good-ness

we all enjoyed.

she enjoyed.

she liked it. loved it. yokatta! (thanks goodness!) this was a custom order sent last week. similar to the one i made myself. i like it. i love it, too.

we enjoyed.

hosted my first print gocco party this afternoon. (print gocco = silk screening.) took us awhile to come up with an idea. then we were driving around town organizing ourselves. we weren't left with much time. but we did create this beauties. look at them. red. stunning. and plentiful. just what print gocco was created for.

(oh my gosh. i love my gocco. i love that it's japanese. and that it's user friendly. and that the creative options are endless. just whirling around in my head. going for more supplies tomorrow. more colours. and a variety of things to print on. i hope i can sleep tonight!)

weekend goodness 9.

the smallest.

went to a small festival. a very small one. maybe the smallest. most of nagoya was probably at nagoya festival. or heading out to some fireworks somewhere. not h-kun, a friend and i. the description of this festival is what got me. 'boats with lots of lanterns glow as they reflect in the water as they travel down horikawa.' there was one boat. but lots of lanterns. and few people. this was nice for a change.

and more lanterns. love them.

h-kun took this shot. the moon was full. and gorgeous. i love the trees hiding in the background.

helping 1.

we are trying. to make our lives more and more eco-friendly. h-kun bought this yoshizu (a shade made out of yoshizu). he also bought another one. and a screen for our back door. all to help us stay cool. without air conditioner usage. it's been hot here. day and night. ganbarimasu! (good luck to us!)

helping 2.

helping add to my pile of fabric. in prepartion for a little shop opening. and a tofu cookbook. to help me become versatile in my japanese cooking. ganbarimasu!

home #2.

i love my second home. japan. there is always so much to take in. i hope that never stops. the charm of a foreign land. and my curiousity. here are some of my day-to-day observations.

i live in japan. where little boys catch bugs (むし). where fancy shoes (くつ) are the norm. where there is no daylight savings time. where the sun (たいよう) rises super early. and sets early as well. where customer service is amazing (すごい). where crossing guards still exist. where food is delcious (おいしい). where old men (おじさん) put your grocery carts away for you. where when it rains (あめ), it rains. where cherry blossom (さくら) season is the best. where tattoos are taboo. where ocha (おちゃ) is the drink of choice. where fitting in is key. where louis vuitton bags are more than common (にんき). where subways (ちかてつ) are crowded. yet quiet (しずか). where babies are really chubby. and cute (かわいい). where tofu (とうふ) is a staple ingredient. where people work late. but don't start too early. where bicycles (じてんしゃ) are a popular way to commute. where there are too many hair salons to count. where firworks (はなび) are over the top. and summer festivals (まつり) are plentiful. where speaking on cell phones in public is frowned upon. where shopping is superb. but usually a little expensive (ちょっと　たかい). where temples and shrines are everywhere (どこも). where culture steeped in tradition exists. where my husband (はずばんど) calls home. where i (わたし) now call home, too.

success.

with print gocco.

here it is. the first successful print gocco end product. and i'm pleased. a little t-shirt. for a little boy. i bet you wish your name started with an s. h-kun was a great technical/language helper. next time will be a piece of cake.

the used bulbs. great colour. i don't want to throw them away. think i'll start a little collection. 

and more shopping.

some designers' fabric is a bit pricier. but worth every yen i pay for it. (in the picture below the designers are: etsuko furuya, junko onishi and junko onishi.)

the other fabric is nice, too. not nice. great. it's hard not to buy more. i did.

i've been thinking for awhile now. about opening up a little fabric / gocco / creative goodness shop. wondering what kind of interest there is out there. i would love to share some japanese goodness with you. and i would have a valid reason to go shopping more often. i'd like that.

weekend goodness 8.

choosing.

is difficult. fabric. indie films. indecision is something i struggle with. wonder how much extra sewing i could do if i was not so indecisive. i'll never know. the fabric is great. (it's for somebody who loves stripes). and indie films. one thing i miss from home. tough choosing one over here in japan. i go to the video shop. look for movies with film festival award symbols on them. then i study the picture on the front. and the pictures on the back. try to figure out what it's about. usually no english title. nor english description. try to figure out what language it's filmed in. no english subtitles over here. then i risk the 300 yen. sometimes it works out. sometimes not. this one was inbetween the two. h-kun would rather me not choose an indie film altogether.

the compensation.

here is a snippet of it. inspired by a japanese craft magazine. was pleased with the outcome. until the gal receives it there will be no more pictures. sorry.

 

little people.

love the kids clothes over here. these are for a couple of little friends. really little.

spoiled.

it seems like every weekend h-kun and i buy something exciting for me. (he did get new tennis shoes recently.) my very own purinto gokko. print gocco. i have not been this excited in awhile. since my new sewing machine two weeks ago. h-kun and i have a date tomorrow night. to do a little t-shirt printing. wish us luck.   

tradition.

roll kuchen. one of my greatest memories of my grandma. a mennonite summer feast. that is dinner. and a little corn syrup. this was my first time making it. i didn't tell h-kun what we were having for dinner. he was a tad shocked. when i told him that the watermelon was part of the meal he said... 'this is even more weird!' he felt we were eating donuts for dinner. i've never thought about it before...but he's right. after dinner he said ...'you can make it for our kids next time'. i laughed. we don't have any kids. 

(thanks to my cousin's wife for the roll kuchen reminder/inspiration.)

i enjoy.

kyoto station.

one the greatest stations. amazing architecture. (why am i not an architect?) amazing colours mixed in with the typical grey/concrete/black/steel.

and amazing bentos. with polka dots! i/we love sushi.

my machine(s).

this is my first. she's a beauty. there are some good memories surrounding her. the search. the find. (thanks, cheryl.) the advice. (thanks, mom.) the hauling it home. (thanks, leslie.) nothing plastic on her. heavy, heavy, heavy. and i carried it from the recycle shop. just look at her. miss retro. i'm sure she's older than me. i'm not sure what to do with her now. i still love her. maybe i'll construct a little shrine. in the corner.   

meet janome #2. she's basic. smooth. and reliable. (i feel like i am betraying janome #1. i still love her. i do.) not quite as stylish. but she gets the job done with few leslie frustrations. this is good. (a little trivia for you - janome means snake's eye.)

sewing for others.

a little custom order. finally finished. will be shipped soon. very soon. fingers crossed. 

this material is ready for a little friday night activity. some i-was-late-getting-it-done compensation for the above custom order. no extra charge. (was waiting for that machine. sorry, harmonie!) 

weekend goodness 7.

we headed to kyoto for a couple of days. unfortunately a typhoon was also headed there. festivals and typhoons are not a good combination. but the tickets and hotel was paid for. so we packed our umbrellas and hoped for the best.

textile district.

we wandered around in the rain. the heavy rain. the traditional textile district was omoshiroi. interesting. kyoto is famous for textiles. we even bought some. beautiful ones.

nishiki food market.

fresh. healthy. japanese.

gion festival.

the whole reason for going to kyoto this weekend. to take in the gion festival. a famous month long festival. the typhoon kept things pretty quiet. but the lanterns were still beautiful.

temples and shrines.

sunday was a no rain day. the typhoon headed northeast. but it was still very windy. kept things cool. we did a lot of walking. from shrine to temple to shrine to starbucks. i love the contrast of the orange gates and natural buildings. the colour just pops. (that's h-kun resting below.)

us.

leslie and h-kun.

weekend good-ness 6.

flea market goodies.

i found this cute bag. stood there looking at it for awhile. that got me a discount. almost half price. h-kun asked if i will use it. i said ... probably not. but i like it.

a friend was selling her amazing ceramic goods at the market. i bought a few. i'm wearing the small one today. super cute. if you are interested in one ... i can get more. people will for sure compliment you. the plate they're sitting on is a rock plate. h-kun found it. for fifty cents. we got two. perfect plant plates.

a few more dots.

the pouch is for the friend mentioned above. she is making the move to america. (note the fabric colors chosen.) to attend ceramics school. i love creative people. and the ways they inspire me. i want to take pottery classes. (the tissue holder is for my friend. her mother. she may need it when saying goodbye.)

and some enjoyable hair elastics. i love making them. wearing them. and giving them away. (no, i don't give away the ones i wear. unless you're my sister.)

other.

this was our first weekend since moving into our new place with no plans. two months is a long time. our first weekend with no house guests. we found a new izakaya (japanese pub). slept in. h-kun played tennis. i sewed. we ran errands. sat on a patio. did some shopping. bought something super great. (but that needs a post of its own.) went to the flea market. had a nap. went swimming. well, almost. then went and bought a new swimsuit. made pizza. the weekend was busy. but unplanned and good. going to cut out the errands and shopping next time.

more.

and more tissue holders. for some friends at supper club tonight. curious to see which one each of them chooses. i would definitely choose the striped one. well, the fancy letters are nice, too. (if you ever see any fabric you would like...please email. i'm constantly at the fabric shop.)

and some more pouches. the bright one is a very late house-warming-party-door prize. the winner got to choose the fabric/tag. the other one is a custom order for her friend. who wished she had won the door prize.

weekend good-ness 5.

the last party.

h-kun's family came for a visit. grandma, too. friday and saturday. we love guests. or customers as h-kun calls them. i think this marks the end of a 8 week run of entertaining/busy weekends. made a few mini-edible things. quiche and carrot cupcakes. thanks to martha and her always-a-hit-at-a-party recipes.

the family brought a feast with them. including this oishi sushi. love the bright orange. i think it adds to the taste.

peaceful simplicity.

saturday found all of us at an interesting museum. full of japanese history. and its accompanying gardens. peaceful. simple.

and out for lunch. at an amazing modern yet traditional restaurant. i love japanese simplicity. and presentation. it's definitely an art. something i'm trying to learn.

and the mandatory shopping.

once again. presentation is super important.

make sure you read the small print. 'to you who know true values'. had to wait for a break in the crowds to get this shot. well worth it though. crack me up.   

last but not the least at all.

her name is celeste. she's straight from italy. my little bianchi. purchased on saturday. picked up on sunday. it rides as great as it looks. this is complete goodness. a stunning color. practical and stylish basket. and that bell. no more grey/beat up/falling apart mama chari. i am going to smile all the way to and from work. everyday.