November in Tokyo

Hello Sandwiches.

Can you believe it's already November?

It's starting to get really cold in Tokyo. I love winter in Tokyo! (This is a post from last years winter, and this is a favourite too) It seems just a few weeks ago I was getting around in sandals and now I'm searching for my pompom gloves to take bike riding. I always love the things that mark the change of seasons in Japan. At the end of summer when you first notice oden being sold at Lawsons, or when you spot nikuman at the cash register. By the way, do you know that Sunkus is selling a Hello Kitty-man! I rarely go to Sunkus but now I think I need a special trip. (Thanks for the tip Mami-chan!)

I was featured in the new Decopatch mook. I really really love the styling of this mook.  (Thank you Akiyama-san!)

A few months ago Akiyama-san, the editor of this mook, was riding her bike in Sangengaya. I was walking to an editorial meeting but took notice of her because she had the cutest coral dress with cute piping and looked so super sweet riding off on her mamachari. Then, as I was walking on towards my meeting I heard a 'Sumimasen!" and then "Hello Sandwich-san desu ne?"...Akiyama-san had recognised me from my blog and asked me to be part of this book! It was so awesome. I love '偶然' meetings like that!

If you have an interest in trying decopatch, please buy this cute mook!






Can you spot Hello Sandwich mentioned on the cover?



I finally ate the last Hello Sandwich original cookie.



I spotted my first book on display in a craft shop the other day. They'd even made a sample from page 47.



Breakfasts in the morning sun with coffee from my landlady and new cute napkins from Priscilla!



Harajuku bike / garden.



Ginza at night.



Mogu-chans cute Mr Yellow in Nakameguro.



Everyday snack.


Looking over Shibuya on a perfect-weather-day. I could see Fuji-san from the next window that day too!



Bowing at the start of my Martha Stewart EntreX workshop.



Worlds cutest cake!



Mirrors in Harajuku.

Stay warm Tokyo Sandwiches.


Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

One Bag Three Ways

Hello Sandwiches!

I bought a stack of tiffany coloured tissue paper bags and have been playing around with a few ways to turn them into cute bags for gift wrapping. Maybe you could try it too with Christmas just around the corner?

If you can't find tissue paper bags, you could try using regular tissue paper doubled over and make into a bag using this gift bag tutorial. For each of these bags I scrunched the tissue paper a few times to create texture.






For this bag I 'double hemmed' the top of the bag and stuck some thick colourful string handles on with masking tape. Glue some cute ribbon to a large safety pin and them staple on some cute collage papers. Attach to your bag, add some fluoro green mini dot stickers and you're done :)


For this bag I added pink masking tape stripes, zig zag cardboard edges and a cardboard label.  The zig zag edges were actually a manila envelope that I recycled. It's fun to upcycle use whatever you have around you!




For this bag I took inspiration from the very beautiful work of Australian artist Kirra Jamison and used coloured paper and foil origami paper to make a small collage.



I hope you'll enjoy making some gift bags, too. If you're in need of some more gift wrapping tips for Christmas, don't forget my Gift Wrapping Zine PDF for $10. It's in English!

Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

Letter from Mami-chan!

Hello Sandwiches!

Look at this adorable letter that came in the mail from Mami-chan today!

:)

おたより Exhibition

Hello Sandwiches,

Today we went to the おたより Exhibition in Ginza. (Thank you Hanibuchi-san for the tip!) The おたより exhibition features creative and colourful envelopes sent (mostly within Japan) to Kobe based Galerie 6c. The artists of the envelopes ranged from school children to adults.

It was beautiful to see the way that the postage stamps were intertwined into the artworks on some of these envelope works. For instance, the above envelope which features a drawing of Mt Fuji, where the tip of the mountain is a postage stamp.

The exhibition will continue in Ginza, Tokyo until November 5th, 2012 here (number 3 on the map). The exhibition will then continue on to Carta Bianca in Osaka. (I once held a workshop at their Tokyo store Winged Wheel).

I really enjoyed this exhibition and if you have a chance to visit the exhibition, please do! And if not, please enjoy seeing some of the beautiful envelopes below here.












For more envelope art inspiration:

A letter I sent to Dear Plastic and her lovely shoe box letter box collection.
Send more mail.

Lisa's beautiful collection of letters.

A letter I received from Luke.

A letter I sent to Boco-chan.

Some of my outgoing mail.

Beautiful Japanese floral stamps.

A beautiful letter exhibition in Belgium.

My letter writing collection on pinterest.


Do you have any great letter weblinks too? I would love to see!

Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

Floral Milk Packaging

I just had to buy these cute little milk containers purely for the packaging.

Now I just have a lot of cups of tea to drink so I can stick the top parts into my scrapbooks!

I love collecting sugar stick packets for the packaging. Actually it's a bit cheeky but I don't take sugar in my coffee or tea. I carefully slice the edge off and pour out the sugar or sometimes make a teeny slit in the back and stand over the bit watching the sugar fall out like an hourglass. I was at a meeting the other day and they had the most amazing sugar sticks - orange with white flecks, kind of 80s style! It took all of my self restraint not to pop one of those little sticks in my handbag. I wonder what brand that was... I'm a bit of a weirdo aren't I ha ha.



Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

Martha Stewart Crafters Clay Workshop

Hello Sandwiches!

As you know I am a big Martha Stewart fan and am delighted to be hosting two workshops using the Martha Stewart Crafters Clay!



11th November
Entre Square Aoyama

Workshop 1:
Original Corsage made with crafters clay and assorted ribbons to attach to a cute A4 tote bag.
1pm

Workshop 2: Folding Fabric Covered Card made with crafters clay, assorted Martha Stewart craft punches, ribbon and patterned papers.
4pm

Workshop cost: ¥2500 per workshop with all materials included (Special price of ¥4000 to participate in both workshops)

More details here.

大人可愛いオリジナルギフトラッピングの作り方」
–プラス１のおもてなし−
11月11日(日)　ワークショップ開催

アメリカで大人気のクラフトブランドMartha Stewart Craftの
パンチとクレイを使って誰でも簡単にできるかわいいクラフトの作り方を
クラフトアーティストHELLO SANDWICHさんが教えてくださいます❤

[イベント詳細]
日時：２０１２年１１月１１日（日）
１部目：１３時／２部目：１６時
定員：事前予約制・人数に限りがございますので、お早めにどうぞ。
参加費：￥２，５００/部、２部共にご参加の方は￥４，０００となります。
（材料費：￥１，０００、ワークショップ費￥１，５００）

[ワークショップ内容]
1部　13時～14時半　　
クレイとファブリックで作るオリジナルコサージュ

2部　16時～17時半 　　
クレイとパンチで作るスクラップフォルディングカード　

[Entre Square青山]
会場：entre square 青山　(アントレスクエア ) 東京都港区北青山３－１１－７ AOビル２F

TEL: ０３－５７６６－９３８５

E-mail:  aoyama@entrex.co.jp
営業時間：11:00～20:00
ご予約方法：人数、参加される方のお名前、参加されるワークショップ、ご連絡先を上記店舖へご連絡ください。　

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