The back streets of Kurashiki

I recently went to beautiful Kurashiki.

Kurashiki has a beautiful traditional area which looks like the photos above. I guess this might be the most beautiful part of the town but for me, I really can't resist the back streets. Below are some photos from my walks off the beaten track.














































If you have the chance, please visit beautiful Kurashiki.

Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

Post for Boco-chan

I've been sending some letters to friends lately and this is one that went out to Boco-chan, the photographer of my Japanese craft book. Being the brilliant photographer and life-documenting star that she is, Boco-chan took these lovely photos as she opened the letter.

(ありがとうBoco-chan for letting me post your images!)



I used my perforation tool on Boco-chans envelope creating a little edge which she could tear open. I'm relieved it worked!





Boco-chan collects many tickets and stamps from around the world and when I told this to my dad and Aunty Nin they started collecting tickets for her too!



I also included a little handmade zine in Boco-chans package.



Have you seen this lovely letter exhibition? or this pretty collection of letters? (Lisa also told me there is a cafe in Ghent where all things on the menu are named after a blog and there is a 'Hello Sandwich'!!! I am soooo curious to try a Hello Sandwich! )   You can also check my stationery album where I pin lovely handwritten letters.

Happy letter writing Sandwiches!

Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

October Daily Life in Tokyo

A little laneway in Minami-Shinjuku right near Tokyo's famous fashion school, Bunka.



I was recently photographed for a new mook that is coming out soon, and the shoot took place at the photo studios at Bunka (where beautiful Japanese fashion magazine Soen also shoots some of their fashion spreads).



Cuties at the photo shoot!



Hanging out in the laneways in Sangenjaya.



A sunny day overlooking Shibuya. I will never get sick of this sight.



I took this shot today in Sangenjaya. There was a mini matsuri taking place and the streets were filled with takoyaki stands, buskers, chalk art, handmade craft stalls and makeshift tables.



Have you seen Yuzuko-chan 's new book? It shows you how to make cute drawings with post-it notes. Ever since receiving the book from Yuzuko-chan I've been trying to make little post-it works, but I realised I didn't have any post-it notes. When Yuzuko-chan heard this she prepared me this amazing little 'post-it note sampler'!



Lunch at Mr Y's family home. Hijiki, Renkon and Onigiri are some of my all time favourite foods.



Our beds at Mr Y's family home. These are those incredible straw filled pillows.



Beers at the kotatsu.



Eki-ben manga, craft and beer at the kotatsu.



This shop is like the Japanese version of Bunnings. On the first floor they have all the manly tools and Bunnings style items but on the second floor they have kitchen and bathroom items plus a giant craft section! Imagine Saturdays spent up here while waiting for your better half to select power tools. Love you Japan. (If only there was the Bunnings-style sausage sizzle...)



Waiting for our bikes to be fixed in Shimokitazawa.



I love this little lane on my daily walk home.

Did you have a nice weekend Sandwiches?

Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo


P.S. You can see some more daily life images on my instagram account.

Outgoing Mail

Outgoing mail in handmade envelopes.
Cutest Japanese stamps ever.
Letter writing is such a lovely afternoon activity isn't it.

Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

Thumb and Cakes Exhibition, Tea Party and Workshop

This is one of the super cute original Hello Sandwich cookies that Thumb and Cakes made for the Hello Sandwich Book Party. Nanako-san (Thumb and Cakes creator) is so lovely and even bought beautiful pastel pink roses to the party as a present for me. I really love all of her creations and lovely sense so when I heard she was having an exhibition, tea party and workshop naturally I headed over to the event.





Mami-chan and I headed over to the cute shop called Brownie and Tea Room in Minamiazabu. It's full of beautiful vintage linen, furniture and ceramics each carefully selected and curated in the most delightful way in this sunny shop. Perched in a glass display shelf were cakes and brownies made by Nanako-san. Not only are her sweets super cute to look at, they also taste amazing. Only a genius can achieve such a perfect combination.







We arrived just after a cookie icing workshop had finished. Look how gorgeous all of the student-made cookies are?!







Mami-chan and I were able to participate in the second icing workshop where we decorated sugar coated almonds with flowers, polka dots and mini swans. It was so lovely to be a workshop participant rather than the teacher for a change! It's so relaxing attending workshops!

Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

Takayama

We recently spent two nights in Takayama after my book promotion tour. Takayama town has a lovely traditional and retro feel to it which makes for wonderful photo taking afternoons.




















During the evenings you could walk along side the river and listen to yukata clad couples clip clopping along in traditional Japanese timber shoes. You could peek into busy izakayas through front doors which were left open in attempt to cool down.










We rented bikes one afternoon and rode around the local parks and headed over to a local famous French bakery. We wondered around the traditional part of town and stopped in a local cafe and drank sake on a log table. Takayama is a lovely little town and worth spending a night there if you are heading on to Shirakawago.

Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

Hello Sandwich Festival!

Yesterday we had the Hello Sandwich Festival Party! (oops - I really should have designed the 'n' in a darker colour, ne!)  It was such a nice way to celebrate the publishing of our new craft book! We showed some craft items from our book on the second floor exhibition space, hosted a workshop and from 5pm we had a party to celebrate with some pink punch!
(Two photos above by Marie who came along to the festival! Thank you Marie!)

Thank you so much Thumb & Cakes for making these original Hello Sandwich Cookies that look like my notebooks, corsages and ribbons! You are the best!



Thank you also Mami-chan for making these Fragola cookie brooches using patterns from my book!



Well done to the workshop participants who made many cute things in 1.5 hours!

Super special thanks to Subana-san and the Kusakanmuri and BNN staff for this incredible opportunity and for making the Hello Sandwich Bok Party so special!




Thank you everyone who came along! And for the special people who gave me all these gorgeous gifts! Goodness, I felt like some kind of movie star!



If you couldnt come along, here is a little movie which I hope captured the mood of the event!


Music, as always, by the incredible Lullatone which I listen to almost everyday. Did you see that they just did the music for the new Anthropologie card? They are also recommended as the perfect music for a crafternoon in my book too! Be sure to buy some of their music for your next crafternoon!

Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo