Kyoto - 2018

We visited Kyoto 7 years ago. It was actually our first trip to Japan trip. This time the trip was more tailored to specific things I wanted to do and see. We stayed in this beautiful hotel Misui Garden. The room was almost big enough for the two of us! But in saying that, the hotel was beautiful and the Japanese style breakfast was plentiful and delicious. 

Apart from planning to hit the Toji Temple flea market on the 22nd of each month we also went back to the places we visited 7 years earlier. The flea market was a success. I was glad I decided to go there. There were so many cool stores and lots and lots of boro/indigo vintage fabrics to die for! The market was so big and busy that I feel I need to go back for another visit to see the rest of it. 

Our son and his family joined us on this trip so we got to spend time with them as well. I suggested that we should visit Nara while we were there. So we did. I knew the grand kids would enjoy the deer park in Nara. 

After Kyoto, we went to Tokyo in time for the Tokyo International Quilt Festival. I will blog about that on the next post. 

Japanese Garden

View from the hotel lobby into the garden

Kyoto Manhole cover

Kimono ladies in Kyoto

Fushima Inari Shrine

Nanzen-ji Garden, Kyoto

Warning sign at Nara deer park

Deer feeding

Toji Temple flea-market store

Toji Temple flea-market, more store

BORO/Indigo/ Vintage fabric
at the flea-market

Ikebana arrangement
at Kyoky Station

I got a lot more of photos, but I don't want to overwhelm you in one post. The next post I will blog about Tokyo and the Tokyo International Quilt Festival.

Until next time
Nat

Getting Back to Normality!

Life is getting back to normality again here. This is my second week back at work and things are happening at work with the beginning of the library refurbishment. Also it's nice to get back to the daily routine. You go to bed and wake up at a more civilized time. You get dressed and there are places to go to each day! Does that make sense to you? I also made travel plans for the second half of 2015.

A few things happened this month that got me excited! I would normally feel down after Christmas, but with a few things to do I'm all energy and ready to face 2015. I've set a date for the Tree House warming party on the last day of January. I've been working on a guest book for the studio warming party. 

The book is finished.

Book cover in stitching process.

Speaking of the Tree House studio. I took down the Christmas quilts I put up for Christmas and replaced them with the collection of my small quilts. Some of them were quilts I made in my early quilting career. You can see that even then I couldn't just keep to one type of quilting!

Flamingo quilt stands out among the rest.

Books and baskets at the other
end of the room.

A few photos with a Japanese theme to follow. I met up with Jacky for lunch last week. It was lovely to catch up with her after a long time. After lunch we visited Ziguzagu for the after-Christmas sale. 

The tall Kokeshi doll is the new
acquisition from ZZ.

Small Japanese inspired quilt I made for a gift.

Robert Joyce the co-owner of Kazari/Ziguzagu 
has a brilliant way to transport furniture
around the shop. He told me he learnt it
in Bali when he was 18. 

Japanese garden at Japanese Language Centre at
my university.

I did more dyeing since DIL left after New Year. You know, one gets addicted to dyeing when one starts. I have so much dyed fabric that I swore I will have a break from dyeing for awhile, but that promise didn't last for long before I started dyeing again. Here are some results of the batch.

Bundles after steaming

Another piece dyed with rose leaves.

Dyed silk hanging out to dry.

Juvenile Eucalyptus leaves. 

Kangaroo paws and Eucalyptus leaves.

Mixed Eucalyptus leaves.

I know I haven't been posting regularly. I appreciate that you are still reading my blog, so thank you. My next post is going to be about the Tree House studio warming party. I hope I will have time to take photos on the day.  

Until next time

Nat