Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Ketchup Catch Up Post

I've done it again. Let my poor sweet blog go. Neglect. I'm sorry dear blog, and I'm sorry to my dear friends and family who read it. If there are any left.

What's been going on? Hmmm.... a whole lot of school events, lots of just everyday life. I do have several pages to share, but at the same time I really don't want my blog only to be another gallery for my pages. I like this to be a place where I can share a bit more of my world.

A friend of mine mentioned that she would like to know more about the Japanese events and customs that go on in my world. (Thank you lulutoo for your suggestion!) Sounds like a great idea to me too since my blog is supposedly about both Scrapbooking and Japan life.

So, for today I will talk about Shichi-Go-San (Seven-Five-Three). 7-5-3 is a celebration of the ages 7, 5 and 3. Sorry for restating the obvious. But its not each age for all children. Girls get to celebrate twice - at the ages of 3 and 7. Boys celebrate once at the age of 5. I do NOT know why it is this way. Like so many ancient Japanese customs, it just is. (ETA: I just found a wonderful article explaining in better detail all about SGS on Wikipedia. If you're interested, take a look here.)

The event takes place in early November each year. The children dress up in a child's kimono and go to a temple for blessings and get to eat traditional candy called Chitose Ame (chee-toe-say ah-may). SGS is a rite of passage for children.

Here I am rambling on about Shichi-Go-San and I just realized that the page I made for my daughter was not even about SGS. But she is wearing the kimono her Baba and Jiji (Japanese Grandma and Grandpa) bought for her 3-year-old celebration. This page is actually my daughter posing with her Hina Dolls.

So this is another Japanese celebration called Hina Matsuri, or sometimes referred to as Girl's Day. If you want the details, there is another wonderful page on Wikipedia talking about its history and meaning, etc. I even learned a thing or two!

papers and elements from Ureshii by Studio ViVa Artistry
leaves are from Spring Love and En Plein Air by Studio ViVa Artistry
clear alpha from Seeing Clearly by Etc by Danyale
page template is from Banner of Love 4 by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

The rest of my pages span many years and memories.

 Papers and elements from A Secret Garden by Kristin Cronin-Barrow
Page template from Solos Part 10 by Busy Bee Designs
Font is DJB Miss Jayne Aire by Darcy Baldwin

 papers and elements from Cherished by Kristin Cronin-Barrow and Penny Springmann
font is Ma's Handwriting by Darcy Baldwin
page template is from Ornately Framed by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs
worn page overlay used on background paper is by Something Blue Studios

 papers and elements from Welcome to the World by Sugarplum Paperie and Jenn Barrette
font is So Much to Say by Darcy Baldwin
page template is by Little Green Frog Designs

 most papers and elements from Hop, Skip, Jump by Jenn Barrette
some elements from various other kits
font is Sandra Dee by Darcy Baldwin
page template is by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs
stamped alpha is by CD Muckosky

 papers and most elements from Storytime by Studio ViVa Artistry
wire alpha is from On My Desk by Studio ViVa Artistry and Etc by Danyale
page template is Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs
font is 1942

These last two pages are from Scrap Challenges over at Tell Your Story Everyday
 papers and elements from Summer Morning by The Digichick Designers
page template from Sketchology: While Supplies Last by Bella Gypsy
font is Miss Jinky Van Pelt by Darcy Baldwin

papers and elements from Roots and Wings by The Digichick Designers
background stamps are Birds On A Branch and Floral Collage both by Arty Pants
font is Mary Magpie Darcy Baldwin
background template is by Captivated Visions

If you want to read any of the pages' journaling, all of my pages can be found in my
Digichick Gallery.

Summer vacation will unofficially begin here in mid-July when my kids and I can go and visit my family in America. We are so excited. School isn't supposed to get out until late July, (we can't even begin to fathom the long summer vacations kids have in America) but we will be taking off a few days before the end of the semester. Summers are my favorite season because I get to see my family!!!

As always, thank you for stopping by my little corner of the web. I hope and pray all is well with you and yours. Please come again soon!

1 comment:

Chloé said...

There are some friends still reading!! *raising hand*

I love this idea to write about Japanese culture, I'm really intrigued by it and I can't wait to know more!

Oh, and I love your pages, too, as usual. So much talent in one single person.... Sigh, life's unfair! ;)