More Japan!

Thanks a lot for the comments you've left for me
recently and thank you also in advance for any
comments/e-mails you might give for me in the near future.
I really appreciate the opportunities to hear
from you and enjoy reading what I receive, but
I've been quite busy and haven't been able to
reply to each comment yet. I apologize for this, but
I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate
each and every comment from my heart of hearts!


Oh, these fabrics? Yes! I got to go to Nippori
Textile Town yesterday, so I got lots and lots of
fabrics that I'd never seen in person in America
for really inexpensive prices!


I was absolutely thrilled when I got Nippori!
"Finally! Finally! How long do you think I'd been
dreaming about this place?! I waited too long!!!"
But the sad thing was that I got there around 5pm
and most stores closed at 6pm, giving me
almost no time to shop around. I knew I could come
back soon but I was way too excited that I started
grabbing whatever that seemed cute and
unusual without much thinking.


I respect those people who have exact plans
when they pick up fabrics from stores. They know
what they need for how much for specific craft projects
every time they shop at fabric stores. Unfortunatelly
that doesn't happen to me very often. My principle of
shopping fabric is like.."I buy if I find cute ones."
Kinds of fabric? Linen? Cotton? How much of it?
Fat quarters or more? Who knows! I just want it!!


Oh trust me! I actually live pretty frugally,
and I am quite careful when I shop for other things
but fabrics. Fabric will live almost forever.
I believe owning too much fabric is a good thing.
It will one day pay for me, so it's ok to follow
my instinct if I happen to find cute fabric!


Japanese fabric is especially great one to have,
because I like to enclose a piece or more of
Japanese fabric when someone purchases my handmade
items from my shop for a little appreciation.
And also, I'm doing giveaway when I get back to
San Jose, so I can give some of them for you!


Oh how I love lettered fabrics! Why is it so hard to
find fabric with English letters printed on in the U.S.
but Kanji (Chinese characters) printed fabric is everwhere
there? It is really difficult to find Kanji fabric here
in Japan just because modern Japanese people don't
find it cute. We want English instead!!
I guess everyone wants something different
from what they are used to seeing, huh?


So glad I finally got this Embroidery book.
I was craving for embroidery ideas! I love this book!
While I was away from Japan for 2 years, a huge
Kinokuniya (book store) has opened near my home
in Gunma, Japan. It's now the biggest book store in
this prefecture! I love it!


Some pictures for Zakka fan? Sure!
Oh! I was asked what "Zakka" means.
It simply means anything that makes your
home pretty. For instance, some cute toys and
baskets to decorate your room are good examples
of Zakka, but things like dishes and towels
can be counted as Zakka, if they are cute
enough to make your space prettier.


I found these coasters at a Zakka store too.
Simply little things that makes you smile..
that's zakka! I hope I explained well, if not,
check out this wikipedia page.


And some pictures unrelated to crafting.
My sister lives in Yamanashi and we always
stay ay her apartment whenever we visit Japan.
Such a country place. I always expect about 10
mosquito bites,,but Joe enjoys this place a lot.
It was obnoxiously hot and humid!!!


We went to Hachioji festival with my sister and
her boyfriend yesterday. I ate too much food there
and couldn't anything anymore until this morning.


Japan trip has been pretty fun!
I'll post more later about this trip and
hopefully more fabric that I find on the
next trip to Nippori ;)
Thanks so much for reading this long entry!!
Have a great summer time!