Quilting for Japan.

Thank you for writing, in regards to previous post. I truly appreciate the comforting words. 
Since then, there doesn't seem much we can do from here ..... except sew. 
I am making this quilt & giving it to my children's school 
(Deutsche International Schule Dubai), who will then hold a raffle, with all proceeds going to
 the German Lutheran Church in Tokyo, towards helping the people of Japan.  

This quilt is called "Ganbatte“.  In  Japanese, it means  “persevere, you can make it". 

Made entirely with Japanese fabrics, reminding us so much of beautiful Japan. 

In Red & White,  the national flag colours of a red rising sun on a white background.

“8” for luck as in the 8 appliquéd kimonos.

The Japanese children in the fabric design,  represent the families & citizens in unity,

bunnies as it's the Year of the Rabbit, fishes for strength, courage & luck. 

The gracious people of Japan will pass through these times of suffering, 

like fishes swimming through turbulent water. 

“ Ganbatte, Nippon ! “ 

A Shrine Festival & fun for all !

This past weekend, we went to a Shrine Festival in Jiyugaoka, a quaint area known for a wonderful mix of old & chic shops & restaurants. There were processions if portable shrines (mikoshi) carried by local shop owners and trades people.

“The gods come down & go inside the mikoshi. Then we tour them around our local neighborhood, to show it to them,” said one. The wilder the ride and the rougher the mikoshi shakes, the more it is said to bring good luck to everyone.

In a secret ceremony before being sent out, the little doors in the shrines are opened, carefully veiled from the eyes of the public by a cotton curtain, and the town elders invite the gods inside.

There were vendors selling all sorts of colourful food! The kids were having a blast trying to win a fish or terapin or eel to take home to Mama!

a shoebox, a restaurant, an apartment...

I did not have a single toy as a child. When I mentioned this to my son who was 4 at that time, he said "oh Mama, how sad...we can share our toys & you can play with them anytime". One of those times that a Mama will always remember.

We do many craft projects & here is one that we are fascinated with at the moment - our shoebox dollhouse. Although it has now evolved into a "Japanese cafe downstairs" & "owner's apartment upstairs". If these shots are not so clear, it's because it was in the evening & were taken without flash.

Green futons are cardboard covered with washi paper.
The stylish ikebana is a bamboo toothpick holder, now holding green plastic strips.
Round tables are covers from jars standing on toothpicks, the stools are plastic bootle caps.
Wall pictures are little cut-outs which Annika pasted & then drew frames around.

Wall mirror is aluminium foil on a card with pretty beads.

"Glass" display cabinet is a plastic packaging box.

Stack up makeup sponges for a perfect display counter.

we came, we bought, we sold ...

Yes, that always happen to us. We'll go to a Flea-Market & for every item we sell, we bought more! Actually, we always start buying before we start selling! We had quite a good day & sold most of our old books & board games.

This was the ladybird who kept us company that morning.
She seems to like Niklas' old cuddly doggie!

And.....(drum-roll)....my kids were a hit with their handiwork (see previous post), named "Kawaii Magnets by Kawaii Kodomo" meaning Cute Magnets by Cute Kids. We even sold magnets via email, after their classmates' mothers saw them in this blog! And serious interest too, from a blog visitor all the way in Australia!

Kawaii Magnets by Kawaii Kids.

It’s our school’s Spring Flea-Market this Saturday & right now, our house looks like a flea-market too! Lots of stuff everywhere waiting to be sorted out & tagged, so that we can hopefully sell it off.

Also, my kids made many, many Japanese Magnets, which is regular magnets but with Japanese motifs, cherry blossoms & kimono clad children playing.

Annika & Niklas are saving up for a WII & I have no heart to tell them that it's going to take them a very l..o..n..g time to save for that 1 item!

Going, going, gone !

And these Compact Mirror & Card Case, went to a lovely, lovely lady.

Thank you Nagisa, for liking my designs

& thank you, Joachim for buying them for her!

May I introduce you to . . .

. . . more stylish Card Cases! You won't be whipping out dog-earred cards with these around!

And a Compact Mirror, for that crucial moment when you need to look even more gorgeous!

This one (top right) is "Dragonflies trailing in gold dust & sparkles". All, in my Etsy store.

And here's my card ....

Every designer/artist/seller should have one of these ☺ !
A pretty aluminium case to ferry your cards around, be it your namecards, their namecards, kid's photos, credit cards, discount cards, ID cards or anything that can fit in here.

Isn't it more stylish & organised to have them in this,
than to fish them out of your purse - like what I was doing for quite a while!

Do you like it? This is my first & I will be doing more, from flirty ones to serious ones !

Fishes feeding off us!

This pic shows the toes of my friend, Monika. In 2006, the first Asian “Doctor Fish” spa resort opened in Hakone, Japan. Known scientifically as Garra rufa, they have a taste for dry, flaking human skin. The fish act like living pumice stones, nibbling off the dead epidermis & leaving behind baby-smooth skin. No, they are not like piranhas!

These “doctor fish” (members of the carp family), can grow up too 19cm. They are put in hot springs, where they live and swim freely in 40-degrees waters. They use their toothless, crescent-shaped mouths to nibble away dead skin softened by the hot water. They are naturally used for the treatment of skin diseases in such spas.

It really is not as scary as it sounds or looks! I didn’t stay in there long but for my short time “feeding” the fish, I was laughing from the tickling sensation!

Love me, Love me not.

These little kawaii dolls look very much like the traditional Russian Doll. They originate in Japan although Annika got her first one in Singapore!

We think they are wise bobblehead fairy dolls & we do talk to them. If you ask them nicely, they do answer. Also helps you make decisions by responding with a nod (yes) or shake of head (no). So Annika & Niklas ask important questions like "Are you having fun?", "Would you like some spaghetti?". "Do you love me?".

It's actually funny to watch them all nod or shake together. Really cute. Makes us laugh each time!