Cherry Blossom Adventures

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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I have a sewing machine that I got for my 9th or 10th birthday or something- my mum thought I should learn to sew and I did. Sort of. I made summer pajamas at sewing school and then never really sewed again. I think I made a pencil case in year 8 also…or perhaps a pillow slip…I really don`t remember.

I want to be able to though so I brought the sewing machine from mum`s house to dad`s house and now it it sitting on the floor in the corner of the room and whispering “sew…sew…sew” at me….or perhaps that is just in my imagination.

I plan to get it out this weekend and make sure it still works and perhaps see if I can thread a bobbin- I don`t like my chances but I will give it ago and hey I pretty much taught myself ot knit from a book and the internet so If I have any problems I will do what I always do and google it (The other day I googled “How come dogs don`t have bellybuttons?” and now I know!)

But I think what scares me more, is that if it does work and I do manage to figure out how to thread the bobbin well then I will have to sew something. Keep in mind that the sewing machine is almost 15 years old (Saying that outloud makes me feel so old) and the only material I have to practise on is some old curtains.

So what should I do first? Perhaps I should actually buy some different material? Does anybody know any good begginer patterns or some good websites on where to find good begginer stuff. I want to get a start on this sewing stuff so that is a chance that by the time I have kids, and they go to kindy, that I will be able to sew well enough to at least make them a little bag to keep their uwabaki (inside shoes) in…

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Spent the day at home today with Shun and Abbey (and dad for some parts- and even mum came around for a walk and a coffee!), lazing about and crossing off some stuff on my weekly resolutions list! So yay for me! So lets review- my list was as follows!

- hoop at least 10 minutes everyday - I hooped outside today for about 30 minutes while Abbey watched, most of the time sitting right at my feet as I hooped! In the end Shumpei had to call her over because I was so scared I would step on her….but she likes to sit in my shadow in the shade!

- track the food I eat in my little weight watchers book and do at least 4 walks! - I did this and I counted points plus I went for a half hour walk (But we were out for an hour because half of the hour was spent playing with Abbey in the park, running around, then Shumpei minded her while I went for a fast walk with mum and dad!)

- blog another 2 times- Well this is once and the next post will probably be all about our new little addition Abbey!

- Contact wedding celebrants (at least 2) and set up meetings for sometime in the next couple of weeks!- I am going to email two people I have found now and try and set up some meetings!

-Study Japanese for 3 hours! - I did this today!!! Kanji! I don`t think I remember any of it but I did at least do it! It has reminded me though how far I have to go because honestly my retention for kanji sucks and new words sucks (I am a lot better with grammar!)!!

- Plus one bonus that I was going to add today! I have decided it will be to start a new knitting project!

So I a putting it out there- I want a cool, easy pattern for a baby hat (or boots!)…preferrably with the name of wool I can get in Australia. I don`t even know where to buy wool in Brisbane though- Maybe Lincraft? Suzy if you are reading please pretty please send me the pattern for that umbilical cord hat we talked about! I am thinking that might be the one!!! But if anyone else has any ideas let me know (I will also search on ravelry!)

Hope everyone else had lovely lovely weekends- I know it is a long weekend in Japan too (for those lucky enough to be there) so I hope everyone is having fun!

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Nothing to say so thought I would post a picture of the christmas cards I made on the weekend!

I am definitely going through a bit of a creative stage, and you know what, I`m loving it. It is great stress relief to do something with my hands!!!

Off to put up my christmas tree! Oh how I love Christmas!

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• I don`t exactly have the best reason for not posting yesterday….Although we didn`t have the internet in the apartment yesterday. Turns out we hadn`t paid our bill….Usually it comes off my debit card because when I signed up with NTT when I was living alone in Kichijoji and because I was foreign that was the only option they gave me. But we switched the account to Shun`s name when we moved and turns out cos he is Japanese and they trust him to pay they started sending us bills and we didn`t notice. We kind of just leave our mail in a pile on our table open…But about two weeks ago our mailbox got locked and we didn`t know the code to open it…so we just left the mail in there!!! It took our internet getting switched off to actually finding a way to open it!!! How ironic also that the time it doesn`t get paid is the first couple months it is in in Shumpei`s name!!!
• I love my new mac. I think I love the fact that i can sit anywhere in the house though and use it and the internet the most!!! I think perhaps it needs a cute cover though to keep it clean and pretty!!!
• I finished the purple scarf that Shumpei requested once I started knitting again….Here is the finished product..

• I am over my stomach bug now!!! Although still don`t feel 100%….I feel like I am coming down with a cold now! It is never ending…
• Things have been really good with Shun and I recently….last night we didn`t get to sleep til after 3am because we just kept talking…Talking about the future mainly…Shumpei decided definitely a few weeks back that he was going to come to Australia next year…we will be going in July I think! It was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders because i had been worried that he was going to say he wouldn`t come! I am very excited about the whole thing…We have been talking about things a lot. He has started talking to me a little in English….It is funny to hear him speak English with me sometimes after so long talking in Japanese…But I guess I better get used to it!

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Went to Design Festa yesterday and it was such a nice day walking around looking at all the stuff by some super amazing and talented designers! I also saw Deanne and Masao who own TOKYOMADE (If you have never checked out their site go NOW!) whom I hadn`t seen in ages so it was great to catch up, even though they were super busy! I also met Yuki from kissui.net for the first time….her and her bf were there and he is from Brisbane so it was good to meet her and have a chat with her bf about Brisbane!

I was so angry that I couldn`t take any photos since my camera broke in Kyoto and I have been told it is not fixable. I will be getting a new one sometime before Christmas (Chrissy present from my mum, Yay! Thanks mum! I love you!) and I can`t wait to start taking photos again. Not having a camera makes you want to take photos all the time!!! I think when I get a new one I will be right back into taking photos everyday!!!!

But since I have no photos to show from the day I thought I would show you some photos of jewelery I have made in the last couple of weeks!!! I wish I could show you the things I have knitted also (Only a couple of scarfs so far and one bootie…which didn`t really turn out!) but I will have to wait til I get my new camera before I can take photos. I have also started thinking about Christmas cards….will have to get stuck into making them this weekend otherwise Christmas will be here before I know it…It was inspiring to walk around Design Festa and see what other people make and do….I was very jealous since I don`t have the talent to come close to being as good as most of the people at the event…

Posting everyday is going OK so far. I suppose when you say your going to do something it is easier then to actually remember to do it…as opposed to thinking to myself that I should blog more!!! I might be going camping this weekend though so blogging may be difficult…I really should how to learn to do short posts from my phone!

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• Will need to be in dot points since I have a lot to say on a lot of different topics. I got my blogging mojo back a couple of weeks ago and was posting a lot and then I got stressed out with work and life and things going on back home in Australia and lost it again. I will try to get back into it though…I like blogging, I like reading other blogs and I like the fact that it gives me a chance to write when normally I wouldn`t write anything in English anymore. Except maybe my diary…which like blogging happens in stages. I am in a diary writing stage at the moment so am writing or doing something in it everyday (For anyone that keeps a journal or diary I have found keri smiths sites inspiring!) however because of that it has meant I have not been blogging.
• Kyoto last weekend was fantastic….I had a great time and it was so good to catch up with kanako. I would post pictures except I dropped my camera on the first day I was there and now it doesn`t work. I have taken to get it fixed but it will take a couple of weeks. I was so angry that I wanted to cry…I had been so looking forward to taking lots of photos. Anyway apart from that everything went well….We visited about 10 different places and I love the fact that you can get a 500yen bus pass in Kyoto that lasts you all day. It was just as I had remembered it…this time though I did manage to see a couple of other places, even a couple that were not as populated with tourists…Seeing all the zen gardens really makes me want a Japanese garden……I loved the rock gardens too. The amount of effort they put into them each day is amazing. Seeing Kanako again was great like I said. We met up on the Friday night, just her and me, for coffee, and I have to say it was a little strange to be seeing her again after so long and we had a couple of awkward silences (We found it hard to choose a language to speak in…up until now in person we had only ever used English…although recently when I had spoken to her on the phone I used Japanese because I thought it would be easier….we write emails too each other in English though….we started out in Japanese but switched to English later as she said she never gets an opportunity to speak English with native speakers anymore….I am so jealous of her English…..Even now, after been back in Japan for 5 years her English is still fantastic, if not better than it was when she lived in Australia.) We met up again the following night for dinner and Shumpei came and her boyfriend Kengo, it was my first time meeting him but he was great, a real funny guy. We used Japanese mainly that night since the boys don`t speak English much. Then her and Kengo came to say good bye to us the next day at Kyoto station where we all had lunch together before getting on a shinkansen to Tokyo! Since coming back to Tokyo a week ago we have emailed back and forth a few times. It really was so great to see her again, and to remember what we had been doing five years ago in Brisbane, and three years ago in Kyoto. It made me realize how much I had missed her and I think her and her bf will be coming up to Tokyo early next year to stay with Shun and I (The best thing also was that Kengo and Shumpei got on great…Shun is a little older than him and usually the both boys are a little shy but they got on famously!) I hope to visit Kanako again sometime next year after she returns to Nagasaki to become a junior highschool English teacher. I have never been that far South (I have only been as far as Hiroshima) so I am looking forward to that too.
• I am going back to Australia for Christmas. My dad was meant to come here on the 26th of December but he can`t come now and there has been a lot going on in Australia recently with my family, some of it which has contributed to my stress etc recently, so I have decided to go home for 2 and a half weeks on my winter break. My dad`s health hasn`t been so great lately but it isn`t the only reason I am going home. I can not wait to spend some time with my mum and my dad and my brother and his gf (Although they take off for Europe on the 1st of January for six weeks, lucky things). My parents are separated and this will be the first Christmas I have been in Australia since they separated which I think is going to be a little bit strange for me…..but then again my parents still get on well and have always been there for each other so I am sure it won`t be much different to Christmas’s` in the past. I look forward to doing almost nothing for 2 and a half weeks….I really need the break!
• I have been getting really crafty lately…I even want to bring my old sewing machine back to Japan with me in January. But I have being beading more and have started knitting. Am on to my second scarf but I did a lot of squares to work out some new stitches etc recently too. I have a fair bit of yarn stock piled with some other projects in mind…I attempted some baby booties the other day but they need a little work…Might go back to them this afternoon. I have also bought some cards to make my own Christmas’s cards…I need to get a start on them though otherwise Christmas will come and I won`t have even started. Might do some of that later this afternoon also. When my camera is fixed I promise some photos of some of the things I have made….Although my flickr does have a couple of photos of earrings I made a few weeks back.
• Have been so stressed lately. Like I said with stuff going on back home, but also here in Japan. I like my job, but lately I have been so stressed out lately and we really need another assistant at school. Before the school was bought by the new owner we had always had three teachers on staff…I had been the last one to join the team also. Now it is just me and the owner running the classes and I feel like I can never get everything I need to get done because I just don`t have the time in the afternoons to do all the craft prep etc for the following week. Plus the preschool class, which I teach with the owner, is growing and we need the extra hand there in the mornings. Because I am stressed out I feel like I am not giving my best to the kids anymore. I am also hating the fact that teaching is making me feel like I would make a bad mother…up until this point I had always thought that eventually, when I had children, that I would probably make a good mother…I hate that my job is making me feel that way. I am sure it is just a phase and it will pass but still…The school is moving next weekend too, so not only do we have to teach classes everyday this week, plus prepare for the following week, we also have to pack up the whole school. We have one day, next Monday, to prepare the new school (Everything will be moved there next Sat and Sunday) for the kids who will return on Tuesday. I can tell it is going to be another stressful week…
• In other news I had dinner at James` house last night with Erika, Koki, plus Shun and me…because I had to work yesterday we didn`t arrive until just after 7pm and the other three had already cooked up a storm! It was lovely to sit down, eat, drink some wine and chat! I haven`t seen Catherine in what feels like ages, but I am sure we will be catching up this week or at the weekend.
• Things with Shun and I are going really well. For awhile there he was doing so much overtime that it was driving me insane that we never had anytime together but lately things have been really great and we go out to eat dinner together at least once a week and he has been getting home by 10 every night, sometimes earlier! We are still thinking about moving to Australia next year for six months…I really want to go, and I think I will be going….Shun is still thinking about it but lately he has been asking me to speak to him in English more, which I see as a good sign that he is leaning towards coming to Australia!
• I still have the ongoing headache that comes and goes. The doctor says it is caused by stress…which doesn`t help me much!!!

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