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Saturday, December 29, 2007

How did you spend your X'mas Eve?

We went to one of my favorite places in NY on X'mas Eve.
It is the MoMA museum! It is a new MoMA since NOV 2004.
I took my son to the MoMA museum in 2005 after it reopen on my birthday (JAN),
It was his first time at MoMA. It was a beautiful snow day.
I was extremely happy being in the snow, because the day when I was born there was snow storm as well! (According to my mother's memory.)

I love to spending my time at my favorite place on these important days.
I used to spend my time at MoMA all day. Sitting in the sculpture park, sitting in the room of Monet, in front of Van Gogh, Picasso, Kandinsky........What a great time with them!

I carried my messenger bag with me.
Here is a picture of me, my bag (made of vintage bark cloth) and lovely "She-Goat" by Picasso!
It is count down to 2008, now.
New year is big day for Japanese.

Monday, November 26, 2007

New looking Reversible Kinchaku Bags!

You can enjoy twice in one bag!

It is made with vintage home deco fabrics.
Yellow/Brown with big flowers is 50's fabric. It is like a Chenille finish - made of poly or nylon. Back side is a rubber finish. It is a heavy weight fabric.
I've never seen this type of fabric.
It is funky looking with this design and material. If you get tired of funky looking,

just turn it over. It becomes a brown plain bag. Brown fabric is jacquard loom.


It's made with Home deco fabrics. Pinwheel fabric is reversible.
I used reversible side for a pocket.
(Right picture)
These fabrics are a great weight for bags and keep the shape well.
I used Japanese kimono silk for handles. These are soft, flexible and comfortable.


Wednesday, November 21, 2007

New looking Triangle bags! Be loved vintage fabrics!

Oh, my! It's already Thanksgiving!
We couldn't get a nice fall this year in my area. I feel it has jumped from summer to winter.
We already got snow a couple of days ago. Where did my favorite fall go? Sad!

My son and I love winter. We can't wait to go to the mountain for skiing and snowboarding.

Here are new looking Triangle bags.
Finally I took pictures of them. I will post my new looking bags and Aprons day by day.

It is made with vintage bark cloth and home deco reversible fabrics.
Dots fabric is reversible. (Black dots on beige, beige dots on black)
I love these fabrics for bags. They are strong and keep the shape.

It is made with vintage bark cloth and canvas type fabrics that is a little lighter weight than bark cloth.
I hung one of fabrics in my booth at the Quilt show in Houston.
I love this design so much.

I know everybody is cooking today! Yum!
It is our first time eating out, not cooking for Thanksgiving.
We are going to my son's "Thanksgiving Ice Hockey Tournament" next day.
Fun, fun , fun for my son! and me?

Happy Thanksgiving and have a nice holiday weekend!


Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Chocolate serving witch!


She was giving chocolates to kids instead of me.
I didn't need to open my door!
Thank you!

Happy Halloween and International Quilt Market in Houston!


I came back from Houston.
Let me introduce Hoodie's booth! First picture=Setting!
It was a lot of work putting it together. I pictured how it would be, all of my stuff at the show. It was pretty much the same as the picture in my head after all.




Second picture=Do I look like one of the mannequins?
I wore skirt apron (Fabrics from 50's skirt)
















I introduced 6 of my patterns with vintage fabrics, Home Deco fabrics, 50's shower curtain, vintage bed cover, bed sheet, 50's barkcloth drapes and tablecloth. They were reborn as Hoodie's bags and aprons. There was my new line of postcards (Printed on Recycled Paper), greeting cards (Printed on Recycled Paper) from my "InnerWitch" line, original T-shirts (100% Organic cotton) and Hand made accessories. My booth looked like a small shop in Downtown NY.
Third picture= My favorite mannequin lady wore my accessories.
Forth picture=Bundles (I made my bags and aprons with these fabrics) All my samples and T-shirts are on their way back home and will arrive next week. I will post their pictures on my blog soon.
Fifth picture=My new line of postcards. Printed on recycled paper which has stripes texture.


I made quilts with my artwork on applique. I hope they will be my new product for you.
Sixth picture=Greeting cards from "InnerWitch" line. Eight witches lead you to "I'm proud of myself!" You can read the story in my web "InnerWitch" Greeting card".
Printed on Recycled Paper which has textures.
Seventh picture=I made a Christmas tree cards dress for my display. Isn't this cute???

I met many people. We talked and exchanged ideas. I had great time.
Thank you for coming to see my artwork.

Eighth picture=Thank you, my sweet friend Mark - an Artist (His link is in my Buddies)! All your help in my booth and these pictures.

Monday, September 24, 2007

I want to talk about LOST and FOUND!

This is the story of my mother and I.

My mother’s parents were divorced before she was born. Her father had never seen her.
My Grandma moved to a colony of Japan in China. She left my mother at her parent’s in Japan.
My Grandma remarried and had two children in China. My Grandma came back to Japan with her family and visited when my mother was 6 (First picture)
My Grandma died when she was 36 in China.

My mother lost her parents completely.

My mother’s Grandparents raised my mother.
Her Grandparents died when she was 19.

My mother lost.

My mother married with my father when she was 21. (Second picture)

I was born a child of my father and mother in Japan.
They had only one child.
My mother was 25. My father was 29 when I was born. (Third picture)


My father died JULY 3 1994. He was 64.
At the time, I lost myself deeply and badly. I call it my black hole period.

My mother lost her husband.





I learned from my father’s death.
I couldn’t give up my dream before my life would end.
When I was 36 I moved to the US and left my mother alone in Japan.
My mother thought she lost her daughter.

My son was born four years after my father’s death.
My mother thought I would never return to her after he was born.

My mother reflected my life with her mother’s life.

My mother visited us in 2002 after I settled my life in the US. (Fourth picture) I asked my mother to come to the US and live with us then.
She never made up her mind until the end.

I lost my mother FEB 10th 2007.
This is my second black hole period. (It started June 18, 2006)

She called me in the early summer of last year.
“I want to move to America to live with you, I will take surgery in two weeks.”
She told me she has breast cancer.
This was the first I heard she had been suffering with her illness.
She took chemo four times. She asked her doctor about the possibility of operations because her situation improved.

I flew to Japan right away. I left my son here at my friend’s place.
This was the first time my son and I were apart from each other for two weeks.
It was very painful for me to see my mother and also be apart with my son.
I hoped she could survive after her surgery.
Unfortunately her cancer spread all over in her body after the operation because she refused to take chemo again.

A day before Christmas she told me the doctor said she would have three months to live.
I told her, “Pack what you need. I will get you ASAP”
I bought her airplane ticket and her bed for the US.
She was unconscious on her bed in Japan on JAN 10th.
I flew to Japan it was a day before my birthday, Jan 23rd.
She was in the hospital and it was count down to be in heaven.
But she woke up two days before my arrival. Everybody said it was a miracle.
We had 20 days together. We had wonderful time until her death.
I left my son in the US because of his school and I didn’t know how long I needed to stay in Japan. After two weeks passed, I called him to come to Japan. He came a day after my mother’s death.
My mother’s bed came a day after her death at my US house.

I couldn’t make it to live with my mother. She couldn’t make it to come to US to live.

After my mother’s death, I was thinking over and over why she kept her suffering a secret from me.
I got an answer three months after her death.
She wanted and believed she would get better and tell me.
“I’m coming!!”

This summer I buried my mother’s ash with my father’s in their grave at the countryside where we were born. I brought a small amount of my parent’s ash back with me.

She was born beautiful and she died beautiful. She was just 75.

All of my mother’s, father’s and my childhood stuff is in the house still.
It will be a long process to clear up all of our lives. I’m finding a ton of my mother’s notes all over her house. She noted the date of purchase on boxes or covers of things. Most of the dates were 2004. I can’t see any for 2005 or 2006. She stopped many things since she started her chemo.
It is painful for me.

My biggest loss is my parents death.
But I’m learning many important things from my loss.

“Lost and found!”

I lost what I should write in my blog since I went back to Japan this summer.
I needed to write the story of my mother and I. While I was writing it I could see the light of the way out from my second black hole period.
Now,
I found it!!!
Let’s move forward..!!!!

Hoodie’s collection will be in Houston International Quilt show.
Booth #1921

You will find me!
I’ll post and report what is new in my life more and more regularly.

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Dress Apron & Messenger Bag - Painting Fabrics

I wear this Apron with the Messenger Bag a lot.
I don't care the mess on my Apron, actually it makes it more Artistic!
I made this Messenger Bag for my son.
He asked me,
"Can you make more? My friends want one too."
"Well. I will think about that."

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Smell of Summer-Postcard



Friday, May 25, 2007

Skirt & Dress Apron at the Quilt Market Show (Spring-Salt Lake City)

These fabrics are from The Daisy Vibe Group (Michael Miller Fabrics) which are designed by me.
The orange combination is so cute on spring day!
Oops, today is like a summer day already here in New York.
Well, why don't you use the blue combination for summer. It is behind the "Skirt Apron" in the picture. It is my "Dress Apron".
Below that picture is my place mat, dish mats (you can see the layers) and coaster.

Salt and pepper shakes--they are hugging each other.
Aren't they cute?
Wear the Apron and serve a nice meal for your special! Bon appetit!

Kris, Thank you for posting my pictures!
Stacy, Thank you for your posting about my blogland!--- I'm the beginner!

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Good Luck Karma!

I drew this cat for our house warming party's invitation card 14 years ago.
I had just moved to the USA.
I'm wondering what is "Good Luck Karma"?
These cats are called Maneki-neko in Japanese.
"Maneki" means "Inviting". "Neko" means "Cat"
Translated into English, "Lucky cat"
I saw them at many restaurant entrances when I was a little.
"The cat is inviting people to come in", my mother said.
Whenever I'm looking for a good restaurant in an unfamiliar area,
I check to see how many customers are in there.
When I see it is busy, it is good sign! I want to try this place.
I know you do the same way to find your new favorite places.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Sewing Patterns - invitation card!















When I wake up in the morning,
I start to think, “What shall I wear?”
I grab the pair of jeans that I wore yesterday.
“I don’t have plans to go out anyway.”
Oh, please! Look at yourself,
you can be cuter than that!
Start with a little thing day by day
and you will enjoy yourself more and more.
Let the window open!

These are my girls who wear or carry my designs.
These bags and aprons are really practical and stylish. I've been using all of them on suitable occasions.
Top Row;
Bean Bag
Kinchaku Bag
Triangle Bag
Bottom Row;

Messenger Bag
Skirt Apron
Dress Apron
The names of my patterns, read from left to right.

They say, "We need more friends!' So, I'm working on new girls with aprons and bags.
Accessories increase your charm!