catching up a bit

I’ve had a difficult time coming up with blog topics lately. Sales in the Etsy shop have been brisk, and I’m only just starting to restock this week. New vintage items are being listing in time for Halloween, and I am back to bundling vintage kimono silk scraps for your holiday projects. To those waiting…

Hinagata doll kimono kits

After four years, numerous prototypes and much procrastination, I have finally finished a basic kit for hinagata (“miniature”) kimono. When I set out to complete a kit myself and document each step, I found it easier than I remembered to sew everything together! Maybe the fabric choice made a difference. Previously I’ve used vintage kimono…

creative people are everywhere

You amaze me. You really do. All those crazy, wonderful, beautiful projects you create out of just about anything. And if you made something special out of materials from my shop or somehow include me in your creation, then you are definitely special in my book. Barb’s Blue Willow Apron is one of those special…

And the verdict is…

Cut, by a vote of 7 to 3. Thanks all for participating in the mini poll! The winner of the fabric pack is Lauren of ABC Rags. Congratulations, Lauren, let me know where you’d like me to send your fabrics and they will be on their way post haste. It’s been a year or so…

Challenged

Earlier today a friend challenged me to stock a specific number of items in my shop by 2 a.m. (it’s after midnight as I write this). Occasionally I get stuck in a rut and crawl into a corner with a book and a pot of tea, getting absolutely nothing done for days on end. This…

hot ‘n spicy

It was 100 F in the shade today, but I braved the sun and took a few dozen photos of new items before hunting down a cold cup of tea and a cozy tile floor to lay down on while spraying myself with Tumalo Lavender water. Only two new items listed so far: new kimono…

July sale… purses and more purses!

Purses… This month’s special sale category in my shop is obi bags. All purses, clutches and messenger bags are marked 25% off through the month of July. Need a new bag for the fall? Now’s your chance to score one of my sturdy messenger bags for a great price. And more purses… The lovely Kaz…

June sale now up

The special for this month is 15% off all Japanese yukata cotton yardage. I have a few bolts that are down to just one or two meter-long panels and I’d like to see them find good crafty homes.

Must be a change in the weather…

It is definitely starting to look like summer in San Francisco. For those of you not acquainted with Mark Twain’s famous adage, “the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco,” let me tell you now just how true it is. Our typically mild winter was followed by a brief, hot spring…

At last! New sashiko items in stock

I’m trying not to crash both of my computers right now with photo uploads and listing new items, but all the new sashiko thread colors, kits and books should be up in the Etsy shop within the next 36 hours. If you’ve never tried sashiko, now is a great time!  The sashiko items I carry…

March updates

Sorry for the long absence, our internet connection was iffy due to a slowly dying wireless router, which has now been usurped. I replaced our old, UFO-shaped Apple AirPort with a newer model (AirPort Extreme) and feel pretty pleased with its performance so far. No more dropped connections or endless spinning wheels of doom whilst…

Kimono fabric packs now in store

Finally! After all the sorting, ironing, bundling, photographing and editing (not to mention endless mugs of tea), I’m listing those long-promised kimono fabric bundles in the Etsy shop. I’ve started with a Baker’s Dozen, thirteen pieces of vintage kimono silk fabric that would be great for crafting, collage, scrapbooking, doll making and other projects. More…