I am leaving for Vietnam in just over two weeks. Yay!!!!!! (Have I mentioned that I am jumping out of my skin with excitement??)
In preparation, because I am an overly organized geek, I have color-coded my guidebook according to the places we will visit. And yes, I’ve done it with Washi Tape.
Each destination gets its own color, the places I want to go marked with tape at the top or side of the page.
And in case I forget which city gets which design, I’ve put a key in the front of the book.
For some reason, it just makes me happy to look at this. My travel guide neatly organized, and cute too.
Need your own travel guide system? Get your Washi Tape at Japanistic.
From Snow-Design, the delightful cardboard clocks.
1. It is a handmade clock of the corrugated cardboard.
2.The surface performs silk printing.
3. Clock movement use made in Japan
Crafty on the outside, simple Japanese clockworks on the inside.
If you’re not in need of a new timepiece, there are cards too. (Can you call a clock a timepiece or is that only for watches?)
And I know it’s a little late for a calendar, but…
Came upon this lovely Washi Tape Journal from Etsy seller RuthBleakley. So pretty.
While looking through her blog, I also discovered this tutorial to make Washi Paper Eggs. Perhaps it’s not seasonal, but I don’t care. The eggs would make great decorations any time of year.
To see the whole tutorial, visit Ruth Bleakley’s Blog.
I am a big fan of boxes with secret compartments. In fact, my son spent much of the weekend carving the insides out of an old textbook to make his own disguised hiding place for his “treasures.”
I love this handcrafted wooden Bento Puzzle Box from Oka Craft, the studio of Hiroyuki Oka…
“How to open” of this box is easy and unique. It is opened by only 3steps.
Step1) Remove the lid of the luch box
Step2) Pick up the Deep-fried shrimp with chopsticks
Step3) Remove the Boiled rice >>> OPEN!(Small space is under boiled rice)
While the Bento Box drew me to it immediately, I am equally enamored of the more ornate styles, many with inlaid designs in an assortment of woods. Simply beautiful!
The art form is called Himitsu Bako. “Himitsu Bako” is one of the woodwork handed down from old times in Japan. The origin goes back even to the Meiji era(1868～).If the whole surface of a square box or a part is moved in order, the lid opens.With this mechanism, it is truly a puzzle!.also the puzzle box is decorated with traditional Hakone-cho, Odawara district artwork.The mosaic and wood inlaid work a traditional handicraft are used. the marquetry and wood inlaid work serves as the pattern for the box,and it is thinly sliced and pasted on the box. Metal parts are not used at all for making of this box. This is made from ONLY! wood.
Made in Japan but available for U.S. shipping at the Japanese Puzzle Box Shop on Etsy.
Love this Triangular Box.
I can think of many, many treasures to store in these! What goodies would you hide in your secret box?
It might be time to admit I have a problem. The Washi Tape Collection is ever larger.
Have your own Washi Tape problem? It’s okay. Show us a photo. You’ll feel better.
My obsession with vintage books continues. Down the rabbit hole I go and into the “stacks” at Modern Classic. Books, magazines, cookbooks and more from a “Classic but Modern Bookstore.”
I love this Okusama series of cooking magazine images from the 1960s.
Vintage Japanese craft books? Yes, please.
Cookbooks with cute characters? Yup.
And vintage fashion? Oh Yeah Baby!
Don’t we all need a suit like that one?
Picture books too. This one feels reminiscent of one of my favorites, The Lonely Doll.
I am not sure what to make of these guys. But I like ‘em.
Trust me when I say that these books are worth some time spent on the internets. In fact, I am having to pull myself away because I want to look at EVERY SINGLE ONE.
If you find a personal favorite, let me know. I’d love to see it!
Throughout the week, I’ve given you some sneak peeks of the trees I’ve been making for my in-store holiday window. This year, my theme was DIY holiday crafts using only craft supplies you can buy in the store.
Oak tag gift tags, washi tape, twine, bits of holiday wrapping paper, raffia gift wrap, recycled holiday cards as ornaments, and a whole lot of scrapbooking tape.
Most important, doing this let me get my holiday craft fix! Love it when I can craft for work!
I came across this guy on the momijiichi fair site. He is adorable, isn’t he? And not only is he wearing a cute cross-stitch tie, Makoto Oozu is also the mastermind behind The Mint House, home of cross stitch amazingness.
Fancy a Rolex but can’t afford one? How about the next best thing? The Olex.
At Momijichi, you could make your own watch, under the tutelage of the master.
This looks like even I could make one, especially with the helpful Knit-Shock!
And if you just want to do your own thing, with a little help, there are pattern books too.
Personally, I’m coveting one of these Have a Wood Time! watches, a collaboration between The Mint House and Jinakihiro woodworks
Have a lovely Thanksgiving! (And to make your own Amigurumi Turkey, visit Stacey Trock’s Fresh Stitching.)
And to everyone else, um, Happy Thursday!
Delicate ceramics from artist Hitomi Nakagawa. Some available at Iichi. And I am really in need of that Gray Cross Dish! (hint hint to anyone in my family who might be reading this.)
My house is full of crazy colors and yet, I am so drawn the simplicity of some Japanese ceramics in a way I don’t quite understand. These do the trick for me completely.
I love her photo too. Doesn’t it make you want to buy something from her? (Like perhaps a gray cross bowl you give me for Christmas?)
