...choo...choo...!!

There are fire scenes with houses emitting smoke & little fire trucks dashing to the scene. Teensy houses & figures, cars & trees, hills & valleys, night & day, lots of tracks, over 800 trains, more than 500 moving cars & ships,

You can see a football match (left), mini people gambling in Las Vegas, hiking in the alps or Grand Canyon, or rowing on Norwegian fjords. Even a CSI scene complete with a teensy dead body in the river (top pic)!

Photos doesn't really do the place justice so do take time to click on this video to see what I mean.

This place was created by 2 brothers with a big passions for trains. It covers over 4000 sq metres (43,000 sq ft) from Scandinavia to USA, from coasts to mountains. And it is still expanding! The lighting also changes to depict day & night! Yes, I am beginning to sound like the brochure as I am referring to it.

Let the fun begin!

We are hectically preparing to leave for a few weeks' traveling. Our annual summer vacation to Germany to visit one German Oma & to Singapore to visit a Chinese Po-Po.

When the children were smaller, you don't need to wait for summer & travel with the crowd. Now that they are learning serious stuff in school, we can only travel during their school holidays.

Besides Hamburg where Oma lives, we'll go north of Germany, to the island of Sylt with its endless white beaches & enormous sand dunes. Here, as babies, the children were christianed in a 800 year old church, St Severin. There are no roads linking Germany to this island. To get there, you put the car on a train from the German coast or a ferry from Denmark. This journey by itself, is already quite an adventure!

Before we leave Tokyo, a message to both grandpa who are watching over us. Many times, Annika wishes that her Grandpas would live again. When I explain the unlikelihood, she tells me "But Mama, you say there's always a first time for everything".

Meanwhile, she writes to them via balloon-mail, wishing them well & telling them that we will be away. I told her that heaven is getting quite congested with balloons from children.

Annika wears a homemade blouse made from curtain fabric. I couldn't resist buying 3 metres (!!!). It has delicate leaf-prints, scallop edges & big cut-out holes for curtain-rods to go through. Makes it easy for me to loop green cotton cords through. Simple to make & finished in 30 minutes!

So goodbye too, to our neighbourhood, to this pretty mailbox, couple of restaurants & a teapot/teacup shop.

And these expensive fruits :

US$15 for one watermelon.

US$6 for a rock melon.

We will be stuffing ourselves full with reasonable-priced tropical fruits in sunny Singapore!

Goodbye, little pretty sweets which look better than they tasted.

And before we fly off, I finished & delivered these custom-ordered aprons.

Happy Summer everyone.

We might be missing

from here, for awhile.

Stay cool !

This last pic is from last summer.

In 2008, enroute to Germany & Singapore, we had a smashing RV adventure in beautiful parts of Arizona, Utah, Nevada & California.

My first hand-piecing !

Since I became interested in quilting, I am visiting mostly sewing & quilting blogs. And...I found Eileen's Attic. Within hours, we were yakking like old friends!

The problem of being self-taught & in a foreign land is that, I can't ask the sewing shop staff for help. But now, I have Eileen to run to, if I need answers!!! I used to think that you can only do basting with a chicken. Now I know better :) .

Eileen is so nice & talented & I do admire her for her handmade creations, from Raggedy Anns to beautiful quilts.

With Eileen's encouragement, I tried hand-piecing for the first time.

MK & Tracy, this means hand-sewing pieces together to form something :)

The hexagons were quite fun to do. But don't look too closely as you can see the stitches!

These stacks of fabric will eventually form a "Coin Stack Quilt". It was very difficult deciding which fabrics to use. I think the hardest part for me, will always be the selection of fabrics!

Soon we will be traveling. I look forward to the cities but I dread the thought of not sewing or crafting for weeks. So I am planning & cutting stuff to bring along. Small projects to occupy me when flying over 15 hours in a plane or relaxing by the sea & sand dunes.

Eileen suggested mini hand-sewn quilts. What else can you suggest? I shouldn't take up too much luggage space, heading out as I prefer to load up with goodies, coming back.


And a pic of 2 crafty kids :

Annika, stamping a bag, with our home-made stamps.

Niklas, doing free-motion stitching.

A mini sewing room in a messy sewing room.

This week, for the first time, both my children are away in the countryside. Annika (3rd Grade) is with her class for "roughing it out" at a YMCA, near the base of Mt. Fuji. She's coming home late afternoon today - yippee!!

Niklas (5th Grade) & his Japanese-speaking classmate, Raimon, are at a Japanese child's home in the countryside. This is an exchange program where children from the German school stays with families from the Japanese school, & vice-versa. We will see him & hug him to bits, tomorrow!

While missing my kids, I have these to cheer me up whenever I look up from my sewing machine : A pair of lovely Kokeshi dolls carrying satchels, a pretty red porcelain container for pins. This was a present from my kids - the red pinbox, not the pins! I do love the little handbag on the lid. The green thimble of pins help shows the size of these dolls.

Next to these dolls are my very adorable Owls which can be used as pincushions, ornaments or just simply "I-got-to-have-this!" kind of thing. Keeping out the glare are these beige curtains with tiny scissors print.


My favourite is this mini "sewing room" in my sewing room! The little drawers & cabinet doors open like the real things. The cabinet was from Annika's doll-house. See the mini iron & sewing machine?!!! Kawaii !

And here's part of my fabric collection. Yes, part. The rest of my studio is not fit for sight now, since I'm in a frenzy sewing up stuff for a sale this Sunday - just imagine the mess!

I use a hanger for men's ties, to organise ironed fabric straps. Cheap, functional & keeps the straps wrinkle-free while waiting for their turns to be sewed onto aprons.

Kokeshis & Kimonos...

I took part at another mini, mini bazaar organised by Linda, a friend & customer :) at her home.

Takehara-san was also there with his incredible collection of hundreds, maybe thousands of Kokeshi Dolls.

In the 2nd collage, bottom left - these 5 are "Sayonara Dolls" which has a paper scroll around the body, so that people can write farewell messages & then give the doll to the one who's leaving.

Yes, I came home with quite a number!!












My bags were displayed on a wooden stand, normally used for hanging kimonos.

Sold aprons, oven gloves, potholders, & cards made by my kids - hand-stamped with homemade stamps!

Also received my biggest order for 36 placemats, in various colour & fabric combination! Thank you Kristina for this order!



And when you live in Japan, you can see on a daily basis, kimono-clad ladies shopping in the supermarket or in the park or at your local MacDonalds!

Fries kudasai.
Arigatogozaimasu!

The story of Annika, who is 9 today.

Annika was conceived in Vienna, born in Singapore, in 2000. Yes, when you are trying for years...you remember stuff like that! She likes to say "I used to live in Singapore alllll my life, till we moved to Japan".

Her first name came from a Swedish children story in which the main character (Pippi) has a best friend named Annika.

The funny thing is that while growing up, I was reading the exciting adventures of Pippi Longstocking in English while my husband was reading Pippi Langstrumpf in German. That's why Annika is Annika.....well, we couldn't really name her "Pippi"!

When she was 10 months old, she went into a coma. After 15 hours, she woke up & we spent the next few years, observing if she would reached all the milestones - walk, talk, all the normal things. Those were long agonizing years.

We think she is totally normal now! And like Niklas, she started reading at 5 years old. (sorry!...I am a very proud mama!).

Today she turns 9, speaks/reads German, English & learns Japanese in school. Her Chinese is not very good but she wants to learn more in later years.

She likes to craft & cook & sew & draw (just me!). Her birthday presents are : a rag quilt, fancy-edged scissors, sewing book, sewing machine, drawing stuff, more books! Everything perfect for a sweet girl who likes to sew & draw & craft here & there!



Her middle name is also "Xue" & I call her Xiao Xue - "Little Snow".

She also tells people "When I grow up, I want to be like Mama", which makes me emotional but in a good way.

Shen ri kuai le, Xiao Xue!

In this merry month of May ...

Hot out of the studio!!!

I combined my love of sewing, quilts & bags & made this quilted patchwork bag. This is now my latest favourite bag, inspired by someone on the streets of Japan, carrying a similiar bag!

I love it so much....I've started to make 2 more versions!








A 2nd rag quilt for Annika's birthday. It's in her favorite shades of green.

This time, Niklas chipped in, snipping the edges.




This month, we have many things to be happy about.....

1st May : My very wonderful, very traditional Chinese mother who lives in Singapore, celebrated her birthday. She found me when I was 4 days old. Read this post.

3rd May : My husband & I met 18 years ago, in the Australian Consulate in Shanghai, during Happy Hours...and I don't even drink! You can read more in this post.

15th May : Our Annika will be 9 years old. She was born in 2000, Year of the Golden Dragon, in Singapore.

Fun in the sun :
It was Golden Week in Japan (a series of public holidays linked together). We went away to Shimoda in Izu Peninisula, Japan. The children had a great time exploring on the beach. Come back soon to see more pics for this outing!

First quilt !

I have always wanted to make a quilt. Then I look at all those incredible quilts & imagine the intricacies & calculation & precised sewing it would take!!! So I gave up on that lofty dream & settled on this instead - my version of the rag quilt.

A "Rag Quilt" is one with raw edges of seam allowances are exposed & then cut/snip to form a fringe. Last steps consist of washing & tumble drying, till the edges fray for a softer look.A fabulous project for a beginner quilter (that's me!). No detailed mind-boggling patterns to follow, like a traditional quilt. Just squares of different patterns & straight lines to sew.

We love it! Warm earth tones with splashes of red - all Japanese fabrics of course. It helped a lot that the kids were making sandwiches for us while I sew this!

These 2 collages show the working progress. Because of the size & bulk, I sew & snip the 2 halves separately, before finally joining both halves together, to form the complete quilt.

Recently too, I found Gayla from Jubilee Homespun, who makes & sells quilts & patterns for over a decade! After making this, I have greater admiration for her work since she does this professionally. Thank you for the encouragement, kind words & good tips, Gayla!

And if you want to make one but can't stand cutting those squares... Gayla has squares - all cut & bundled up, ready for your own quilt project!

This cosy quilt (about single-sized) now lies folded on the sofa, in the living room, ready to be used for a comfortable nap. Niklas, back from a 4-day camp, couldn't resist doing just that!

Next on the rag quilt agenda, will be a blue-themed one for Niklas & a green one for Annika.

I have painted/made many T-shirts for them, which they can’t wear anymore. I always think that one day if /when I make a quilt, I'll cut up those T-shirts for part of the design. When I'm long gone, they'll have these to remember me by.

row, row, row, your boat...

The Imperial Palace (built in 1888) is right in the heart of Tokyo. Kind of like the Belvedere Castle is located in Central Park, New York except that this is way bigger & more grand.

The Palace consists of beautiful gardens & massive stone walls & of course...moats!

On Easter Sunday, we went to admire the sakura in the gardens of the Imperial Palace. We rented 2 boats to row in the moat. Something which was more difficult than it looks.

Niklas & I took turns. We couldn't get the boat to go straight! Kept going in circles or whatever direction depending on who is rowing since Niklas is left-handed & I, right.

Occasionally, we crashed into the lowbranches of cherry blossoms, that were hanging down into the moat. We now have great admiration for anyone who rows!

Then we strolled through the gardens & rested while the kids hunt for their Easter goodies which we hid in the bushes & trees. More Easter goodies than Easter eggs!

Sadly, the cherry blossoms have almost reached their peaks & most petals were on the ground. We now get "pink snow" whenever ther's a breeze.



From top left & clockwise :

1) A drinking fountain with fallen blooms.
2) Giant dumpling sold by a vendor, along the moat. Really yummy!
3) One of the many various designs of manhole covers in Japan.
4) Sakura designs on iron border, around the trees.






If you are not tired of seeing pics of flowers, here they are!

It was the first time we saw green cherry blossoms. Can you see the white swan on the moat?


Click on any pic for an enlarged view.

Sakura Sakura

Hanami (flower viewing) is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers (hana).

In this case, it is normally refering to the cherry blossoms (sakura). From mid January to early May, sakura bloom all over Japan. It reaches us here in Tokyo, in late March.











Hanami mostly consists of having an outdoor party beneath the sakura during daytime or at night.

Each year, we would go for a nice relaxing walk & bicycle ride, along this beautiful path, which is right in our neighbourhood.












Some dramatic sakuras.
,,,

Good day! G'day!

This has been a good week. First, I sold these 3 items within an hour of uploading on my empty-for-so-long Etsy shop. They will be going to a new owner in France. Thank you, V !

Then today, I woke up to this wonderful post over at Hey Harriet. I find it touching as even though she is so terribly, terribly busy, Tracy kindly compiled this for me & we all know how tedious all those uploading, editing, writing posts can be at times!

You have truly made my day, Tracy. I can't wait to show my kids your post when they get home. They will get a kick out of seeing their names in a fabulous Australian blog!

And heeding your encouragement, there are more stuff like these (lower left pic) on the Etsy shop ... all homemade & handmade by us.

Spring Colours

These past weeks, I've been having spring/hay fever. My eyes are hurting & I've been sneezing my head off! Meanwhile, the cherry blossoms are starting to bloom in Tokyo & soon, I'll be taking hundreds of pics of these blossoms.

These are things we like in spring :
- Annika's new felt purse for school

- Egg-shaped Kokeshi dolls displayed in a restaurant.

- Egg & Chick. A felt-sewing craft with Annika's 3rd Grade class.

- This pair of bunnies "walk" when you squeeze fingers into its legs & make them walk - which you can't tell since I didn't take any pics of the back.

A stamping frenzy!

Yes, we are really going crazy with our homemade stamps! I combined my sewing with this latest craze of ours & ta-dah!.....personalised aprons.

The first one was for Annika who is having fun in her cooking class at school. A mother there saw her apron & ordered one, so here's a custom order for Michael, a super 4th Grader who enjoys cooking.

This is for a friend, whom I hope, will enjoy her colouring set. This "Colours in a Wrap" will be a suitable gift for anyone (young, old, big, small or lopsided!), who loves to get creative anytime, anywhere.

The same beige cotton wrap can also be used for crochet hooks, cutlery, carving knives, brushes, anything...& Willow suggested knitting needles!

If you like anything on my blog, do email me for details. Or check in my Etsy store.

An order & an award

Yippee!
My first custom order for a stamp. This design is for a very talented Etsy photographer & artist & popular blogger, Hey Harriet, of sunny Australia. Say "cheese!".

I carved it with my wonderful carving tools in a cotton wrap, with my own "Xue" stamp (naturally!).

With encouragement from Tracy & MK, I am also making cute stamps of Kokeshi dolls & maybe some other stamps too, for my Etsy store so come back sometime later to check on those ok?

AND...an award from Mel, whose blog I visit because of her ongoing journey with her 2 girls, who came all the way from China to start their new life with Mel & Garry.

This award acknowledges the values that every blogger shows in his/her effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary and personal values every day.

I can't post as regularly as some because life gets in the way at times. I am a mother, I am Chinese & I am quite handy to have around :) so I write about things that is quite normal in our life in Tokyo. our latest "homeland" after 18 years of living overseas.

The best part about blogging is the surprise personal emails that pop up every now & then, & the friendship that follows. Thank you, Mel for this & thank you everyone for visiting.

Cut it up & stamp it out!

It's school holidays for us at the moment. It's also been raining mostly with only a very slight sprinkling of snow.

So with lots of time on our hands, we did this - our latest craze! Handmade stamps & homemade cards.

We made lots of rubber stamps, got lots of little cuts on our hands..... & then made these cards & stickers!

Annika made a lot for her own little "shop". We stamped on cards & bags to sell to anyone out there. Hmmm...I ought to load them onto my Etsy store which has been empty for so long.

If you are interested in handmade cards, totes, postcards, tags - with our hand-stamped designs.....please do email me directly, if I have not gotten around to uploading them on Etsy.

An apron for a little cook

Last week, my daughter joined a cooking class. Last week, we dabbled with home-made stamps.

The result was this apron. The green ice-cream cone was Annika's first stamp & she is so excited with it. We have since made about 50 stamps!

A custom order came about when a mother in school spotted Annika's apron. So now, I have for sale : full aprons for children & half aprons for adults. Do email me directly (see left sidebar) if any of my work interest you.

Home sweet home

After being away, it is always good to come home, especially to this - our beautiful ume (plum) tree in full bloom!

These flowers means spring is really here although on some days, we still need the down jacket!










The plum blossoms (ume) have 5 oval shaped petals. Most range from white to dark pink & have a fantastic fragrance.

The cherry blossoms (sakura) has 5 round petals with a split at the edge.Though looking fantastic, there is no scent.

See, I didn't know these before living in Japan!

So many people, not so many flowers

Hanegi Park in Setagaya, is known for its 700 plum trees, although you can't tell from these photos here.

We saw more people & straw mats than anything else. There was also a trio of old men, renting out mats for your picnic.

By the time we visited this park, most of the blossoms were gone, due to the unusual warm but brief summer temperature. The following days, we were back to wearing jackets - really strange weather!






The walk to & fro our home to Hanegi Park was enjoyable as usual.

There are always eye-catching moments!

Gong Xi Fa Cai ! And a mother on a break . . .

As you read this, I'm in Singapore!

This past Christmas, a present from my sweet family is : one week's holiday & air ticket to Singapore, to spend Chinese New Year with my mother!

My husband is taking this week off from work, to do my "mothering" duties as the children still has school here in Tokyo. Meanwhile I will not drive, clean nor cook for a week! The last time I had a 4 day break was about 7 years ago when the kids were in Kindergarten & Annika was a toddler. Then, it was a 4 days & a ticket for Hongkong & I had missed my family so much, I called my kids 5 times each day!

Annika who has waist-long hair that needs to be tied or plaited on sports & swimming days said "who's going to do my hair?". We told her "you'll just have to get your hair cut!". Ha! Ha! In reality, my husband has been practising on Annika's hair - first, spray some oil to detangle the wavy hair, comb through starting from the ends, comb please & not yank, tie firmly & not loose.

Year of the Ox : 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997.

The Chinese Zodiac Calendar is based on a 12 year cycle. Our Niklas who was born in 1997 will be 12 years old this year. So will Mary Kate's daughter, Emilea, over in Malaysia!

Those born in the Ox years are : reliable, sincere, cool, patient, meticulous, tireless, dedicated, obedient, neat, unpretentious, modest, fond of solitude, faithful, good listener, traditional, systematic in a conventional way. Yep...amazingly, this pretty much describes my son!

Gong Xi Fa Cai! Xin Nian Kuai Le!
Wishing you luck & prosperity! Happy New Year!

How many "hongbaos" did you get?

These "hongbaos" or red packets are every child's delight at this time of the year!

On this 1st day of Chinese New Year, parents give "hongbaos" containing "lucky" money to their children. These are given by married people to unmarried people. We give to my mother too.

On this day, Annika & Niklas greet us in the traditionalway - on their knees, hands clutched closely & greet us, "Gong Xi Fa Cai, Mama & Papa". And then, they will receive their "hongbaos".

The Chinese "hongbaos" are normally red with lucky symbols or Chinese characters. The symbolic giving of the money represents a wish for fortune & wealth in the coming year.

This tradition is derived from the legend of "Nian", a monster that used to terrorise a village. Then, children are given red papers to protect themselves if they ever come into contact with the beast.

I have been stocking up on these pretty Japanese money envelopes as each year, I "supply" these to my mom & sis to use. Somehow our traditional Chinese ones, doesn't look as nice as the colourful Japanese ones.