Small Hands

New Project "Cafe"

2012-02-12T08:19:00.000-08:00

Sounds good, my new project.
I'll have a lot of opportunity going to cafes around the town now.
I got this very sweet calender from a friend in Japan. She knows me very well.
She sent me a pack of 'patisserie origami' as well! Actually she sent me two packet of Sushi and Bento origami last year. Those have been my hobby over the dark cold days.

I'll release more photos as I progress with my project!


The sweetest calender I've ever had!


Another angle of the calender shows waffles.


Phew....Japan has everything.

Origami Sushi

Tate by night

2011-11-21T12:43:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful weekend with a friend I've known for more than ten years. Since she lives in Wales, we don't get to see each other as often as we want to, so it was a nice for her visiting me in London!

The spa

We started the weekend by going to a spa near Bank. It was the first time for me. She booked us in for nail and pedicure treatment. As it was a quiet Saturday, I had a substantial foot massage rather than the pedicure routine! I fell asleep.
After relaxing in their jacuzzi, we drifted towards Tate Modern.

The dinner at gbk near St Paul's

Each time I go to the Tate in evenings, when they do the late openings, I just admire the luxury of space. Usually, the gallery is packed with full of people from all over the world and you're supposed to queue for everything. But in one of these late openings, you can move about whatever and whenever you like! It's almost the time there, is stretched infinitely....

Taryn Simon's photo installation

The view from the 7th floor

St Paul's from the foot of Millennium Bridge

Saudade....the nostalgic city Lisbon.

2011-11-04T13:15:00.000-07:00

I spent a few days in Lisbon. I know it's not their best season but the city is so pretty and picturesque with the iconic tram. It couldn't go wrong.
Saudade is the word which signifies the feeling of nostalgia in Portuguese. I think I got that, even without listening to the Fado.

The tram...! They are so pretty with well-designed ad on their bodies.

The famous Funicular.

Very old perfumery.

I forgot Lisbon had a sea....

The opposite side of the Commercial Square.

Found the rabbit on the Metro.

The tram is so iconic! It even looks good in rain.

The Namban screen. It's quite commical if you look close.

Again, the tram in Alfama area.

The famous pasteis de Belem.

Blanket Stich

2011-10-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

Et voila!

I just made an iPhone case with felt and the woven ribbon. It was such a soothing experience to stitch the edge. I'll definitely make more of these....!

Love the vibrant colours

Cardboard shops

2011-09-19T14:14:00.000-07:00

Hello. I've been working on my paintings as well as my sculptures made of cardboard.


Newest version of Los Flores

My visual inspiration for the series with cardboard, called "Home" comes from a place like this.


A cafe in my neighborhood

I've just finished working on the bookstore and I'm giving a finish touch to the patisserie now.
I'll take photos of them when the sun comes out.

The bookstore!


Piled up shops in my studio

These works, including my painting can be seen;
Loftworks
Kaeko's portfolio
Saatchionline
Etsy

Wig project

2011-09-14T12:16:00.000-07:00

I've been busy making these at work. These are the wigs made of paper. I was asked to assist a colleague of mine to create more than 30 wigs of traditional Japanese hair-styles.
It was fun.

Geisha-style

Kanzashi

These are the traditional Japanese monks' style!

Materials

2010-11-04T04:21:00.000-07:00

Over the past few days, I trekked over London to find materials. Now I'm working with them!

Have you checked the article in www.faberuna.com yet? They featured my cotton bags on www.etsy.com!

Yellow purse frame

Working with purse frames 2

2010-11-02T10:47:00.000-07:00

This week, I'm off from work, so I'm taking this opportunity to find the materials for my bag making.
Today, I trekked around the town to get more purse frames. Unfortunately, since last time I went, they have run out of the big gold frame... (And they don't know if they're going to get them again.) So, I bought the small frame in three different colours and two silver mini frames.
I'll go fabric hunting tomorrow! I'm hoping to find something that will inspires me.

I'm featured in faberuna.com at the moment. They made such a lovely little article for me. Please have a look!

Working with purse frames.

2010-10-11T00:56:00.000-07:00

I love framed purse! I bought a variety of purse frames from the habbardashery called Kleins on Noel St. This is my favourite but they don't open in evenings and weekends. So, every time I have a weekday off, I go there. They have everything that makes me feel like buying and knowledgeable attendants to help me finding.

The three frames I bought.

Nowadays, thanks to all the kind and detailed craft tutorials that are available on youtube and other craft related sites, it's not too difficult to DIY the framed purses. The largest frame in the photo above, does not require any special techniques and it's most accessible. The smallest one does need a bit of knowledge and practice but it's still not too hard as one might think.
To my new bag that is shown below, I attached a nice Italian leather shoulder strap which I also found on a website to make it a nice little shoulder bag.

The Obi material shines in the sun.

We took it to Holland Park to take photos after stopping at Paul's to have some teas and cakes. Now it's uploaded on my portfolio website, http://web.mac.com/nakagawakaeko/iWeb/Site/New%20Framed%20Purses%202010.html

With this bag, I got an offer to take part in a Christmas Exhibition. I will update my Etsy shop soon.

Berlin

2010-08-21T06:20:00.000-07:00

I went to Berlin for the first time. Germany has never come up as a holiday destination to me for some reason... But now, I changed my mind completely.

The famous traffic signal. This little green man has his own shop!

It's a great city for artists and other creators. The rents are cheap but the housing is generally high standard. But what appealed to me most was the cycle friendliness. It's amazing. Everyone cycles. Unfortunately I didn't have a chance to cycle in the city but if I ever had a chance to live, I would get one of these classic looking bike for myself!

The mini blue bike.

A green classic looking bike. Typically Berlin.

I've been told that in Berlin, there are many art galleries. We went in a few while we're strolling the neighborhood of Mitte. The experience reminded me of London ten years ago or even twenty years ago. But without any pretentiousness. I could go in and out as freely as I could.

Participating in an exhibition at a gallery in Mitte.

Another impressive exhibition at a gallery in Kreuzberg.

A Yeti is on the run. Near the gallery in Mitte.

I remember I used to be a little nervous when I walked in to the galleries in East London. I don't know, I just worried about not being stylish enough or my shallow knowledge of art. In Berlin, I didn't need to think about any of those. I just walk in, that's it.

Using a tomato tin as vase. Another creative attitude of Berliners.

The other thing I noticed was the way they create space. I'm talking about the empty spaces in station for example. The train/tube stations in Berlin has loads of space. In Tokyo or in London, those spaces will be used for little shops like news agents and take away coffee shops. But in Berlin, they are kept just as they are.

A station in MUJI style?

We spent most of the evenings just walking around the city or going to one of their many cafes in the city. My favorite was the one in Prenzlauer Berg. We could just sit there for as long as we want.

The cafe in Prenzlauer Berg.

Another cafe idea we saw near Rosenthaler Platz.

I'm hoping to go back there.

What I bought in Finland...

2010-08-08T14:33:00.000-07:00

You can tell where my purse is....

How could I not buy anything in Finland? First time when I visited there, I surprised my friend's mother for enjoying my shopping so much. She gave me her travel bag for my extra stuff... But to me, it's an obvious! The city is filled with good design! Helkama Jopo is another thing I adore.
This time, we didn't have much time in Helsinki, so I didn't need to get another bag to stuff everything I bought!

So, I love Marimekko. It's not a surprise. This time, I bought a purse! They look so lovely even when I'm not wearing...

Trip to Finland ~Orivesi to Helsinki~

2010-08-08T14:25:00.000-07:00

The lovely old house.

We went to Finland towards the end of July. It was such a lovely trip. We were invited for a party at a country house in Orivesi. Orivesi is a small town. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orivesi) We flew to Helsinki rather than to Tampere. Tampere is the nearest city. Then took an Inter City from there to Tampere. From there, we took a local train to Orivesi. The train to Tampere was so modern and clean. But the local train from Tampere to Orivesi was old but clean. The kind of train we used in the UK several years ago.

Old furnitures and the cloths.

The coutry house consisted of two big houses and a few old barns. One of the two houses, the main house is renovated to a modern standard, equipped with a newly fitted sauna. The other house is as large as the main house but doesn't have the running water. They have the system to pump up the water from the earth below. So, the water smelled of iron and looked brown. We're provided with gallons of mineral water.

We picked some flowers from the garden.

The barn became the centre stage for the party.

And also a dance floor.

The market in Helsinki.

Love the Helkama Jopo!

Orange train.

After the party on Saturday, we took the same trains to go back to Helsinki. That week, it was so warm in Finland and it was so lovey just walking up and down the streets in Helsinki.

On a day like today....

2010-07-03T08:01:00.000-07:00

Very sunny at the park.

What a gorgeous day today! I am lucky to be able to take photos on a day like this. We went to Gunnersbury Park and took photos of two new bags. One has two different kind of vintage Kimono on each side and the other is a patchwork of vintage Kimono fabrics.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/kaekonakagawa

A short escape to Edinburgh

2010-06-20T03:35:00.000-07:00

I spent a couple of days in Edinburgh last week. I took a bunch of kids to Scottish capital. In the sense, it wasn't really an escape of any sorts....but it is inspiring always, to go away from where I live. We found a little nice bistro as well. And the better weather.

Work in progress...

2010-06-13T05:17:00.000-07:00

I was trying to make a little purse with a piece of red leather and some Obi. But....I accidentaly torned the leather piece! It will become a tiny purse after all. And it will be for myself.

My bags are now on sale!

2010-06-12T15:37:00.000-07:00

I updated my Etsy store with the new printed cotton bag range. We took the photos at a park nearby. It was such a lovely day afterall. I'm happy that one of them has been already bought! Please check them out. http://www.etsy.com/shop/kaekonakagawa

They will be on sale on Sunday!

2010-06-10T13:23:00.000-07:00

I took photos of my new cotton bags today. Despite of the grey sky. Having lived in London for over ten years, I learned that I should not blame weather for not being able to do a particular thing: i.e. taking photos. They came out better than I thought actually. I will take some more this weekend when the sun comes out.... The bags will be in my Etsy store from Sunday.

Back with new bags.

2010-06-06T11:22:00.000-07:00

So, I'm back.
I have been wondering around my new thoughts and made some samples though it never became a piece to show. Last summer turned out to be a so-called "life-changing" or "turning point" for me. Several new experiences to add on to my already quite happening-packed life.
One notable thing though, was that I stopped the flamenco and became more focused on my work as an art teacher. Mind you though, it didn't mean that I lost my passion for flamenco altogether. I just decided to take a break from the dancing shoes and gladly, took up a seat in the audience.

So, my new bags.
I got the idea of printing my drawings on the simple canvas bag, when I was mounting kids' works in my arts room. I always make a banner for each project and that's the most enjoyable part of "mounting" hundreds of works by my students. It can be a tedious work to hang drawings on the wall by stepping up and down the ladder for each piece....you know? Anyway, it all comes to nothing when I put the final touch of banner. I usually cut out the theme of works using colour sugar papers. They have the nostalgic feel because of the faded colours.

The designs come in two types: one is my shoe drawing and the other is a collage of small images I gathered. I designed the shoes while I was learning shoe-making-designing a while ago. And the one with red polka dots conveys my homage to the flamenco days. These bags will be in my Etsy shop soon.

Art Urbain in Paris

2009-08-07T07:01:00.000-07:00

Just came back from Paris. The weather was perfect. A real summer. I went to see two exhibitions; one at Foundation Cartier pour l'art contemporain and other one at Pavillon Carrè de Baudouin. Both exhibition is featuring graffiti, but two exhibitions were curated on two completely different concepts. The first one is more about the history of graffiti and its movement. The venue is great for the dynamism of the graffiti itself. The last time I was there, they were having a show about Junichi Arai (the guy behind the Issay Miyake's work). However I liked the second one at the Pavillon more.
The nearest Metro station is called Gambetta. It feels like almost at the edge of the town after seeing so many tourists everywhere inside Paris. I walked up the hilly street called Rue des Pyrenées. The gallery is at the junction of the street with another one called Rue de Ménilmontant. It has a pretty little garden as well. I can't remember when, but I must have been here before as well. I remember the interior of the gallery well. This exhibition has invited four artists to create a collaborative graffiti work. If they're well-know artists in France or if they act as graffiti artists, I do not know. As the exhibition leaflet was in French only. Their collaboration stretched over the streets of the 20 arrondissement. The are is probably called as Belleville. (I think.) I was given a map to follow the allows to witness their 'graffiti' blending in the neighborhood. I thought the second one was more to give to the people who belong to the city. :)
The first two photographs were from the Cartier foundation. They too, invited artists to create works specifically for this occasion. They looked amazing with the original architecture of the foundation.
The rest of the photographs were from the Pavillon.

Pitta Pizza

2009-07-29T05:13:00.000-07:00

Since I had the flu (or was it gastroenteritis or was it just a regular food-poisoning?), I've been trying to eat healthily. God knows how long I will be able to continue, but so far so good. :)
I had not been bad though now, I eat meat as well. But if I eat meat, the next day will be my veggie day. So, I try not to consume more than I need.
Today, I made this quick pizza with pitta bread. Pitta bread is great. I can stuff many things in it. Unlike regular sandwiches, I won't have the stuffy feeling afterward. I sliced all the ingredients so that it will be cooked in a short time. I spread a simple tomato sauce, but pasta sauce or pesto will be good if you want to make it fancier. :)

Skirt Magic

2009-07-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

My friend Marcia knows so much about antiques/fashion/arts. Every time I see her she surprises me with her creative mind towards fashion. She sent me the antique tutu skirt. I meant to touch it much earlier, but couldn't. Because I was sick. So, today, just as I was going to put some lining fabric into another vintage dress, I braved myself. I put a piece of elastic band around the waist. I had to take them off once and do it again, as I fail to measure my waist terribly. First time, it ended up as hopelessly baggy tutu skirt. I always get right without measuring anything. I mean, I measure with my eyes. So my bags come out in slightly different sizes. (But only slightly, I have to emphasise!) After successfully installing the elastic band, I took of the lower part of the tutu. Then put it more closer to the first layer. Now the skirt looks like a skirt. I will wear my small black knit top, beige cardigan with big buttons and a pair of pink ballet flats. :)

Alegrías

2009-07-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

First of all, I have to disappoint you all. Why? I don't have any photos of myself in the dramatic flamenco moment. It wasn't allowed to take any photo or video. We have to wait until our flamenco school releases the photos or DVDs.

So, the flamenco show went very well. I really enjoyed so much more than I thought I could. That week went crazily though... I got on well with it with my recovering body.
We had the rehearsal for the musician to check when to sing and so on, on Friday the 17th at our regular dance studio. Our Alegrías number starts with “Tirititrán tran, tran,...” and we clap along with that famous tune. Alegrías starts from 12, then go to 1,2,(3)4,5,(6)7,8,9(10),11-(12) and starts from 1 again. Our dance begins at the second “Tirititrán tran, tran,...” It went well on the Friday rehearsal. We definitely felt good about that. It was nearly 10pm when I left the studio that day.
On Saturday the 18th, I had a BIG mission to find "more roses" for my hair. BUT the problem was my right feet had been hurting since Sunday the 12th. I must have stamped somehow too strong. Then I wore a pair of ballet flats on the following Monday at work. I was literally limping around during the week. Nevertheless, I HAD to find more roses! I couldn't go on to the stage with a single plastic rose! And a pair of big chunky earrings... On the 18th, I began my quest from the pound shops in Shepherds Bush. I went in a couple of shops but I didn't find any. It seemed like "red roses" went out of fashion. So, I went to Westfield where I ran into two students with their parents. I usually try to avoid running into my students &co outside my work at any cost. I'm usually quite good at it but that day, I wasn't doing that well, as I had a bad feet... Anyway, I went to Accessorize where I found the gorgeous pair of earrings. Then, I took Central Line to Bond Street. I went to Fenwick to begin with, remembering that I saw some flowers on the ground floor. There were so many people on the street as usual. When I got there, a single big beautiful rose was left on the display lack. It was a flower by Johnny Loves Rosie. Beautiful. Perfect for flamenco. But it was £30. After spending almost all my salary from the previous month on my private medication...I felt nausea. But I couldn't move an inch just as if my feet were glued on to the floor. I practically stood in front of that bloody rose for good 15 minutes. Meanwhile I was telling myself that "there would be a life after the show". I forced myself to leave the rose behind. (A big "well-done" to me!) I then headed for Liberty. Because I vaguely remember that they had some flowers in the haberdashery section. They did, but the problem was they didn't have the RED roses. I even thought about coloring them myself but "my shopping instinct" was telling me to wait. By the time I left Liberty, I was so tired and my feet began hurting a bit. But I walked towards the big Topshop on the Oxford Circus. Then, I found the roses! Many of them! On SALE! Cool. They're the same roses from Johnny Loves Rosie, only slightly dusty. But who cares? Especially when they were sold £3 to £5? I quickly picked up several roses and evacuated to a quiet corner of the shop floor. Where I spread the roses and picked up two massive roses for myself. Ah! Amazing finds! That's when I completely forgot about the "seamless underwear" thing. I euphorically got on the tube to Holborn where I was meeting up with Paula & Jane, my flamenco buddies. We're meeting up before the Saturday show. I couldn't believe then, that we're going to do that on the following day!
The Saturday show was great. The only thing was, our Alegrías was danced by a group of kids. We were flabbergasted. The choreography was slightly different but they're only kids!!
Anyway, I got home around 11pm. I went to bed before midnight. Then I woke up around 4.30am. I stayed in bed until 5am. It's hard for me to fall back into sleep without any excitement anyway. So, there's no way I could get back into sleep that day. So I woke up. Began putting things I would need into my backpack. I got to the stage door at 11.45am. I found my flamenco buddies chatting at the entrance. A relief. I didn't need to find the dressing room alone. We're greeted by our teacher soon after I joined the circle. She showed us how to sign in and out then showed us to the dressing room. It was small and had a terrible smell. We began our hair for the final rehearsal on the stage. I asked Joanna to do my make-up. She was great. She made our costumes as well. And she's very good at flamenco too. Our rehearsal was around 2pm. I still don't know how we spent that three hours. It just went so quickly.
Personally, I feel more nervous when I dance in front of my teachers and the advanced people.
They were sitting in the auditorium. Oh, how I felt nervous..., I just couldn't do the steps right. We couldn't start on the second either. We felt really bad. And we had only one rehearsal before the real show.
We changed our costumes to jeans, then I left the theatre with Paula and my friend Kaisa, to grab something before we get really nervous. We went to Covent Garden, looking completely flamenco above the shoulder. We had to keep our hair and the make-up, so. When we returned to the theatre, we started to practice in our trainers. Dancing flamenco on a concrete floor is really scary. We wouldn't dare to risk twisting ankles.
About an hour before, the stage manager came in and told us that "the main thing was for us to enjoy the moment". We all were so nervous and restless. The speaker in our dressing room said that we needed to be ready at the side of the stage. That's the place we need to be really quiet. I had goosebumps all over my body and jumping up and down to make my body shaking. Our star dancer Juan Ogalla pre-stage passed by. He gave us this "know-it-all" grin and went to his dressing room. Obviously, we're "amateur".
OK. Our turn.
By the time I reached my position on the stage, still dark, I completely forgot about everything. I just felt right about being there. The guitar and the palmas began then the red spotlights. I began the crapping. I couldn't see none of the audience. I fixed my gaze on the second floor balcony. Smiling.
There was the part, a combination of llamada and the speed, I always fail to do. But I cheated somehow and I kept on smiling. When there was the big applause, the same applause the first group had been given, I was really happy. I was savouring the moment under the red spotlight. By the time we reached the Bulería section, I felt really good about the whole thing. We couldn't go wrong.
It was great. I just have to do it again. :)

Almost...

2009-07-18T02:17:00.000-07:00

So, tomorrow is the big day. I will be dancing at the Peacock Theatre. I began flamenco at La Escuela de Baile de Londres two years ago. It was meant to be an extension of my Spanish study at Cervantes. Now, I quit the Spanish (sort of...) and enjoying the flamenco. The first time I danced in front of the audience of 300 was the Christmas Show two years ago. I can't even remember what I danced. It must have been Bulerías. My first teacher liked Bulerías. Anyway, three seconds before our turn, I seriously seriously seriously regretted that I said I would do it. I couldn't smile. My body was so stiff yet floppy simultaneously. So, now, after a brief show at the Peña, we are dancing Alegrías tomorrow. Yesterday, I went to the final rehearsal with the singers and guitarists, I enjoyed the whole steamy atmosphere. I think, this time, I will manage a smile.

One of oldest friends I have in the UK is planning a journey from Cardiff. Also, some other friends from London are coming to see me. One of them, came to see me both at the first show and the Peña. She will be able to tell me how much I improved. Today, I will go and see other groups' performance with my flamenco buddies. And I will have to buy more roses, a big chunky earrings and seamless knickers before that. I'm sure I will panic tomorrow, at the theatre, when I do my hair. But that's a part of the fun anyway.
And this summer, I'll visit my friend in Granada. He's from Seville. And I'm looking forward to hear his comments when he sees the photos/videos. :)

I will continue flamenco wherever I will be in the next ten years.
When I saw the advanced group danced the Carmen. It was amazing. The teacher said it would take at least four years (from where I am now) to be able to dance that. I just have to have a flamenco school handy. :)

You will see some photos of the flamenco weekend on my next blog entry!

(I put some photos of my beloved plant on the windowsill. It has grown so much while I was sick. There's one flower just blossomed. It will be in full-blossom soon. )

Food Revolution

2009-07-13T10:59:00.000-07:00

I was sick. It might have been the flu, Swine Flu or it might just well have been a "tummy bug". My GP couldn't rule out. Anyway, I became ill on the way back from the weekend camp with my50 pupils. I was the only one who became ill out of seven adults who accompanied the trip. The camp site is predictably filthy but it wasn't that bad...or at least that's what I had thought then. Anyway, I suffered from a severe sore throat but I was told that I had just a "throat infection" and should take some paracetamol. Which I did. It did make me feel better the following day but soon I became ill again. But this time, it was horrible. I was attacked by a wave of unbelievable nausea. The nasty stuff went on for more than 24 hours and I was dehydrated. I called the ambulance but the paramedics refused to take me as I "did not have the flu". So my friends took me to a private clinic where I was told I might be having Pancreatitis. So, I was taken to an A & E, where a sarcastic doctor dismissed the possibility for I being non-smoker/non-drinker.
I must say that it was GOOD that I did not have the flu nor Pancreatitis, BUT I didn't like their inhospitable attitudes. Anyway, I slowly recovered and I began eating again five days after I had the nausea attack.
So, this is where the "Food Revolution" comes in.
I was wondering why I got the bug. I'm usually healthy and tough in a way. Then I thought about what I eat. I was a botched non-meat-eater. I said "botched" because I wasn't trying to supplement the animal protein consciously. I like fish and tofu but my menu as a non-meat-eater, wasn't carefully planned. I thought that was the difference between myself and my colleagues. Now, meat is back on my menu. First I had some chicken in a soup. It went well, so I went to a Korean barbecue place with a friend. Korean barbecue is very popular in Japan, by the way. It was a really good Korean restaurant just behind the Centre Point at the corner of Tottenham Court Road tube station. And today, I went back to work after two weeks of absence. It was good to see all my students and pupils. Seemingly concerned and content to see me at work. But they suck my energy really quickly, so I took off after lunch. Then I straight went to a Japanese supermarket nearby where I bought Udon noodles and a small packet of Inari, the bean curd sushi. I also bought some skins for the dumplings.
Those dumplings are called GYOZA in Japan. We adapted from Chinese cuisine. In China, they boil the dumplings but in Japan, we simply cook them in a pan. Pork mince meat would be the best choice for GYOZA but I ventured Lamb mince meat instead. I haven't had the Lamb since I went to Mongolia. In Mongolia, they eat Lamb a lot. It has the certain smell but I got used to it after a couple of bites. Usually add a stem of garlic called NIRA but this is very hard to get in the UK, so I just replaced it with some salad onion. Then garlic, salt and pepper. So easy and very tasty. The skins can be bought from Chinese supermarkets but their skins are thicker and I prefer the thin texture of Japanese ones. The best part is wrapping the meat mixture in the skin. It's so fun and creative!

Sprouting sprouting sprouting 2 -after the camp-

2009-06-30T00:38:00.000-07:00

Got back from the camp! I got a throat infection and lost my voice. Thanks to the paracetamol, it's getting better. When I came back, I found the plants have grown so much! Today, day 2 of my day off, I need to do the marking....urgh. Then, I will move on to my creative mind. :)

The Clay Experiment (with my pupils)

2009-06-24T00:37:00.000-07:00

I'm encouraging my pupils to work on a movie project. Well, they make clay figures in sequence then I take photos of them. Then, I put the pieces together on my computer. Mac is handy when it comes to this and can amaze children (or me) with its magic.
Anyway, the groups of children discussed how they share the work themselves then made these figures. They look absolutely adorable. All I need to do now, is to work on my computer.....(sigh)...

The Reconciliation Gift

2009-06-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

My sister is angry.
Why do the 'old siblings' never try to reconcile? And here, I'm a typical person with 'younger sibling' character, making something for her. My sister sent my birthday presents almost six months after my birthday. The reason for the delay was "cannot find anything that hits". Fine. But when she finally found something and sent it by airmail, it was held at the UK custom and I was charged for 25 pounds. I tried to calm myself as she tried to send it by quickest and safest way. But, when I found a paper she had filled when she sent, I became furious. She, filled in a paper which says "INVOICE". No wonder I was charged so much. Anyway, when I told her about it, she was annoyed. Anyway, in this case, she shouldn't have been angry as I did or still do her the biggest favour of making that drawings for free and no one should pay for receiving a present!!

But as I said, I'm a typical younger sibling. I don't like my sister's silence. So the horses. This is not my recipe actually, I found it on Designsponge blog archive. By the way, I love that site! It's a full of amazing ideas. Great. The horses are called "DIY project, cardboard stampede with Ann Wood". Check that out, if you want to give a try.
I made six horses. They look great when I put them on the wall. My sister will get three of them. And I'll keep the rest for the time being. I will make more to make them look more "stampede"-ish. :)

Shopping tips for petites...

2009-06-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

I'm small. I'm someone who can't find a thing in H&M and have to cut so much every time I buy a pair of trousers at Zara. So, when I find something that fits, I must buy them. When it comes to choosing shoes, it becomes even harder. All of my shoes are filled with little gimmicks. I'm the queen of heel cushions & inner soles! But this Spring/Summer collections from Gap Kids and Zara Kids opened up a new dimension for my shopping pattern.
I only began buying things from kid's corner since last autumn.
I don't know why. Probably felt shy I guess? Last autumn, I bought a couple of shirts and a denim dress from Zara. They were all well-made and cheaper than the similar designs for adults. Since then, I check the 'kid's' every time I pass in front of the shops. And this spring, I bought a pair of sneaker/ballet flats at Zara Kid's. They came in two colours: beige and coral pink. The size goes up to 37 (!) and I bought a beige pair size 34. They're so comfy and every one seems to like the pair. I also found a pair of wedged heel sandals from Gap Kid's which I didn't buy. They come in two colour scheme: blue and orange. I liked the orange version but didn't convince myself to buy them...

Sprouting, sprouting, sprouting & more lucky charms...

2009-06-19T01:01:00.000-07:00

This is my first ever plant I began from the seeds! Decorating window's good for luck apparently. My sister's into those things and she gave me a book about it. It's not really Fen-Shui but something similar. It's a down-to-earth type of logic really. According to the author of the book, "the windows or balconies of the houses where dreadful crime has taken place, look really cluttered and dirty". He thinks that dirty windows or cluttered balconies invite the unwanted guests like thieves.... On the other hand, clean windows or well-maintained balconies are thought to bring good fortune closer!
This morning, I found that I already had a few lucky charms other than the yellow sachet. The cat is called Maneki-neko. It's so mini! The other one is crystal sun-catcher. :)

The Lucky Charm

2009-06-18T03:09:00.000-07:00

I received my birthday present from my sister. Finally. My birthday is in January and over the past five months, she had kept saying that she didn't find anything for me. But last week, suddenly, she emailed me that she'd found something special. I received the parcel yesterday finally.
We had different tastes in general, so she surprises me always by giving me something I will never buy. This time, she gave me the rose pony and the yellow lucky charm.
The rose, is real. It's been treated with a kind of plastic or wax. The layer is so thin that you don't see anything. It's just like a dried flower. She might have chosen it for my flamenco thing.
The yellow little poach is beautiful, isn't it? It's dyed with turmeric. Yellow is one of the luckiest colour in Japan. I'm already feeling the good tide coming towards me!

Random images of today's thought

2009-06-17T03:13:00.000-07:00

Sketch

2009-06-16T04:42:00.000-07:00

We are getting ready for our annual sketch competition. When the weather permits, we get outdoor with drawing boards and paints. While my students draw, I walked around.
Earlier, there was no cloud. But when we got out, there're the inspiring clouds again. The kids thought that I would take the photos of them but my camera was aiming upward. One of them gave me a quizzical look.

Drawing in the sky...

2009-06-15T07:21:00.001-07:00

Monday is the easiest of the week. I only have three periods to teach. We have six periods each day. Having done most of my paperwork, I took my camera to see the beautiful sky. Have you seen Amelie? In the movie, the little Amelie took out her camera to take the photos of cloud. I remember the bear-shaped cloud. The funny thing is, I couldn't recognise it the first time when I had watched it at a little theatre in Chichester. But later on, when I watched it again in my room on my computer, I saw the animals in the sky. It's like that.

End of...or is it just a beginning of another long story?

2009-06-15T00:36:00.000-07:00

I've managed to finish the medical drawing after a packed weekend. Cycling to and from Covent Garden on the Saturday beat me harder than I thought.... Anyway, it looks much more Medical Drawing-ish than the first drawing. Well, it has to be after all the re-doing over and over. I still prefer the first one as a piece of drawing but the doctors wanted maintain the accuracy.
I haven't sent it to them yet, but I hope they leaned the art of compromise when it comes to working together along the way.... I will post the image once they approved of it and post it on their up-coming website.

Medical drawing fiasco...

2009-06-07T04:09:00.000-07:00

I've been working on the epidural anesthetic project which a member of my family involves. This is the first time I collaborate with doctors. And this is their first time to do such thing with an artist. Initial material I received, the whole thing seems more relaxing and easy. But it gets tougher and tougher as I always come up with the best possible solution for their "perfect drawing". And this is the first one of the five drawings they asked me!
The first drawing is showing a partly cross sectioned pregnant woman. My initial drawing didn't have the head. The doctors wanted me to put a head to show a relaxing expression on its face. My drawing conveys a positive message. And I came up with a perfect face for them. That was the beginning of everything.
Over the past few months, they've been telling me that "the breast a bit too high", "the nerve should cover the so and so area", "the hip bone has to be this shape", "where's intestine?", etc. Urgh...
I received some images from their medical books as my supporting material. To say nothing of the aesthetically poor quality of their drawings, I acknowledged the body parts as "shapes". Just shapes. They don't have any significance to me! But they didn't see. They're slowly getting the message though. I just sent a draft image for the 5th time and I really hope they take it.
Once they say yes, I need colour them.

On top of everything, I'm doing all these for free.

Sometimes I forget how beautiful London is.

2009-05-12T03:17:00.000-07:00

It's important to forget about your work and life for a moment... My after work excursion to the riverside of Richmond made my day.

Wimbledon Bag

2009-05-10T01:04:00.000-07:00

I made these bags a while ago. I quite like them, looking quite summery. I bought a bulk of old lace last year at Oxfam on High Street Kensington. When I bought them, there're a huge collection of old haberdashery. It reminded me of my grandmother. When she died, her collection of old Kimono fabrics came to me. That's how I started my bag making.

Get on your dancing shoes -drawing weekend 1-

2009-05-09T01:08:00.001-07:00

Arctic Monkeys' Get on your dancing shoes from Rythms Del Mundo album is the exact feeling when I drew these shoes.

Never underestimate the hardware stores...

2009-05-07T05:29:00.000-07:00

I like patch work.
But not in the traditional sense. My taste is eclectic. Just as my "Map" cloth, I used left overs from my bag making. Lately, I'm into using wooden rings. I've searched and searched for the perfect wooden rings. I went to John Lewis and my local haberdasheries. I checked on the websites of Kleins and others. I saw something similar to the ones I originally thought of, but never felt right. On one weekend, when I almost gave up my hope of finding them, I went in to a local DIY store. It's in Notting Hill. Next to Boots. They actually sell a wide range of products from flower to paint. Some kitchen appliances too. One of my favourite shop in Notting Hill, after the two haberdasheries I go. There, I found the perfect wooden rings. They are for curtains but worked fine. I like the finish.

More skirts

2009-05-06T00:24:00.000-07:00

I made the cloth a while ago. I thought about making a wall hanging. I like the Bohemian touch. I got a bulk of old lace from Oxfam and always wanted to work them with my old Kimono cloth. I had a large stock of small Kimono fabric. They're the left overs from my bag making. Since each Kimono has a history of craftsmanship behind it, I don't throw it. Then a friend of mine said that it looked a lot like Tsumori Chisato's stuff. So, I stretched my skirt making skill to try. It looks good, doesn't it? It's quite heavy though. And I haven't worn it yet. It's not the kind of skirt I would wear to work.

My first Marimekko skirt!

2009-05-04T23:26:00.000-07:00

I finally made the skirt.
First of all, I practiced the pattern (Vogue Easy pattern) with economy chambray then made some amendments for the pattern. I like skirts or trousers sit on my hip, not on the waistline. The colour is gorgeous. It certainly stands out in those gray days in London! Eventually, I want to add the skirts to my Etsy shop, though it's hard to make it commercial. It will be too expensive. Especially with Marimekko fabrics. As it's so expensive. Around 30 to 35 pounds per metre, I'm not allowed to make a mistake. The price for each skirt will surpass 100 pounds and who would want to pay that much to a skirt? Anyway, I'm just having some fun wearing this amazing skirt for the time being...

My Etsy debut

2009-05-04T00:12:00.000-07:00

I finally made my way to Etsy.
It's partly because of my time-keeping. I work as a full-time art teacher from Monday to Friday. But it's not the only reason why I get reluctant to publish my works. I have been finghting with the controversy; should I or should I not.
When I was a resident artist in Portsmouth for a year, I had worked hard to get small exhibitions in Hampshire. Back then, I was thrilled when my work was represented in the catalogue or exhibition guides. So, when a local newspaper approached me for a subsequent interview to my solo show at Havant Arts Centre in 2000, I was very proud of my acheivement, however small it was.... But, hang on. There's a huge difference between, 'getting publicity' and 'publishing your work on the internet'.
So what I am afraid of? My works being copied? Or getting unwanted attention from an unpleasent bunch of people on the cyberspace? Maybe. I don't know....

Heart, heart, heart....♡

2009-05-03T03:05:00.000-07:00

I made my first ‘proper’ skirt. I said ‘proper’ because it has a zip and a lining. My goal is to make one with Marimekko fabric. I bought the classic Unikko when I spent a Christmas in Helsinki, but I never had a heart to cut the fabric. Too beautiful.... So, I practiced with a basic skirt pattern and cotton chambray. The cobalt blue chambray goes well with the nautical mood and it's cheap. It's around 6 pounds per metre. By the time I finish sewing, I was thinking about Sonia Rykiel. Hence, I added the heart motifs. It was really easy. The pattern I bought was one of 'Easy Vogue' patterns. I was skeptical about how easy this could be...but it didn't betray me. It was very easy. Now, I'm editing the pattern to make it fits better to my shape.