Cherry Blossom Adventures

Almost a week since I last posted- Noah has been really clingy these past couple of weeks (early teething it seems) and Shun has been working so much that I haven`t had any time to myself really except when Noah naps and well then I usually have other things that need doing like cleaning, cooking, checking facebook (:P), catching up with friends and email and what not…

I did get out of the house yesterday and went to S`s house a couple of stations away for a pot luck lunch and some scrapbooking with S & D. Was a lot of fun even though I didn`t get a lot of sleep the night before which meant I was a little dazed and overwhelmed at time- Noah also didn`t let me do much scrapbooking but I made up for it today and added a couple more pages. Here are the pages I have added since I last posted some scrapbooking photos…

Have photos printed for another three pages (first birthday party, March play dates and big baths) and then I will be up to date again! Was great seeing S & D`s scrapbooking stuff- so inspiring! Made me want to find more time to do it (and made me want more supplies too! hehe!) and I look forward to another crafty day with them!

Last week on Friday Cassie & Nana came for lunch and we took the kids to the park next door for a run around (well Nana ran around, Noah layed on the mat, cried, napped and that was about all!)- it was lovely springish weather perfect for outside. Noah`s first trip to the park was a success! hehe

Sunday Shun was home from work and I got some chocolates for White Day and we also went out with Shun`s parents for lunch as they hadn`t seen Noah is about 3 weeks and were itching to see him again. Sunday was also the day Noah laughed for the first time!! It took me by surprise (and I was so glad Shun was close by to hear it!) and then we managed to get him to giggle a couple times more! He laughed again once yesterday but not all today (Still got some smiles and happy gurgles though)

We are now members of the Chiba co-op which will make my life a little easier I hope- no more lugging nappies, wipes, rice or other heavy stuff home!

Noah seems so grumpy half the time that I don`t always know what to do- there is only so much entertaining I can do! He used to be fine sitting in his bouncer with spot but now wants to be held all the time making it very hard for me to do anything. He still has bouncer play time, mat time, reading time and other things like watching some baby einstein or English songs on youtube.

I did find this interesting resource too- http://www.babycenter.com/0_lets-play-weekly-activities-for-your-babys-first-year_1501475.bc – weekly activities for babies aged 0 to 1 year and some of those have been fun. But I am not sure what else I can do to make him happy- I am hoping it is just a phase as he seems quite gassy lately and also constantly drooling and has his hands in his mouth and I can see some teeth coming up so maybe his fussiness will pass!

It is Tuesday but I totally forgot to prepare my “Two for Tuesday” but will leave you with this amazing beef stew I made last week in the slow cooker- it was unbelievably yummy!

SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW

500g beef (it had stew/curry beef on the pack)

4 potatos

1 onion

1 pack of shitake mushrooms

1 stalk of celery

1 and a half cups of beef stock (just one cube)

1 packet of pepper gravy powder (normal gravy is fine too, i mixed it with the stock)

2 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Steps

1. Toss meat in flour, salt and pepper and chuck in the slow cooker.

2. Cut vegies (celery quite fine, everything else however you want) – chuck on top of the meat.

3. Pour over the beef stock/gravy mixture

4. Mix in the garlic, paprika and sauce.

5. Cook on high for 5 hours!

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I have been working on Noah`s scrapbook- I am not very good at scrapbooking but I am enjoying putting it together…

A post about Noah`s recent developments to come soon, but to be honest I am too exhausted to write it all down now. Hopefully I will find some time in the next couple of days… (but if he is as unsettled as he has been most nights during the last week for the next couple of days then the post might have to wait. I am seriously beginning to think that people can actually die from sleep deprivation.)

Also anyone that had been having issues with my site recently (mainly those using internet explorer as a browser) should no longer be having issues as my server host updated some things- if you are still having any issues loading the page or commenting please let me know or comment on the post below this one and my server host will look into it. Thanks to Radans & Snos, my host provider people (that is definitely the technical term, hehe) for helping me sort out the issues so quickly!!!

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• Shun bought me a poinsetta plant on Saturday after the “traumatic” appointment at the doctors. I am feeling much calmer now by the way- isn`t it cute though? It is certainly brightening up our apartment!!!

• Also knit a hat for Goma-chan using hand spun yarn from Cassie`s shop- I think I may even have enough yarn left to make some matching booties but will see how I go.

• I haven`t had any blood pressure issues at all during my pregnancy but for some reason I am now retaining fluid in my feet- namely my right foot. I think it is my right foot more so because my left foot doesn`t have as good a circulation due to previous ankle injuries. Also, my wedding rings still fit BUT last night my left hand (and only my left hand!) swelled up over night so I took them off just to be on the safe side. Feels weird not to be wearing my wedding rings- I think this is the first time since getting married that they have been off for more than a minute or so.
• Have been busy looking into accommodation for my brother and his girlfriend for their visit to Japan next March/April- They are here for about 16 days so plan to do a fair bit of traveling down to Kyoto (with day trips to Nara & Osaka), Hiroshima, Himeji and then also some day trips out of Tokyo/Chiba while they are staying with us. It is fun helping them plan their trip!!! Should be able to finalize their bookings for them tomorrow!!! I can`t wait for them to get here- Goma-chan will be about 3 and a half months by then and they will be able to meet him for the first time. The plan is for them to stay with us for 3 nights at the start of their trip and then again for 3-4 nights at the end of their trip.
• Nesting seems to have hit me a bit- I can not seem to sit still for very long and keep thinking of things I could do and writing lists of things to do for the following day. I scrubbed the kitchen floor (literally on all fours!), cleaned the stove top and grill and cleaned out the entire fridge all in the last 24 hours. Plus regular things like dusting, washing, repacking my hospital bag for like the 3rd time, cooking and more. Good thing we live in an apartment and I can`t do anything like paint the walls (but I did think about it!)- I think I am definitely getting to the sick of being pregnant stage of pregnancy as well. Seems very hard to find comfortable positions to sit/lay in and my back has been aching (the scrubbing actually helped this though!)

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There have been a lot of deliveries to the Cherry Blossom Adventures household in the last week and I have to say, boy do I love getting mail especially mail that comes in boxes!

Last week a package arrived from my mum which had some baby singlets, wedding photos, a hand-knit baby blanket and more- she mentioned yesterday that she had sent another package on Friday filled with more things for baby and me and has another one ready to go next week.

Here is the blanket mum knit over winter for goma-chan- it is soooooo soft.

Next, on Friday last week a delivery came in with Goma-chan`s new crib! We set it up over the weekend albeit a couple of months early!!! Shun thinks it looks a bit girly but I don`t really care and love the bright colours. We have another futon set in blue but it is not as bright as this one…

Then on Monday a sewing machine arrived from a lovely new friend in Kanagawa-ken, Brooke, who when she heard I was having difficulties with my one brought from Australia offered up her old Brother machine for free! I have already had it out on two occasions testing it out and sewing things up- it is a standard Japanese machine meaning no foot pedal but I am already starting to get the hang of it. It is fairly basic but I am a beginner sewer and it basically does everything my old machine does.

Before it arrived I hand sewed a bib for Goma-chan (First attempt really at hand-sewing anything that wasn`t a button or a tiny rip)

Then I used the machine to make this tag blanket- one side is cotton and the other is cotton flannel and then there are lots of ribbons for baby to play with and suck on. I am thinking I will make another one of these before goma-chan arrives.

Lastly, today, Marianne from Kyuushu sent us a bag of rice from the “Pay it Forward” give away she held several months back! I am so grateful firstly because YAY, free rice and secondly as we were almost out this totally saves me lugging a bag home from the supermarket next week.

I did post about the “pay it forward” giveaway several months back and had three comments but no-one wrote about it on their blog. If you commented and still want to participate then put up a post with the rules (originally listed here) and email me to say it is done and I will organize your give-away.

I have been in a bit of a crafty mood of late and also finished my friend Junni`s scarf for this winter- I have stopped and started this one many times and didn`t do any of it in Australia. It is to match his snowboard gear and I will give it to him in a couple of weeks. He had a bad accident a couple months back while snow boarding and needed to get his shoulder and arm pinned but he plans to go out again this winter so hopefully the scarf will come in handy.

Today I met up with Melanie (for the first time) and her lovely husband T (he is lovely because he carried my shopping- what a gentleman!). We had a yummy lunch before hitting Kinokuniya to look at the kids books. Melanie is due to have her baby in October so Goma-chan and her little one will be very close in age so I am sure we will be meeting up much more. She gave me this lovely hand-made gift for Goma-chan (Tako-kun!). He is already in Goma-chan`s bed!

Oh and lastly I leave you with a keitai picture of the pie I made for dinner last night- my friend James came to help us demolish it! Shun requested I make meat pie last week and I was happy to oblige (and James was happy to come eat it ) – James took this photo and sent it to me at my request because I completely forgot to take a photo.

I am now so tired because I actually got up early (just after 9am, trust me lately, for me that is early) and went out for most of the day. It is amazing how much a day out takes it out of me now- just a couple more weeks until I am in 3rd trimester but I think the sleepiness stage is already starting to set in.

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While the days in Brisbane are not really getting any cooler (yet!) the nights are starting to cool down a little so I have pulled out my knitting needles and wool and have started knitting again!

I am working on a scarf that I started last year for my friend Junni. It is a mottled red colour to match his snowboard gear and I just heard from another friend the other day that he is in hospital at the moment with a broken arm from a snowboarding accident. Apparently he was very lucky not to have had more serious injuries. I know he will be up boarding again next winter so I am aiming to have the scarf finished before I returned to Japan to give to him. He put in this “order” for a scarf a long time ago so I really should try to finish it!!! I am also wishing him a fast recovery!!!

Am also knitting a couple of cute baby things for Sarah`s bub- now we have a confirmed girl I can satisfy my pink and purple knitting cravings! Currently working on a little hat.

Pictures to follow sometime soon!

Perhaps I will go really crazy and pull out the sewing machine again this weekend!

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Remember the little pink singlet shirt thingy I posted a couple of weeks back that I sewed with a lot of help from my sewing teacher? Well since then I have sewed a couple of little things firstly with her help and then by myself!!!

The little zipper pouch in the first picture comes from Amy Karol`s Bend The Rules book and it was easy to follow and complete, so comprehensive in fact that I made another one!!!

Plus I made a little applely pin cushion since I didn`t have one!

See the cute material used for these? It all come from the wonderful Jen when she decluttered and held a garage sale in which I scored a stack of very cute (and in some cases vintage) fabric!

The material in the last picture is so cute that I intend to make an apron out of it for a child perhaps…It is just so adorable!

So these are my sewing conquests of the last couple of weeks…I didn`t get a chance to sew at all this past weekend but I am hoping to make some time this weekend! I think I shall attempt a tote bag (Then I would be able to cross sew a bag off my 101 things list!)

Any other cool links to patterns? Needs to be fairly easy for a beginner like me!

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I am creative- at least I like to think I am. I enjoy writing, taking photos, beading, knitting, sewing and much more. Doing these things help me relax and while I am not brilliant at any of them but I still love to do them.

I get a lot of inspiration from the creative girls in Japan who have their own etsy shops and are not only enjoy doing creative things but are good enough to sell their stuff!!!

Check out these brilliant blogs & brilliant etsy shops! With Christmas coming up it would be a great chance to pick up some gifts for friends and families!

 Jo-  http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5369266 (www.jojoebi.etsy.com) (Holding a competition this week- get in there to win a bunch of cool prizes!!! For anyone with kids or who teaches this site has a wealth of cool art ideas that she does with her son. In her shop, I like the bento goods and kimono fabric buttons especially)

Jacqui- – http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5367229 (Jacqui & i also participate in the same forum, FWC, and she is very cool. Check out her new felt/material book bags- They would make great gifts)

Leslie-  http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5104353 (great if you are looking for Japanese craft items like super cute material)

Jan-  (No etsy shop that I know of but inspirational all the same! She has left a couple of comments for me when I have had sewing questions)

Melanie- http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5347284 (Awesome jewellery and she is also doing some de-stashing at the moment so great for a look!)

Andrea-  http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5364658 (Beautiful beautiful paintings and prints!)

All of these girls are lovely and inspiring and you simply must check them all out!!!

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See this!? I made it!

I am still having sewing lessons, my fourth will be this Sunday, and they are going well and I am loving have those couple of hours on a Sunday to focus on sewing.

This weekend I am going to make something from this book by this lovely lady!

I will probably have another two lessons after this and then try to sew a bit more by myself- I can do simple stuff alone but reading patterns is still a little lost on me. I do hope to get better though.

I think I will wear my new top to my sewing lesson on Friday. My teacher is awesome by the way, I take my machine and go to her house and she teaches me for about 2.5 hours. She is really really reasonably priced as well so if anyone is in Brisbane and after a good sewing teacher please send me an email and I will be happy to pass on her details.

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Or more appropriately titled Lulu`s sewing blunder #32

Turns out there is a different foot for zips. I attempted to make a little zip purse on the weekend and couldn`t for the life of me figure out how people do zips so figured I would just give it ago by myself.

Bad idea.

Why didn`t anybody tell me you need to change machine foot (feet?) for that.

Such a shame as I was just about to consider a career in dress making. Oh well I guess it is back to the drawing board for my career search…It truly is a shame that I am a crap sewer and also a crap writer otherwise I could of had one of those cool crafty blogs that everybody loves.

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