Ningyogami Dolls and RAKs

Happy first day of Fall everyone!  Even though it is the first day of Fall today the weather in SoCal sure does not feel like it's Fall.  It has cooled off a bit, but it's still pretty hot.  Today I would like to share some Ningogami dolls that I folded after I saw a super cute blog post from my good friend Fran.  She made some super cute cards and put the dolls on them.  I was determined to make some after watching a few YouTube videos.  They are not as simple to make as I thought.  Here three that I made. 

I think they turned out pretty good for my first try. :) Before ending this post I have a picture of a RAKs that my good friend Susanna made for my kids and I using Perler Fuse Beads.

I was kidding around with her that she needs to make my hubby one now.  It  must have sure taken a long time for her to make my them for us in our favorite characters.  She said that she got the ideas from Pinterest.  The 3 of us love them! A few weeks after she gave me the characters that she made for my kids and I she surprised me with another RAK.  She got me a set of color pencils and a tablet. 

She said that when you purchases a tablet from the Japanese store they let you decorate it with different stamps.  As you can see by the stamps that she used to decorate the tablet she knows me well. As a little "thank you" to Susanna I gave got a cute bag from Marukai and some Hello Kitty cookies, and two bags of marshmellows with a fruit filling.

The cookies are in the shape of HK's bows.  I got a package for myself too.  They are way too cute to eat.  Have a wonderful rest of your week.







 

High Tea at Tea Rose Garden

How has the weather been where you live?  It has been warm and humid in SoCal this week.  It even rained yesterday. I am  thankful for the rain even though it's hard to figure out what to wear in the rain when it is warm. Today I would like to share with you a fun time that my good friend Esther and I had going to high tea together two weeks ago.  We went for high tea at 

The tea room is absolutely beautiful. 

Here we are enjoying our tea and scone, sandwiches, etc.

Here is closer look at the ono food that we enjoyed.

We surprised each other with a RAK.  I am always in awe of the creations that Esther makes for me.  She made an awesome Hawaiian themed album for me to put my pictures from my trip to Oahu. (Sorry the picture of the book is upside down.  I couldn't figure out how to put it so that the hula girl and the book are the right way.)

I love all the pages in the book.  Here is one of my favorites.

After she gave me what she made for me I felt a little embarrassed with what I made for her.  What I gave to her is not as spectacular as what she made for me.  The important thing of course is that I made my gift for her from the heart just like she made hers from her heart, right?  :)  This is what I made for her.

I put some ono teas with a stamp that I got for her from Hawaii of a cinnamon toast into the bag that I made. 

Esther and I try to get to together once a month.  I always thank the Lord for our times together and praise Him for the friendship that He has blessed us with. Thank you for dropping by to see what I have to share.  Have a blessed day and weekend!

Labor Day Weekend and August's Tea Swap

I hope that all of  you had fun and relaxing Labor Day weekend.  My family and I had a great one together in San Diego.  On Saturday we started it off by me attending a craft class at Papertales while my hubby and kids had lunch.  I made deco den art.  Aren't the projects cute?

It was so much fun making them that I think I am going to add deco den  to my hobby of crafting.  After class my family and I went to some of our favorite places to eat and shop. Before heading to our hotel we went for fluff ice at Icekimo.  My hubby and I shared a passion fruit one with toppings and our kids shared a lychee one.

On Saturday we went to LEGOLAND.  Besides going on our favorite rides and visiting with the Lego Friends we had apple fries (This is what we enjoy during each of our visits.) we had a crepe filled with strawberries.  It was onolicious.  All the things they make there with legos always amazes me.  Here I am in my new purple car.  (Those of you that know me knows that my favorite color is purple.  It would be fun to have a purple car for a little while.)

After LEGOLAND we met up with my daughter's best friend from school and her family at Extraordinary Desserts.  Their pieces of cake/pie are huge and very good!  My hubby and I shared a tiramisu,

my son had a crème brulee tart,

and my daughter had a passion fruit and kiwi cake.

On Monday we went to the Mayan Exhibit at the Natural History Museum.  It was awesome!

We also went to a Japanese Tea Garden.  It was beautiful.  We felt like we were in Japan.

We made one last stop at Icekimo before we went home.  This time my hubby and I shared a moncha green tea fluff ice and our kids had the lychee one again.  Before ending this post I would like to share what I made for my tea swap partner Sandy last month and what she made for me.  I made her this card

and Sandy made me this awesome card and ATC.

Have a fun and relaxing weekend! Thanks for stopping by!

Orange, Brown, and/or Yellow Themed Swaps

Recently I joined a new swap group through Facebook.  Each month there is a different theme.  Last month's theme was to use orange, brown, and/or yellow on the card.  Miyuki made this encouraging card for me.

This is the card that I made for Simrita.

I used an old technique called rock 'n roll when I inked up the flower image.  I have not done the technique for awhile.  It was lots of fun.  Before I end this post I have two fun pictures to share with you.  This evening 5 friends and I went out for dinner before heading back to work.  We ordered 24 pieces of salmon sushi.  We savored each huge piece of salmon.

Here are the other entrees that we ordered.  That is the aftermath.  :) 

I hope that all of you will have wonderful, safe, and relaxing Labor Day weekend.  I am really looking forward to it..  My family and I have some fun plans in the works.  Stay tune for the details.  Until happy crafting and God bless!

Gifts for Friends From the Heart and Yes More Pictures of Oahu

It has been super hot in SoCal.  How is the weather where you live?  It seems like it has been hot everywhere.  Well this was my first week back at work and today was the first day of school for my kids.  I feel exhausted at the end of each day since I am not used to working for so many hours.  Hopefully my body will get used to it soon.  Each year I make gifts for my friends.  This year I wrote their name on different shapes of wood from Target.  They have a close pin on the back.  I attached a magnet to each one and wrote a message on a package of post its for each person. 

I also decorated apple shaped chalk boards

and clip board chalk boards.

I purchased all of them from Target too.  Now onto a few more pictures of Oahu.  I hope that you are not tired of seeing them.  I promise after today's post I will have one more post about my time in Oahu. The last 3 people that I met up with were Lorene,

Debbie (Both of our families attend the same church.  We met up to hang out at the beach, to go out to lunch, and had shaved ice for dessert.)

and my cousin Deannie.

Along with meeting friends and my cousin while my family and I were in Oahu my hubby and I also celebrated our 17th anniversary at Roy's.  Our kids were especially excited to eat a fancy restaurant. The food was pretty good.  The best part having a view of the beach from our table.

Here is a picture of us with our meals (I ordered the fish trio and my hubby ordered steamed fish.)

and our complimentary dessert.

After dinner we took a picture in front of the restaurant.

I hope that all of you will stay cool and enjoy your weekend.

Tea Swap, Sister Sister Swap, and a Little More About Oahu

Although it has been a busy month with unpacking, doing laundry, and hanging out with friends I have still managed to fit in some time for crafting.  Being in the three swaps that I am in have help keep me on my toes.  :) For July's tea swap my friend Gail and were paired up together.  Check out the awesome pocket card that she sent to me.

This is what I made for her and surprised her with.

Along with being paired up for the tea swap we were also paired up for the Secret Sister swap.  Gail me this awesome intricate card.

This is how it looks open.

I love all the goodies that she sent my way- some of my favorites and in my favorite color too.

This is what I surprised her with.

I put a magnet on the back of these tablets that open like mini books.

It was extra fun having Gail as my partner for two swaps and getting to surprise each other for some our favorite things.  Here are some more pictures of my time in Oahu.  I had breakfast with my friend Grace and

we went to Taj to do a make and take.

I also met up with my friend ManLe.  We enjoyed some onolicious boba together.

Check out the super ono snacks that she gave to my family and I.

Lastly here are some pictures of me having fun shopping at some of my favorite stores-  Na Hoku (My hubby got me a beautiful sterling silver ring with a plumeria and swirls on the side for my anniversary present.),

Crazy Shirt,

Ben Franklin,

 Les SportSac,

the Disney Store,

and at J's Knicknacks.

I also did some shopping at Aulani's gift shops.  This is one of the purses that I purchased.  It is a hidden Mickey Vera Bradley purse.  Don't you just love the colors?

 

Lastly I purchased some cute stuff at the Sanrio store, Don Quijotes, Target, and at Walmart. (It is my first time going to Don Quijotes and to Target.)  Thanks for stopping by and sticking around for such a long post!  Have a blessed and crafty rest of the week and weekend!