personal journal

Peek my attic, I am journaling my life from attic desk (and more) Kimono fabric scrunchies Nat

I made some ear cuff with hand crafted Mizuhiki code ball and glass seadbeads. They are so lovely and futhermore, Mizuhiki Code Craft plus glass seedbeads light and confortable all day! Actually this was my first time to wear the ear cuff. I was forgetting about my ear cuff until I wento to my bed. Really light and comfortable to wear! I can't wait to add them in my listing! Nat

Mizuhiki parts Origami Parts I am making some Mizuhiki parts and origami parts for my handcraft jewelry. I’m feeling rushed because I want to finish them soon, but I’m taking my time and making each one with care. -Nat

One Saturday in July, after having lunch with friends, I casually dropped by Yuzawaya… and it happened to be having a sale! At first, I carefully placed one fabric after another into a small basket. But before I knew it—oops! The basket was completely full. 😆 Fabrics, beads, resin molds… Somehow I ended up with a little mountain of supplies. As I wandered around Yuzawaya, I kept thinking, “Oh, I wanted this one, too!” and “Maybe the 100 yen shop might have something sim

Handmade Gifts for My Friends  – A Family Set of Chopsticks & HashiWraps I recently enjoyed a cozy dinner with my friends’ family visiting from Germany. They are a sweet Spanish couple with their children, and my Japanese friend who married a German man. During their vacation in Japan, I prepared some handmade gifts for them. For the parents, I prepared a set of couple’s chopsticks  with matching HashiWraps. For their boys, I chose a playful fabric printed with the names o

Peko -chan Biscuits When I went to a flea market in June, I heard Peko-chan is popular among foreign customers. Many Peko-chan goods were there, like figurines, tins, Stuffed dolls , key rings,,,, As you might know, Peko-chan is Fujiya , the sweet shop's character. I used to like Peko-chan puffy cake. Is there Peko-chan Puffy case still on sale? https://www.fujiya-peko.co.jp/cake/item/10360.html There is. "Peko-chan's cheek" is the name of puffy cake. I like milky ball candy

After lunch After lunch, if time and situation allow, I usually wash my bento box and chopsticks in the shared office kitchen and let them dry before heading home. But when I don’t have enough time—or when using a public sink feels awkward—I sometimes wrap just the tips of my chopsticks in a tissue or something similar. I know it’s not really necessary, since the wrap is washable, but it’s more of a mental comfort thing for me. 会社へお弁当を持っていく人は、お弁当箱って会社で洗ってますか？ 小さなキッチンがついている事務所

Obon altar goods from a DIY shop Obon is a Buddhist tradition that originated in India. Although most regions in Japan observe Obon in August, it is held in July in Tokyo (and I believe in some parts of Kyoto and Hakata, Kyushu, as well). These days, you can even find items for a shōrōdana  (a small altar set up during Obon to welcome ancestral spirits) at local home improvement stores. Our small family altar – everyday setup This compact altar belonged to my father and now

くくり猿 Kukurizaru Tied-up Monkey Charm Tied-up monkey amulet, kukurizaru , made from tiny leftover fabrics. I put it with my wallet's fastner. Originally , Itomaki thread spindle charm was there, but the threads came off and became messy. Oshima Tsumugi Kimono fabric flat pouch May this little monkey keep my wallet safe from my shopping impulses ;-) くくり猿のお守りチャームを付けた。 もともとは糸巻きのチャームがついていたんだけど、糸がほどけてボロボロになってしまったので。 このくくり猿守りが私の物欲をほどほどにコントロールして無駄遣いが減ります様に・・・☆ About Kukurizaru – th

Which one you use , Omusubi or Onigiri ? I like this fabric, featuring Shimaenaga birds Omusubi. Back gound colours are various, pink, sky blue, navy, grey and might be orange or yellow too. With my own cutlery wrap , I made these two new wraps for my shop. And this time again, I used rainbow colour threads! So lovely! By the way, I like Tenmusu (Tenpura-omusubi) , which you can see next the simple Omusubi on the navy fabric. Yellow Tenpura (maybe shrimp) with read Shippo ta

Working with pieces of Kimono fabrics Lovely Chirimen fabrics inspire me many variations of new scrunchies. And decide these two and these three and join these or those. And surprizingly matching always made me happy :-) ちりめんの素敵な柄を見つけると、どんな柄に合わせようかなっていつも楽しい。 これとこれにしよう、これも合わせてみよう、あれもこれも。 意外な組み合わせを見つけると、いつも幸せな気持ちになる Best wishes, Natsu

Various Tea Cups, which one do you like the most? I found a pretty fabric cloth at a dollar shop and bought it.I made it into a chopsticks wrap. It is for me as mine was broken last week. I opened a new thread spool of rainbow color and use it for this wrap. It is really lovely. -Nat

Goshuin of the Toyokawa Inari Shrine - Akasaka, Tokyo One of my friend had been annoyed a kind of pain on her left half. She got injured on her left finger, hurt on her left knee, pain on her left thigh and wrist.... We visited some shrines and visited a fortune teller, but no good signs. One day she was told that such thing might be cleared by visiting to Toyokawa Inari Shrine. She is working at an architects office and apparently, some of the architects have learned and op

Ajisai is written as 紫陽花 Purple Sunny Flower It's not like any "sun", but maybe round shape reminds us sun? We have pink (maybe alcaryc soil) and white Hydrangea too as you might know. I like the purple one. Rainy season, 梅雨 is not fun. This humidity always make me irritated. But the purple sunny flower is always lovely and make us happy enough. あじさいを、紫陽花と書くのはなぜなんだろう、少しも太陽らしくないといつも思う。たぶん丸い形が太陽を思わせるのかしら。 赤いアジサイや白いものも最近はよくみるけれど、私は紫色のグラデーションの紫陽花が好きだな。 梅雨は、しっけぽいしベタベタして好きじゃない。でも、

I love Japanese Soba noodle , especially in summer. This Soba might be maybe more flour mixed, but still good "Soba" taste. 年齢を重ねて日本蕎麦が結構好きになりました 特に夏には。 この↓お蕎麦は白めだから何割蕎麦なのかわからないけどでもお蕎麦の香りよかった。 This plate is with the Tempura-donburi mini bowl, and after meal, a cup of coffee came , and it was only 1000-yen. Really reasonable. I happened to drop this Soba restaurant at Nishiarai, where NishiaraiDaishi big shrine is. 小さな天丼がついて、食後のコーヒーもついて千円。今時。 安くないですか。 西新井大師がある西新井駅近くのお店です。 -Nat

Received a custom made order of Takuhatsu-gasa with black patches. I am not sure why the clothes needed for Takuhatsugasa, but might be enforcements. 黒い布付きの托鉢笠の注文が入ったので作業中。 この黒い布はどういう意味があるのか、わからないけどたぶん補強のためかと。 黒い布は托鉢笠の縁と、天辺、それから笠の腹の三か所につける 円形のものにつけるのでところどころでタックをとりながら細かく縫い付けて行く。 托鉢僧の皆様がご無事で托鉢をできますように・・・ To sew the cloth onto a circular form, I carefully stitched it while making small tucks here and there. Wishing the Takuhatsu monk a safe and healthy pilgrimage.... Natsu

Red Fox Udon noodle Cup-noodle In the midnight flight of British Airways, I remember, it was in the 1994, (or 95 or maybe 96). CA-san offered me a cupnoodle (nisshin) while I was watching a film. That was amazingly delicious! Red Fox Udon noodle Cup-noodle In the midnight flight of British Airline, I remember, it was in the 1994, (or 95 or maybe 96). CA-san offered me a cupnoodle (nisshin) while I was watching a film. That was amazingly delicious! ブリティッシュ・エアウェイズの日本への深夜便で、数えてみ

I know some Buddhist clans are prohibited from alcohols (or no clans these days?) , but I do Copying Sutra with "a drink". 仏教の中にはお酒を飲んではいけない宗派もあるらしいけれども、（今時はないのか）私は一杯やりながら写経をするのが好き。 My calico cat always disturbs me working. 三毛猫がいつもわたしの邪魔をする。kawaii. Nat

I got an order of Tekkou and saw a dozen (and some extra) of pairs. I often came off-mind during this kind of simple working. 手甲の注文が来たので12組ほど作った。こういう単純作業のときってぼーっとしてしまう。 でも、縫うのが好き。生地を触るのも。 I like sewing anyway, and feeling texture of the fabrics. Natsu

小さいころ、みっつ違いの弟といつも同じおやつを持たされた。 プリッツならひと箱ずつ、小さな傘のチョコレートを一本ずつ。サクマ式ドロップの缶を一缶づつ。 ドロップスの缶はなかなかなくならない。 オレンジ味、イチゴ味、・・・薄荷味の白いドロップスがかならず最後に残る。 サクマ式ドロップスのようなビーズでつくったピアス　かじった欠片のようにみえるビーズをそえて 上下に添えたビーズは、ドロップスを噛んで欠けた欠片のように見える。 同じサクマ製菓から「いちごみるく」というキャンディが出ている。小さいころから好きだった。あれもどうしても噛んでしまう。 ピアスとお揃いでラムネのしゃわしゃわの泡のようなビーズとあわせたブレスレットを作った いつもお世話になっている先輩へのプレゼント。 Natsu