gifts

a parcel from Japan

my very own samurai

think I’ll hang him by the front door

and the silk I painted

which was sent to my friend framed with glass

she wisely removed it before mailing

it is a fukusa, used for gift wrapping or covering tea ceremony utensils

I love the gold leaf, even the hem stitching is done with gold thread

then there is the abundance in the garden

in the 20 years since I planted it the fig tree has never been so abundant

I leave them until they are almost dripping off the tree, liquid honey

and share them with the raccoons and starlings

they are great to just eat, like an apple

but good with yogurt or fantastic baked, served with ice cream

they don’t last long so at the end I cook a huge pot of orange/fig marmalade

started August’s prayer flag, although it is different this month

an origami crane made from a shibori sample, I’m planning on three of them

I backed the light cotton with lightweight fusible interfacing and mulberry paper

stitching through several layers was hard on the fingers

this is the one I brought home from Japan

these are Bryan’s

they came from Studio Saiseiryu – which translates as “recycle lifestyle”

the home and life of Mixer and Junhere they are in front of the shop

for some background information on this wonderful, unique couple

go to http://www.japanesetextileworkshops.blogspot.com/2012/01/crazy-ones.html

 my kind of shop

a little bit of everything

it is wild and wonderful and crazy

tiny and jam-packed

shoes off and enter

notice the string of tiny prayer flags

Bryan never stops moving

there is so much to see

the wonders never stop – what did heather buy?

explaining her kantha stitched quilts

all made from scraps

I bought my own string of prayer flags

the proceeds go to the children of Fukushima