{ custom order + a new design }

Very proud of myself - finally remembered to take some snaps of a just completed custom order. A friend picked up a fabulous holder for the recipes you accumulate from magazines, friends and family, etc that usually end up in a pile somewhere. Upon seeing it I thought to myself - ‘I can make that’ in the true fashion of crafters the world over.

The process for new designs is a fairly consistent process for me. I think through the technical aspects of what’s needed (measurements, etc) then have a first go. I make a few more with modifications as necessary and farm those out to close friends or my mum to put into use and give me feedback on anything that needs altering.

A final run past the in-house quality control supervisor:


And then all things go.

The first version of my recipe holder went as a birthday present to my friend and then she ordered this one for a relative.


I thought this paper was spot on for a recipe holder and I have another couple in my paper draw that will be excellent too. I haven’t yet worked out pricing so once that’s done I can get a few made and in my Etsy store for sale.

Of course there has to be a link to Japan and for this one it’s the plastic sleeves inside. I haven’t been able to find good quality ones here at a reasonable price but I found them in Tokyu Hands - no wonder I was over my luggage limits coming home!

{ new book }

At some point I'll move on from my current Japan obsession, but until then here's a book I made out of a manga comic picked up over there:

{ whirlwind japan trip day 4 }

The pace of the last few days caught up with me a bit on our final day and I really didn’t get as much done as I could have. A later start today with a group of us heading to Shinjuku for some retail therapy and lunch.

I left the group after lunch to head to Okadaya again and thankfully the sign on the shutters yesterday must have said closed for that day only because, thankfully, all was a go today.


I was pretty restrained as I had purchased so much fabric just 2 months prior but still managed to come away with 10 metres of fabric. This time it’s not all for me as a friend sews beautiful clothes for her daughter so I picked up a small selection of fabrics for them to play with. It’s fun trying to find prints you think others will like, but I felt a certain degree of self-imposed pressure too - I hope they like them. Oh well, even if not the thought was there!

Really should then have set out for Fabric Town but I was too tired and headed back to the hotel for a brief time before heading for the airport and on the overnight flight home. We were very spoilt by JAL and were treated to Business Class on our return. A quick shower at home on arrival and straight back to the office - did the last 4 days really happen???


A random photo, but how awesome is this guys hair?! I'm pretty sure if I stood next to him, his hair alone would be taller than me.

{ whirlwind japan trip day 3 }

Today was my designated shopping day. I started in Harajuku, with mixed success on my list:

CROSS - Harajuku girls (I think they’ve moved to somewhere else for their Sunday showings)

CROSS - Kit Kats in awesome glass jars in vending machines as I found in this area last trip

TICK - great purchases at the MOMA Design Store and Kiddyland

TICK - delicious lunch at the hole in the wall restaurant we found last trip.



Then to Shibuya for stationary purchases at Loft and clothes, stationary and storage purchases at Muji (am I the only person who comes home from trips with storage contaniners for in the bathroom cabinets at home??).

Finally to Shinjuku for paper and stationary purchases at Tokyu Hands, craft book looking but no purchases at Kinokuniya, a special request purchased in heavy metal CD heaven at Disc Union and finally time for Okadaya fabric store.

Unfortunately shutters down and a sign on them that of course I couldn’t understand! Most stores are open on Sundays, in fact if they’re going to close it’s more likely a Monday they do so, so I was worried the sign was saying the store had closed for good.

Back to the hotel for a gorgeous hosted dinner. The 2 hotels we stayed at on this trip really went above and beyond in looking after us. If your budget can stretch to it, I can highly recommend the ANA Intercontinental and The Strings Intercontinental.


And finally,

TICK - karaoke!!