Friday, December 9, 2011

ring sizes

Getting ready for another pop up shop for the holidays~!


Here I was changing the sizes of the rings from the Arabesque Collection. Sizes 11,13,15 (Japanese sizes) they seem to all fit within each other like a pattern when I sized them~
so that is why there is a photo.
I like that I can change the sizes of the ring so that anyone can wear the design. I've made small pinky sizes and a mans' thumb ring before and they both looked really good on them.
I am happy that the rings found a nice home.






.... and these would soon find their new owner at the pop up shop hopefully!






Saturday, December 3, 2011

Color of fall



There is something that I do everyday around this time of year.
It is eating persimmons. I love them! 
There are different types of persimmons and depending on the orchards, they taste different. 
But I just love them all!




This year my grandfathers tree had some fruit and my husband was there to pick them, I was thereto photograph him.
There were about 20 to 30. All very small but really sweet.


Around the neighborhood there are a lot of persimmon trees. A lot of them are big trees that have lots and lots of fruit that are ripe ready to eat. I wouldn't leave it hanging on the trees all for the birds, but I guess those neighbors don't like persimmons as much as I do.




Some of them were still a little hard so here, we have them sunbathing. Each day they are getting sweeter and softer.





Tuesday, November 22, 2011

tower in the dark

I sometimes go to this area where the new tower is being built, the Tokyo Sky Tree, but not that often.


But when i do I try to take a picture of the tower to see far along it has been built.
The day is so much shorter now a days, I wasn't able to get a clear shot.  I hope you can see the tower though. 








The tower I think is mostly finished. There were some light in the globe section, so I am guessing they have to do some interior work.
I was surprised to see the building next to it was taller than I had expected. And that was finished too I think.


It is opening next May.  
I'm not sure if I want to see Tokyo from that hight,though. It's very very high. But I bet on sunny days you can see so much!! 


...I just can't decide yet. 



Sunday, November 20, 2011

new addition

On my right hand I always wear my" bear that hugs my finger" ring. 


I have a new addition. Anoushka.






The curly and dotted design wraps around my pinky, which makes the design visible from all angles.
At first it kept feeling like I'm going to loose the ring. The pinky finger is a weird one, it tapers. ( If you know what I mean)
But now I don't have to curl my fingers in when I wear it. I'm used to it. My bear is also happy that it doesn't interfere with it. It won't leave scratch marks on either of the rings!


There are more rings for the pinky. 
Very thin, golden and stackable. 


I wanted to stack more rings on my finger but I think I'll  wait and see if simple is the look I'm into right now.


You can see more of the rings for your pinky at the ileava site.











Tuesday, November 15, 2011

so pretty

I love it when I have flowers in the studio.






This one is special because it was given to me by a neighbor.  She plants and grows them each year and when the flower blooms she gives it away to her neighbors.  Everyone can see them getting taller and taller in her garden when we pass by her house until it blooms at last. She gives us all to look forward to.


The gesture is so nice, and she does it every year.
It's also right when it is starting to get colder, more cloudy days and shorter days. Nice to see some colors. 
This type is my favorite of the bunch.



Thank you for this years flowers!













Monday, October 31, 2011

visitor

The days are getting shorter, the nights are a lot cooler than the day.  And it's November~!!


Just the other night I had a surprise visitor.


I didn't know that they can still be roaming around in the autumn/winter temperature, but there it was a really big gecko.
The ones I usually spot in the summer humid seasons are very small, sometimes so tiny and cute that it is you can't be frightened by them.
I know they are good luck. They protect your home. So, I thanked the big gecko for protecting us, and also to come back the next day.....

and then got back to work again.

I have a pop up shop at the Tokyu Toyoko Department Store in Shibuya, starting the 3rd for a week.
Stop by if you are in the area~!


Tuesday, October 4, 2011

purple

The humidity, temperature, everything has changed now.
The sun is setting a lot earlier.
This is the time when I can get a good view of Mt. Fuji. from my station. I haven't seen it yet, but one of these day. I'm constantly looking out of the window of the train.

Here ia a photo I took few days ago. The neon signs are just starting to show more presence.










Monday, September 26, 2011

a lot of hugs


All the hug rings lined up for a photo.


There are so many hug rings now, it makes me smile when I look at them. 

It is weird to think that if I had never gone and lived in California, I might not have be accustomed to giving hugs, or letting someone hug me.

Now there are more people in Japan who knows and gives hugs, but it is just not the way things are here.

Sometimes I miss the small differences. But it would be very different if I start to see all theses Japanese people hugging each other instead of the little bow, or the wave....





Sunday, September 18, 2011

Fall


The one great thing about chestnuts are that they have a distinct, not so great, smell earlier in the year. So, I knew where the tree was before they even had the fruit in fall. 

So here is the floating green very prickly chestnut.
I picked one that had dropped from the tree that grows in a neighbors' back yard.



So I took it home to see if it's going to hatch..... but I think these young ones that fall from the tree are the ones that you can't eat?


A few days has passed and still not much of a difference for this guy.

I went by the tree again and saw that the ones on the trees have turned brown now. 
So I think I need to open this guy up by force, if I want to see what is inside..... well I know what's in there.....

And meanwhile if I do want to eat chestnuts, I just have to go buy them!  One wasn't going to satisfy me anyway~




Thursday, August 25, 2011

tangled.


It just happens sometimes. 

I try to un-tangle my thoughts. 
But I can usually untangle necklaces that have been in the cleaner faster than my own thoughts.


Here we have the fish necklace, the open star and tiny star dangle necklace, medium water necklace with moonstone, small melted candy, small and medium water necklace, small water and fish necklace, the water lariat.



I got the mess straightened out, no problem!






Monday, August 22, 2011

green~


When you head west a little ways in Tokyo, you reach a part that has still a lot of nature and trees less houses and apartments.

It's really nice to come here sometimes. It's nice there are place like this just an hour away.
This river that we like to set up our gear and invite friends to come, is a big river by the time it is closer to Tokyo Bay and around the city.
The water is clear, and to hear the noise out there is refreshing.

you can click to see the whole photo

In this photo, we had all set up the tents (because it was drizzling) and Georges had just started on the slow roasted beef~! so good! 
we are waiting for the other hungry guests to arrive~

Next time when it's sunny I know everyone is going to be in the water.



Thursday, August 18, 2011

The thing about silver



The other day I wanted to wear these pair of earrings. It had been awhile, but didn't expect it to be this tarnished!!



oops. and no the humidity probably doesn't help.


So, I got my polishing cloth and polished it!



The great thing about silver is that when you do clean it, it really comes back to life.

But I will be better at keeping them in a jewelry box to avoid it from tarnishing.





Wednesday, August 10, 2011

purple sky



It was one of those days when I was up and out of the house by 4 a.m.


The sky is really pretty early in the morning.








Another amazing view of Tokyo.



Friday, August 5, 2011

too much


iced coffee.
I think it was hurting my stomach. 

So instead I had mint tea today.  

Our mints hasbeen doing good this summer. Growing very well and fast!
We have three different kinds and sometimes I like to try and blend them all and sometimes I  like to just choose one.

I think the best way to make the tea is to put it directly in a pan with water and let it boil.
I've tried pouring hot water in to a pot with mint leaves but I think boiling it directly would give you the most flavor.


Its very easy and simple. the mint taste is really refreshing too. 
I think my stomach feels better today.








Thursday, July 14, 2011

something new~

A new addition to the Bouquet family.
Now a cuff bracelet!

I love wearing bracelets specially when you are wearing T-shirts sleeveless tops. It just adds to the outfit.
The cuff stays close to you and is different from the other bracelets where they are loose around your wrist.  It's one of the item I am wearing all the time now.

So I had shots of when I was coming up with this design. I was first drawing it out but it was just easier to do a mock up in wax. It seems like it is the best way for me. I could feel it and see it in 3D.



and so I chose the best one to be the one on the right. As you can see I've started to make more decisions on that one.

and the finished piece!




its a photo (that I took) so it looks better in person.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

bananas!





This building is located between Akihabara and Okachimachi. It doesn't seem to be used for bananas anymore. I'm sure it was once filled with bananas. Maybe when it was an expensive imported fruit. I'm sure but I feel like my mother had told me that a long time ago.


I pass by it quite often now that I am doing an event in at the "Hacoa Store" in Okachimachi. 
There through July I am selling a collaboration pieces with the brand Hacoa, who designs and makes wooden objects. 








Lately I've been having frozen banana treats. 

It's  perfect for the hot weather. and you don't feel too bad eating it for a late night snack.

Healthy and simple. 
I remember eating this for snacks when I was like 5. I'm glad my mother has raised me on it. I think I'll pass it on too.

Ok now back to what I was doing. 



Sunday, June 26, 2011

helpers

Tools are very useful.

I have few files that I use on a regular basis. Those are the small ones that you see at the bottom.
I also had bigger files in case I needed them for bigger things.



You just never know how useful one tools is until you use them for the right thing!
Now the big file is included in the "useful" family, and this is what it helped me make.




Wooden ring, a new collaboration pieces with a wooden brand Hacoa.





Thursday, June 23, 2011

Hydrangea

There are so many colors and shapes. I love spotting one in the rainy season. Their colors cheer you up even with all the gloominess and rain.

These are some of the hydrangea that I came across this year when I was walking Rain.













Yes he's the one that lets me know when it stopped raining and we can go out for a walk this time of the year.




Thursday, June 16, 2011

Smells

This time of the year in Tokyo, it rains a lot and also starts to get humid. It's not too humid just yet.
But, scents and different smells are more apparent. It travels well with the humidity, or just stays where they are......
A lot of advertisements are about how to keep the bad smells away, or adding good scents.

At the ileava studio, we are preparing for an event for July.
Our new wood and silver collaboration pieces are in the works!



So here, we have the rain and also the scent of wood.  I will post the finished pieces here soon~

Friday, June 3, 2011

Roses


About a week ago, I went to go see roses with my family. They are plated all along the train tracks and it is only in May that they bloom all at once. 
It was really nice. It would've been fun looking  at them from the train too, and I'll do that next year I think.







The best part I think was that there were all these rose petals on the streets. All different colors~

June is all about rain and hydrangea.




Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Custom Work


I just finished a necklace for a customer who had a stone that she bought a while ago.







It was really fun making this piece. The smooth stone made me think of a smooth curvy line that cases the stone.

The stone had some height, so it really looks snug in this design.







Monday, May 9, 2011

May


It's getting warmer.
I can feel summer around the corner already.



Found poppies growing from the wall.  They reminded me of California.

I love the california poppies that bloom along freeways.  The orange is so California. Bright and I could feel the dry air. I think May is my favorite month in both Japan and California. 







Wednesday, April 27, 2011

how it looks


Jewelry really looks different depending on how you display them.
Sometimes I do good and can draw people to the rings and necklaces I want people to see.
Sometimes it just doesn't work.

This time I got a little help and had someone else do it for me!

A very different look using the same displays and making my bear and bunny feel more at home.

Thank you.


hug bear and hug bunny with their ring holder house



Monday, April 18, 2011

storing your jewelry.



I do some random things depending on what I am into at the moment.
I like to put the things I'm into now, where I can always see them. Like on my dresser or by my workarea.
Either way not the best idea.

My sister on the other hand has a nice little place to put her Ileava Jewelry!




It's nice because it is enclosed and and you can take each one off their hook with out tangling them.

Makes it easier to find what you are looking for, when you need it and also it makes you put it back to it's right place.

Nice!





Thursday, April 7, 2011

it's here!

When you see the cherry blossoms bloom, you know it is spring.

It came so suddenly, it feels like!


Two days ago, I shot this.



and then today, the whole park was filled with the light pink flowers~





The cherry blossoms really have such a presences.  I can almost see this little park smiling.