Welcome to Hoodie's Patch!

"Year of the Ox" is beginning on January 26th, 2009 on Chinese calendar.

Japanese New Year is January 1st.
1873 DEC 2nd, Japanese government switched Lunar calendar to AD calendar.
We call "Old calendar" as "Lunar calendar" and it is shown on many Japanese calendars still.
We use Zodiac sign for our counting age.

If you want to know your Zodiac sign, go to this link.
You may find more links to access "Chinese Zodiac"

If you were born in January or February check out these Chinese New Year Dates first to determine which sign you are under as you may find that you actually belong to the previous animal year.

Your sign is coming back every 12 years. When you are 12, 24, 36, 48, 60 year old that year is yours.
A year is not only one Zodiac on Lunar calendar, it is two combination of Zodiac in the year.
These combination are 60 patterns.
You will get same combination of your year 60 years later you were born.
60 year old is your new starting life.

We call "Person of Year" who the same year Suddenly a man born in the Zodiac Year.
Serve God, man, this The original meaning of the "Person of Year"

Guess, who was born year of OX.
I just found it out.
Our American president, Barack H Obama.
He was born 1961, August 4.

I never ever think about he is the "Person of Year" when I started writing this story here.






Hoodie's Patch
(Hoodie's designs on Zazzle products)
My New Year's postcard "OX" & "Moo" (above) are on zazzle products.
Born Year of OX T-shirts for man, woman - Personalized the name.
Born Year of OX baby (Onesie) - Personalized baby's name.
Moo Mug cup - Personalized the name on the cup.
Born Year of Ox Birthday card - Create your own words.
Moo & Good Milk Postage.
Good Milk Kids Apron - Personalized the name on the apron.
Moo Key Chain.

These are great gifts for Birthday and Baby Shower for 2009.

Also, there are many goods using my original fabric design,
"Morning Call" "Medetai" "Casting Cats" Groups and more.

There were many "Brand New Day" in 2009, January.
New year on January 1st, Little new year on 15th, President Inauguration on 20th, my birthday on 23rd (additional "Brand New Day" for me) and Chinese New Year on 26th.

Stand up all you lovers in the world
Stand up and be counted every boy and every girl
Stand up all you lovers in the world
We're starting up a brand new day
--Brand New Day by STING --

To start things, which means a plan is important!

Koshogatsu, ( JAN 15th)
little New Year, started with the first full moon of the year and was also referred to as the second New Year.

Since The New Year began, I have been busy to creating new my fabric group that is for July release.
I bought my new group at Blank Quilting New York office, then I got this magazine "Quilt". (Issue of February / March 2009 #97)
The "Quilt" magazine introduced two designs, two colorways from my Morning Call Group.

I created The Morning Call Group during 2007 - 08 holiday season.
I went to Japan for the first year for the ceremony for my mother's death.
I came back to US around the Chinese New Year (It was FEB 7th).
Then my Morning Call Group had the chance to be on the fabrics. (It was released July 2008)
That happening was a nice start of New Year in 2008.
Now I have seen my designs in a magazine a year after, in 2009.

It is my pleasure that I've been seeing my passed creation in the market in my life.

New Year's day is a big day for the Japanese because a Japanese proverb says,

Here is direct translation from Japanese to English,
" A total of one year in the New Year's Day"
or
"New Year's Day is the key to the year"

This meant is,
"To start things, which means a plan that is important."

I have all of the year's plans, booked and set in my mind, ready for 2009.

Here the US, it is called "New Year's resolution" that is a closer meaning of this Japanese proverb.

I write my resolution on my birthday every year that is coming soon.

I believe a miracle will be created by my attitude and way of thinking.

The Chinese New Year (Year of OX) will start on January 26th around my birthday.
I will talk about my OX on my New Year's card. Resolution will be in the next post.

Wishing you and yours a Happy New Year!

Talk to you next year!

"Medetai" group in "Girls Night Out" bag!

The pattern is called "Girls Night Out" by Turkey Track Designs.

Made by Stacie Wachtel

Thank you Stacie.
This would be great with a black dress and red earrings at a party.

Materials Needed:

4 fat eighths (9" x 22") of coordinating fabric
3/8 yd fabric for lining and strap
1/3 yd lightweight batting
4" x 6" poster board

This bag is using a combination of fabrics
from the Medetai Group by Hoodie for Blank Quilting

Medetai---------#5468 Black
Maneki-neko --#5464 White
Lucky Coin-----#5465 Red
Ume-------------#5467 Black
Doodle Check--#5465 Red and Black

Inside fabric
Rock Candy by Mark Hordyszynski for Blank Quilting
#4875 Quartz

Santa needed snow!

Snow, Snow, Snow....












My son couldn't wait to go to the mountain when he saw the snow.

He setup a rail in our back yard.Then, he opened our back door to get in and my dog Chowder sneaked out into the snow.

Chowder ran and ran in the snow somewhere. I couldn't see him.
My son called him but he didn't come back.
I changed to ski wear and snow boots.
I called for Chowder and then he showed up in our front yard.
He was still flying in the snow.
I called him again and went to our front door.
He looked at me, followed me and said,
"Mom, it was awesome, I enjoyed it a lot."
I guess.
He finally got inside. He was in the snow at least 30 min.
"Don't do it again, please Chowder!"

After this happened,
My son went into town to hang out with his friends in the snow.
I shoveled our driveway and sidewalk in the snow. It took an hour and a half.

I love snow very, very much. BUT............

We wish you Happy Holidays!

Finally our tree is up and decorated. We worked on it from last Thursday until today. We will keep it up until the end of 2008.
I always say to my son when we are decorating our tree,
"These ornaments will go to your kids."

Now I just need presents under our tree.
I hope Santa is coming to you and I!

Shop - "Hoodie in the box" is OPEN!

Finally my own shop is OPEN!
You will find many more products here than were in my Etsy shop.
I couldn't put all my products in yet, but it is open before Christmas.

I can't believe it. It is 15 days to Christmas, 21 days until the New Year.

If it is not too late for your Christmas shopping, go to Hoodie in the box

Seasons Greeting Cards -
These are actually my art that you can frame and hang on the wall or use as a room decoration.
Christmas and Happy Holiday cards will be in the shop until end of this year and will be back in October next year 2009.

Sewing patterns and Accessories are also in the shop.
Accessories are made with many different antique Japanese fabrics.
No duplicate fabrics. They are individual, just for you!
They are great gifts for Christmas or as Birthday or special presents.

Purchase by December 20th and I give you guaranteed arrival by the 23rd at your place.
You just pay first class mail shipping, I will send them Express mail or FedEx. (US only)
If you wish this service, notify me "Emergency Christmas or Seasons Gift" in the notes area as you checkout with my secure shopping cart.

Orders received after the 20th December, Shipping will be normal way as per your choice in checkout.

My fabric group postcards, "Morning Call" and "Medetai" are available to the store owners who are carrying my fabrics.
10 postcards $5.00, If you purchase 50 postcards $25.00 + Free Shipping.

You can shop using your Credit Card or Paypal. Hoodie in the box is a secure SSL encrypted site for your protection.

2009, I will put all my products and more information will be posted on my blog.

Here is our "Hey Jude'" picture on Dec 7th!
I was nervous, so I made a mistake. I was singing the wrong words in two sentences. Oops!
However I didn't get into a panic, I just continued to sing to the end.
No one realized my mistake. It was a good job.
After recital, a couple of parents commented to me,
"It was enjoyable. I didn't know you could sing!"
"I didn't know either." I answered.
One mother said, "I want to try to do something similar with my child but no singing for me."
I encouraged other parents!
About his piano, it was a little faster and louder than we practiced but no mistakes! Overall it was successful event. "I like it" according his piano teacher, Kerry.
We now have received new music that is a DUET from Kerry. We will play piano together for the next recital before my son's skill gets better than mine. Actually he is more talented to play in a dramatic way than I play.