Digital Washi Tape & More Kawaii Links

For those of you that like all things washi tape, the ModeS Blog is offering up this free digital washi tape download.  Use it for digital scrapbooking, embellishing photos or decorating your blog.  Click here for the download.

Kawaii Handmade Goods - Read about the popular boutique, SOL & BeBe SOL, located in Harajuku on the Tokyo Fashion site.  After looking at all the photos, you'll feel like you visited the store in person.

Party Origami Giveaway - All Things Paper is giving away a copy of my book Party Origami.  Today is the last day to enter.

Mochi Plushie Tutorial - Learn how to make a mochi plushie by HapyFriendsShoppe.

Christmas Mug Rugs

I realize it's a little strange talking about Christmas when I just posted a Halloween post two days ago. But if you're making your Christmas gifts this year, you know the importance of starting early.  I bet some of you even started working on gifts in July.  So today I'm going to share a little bit about what I'm sewing for Christmas with some fabric I was sent to review by Modes4u.com.

I've worked with Modes4u before and one of the things I like about their store is their fabric selection.  Specifically, they have an amazing selection of Japanese fabric.  My only problem with the fabric is trying to decide what I'm going to make with it.  I don't want to squander it on any old project.
  

So, I finally settled on a project that's worthy of my designer fabric, mug rugs.  Mug rugs are like a glorified coaster.  They're a little bigger.  Sometimes they have pockets for snacks or a circle for your cup.  They come in all shapes and sizes.  They're also the perfect project for fabrics sold in .5meter units.

For this mug rug I used the tutorial from the blog Fashioned by Meg.

For the roof I chose to use "Large Pretty Petals" by Michael Miller.  The shape of the flowers worked out perfect for the roof.  One flower cut in half was the perfect size for the roof template.  And I love how the fabric looks like an ornate roof top.

For the doors I used a coordinating fabric by Michael Miller called "Nordic Holiday".  I chose this print so it would match the roof and made a nice focal point for the doors.  I also liked having the variety of trees and reindeer.

 

Why should the front get all the cute fabrics, right?  I always like the surprise of turning something over to find it looks just as pretty as the front. That said, I went with a fabric called Snowflakes by Timeless Treasures for the back of the mug rug.

Have you started creating gifts for Christmas yet?  What are you making?

Origami + Ribbon = Oribbon

Photo credit: Kamigu

Sometimes a craft product comes along that's so unique, so inspiring, it stops me in my tracks. Today that craft is Oribbon.  Oribbon is a strip of sticker ribbon that's scored so you can easily fold it into geometric shaped ribbons.  The ribbons can then be applied to gifts and such.  Below is video so you can see the craft in action.  Tell me what you think.

Origami Snail

I was first introduced to this cute snail origami tutorial on the lovely blog, Bloomize.  The actual directions to fold the snail can be found on this Japanese site.  The directions are in Japanese but with the pictures it's very easy to follow along.

This origami snail would also make a cute folded letter or note.  You know the kind. . . bubble letters written with colored pens, cute stickers for embellishments.  I spent hours making those cute little notes in my tween/teen years.  Anyone else?

Free Printable: Moomin Memo Card Holder

For all you Moomin fans, Afternoon Tea has a free Memo Card Holder to download and print.  You can choose which characters to add to your stand.  There's also an assortment of memo cards to print.  To save printer ink, only print out pages 2 - 4.  Visit Afternoon Tea for the free Moomin printable.  They also have a cute Moomin card and envelope to download for fee as well.

 Extra Memo Cards and Moomin Characters

via Sweet Tidings

Make a Mini Newspaper with Little Printer

Photo Credit:  Berg Cloud

Have you heard of the Little Printer by Berg Cloud?  It's a tiny printer (pictured above) that allows you to make your own personal newspaper by subsribing to publications such as Foursquare, The Guardian and Google to name a few.  You can have to-do lists, tweets, crossword puzzles and much more printed out for you each day.   You also get to customize the face on the front which I thought was a nice touch.

As a maker, I love the idea of receiving a little printed craft or new recipe sent to me each day.  I'm not sure what's available but I did notice on the Berg Cloud Blog there were some origami instructions printed out. I think there's a lot of potential for it.  I don't know if I could justify the price tag of $259 at this time.  But, that doesn't mean I wouldn't love to get my hands on one and test it out.  I'm definitely intrigued.

Would you buy a little printer?  What would you use it for? 

Knitting Doll

Have you ever heard of a knitting doll before?  Basically it's a painted long spool with four prongs on top (pictured above).  It has to be one of the cutest knitting toys I've ever seen.  With just some yarn, a knitting needle and the doll you can make a knit cord.

I bought one for my daughter with the intention of using it as a special summer activity for just the two of us to do.  I wasn't sure how it would go since she's only six but she had no problem knitting with the doll. 

Above is a picture of how the yarn is wound onto the knitting doll.  The knit cord comes out the bottom as you knit.

 

Here's what the cord looks like when it's finished.   My daughter has been using it to make hair accessories and bracelets for her dolls.

I purchased my doll at Cost Plus World Market but you can find them online too.  I also found an easy tutorial at Crafty Pod for making your own.  It's not actually a doll but it does the same thing.  Click here for the knitting spool tutorial.  If you really wanted to get creative, I bet you could find some kind of long spool at the craft store and paint it like a doll. 

Do you like to spool knit?  What do you make with the cord?  Please share.

Japanese Design Within Reach

Illustration by Naho Ogawa

Ever discover a really unique product from Japan you just have to have?  Only there's just one problem,  the product is only available in Japan and you don't live in or near Japan.  Look no further, your Japanese design coveting days are over.  Spoon & Tamago have found a solution to the problem by offering flash sales.  Each week they will offer a product that is usually exclusive to Japan.

This week they're offering these silicon polar ice cups.  They'll be available to purchase up till June 24th.  Then something new will be up for grabs. Fun!

Even if you're not interested in the flash sales, I recommend visiting Spoon & Tamago.  Primarily, it's a blog dedicated to sharing about all aspects of Japanese design.  I've been following the site for years now and can always count on them posting something unique and inspiring. 

Giveaway: Food Origami Book

I purchased this origami food book at Daiso a while back thinking it would be fun for a giveaway.  I liked that it was a little different from the traditional origami books I normally see.  The book features both American and Japanese food with directions in English.

On to the Giveaway. . .one  lucky reader will win Origami of Delicious Food. To enter, please share a food you would like to see as origami. One entry per household. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you win. The last day to enter the contest is Sunday, June 24 2011. I'll announce the winner Monday, June 25 2012 on this post. If I do not hear back from the winner after two weeks, I will choose a new winner. Open to everyone.

Contest now closed.

Congratulations to Sarah who said she would like to see a meatloaf origami with all the trimmings!

Thank you to everyone who entered, I enjoyed reading all you creative origami food ideas.

 

Japanse Craft Book: How To Make Pom Poms

 How To Make Pom Poms ISBN 978-4-7661-2282-4

My husband tells me he's tired of going to Japan Town but I think that's code for, "I'm tired of you buying Japanese craft books". Last weekend at the Kinokuniya bookstore, I stumbled upon the most charming Japanese Craft Book, "How To Make Pom Poms".  All the projects were so fun and pretty, I couldn't let it go to waste sitting on the store's bookshelf.  No, this book had to come home with me and live happily with all the other Japanese craft books I've acquired.   

Here are a few of my favorite projects from the book.

Amazing right?  My mind is racing with ideas for these apple pom poms.

Who can resist a babushka?

Pretty accessories. 

Your eyes do not deceive you, that's a hamburger pom pom.

In case you're wondering, I haven't made any of the projects in the book yet.  I've been occupied with work projects, end of school activities, baseball... and the list goes on.  You might have noticed that posts have been sparse the past couple months and that's why.  I'm hopeful the summer will bring more time to relax and craft.

Washi Tape inspired T-Shirts

Dear mt masking tape, how I adore you.  Let me count the ways,

your pretty prints

your craft tape

your T-SHIRTS!

Uniqlo and mt masking tape have teamed up to create these washi tape inspired t-shirts.  Uniqlo has a US site but there's no sign of the collection in the shop yet.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the collection will make its way to the states soon.

Mother's Day Embroidery Brooch

If you've been following this blog, then these brooches might look familiar to you.  They were inspired by this post I wrote a while back. Only this time I decided to skip a step making them easy to whip up for a last minute Mother's Day Gift.  Instead of creating the embroidery myself, I salvaged pieces from worn out tea towels.  So really, all you're doing is sewing a tiny pillow.  Here's the how-to:

Supplies:
Tea towel already embroidered - look for these at the thrift store.  Since you'll be cutting it up, it doesn't matter if it's stained.  You should pay no more than a couple dollars for the piece.

Matching Embroidery Thread

Sewing Needle

Scissors

Pollyfill

Pin Back that you can sew on

1.  Cut out embroidery piece.  Place on another piece of solid fabric from your tea towel.  Pin together and cut out in the shape you choose.  Make sure to leave extra room for stitching.  You can always trim back the edges after.

2.  Using a back stitch, sew all around the image leaving about a one inch opening.

3.  Lightly stuff with pollyfill and continue to stitch all the way around the embroidered piece.  Knot and sew in loose threads.  Trim edges if necessary.  If you're concerned your fabric will fray, add the tiniest amount of glue to the edges.

4.  Sew on your pin back.  Test out the pin back to make sure it works well.  Usually these kind of pins come in packs of 50 and I've found there are always a couple duds in the pack.

Experiment with different shapes.  The heart in the back came from the corner of a hankie.  There was no one image to outline so I cut it into a heart shape.  I also used a running stitch for the heart.

  Get creative with your pins.  Use them to decorate bags, hats, sweaters, hair ties, or even presents. 

Crafting with Washi Tape

ModeS4u recently asked me if I would like to review some of their new washi tapes.  Of course  I said yes.  For one, I love crafting with the tape.  And two, I have worked with them in the past.  Last time they sent me some fabric to review, and not any fabric, Japanese fabric, the good stuff. If you've never checked out www.modes4u.com before, you should give them a visit.  Anything that you would call kawaii they have, from Re-Ment miniatures to DIY eraser making kits. Plus, they have lots of crafty things too.

Want to see what I made with the tape they sent me?  Here's a little tutorial to start with.

When I first saw the flowers & pattern tape, the print reminded me of a Cath Kidtson bag so I decided to play off that idea and make a card.  Here's what you'll need to make your own:

Flowers & pattern washi tape
Card-stock
Black pen
Small food & flower images cut from a magazine
Scissors

Place your magazine clippings where you want the center of your bag.  Place one piece of tape on top of them.  The top of the tape will be the top of our bag.

Layer pieces of tape on top of each other until you have the bag at the length you like.  Next, cut the tape into thin strips for the bag strap.  You'll notice I placed the tape underneath the bread to give it a more three dimensional look.

*Optional - outline the bag with black pen.

In the picture above, I used two different rolls of tape, deco seals and deco letters alphabet.  The seal tape is actually wider than the traditional rolls so you get a larger image. The deco seals come with four images: key, heart clover, and treble clef. 

For the letters you get the entire alphabet.  Naturally I wanted to spell something with them but didn't want to waste any letters.  To solve this problem, I rolled out one complete alphabet and stored the extra letters on parchment paper (pictured above).

 

Saving the best for last, here's a look at the deco plant tape.  This also comes in a wider role with miniature vintage illustrations of botanicals, figs, leaves and fungi.  The tape is the perfect width to decorate a matchbox (pictured above).  I even lined the inside with it.  I know this print has more potential.  I'm still brainstorming ideas with this one.  If you have any suggestions, please share.

Japanese Craft Book: Embroidery Emblem

Over the weekend I purchased this Japanese craft book, Embroidery Emblem by Atsumi. I was fond of the idea that these mini embroidered pins looked like they could have been passed down from generation to generation. I especially liked the emblems that resembled military medals and family crests. Before I even got the book home, I was already imagining how the pins would look on my cardigans.

Below are a few images from the book and a embroidered pin I made.

Above are the emblems I plan on making for my sweaters.

Here are some of the projects in the book. All of them come with embroidery patterns.

Above is a picture of a pin I made from the book (my first one). And I was wondering, what do you think it's supposed to be? It's obvious to me what the image is because I have the pattern but I'm not sure if it will be obvious to everyone else. If you could leave a comment with your guess, I would appreciate it. I'll update what the image is in a couple days.

*UPDATE - I'm so glad most of you said a high collar blouse because that's exactly what it is. Thank you to everyone who took the time to comment :)

Mini Shatsu

I usually don't share about kids clothing but I thought some of you might be interested in Mini Shatsu (mini shirt) which I just discovered. I was doing my normal routine of checking the sales on My Habit when I came across this unique brand. The shirt above specifically caught my eye. It looked like a little kokeshi doll sitting in a baby sling. It was just my style my daughter's style. I knew it would be a perfect gift for Girl's Day and purchased it along with a dress. The clothing was a little pricey even on sale but worth every penny. I love all the detail of the prints (front and back) and the little pink flowers are velvety.

I also purchased this dress that has a faux apron printed on the front and back. Mini Shatsu also makes clothing for boys. I didn't buy anything for my son because all the styles/sizes I wanted were sold out.

I'm curious, have any of you heard of this brand before? Do you have a favorite kid's clothing brand you like to splurge on? Please share in the comments.

Girl's Day Party

Last week I mentioned I would be hosting a small party for Girl's Day. I thought some of you might enjoy seeing some of the pictures from the get together.

I tried to keep it simple and not go overboard with the decorations and food. The only thing I purchased for the decorations was this paper lantern from Daiso for $1.50. I painted it with water colors and added some steamers to hang from the bottom of it. We also had some dolls out that we display every year for the holiday.

For snacks I served monju which is mochi wrapped around red bean paste (top photo). The bottom picture is hina arare which is made only for the holiday (tastes like sweet cereal). I also served senbei (rice crackers), oranges and green tea. The girls were good about trying everything. They liked the hina arare and oranges the most.

Remember when I stood in the hot sun for a couple rolls of stickers (aka my second worst idea ever)? Well, it finally paid off. The Japan themed stickers were perfect for the party favors. I also gave out Japanese erasers and a pair of chopsticks that are heart shaped on top.

For the favor bags, I used some leftover bags I had used for a bridal shower. To make them a little more festive, I used mizuhiki cord to close the bags.

I also had the girls make a paper kimono. I forgot to take pictures of it (sorry). Not all parties go according to plan but this one ended up just about perfect. All the girls were well behaved, they enjoyed the food, had fun making the craft. I know this may sound weird, but it brought me such joy to see all of them having a good time. I know I'm fortunate in that I have the time and resources to throw parties like this.

This party cost no more than $20 to put on. I only share this because it's a good reminder that one can put together a special day without spending a lot. I tried to use items I had in my house before I went out and purchased anything.

Okay, I promise this is the last Girl's Day post of the year. Craft coming soon , if all goes well.

Happy Hinamatsuri

Happy Hinamatsuri! Here's a cute Ekaki Uta (drawing song) that teaches children how to draw a Hinamtsuri doll set. Songs like these are created to help children remember how to draw a specific image. You can find more videos like this on YouTube.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Minimalist Hina-Ningyo (Girl's Day Dolls)

Anyone celebrating Hinamatsuri (Girl's Day, March 3rd) ? Well if you are, there's still time to do a little decorating for the holiday. I found this minimalist set of Hina-Ningyo on BCOME that you can print for free. The blue doll represents the emperor and the red doll represents the empress. If you decide to make the dolls, you'll have to sign up with cut-sheet first to access the printable. Once you get to BCOME, you should see the link in the post.

Just remember to take your dolls down right after March 3rd or legend states that your daughters will not marry late.

Want to learn more about Hinamatsuri? Here's a post that tells a little more about it.