Sisterhood of the Travelling Kimono - 3rd Stop

It doesn't take much persuasion for me to take part in a kimono dressing event so when one of my kimono friend asked me whether I would like to be part of the Sisterhood of the Travelling Kimono I said yes on the spot.

So what is the Sisterhood of the Travelling Kimono?

Well the principle is simple.  One kimono is selected and it is then sent to all the participants of the Sisterhood to co-ordinate as they wish.  Of course, photos will need to be taken of the front and back of the outfit as a minimum and it is suggested that you take photos of the place where you live.

Well the kimono has already visited Cambridge and London and this week it was my turn in Sheffield.

I decided to go non-traditional and wore the kimono with a shirt and tie rather then with a juban.  I do have a black skirt underneath so I would not flash any leg while I was walking but I love the outfit.

The hat was a last minute addition because I always wanted a hat and that morning while I was shopping with my friend, I decided to buy this one and it just happen to go with the outfit.

The outfit has a strange mix of masculine (shirt and tie) and feminine (kimono and obi) aspects which I love!  

Well now the kimono is at it next participant in Birmingham and I can't wait to see what the girls are going to do.

You can see the whole set of photos that I took here.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.427623163960587.101317.345472145509023&type=3

You Sew Should...: Shake, Rattle n Roll Crafters!

I love making kanzashi and there is nothing better then making a kanzashi for a charity event!

So when one of the organisers of Shake, Rattle n Roll contacted me to see if I can help out with a prize for their raffle then how can I resist!

What did I donate then...............................well this little beauty!!!!

Made from a vintage scarf which has seen better days, I thought I would give it a new life as a kanzashi.

It is perfect for any occasion.  Whether it is for a party or you just feel like wearing something pretty to go shopping.  You can win this at the raffle.

The link below is from one of the organisers blog if you want to read more about the event and find out what other prizes are available.

You Sew Should...: Shake, Rattle n Roll Crafters!:   Gosh, time flies. It's already the 9th of October, that means there's only 3 days until Shake Rattle n' Roll, the charity event we're h...

Lily Love Kanzashi Haircomb

New kanzashi design with a new flower design!

This delicately constructed kanzashi is made from 3 lilies and 2 ume flower using white polyester habutae and is perfect for a vegan bride who wants an accessory that does not compromise her beliefs.

Lily Love measuries 11cms wide by 7cm high and is attached to a plastic haircomb.

This is a vegan friendly kanzashi and I can make in the following colours:

• Ivory
• Baby Pink
• Pale Blue
• Lilac
• Pale Yellow
• Red
• Royal Blue
• Green
• Orange

If there is another colour you would like me to make the flowers from then let me know!

And for those of you who are interested, this kanzashi can also be made using vintage kimono silk. Again just drop me a convo to discuss details as this option will be more expensive.

Mellow Pink-Japanese inspired Kanzashi

A nice and mellow kanzashi brooch for you to purchase!

Perfect to wear everyday to add a little bit of summer to your wardrobe. Made from vintage kimono fabric, the petals have been hand-folded and delicately arranged on a felt base to create these pretty flowers and momiji-style leaf.

They are then finished off with a lilac pearl and a small piece of mizuhiki cord for the leaf. The flowers and momiji have been arranged so that the momiji swings freely which will add a little movement when you wear it.

The arrangement measures 8cm (wide) by 9cm (height) by 3cm (depth) (3 1/8in x 3 1/2in x 1 1/8in) and is attached to a 2.5 cm (1in) brooch pin.

Have you found a kanzashi that you like but would like it on a hairband? Or you have seen something that you like but would like to customise it to your personality, style or occasion then do not hesitate to contact me and I will do my best to fulfil your expectations.

Ume Embrace- Japanese Bridal Kanzashi Tiara

This kanzashi just shouts glamour and why shouldn’t every bride feel the same way.

This tiara consists of 5 hand-folded ivory ume (plum) flowers which have been arranged so the tiara will circle your hair bun. Each flower has been decorated with a silver bead cap and ivory pearl bead and 4 decorative strands have been included to provide just a little bit more sparkle to the piece.

Ume Embrace measures 14cm (wide) by 6cm (height) by 6cm (depth) with the metal comb being 4cm (wide) by 3.5cm (height). This tiara is made to order for you and therefore if you have any special request to make regarding this tiara such as colour or fitting then do not hesitate to contact me. Once I have received your order, it will take me 5 working days to be ship your order.

If this one doesn’t quite tickle your fancy then why not browses though my etsy shop or my flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/kittykanzashi_designs. All of my designs can be customisable to your wishes and needs so do not hesitate to contact me and I will do my best to fulfil your expectations.

Starlight-Japanese Bridal Kanzashi Tiara

This is a unique kanzashi for brides who are looking for something out of the ordinary.

Made from three layers of fabric, these petals are formed using “tsumami” technique and have been carefully attached to a felt base. The star has then been finished with a gold bead cap and ivory coloured pearl.

Adorning the star are 5 decorative strands made from hand-twisted wire, pearl and yellow cracked glass bead. These complement the colour co-ordination of the star.

Starlight measures 8cm in diameter and is attached to a metal comb that measures 3.5cm (height) by 4cm (wide).

This tiara is made to order for you and therefore if you would like to customize this hairpiece (such as the colour or fitting) then do not hesitate to contact me or just drop a note into “message for seller” at checkout with your choices.

Colours that you can choose from are as follows
• Ivory
• White
• Lilac
• Purple
• Royal Blue
• Pale Blue
• Red
• Black
• Baby pink
• Pale Yellow
• Green
• Orange

Fittings choices
• Metal comb
• Plastic clear comb
• Metal hairband
• Hairpin (4 in in length)

Once I have received your order, it will take me 5 working days to be ship your order.

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If this one doesn’t quite tickle your fancy then why not browses though my etsy shop or my flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/kittykanzashi_designs. All of my designs can be customisable to your wishes and needs so do not hesitate to contact me and I will do my best to fulfil your expectations.

Kanzashi for the winner of Our Big Day for 10K!

So on 18th May Heather Hodges was the lucky winner of Our Big Day for 10K giveaway.

Heather won the following kanzashi.

However she wanted a little bit of customisation to reflect her wedding colour scheme. Therefore with this in mind, I created Green Momiji Delight!

I hope you enjoy your kanzashi!

Second lot of weekend fun at the cinema.

Maybe I subconsciously knew this but this is the last weekend of fun before I go into revision overdrive so I have made this weekend full of fun!

So Saturday was vintage fair and lovely cupcakes........mmmmmmmmmmmmm yummy cupcakes.........and this Sunday was a trip to the cinema.

What the cinema? Yep but I did not be visit one of the chain cinema, oh no, on Sunday I went to the Showroom in Sheffield. They are one of the few independent cinemas that I go to and for the past week or so they have been doing a Young Person's film festival called "Showcomotion".

Anyway Sunday was the final day and they were showing a special preview of Studio Ghibli's Arrietty. It is already released in Japan but it is not suppose to be released in the UK until August 2011. So yes it is a proper preview!

It is based on the book called the Borrowers so it is a familiar story for me but it is always interesting to see it being done by another culture.

I thought about turning up to the showing in kimono, nothing special really just a wool kimono with a simple flat musubi because I didn't want to have anything digging in my back for 1.5 hours.

However the weather turned against us and it was too cold for kimono so I just wore jeans, t-shirt and fleece.

Now the film itself.

I loved it! There is something about Studio Ghibli animation that makes you wish you were in the film itself. As Arrietty is based on The Borrowers Story it was the house I loved! Not the borrowers house which was under the floor board but the main house. I love the Japanese interpretation of a western house because it the style of house I would like to live in.

Anyway unless there is a preview viewing near you then the UK release date for Arrietty is in August 2011.

Weekend fun at a Vintage Fair.

Lately, I have spending my weekends revising for my impending exam on the 9th June but this weekend I decided to finish early and visit a vintage fair.

This weekend I attended a fair that was organised by "The Vintage Fair". The last one I attended was a pick and mix one where you pay by the weight. This meant I could buy a lot of scarves for a cheaply. However this one is a proper one with individual stalls.

The fair was being held in the grand Sheffield Town Hall which fitted in perfectly with the fair.

Since each fair is unique, I never plan to buy anything because if I do I am endlessly disappointed when I leave empty handed.

Like before it was a £1 entrance fee which I didn't mind paying but the queue was amazing. Who would have thought a vintage fair would attract so many people. In fact the queue was so long, some people got bored of waiting but in my opinion the wait was no longer then the average wait at the tills at New Years sale.

As I mentioned before, I don't have any expectation but this time I was eager to see the hair salon in action because I love vintage hairstyles. Since I got to the event as it was opening, they were already preparing someone's hair with victory roll which was great to see. I even managed to pluck the courage and ask them what is the best length of hair to have for vintage style. As normal, it depends on the style you want to create but she said that with my waist length hair, she could create loads of large victory rolls.

Hmmm hairstyles are popping into my head!

Anyway I spend a hour there flicking through the rails and left empty handed. Nothing jumped out at me apart from the delightful cupcakes which were 4 for £5.00! So I brought some, I am so weak!!!! Clockwise from top left - lemon, chocolate caramel, strawberry cheesecake, Raspberry and white chocolate (I think)

Here are some pictures of the fair inside.

Lots of shiny stuff!

Just wanted to show you this really cool chandelier that the Town Hall has.

Pomegranate Ardor-Kanzashi inspired hairclip

Pomegranate Ardor-Kanzashi inspired hairclip

“If I'd only seen through the silky veils of ardor”

Today I am sharing this kanzashi with my audience. A handsome pair of flower hairclips made using a marbled pink cotton fabric which has been formed into kawaii blossoms with the “tsumami” technique.

Pomegranate Ardor is a one of a kind pair of hairclips as I no longer have any more of this lovely fabric. Each hairclip measures 3 cm wide by 6 cm height (including falls) by 1 cm depth and the clips are alligator style so will be suitable for all hairtypes and hairstyles.

The little red box in the picture is for display purpose only and not for sale. If you would like the little red box with your purchase then convo me and I will give you my prices.

Although I do not have the fabric anymore, I have many other fabrics available for you to choose from so if you found a kanzashi that you like but would like to customise it to your needs, taste or occasion then let me know. I am sure I will be able to create a kanzashi that will meet your expectation.

Peach Beauty-Kanzashi inspired hairclip

Peach Beauty-Kanzashi inspired hairclip

“Millions of peaches, peaches for me”

Today I am sharing this kanzashi with my audience. A cute pair of flower hairclips made using a peach coloured cotton fabric which has been formed into kawaii blossoms with the “tsumami” technique.

Peach Beauty is a one of a kind pair of hairclips as I no longer have any more of this lovely fabric. Each hairclip measures 3 cm wide by 6 cm height (including falls) by 1 cm depth and the clips are alligator style so will be suitable for all hairtypes and hairstyles.

The little red box in the picture is for display purpose only and not for sale. If you would like the little red box with your purchase then convo me and I will give you my prices.

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Although I do not have the fabric anymore, I have many other fabrics available for you to choose from so if you found a kanzashi that you like but would like to customise it to your needs, taste or occasion then let me know. I am sure I will be able to create a kanzashi that will meet your expectation.

Apricot Blossom -Kanzashi inspired hairclip

“It's the Orange Blossom Special”

Today I am sharing this kanzashi with my audience. A handsome pair of flower hairclips made using a bright orange cotton fabric which has been formed into kawaii blossoms with the “tsumami” technique.

Apricot Blossom is a one of a kind pair of hairclips as I no longer have any more of this lovely fabric. Each hairclip measures 3 cm wide by 6 cm height (including falls) by 1 cm depth and the clips are alligator style so will be suitable for all hairtypes and hairstyles.

The little red box in the picture is for display purpose only and not for sale. If you would like the little red box with your purchase then convo me and I will give you my prices.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Although I do not have the fabric anymore, I have many other fabrics available for you to choose from so if you found a kanzashi that you like but would like to customise it to your needs, taste or occasion then let me know. I am sure I will be able to create a kanzashi that will meet your expectation.