Merry Christmas 2014

I know, it's January. However, I've had a ton of emails from the Christmas home tour asking how I decorate my Christmas trees. I didn't take any pictures of the process when I was putting UP all the trees, but I did take some last week when I was taking them DOWN...so I just reversed the process.

From what I understand, this isn’t “real” snow. Although there are persistent rumors that Disney imports real snow from the Swiss Alps, this is actually imitation snow, but it sure does look real. Children and adults alike watch in amazement as snow falls on dry pavement in Florida. This is really a special sight, and between this, the wonderful music, and the decorations, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party really does have that Christmas feeling!

This is an absolutely awesome parade. Most people I know prefer the Boo to You parade over it, but I think I’m in the minority who prefers Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade. It has marching toy soldiers, dancing reindeer and gingerbread men, and ever the big man himself, Ole Saint Nick! The floats are cool, Chip & Dale are mischievous, and Mickey & Minnie are dressed in their holiday finery. I will admit that I have a soft spot for anything related to Christmas, but c’mon, how could you not love this parade?!

This year, Ralph and Vanellope from “Wreck-It Ralph” are new to the parade, as are the procession of visitors from Arendelle with Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and Olaf from “Frozen” making their first appearance in Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade.

As far as touring goes, the second parade is usually less crowded, but we always like to watch both showings of the parade, as it’s really that good. If you watch the second showing and really enjoy it, you can’t go back in time and watch the first, so you may want to consider watching the first if you think you might want to see it twice. If you know seeing it once will be sufficient, definitely skip the first showing in favor of the second.

A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas is cute, and Stitch is not super annoying in it (actually, he’s cute and endearing), but it is no Twas. Not even close. Without regard to the ‘Twas’ show that no one can see now anyway, A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas is pretty fun. I had some of the songs stuck in my head afterwards, and the performers were fun. Make sure you at least give it a chance. We now make a point of watching A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas at least once per year.

Celebrate the Season is a really fun show, although the story is not the greatest. The main attraction here is seeing all of the characters, dressed up in interesting costumes, acting oddly, and dancing. I don’t really think the story is even of paramount importance to enjoying the show, as it’s really fun to just watch the characters play dress-up in the Christmas setting.

One of the highlights of the night is the fireworks show, Holiday Wishes. Holiday Wishes is amazing in its ability to thematically incorporate fireworks so they fit not only the name of the show, but more importantly, with the accompanying song lyrics. For those who have seen Holiday Wishes, who among you, when you first heard and saw the “O Christmas Tree” portion of the show didn’t melt a little inside? While the fireworks play an important role, the lyrics truly deserve more than just a passing mention.

Scotland

Our Man isn’t sure whether he has any right to offer an opinion about Scotland, having no vote, being English and living on the other side of the world. 

But that hasn’t stopped him before. Or David Beckham, who’s equally unqualified from offering his insights either, telling Scots that he saw their passion on the football pitch (er, playing against England) and therefore the two countries are better working together, because, er, they have more in common than they have apart. Like ying and yang, Laurel and Hardy, Posh and Sporty, yeast and sugar. You know. Or something.

But.

While faffing about sketching and colouring a shot of a Victorian London doorway he took on his last trip back to Blighty, Our Man was struck by how odd a concept Britain and the United Kingdom is. We don’t even know what to call our country. UK? Britain? England? I suspect it’s something to do with empire and all that. I mean, Victoria even called herself Empress of India. Slightly un-PC, eh Vicky? 

Well, it’s over. And if Scotland leaves, the union will be dissolved, the marriage of two unequals will be left to history. 

And maybe it’s about time. If not on Thursday, then someday soon. The arguments about currency and jobs and all that are secondary. Independence is its own reward. 

And if you accuse Our Man of being superficial and not really knowing the issues, the split loyalties of Celtic and Rangers fans, of first footing and, er,  kilts… you’d be absolutely right. I mean, Scotland’s like a whole other country, right? 

Right.

 This here is Our Man’s first ever water colour. It’s a house, round the corner, whose shutters are always shut, gate is always rusty, and has had less paint slapped on it in 30 years than Our Man has used in the last 30 minutes. Our Man realises he can’t do much detailed work in water colour which, given his poor attention span and lack of patience, is just fine with him anyway. Will try to do some more of these.

Halloween

Halloween was so much fun for me this year. The kids had the day off from school, so we hung out all day together. We went to my pre-op visit since I'll be having minor surgery next week. Then we went to Wal-Mart to do some shopping to get ready for Halloween. We were there forever. It was so crowded with people. A lot were dressed up, which was kind of fun for the kids. Then, we went home and they all helped me carry in the groceries while I put them away. They're such wonderful little helpers. Here are their pumpkins they used this year.

 The kids were so excited to go Trick-Or-Treating and it made me excited for them. I seriously love having children. They bring me so much joy and happiness. This year Chase was Batman, Ty was Bumblebee from Transformers, Gracie was a cat, and Anna was a Lady Bug.

sneak peek

Hi everyone, it has been way too long since I have blogged. 

I truly must try to not leave it so long to post......

 I thought I would show you a little sneak peek of a recent project I have designed for Country Threads magazine. I have used watercolour pencils to colour the design. It was so much fun! I will show you the project when it is published....  :)

Today I've been playing with coloured pencils in the studio. These ones are watercolour pencils, just colour in first, then with a little paintbrush dipped in water (with a little fabric medium mixed in), they magically turn into paint - lots of fun.

Here is a peek at what I am working on at the moment.
This new stitchery - a downloadable PDF pattern, will be available in my Etsy shop soon.

Now to get out all of my embroidery cottons and start stitching!
Have a wonderful day!
Cheerio, 

When it’s Not Easy

Love. Lately I haven’t been able to get this subject off of my mind. I have been overwhelmed with the realization of how great God’s love is for us, his children. And likewise, I have been filled with a desire to truly love like He does.
I’ve always thought that I’ve been pretty good at loving others, even people who I don’t know. If there is one thing that I feel like I am gifted at, it is loving people. I don’t say this in a prideful way, I have never been perfect at it by any means, but I recognize it as one of my strengths. I know the 5 Love Languages like the back of my hand, and I am almost fluent in all of them (I blame my parents for this). I find great joy in making other people feel loved.
But lately, God has been challenging me in this even more.

It is pretty easy to love most people. But throughout my life, there have been a few who I must say, have been more difficult. I’m sure you can relate. That person who rejects you, who says mean things about you, who hurts you and those close to you, who doesn’t love you in return, and who may straight up bully or persecute you. Those people…are a little harder to love. Sometimes it feels near impossible.
But we still need to love them. Here’s why…

“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

If we truly love God, we must love other people…all people. When this passage says “brother,” it’s not just talking about the brother in our immediate family…it’s talking about all people. Even the mean ones.
When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, here’s what he said:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

As followers of Christ, loving other people is not optional. We cannot be true followers of Jesus if we do not love other people, and we cannot pick and choose which people we are going to love. We are called to love ALL people, as Christ loves us.
Now, it can be rather easy to just say that we love someone (we sometimes use that as a quick fix, “I forgive them! I love them!”), but it’s quite a different story to show it and truly love them in our hearts. In the end, it doesn’t really matter if we say we love someone…what matters is our actions and the content of our hearts.

“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” 

Let’s make it a priority to show the truth of our love by our actions. This is the only way the world will know that we are true disciples of Jesus.

Blink

Summertime, and the livin' is easy.... 

perhaps, but northerners tend to go into high speed during the short season of warmth.  The garden, even it it's small, takes high priority - it won't be there to enjoy for much longer now. Already the days are noticeably shorter, and the nights so much longer, darker, and cooler.

Spring and summer are the best time to open windows and get painting done - it won't be long before the windows are all closed against the cold wind.  Three of the four rooms at Miramichi House are now repainted, with new area rugs, arm chairs and writing desks.

Summer is also the favored time for weddings.  These 'quillows' are now happily residing in the home of my niece and her husband.  For those who haven't come across them before, quillows are small   quilts that fold up into a self-pocket, becoming......

 

Pillows!

So much easier to wash than a throw cushion, and so cozy to cuddle up under to watch a movie or read a book.

This one is a baby quilt, for the newborn son of a young man I've known since he was just a lad.... he's now my carpenter at Miramichi House - he's just completed the stairs to the attic... more on that another time.

And there's the landscaping yet to do, dog walking that never loses its urgency,  visitation of elders in hospital, wedding gigs and preparations for the looming long dark. 

It's all just a blur, really.

....and there are 5 turtles who've been put on hold....  Back soon to write the last installment of their story.

First time ever

This year, for the first time ever, we attempted letting the kids stay up with us. It was so great, letting them do whatever they wanted, with no looming bedtime threat (but always the possibility). We had a late dinner of lobster rolls and chips. With plain pasta, for those deciding lobster wasn't their thing. (Jackie and Landon.) (Plain pasta is always Jackie's thing.) Then we played games and danced and colored New Year's coloring sheets and watched crazy parties on TV till midnight (11pm...shhhh), when we watched to ball drop in New York City!

Stewart

We had a slow start decorating for Christmas this year. Going out of town for a late Thanksgiving and getting sick doesn't work well with Christmas prep. But I think it put me in a super GET IT DONE mood. Because I did. Get it done. Mostly. Cards, decor, shopping.

 Jacqueline and I made an Advent chain!

 Red Rudolph Day in Kindergarten

 The kids are lit.

I had help with the garland! 

(And I am LEAVING it!)

My little Martha Stewart.

The Walk of Life

Looking at the science of the ceiling fan, I imagined how life can be at such pace. Everything seems too simple but it is the simplicity that makes it complicated.
How far have you walk your life?
A question to be asked and to be answered.
Back then, a child was born to this world. Then, the child grew to become a fine young teenager. Perhaps not as fine as we perceive the child would be; it is a matter of time before the child became polluted with the sins of the society. How nasty! Perhaps again, the child was blessed to become a scholar. Perhaps, not meant to be a scholar but a business figure. Perhaps the worst it can be, the child in the teenage life grew to become parents.
This is the walk of life.
Never meant to be too easy and never meant to be too hard.
What life brings to us, is something memorable, worth treasuring. But to some extent, it does not always taste sweet.
Balance must exists.
Life is not too cruel but it can be horrible. It does not take much to wound a person's heart. Again. It does not take much to even grab a pinch of salt and rub it on the wound. Here we are living in a selfish world, filled with fake smiles and faces, with sinister intentions and with self-fulfilling goals and prophecy.
This is the walk of life.
Trying too hard and you will end up being a jerk. Giving up and you will end up being given a second chance. What logic is behind? Perhaps the world has much to learn, but we have much to learn from life.
This is the walk of life.
Treasure the moment. Treasure your life and the soul you are meant to be.

You find your dream

"Climb every mountain, search high and low
Follow every byway, every path you know.
Climb every mountain, ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow, 'til you find your dream"!

We've all been encouraged, by someone, to go out and live our dreams. Our dreams, themselves, have even been personally calling us for many years but we have not taken the call.

Most of us may have even looked at the caller Id and decided not to
answer. There's also a percentage of us that hide behind
excuses, like -- "I don't know what my calling is" or "I
don't have a dream." Those excuses have merely kept us in
the bleachers of life, refusing to come onto the playing
field.

As a wise man once said "Excuses are the tools of the
incompetent, used to build bridges that go absolutely
nowhere." The simple truth of the matter is that most people
have allowed fear to paralyze their dreams and goals.

Well no need to worry... your dreams are STILL calling you and
they're orchestrating certain events in your lives,
specifically designed to get your full attention!

So often, we are visited by concepts and insights, for witty
inventions and ideas, which we never act on. Another wise man once
said, "Procrastination is a thief and you must evict it out
of your life, before it becomes a murderer!"

Procrastination, if given enough time, will become a
murderer of all the dreams, ideas, and greatness on the
inside of you.

Make a decision, today, to remove all excuses and accept the
calling on your life. Uncover what it is you love to do so much,
that you'd do it for free. Once you've figured that out, do it so
well that people will want to pay you for it! Choose, this day, to
longer accept mediocrity.

Give life and breath to all the talents, dreams, and
potential that lay dormant inside you - because the world is
waiting for your book, your song, your dance, your
composition. The world is waiting for your unique and
special gift!

Follow every river...till you find your dream.

POOR WE ARE

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live.
They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.On their return from the trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”“It was great, Dad”.
“Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked.
“Oh yes”, said the son.“So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.
The son answered:“I saw that we have one dog and they had four.“We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden and they have a creek that has no end.“We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.
“Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.“We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.
“We buy our food, but they grow theirs.“We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.”
The boy’s father was speechless. Then his son added:“Thanks, Dad for showing me how poor we are.”

THE PRECIOUS STONE

A wise woman who was travelling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream.
The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation.

The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime.
But, a few days later, he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.“I’ve been thinking,” he said. “I know how valuable this stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious.
"Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me this stone ."

A BEAUTIFUL

A little boy went to a telephone booth which was at the cash counter of a
store and dialed a number.
The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation:


Boy : "Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn?
Woman : (at the other end of the phone line) "I already have
someone to cut my lawn."
Boy : "Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price than the
person who cuts your lawn now."
Woman : I'm very satisfied with the person who is presently cutting
my lawn.
Boy : (with more perseverance) "Lady, I'll even sweep the
floor and the stairs of your house for free.
Woman : No, thank you.


With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver. The
store-owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy.


Store Owner : "Son... I like your attitude; I like that positive
spirit and would like to offer you a job."
Boy : "No thanks,
Store Owner : But you were really pleading for one.
Boy : No Sir, I was just checking my performance at
the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady I was
talking to!" 


This is called


"Self Appraisal"

Fat Bike

I am really looking forward to pedaling hard on this beauty while making WOLF tracks through the woods!
Some highlights:

• 9Zero7 Whiteout Frame.. all things considered, this is the best fat bike in the world.
• Wolf Tooth Components Rings (and cogs) of various types for testing purposes (X9, e13, RF Next SL)
• XTR Drivetrain and Brakes (yes Shimano Brakes in the cold)
• Hed Yo Mamma Fat Bike rims

In speed mode, it is 23lbs or just a little under, with full fat traction as pictured it is 24.25 lbs.  Dang, I remember when my Pug had weighed 37lbs and we only  had Endomorph tires to ride on!

Dead Road

When I first heard the phrase, I knew what they meant by it exactly. Still, it surprised me that this existed as a phenomenon acknowledged by other cyclists. I mean, it seemed like the sort of concept that would thrive within my own imagination, only to be met with skeptism by others. But now here they were, throwing the words around on a group ride.

A "dead road." What an evocative term. And while it never occurred to me to describe the sensation with those exact words, now that I heard them I recognised what they referred to instantly.

A dead road is not just a road that involves a long climb at a grade that never quite lets you get into a good rhythm. And it is not just a road where the surface resists the tire's progress with a dull tacky stubbornness. It is more than merely a road unfortunate enough to be on the wrong side of the mountain, where the sun hardly shines and where there is always a mild, but annoying headwind in the direction of the ascent. While all of these factors may well be present, a dead road is more than the sum of its parts. It is like a twilight zone, upon entering which the cyclist grows aware of a disconcerting sensation where their bicycle - normally so fast and responsive - feels utterly lifeless. Where their tires feel as if they stick to the road and they just aren't getting out of the bike what they put in.

You might say that a dead road is the geographic equivalent of a bicycle that does not "plane." After all, if a bike can be responsive or non-responsive, why not a road?

Possibly the concept of a dead road is local to the UK and Ireland, as I've never heard cyclists use it in the US. But perhaps I just hadn't ridden with those over there who use it.

I was reminded of all this as I cycled along a dead road on this morning's ride, counting the minutes until it would be over. Turning the corner onto a road that was distinctly alive, I continued to climb yet felt distinctly untethered. It was a wonderful sensation. And it would have been impossible without the sensation that preceded it. So maybe the dead roads are nice after all, as they heighten our enjoyment of live ones.

The Winter Road Bike

Last week I posted a photo showing a cycling club out for a Sunday morning spin in Northern Ireland. The photo soon received a comment noting the lack of fenders on what looked to be a sloppy winter day. Others have asked about this as well when I've put up similar pictures, expressing surprise that there does not seem to be a switch from summer to winter equipment among cyclists around these parts.

It's funny, because I think there is this idea in the US that roadies in the Green and Pleasant Land and the Emerald Isle possess not only a certain grit and toughness when it comes to riding in bad weather, not only an innate elegance of handling skill, but also an old-school wisdom with regard to equipment. A wisdom that, among other things, manifests itself in the ritualistic and compulsory donning of mudguards once winter sets in. So what's with all these fenderless roadies?

Well, here is one narrative, as related to me by numerous locals: The road cycling culture in Northern Ireland is in a state of flux, with a mushrooming in the numbers of new riders entering the scene over the past several years. Unlike previous generations, these new riders are not initiated into the sport by local mentors in a way that preserves the continuity of local history and traditions. Rather, they enter into it with attitudes that come from magazines, forums, blogs, and the like, which often comes to override long-held local practices. And because the newcomers' numbers are high, an interesting thing happens when they mix with the old guard: They end up influencing them more so than the other way around - until, one by one, even experienced cyclists are starting to drop the old-school trappings.

Nowhere is this trend more apparent than in the demise of what was once known as the winter road bike. In the old days (which I understand to be some time prior to 2005), one did not ride their good road bike year-round. Some time in the end of September, that bike would be put away and out would come the winter bike. Now, while there is no single definition of what that bike should be like, the general idea was two-fold: First, the winter bike should be both crappier and more robust than one's good road bike, due to the greater risk of damage by the elements as well as aggressive road saltings in winter. And second, it should be optimised for poor weather conditions. As far as frame material, this usually meant either heavy steel tubing or aluminum. And as far as components, this translated to either building the bike up as a fixed gear, or using an older, retired component group. Heavier, cheaper wheels with wider tires went on the bike in leu of summer's good wheels with skinny tires. And fenders (aka mudguards) were a must. In fact, up to a few years ago, I am told, a cyclist would be turned away from a club ride were they to show up without them.

Today I still see traditional winter road bikes ridden by friends with old-school habits, and occasionally I will spot an unknown one out and about. But they are more or less extinct from local club rides, as far as I can tell: Most local roadies will now ride the same bike year-round. And my feeling is, this is based on more than a willful ignorance of tradition or a carelessness toward nice equipment. One could argue that typical modern road racing bikes - high in carbon and aluminum content - are inherently more winter-friendly than their predecessors, eliminating the need for a dedicated winter bike. Speaking from limited personal experience, this is now my third winter riding a titanium bike with racing wheels, skinny tires, and lightweight aluminum and carbon components. In the beginning I kept my old roadbike - a 1970s steel frame with older components and wheels - as a bad weather substitute. But I eventually passed it on to another cyclist, as it became clear that in practice I preferred to ride my nice new bike in all weather conditions. Despite the all-season usage, I see very little wear on my road bike today, and none that I can specifically attribute to winter conditions.

But what of the issue of fenders? There are fenders on the market now that can be fitted even on the raciest of bikes with the tightest of clearances, and then removed and fitted again at will, with fairly little commitment. So why do riders shun them, even on group rides - despite mud in their faces and wet behinds? Well, I don't know the answer to that. But I suspect it's largely a matter of disliking unnecessary complexity (the definition of unnecessary being rider-specific, of course). And I suspect there is also a huge stylistic element to it. As fenders go in and out of fashion, this changes individual and group perceptions of how necessary they are. In the US, the fashion for fenders is now on an upswing, and I am sure it will come back around here as well. Me, I'll fit my road bike with fenders sometimes, but prefer not to - and mostly don't when I ride alone - for the simple reason that I am not sufficiently bothered by the consequences of being without them.

And so, befitting of my newcomer status, overall my winter road bike looks exactly the same as my summer road bike - save for an extra caking of crud, which, on occasion, I will wash off with a hose. The idea of a dedicated winter bike does have a romantic appeal to it - if for no other reason than as a ritualistic marking of the changing seasons. But in practice I don't feel the need for it. If my "good" bike is durable enough to ride year-round and if I enjoy it, then why not do exactly that …assuming, of course, that the roads are not covered in snow.

Do you have a dedicated winter road bike? How does it differ from the one you ride in warmer months?

Sleeping

hello,
how are you?
december is here, my favorite month of the year.

i ve been cleaning up around the house.
in japan, we do major cleaning end of the year to have a fresh start in new year.
since im not good at cleaning, it takes time coz i take a break every 20miniuts....

i bought beautiful wool fabrics the other day, its soft and airy so i decided to make a new bedding for myself. the fabric has 2 layers but very light and soft on skin too.
i used the wool on front and cotton sheets on back.
duvet cover is easy to make, and sleeping in new bedding is sweet!

i cant wait to sleep tonight! or i take nap. :p

have wonderful holidays!

hayama art festival

hayama art festival has started yesterday!

it's a unique festival that local artists, shops are opening up their place to public doing exhibit, workshop, music shows, selling thier goods and etc...

im doing workshop and open little patapri shop in my living room.

4 kids and their moms came for screen printing workshop, and i had so much fun printing together!

Sleeping

hello!

how are you doing?

hayama art festival finished last sunday.

thank you all for coming to my open studio and workshop.

total of more than 60 people had their first or second time ( some came last year too) screen printing experience and they went home with smile and cute cotton bags!

in japan, there are not many screen printing classes available. even in tokyo.

years ago, when i was in japan, i tried to search the printing class, but they are either for pro or so expensive.

so when i went to chicago, i was happy to find out that there are classes available for everybody.

screen printing is so simple and fun! i want many people to enjoy them!

im thinking about doing workshop on regular bases.  that would be fun.

early this week, i was tired from the festival. i chilled and relaxed which im good at it. 

then on wednesday, i had urge to want to make something.

so i made the duvet cover and pillow cases.

i didnt print this time, i had many pattern prints in my bedroom( wall and curtains), so i wanted it to be more  quiet design.

i just sew straight ( not so straight ) line over and over and foreverrrrr using #20 threads which is for jeans , very thick threads. 

i had made the duvet cover using same fabrics i use for baby blanket, but none for my self. this 4 layered gauze fabric is so nice! its so light and soft, perfect for summer. i loved the texture. i used same fabric on back side too.

its tedious work to just sew straight line again and again, my motivation was to imagine sleeping in them, and that kept me going. haha

i love how it turned out, and i slept in it last night and was heavenly!

i want to make this one again and sell because i think many would love this duvet cover but i dont have energy to sew that much again at one time.

i will make duvet cover using this fabrics with my print on it.

hopefully soon!