Category Archives: Crafts

Antique-ified Owl

So we moved into our new home and my favorite space is the mini library. As we needed a lot of bookends, I asked my daughter what she thought would look good. She responded that she read in a home styling magazine not to get a plain, boring metal bookend. But since her dad had bought just that, I decided to decorate it on my own…simplest craft ever.

You will need:

Plain bookends

Decor with flat back (the cute owl was a garage sale find)

Pearl gold acrylic 

Glue gun

Paintbrush 

What to do:

1. Brush the decor with a coat of gold acrylic. Let it dry completely and then brush with another coat. (Best if original color still peeks through a little). 

2. Stick the decor to the bookends. 

Yeah, that’s it! P.S. I put the owl in the Harry Potter section of my library 👍

Craft Shopping in Japan

There are so many fun things to do in Japan, and one of my absolute favorite activities is craft hunting. Here are some of the places to visit if you are a crafter like myself.
On the Cheap (100 Yen Stores)
Everywhere I’ve been in Japan has these 100 Yen stores and I’ve found them perfect for craft shopping. Here are some of my favorites and the things I frequently buy in them.
Daiso
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This is really my go-to 100 Yen store because of the amount of product it carries. Before going to any of the smaller stores, I suggest you hit a Daiso store first if you’re pressed for time. My favorite items to purchase here are different kinds of glue (decoupage glue, fabric glue, wood glue, etc.). I also stock up on a lot of acrylic paint, which can be bought by the tube. They also have a pretty decent variety of felt in varying colors and designs.
Seria
Another 100 Yen store that normally carries a lot of craft products, Seria carries a good selection of knobs, stickers and scrapbooks. I found these gold sticker studs that I am super excited to use!
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Can Do
This was a new discovery when I went to Fukuoka. What caught my eye was their huge selection of miniature items, which comes in handy when you love to craft using miniatures.
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Craft Heart Tokai
Since I am also a fabric-lover, I was very excited when I found Craft Heart Tokai. It carries a wonderful selection of super kawaii fabric, and as it turns out, a lot of other craft items as well, such as beads and threads for knitting.
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High-End
Tokyu Hands
I am sure there are a lot of expensive craft stores in Japan, but one of the more known ones is Tokyu Hands. It really has a large assortment of craft goods, including items for hobbyists. However, unless I am looking for a very particular craft tool, I wouldn’t really buy a lot in this store simply because I have so many other cheaper alternatives.

Customized Shopkins Tutorial

  A quick, very easy tutorial for mothers out there who have daughters who love Shopkins! My daughter got this as a party giveaway and requested me to repaint it because it had lost its eyes and most of the details of its body. I googled how it looked, painted the details on with some acrylic, and sealed it with glossy sealant. Not too bad for a first try! Took me about 25 mins because I wanted to make sure the acrylic paint was dry! I was surprised the acrylic worked very well on the squishy exterior of the Shopkins!Very easy peasy! Enjoy!

Craft Weekend: Cable Organizer

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It’s been a very long time since I’ve posted a craft! And it’s not at all because I’ve stopped crafting. It’s really because I don’t have a decent place to take pictures of what I make. So, before I proceed, let me just apologize for the quality of my pictures.

Now, to my craft! I’ve always been interested in giving new life to disposable stuff. For this craft, I used bread clips. My friend gave me the idea of recycling these clips into cable organizers! Since then, I’ve been saving these clips to experiment on a design!

IMG_0507 I used polymer clay to do my owl designs and then I super glued it to the bread clip. Voila! Very cute cable organizers! Hope you have a craft-filled weekend!

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Halloween Costume: Lego Block

It’s been a while since I posted a craft project. I’m glad that Halloween is coming. It gave me a good excuse to go through my stash to see what I could cook up for Halloween this year. First, I wanted it to be fairly simple to make. Second, I wanted to use what materials I had. I really didn’t want to buy anything. Third, I wanted it to be cute.

Having gone through my materials and the ideas in my head, I settled on making a Lego block. This is my finished product:

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Here are the materials that you will need to make this:

old shoe box, empty tissue paper rolls, brown paper bags (if not available, craft paper), scissors, glue and paint (note: I wasn’t able to paint this yet because I don’t have paint with me–this is the only thing I will buy).

How to do:

  1. Trace the bottom of the tissue paper roll on the paper bag or craft paper. Cut 8 circles and set aside.IMG_2380
  2. Cover the shoe box with brown paper or craft paper.
  3. Cut the tissue paper roll an inch in height.
  4. Glue the circle on the cut tissue paper roll.
  5. Arrange on the box as you would a Lego block.IMG_2383
  6. Paint!

You can attach a ribbon at the back to tie the block to your waist. Cost? Virtually nothing! A very cute, very environment-friendly craft for this holiday. Advanced Happy Halloween to all of you! 

P.S. Posting the end result with paint! 

 

Celebrating Easter with a Bunny Party

Look at all these dashing bunnies dressed up in their best tux to attend the annual Easter Bunny Party! They sure look like they’re out to have fun. Cream cheese on carrot sticks? Yum! Carrot juice spiked with squeezed pineapple? Double yum!

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Mini Cupcakery

A friend of mine is leaving, and I just wanted to give her something to remember me by. Since she knows I am crazy about miniatures and clay, I made a desserts display just for her. It’s got cupcakes, log cakes, french macarons, and wrapped candy boxes! I hope that every time she sees it, she smiles a bit and remembers me.

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Oh This Cat!

Cat on My Window Sill

As I sit on this window sill
Unmoving, silent, very still
Watch my blue eyes speaking
Is your heart melting?

I lick my lips and you get it
You bring out a bowl and you fill it
I purr to show satisfaction
Of our unspoken connection

Okay, so it’s my first time to make a poem about my craft. I made the cat using polymer clay, and the window sill using an empty matchbox. It’s really quite an adorable yellow cat, and it’s one of the few crafts I’ve kept with me because for some reason, I can’t bear to give it away.

It also inspired me to write the poem that accompanies it. I imagine the cat, looking oh-so-cute, using only its hypnotizing eyes to communicate its desire to drink some milk. And of course, all I can do is comply. After all, who can resist those eyes? Oh this cat!