Shigatsuhana's house

Geo map

2011-03-20T02:57:00.000-07:00

Do I need a title?

2011-03-19T01:06:00.000-07:00

Unless you've been living under a rock, you'll know about the devastation in the Tohoku region in Japan from the recent events. I have a very dear friend right in the middle of it all and have heard very dire stories from her. Just makes me want to run right out and help her, but that's not really advisable. I will go back to visit her perhaps in 2013.

In the meantime I am doing all I can to support the effort to help Japan. There are several ways you can help too as well as getting something nice in return. There are several auctions around as well as people just offering items with proceeds going to Japan. I will list what I can here to give you an idea. If you live in the Birmingham area, we will be hosting a fundraiser next week at Woktastic in Paradise Circus. Please come have a meal, and give what you can. Our donations will be going to the British Red Cross.

Here are the auctions/sales I know about or have purchased from myself:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Asiadyer?ref=seller_info
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/immortalgeisha/m.html?_trksid=p4340.l2562
http://www.japancrafts.co.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/nuclear_boy_tshirt-235800858425243562

And there are more to be found.

In addition I've just purchased these:

and hope they arrive in time for Kitacon.

Back from Florida

2011-02-09T02:55:00.000-08:00

I'm back from a two week holiday to Florida to visit my parents. It was nice to be back but also glad to be back home in the UK. I don't see myself ever living in America again.

On a high note I met Liza Dalby in Miami as she was there doing a lecture on Geisha and Kimono. It was fabulous to finally meet her. Had a great talk with her after and had her sign one a book for me. Unfortunately I couldn't bring them all to be signed, but figured this was a good one to have done.

Happy Bunny New Year!

2011-01-10T08:18:00.000-08:00

Happy year of the Rabbit everyone! I did wear kimono on New Year's Eve. I quite liked my outfit of cream and purple houmongi with tsuru (cranes) and a black haori with matsu (pine) motif. Enjoyed a nice meal out with Elizabeth and Dawn.

As always you can check my flickr page for more photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shigatsuhana/

Obidome

2010-11-10T05:17:00.000-08:00

Moonblossom from IG recently posted on her blog about obidome. I thought hmmm... maybe I should have a look. So I did. And this is what I won today: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230546249928&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Happy birthday to me! LOL!

New kiku obi

2010-10-16T08:44:00.000-07:00

Just bought this obi! :)
http://www.ichiroya.com/item/list2/183226

Maybe to go with the momiji kimono to wear to Kimono de Jack in November. If not I have a fabulous tsumugi iromuji in purple that would make a nice contrast.

Yamatoku sale and festival

2010-09-20T05:32:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Kimono Lady here on Blogger, I just bought this: http://www.yamatoku.jp/classic/description.asp?tno=71047904
from the sale on at Yamatoku.

The Japanese Matsuri in London on Saturday was fabulous! Much better than last year. We all had a great time. Sadly, I forgot my camera so you'll have to look out for others who took photos.

Sunday I met up with a Japanese friend in Oxford. We both have shiba inu so we took the dogs out for a tour around the city. We enjoyed a great day out with fine weather. I actually did bring my camera but haven't uploaded the photos yet.

Festival of Quilts

2010-08-25T13:52:00.000-07:00

Had a fabulous four days at the Festival of Quilts at the NEC in Birmingham. As always, you can visit my pictures on Flickr to see the event. I even got the opportunity to dress a lovely Hungarian artist named Eszter Bornemisza, friend of my friend Susan Brisco. It was lucky that I lived close enough I could bring my kimono things to dress her. I got a lovely tsumugi kimono from Susan purchased by Katie Chaplin as a thank you for me helping out at her Japan Crafts stall. I also purchased a gorgeous embroidered haori from Katie. Can't wait to get it all on to try!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shigatsuhana/sets/72157624806968344/

New kimono

2010-08-17T01:44:00.000-07:00

I've been debating about whether to buy this kimono for a while and today I finally decided to get it. It's rather a bold pattern for me so we'll see how it looks when I get it. It is green. I don't have any green kimono apart from my ro one. This one is hitoe. It has green poppies on it! Very interesting.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270619714205&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Hello Kitty Obi

2010-07-30T09:04:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting one of these for ages. So when Ryu has a sale and there is a Hakata Hello Kitty obi, it's mine! There is one more left if anyone is interested. But this is the one I bought. Guess what I'm wearing for a festival sometime!!!!

Amsterdam

2010-07-26T07:14:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a week in Amsterdam! Loved it! It's such a quirky and interesting city. We will definitely go back. Here are the photos I have downloaded so far: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shigatsuhana/sets/72157624454067683/

We really enjoyed the feel of the city. It's fun to get around on the trams. You really have to watch out for cyclists. There is a reason why Cycle Path and Psychopath sound similar. ;)

Matsuri in London

2010-07-11T05:27:00.000-07:00

Lyuba and I went to the Maede Gakuen matsuri in Acton, London yesterday. The weather was very HOT but we still had a good time. This was a great family festival and it looked like the kids had a really fun time playing all of the games and watching Anpanman Show! Here are a couple of photos of us, but as always if you want to see more please go to my flickr page here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shigatsuhana/sets/72157624469417440/

The "ME" generation

2010-07-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

I had always thought that people from my generation were selfish, or at least more so then previous generations. Not so. My 20 year old colleague just makes me go hmmmmm....
1. Today she announces that she'd like to have a boyfriend only because she wants someone to buy her clothes.

2. Her family is in danger of not being able to pay the next electricity bill. So I offer suggestions about how they might save energy. Including stop using the hairdryer, hair straighteners, etc. "Oh no, we can't stop being beautiful just for the sake of saving electricity!" Also the washing machine. You cut the number of loads you do, and the dishwasher, and it's amazing at how much that bill will go down. And... also not taking 45 minute showers.

It never ceases to amaze me at how wasteful people can be. Especially when we are facing a hosepipe ban, because of a severe lack of rain this year. And how insensitive people are to third world countries where water is a luxury for them and nobody here gives a crap and most of all the "ME" generation.

No amount of ranting or raving will make any difference as she and her kind simply don't care and don't want to know. How very sad.

Kimono dressing

2010-06-12T03:09:00.000-07:00

Well, I have finally convinced the Birmingham Japanese Society that we should have a kimono dressing. So, our December meeting will be just that. I'll write a brief presentation and then start dressing people. So... anyone that can come up and help is welcome to come if you want. Unfortunately we won't be paid for this event but it will be for the love of kimono. And there will be men there so I'm going to have to learn me some men kitsuke. I'm going to finally buy Kevin a set so I can get practicing. I will also learn yukata kitsuke for men too. I figure that might be easiest to start with.
And I am now the chairperson for the Birmingham Japanese Society so I've got my work cut out for me!

Recent kimono outings

2010-06-10T07:11:00.000-07:00

After a long hiatus I finally got to wear kimono twice in the last two weekends in London. First was the London MCM Expo. Sadly I had no pictures of me in my kimono that day but fun was had by Hong, Isla, Chantal and myself. Secondly, was the Kabuki at Sadler's Wells last Sunday. Brilliant! Lyuba and I had a great day out.
I will post a couple of photos here but please visit my flickr page to see the rest here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shigatsuhana/

London MCM Expo outfit

2010-05-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

Here's what I'll wear for tomorrow's London MCM Expo:

London Expo outfit

2010-05-25T05:23:00.000-07:00

I will probably end up wearing this ensemble for London Expo on Saturday. I finally get to wear my fuji/wisteria shibori obi while seasonal appropriate. :)

Kimono outtings coming up!

2010-05-20T05:42:00.000-07:00

After a long hiatus of no kimono wearing, there are two events coming up shortly. First the London Expo 29-30 May with the regular girls from Team Manekineko and then to a Kabuki performance on 6th June with Lyuba! Yay! It's time to put the greasepaint away until September and don kimono for the summer. Just finished our summer show with Stonnall and as successful and fun as it was, I'm glad it's over.

My husband very kindly bought me a new camera for my anniversary present. It is a Sony a330 DSLR. Hopefully this will help me up my game in my photography. Photography is a big hobby of mine and hopefully I will produce some better results. You can see just a dabbling of camera play here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shigatsuhana/

Hopefully I'll be able to put some pictures up of forthcoming events in a couple of weeks.

New 2-piece kimono

2010-01-27T05:50:00.000-08:00

Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu! Happy New Year and Year of the Tiger everyone!

After finding out how to wear my last two piece kimono I decided to buy another. They are the easiest things on the planet to wear! Wow! I will be wearing mine this weekend in London at Tokyo Day.

It's been ages

2009-12-04T06:21:00.000-08:00

I don't have any new kimono news at the moment. No time for kimono dressing or anything at present. I am getting new bedroom furniture installed on Monday so have been busy re-arranging and now starting to decorate before the work starts. Also getting new carpet. Perhaps closer to Christmas I'll get a chance to wear my new two-piece kimono and show it off. I really love it! I might alter it a little bit so it works for me I'll have to have a play with it. Right now I've started working on my costumes for the panto in January. Hot Pink Lolita here I come! Pictures to follow when it's finished. :)

Just bought these

2009-10-31T07:23:00.000-07:00

I just bought these for either an obi or haneri project. It depends on what size they turn out to be. And if on an obi, what else to put on it. I was inspired by a maiko obi posted on Flickr by ewoodham.

Momiji kimono

2009-10-24T10:09:00.000-07:00

Took a few pictures today in the wet, but my maple tree is so pretty right now. The two maples in my back garden are going to be moved to my front garden as soon as they go dormant. I had a heck of a time tying my obi today. Grrr... bad kitsuke day! LOL! Hope you like it anyways.

Yet another new kimono

2009-10-24T02:13:00.000-07:00

Wow! I'm on a roll. I am trying to slim down my kimono buying and yet here I go again. This is something different and something I've wanted to try for a long time and it was a reasonable price. This kimono is in two pieces. I'm hoping this may benefit me as I have a stupid body shape for kimono wearing. We'll see how it goes. I am also glad because it's black. The only black kimono I have is my kurotomesode. And as we all know that's quite formal so it doesn't get many outings. This is a black two-piece poly komon with a random flower design. I'm sure I've got enough obi to match this lovely!

Kimono accessories

2009-10-18T03:14:00.000-07:00

Hong didn't believe that I only have 10 obiage. I do! And that's with the two I got from her yesterday! And I only have 16 obijime. I can see a real weakness in my collection when I do this. So instead of buying pretty kimono and obi, I must focus on getting more accessories.

Collection

2009-10-10T01:46:00.000-07:00

Since we are all posting our collections and storage of it, here is mine currently. In the next few weeks we are getting all new bedroom furniture in our room which includes new storage space. So I will now move all of my kimono things to the spare bedroom and finally keep all of my collection together in one room. I am so excited at the thought of finally getting really organised. I am sad. LOL! This bookcase shown is only Japanese books. I have enough to fill another case or two just like this.

New kimono

2009-10-08T05:38:00.000-07:00

I have been very select this year about buying kimono. So I do feel ok when I buy a new one. I don't have an Autumn themed kimono so it was about time I had one. I love it! I'll show pictures of me wearing it as soon as it has arrived. It is synthetic.

Japan Matsuri in London 19th September

2009-09-27T02:12:00.000-07:00

Our kimono club met up to attend the Japan Matsuri in London on the 19th September. We had a great day out, but there were so many people! Any excuse to get our kimono out of the closet and we're there! :) Enjoy!

New blog

2009-09-27T02:11:00.000-07:00

I'm not quite sure what happened to my old blog here, but I'll try to redo it again. I may just stick to my kitsuke adventures here.