Two Wishes

Break for a Japanese Craft Book

Like many new bloggers, I am somewhat obsessed with tracking how many people have visited the blog and where they come from.  And one of the most interesting bits of information is the kind of Web searches that lead people here.... 

Well, my friends, apparently it is Japanese Craft Book Week, because people all over the world have been Googling Japanese zakka books like mad!  In their honor, today I am featuring another zakka book.  This book loosely translates as Zakka: Simple and Modern and is ISBN 4-8347-2507-3.

I basically bought this book on the strength of the cover image alone.  The colors are so striking:

And in fact there are lots of other attractive bags throughout.  But there are also plenty of other interesting zakka projects in this book.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Top to bottom: Cute bags that tie shut; Fabric roses; Fabric boxes; Book cover.

Japanese Zakka Book

It's been nothing but migraines around here for days and days (I'm a slave to rainy weather), so I'm doing an easy post by sharing another Japanese craft book.  As promised, one of my few books that's purely cute little zakka.  It's ISBN 4939459803183:

Love these little pouches.  Wouldn't the geisha face make a witty tampon pouch, to fit one of the compact travel sizes?:

I chose the book almost entirely for these goldfish!:

Some of my other favorites:

Waist Gomu Skirts

I've been on YesAsia.com looking at Japanese craft books again this afternoon.  Which seems a good occasion for posting another from my collection.  Even though I own this, my eye is still drawn to it every time I see it on one of the craft book sites.  The cover is just so moody and dramatic:

"Waist GOMU Skirts", by Watabe Sato, ISBN 4-309-28077-3. 

What is a "waist GOMU skirt"?  I have no idea.  Google's translation of the title from Japanese -- "The West Rubber it is Visible Clearly and the Skirt Adheres with the Straight Stitch" -- doesn't do a whole lot to clear it up....  But they're awfully pretty!

If I ever get around to making something, perhaps I'll start with the leather patchwork skirt.  I've got a ton of pretty ultrasuede fabric sitting around.

P.S.  I really DO have cute little zakka books as well!  For some reason, I've just been in the mood to post all the moody fashionable ones of late....  We'll get to them all one of these days!

Another Favorite Japanese Craft Book

Still sick.  (You know that feeling you have if your ears don't pop after a plane lands?  I've had that for a week and a half and am losing my mind!)  So, here's another favorite craft book to make us all feel better.  It's called Journey, ISBN 4-579-10969-4:

The how-to's are for a fabulous selection of artistic tote bags, done largely in embroidery and applique.  As explained by a customer on Amazon Japan, thanks to the wonders of Google translation, "It was buying on impulse, but there is no regret.  It is one volume which very becomes cute feeling."  Indeed!

In between the actual bags are some beautiful bits of artistic inspiration:

My Holga has been missing for months (not all that shocking given the state of my bedroom these days).  If I don't dig it up soon, perhaps I'll have to sew up a new one????

My First Japanese Craft Book

Although I'm still too ill to actually make crafts (grr), I can at least return to writing about crafts...  By showing off the first of my Japanese craft book collection!  This one may well be my favorite.  It's called The Aprons Have Arrived in Paris (at least, that's a translation of the French on the cover), by Hiroko Le Tohic, ISBN 4-579-10972-4.   It's available at YesAsia.com  -- to find it (or any other specific title), go to Advanced Search and then search by ISBN number.

I love this book because everything is effortlessly chic in a way that melds both Japanese and French sensibilities:

Better still, most of the aprons seem fairly easy to sew, and I believe I could follow the diagrams without needing to understand the written directions.  Many of my Japanese books are mentally filed under "inspiration" because I don't think my still-basic skills can actually handle the projects, but this book's got a shot!

I'm hoping to try my first apron very soon.  Will keep you posted!