Happy 12th Birthday...

to my little guy who is not so little...I guess....sniff-sniff!



We celebrated at his favorite restaurant, DARUMA. The people there are so nice and makes the boys feel special. The special dessert of the day are "TO DIE FOR!!" So good!

So happy birthday, Hiro-kun! xoxoxo

TaDa Technique #2 @ TaDa Creative Studios!

This Tuesday is my turn to show something cool...well, being Japanese, people automatically think we know ORIGAMI like the back of our hands...NOT! LOL!!

It's not like ORIGAMI but it is playing with paper! I'm showing a flat pleating technique that I enjoy using on my layouts. So I'm sharing that addiction on TaDa Creative Studio's blog HERE. I hope you stop by and let me know what you think :0)

In the meantime, I'll post the layout that I did for this technique...

See the flat pleat under the green flower? Really like how it worked with the layout :0)

This picture was taken in the fall when we visited Anderson Japanese Garden in Rockford IL. If you lived nearby, you should take a stroll and enjoy its beauty...a lot to see!

BIG HUGE TOOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so so excited to share that I have been interviewed in a Japanese scrapbooking magazine ("Love My Memories"/nickname: "LoveMemo")!!!!

I met the editor Emi Kume at the last Craft & Hobby Assoc. (CHA) trade show this past summer in Chicago. Actually we knew each other beforehand through a few emails. She has an online store that one of my Japanese scrapbooking students told me about a few years ago when I lived in the NY/NJ area. SO I have known Emi-san for years! LOL!! Right, Emi? Heehee... Anyways, she is a TERRIFIC person and I am SO HAPPY to FINALLY MEET HER FACE-TO-FACE!!!

Anyway, a few weeks later she asked if I would like to be involved with an article covering design teams..how they work, how to apply and what the job entails. I gave her information about my job as a design team member for TaDa Creative Studios and sent samples of my work with TaDa.

So thank you, Emi, for letting me a part of your FABULOUS MAGAZINE!! As I told her, "LoveMemo" is my Japanese textbook! LOL!! It's the only thing that will motivate me to read ANYTHING Japanese....sorry, mom!

Also for my scrapping friends in Japan, "LoveMemo" is having its first design team (scrappers in Japan only) so if you are interested, GO FOR IT!! Details are in the magazine.

Thinking sunny days....

OK...the place is covered with snow again...not happy. I know it's winter but haven't you heard of cold bright days?! LOL!!!


So I'm not feeling sunny right now due to the weather so I'm fixing it and thinking RED! LOL!! I have a Valentine's Day card class ($15)being offered at Frozen Memories so I thought I'd let you know too. So if you live or visit the Chicago area this month, these are the dates & times for it:


Saturday, January 10th (10:30am to 12:30pm)
Tuesday, January 20th (10:30am to 12:30pm)
Thursday, January 30th (10:30am to 12:30pm)


Guess it would be helpful for a picture....





Nice & colorful and not white like the stuff outside today - YUK!

Happy (belated) New Year!!

Late as usual but hey, better late than never, right?!

Most of you know that hubby is in Japan helping out the Temple with new years services and ceremonies...he'll be back at the end of the week and the house will be back to normal! Let just say the house is a little too quiet...yes, even with two boys in the house, we now know who is the biggest noise-maker! LOL!!!

On new years day, a Japanese family typically celebrates with various dishes (OSECHI RYORI) in these stacked boxes - aren't they beautiful?! These dishes are made so they last for days (no frig in the "old days & all the shops were closed for a few days to celebrate new years). Each dish has a meaning (don't ask, I don't know them so I will have to google search and come back to you on those...).

Here's a picture I took of the box (can you believe we had one?!) while we were preparing the rest like handrolled sushi (more like my friends...they came over to teach me a little...LOL!!)...sorry it looks so bare.


It was nice to have friends over with their families to bring in 2009 together!

I hope that everyone has a wonderful and even better year...it was tough last year with the economy and all but we must be positive and move on!




So happy new year!!!

Edited to add some links to better explain the meaning behind each OSECHI dish HERE & HERE.

Christmas 2008...

OK...just for you, Renee! I will post what we got for Christmas! LOL!!

Here goes...

Taka....

A bunch of law enforcement-related books-he "thinks" he wants to get into that field..first it was police, then SWAT and now FBI..oh, wait...back to SWAT? OY! These are from Hiro.

An iTune gift card from Santa..already used up in 20 mins!

A cell phone from parents since it's FREE and on family plan.

LL Bean winter coat from his uncle because he doesn't have a decent one!

$$ from various "sources" (aka relatives) due to birthday & holidays.

Lots of sleep-ins! LOL!!

Hiro...

A bunch of word search books from Taka

A board game from Santa

A cell phone from parents...now I'll know where he is!

An American Eagle jacket from his uncle

$$ from same source & same reason

Computer time & many sleepovers with friend.

Hosho...

A coin bank from Santa...now he can stop harrasing the bank teller with all those coins!

LL Bean winter coat...otherwise Taka will not have a winter coat! LOL!! He was eyeing Taka's coat...actually it's nice one...the Weather Channel guys use them...it's light but it keeps you warm & dry...a pretty good investment!

Margie...

A HUGE box full of Maya Roads goodies from Santa, of course 'cuz he understands me! LOL!! And it's the only surprise for Christmas! LOL!!

A Slanket...one of those HUGE throws w/ sleeves...which btw took me the next day to use because everyone else had it the entire Christmas Day....I will not name names but...

Need I say more?! LOL!!

It was a very peaceful Christmas...spending time with family :0)

And not outside where we've had snow for at least a month now...so we had our White Christmas and am now done with snow....be careful what you wish for, right?! LOL!! But isn't it beautiful :0)

This is from our front door looking west...this is our deck...totally buried in snow!! YIKES!!!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!!
Will post about the new year soon!