Goal!

Well, I accomplished my one weekend goal - to set up this and this!! It's been in the works for a while now. My new blog and etsy shoppe using my real name and everything. I don't know why I've had such an aversion to using my name. I guess I've always liked anonymity and I've been a hider since I was a kid. When the doorbell rings....hide. When I see someone at the mall I know...hide.

Anyways, Phil has been urging me to use my name as my label for a long time. He did the awesome design for me and I am so excited to unveil it. I've also been selling all my stuff at EPS with this new label for a while.

I guess now that I am ending this blog, I should finally explain the origin of it's name. Crafty is self explanitory, but Champloo is taken from one of my favorite anime series,

Samurai Champloo. Champloo (or chanpuruu) is an Okinawan word meaning a mix of things or like a gumbo of sorts. The anime series has all the classic Samurai elements mixed with modern, urban, hip-hop themes. I always felt like my interests were so varied and all over the place when it came to crafting. So there you have it - Crafty Champloo.

Anyways, I thank you in advance for following me here!

I'll make my own rainy day..........

Today was 86 degrees, sunny, and hot. My least favorite type of weather. So, I was inspired to make myself a Rainy Day Manga Tote. I appliqued a fabric umbrella and a twill tape handle. Then I sewed on some glass "raindrops".
I think this twill tape might be a little wide though. I'll keep experimenting. Yay - now I can carry a rainy day with me everywhere I go!

Naru-tote

I started working on these manga totes a while back - little totes just big enough for your manga, comics, and or graphic novels.

(L-R Vagabond, Naruto)

This is the other side of the tote. The pink floral panel in the middle is actually 2 pockets.

Brake time....

A cluster of my fabric bowls.......... Phil and I waiting outside our mechanic's place - squeaky brakes.
A lot of sewing being done this weekend - some new shapes of things and whatnot. Can't wait to get working again this morning - but first off to Marukai to see if they have any Spam Musubi left!!

This during a Colbert Report commercial break..........

Some recent finds.............. a pill case shaped like a teru teru bouzu ...a soft zippered lunchbox with a hedgehog print!
My Mom, Mari, and I went shopping this Sunday. We hit the Santa Monica Airport Antique Market. It was gloomy and freezing, but we found this Japanese laquer jewelry box.
We found the red beans on a center island "park" in Brentwood....
Not much I can show right now in terms of "making things" since a lot of it is for the upcoming baby shower. I also have a big personal project "to do" list that I have yet to tackle. Ah well, hopefully I can work on something this week!

Jet Lagged...

Back from New York.......where it was 12 degrees - 3 degrees with the windchill! We just missed the snow luckily, but here it is on the balcony of my hotel - it never even melted.
I was in New York for work, but I got to visit my good friend Juan. He just got a cute new apartment.

The Chrysler Building from my hotel window.

Well, I'm still settling in a catching up believe it or not. I'm just so glad to be back in LA. I have lots of projects and finds to share, but this is all I could muster tonight.

Be well all!!!!

Stumped....

Well, off to New York (business) for a week - but I could'nt leave without posting about the cutest candy I found. Candy posting here will not be a regular thing as I am a huge fan of this blog and eagerly await her "Japanese Candy Fridays".

Anyways - they're a chocolate/biscuit combo shaped like little tree stumps!! Sooo oishii!!

Here are the baby shower invites I've been working on for my bro and sis-in-law. Pink and chocolate brown! I had so much fun looking for fonts and the one I finally chose is called Johnny Quest from here. I will post the finished versions later.

Hope everyone had a lovely Valentines Day!

Dogtown to J-Town

These are some more bowls I made a while back for EPS. I was experimenting with doing some patchwork on the inside. This is a giant bowl - about 4 times the size of my smallest ones.....
A 20" round mat - also for EPS.........
Saturday night, we went to a opening party at Elizabeth's gallery. It was actually the opening of her own photography exhibit called Odelay Anzo Borrego Desierto. The photos were great (the subject was Tony Alva) and we had a good time. We ended the night with a late dinner in J-Town, and tea and people watching at Starbucks.

That's Hot...

I just had to show this bag I picked up at Target today. It's a big ol' carry-all, very chic I think, and for $17! And seeing as how it was 86 degrees today (that one week Winter we had was nice), it's just perfect.

Super Bowl Sunday!!

Another busy week - but I managed to finish some more mats for EPS.
And, today is Super Bowl Sunday so know what that means - my Mom and I go shopping all day. It's tra-dish. I got a couple pairs of flats and a cool zip hoodie for Phil. God bless H+M, Zara, and Mango.
Gotta go finish my piece for the Free People Swap now!!

A Crewel Weekend

This is my progress so far - I spent Saturday at Phil's office with him and made some good headway on my Chrysanthemum crewel piece. My mom had given me this awhile back - it 's at least 30 years old. She had started some of the yellow and did the green leaves. When it's finished, it will be like we worked on it together - the Chrysanthemum is also our birth flower!! (nov.) She gave me these 2 pieces the other day that she's had forever. She thinks maybe my Aunt did them.

This is my cactus in a can that I'm trying to grow. I have'nt had much luck with other plants up here in our loft - not even an avocado seed! Well, I will keep you posted.
Phil went in to work again today - yes, a seven day work week for him. Who ever said cartoons were child's play. I stayed home and worked on some more mats and runners for EPS, listened to Robin Thicke, and I won this!! Phil and I did get to have dinner together at our favorite restaurant Ebisu down the street.

They have been filming that movie "Invasion" I guess it is, with Nicole Kidman down here for the past week - the one where they accidentally crashed that car the other day. Anyways, it's getting really annoying having to prove to the 90 year old cop that they have guarding our alley entrance that we live here. Happy Monday to all!

A Purse-onal Post

A couple of small totes I finished the other day. They're very small, like for your comic books or something.

Off to hanging out with Phil at his office for the day! I have my chrysanthemum crewel project, my new issues of Martha and Vogue, my Nintendo DS, and my sketchbook..... See ya!

Happy Anniversary!

My parents were married on this day in 1965 - today is their 42nd wedding anniversary!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO THE BEST-EST PARENTS IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!

I love this photo of them - dressed to the nines. It's from a locket of my mom's that I have. Phil appropriately calls this photo - "POMPADORABLE"

Teru Teru Bouzu!!

I was flipping through a Japanese baby magazine with Mari the other day and came across an image of a Teru Teru Bouzu. I remember them from my childhood but never knew what they were called or what their purpose was. Mari said that in Japan they used to make these to wish for good weather. Normally just made from a tissue and a rubberband. I researched more and found that if you hang them upside-down, it means you want it to rain. So I'm going to hang this guy upside-down and see what happens! He is lying on a quilted bookcover I made last night. This was a smock my Mom bought me a couple of weeks ago for $1.50!! She just knew I would love the fabric and could cut it up to make something.
I loved the white patterned enamel snaps so much, that I decided to make an apron out if it - keeping the snaps in tact. The fabric is so perfectly Valentine-y too! I still have the whole back left to make something else.
Well, we're having a lovely lazy Sunday so far - I've just been reading this and getting so inspired. Must get to work now!

(*****I just learned that it's called a Fure Fure Bouzu if you hang it upside-down!)

Heart-Felt

I got this book at Kinokuniya the other day (ISBN 4-309-28073-0) . It's all about felting and it has such beautiful photographs! This felted mushroom box is so cute!
Here's my first attempt at some felt beads. I think they might be a little fuzzy and not as compacted as I would like....but at least they're round-ish.

Weekend Warrior

Wow. It's been a while since I've had that long of a blogging break. Unintentional I might add. It's just been a busy week and I've been knocked out by 10p or 11p everynight. That might not seem early to some, but it is for me. Anyways, I'm just starting to feel the Valentine frenzy. I'm really into the Vintage Valentine thing this year and I just love these from here. We're going to be making heart shaped Valentine wreath's next Wednesday at my parent's house. I also bought this. Not the most inexpensive thing in the world (I'm sure my Dad is cringing right now) but I could'nt resist!
We also had a lovely cold and rainy day this past Wednesday. The sky was beautiful and the air felt clean ( a nice change here in L.A.). It did'nt last as long as I had hoped though. Happy weekend everyone - I am planning to just play in my studio all weekend and work on excecuting some of the ideas I have scribbled on all the post-its that are stuck on the frame of my computer screen! phew!!

Happy Sunday..........

The sun setting as we made our way to Golden Apple comics on Melrose......................... The famous 2nd Street tunnel on our way home...........................
Some wall art in our alley entrance.............................
We were enjoying the cold weather today and went on a little drive. Got some exciting work done which I will unveil later!! Happy Monday!!!!!!!!!!

Kung Fu and Doughnuts

Here's a smattering of new fabric that just arrived the other day - (from equilter)all washed and ready to go! I am working on a new "hair accessory" of sorts that I am very excited about.After work yesterday, I went to hang out with Phil at the studio while he finished up his work. I started a scarf on this Knifty Knitter thing but I think it's going to end up being too dense. I'll probably just turn it into a little bag or something.
And lastly, the prettiest doughnut box ever from here. Tiffany blue with chocolate brown script - I think I'll use it as a purse! .....or at least a knitting box.
Well, it finally got cold here -I mean like 52 degrees! Last week it was 85 degrees in the valley and I thought our "Winter" was over. Well, off to watching Enter the Dragon, drinking some peppermint tea, and working on some top secret projects for a little one arriving soon!!!!

Sweet Dreams...............

Yipee!!! I just bought this! From here of course - good night all......................

Ansel Adams at Manzanar

Today Phil and I went to the Ansel Adams exhibit at the Japanese American National Museum. They were having musical performances and free admission, and we've really been wanting to go have a look. It was a beautifully curated show. Ansel Adams was one of the few photographers allowed into the Manzanar Internment camp in the 40's. His photos were very moving, as was the whole exhibit................they displayed all kinds of artifacts and other photos from inside the camps. This was a great exhibit of all the suitcases (you were allowed only one) belonging to those being relocated.
I highly recommend this exhibit if you live in LA.