Japan

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Cooking Party

Last weekend we went to a cooking party with some new friends.  We rented a large demonstration kitchen in a community center and all prepared the meal together.  Perhaps not the sort of thing to show up in a guidebook, but it was a perfect rainy season afternoon.

The theme was local and organic vegetables.

Both Dan and I were amazed by the burdock’s sticky-slimy demeanor.

On the menu: fish cooked with miso, makizushi (rolled sushi) with deep-fried vegetables, soup made with dashi (fish stock), cabbage with kombu (dried kelp), and steamed vegetables with avocado-mayo and sesame dipping sauces.

After the dishes were done we wandered across the street to a famous sweets cafe.

Oh kakigori season, how I love you so.

Kakigori is a summertime dessert made from finely shaved ice, topped with sweet syrup and occasionally, sweetened condensed milk.  This shop is famous because they get their ice from a glacier in the mountains (maybe?).  Don’t you dare call it a snow cone.

Clockwise from the top left, in varying degrees of meltyness: Fresh strawberry, very berry, honey milk, and fresh mango.  Please notice how this photo caught Dan in the act, stealing my mango ice.

If you’re near Kugenuma kaigan station be sure to stop by Kohori Noan kakigori shop. 3-5-11 Kugenuma kaigan, Fujisawa, Kanagawa

かき氷の店埜庵

神奈川県藤沢市鵠沼海岸３丁目５−１１

鵠沼海岸駅

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Another sashiko class, in the bag

This morning I had sashiko class, where I picked up a new project:

Oof, it’s complicated.  Hopefully, someday, that will be a bag.  I took a lot of notes, and pinned little scraps of paper with instructions and hints to each chunk of fabric.  Maybe, someday.

My favorite part is the tone-on-tone stitching — gray thread on luxuriously thick gray fabric.  I can’t wait to see how it turns out … someday.

During class my sensei invited me to her home, though sadly, my language skills failed me and I had some trouble expressing to her that yes PLEASE I would LOVE to do that more than ANYTHING!  Hopefully the crazy-eyed look on my face didn’t give her the wrong impression.  I learned recently that she is the author of this book and this book, so I can only imagine how lovely her home must look.  Sigh.

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Action Craft – Final Round!

The last shipment of blankets for Action Craft arrived a while back, and with all the excitement over our blog/japanniversaries, the photos got buried on the camera.  (oops.)  So, without further ado!

From Anne and Michelle in Maryland, USA

These baby blankets are so incredibly sweet.

Maybe it is my love affair with stripes, but I adore these blankets.  Thanks ladies!!

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Happy Blog Birthday, Saké Puppets!

Wow, how this year has zoomed by.

It is amazing to think that just a year ago, we had a very different life.

Starting this blog while preparing to move from one side of the world to the other was a hectic endeavor, though I’m glad we did.  It’s been interesting to look back, and a bit bittersweet to realize how far we’ve come in certain areas, yet how little progress has been made in others.

I’m thinking mostly about my Japanese.  When I realized the one-year mark was approaching, I panicked.  I was hoping to be further along by now.  Maybe I was too optimistic with my goals, or maybe I’ve just been lazy. Probably the latter. Rather than rag on myself, I’ll just make a pact — with you all as my witness — to keep at it, and in a year from now I’ll be reading manga with the best of ’em (er, by that I mean elementary school students and Doraemon, the children’s manga series about an earless robotic cat).

The time went by so quickly that I’m afraid I’ll wake up someday and realize I missed it all.  So, a few goals —

Where this past year was about exploring parts of Asia, the next year will be about exploring Japan.  I want to visit Hokkaido, Kyushu, maybe even Okinawa.  I want to visit Kyoto and Osaka, to hike mountains and take the train, and to volunteer in the tsunami-stricken north.  I want to get to know the country I’ve adopted as home.

Year Two will also be a year of creative work.  It took a little while to settle in and find my way around, and I’m glad I took that time, though I’m ready for bigger things.  I want to keep stitching and learning and really come into my own style.  Both Dan and I have projects we vow to move more towards the  “completed” end of the spectrum than their current resting places near the starting line.

I’m grateful for this blog, for pushing me along in the right direction.  Having a year of writing to look back on has been really valuable — to see the growth and our changes in style.  To all our readers — thanks for hanging in there, encouraging us to keep studying and exploring, and for keeping us connected to friends old and new.

Happy Birthday, little blog.  Cheers for another great year!  Now let’s eat pie.

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Action Craft, Thoughts

Hello all!  I’m expecting another box of blankets, so while I was hoping to wow you with another batch of photos today, it looks like I’ll have to keep you in suspense a bit longer.

I want to tell everyone again how delighted I am by the response to this little Call-to-Acton-Craft.  I’m overwhelmed (in the good way) by the generosity of everyone who participated. Together, we’ve created 32 new handmade blankets for tsunami and earthquake survivors here in Japan.  That is, 32 and counting…

As to where they are headed — it’s still in the works.  I’ve got a few leads and we’re ironing out the details.  More info on that to come, I promise.

I had a great time making my quilt for this project.  It felt good to make something for someone else, not knowing who might receive it.  I thought a lot about who might need a small quilt and how they might use it — for a baby, or picnics, or folded up as a pillow or floor cushion.  It feels good to work hard on something then send it off into the world, its future unknown.

I also enjoyed making a quilt with such strict rules.  I told myself not to buy anything new, to use only supplies I already had at home.  This really limited my choices and as a result my quilt came together quickly, which was really satisfying.  (And now I can buy more fabric under the pretense that I’ll do it again someday!)  I enjoyed the process so much, I might actually make another.

Thanks again to everyone who sent blankets — good work, team!

Psst — find a Flickr photo gallery of all the blankets here, and more Action Craft info here.

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Another Round of Action Craft

From Cheri and Laura in Minnesota, USA

This was Cheri’s first quilt.  Splendid!

From Jamie and her mother in Minnesota, USA

This quilt was painted and pieced years ago by Jamie’s mother, then folded up and left forgotten.  It was resurrected by Jamie and finished by my mom — truly a community effort.  I love how Alaska has its own block amidst all the other countries (top center).  🙂

Per usual, you can find a Flickr photo gallery of all the blankets here, and more Action Craft info here.  Thanks!

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Action Craft, All in the Family

If you’ve ever wondered where I got my crafty genes, well —

From my mom, in Minnesota

From my aunt Missy, in Minnesota

They made these together and — get this — they’re both first-time quilters.  Beginner’s luck?  I think not.  Those are skillz, ladies.  Better yet — it was Missy’s first time using a sewing machine.  What?!

From Lynn in Minnesota

Lynn is like a second Mom, and has showered me with handmade gifts my entire life.  Maybe some of that talent wore off on me?  I’m quite proud to admit I got her hooked on Etsy — check out her shop.  The-beer-and-peanut-proof baseball game gear is the best.

More Action Craft love from Minnesota tomorrow.

Psst — photo gallery here, and more Action Craft info here.  Thanks!

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More Action Crafts

From (my aunt!) Mickey in Minnesota, USA

I’ve never seen a quilt like this before!  It looks like Mickey made circle “blocks” then stitched them together, flattened the flaps, and tacked the flaps down using a fancy blanket stitch. (The reverse side of this quilt is all the same blue as the flaps.)

Mickey, am I right?  Does this design have a name?  Do tell!

From Susan in Minnesota, USA

Susan embroidered sweet messages in the corners.  Lovely!

Again, check out photos of all the Action Craft quilt and blanket donations here, and for more info on the project, try the link here.

Special thanks to my handsome model husband — handsome model, or model husband?  You decide.  (Hint, it’s both.)

More quilts tomorrow!