Rock, scissors...

(Gu Choki Pa candy- ramune flavor)

In the next few weeks, we will be able to announce which direction our little family is headed in the river of life. Until then, I can say that I will be resurrecting the Etsy shop or an Etsy shop soon. It will be a collaboration of Jason's and the kids' designs and my hands. I was going to do it before but got swept (rightfully) into the busyness of the kids' flow and my writing. At one point I was really anxious about it all but now, I think I might have struck a decent balance that takes care of everyone. The trick, it turns out, is setting flexible distant deadlines. And being kind and forgiving to yourself. Realizing there are only 24 hours in a day and working within that framework is a lot easier than trying to push the boundaries of time to suit your needs. It is one of those lessons you must learn for yourself. Staying home with the kids means I have a new rhythm in my day, freedom from set schedules but there are certain points which must be met to make family life smoother. Mealtimes. Clean laundry. Story time. Park time. Turns out kids like consistency and food. Luckily they are not so concerned with the finer details of housework and would rather see me making something than dusting. I haven't quite gotten them to appreciate the time I spend at my desk muttering do myself and hunched over my keyboard but that is what the post-bedtime hours are for.
So be on your guard. Gu Choki Pa is back.
xo

June Sixteenth

Yikes, it seems almost two weeks were caught in a vortex and swept away. There was Sebastian's sports day, Nico's petting zoo and picnic, Nico's picnic again, rain, more rain, work, more work, and finally today, a day off and we're off again to the aquarium with one of my students.

But after we get back, when the kiddies are sleeping with the windows open and fans blowing cool air on their flushed cheeks, then that is when I will be putting the finishing touches on Gu Choki Pa, my etsy shop. I will be opening the virtual doors June 16th with slippers, sundresses, and Aki dolls. There are a lot of things that won't be in there on the opening day and this was bothering me, but then I remembered that it is my shop and I can run it the way I wish. As much as I want to make a good go of it, my available time and energy is definitely abbreviated, a reality that is far different from my expectations. Regardless, as I am often telling my kids, a little bit is better than zero so I must do what I can and be happy. Especially with handmade goods. I couldn't image making things out of linen and cotton and having my negativity stitched right into the seams. I hope to give people little packages of joy and the best way is to start with a relaxed and joyful heart in the process of creation.

I will post again about the shop as the 16th approaches. Until then, please don't mind the silence.

Everyday Beauties

Living in Japan, I am surrounded by amazing but mundane textiles. Though I have a deep appreciation for some of the finer textile processes that are usually connected with Japan such as silk brocade for obi, my main obsessions are silk screen and block printing on fabric. Usually printed on cotton or linen, they are used for door curtains, wrapping lunch boxes and presents, handkerchiefs, you name it. This fabric here, for example, is providing shade against the morning sun in a fish shop. What attracted me to this print was how it is both subtle and obvious, a contradiction that can be perfected through textile printing. (Yes, we are a fish shop but we aren't going to shout it.) And because they are somewhat easy to produce, it makes this sort of fabric affordable which means that they will really be used. When aesthetics and practicality merge, that is where I want to be.