We left behind beautiful Hawaii and are not situated just outside of Tokyo, Japan. What a whirlwind of a move it was. It took nearly 2 months to get settled here, a majority of that time waiting for our stuff to arrive. Who would think that our stuff would make it's way all the way to California before coming here to Japan? Right, it made no sense to me either. My fingers ached to create. The few little things I could do here and there just was not enough. Now that our stuff is all here and pretty much organized, I have been able to create little things to make this "new" home our own. Curtains, banners, quilt blocks to pillow covers. I am finally in my happy place.
A few little things to adjust to, like no big open floor space to lay projects out comfortably. This morning I had to find any place I could to lay the fabric for curtains. Interesting indeed but fear not, they are done and up on the windows. Now when people tell me that I need blackout curtains before summer arrives, I can tell them I've checked that off the list and personalized it. There are so many more options when you can pick out a quilting cotton, add a black out drapery material to the back and sew it all together.
Within the next few weeks I'll start getting my feet wet in my creative little wonderland. I hope to share more than 2015 so please follow along if you desire.
We've enjoyed exploring some of the stores out in town, especially the 100Yen shop. Washi tapes, beautiful papers, funky pens and stationary sets around every corner. I found this little glass dome and I thought what a cute idea to display some pretty washi tapes. A new obsession are these tin boxes. They are so cute to store sewing notions or trinkets in. My kids love the treats inside, I get the tin box when they are done. I have a feeling there will be many more before we leave.
We are so lucky to have an Ikea nearby. Perhaps we are unlucky, must practice self control. The rooms are super small in the home so we decided that at least one of the kids should have a loft bed so create a more spacious feel. Stark white, metal loft bed needed some decorating so it didn't feel so oddly cold. A pop of color with a fabric banner, some bohemian string lighting and little girly nicknacks did the trick. Someone loves her bedroom. Now, we might just have to get the other 2 loft beds as well.
Here's the other wall view, found a cute and inexpensive shelving unit that we placed at the head of her bed. Now she has her alarm clock within reach and a few other trinkets that make her smile. The hot pink pin board was a find from Hobby Lobby years ago. It's now in it's 3rd home and the perfect framed in location.
My project this morning was to finish the curtains for my oldest daughters bedroom. In Hawaii I had such a large floor plan that there was always a spot to put large projects down to pin them and prepare them for the next step, here, the space is very tight and limited. I will have to adjust my ways and take what i can get. That meant moving some chairs in the dining/living room this morning to pin the cotton material to the blackout drapery material. It was quite the project, especially when it came time to press it and make crisp seams.
