Phonetikana (カタカナフォント-フォネチカナ)

{characters from the phonetikana typeface}

{UNIQLO in japanese is pronounced 'yoo nee koo roh'
above are the four characters in phonetikana.}

{Big Apple}

{Doki Doki-Japanese for the ‘sound of my beating heart’}

Driven by trips to Japan and continual frustration at being unable to read the language, Michael Johnson and his team at johnson banks have been trying to design a Katakana typeface (カタカナフォント) that has English phonetic sounds embedded: phonetikana. I think it's an interesting idea. Now my husband can pronounce something even though he already forgot all the Katakana he'd learned...

Eco Shopping Bags (エコーショッピングバッグ)

{images via concierge-net.com}

Eco Shopping Bag is a big boom in Japan and Taiwan. Everybody has at least one since most of the supermarkets and stores don't provide plastic bags anymore. Of course they still prepare some, just in case you forgot your bag. But you have to pay for the plastic bags.

I just love these shopping bags, so many different designs, so much fun!

Pumpkin Patch (パンプキンパッチ)

{This scarecrow looks SCARY!}

{We found this in the corner of a stone wall...spooky.}

I love the fall in NY, it's my favorite season. I love the summer too, but usually it's too hot, so I prefer autumn. The temperature is cooling down, the weather is sunny and nice, the leaves are turning colors... On top of it all, there is Halloween! I love Halloween, not for the candies, but for the happy spirits wandering the streets, and the decorations, that are supposed to be spooky scary but are actually stinking cute! I especially love the pumpkins! Their colors look so warm and happy!

Since I've never seen a pumpkin field, J took me to Connecticut to see a pumpkin patch! This is my first time to see so many pumpkins all at once, all kind of sizes and colors, I think I was the most excited one there, happier than any of the little kids there!

A Lovely Address File (愛しいアドレスファイール)

I am now the lucky owner of an original Lovely Design address file. This is the first time I won something from a random selection, FIRST TIME! There was a time I already gave up on receiving this item in that it took more than a month to arrive after Sharilyn told me she sent it out; I thought it was lost in the mail. Anyway, now I am happy. It sits on my desk, it's so pretty, colorful and paper-full. It was definitely worth the wait. I almost don't want to touch it. I just love to look at them. I really like the fact that each one is made by hand with found papers. I will have to figure out a way to input our contact without letting my handwritting ruin it.