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.

Owl Post

This is just a cute owl letter holder I got in J-Town a while back. It even has it's own branch attached! I've been thinking more about my New Year's resolutions I made the other day - I've been doing pretty good. Not spending too much money - I mean, I had already ordered this and this before New Years - and they're really awesome books too. We've been eating healthier, and we've been doing our Rosetta Stone Japanese program. But I want to add that I will be more consciously thankful everyday for what I do have.

-I have a roof over my head and a bed to sleep in - even though it's not this bed :)

-I live in a wonderful city with plenty of inspiration around me.

-I have the best boyfriend ever.

-I have the best family ever - no matter how crazy!

-I am also thankful for the new ideas that keep coming, just when I think I will never have another one again!!

Sure, there are still lots of things I want and goals that I want to achieve, but I just don't want to miss the journey.

Well it's 2am and I can't think of anything else to say - except that the Winter light in LA has really changed and our loft faces North and now we hardly get any sunlight at all - so basically, photos are going to be a bit crap for a minute. Oh well, maybe it's time for some location shoots. Goodnight all!

We're Watching The Aviator Again

Well, I finished my 30 coasters last night! Back to work today, but it was'nt so bad. I'm just so glad to be home with Phil and relaxing the night away. We also had a lovely dinner tonight courtesy of my parents. I stopped by their place after the gym and they had some leftover food from the New Year's dinner last night. Now, I'm sure most people's parents pack some lasagne or mac and cheese in a tupperware and off they go. Not mine. They sent me off with two uncooked filet mignon's, a container of cracked peppercorns(for pressing onto both sides of the filets), garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus and mushrooms - and for the sauce - cognac and heavy cream, and a box of long matches to ignite the sauce with! Talk about thorough!

Happy New Year!

Phil and I had a mellow New Year's Eve and just stayed in last night. This afternoon, we went to the New Year's Day Festival in Little Tokyo. They had a stage with dancing, booths with all kinds of food, and the Koyasan Buddhist Temple (above) was open fof the Fire Ritual. We just walked around a bit and actually ran into several friends along the way. This is a prototype I made last night. It was actually Phil's idea - it's a little sketchbook pouch.....
..with a pocket for your pens and pencils in the back. I used this thick, double sided wool that my mom gave me a long time ago - and she had had it for at least 20 years. The navy side and the checked sides are stuck together, so you could make a reversible coat or something.
These are some pencil cases which are much narrower and just have a plain back.
So, like most people, Phil and I wrote down all of our New Year's Resolutions today and some of them are:

-Learn to speak Japanese

-Save more money

-Eat healthy

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Wax Marsupials et al..............

This is a table mat I made for my parents house last night. Phil and I also bought them this awesome clay owl bell for them to hang on their deck. Next to the owl are the two wax figurines we got at the Los Angeles Zoo today! I was so excited that they still had those machines - I have not been to the zoo in at least 15 years. Anyways, Phil and I bought year passes - that way I can gradually collect all 12 wax animals - and look at the real ones too. In the background are 30 more coasters for EPS waiting to be quilted. I did a bit of reorganizing at my worktable - thank goodness for that Ikea sale!
This is my favorite pic of the day - as people started to gather around, and as I scrambled to get my camera out - the lounging rhino promptly got up and disappeared into the back area. I caught this a split second before he was gone for good.
These are the four guys walking to an exhibit (L-R) Sam, Phil, Eisaku, my Bro Jason. Eisaku was the reason we planned this zoo trip. He is a 10 year old, well-mannered, brilliant artist and he is still on his Winter break. A while back, we told him that we would all take him to the zoo and sketch the animals - but it was a little to crowded to sketch - so we all kinda just had fun goofing off and searching for those wax animal machines! We plan to go back soon since many of the exhibits were under major construction. After the zoo, my bro had to take Eisaku back home and Sam, Phil, and I chilled out at Starbucks near our place for a while.

I got a second wind later that night and wound up sewing away for several hours. Now it's time to work on my list of New Year's resolutions....................

A Day at my Pear-ents

A recent pic of Zero in my parents backyard, she looks so pretty.......................
Harry and David Pears at my parents house - soooo oishii! The enchanted party favor tree that my Mom had ready for all the guests at Christmas dinner - all the little animal head key chains have quarters in them!
A gift that Phil and I made for my parents. It's his Kambei Shimada drawing printed on canvas. I sewed it on to some vintage kimono fabric (the fabric already comes in that width) to turn it into a Japanese style wall hanging.

Short Week and Superheroes

These were some runner mats I had made for EPS a while back - just thought I'd post them now. Or maybe I did post them already and I just don't remember - oh well, I am so glad for this short week! And this is one of our coolest presents ever! Given to us by my bro and sis-in-law. It's a statue of "Invincible" aka Mark Grayson. He's a superhero from a comic book called Invincible and I love it! Phil got me reading it a couple of years ago and it's awesome. Anyways, this statue is not even supposed to be out until March, but my bro always seems to have the hook-ups when it comes to toys!

Christmas in Downtown....

Just a few of my beautiful Christmas gifts from last night, I will post some others soon........... Some of the cutest things I've ever seen on the AranziAronzo site. Some appliquees for the kodomo (children)
.......a tissue box cover
.....and some totes. Alot of their designs feature the kuma (bear) or usagi (rabbit) . Anyways, i have'nt fully browsed through ther entire site yet - it was giving me heart palpitations so I thought I better stop.
Phil and I had a lot of fun last night at both of our families Christmas celebrations. Today we took it easy. Woke up late, cleaned up a bit, and then went for a nice little walk. We spontaneously ended up at the Bonaventure and had an early dinner at the revolving restaurant at the top of the hotel. We got a 360 degree view of LA 35 stories up. It was a lovely way to spend Christmas Day!

Recycled Gift Tags

As I'm starting to pack away all my Christmas wrapping things, I just thought I'd show some of the tags I made this year. For some reason, I save all the cardbord that the bias tape comes wrappped around and I have a big stack of them. I just put a grommet on the end of it for the tie and some rubber stamps to decorate it.