Can you get to Marrickville Library?

Rod, writer of the Jtex blog, will be running a free temari ball workshop next week.

Where: Community Room, Marrickville Council Library, cnr Marrickville and Petersham Roads.

When: Tuesday 19 March, 12 midday to 2pm.

Bookings essential, max.12 participants. Contact Marrickville Library, ph. 9335 2173

Remembering 3/11 two years on

 

It is a mixture of sadness and hope that I feel today for Japan. Sadness for all the lives cut short, dreams and plans left unfinished, families and possessions lost for all time. Sadness too for those who remain displaced still two years after.

There is still hope today, as Japan continues to move forward, life returning to normal albeit an adjusted version of normal. Hope that the new government will intensify its focus on assisting survivors. Hope that someday the affected region of Tohoku will be safe, the land will prosper once more and families will return to make happy lives.

Always in my thoughts, today I send a prayer and my love to Japan today.

 

 

Blogoversary #4 you get the gift!

 

 

 

 

Yep today is my fourth blogoversay. Despite counting down the days to today it still crept up on me anyway. I admit the last few months have been a bit hit and miss with blog postings so I hope you can forgive me while we continue to readjust our work/life/craft balance. 

Lately over at Temari Challenge a discussion has come up about Kyo threads, many people haven't heard of this brand, or can't get access to it so I've decided to give some away to celebrate this blog turning four. I'm so lucky to be able to use this lovely thread and to be able to share it with customers near and far. I am giving away a pack of 3 cards of Kyo thread which I will send to the winner no matter where they live free of charge.

Update.... Seeing as the conversation at Temari Challenge inspired me to do the giveaway, as a bonus if a TC member wins the draw I will double the prize and give you six cards of Kyo thread. If you arent a member of TC yet just click the link above.

Want to get into the action???? Here are the rules....

1) you need to be a follower of this blog, that is easy to achieve if you are not already following just hit the FOLLOW button in the left column.

2) you need to leave a comment below which includes some feedback on what you would like to see more of in this blog. Also please make sure you make your comment identifiable, after all if you are the winner you want to be able to get your prize right?!

3) you will need to visit my store (link in the column at left) and see what colours you would like to receive. You can select any in stock colours.

4) the competition opens now, like right now, and closes at 18:00 on March 26th Perth, Australia time, which is +8 GMT. The winner will have two weeks to make contact after the draw after which I will redraw the prize.

Good luck!

In the next fews days I'll get to posting the recent temari being stitched around here.

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iBook temari book for sale

My good friend Shirley sent me a link to a temari book for sale for iPad. You need to have the iBooks app to be able to open the book and it only works on an iPad (I thought it might work on my iPhone but it didn't so now I am the owner of a new iPad mini).

The Author is Mariko Fujita, I understand that she is a member of the JTA and also has a certification for teaching. Her son has helped her publish the books. Shirley tells me that she met Mrs Fujita at a temari class she took in Japan a few years ago.

Here is a screen shot from the iTunes store.

I have purchased the first book (well it is free so I guess I should say downloaded it) and the Colours book. I noticed that there is a new book with the images taken at Shrines in Tokyo. I might get that in the future but possibly the temari are the same.

There are no pattern directions in these books but the pictures are lovely and there is an interactive section in the colours book which details the items used for temari making (click on the labels for more information) and also has 4 videos you can click on which show how to make the base, divide with paper strips and then stitch a simple design and add an obi.

If you are a book collector (like me) you may be interested in this series.

Here are the links to the iTunes pages:
The free book is found at https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/marikos-temari-the-first/id589739870?mt=11

This book is $20 https://itunes.apple.com/book/id589574681?mt=11

This book is $10 https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/marikos-temari-scene-shinto/id593313656?mt=11

Just so you know I don't have any affiliation with the author or commercial arrangement of any kind.

Do you know of any other cool temari information available for iPad? Post a comment below to share it.

Amazing and inspiring positive attitude inspite of hardship

As I am sure most of the world is aware Australia's East coast is one of the many places around the world being hit hard by awful weather. People are evacuating and moving to high ground any way that they can.

Photo by Sent by 7News viewer Silver-by Diamond



Photo of Bundaberg by ABC News

Like in 2011 there is flooding up and down Queensland and New South Wales. My DH's family are in Ipswich - an area that took a pretty hard hit again this time. Rosa O (our temari sister) in Bundaberg tells me that she is living on a 'small island' of land adjacent to the evacuation center. I'm glad they are all safe and sound.

So now you can understand the context of an email newsletter that I received this week from the owner of a bead retail/wholesale store located in Queensland. I have made purchases from this business when doing some beading has taken my fancy. The store is called Bead Trimming and Craft Co. Here is the email.

Dear Customer,

What a weekend! Once again Mother Nature has taken it out on our sunshine state. Hope all our customers have stayed safe during the storm. Thank you to all our customers for the best wishes over the weekend.

For those who have not heard, we will be operating out of 304 Logan Rd, Stones Corner from the 3rd of March. The good news, we are on track for an easy transfer as we have been busy relocating our bulk stock including over 1000 Swarovski Crystal bulk boxes to our basement level. The bad news, on Monday morning over 1.5 meters of water flooded our basement destroying 100’s of boxes including over 500 Swarovski boxes.

Although very disappointing, there is only great news for our customers. The Stones Corner creek will be known as Australia’s prettiest creek as Swarovski Crystal, Sequins, Pearls etc flow down to meet the Brisbane River.
Please note, we are trading as normal today. There are no road closures at South Brisbane. There will be more updates on our relocation in the coming weeks.

Many thanks,
Paul

Wow! That must be the most amazing positive attitude to a bad situation. This is what I romantically imagine that jewels floating down the river would look like.



Image from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ramansharma/3572172921/

Best wishes to everyone fighting Mother Nature wherever you happen to live.