed "Ah, Kawaii"!! Yes, it is.
Guess what's inside?
I knew it was for Jade, so I let her opened it. She was so excited.
Voila! It's hand knitted hat for Jade with her favorite color, purple. Happy :D



Thanks a lot, Joyce.
We love every single item you seletected for us.
ARIGATO :D

a card from Natacha, France

Natacha from France sent Jade a beautiful card to wish recovery from the operations. Natacha is an artist and the card was hand written. Please check her blog to see her beautiful works!

view from our house - Mt. FUJI

Our house stand on the hill to enjoy the beautiful view. I took this beautiful sunset with Mt. FUJI on Sunday.
It's a bit small, but can you see it?

dinner made by my husband

Both my husband and I work full time in Central Tokyo, we take turn to cook at home. on weekdays, I'm the one who cooks after picking up our daughter around 19.00. My husband cooks over the weekends. Here're some shots of his "work" this past 2 weeks or so.
The first one is Korean Bibimpap. He often travels to South Korea on business, so he's in love with the food there! Every time he's there, he buys local spices.

The next one is his Valencia paella (Spanish rice) with shrimp, squid, chicken and other vegi. I've been telling him how I love Spanish food, so here it is! His first try turned out to be one of the best dinner he ever cooked before!!
Last weekends, he fixed this for us. Jade and I just returned home from the hospital and our friends were visiting us to see how Jade was. Everyone was like "Wow!!" when we were seated at the table to eat! Good job, eh?

tagged

I'm taagged by Jessica!
Okay, here is mine. :D

Four jobs you have had in your life:
1. Diplomat-to-be (2 yrs in France and Romania)
2. Administrative Assistant (4 yrs at a German firm in Tokyo)
3. PR/Marketing Asst MGR (3 yrs at the same German firm in Tokyo)
4. Online shops owner (since 2004)

Four movies you would watch over and over:
1. Gone with the Wind
2. Sound of Music
3. the Phantom of Opera (2004 version)
4. Roman Holidays

Four places you have lived:
1. Tokyo/Japan
2. Florida and Washington/USA
3. Paris/France
4. Bucharest/Romania
... and New Delhi/India, Singapore/Singapore, Vancouver/Canada and now in Kamakura/Japan

Four TV shows you love to watch:
Sorry but I don't watch TV at all...

Four places you have been on vacation:
1. Greek islands
2. Mauritius
3. Portugal
4. Morocco

Four websites I visit daily:
1. Flickr
2. Hotmail
3. Friends blogs
4. online shops

Four of my favourite foods:
1. Rum Raison Ice Cream
2. New York Cheese Cake
3. Pasta al dene
4. Onigiri

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Brazil
2. Cuba
3. Easter Island
4. back to bed...

Bloggers I am tagging:
I'm not sure if the person(s) have done this yet or not...
1. Joyce
2. Sofia
3. Natacha
4. Mimie

Umm, done!!
Kinda fun. Hope you enjoyed, too!

We're back!!

Last Tuesday, Jade and I visited the hospital in Yokohama to stay for 6 days. The next day she had some operations to cure her ears.

Jade has been suffering from secretory otitis media for both ears ever since she was a baby. The home doc suggested to have 2 kinds of operation to cure. One big operation was to cut her adenoid. And the other one is to drill her eardrum to insert a silicon tube for her both ears.

The above photo was taken just before she entered the operation room. So sweet smile!

Everything went fine and she came home Sunday afternoon with us. I stayed with her every single day and I spent the nights together with her on her bed! Gee, so happy we're back home.

snow in Kamakura

The snow still stays every-
where.
This is my first experience since I moved to Japan!! Incredible! When I was in Washington, USA or Bucharest, Romania, this was nothing new, though.

Our friend in the garden looks a bit unhappy, eh?
Is it too cold him, I guess.
Poor little frog...


I'll be away from home from Jan. 24 to Jan. 30 due to my daughter's operations to cure her ears, and will be back on Jan. 30!

You guys take care and stay warm!!

Saturday at home

Look at the photo! I took it from my Atelier this morning at 8.00 AM. It's SNOWING here in Kamakura. Unbelievable!! The area I live is called "Shonan", and it's said to be a warm place. But today, it's been snowing all day. Wow...

Japanese Pickles

Today, I'll tell you about how to make simple Japanese pickles, "Tsuke-mono". We've been eating "tsuke-mono" over generations, and each family has own recipes. It always come together with Japanese white sticky rice and "miso-shiru" (miso soup).

This "daikon" (Japanese radish) is only grown in the area where I live called "Miura Hanto "(Miura Peninsula). The outside color is pink, but the inside is white. Looks so cute! I'd never seen this until I moved to Kamakura. The farmers don't sell this "daikon" a lot, they only sell around their territory, it seems.

The recipe is from one farmer woman I met at the vendor. So simple. Wash the red "daikon" and cut them into one-bite size. This "daikon" is so soft, that's why you don't need to peel off the skin. Put them into a big storage jar, and add rice vinegar and equal amount of white sugar into the jar until soaked. Leave it for a couple days. Voila! Here you can have the "tsukemono".

I know it sounds a bit funny for you to add some sugar, but it's quite common way to cook something in Japanese traditional dishes.

my favorite flowers

I visited my favorite flower shop the other day to take some beautiful photos.
Enjoy!

I've found small "spring"

Yesterday, I went to a pick-nick to Kamakura Central Park with my family. It's been very cold in Japan these past weeks. Some are dying due to unexpected accident from the heavy snow in the North. It's such a pity.

I myself hate freezing cold winter! I love summer a lot!! So I'm waiting the up-coming spring so badly...
I happened to have found some sign of "spring" in the park!! They look so lovely to me! Oh, spring, please come at once!!

I got a new camera!

Yeah, I got a new camera!!
It's EOS Kiss Digital N from Canon.
It was quite costy, but no regret at all!!
This will be my buddy from now on!

These are first shots I took with my new camera. I took them in black and white as I thought that would be interesting.

Guess what I found at my mom's barn after 14 yrs!!

I happened to find an ancient boxes over last weekends when we all visited my mom's house. It was my unfinished patchwork projects!! Gee, this is really old!! The feet you see is Jade's, for your info. Ha ha ha!
I started patchwork when I was 16 or 17 yrs. Back then I was a high school kid in Lake Mary, a town near Orlando, Florida. I haven't seen them ever since I put them into boxes when I left there after high school graduation.
Wow!! I have to be thankful to my mom who kept the junk for such a long time, I mean 14 yrs!!
Now I'll need to finish my work, right? Any idea for border design/color? You know, I've never finished any project in patchwork/quilting so far!!!

latest bag on etsy

I updated the latest bag on my etsy shop <http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=209>. Applied red heavy-duty cotton canvas and apple print cotton to make this sweet tote bag. There're 2 outside pockets to store your cell phone, train/bis card, pen, keys and so on.

Interested? Here's the link to the page, http://www.etsy.com/view_item.php?listing_id=57216

Actually, there's matching bag for this.
But I haven't put on etsy yet.
What do you think?
I really like the shape. This can be used for kid's shoe bag. It's quite popular here in Japan and all kids have this kind of bag at their kindergarten. The reason is we change the shoes at the entrance of the building in Japan. We hate to walk around the building with shoes from outside. So all kids leave inner-shoes at the hall at school. Sometimes they take the shoes home to wash and that's how we need to have this kind of "shoe-bag"!!

A Happy New Year To You All!
Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimasu!!

Hope you all had a great winter holidays! Now I'm happy to be back again.

This photo shows "kagami-mochi" my daughter created at her day-care just before the New Year's Eve. "Kagami-mochi" is something we Japanese displays in the room during New Year's Days. Mochi is "cake made of boiled rice" according to my dictionary. Kinda hard to explain... Anyway, this represents Japanese Oshogatu (New Year's days).

Since this one is made by a three-year-old, it's a bit ugly shaped. Ha ha ha!! But she did a great job as a 3 yrs old!!


The real one looks like this. We buy from a store which is already decorated like this way. We have a history of doing this for over a thousand years. Interesting?