Tokyo Disneyland

The Mississippi from The Western River Railroad at TKY Disneyland

The Mark Twain Riverboat

The Pacific Ocean lies between me in Japan and my family in America including my 8 year old stepson Sawyer, and my 4 year old nephew Owen (and a three year old niece, Maddie, but this post isn't about her).  This week I had the wonderful opportunity to go on a trip to Tokyo Disneyland, and while I enjoyed this special day of being a big kid, I couldn't help but to think of my little kiddos the whole time.  I think the boys are just at the right age, O almost 5 and S just turning 8, where they would really enjoy the park.  I took a lot of photographs with them in mind, and look forward to going with them to the most fun place on earth in the future.  I drew these 2 Etegami to mail to the boys late last night.  O is a train fanatic, and S who loves everything will probably get a big kick out of a boat named after Mark Twain. Part of Etegami is sending a heartfelt, sincere message, and in this day and age of e-mails and skype (which I'm very much grateful for) I hope they feel the love I'm sending them through the postal service :).

xoxo

Char

Spring Study

This morning I had a lovely breakfast of milk and tea with buttered toast with some homemade marmalade that my Etegami Sensei, Shoko, made and gave to me at our last class on Wednesday.  I decided to commemorate my morning meal and drew an Etegami to send to her as a "thank you".    

Char Solo: Toast, butter, marmalade

 Not being happy with my weird looking toast*, I went on to make a postcard for my mom in a subject matter that I'm more familiar drawing; a violet.  My mom and I share the fascination for plants growing out of seemingly impossible spaces such as cracks in the pavement.  When she was a little girl, she found a violet plant growing in an unusual place, and she pulled it up to replant it at home.  Whenever I see a violet I think of my mom as a little girl, and violets are in full bloom around here. The violet Etegami still doesn't have a caption, but I was thinking of something along the lines of "a lovely reminder..." or "sweetly reminded of you".  I'm sure I'll know once all my supplies are put away!!!

Char Solo: Violet

Below are the 2 Etegami that I made in class this week.  The first one is a weed that grows almost completely hidden in the grass.  I actually chose to draw this over the violet on Wednesday!  I'm glad I did, because I ended up revisiting the whole violet idea today.  The weed "suzume no yari" (I don't know the English name) is drawn on a thin paper that is used for calligraphy and I'll use it as stationery for a letter.  The second one from class is an oversized postcard with a camellia, this too has no caption yet, but I'll think of one eventually!

Class 4/ll:
"It's okay to be tastefully understated."

Class 4/11: Caption-less Camellia

*Here is a very beautiful example of baked goods by an Etegami artist who I admire Dosanko Debbie.  Debbie also just posted a thorough explanation of the Etegami art form on her blog.  I hope everyone checks out both posts.  

XOXO

Char!

Spring has sprung

daffodil

pieris japonica or Japanese Andromeda

tulip

Here are some spring themed etegami that I made in my Chigasaki group last month.  The cherry blossoms here are in full bloom so I can't wait to make some Sakura postcards!

xoxo

Char

Season's Greetings... Spring.

Here are some Etegami that I made in class a few days ago.

Kabocha

Pansy in UW colors.

Stock Flower

My Etegami Sensei bought a little Etegami Starter kit for me over the weekend.  She brought it to class  so that I can keep illustrating/painting at home.  I appreciate her thoughtfulness so much.  The dry wintery air has cracked my "C" Hankou that Sensei made for me last month, so I finished my postcards from class with a new Hankou (signature stamp) that I made today.  It's nice to have my print making tools with me and not in long term storage!

A lovely lady, Carole Marshall, from an online Etegami group that I recently joined is having an exhibition of her Etegami works at a hospital in Australia.  She invited the members of the group to join the exhibition by mailing some spring themed post cards to her.  Today I painted this camellia with my new kit for the exhibition.  It is my first Etegami I've created outside of class. :)

Camellia "Spring has arrived" 

There are signs of spring all over the place, but it's still chilly when the wind blows.  I should get started on that Kabocha soup, pronto!

xoxo
Char

Washi Crafts

Detail of the Washi paper I chose for my projects.

8 Sided box from January 19th

Table Organizer from March 1st (Rabbit Rabbit)

Acorn charm also from March 1st.

Here at Atsugi Base there is a wonderful Non Profit Organization called AESA (Atsugi Enlisted Spouse Association) that sponsors a weekly Washi Craft Class that is free to all of the attendees.  After participating in a washi class in January, I decided to become a member of AESA in support of all the wonderful ways this organization contributes to our community.

In Washi Class yesterday, we made a table organizer.  I was thinking it would be a cute organizer for people who wear make-up.  I can just imagine various brushes, pencils, liners, and eyelash curlers in it.  For me, it's more realistic that I'll be using it for my ridiculous amounts of pens and art supplies.  Oh, and these boxes are made of milk cartons!

Last night, at the monthly AESA General Meeting, the Washi Class teacher Mickey-san came to lead a special activity and we learned how to make these beautiful charms!  We had a choice to make an acorn or a shell, and I chose to make an acorn.  All you need is beautiful thread, glue, something to wrap the thread around, and some patience.  I am now proud to be a charm clad cell phone owner.

xoxo
happy community
Char