Sunday, July 26, 2009

*27th Birthday*

tako9

"Welcome to my Pink Penguin Blog."

tako10

"On July 23rd in 2009, ayumills turned.."

tako11

"27!"

Being 27 is a big deal to me. When I was 18 living in Tokyo,
I met someone who was 27. To me she was a perfection.
She was my co-worker at a dental office who taught me
all the tasks. I thought she was so much better than me
in every single way. She was so mature, so smart, so nice,
so beautiful, so creative, and so humble. I often compared
myself to her and got frustrated in the gap.
"Don't worry, you'll be like her by the time you're 27"
is the only thing I could tell myself to cheer me up.

So now what. I turned 27, didn't I?
Am I like her? Hmm.....Nope.

I am pretty much the same. Nothing changed except
that I like how I am now. I don't try to be a
different person anymore. I have come to the point
where I can embrace who I am. Now that I think about it,
maybe it was confidence that she had that made her
look so cool to me. She was happy to be who she was
unlike me who didn't even know to accept myself as it is.

I am really happy.
I am very lucky to be me.
Hopefully, this realization made me a little mature.

tako1

I had a fabulous birthday.
We had a Takoyaki party at my place.
Takoyaki is my favorite food ever!

tako3

Takoyaki is basically octopus balls.
In each of the sphere ball, there is a little piece of
octopus inside. It originally comes from Osaka, Japan.
You'll find a whole bunch of Takoyaki street vendors there.

tako2

Cooking Takoyaki is as fun as actual-eating.
It keeps everyone busy!


tako8

This is a birthday gift from my sister.
Sweet citrus jelly. Oh how crazy I am about it.

tako5

These are from my friend Vy.
I've wanted mini towels like these!!
Great choice! Vy!

tako6

From my friend Sachiko in Japan.
She always sends me lovely birthday gifts.

tako7
From my friend Victoria.
I was so jealous that she had gone to the craft
fair in San Francisco a few weeks ago!
What a surprise she was getting yummy goodies for me!

tako4

Joe got me the sewing scissor and the ruler.
The mini iron is from our friend Saurabh!
I am so excited to use these!!

Patchwork Drawstring Bag

This is a patchwork drawstring bag I made for my
Scottish friend who shares the same birthday as me!
Happy Birthday, AJ! I figured she likes green,
so I used several different kids of green fabrics.
I sent her this bag along with the magazine Stitch.

Speaking of Stitch, there was another thing that
made my 27th birthday more special. On July 22nd here
(July 23rd in Japan - my technical birthday),
I received an e-mail that made me teary in joy.
I want to keep this a secret until you find out..!!!


Thanks for coming and reading!!

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63 comments:

  1. A Very Happy Birthday, Ayumills and a wonderful read! Food looks great!
    Hugs - Lurline♥

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  2. Happy Birthday! I love your blog and I love your talent. Thank you for sharing.

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  3. Happy birthday! May the coming year bring you all the joy, wonder, laughter and happiness you could hope for, and then some. :)

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  4. Happy Birthday!!

    What wonderful gifts you received!

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  5. Happy, Happy birthday!, we share something in common, it is my wedding anniversary and I think it is a wonderful day to celebrate!

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  6. Happy Birthday to you! Looks like you had a wonderful celebration and received some lovely presents. :)

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  7. happy birthday!! hip hip hooray!
    and such wonderful gifts as well :) loving the patchwork bag too!

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  8. С днём рождения!
    Счастья, любви, творческих успехов!

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  9. Happy Birthday...Just found your blog and had to add it to my blogroll. I hope that's okay. Have a good one!

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  10. Happy Birthday, Ayumi! I love what you had to say about having learned to just enjoy being who you are. May you have another great year ahead.

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  11. A big hug, I'm sure you're a great person! Happy birthday!

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  12. Happy Birthday. I felt the same way about being 35 as you did about 27. I thought it was the year I would start wearing professional looking clothes and have high heels and makeup everyday. That certainly didn't happen.

    I'm hoping that your good news includes someone featuring some of your work. ?? I can't wait to hear.

    Those octopus yummies sound good. We have 3 Japanese exchange students in my small neighborhood this month. I shall ask them about those foods you mentioned. Maybe we'll have to hit Uwajimaya in Seattle to get our own ingredients for something tasty.

    Love the Scottish bag, too!

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  13. Happy Birthday!!
    May you have a great joy ahead.
    You received a wonderful gift!

    Really love read your writing about your life and especially about your craft. We share a very passion hobby ^^.

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  14. Happy, happy, HAPPY Birthday, Ayumi!!!!!
    I also love takoyaki but my favorite plate is tempura and my favorite dessert mochi and anko! oishiiiiiiii;D

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  15. Happy Birthday! I always read you. You are wonderful!

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  16. Happy happy birthday!!!
    Andi :-)

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  17. happy birthday, you have a greate gifts, excuse my english i'm french hihi your blog is really pretty...see you

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  18. Happy birthday, it looks like a good one :-)

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  19. Happy Birthday! Lovely gifts and your making me hungry. Octopus YUM!

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  20. Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you...what a lovely time you had, and such lovely gifts too. thank you for sharing those gorgeous pictures of you as a little one, and your birthday celebrations.

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  21. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!! Looks like you had a wonderful party! Many blessingg to you on your next year :)

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  22. Happy Birthday! Lots of very sweet gifts. It's wonderful to be happy in our own skin.

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  23. Happy Birthday!!!27 is a great age. It is a good age to stay. I was 27 for at least 10 years.

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  24. Happy Birthday!
    I'm curious about the food! It looks great!

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  25. Happy Birthday!!
    I wish you to be very happy, healthy and keep on doing such cute and beautiful works!
    Kisses
    Valéria

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  26. Happy Birthday to you! Love the scottish bag, I've made a few more bags with your wonderful pattern.
    Thanks for sharing your great ideas!

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  27. Happy Birthday Ayumi.
    It seems that you had a very nice day with your friends. Love all your presents :D
    Many hugs Yvonne

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  28. Happy Happy Birthday! Looks like you had a wonderful time. I'm gonna email you.. I want to get in touch with your friend Sachiko so I can get some of that awesome Alice in Wonderland fabric! :)

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  29. Happy Birthday ... oh to be 27 again. LOL I so enjoy your blog ... I have you in my google.com/reader so I never miss a post.

    I graduated High School way way back in 1964 in Yokohama.

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  30. Happy Birthday! Looks like you had a great one. I've recently come across your blog and enjoy reading your posts. I'm looking forward to trying my hand at some of your tutorials, too. :D

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  31. Happy Birthday! Great to have a post of you. Another happy, lovely and colourful one. This one with food as well! Yummy! Best wishes for your 27th year, : )

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  32. Happy Birthday and thanks for the awesome sewing inspiration all year long! I can't wait to find out what the surprise is! :)

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  33. Happy Birthday! I love love love takoyaki, but I haven't had any since my days in Kyoto. Did you buy the special griddle here or in Japan?

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  34. Happy Birthday...and thanks for all of the wonderful projects you share on your blog!

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  35. Happy belated birthday...it looks like you had a great day!

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  36. Happy birthday! I completely know how you feel about admiring someone older than you--and being excited to finally turn their age. There's someone I know who is 65 and fabulous--hopefully I'll be like her when I turn 65!

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  37. Ayumi,

    Happy 27th birthday...just to let you know that i'm one of your "Pink Penguin" fan. Love the tuturials you gave, how creative. Keep up the good work. I will definitely learn a lot from you. Thanks again girl..(pst pst..i am much older than you!)

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  38. Feliz cumpleaños.
    Soy una asidua lectora de tu blog.

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  39. Happy Birthday!! I just found your blog a week or so ago, via flickr - everything you make is so beautiful and your blog is so cheerful - thank-you for sharing!

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  40. Happy Birthday! What an adorable post! I really like the fabric from San Fran, and I'm interested in finding one of those mini irons!

    We'll be moving to Mozambique in three days, so I hope to explore sewing adventures there.

    Blessings!

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  41. ::Happy Birthday::
    Looks like you had a wonderful time and some gorgeous presents!
    I've just started prepping some of the fabric you sent me for a project - you are so inspirational!
    Keep up the fab work :)

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  42. happy belated birthday to you, ayumills. thanks for being so inspiring in crafting and sharing a very useful tutorial :)

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  43. Happy Birthday! Looks like a great celebration. 27 is a wonderful age - young and old all at the same time. Best wishes for a wonderful year!

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  44. Happy birthday-looks like you got some great gifts:)

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  45. Happy birthday. 27 is a fabulous age. But no matter what age you are, enjoy the journey.

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  46. Happy birthday, Ayumi-chan! 今年もayumiちゃんにとって、素晴らしい年になります様に・・・。

    Hirono

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  47. Happy Birthday!! Enjoy your journey in life. You are sooooo inspiring.

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  48. Happy birthday !! from me too :-) .
    Wishing you all the best on this special day .
    Hugs Susie from Spain
    Love your blog

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  49. Happy Birthday!!! =) I am jealous of your gifts, but it is not in a bad way. Everything is so cute!!

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  50. A very Happy Birthday, Ayumills.
    Your pictures are so adorable.
    Thanks for sharing :)
    Your work is beautiful and very inspiring.

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  51. Happy Birthday, Ayumi! Good to hear that you had such a lovely day.

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  52. Wishing you a belated Happy Birthday! You all look like you are enjoying your birthday treat. It looks delicious but I am not sure about eating octopus. My favorite food when we lived outside Tokyo (many moons ago) was "yaketori" and I have probably misspelled it but it was beef or chicken and vegetables on little skewers and it was sooooo tasty. And then there was Tempura shrimp and all sorts of other good stuff! Could your e-mail be news from a long lost family member?

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  53. hi ayumi

    happy belated birthday...
    been busy...
    i like your blog and all the best tutorial ever..

    happy birtday again..

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  54. congrats on the big news...i bet i know what it is!!! happy birthday too!

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  55. Happy Birthday, how wonderful to be so happy with who you are at just 27 years of age! A great revelation. Just always be your talented self.

    Rita

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  56. Happy Birthday!! It looks like you got some adorable gifts!!

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  57. Aww, happy belated birthday! So behind on my blog reading. Your pictures are lovely, sounds like you had a great day! Really intriqued with Takoyaki and the kitchen appliance it's cooked on. Looks fun! :)

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