Readers Spotlight: Christina and Henry

I’m proud to present two creative designs sent in by readers:

The first is a beautiful variation of the 3-d origami star sent in by Christina, using leftover wrapping paper and cardstock.

The orange and baby pink are gorgeous against the yellow leaves in the background (thanks to Christina’s boyfriend for the great photo!) I also like how she used natural thread to hang the ornament; very eco-chic!

This wonderful gift package was created by Henry using double-sided origami paper and sheer ribbon:

The origami pattern shows well against the solid white (great use of negative space!), and the deep purple ribbon becomes a nice accent, and because it’s sheer it doesn’t feel heavy at all. Great job!

For instructions on how to create this design see: Origami Gift Wrapping

Special thanks to Christina and Henry for sending me their artwork!

Chopsticks NY Magazine: “Upgrade Your Gift-Giving” with Japanese Style Wrapping

My interview with Chopsticks NY
just came out! Check it out here: “Upgrade your gift giving.” In it, I demonstrate how to use traditional Japanese wrapping materials such as origami, tenugui, furoshiki, washi and mizuhiki. Using these materials is not only chic but eco friendly, since the wrapping itself becomes a gift that can be reused.

Chopsticks NY is one of the most resourceful English-language magazines about Japanese culture. Its information varies from food and drink, and art and lifestyle, to beauty and fashion. I have been a fan of the magazine for a long time so I am THRILLED to be a part of its November issue.

If you’re in the city, you can pick up the chopsticks NY magazine at the following distributors. Distribution List

Thanks to the editor-in-chief, Ms. Komura for making this interview enjoyable and writing a great article!

3D Origami Star

Happy Halloween!

Believe or not, I’m already working on Christmas videos..check out my latest on how to make a “3D Origami Star.” It’s actually a greeting card that turns into a hanging ornament (or a wonderful tree topper!). Make sure to choose solid colors for the inner part so you can write a message (as shown below).

I did the video using leftover red-and-gold wrapping paper, but you can also use newspaper, magazine pages, or any kind of scrap papers lying around the house (get creative! and PLEASE send pictures of your designs!). I show some alternative designs below. Here is my video, enjoy!

An alternative design with newspaper – I used some green acrylic paint and a red marker pen to give the black-and-white paper a splash of color. For the exterior, I taped two pieces of red scrap paper to the cardboard squares, and used white rubber stamps for the snowflakes.

Another design using silver and blue wrapping paper…

DIY Placemat and Silverware Holder

My new craft video is finally uploaded!!!

Whenever I throw a dinner party for my friends, I always create something handmade that has a theme or is somehow related personally to each of my guests.

This DIY placemat is fun for any kind of party since you can use differently-themed magazine/newspaper pages. For example, if everyone loves cooking, you can use pictures/recipes from a cooking magazine. Since they’re laminated with packing tape, the placemats can become souvenirs and the guests can enjoy reusing them or trying out the recipes for themselves.

Here is the video, enjoy!

New York International Gift Fair 2009

Gift shows are great opportunities to learn the latest trends in the design industry.

The New York International Gift Fair is being held at the Jacob Javits Center this week. It features over 25,000 exhibitors and attracts  over 30,000 buyers from 77 countries.

Hoping to see something exciting, I took a trip there with my little camera and a cup of coffee.

In recent years, the handmade section of the show has grown much bigger.You can find all kinds of interesting artwork created by local and global artisans. One section that especially caught my attention was “Sustainable design for a better world.” The exhibition showcased environmentally and socially conscious products and producers.

Here are some pictures from the show:

The Javits Center Lobby

Chairs made with recycled magazine pages

Cute animal models made with milk cartons

Decorative mirror made with reused records

The 1,000 Cranes

I have been doing something very Japanese recently…folding origami cranes.

The other day, I was invited by my friend to the “Sadako & the 1,000 Cranes” storytelling event at the 9/11 tribute center. Sadako Sasaki’s 1,000 cranes has become a symbol of peace through storytelling. She was a victim of the atomic blast at Hiroshima, dying shortly after at age 12 of leukemia. Before her death, she was inspired by the old Japanese legend that “one’s wish will be granted after folding 1,000 origami cranes.” She started folding them herself, but could only fold 644 cranes before her illness got worse, and her friends completed the 1,000 and buried them with Sadako.

One of Sadako’s cranes…so tiny!!

After listening to Sadako’s story, all of us at the event had a chance to create origami cranes. It reminded me of just a couple of weeks ago, when I created a wedding design for Greenwich Grill (a Japanese restaurant in Greenwich Village) incorporating origami cranes as place card holders. In Japan, besides being a symbol for peace, the crane is also a symbol for a happy marriage. Traditionally, 1,000 cranes, or “Senbazuru,” are given to a couple as a wedding gift, wishing a thousand years of happiness and prosperity.

Here’s a photo of my wedding design with paper cranes:

Wedding design at Greenwich Grill: Photo – courtesy of Taka Photo

Indoor Mini Planter

My mother used to grow all kinds of vegetables in her garden, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, and snow peas. As a kid, it was like a treasure hunt to find the ripest ones, and my mother often made tasty meals using the freshly picked vegetables (her snow pea omelettes were my favorite!).

It’s quite a different situation now, but I still manage to grow some greens and herbs in my small NYC apartment thanks to my indoor mini planters. I focus on the display more than anything…can’t help it, I’m an artist.

In order to create an organic feel, I use natural fabrics like linen and cotton canvas to wrap around the aluminum cans, which are recycled as plant pots. I also use gardening twine to accessorize my planters. Here’s the how-to video, enjoy!

Ah…oasis

Heaven…

That’s all I can say.

After many months of pushing my body to work harder and harder, I finally had a chance to relax and unwind… with a two-hour Thai & herbal-ball massage.

My masseuse Yoko has had a very interesting professional experience. She first studied Thai massage in Bangkok for two years, then oil massage in Bali, Indonesia, then traveled to Hawaii to study another massage style called “lomi lomi,” and finally learned Swedish massage in New York.

As soon as she put her magic hands to work, I was taken back to my memories of Thailand, where I first fell in love with Thai massage three years ago.

She used the perfect amount of pressure…it felt so great…by the time she got to my arms, I was sound asleep.

Two hours passed by quickly, and I woke up with my body feeling very light. Yoko served me a glass of tasty plum tea. “This is an oasis in New York,” I thought.

I found my merry maker.

* Check the contact info. and the pricing list at the end of the post

Yoko is donating 20% of her profits to help people in need in Thailand, India, Cambodia, Bolivia, and Chili. She traveled to many third-world countries before residing in NYC, and her experiences and friendships in those countries made her decide to help them some day.

While listening to Yoko’s stories, I remembered my own experience in Thailand. While staying there, I visited many local “eco artists” in different villages. Seeing their great hand skills, I wondered how much of the profit actually went to the artists. I spotted a girl who was making an album with Thai paper that sells in the US for about $60.

I would love to write more about the artist villages in Thailand someday.

Making photo albums

Materials for making papers

Thai papers

Yoko’s Massage Place

~Price~

** 30% OFF during the months of June ~ August/First time visit $35:80min. Combination

Thai Massage (non-oil) 45min.=$45, 60min.=$55, 80min.=$75, 90min.=$80 Swedish Massage (oil) 45min.=$50, 60min.=$60, 80min.=$80, 90min.=$85 Bali Style Massage(oil) 90min.=$85 Lomi Lomi (oil) 90min.=$85 Original Oil Massage 45min.=$$50, 60min.=$60, 80min.=$80, 90min.=$85

Combination Massages

1. Oil or non-oil (60min.) + Herbal Ball (30min.) 90min. Total=$95 Oil or non-oil (60min.) + Herbal Ball (60min.) 120min.=$100

2. Oil or non-oil (60min.) + Reiki (30min.) 90min. Total=$75
Oil or non-oil (60min.) + Reiki (60min.) 120min.=$80

Facial 60min.=$55

Reiki Healing 60min.=$55 Reiki Healing Session1=$140, Session2=$140, Session3=$230, Session4=$270

Aroma Oil $5 each

* All Massages for women only

For more details, contact Yoko at chappy-0423@hotmail.com

A farewell to wisdom teeth

Sayonara to my wisdom teeth…

This week becomes one of the most memorable in my life…I got all 4 wisdom teeth pulled!

Going to the dentist is one of the most horrifying things for me, and going to see an oral surgeon for a consultation to pull my wisdom teeth was an absolutely tragic event. I was so extremely scared that I actually started crying at one point.

Luckily, the Dr. was very professional and knew how to handle a chicken like me. He somehow convinced me not only to do the the surgery the same day, but to have all 4  of my wisdom teeth out at the same time. (Thank God he did…now I don’t have to worry about this surgery any more).

He didn’t prolong my agony any longer. As he was explaining that the surgery will take a half  hour to finish, he injected the anesthesia into my body. A minute seemed to pass by, and I asked a nurse standing in the corner when the surgery would start. She told me it was already done and that all 4 wisdom teeth were out.(!!!)

I was prescribed different pain killers and some antibiotics and was told that I should start taking the pain killers after the local anesthetic wears off. By the next morning, I realized that the local anesthetic must have worn off a long time ago and I had absolutely no pain at all. Amazing…I didn’t even have any swelling. Thanks to Dr. Gary Ruth I had such a pleasant experience. I would totally recommend him to anyone in NYC who needs to take their wisdom teeth out.

Gift Wrapping Class at the Nippon Club

It’s exciting to do demonstrations and classes since I always get to meet interesting people and make some new friends.

I was invited to do a one-day gift wrapping seminar at the Nippon Club, the oldest Japanese social club in the U.S. I picked 3 designs for this class: candy wrap, wine bottle wrap, and a handmade gift bag. Considering this is a beginner’s class, all designs are relatively easy to make.

I had a great time teaching this class

Thanks so much to everyone who joined!

やっぱりクラスで教えるのは楽しいです！

いつも私が一番ハッスルしてるんですけど、、、今回は初回のギフトラッピングのクラスだったので簡単実用的なデザインだったのですが、生徒さんのレベル結構高くて驚きました。やはり日本人の皆さん、手先が器用です！ワインラップのプリーツ何て口頭でこんな感じで〜、ってな説明だったのに、皆さんあっという間に奇麗なプリーツを作り上げてました。お見事。

ご参加して頂いた皆さん、本当にありがとうございました。またお会い出来るのを楽しみにしています。それから、宮澤さん、いろいろお世話になります〜。忘れっぽい私を色々助けて頂いて、、、ありがとうございます。