Holiday Greeting From Our Family

New year event is one of the most important event in Japan. Japanese people have a custom sending New Year's postcard or gift to friends and relatives. During that time the Japanese post office usually hires students part-time to help deliver the letters.

This year, we want to send some postcards to our friends for the first time. We want these cards looks special and personal and I think there is nothing can beat the handmade cards. 

During winter I usually see many decoration icons such as pine tree, Santa, ice flakes, icicle, deer, snowmen and penguins. Borrowing from one of these icon, then born these four little penguins who will deliver our greetings from home. 

So here they are.....

" Wishing you all a very warm and wonderful holiday "

Source :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_new_year

Portrait Embroidery

It's Mr. K....He look well groomed in red bow tie and round glasses frame. Hope he will like it ;)

Mini Dining Room Furniture for Dollhouse

I've been so busy making doll furniture lately. It's because we have unused three shelves cabinet and I am planning to swap it into a dollhouse. I'm sure it will much more easier for me if I just bought ready stock mini furniture. They're all come up with a nice colors, cute details, and very attractive packaging. Then I will end up with buying many unnecessary things and definitely it's not a wise spending for my wallet ;p. Besides, It's always my plan to build a creative environment at home for my daughter.

So I decide to spend just a little time and `a lot of` energy to make these handmade furniture.

Dining bench were made from popsicle sticks and I covered it with yarn. Bench's legs were made from chopstick. And I use felt flower, yarn, and bamboo skewer to make hanging lamp.

Dining chair were made from popsicle sticks as well and decorated with crochet chair pad. The front chair legs look remind me of Spongebob Squarepants teeth ;D.

Dining table made from popsicle sticks and I covered table legs with yarn to give a different texture. Book were made from magazine

Tools that I used for this project

" Please, have a seat "

Ginkgo Leaves Embroidery

Autumn is here!! It's my second time to experience autumn season in my life. I'm sure nothing new if you're coming from 4 seasons countries, but for me who was born in tropical country and spent my childhood there, it's a thrilling experience. Feel the temperature difference in every four months and see the nature's color change has inspired me most. 

When I walk around my neighborhood I saw this line of ginkgo trees.

Even under a gloomy skies the dark brown ginkgo's trunk beautiful contrasting with it's rich yellow leaves. It inspired me to make this embroidery.  

A Bow tie for Him

My husband is kinda a funny guy (if he is in the mood), loving and very smart. He has no interest in fashion, style or anything related.  Wearing a sleepwear t-shirt and sandal to office, it's his personal style. 

Then one day he said that he wanted to refresh his style and wear a bow tie. What a surprise! Without asking much about it, my fingers start googling about how to make a bow tie. Then I remembered I have remnant fabric from my pant, and it's big enough to make it. *another sewing practice edition

Hope he will like it ;)

Now Accepting Portrait Embroidery Custom Order !

This is my latest craft project in this month for my good friend. I transferred her figure and interpreted her fashion style into a fabric. When I know she liked it so much, I decided to focus more on my stitching techniques and improve my drawing skill with an embroidery floss. That's why I went to an embroidery workshop like I wrote on my previous post.

I started crochetting the embroidery hoop.

Finished stitches on another hoop

This how the back looks like, I fold the fabric like making a gyoza ;D, and secure it with tiny stitches

Another final look with a different angle.

All materials, working process and designing were done in Japan. And your order will travel from Japan to these countries with EMS JP Post. 

I don't have any online shop yet for one and another reason. But still you can contact me here for further details information. Hope to see you soon! ;)

Embroidery Workshop

After one year an a half living in Japan and still barely can't speak Japanese, last week I encourage my self to attend an embroidery workshop run by local embroidery artist. Rather than to bring my embroidery tools, I prefer to bring an Ipad and mobile router with me. So we can communicate easily (google translate help me so much ;p).

The workshop took place in her shop, near Utsubo park Osaka. It's inside an old building, with a narrow alley but it was very easy to find. She named her shop with her own name, Eimi. It was open last year in June 2012. 

When I was came, I was so amazed with her work and love the way she displayed it. 

Some of her work displayed on the wall

All the workshop preparation were ready on the table with a cute presentation. On that day I made my initial on a handkerchief with two colors and one lame yarn. Before I started to stitch on handkerchief, she gave me a fabric with two simple line so I can practice with basic stitch.  

                                     

With a lack of my Japanese language skill, we still can communicate smoothly. I get some good tips and how to stitch in the right way. It was a good experience and I would like to try it once more.

Here are some pics of a beautiful handmade inside her shop.  

                                     

For more detail about her work or shop please contat her here or visit her website

Mr. Apple and Mr. Moosey Amigurumi

Pheew....finally I have a time to update my post.

Here are my latest work of crochet, I tried to make an amigurumi for a design contest. 

Honestly, I didn't expect to win. I challenged my self to make amigurumi with my own design and pattern. 

I spend hours to watch amigurumi tutorials from youtube and It took me around 2-3 days to make this crochet done @_@. 

What I've learned from making amigurumi were first, it's better for use to use many colors of yarn (3 colors are minimum). Second, use a smaller hook size than suggested. Third, use different crochet hook size and different size of yarn to develop a texture. And the last is use this technique instead of the magic ring (many thanks to her for making very useful tutorial ;). Well that's all so far but I'm sure there will be more tips if I keep practicing ;).

Mr. Apple taking care his children version

Oooo...this little fella just fell off from the tree.

Then I changed the head to Mr. Moosey. 

Which version do you like?

source :

http://nerdigurumi.com/alternative-to-magic-ring.html

Happy Little Orange

I just saw many amigurumi tutorial videos from youtube and I give it a try to make this orange amigurumi. For the orange pattern I tried to figure it out by myself and for the leaves pattern I got it from here

"Hello there! My name is Harry, nice to meet you." 

I made this orange amigurumi house to make him warm during winter. Yes, it's warm enough and he seems enjoy to stay in. But since one of hamster's habit is like to gnawing so he made another hole here and there. Now there are three access to go inside XD.

Source :

http://easymakesmehappy.blogspot.jp/2010/05/crocheted-leaves-for-naked-branch.html

Design Your Own Fabric Button

Today I experiment with fabric button tool. I had small piece of cotton fabric and a small amount of embroidery thread left from my previous project. I made some sketches then applied it on a fabric. And here they are...

Button maker tool

I think if I use linen they will look much more better.

Lemon for Your Skin

My skin type is oily and have a lot of acne scars. No matter I popping it or not, it will always leaves a marks on my face. I did see several doctor and most of them always gave me many kind of whitening cream and suggest me to have a monthly treatment. Meh! this treatment will cost me a fortune and off course wasting my time as well.

Then I found natural remedies for acne scar, skin lightening, and body odor. Did I mention 'body odor'? Yes, I did. Here is my story, it's been a long time I battle against body odor. My underarm is very sensitive, I have to use non perfumed deodorant or my underarm skin will turn darker (yikes!). But this non perfumed didn't help much to prevent my body odor all day. It usually last only for 2-3 hours. I was thinking maybe if i use a good brand it will work, but it didn't help me either. 

Then I tried to rub lemon on my under arm. Woow...I'm so happy with the result. It can prevent my body odor all day and also lighten my underarm skin. And it helps to fade any old acne scars on my face too. It's about one month treatment now and I haven't had any bad side effects so far. 

* Please note that some people may be will get a different reaction to this remedies. It's better consult with your doctor first.

Sources : 
http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp/ItemId=95335/Lemon_Juice/0/Treatments
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/13/lemon-beauty-benefits_n_3743905.html

Doilies Crochet Shawl

Here is my new crochet project, doilies shawl. The size is kinda small but it's look great hanging on my shoulder ;p. Too bad summer is almost over in here. Which means that I only have a little time to wear it.

Source :
http://crochet.about.com/od/vintage/ss/aa052606.htm

Hanging Crane Origami

Hi there, I just back from 100 yen shop. I bought some origami paper, paper puncher, yarn, and color papers. I am planning to make some mobile for my plain window and also teach my daughter how to make an origami. After I made 32 cranes paper, 32 pom pom, and 64 stars, now i feel so happy because I can decorate my window with cheap stuff ;).