Paper Crane Shower (折り鶴シャワー)

Do you know the story of the 1,000 origami cranes (千羽鶴)? It's a famous story in Japan about a girl named Sadako Sasaki (佐々木禎子), who tried to stave off her death from leukemia as a result of radiation from the atomic bombing of Hiroshima during the World War II by making 1,000 origami cranes. She folded 644 and died before she could reach her goal, but her classmates went on to fold the remaining 356 cranes in time for her funeral.

Her story of folding paper cranes has resonated around the world as a universal symbol of peace. Cranes also represent a gesture of caring and sympathy. In Japan, many elementary school students learn how to fold paper cranes in school, often before a trip to Hiroshima, and as a class fold 1,000 to bring with them.

I made 100 (but not 1,000) cranes for my friend last weekend. Not because she is hospitalized or anything like that but for her wedding! It's become more and more popular to use paper cranes as wedding decoration here in the states. But do you know about Paper Crane Shower (折り鶴シャワー)? In Japan, the crane is also a symbol of honor and loyalty, so it makes perfect symbol for a wedding. In the past 2 years, it's also become more and more popular for the newlywed in Japan to do Paper Crane Shower (折り鶴シャワー) instead of Flower Shower. I like this idea very much, You can ask your family and friends to make the cranes for you, or with you, it's a good chance to get your family and friends involved and bring them closer. It also save some money, and you can have the cranes in any color you want. M friends told me that little kids also had fun picking up the cranes after the wedding.

A thousand paper cranes is also traditionally given as a wedding gift by the folder, who is wishing a thousand years of happiness and prosperity upon the couple. It can also be gifted to a new baby for long life and good luck. Hanging a Senbazuru (千羽鶴) in one's home is thought to be a powerfully lucky and benevolent charm.

If you are going to have a wedding, maybe you should think about doing this Paper Crane Shower (折り鶴シャワー). You don't have to make 1,000 of them, 2 to 3 hundred will do!

My Baby Shower Invitation!

Oops. Somehow the month of August flew by without many posts. Why? Cause my 8 month pregnant belly doesn't allow me to sit in front of the computer too long. Actually, my big belly doesn't allow me to keep doing anything too long. Here I am at 33 weeks today. It definitely feels like the bump got a lot bigger just in the last 2 weeks. The baby is healthy, and I've just been feeling a little more uncomfortable than before, also a bit more tired and low energy. So far so good, this baby has been treating me pretty well, not much hard time. I'm starting to feel like I'm running out of time to do all the things I want to do before the baby comes, and yet I don't want to be running around just checking things off my list. I'd like to enjoy being pregnant and spend time with J and friends. Actually J and I just got back from Montreal Canada last Sunday, we wandering around town and enjoying some fancy meals. It might be our last trip before the baby comes.

Also, my mother-in-law is throwing me a baby shower this month! Actually, there is no such thing as baby shower in Japan, nor in Taiwan or Korea. We do announcement, but nothing before the baby comes. The invitation is designed by myself. I know it might be a little bit strange to design your own baby shower invitation. But I am a designer and I like to design, so why not design my own baby shower invitation, right? I am happy that I could also apply my Masking Tapes on the invitations!

Please do it at home! (家でやろう!)

I’m not a conservative person (at least, I don’t think I am) but some of the things I see people doing lead me to think that either people’s values are changing for the worse, or that I’m getting old and conservative. What prompts me to write such things? Well, my daily subway train journey has prompted me to write this: loud music from headphones, sitting improperly (taking up too much space), applying make-up, eating and drinking, throw garbage on the platforms, talking loudly, and putting their belongings on the seats next to them..., didn't we ALL learn these things when we were in kindergarten and elementary school? Where are peoples' Manners? Public Decency? and Respect for Those Around You???

Japanese are famous for their manners (マナー). Even big cities in Japan like Tokyo and Osaka have less crime and more general politeness than other large metropolises in the world. There is crime and there are rude people in Japan…but considerably less than in cities overseas.

The high level of politeness in Japan means that the bad manners that one most commonly encounters are things like smoking or eating while walking, putting make-up on while riding the train, music turned up too loud on headphones, not giving up a seat on a train or a bus to the elderly, and using cell-phones near the silver seats (seats for pregnant women, elderly and the disabled) on the train where they’re supposed to be turned off. So, from 2008, Tokyo Metro Subway company started a series of good manners posters shown above.

I don't know if posting posters alone will help (probably not), but I do wish New York City MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) will do something, or at least have some posters like these to remind people to improve their basic manners. I even think the MTA should hire people monitoring our behavior, and by doing so, we can keep the trains, platforms and train stations nice and clean. They do so in Taiwan, they don't even let you chew gum in the stations, and you can see their trains and stations are still very nice and clean after so many years of service.

New in My Store---More Sticky Stick it Markers and Memo Pads

I've been busy adding new stuffs to my store, here are more cute sticky stick it markers and memo pads. I still have more things to add to the store, so please do come back and check again time to time!

New in My Store---A Boxful of Japanese Hand-screened Chiyogami/Yuzen Paper

A Boxful of Japanese Hand-screened Chiyogami/Yuzen Paper---there are 200 pieces assorted Japanese Chiyogami in a beautiful chiyogami box.

The box measured approximately 6.5 x 6.5 x 5.5 cm (about 2.5 x 2.5 x 2.125 inches), and the papers measured approximately 5.8 x5.8 cm (about 2.25 x 2.25 inches).

These beautiful papers are perfect for wedding and party invitations, place cards and thank you cards, scrapbooking, jewelry making, greeting cards, or, use them as little notes, and for any other craft projects. I'm sure you'll think of many more uses! It also makes a perfect gift!

These are Hand Screened Printed in Japan. I have only the blue one and the red one left. Leave me a message to let me know which one you preferred when you place the order. Thanks.

New In My Store---Sticky Stick It Note Pad

{Sunday Cooking}

{Bear}

{Good Fortune Boy}

{Good Fortune Girl with Cat}

{Boy & Bear}

These super cute Sticky Stick It Note Pads are finally added to my store. I have been a big fan of Propeller Studio, they have the cutest designs ever! These little characters and their innocent English make me smile!

If you want to add some to your collections, you can click on my Etsy store on the right hand side, or you can click here.

Teru Teru Bouzu (てるてる坊主)

It’s now summertime and it's currently rainy season (梅雨) in Japan. As usual for this time of year, it’s forecast to rain a lot for the next few days in Japan. It reminds me that my mom used to teach us to make Teru-teru-Bouzu (てるてる坊主) during the rainy season.

Many cultures have ancient rituals for invoking or for stopping the rain, and Japan is no exception. However, Japan is one of the few countries where these rituals are still part of the daily life.

If you visit Japan, especially during the rainy seasons, you can encounter some curious looking dolls, made of paper or cloth, hanging at the windows. The dolls are called Teru-teru-Bouzu (てるてる坊主); meaning shiny-shiny monk or shiny-shiny bald-headed; and are amulets for good weather, believed to have the magical power to stop or prevent the rain.

The tradition includes also a song associated with teru teru bozu, composed by Shinpei Nakayama (中山晋平), published in 1921.

1.てるてる坊主　てる坊主♪ 明日　天気にしておくれ いつかの夢の　空の様に 晴れたら　金の鈴　あげよ

Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu, do make tomorrow a sunny day. If you do make the sun shine, I will give you the golden bell.

2.てるてる坊主　てる坊主♪ 明日　天気にしておくれ 私の願いを　聞いたなら 甘いお酒も　たんと飲ましょ

Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu, do make tomorrow a sunny day. If you made my wish come true, I will drink the sweet sake with you.

3.てるてる坊主　てる坊主♪ 明日　天気にしておくれ それでも曇って　泣いてたら そなたの首を　チョンと切るぞ

Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu, do make tomorrow a sunny day. But if the clouds cry (it’s raining), then I shall snip your head off.

Because it sounds very cruel to snip your head off, current broadcast is often cut out the 3rd part.

In some area, people put the Teru-teru-Bouzu upside down in order to wish for rain. It's called Rute-rute-Bouzu(るてるて坊主), Fure-fure-Bouzu(ふれふれ坊主), or Ame-ame-Bouzu(あめあめ坊主).

Alice in the wonderland

{Alice's Tag Set C}

{Alice's Tag Set B}

{Alice's Tag Set A}

How amazing are these? Letter pressed and die-cut Ornaments/Tags inspired by Alice in the wonderland. Ready to hang on a tree or use as gift tags, as well as bookmarks. Printed on super thick coaster stock. These are designed by katazome artist (型染め作家) Mihoko Seki (関美穂子).

Katazome (型染め) is a Japanese method of dyeing fabrics using a resist paste applied through a stencil. With this kind of resist dyeing, a rice flour mixture is applied using a brush or a palette knife. Pigment is added by hand-painting, immersion or both. Where the paste mixture covers and permeates the cloth, dye applied later will not penetrate. As with many everyday crafts of Japan it developed into a respected art form of its own. Nowadays the stencils are sometimes sold as artworks, attached to hand fans, or used to decorate screens and doors in Japanese rooms.

If you like Japanese Masking Tapes, the chance is that you probably already familiar with her works.

{ Masking Tapes Designed by Mihoko Seki}

{ Stickers Designed by Mihoko Seki}

If you are interested, please click links above.

Vintage Sanrio Postcards (ビンテージ サンリオ ポストカード)

I collect postcards. All kinds. I was trying to re-arrange my postcards yesterday and I found some duplicated sets. I am not sure whether should I call these vintage, but I bought these about 25 years ago, it's nostalgic at least. Can't find these anymore, I think. If you are interested, you can check here.