Another hairclip design

Another hairclip design to join my little sales collection.

I made this a while ago but it never dawned on me to attached it to a hairclip until a couple of days ago when I was staring into my monitor.

At the end of the thread covered wire is a little bell which make a very pleasant noise when ones shakes it.

What are people's opinions?

I hope I will be able to make a few more for stock soon.

Plush toys for the physicist

My inner geek has been giggling at this shop since my boyfriend pointed this out to me a couple of days ago.

For all you particle physicist or anyone who is just interested in the building blocks of our dear universe I bring you "The Particle Zoo"

I like this one as it just looks cool! But I have been banned from buying them as I will buy all 36 particles.



They are even filled them to represent their weight but this is not in anyway accurate. Nevertheless I think it is time science was shown to be fun.

Woo hoo new books

I have been hard at studying this week and as I haven't brought a single kimono item for over a month. So time for a treat in the guise of books.

The first books is Okimono Kimono.


My friend owns this book but in Japanese and it looked like an interesting book for kimono co-ordination. I would like to modernise my kimono outfits and I hope this will give me some ideas. I will post more pictures of the book once it has arrive.

Then for something different, Mary Berry Ultimate Cake Book.

I was contemplating the Hummingbird Bakery book as well but this book seem to have more different recipes. I will get the Hummingbird book later on when I move to Sheffield when I can practice my cake making skills. One needs willing guinea pigs for taste tests.

For the sushi addict!

We are always seeing many kitchen gadgets which make our lives easier in the kitchen well here is one for you sushi addicts!

First one is a maki making machine. I heard there is a technique to make these things so I suppose it was only a matter of time for the Japanese to find a way of making them with machines.

Then of course if one is concerned with health and safety, here is one that individually wraps your nigiri. Watching these youtube videos makes me want some sushi.

My brother saw these machines in action at a trade fair a few weeks back in London ExCel Centre and got some details but it does not contain any prices. I can only guess that they cost a fortune.

Nihon Buyo talk and demo

I don't need much of an excuse to wear a kimono so when my good friend Hong mention this event, I thought why not!

I have only seen Japanese Dance on YouTube and on TV but never in real life so this seem like an ideal time to learn some culture. In addition, I will be meeting a national living treasure from Japan so extra bonus.

So after both of us got changed at Kings Place toilets (using our in depth knowledge of toilet kitsuke) we waited at Hall 2. We got there at 15.00 because Hong got an email from the Japan Foundation to say that they were overbooked. Well we were not going to stand up for the whole performance so we got there early.

There were three performances by three performers, the first performance was Shichifukujin performed by Nishikawa Senzo X in Su-odori. Which meant he was wearing a montsuki and hakama and used only the sensu as prop. Would you believe he is 82 years old!



The second performance was Urashima performed by Nishikawa Minosuke, who is the son of Senzo. I think this was done in Koten Buyo and involved costume change mid dance.



And the final performance was Tenaraiko performed by Onoe Yukari. She was from another school of dance and this was performed in Sosaku Byuo. No costume change but there was more movement in her dance as opposed to the first two.

After the three performance, Minosuke came on stage (after removing his costume and make up) to intrepret some dance movements. He then invited three groups of five volunteers to try some of the dance moves. Hong and I volunteered for the third group and we tried to mimic a samurai. I was rubbish but for a few minutes humiliation we both got to keep the sensu!

Then came the question and answer session. I didn't really have anything to ask but someone in the audience felt the need to voice her review of the three dances (hmm what part of question and answer does review come under???). In a nutshell, she didn't like the third one because it did not convey the performer's emotions enough as she was moving her body too much.

So the event was over and since the performers were going to be hanging around the bar of Kings Place. We decided that since we were not going to use the sensu for dance purposes we might has well get them signed by the performers. You never know!

And here they are (left, Onoe Yukari ; middle, Nishikawa Minosuke ; right, Nishikawa Senzo X)



What a fun day and the sensu was a major bonus!