ileava's letter from Japan

snowflakes

2012-01-20T05:29:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since it last snowed in Tokyo. It is really colder in January and February here than it is in December.

But even if it snows all day, there are never snow on the asphalt, only on lawns and dirt. So there would never be enough to make a good snowman in this neihborhood!
I was thinking of making a very very small snowman, but thought that I needed to pull out my good gloves that I wear for skiing or snowboarding... and that wasn't going to happen today.

This was a card that I made. My dog making the snowman.

So, as I watched the snow fall today, while making waxes and new pieces, I was thinking of the new Kate Bush song Snowflake.

I wonder how many times it will snow this year~

the sea

2012-01-15T19:58:00.000-08:00

I was going to the Tokyo International Exhibition Center, there was a jewelry show that I wanted to check out. As I got off the train, I could smell the salty air.

I forget how close the ocean is from where I live.

There are boats you can take across the bay so I think I'll look that up next time and try to enjoy the bay more.

going out

2012-01-12T06:24:00.000-08:00

"I won't be out too late."

I would say to my dog. If only he could understand. He always looks so devastated~

I wore my new necklace with a long champange colored pearl necklace. The length of the pearl makes me feel more slender.

The diamond shaped necklace is a gold and blackened silver with a little bit or sparkle as accent. More styles are on the ileava site too.

what do I like to do?

2012-01-09T03:05:00.000-08:00

As I was cleaning some stuff out of the closet, I found this!

My good friend who knows me too well, gave this to me a while back.

It's one of my favorite things, puzzles...... trying to figure this out over the holidays really made it feel like the holiday seasons when you can relax a bit.

Done~!

Happy New Year~!

2012-01-05T05:36:00.000-08:00

I hope this year will be a great year for everyone!

I put this up on the wall. The greens and the acorn are so cute and they are real~!

ring sizes

2011-12-09T06:28:00.000-08:00

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!

Color of fall

2011-12-03T00:12:00.000-08:00

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.

tower in the dark

2011-11-22T09:29:00.000-08:00

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.

new addition

2011-11-20T05:19:00.000-08:00

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.

so pretty

2011-11-15T08:21:00.000-08:00

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!

visitor

2011-10-31T09:57:00.000-07:00

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~!

purple

2011-10-04T08:34:00.000-07:00

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.

a lot of hugs

2011-09-26T04:17:00.000-07:00

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....

Fall

2011-09-18T08:52:00.000-07:00

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~

tangled.

2011-08-25T07:25:00.000-07:00

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!

green~

2011-08-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

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.

The thing about silver

2011-08-18T05:24:00.000-07:00

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.

purple sky

2011-08-10T03:04:00.000-07:00

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.

too much

2011-08-05T02:43:00.000-07:00

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.

something new~

2011-07-14T08:35:00.000-07:00

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.

bananas!

2011-07-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

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.

helpers

2011-06-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

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.

Hydrangea

2011-06-23T05:47:00.000-07:00

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.

Smells

2011-06-16T08:37:00.000-07:00

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~

Roses

2011-06-03T08:45:00.000-07:00

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.

Custom Work

2011-05-24T07:15:00.000-07:00

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.

May

2011-05-09T20:07:00.000-07:00

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.

how it looks

2011-04-27T05:16:00.000-07:00

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

storing your jewelry.

2011-04-18T05:26:00.000-07:00

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!

it's here!

2011-04-07T07:25:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-03-16T06:53:00.000-07:00

the past few days has been something~!

I am thankful that I have been able to reach all family and friends and know that everyone is safe.

this is a photo taken today.

it was overcast, but the windy weather was pushing the clouds.

we are trying to conserve as much electricity right now, so I appreciate a sunny day.

lately my plant seems to be getting enough spring sun too.

we must do all that we can and find something to smile about~

necklace

2011-03-09T08:16:00.001-08:00

This is something that I just finished, and excited to share with you.

It is made for Satomi Ogawa, a soprano singer. She was introduced to me through a mutual friend.

She is very tall, has a smile that is warm and kind. Her singing is very powerful.

Her logo is a treble clef with her initial mixed into it.

It was a perfect element to make into an original piece she can wear on her performances.

The large center pieces is paved with crystals. I am thinking of doing it in diamonds soon!

at the studio....

2011-03-07T06:52:00.000-08:00

There are circles that are becoming something and circles that are not.

and I am getting better at making them perfect!

my latest favorite

2011-03-03T10:11:00.000-08:00

I don't listen to the same songs over and over again.

But I do listen to the same artist over and over.........

so lately I bought Amar's newest album and listening to it when I work, on the train and when I drive.

It is one of the album that keeps me going right now.

She is from the UK, so she has the great accent that I always try to mimic.

I like the way she sings and also how her english sounds.

The first time I heard of her was in Tokyo, through the radio, believe it or not.

I do wish I could understand the language more though....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqbt231vhRs

this is just one of her songs~

good partnership

2011-02-27T22:11:00.000-08:00

Lately I have a few projects where I need to just make, make, make!

A good thing is that at the studio I have the "bite size Reese's"

It's been like the best combination, the salty peanut butter and the sweet chocolate.

Is it just me, or is your concentration better when you eat chocolate?

I also do miss the American peanut butter. Here, the common peanut butter is creamy and sweet. The right amount of saltiness is what I am used to!

I have to think of a way to get this again!!

almost valentine's day

2011-02-11T06:17:00.000-08:00

a simple card would be a good start.

rain or shine

2010-12-22T06:42:00.000-08:00

Make rainy days feel not as bad......!

The new collection from ileava, Ao, was made so that those rainy days won't make you feel so gloomy anymore.

Wear cloud pieces for cloudy days or rain drops for rainy days to make you feel differently about those rainy days.

There's always the sun above the clouds~

Available at Accents Jewelry on Main St. Santa Monica.

Christmas is just around the corner~

2010-12-18T07:50:00.000-08:00

ileava's new star and heart rings are sold at Yolk.

and few other selections as well~

it's a little hard to see in this photo.
The little heart and star could be worn together inside of the large open heart or star~

if you are in the area, Yolk is a great store that you can find gifts for others and gifts you want to give yourself!

http://www.shopyolk.com/

I used to drive on this street almost everyday, one summer when I was interning for an architect studio. I really liked how a busy street filled with stores, (Beverly) turns into a curvy street (Silver Lake) The best part is when you get to the lake and everything is a bit more open.

That summer is filled with great memories.

little shrimp

2010-12-14T07:20:00.000-08:00

The other day I went on a little road trip.

This time it was to Shizuoka. There is a department store I am doing an event at, and I needed to go there to set up.

Since it is almost December and getting cold, we are able to see a snow covered mount Fuji. People say it is the best way to see mount Fuji. The white mountain against the blue sky really did make the mountain stand out.

There were low clouds that day, and when we got to our usual spot to take a good look, it was covering the top part of the mountain.

It takes about roughly 4 hours by car to get to Shizuoka.

The city is located close to the sea, and it is famous for tuna.
For dinner we had a variety of fresh raw fish. How fresh the fish is, key when you want to eat it raw, so this was a great place to try different menus. My favorite was the tiny shrimp. Usually you see these dried. To eat them raw was really good and I didn't expect them to be so flavorful! They are very small, about 3/4"inch.

Another reason why going to different parts of Japan is exciting. Every place has their specialties~

The department store set up turned out like this!

Hearts and Stars

2010-12-06T09:08:00.000-08:00

tiny starts and tiny hearts.

I love the weight these little guys have when it's all in my hands.

These got brushed and washed, and made into necklaces.

It's going to be sold at a trunk show in a department store in Shizuoka, soon~!

Its December now...

2010-12-02T10:28:00.000-08:00

So many of the leaves turn color in this time of year in Tokyo.

This past whole week I was at Isetan Department store in Fuchu for a week long trunkshow.
It was a great week and I had a chance to meet a lot of great customers !

Everyday, I would pass through a shrine. There are so many large trees there, you really get to enjoy the season.

Because this shrine is so old there are 2 really old cherry trees in front.
It is not that tall for how big the tree trunks are but I can imagine how large and wide the branches will be in the spring time with blossoms.

It was weird for me. I almost forgot that cherry leaves turn color.
I always remember places where there are cherry trees because in the spring they are so pretty, and every tree is different depending on the size of the trees.

This is a different cherry tree more close to home where I usually come to see cherry blossoms.

I feel like I can remember this view now.
Sunny and warm, but the temperature is not that high. The sky is blue, leaves are orange and the light is crisp.
This is what end of November, beginning of December feels like.

Next week I can hopefully get a good look of Mt Fuji in December.

Wooden...

2010-10-29T01:03:00.000-07:00

Here are my little guys that I drew. They are my hug bear and my bunny that was the start of the hug rings that I make in silver.

Now, I have them on my phone!

Well, on my phone maple wooden case to be exact.

The company who makes this case is Hacoa. They produce and designs wooden stationary goods, house-wear, and kitchen-wear.
Their new product is the iphone case. It comes in walnut, maple and rosewood.
This is what it looks like in rosewood.

I like the idea that the things you use everyday is made out of wood, because it will start to age over time, and would have a certain sheen and have deeper color.

I am anctious to to also see jewelry age as well.
Hacoa and ileava are doing a collaboration, combining wood and sterling silver.

This is the bangle that is my favorite.

Like the wood, silver jewelry also looks better when people start to wear it everyday and gets used a little bit.

We are taking orders if you are interested in the bangles and I will share places where they are available, soon.
As for the phone cases, please go to this site for orders.
They can print names and logos for additional costs.

( sorry,it is in Japanese text only)

http://www.lobjet-d.com/
I might cheat and wax my phone case today~
and see how that turns out.

working late

2010-10-28T01:16:00.000-07:00

Winter seems to be just around the corner.

Temperature is dropping day by day and the sun is setting earlier.

Right around when the sun starts to set, my new companion starts to wake up.

It's a flower that opens up only at night.

My grandfather brought it to the studio one night when I was coming back late.

It is amazing how strong the scent is! These tiny little flowers can really fill the whole room.

It's starting to be a competition who can stay up longer.

the feather pin

2010-10-12T07:39:00.000-07:00

The feather pin is one of the well liked pieces from ileava. For both men and women.

This time I made it into a brooch!

The original feather has one point to pin down. It's good as a lapel pin, or even on your hat.

But a customer wanted a type that will hold her scarves at the front so, the brooch type was better.
I hope she can get a lot of use of it! It is getting colder everyday now.

all of a sudden

2010-10-02T07:19:00.000-07:00

it's October~!!

September just flew by it seems!

Most of the time I was making pieces for a jewelry event which was at a department store in Tokyo, Shibuya. The event was for two weeks. These events are always an exciting time for me, I am there everyday and I could see what designs people are more drawn to and what their concerns are when picking jewelry pieces for themselves. I get a lot of feed back, and it's always great when customers find pieces they really like.

Being in Shibuya was great. There are so many people in that part of the city. I saw the latest trends just watching the people as they pass through the department store. There are constantly something new going on.

This is a building that is being built that will house the metro station, shopping area, restaurants, a theatre, parking garage and on top of it all will be office buildings.
It was fun to see the progress everyday.

Now, I am starting to plan the next jewelry event that will be taking place towards the end of the month in Kobe.

doodle

2010-10-01T09:13:00.001-07:00

I was just drawing one.
and it led to another and another one....

I really only had just one drink.

can you tell which one I started drawing first?

Summer Ornament

2010-08-05T07:23:00.000-07:00

" fu-rin"

This was a gift to me from someone who I am now friends with. At the time, I was living in LA and missed all the little subtle things about Japan. So, the friends who were visiting from Japan brought me back this wind chime. It is something that you put out, in the summertime. People enjoy the sound of the breeze in the humid summer days.

This handmade "fu-rin" has a sound that is not too loud and cheerful. I later learned that the unique sound is made from the jagged edge of the rim.

I really like the watermelon design, too.

Very summery, and a very common motif for summer here.

Very green, black lines, and a perfect sphere.

Other summer things to look forward to are firework festivals, summer festivals in any city, people wearing yukata, shaved ice is something I want to eat now! .....

Yes, summer is really here!

from my mother

2010-07-26T01:31:00.000-07:00

Recently I had a tradshow, in Tokyo, and was busy putting jewelry together and also, making up some new displays.

I decided that this time, I needed to take what is in my head and put it on paper so people can see.
There is a little world where I see my hug bear live, and that is the world where my jewelry comes from.

So, for this I used the traditional japanese calligraphy brushes and ink, and watercolor.
This is a set that I have had since I was about 5. They used to have a face of a cat on each color. I remember it was a challenge when I was small to use enough water for them, but not to have the colors spill over to the next block.

Also, for larger surfaces I used another set of watercolors that used to belong to my mother. It must have been in elementary school when she started using them, because on the cloth bag that my grandmother sewed for her, my mothers name is stitched.

Using my mother pallet with already mixed color was like a time capsule. I always thought that someone forgot to clean the pallet, but the colors now could be used just by adding water. If you think about it, because I've never used this before, the last person who used it may be my mother. I tried to use some of the remaining paint, some blues where used in the background and there was a good green I used in the forest.
Who knows when she used it last?

It was funny to know that things like color could be preserved.

Oh almost forgot. This is how it turned out. There is a total of 6 boxes that I made!

so... I got a little carried away~

2010-07-14T11:07:00.000-07:00

My next tradeshow is coming up! Which means that I am making new pieces and will be sharing them with you soon~!!

I am also making little things to present my jewelry. One of the things is drawings to accompany my jewelry.

When I get into it, it's really fun and really lets me express what I couldn't have in jewelry.

two brushes and the container to put the ink

This time, I have been trying a new tool. I've been drawing with the traditional brush on rice paper with ink. The brush and ink have been a really great and easy way for me to get back into drawing, and I feel like I was able to explore and flush out ideas. So, these past few days, I have been drawing and drawing and drawing!

I was really amazed with the different brush strokes one brush can make
.... and started to test it on my hand........

I am not the type who writes notes on my hands, but it was really hard to stop!! I have always liked the henna tattoos for the detailed designs and motifs.

Sometimes you have to do things you don't normally do.
I got a little sidetracked but it was really really fun. There is something different about a 3-dimensional canvas.

And I can't forget to thank my grandmother who left me these tools for me to explore~

~ and now back to my drawings~

humidity is inevitable.....but...

2010-06-21T08:07:00.000-07:00

So there is a rainy season in Japan (most part of Japan)

It is usually in June, for Tokyo.

It rains most of the days and the humidity increases so it feels more sticky and hot.

There are few things you need to watch out for. The humidity will get some of your shoes, specially leather ones covered in mold, if you are not careful.

oh, and frogs! If you live in areas with some greenery, like me.

But there are also flowers that blooms in this season too. Which is always nice to see.

I love this flower, "ajisai" in japanese, and in english "hydrangea"

It tells me that the rainy season is here when you spot them in full bloom.

There are so many different colors and they really give a great accent to the scene when it is all cloudy and rainy.

A few years ago, I didn't really considered this flower as a flower. But I changed my mind on that after I took a closer look at it.

I didn't realize that hydrangea was a cluster of tiny four petal flowers. The flowers were so cute, I knew one day that I would be making jewelry with it.

I later made my Bouquet Collection, and the flower shapes is inspired from the hydrangea.

It is my favorite piece to wear in this season.

il faut de la patience

2010-06-03T08:05:00.000-07:00

yes, I have been told before from a jewelry teacher that you need patience for making jewelry.

so this is the reason.

I was a little too anxious, polishing a piece with a chain and got the chain tangled in a hand tool I was using.

there was so much torque that the chain was twisted into a clump. I'm glad that it was just the chain, and not my fingers twisted in the machine.......

my 8 inch chain became only about 6 inches........

so, I made a bracelet for myself to remind myself that I do need patience!

May

2010-05-31T19:07:00.000-07:00

This is one of the best time of the year. It's right before the rainy season. The weather is getting warmer, but never too hot or too cold anymore.

Plants and leaves on trees have been growing, and all of a sudden everywhere is very very green.

This is when one of my favorite flowers can be spotted. They are very small and can be missed, but if you are careful you can spot the tiny white flowers on the side of the streets. They are really just wildflowers that grow along the sidewalk or in the alleyway. It gives me something to look for when I am walking my dog and also reminds me of what month we are in.

I guess I am starting to remember seasons by the flowers and the greenery around me.

These flowers became the model of one of my collections, HANNA. The three petal flower was just a type of flower that I would imagine on your ear or on a delicate chain.

These are some of the pieces that became jewelry, all in 18k.

Hanna, also means "flower" in Japanese, spelled with just one "n" But I also wanted the name for this collection to be just like a girls name ~

this is Rain enjoying his walk near our house

Blue

2010-05-23T21:15:00.000-07:00

This in a photo of a crater lake in Gun-ma prefecture that I visited recently. Shiranesan, is still an active volcano, so there are restricted areas, but it has been a popular tourist spot in the area for its' emerald green lake.

This day was sunny and clear, but very very cold, because of the high altitude, even in the beginning of May.

To get to the top or the crater, we have to walk up the trail for a while, and at the very top, you can see the crater a little below you.

The color of the water was milky blue with a hint of green, one of my favorite colors~

I knew the lake was very popular for the color, but it was very close to the milky aquamarine stone that I had used for a custom necklace.

The silver casing has four petals with an arabesque motif, the chain was made long. the piece itself is about 2 inches long.

a very fun piece to make!

I have been making few other custom pieces, so I will share them soon~!

The Tower

2010-05-07T05:16:00.000-07:00

Tokyo Tower is one of the places that is most visited.
There is an observation deck to overlook the city, which on a sunny day you can even see Mt. Fuji.

To me, the Tower is a symbol of Tokyo and something more.

In between the skyscrapers and the tall narrow buildings, sometimes you get a glimpse of the tower, or it appears right in front of you, out of nowhere. It reminds me that I am in Tokyo now.

It's become something that I look for when I am out or on the train.

Here is a shot from the street looking up, at night time. The tower is lit up until midnight, so this was before that.

Home away from home?

2010-04-09T07:01:00.000-07:00

Home.

It used to be San Jose, where my family lived,

then it became LA

and now I am back to where I was born and raised till 5.

I do remember playing in this triangular park. lost my wool mitten there.... I think.

Cherry blossoms are at full bloom in Tokyo around the end of March to the beginning of April