2013 the year of Snake, Eto (Chinese zodiac)

Do you know your own Eto (Chinese zodiac)?
Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey,  Rooster, Dog, Pig (or Boar in Japan)
This year is snake! It is my year!! :D
If you are born in … 1923, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
You are a snake too :)

Your own zodiac animal is your lucky charm, so you should have one of your animals!!
This page explain about the zodiac very very well.
http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/12-zodiac.shtml 

< 2013 Year of Snake, Japanese talisman pottery bell >

 I got this lovely snake ornament from Japan and now it's available in my shop Zakka81!!
This ornamental talisman pottery bell has a "uchide no kozuchi"under the snake.
"Uchide no kozuchi" A small mallet.  It is said that one can attain anything if one shakes it saying whatever you want.　
Japanese folktail from "Issun boushi"  
(Wiki -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Issun-b%C5%8Dshi )

 This double lucky charm ceramic bell surely bring good luck to you!!

http://www.zakka81.com.au
* Japanese online gift shop *

Last minute Christmas DIY - Easy Advent calendar ideas

Couple of days to December! I know, it's crazy!!
Have you put up Advent calendar? Don't worry, here is some Great ideas for busy mum like you☆

From Craft Berry Bush

 Paper cup buckets advent calendar 

 From Just the Bee's Knees

No sew mitten advent calendar

From Lora Jeans magazine

Origami advent calendar 

From Sweet Paul

Miniature box advent calendar

From A Few Things From My Life

White envelop advent calendar

From Design Sponge

Falling stars advent calendar

From Spoonful

A Cone - iferous advent calendar

Last one, if you can find 24 toilet paper rolls .... I think you can cut the roll in half, so you need 12 of them. It's depend on what things you put in it.

 From Morning Creativity

 Toilet paper roll advent calendar

Don't stress it, Enjoy!!

Do you know Japanese washi masking tape? It's very useful and lovely design masking tape.

Must have some for in your craft room!!

mt ex washi masking tape – Embroidery Flower

 Zakka81 - Japanese online gift shop  

http://www.zakka81.com.au

Handmade Wooden Mushrooms ( Toadstool )

I'm sorry, I haven't posted any blogs in long time!! Geeee I'm slack!!
Actually hubby and I am doing busy to make mushrooms. Nop, not edible one, it's handmade wooden mushrooms!!

I started woodturning from May, my hubby taught me how to, he is a wood turner. 
And we start making mushrooms and take them to the local markets. 

It's getting popular and there are few shops who sell our mushrooms!! So, we are getting busy in a good way, especially this crazy Christmas season!! 

We called our woodturning shop name "Woodrock Turning", we don't have website yet, but we made Facebook page. If you want some mushrooms, please message us☆
http://www.facebook.com/WoodrockTurning 

My online shop is getting busy as well. Many stock is gone.... I can't restock them until next year. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. I recommend to shop ASAP If you find favorite things. 
For the International customer, when you order your parcel will take 2~3weeks to get your place, If you want it by Christmas, you better to order now!!

Tenugui – Japanese decorative hand towel – December

Zakka81 - Japanese online gift shop
http://www.zakka81.com.au

New product ☆ Antique Kokeshi dolls

"Kokeshi" is a Japanese traditional toy doll made by wood. Traditional shape has simple trunk and an enlarged head with a few thin, painted lines to define the face and there is no arms or legs.
There is a eleven types of traditional kokeshi out there, they have a particular shape and patterns.
But my kokeshi are not belonging to "traditional"  they are a modern "creative" Kokeshi.

I found a very small antique shop in Tokyo, when I saw the shop, like someone whispered to me "go check the shop!!" I parked my bicycle the from of the shop and WOW!! There was a full of kokeshi dolls everywhere in the shop!!
I picked few lovely kokeshi's for you☆ These are one of a kind things, you will almost never find the same kokeshi like this!!
I can't wait to go back to the shop and adopt more kokeshi dolls!!

Antique pair of Kokeshi doll – Boy and Girl

Antique pair of Kokeshi doll – Oranges

Antique Kokeshi doll – Bath time

Antique Kokeshi doll – Pomelo girls

Antique pair of Kokeshi doll – Snow children

Antique pair of Kokeshi doll – Mother and child

How many days more to the Christmas??
Let's start collect the presents!!
Zakka81 - Japanese online gift shop
http://www.zakka81.com.au

New Products☆

 Super cute paper ornament mobile and garland from Japan!!

Very delicate paper catting, lovely colors, cute motifs,  perfect for nursery room or kids party! but not only for the kids, you can enjoy it as well☆

Click the photos to see more detail.

*Oval shape type*

 

*Mobile type*

 

*Garland type*

**********************

More New items arrived!!

Don't miss it★

Zakka81 - Japanese online gift shop

http://www.zakka81.com.au

New products☆

New product has arrived in Japan from the famous candle shop!!

Beautiful floating flower candles, each flower candle has a soft scent of each flower. 

And each flower represents the Japanese 12 months and four seasons.

 Put on the water or put on the table.... it's make you calm and relax anyway.

 

 

Floating Flower Candle - set of 12

It includes all the flowers of 12 months.

Each seasons flower candle set.

 Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter

Find out more from "Homewear" categories!!

http://www.zakka81.com.au/?cat=20

Children's Day - Musya ningyo & Kabuto

 I wrote about Children's day last time, but let me explain again for new visitor's :)

Children's Day is a Japanese holiday which takes place annually on May 5th, It is a day set aside to respect children's personalities and to celebrate their happiness.
But also known as "Tango no sekku", Families with young boys put up "Koi-nobori" (carp stream) in their yard and display dolls called "Musya ningyo" patterned after historical warriors and heroes to pray for their health and success in life.

Today, I show you little bit about more "Musya ningyo"

Musha ningyo (武者人形：Warrior dolls) also called "Gogatsu ningyo" (五月人形：May doll).

A set of Armour, helmet and other things the samurai warrior of old carried during wartime are displayed.

Parents display the dolls wishing for their boys to grow into strong and powerful man like a samurai!!

But, whole "Musha ningyo" is pretty big, we just display samurai warrior helmet instead of whole doll these days.

Now, we have an another doll, called "Kintaro" , Kintarō is the childhood name of "Sakata no Kintoki" who was a hero in the Heian period. He having been famous for his strength when he was a child. It is said that Kintarō rode a bear, instead of a horse(!!) and played with animals in the mountains when he was a young boy. So, that's why we display "Kintaro" it represents strength and  healthy boy!

Why not make Samurai helmet by news paper?? 

Here is how... 

http://samuraikids.com.au/funstuff%20samurai%20hat.html

Don't forget to cut the news paper into the square!

I found a geeky one, it's Darth Vader Musha doll!!!!!! also Storm trooper!!!! OMG really?!

It's in Japanese, but you can buy these at here...

http://www.yoshitoku.co.jp/sw/musha_ningyou.html
http://www.yoshitoku.co.jp/sw/index.html
http://www.yoshitoku.co.jp/sw/S_trooper.html

I have small "Kintaro" decoration in my shop★

Kintaro and carp stream and origami helmet! All in one, very cute set!!

http://www.zakka81.com.au/?p=1237&preview=true

Children's Day - Koi nobori

Children's Day is a Japanese holiday which takes place annually on May 5th, It is a day set aside to respect children's personalities and to celebrate their happiness.
But also known as "Tango no sekku", Families with young boys put up "Koi-nobori" (carp stream) in their yard and display dolls called "Musya ningyo" patterned after historical warriors and heroes to pray for their health and success in life.The Koi-nobori is a legend that carp swim up waterfalls and become dragons! This represents the successful career. That's why we put up Koi-nobori :)These days we don't have any big space to put up Koi-nobori, so we made a little one☆
The biggest koi-nobori(for home) around 10m long!! Wow... (size image bottom right)
I have brother but we didn't have koi-nobori. Our school put up the many big koi-nobori for all the kids :)Also many cake shops selling a koi-nobori cake♥ If you visit Japan now, you can see many kind of koi-nobori!!

Koi-nobori printed, decorative Japanese hand towel at Zakka81☆
http://www.zakka81.com.au/?p=1134