Happy New Year - 2009!

"Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu"
is what we say when seeing people on New Year's day
in Japan to celebrate the new year, so I'd like to say that
to you too. Happy New Year! / Akemasite Omedetou Gozaimasu!

Thanks so much for your sweet comments/e-mails that you've left
for me while I was gone for a trip to LA. I'd like to show
some of the pictures from the trip first today and then move on
to the Penguin Quilt I finally finished!


On the way to LA, we drove along CA1.
There were so many places that we stopped by
to take shots of beautiful views of the ocean.


We found this kitty cat napping on a phone box
on the way to LA too. I love cats. I don't get to be
around cats as much as I want to, so finding cats
at random places thrills me.


The best place we stopped by was this little Danish
town called Solvang. I loved the structures of buildings
and the whole town. Made me really want to visit real Denmark.


The next day, we went to Universal Studio in LA.
I'd been to Universal Studio in Japan but had heard
that one in LA is quite a bit better, so I was pretty
excited coming here. It was fun!


My fave at the theme park was Water World.
It was an outstandingly powerful attraction.
I could tell lots of things going on there must
not be seen in Japanese Universal Studio due to
Japan's strict law. I simply love American powerfulness.


Cute candy shop.
The lightening there was so beautiful.


The next day, we went to Queen Mary in Long Beach.
We ate some good food and walked everywhere in the ship.


This ship reminded me of Titanic a lot.


The ocean view was indescribably remarkable!
If I ever have a chance to take my family to
LA, I must come here. My mom would love this view.


I like seagulls that aren't scared of people and
let us take nice pictures like this.


That night I got to see my friend living in Orange County.
We had this multicultural dinner at an Arabic restaurant.
American, Japanese, Indian,Norwegian, Saudi Arabian,
and Vietnamese/Cambodian. Pretty cool, huh?
Joe smoked Fruity taste Hookah there for the first time.


Tomo and me. Tomo is my buddy from a college in Japan.
It was so super nice to see her and her boyfriend and friends.


She is a crafter like me. Aren't these scarves beautiful?
She made them for me and Joe. Visit her Etsy shop!


The last day, which is yesterday, most of the time was
spent in the car - 8 hours of driving back to San Jose.

The trip was really good.





Back to Sewing talk!
Some of you asked me how I made the fabric label for
Taihei Quilt. I basically created labels using Photoshop
and printed on a piece of printable fabric that I found in Joann.
Very simple. This book suggests to launder once you print
it out to make the ink stay and to avoid the labels shrinking
when ironed, but don't ask me if I laundered haha. I'm lazy.


The greatest news is that I FINALLY completed Penguin Quilt.
I really enjoyed making it, and I appreciate all your support
throughout my process on this quilt. You are all so helpful
and nice to cheer me up and encourage me to happily work on it.
Thanks so much. I seriously think I might not have finished it
without your backup, so it's not only my creation but ours!!


Joe's been using it to keep himself warm on the couch.


So I decided not to hang up on the wall but leave it on the couch.


I learned a lot of lessons by working on the two quilts.
And I see that I can make better quilts in the future by
learning from the mistakes. I love quilting now.
I have a feeling I am already going to start the third quilt.

Happy New Year!!


Thanks for reading!