Autumn in New York, I mean Tokyo

The summer heat and humidity have finally relented and cool autumn air and crisp blue skies have arrived, along with the occasional rain shower.

At this moment in my hallway closet I have 17 umbrellas hanging on the umbrella bar (nice little feature in my Japanese home). My family of four also owns at least 4 collapsible umbrellas that we either keep in said hallway closet or in school lockers and briefcases. There may even be one more umbrella in the trunk of our car. That is a confirmed 21 umbrellas for four people! When I first posted this photo on my Facebook page last week there were only 16 hanging in my closet. I'm not sure where the other one came from. Perhaps they are propagating on their own.

We own so many umbrellas because it is considered poor form to be out in the rain in Japan without one. And when you don't have one handy when you're out and about and its starts raining, you buy one from the corner convenience store for 100 yen (about one dollar). Japan is the land of convenience and consumerism. If you don't have it and you need it, you buy it.

Years ago when I was still working in the corporate world of public relations and advertising downtown Tokyo, I invested about $50 in a really nice, very lovely umbrella. I still have it even though the silk fabric is moldy and the metal body and spines are rusty and a few even broken. I wish I could have it cleaned and fixed, but I believe that to be impossible. I will eventually have to get rid of it. And I may just have to take a trip downtown Tokyo to one of the finer department stores and buy a new one to replace it. Even though we have 17 other ones still in our house. But they are vinyl and plastic and cheap looking and not fashionable at all.

The other day we were out and about downtown and just happened to drive by the Tokyo Tower. Here is a photo that my daughter was able to shoot of it from the back window of the car. You can see the raindrops on the back window. And if you could see the area at the base of the Tower, you would see about 50 people lined up waiting for their turn to ride the elevator to the observation deck. All standing patiently in line with their umbrellas.

Its not all rain here though. Last Monday I was walking on the road approaching the park where my son was to play in a soccer game and looked up at the foliage on the side of the road. I have no idea what these lovely flowers/shrubs/weeds are called, but they looked gorgeous against the bright, clear, blue autumn sky.

Last time I promised that I would make some boy pages for my son, and I've kept my word. I also made yet another girl page for my daughter and a vintage page for my parents. Oh, and a Halloweeny page about how much I don't like Halloween. Happy viewing.

 papers and most elements from Howdy Ma'am by The Digichick Designers
butterflies from Around the World by The Digichick Designers
font is font is This One is Called Dana by Darcy Baldwin {fontology}
stamp is from Graphic Pop Sprays by Katie Pertiet
page template (altered) by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

 most papers and elements from Collect Moments by Bella Gypsy
silver leaves from Serenity by Etc by Danyale
brown stamp alpha from Coming Home by Dawn by Designs
font is Uncertain Tense by Darcy Baldwin
page template (altered) from Fuss Free Banner of Love 4 by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

papers and most elements from Oh My Darlin' by Kristin Cronin Barrow
small beige tag is from Cherished also by KCB
page template by Little Green Frog Designs
font is Snarky Bess by Darcy Baldwin {fontology}
stitches are by Anna Aspnes

most papers and elements from My Favorite Things - a Digichick Boutique Collab
clock “stamp” and hanging tag are from Around the World by The Digichick Designers
lace doilies and wings are from Roots and Wings by The Digichick Designers
page template (altered) is by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs
font is Marcia Script by Darcy Baldwin {fontology}

 all papers and elements from #13 Rue Noir by Etc by Danyale
font is Quilted Butterfly

As always, thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web. I hope you'll be back soon. Happy Autumn.

Mamarazzi

My poor son. I don't make many scrapbook pages for him. I have a lot of pictures of him when he was little, but recently he just doesn't like to slow down long enough for me to snap new photos of him. He's definitely an occasion poser. By that I mean, he won't just sit for me and let me take portrait style pictures. He would much rather be out on the soccer field running around while I snap away on my camera. When I do ask him to pose for me, the poor little man obviously feels  uncomfortable in front of the lens. I guess the only real solution to this problem is to have him sit down and pose for me more - to build up his confidence. Practice makes perfect as it were. Like I said, my poor son.

All of my pages these last few weeks have used photos of my daughter. Who for some strange reason is starting to feel more aversion to having her photos taken as well! I just don't understand kids these days. It makes me feel like a real mamarazzi just trying to get some pictures to scrap.

The photo on this first page is actually a self-portrait of my girl. I just happened to be sitting next to her on the sofa one evening while she was playing with a purikura app on her smart phone. She had taken this lovely photo of herself, I caught a glimpse of it and asked her to send it to me.

I just happened to catch a glimpse of you while you were looking at photos on your cell phone. You were playing with one of those photo editing applications that add decoration to your pictures. You were working on this picture. This picture. So beautiful. Its just a snapshot of your face, but I love how its cropped. For some reason I love that you are not smiling for the camera. I love that it shows your eyes so lightly. This is you. The real you. Not posing, not trying to make someone else happy. You enjoying your own beauty. This. Is just a glimpse of your true beauty.

background paper and most elements from Miss Personality by Jenn Barrette
torn frame and small blue flower from Love You More Than Ice Cream also by Jenn Barrette
lace doily from With All My Heart by Ju Kneipp
painted alpha is Free Spirit by CD Muckosky
font is Marcia Print from Marcia Marcia, by Darcy Baldwin {fontology}
page template is from Solos Part 10 by Busy Bee Designs
 

These next several pages use photos that she actually posed for me. I wasn't planning on snapping any pictures and she was in a bit of a hurry. But she had just gotten her hair styled and wanted some picts to remember it by. So even though they are rushed and blurry, they are pictures of my beautiful daughter and I love them.

Dear Wonderful Girl,
It might surprise you to know, if you asked the people who love you most why they think you are so beautiful... that it has nothing to do with the way that you look, or the way that you dress, or the color of your hair or your eyes or your skin (even though those things are very beautiful too). But that what is most beautiful about you is that sparkle in your eyes that comes straight from the light of your soul.
So remember, beautiful girl, that the best beauty secret, one that you can take with you until you are very very very old, is to never let anything blow out that beautiful little light that makes you sparkle. Keep shining, lovely you. You are such a gift to the world.
You are so very very loved.

all papers and elements from Penmanship Collection by Studio ViVa Artistry
font is Jellyka Saint Andrews Queen
quote is from A Little Butterfly Told Me by Brave Girls Club

There will be a lot of things that come along in life that will make you want to stop, to quit. Beautiful girl, just keep going. We must always pick ourselves up and keep going. You can do it. You are courageous and wonderful and your heart is pure. You are meant to go to beautiful and wonderful and meaningful places in your life. So don't let anything stop you. You are so very loved.

journaling is from A Little Butterfly Told Me by the Brave Girls' Club
all papers and elements from By the Light of the Moon by Etc by Danyale
light green flower is from Renewal, also by Etc by Danyale
page template is from Summer Flavors: Strawberry Shortcake by Busy Bee Designs
font is Hugs and Kisses by Darcy Baldwin {fontology}

This lovely little dog belongs to my parents and he is more than happy to sit still and let me take as many photos of him as I want. My daughter is just happy to be with him, so the two of them being happy together make for some wonderful, happy pictures.

all papers and elements from Kashmir by Etc. by Danyale and Sweet Digi Scraps
page template is by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

This last page is a photo of my family, I've already made another page with this same photo last year. But when I was asked by the Artisan Notebook to make a page about The Perfect Summer Day, I knew it had to be of a day spent with family. And since summer is the only time I get to be with my own family, this was the perfect photo for that perfect day.

Summer is the only time I get to go home to Colorado. Summer is the only time I get to see my family. So for me, a perfect summer day is when all my family comes from near and far just so we can all be together. A perfect summer day is spent surrounded by my sisters and their husbands, my niece, her husband and her babes, my nephews and their families, and of course my parents. A perfect summer day for me is spent sharing stories, taking pictures and just enjoying each other and God's blessings in our lives.

papers and most elements from Ancienne Natural by Quirky Twerp
font for title is A Fresh Start by Darcy Baldwin
font for journaling is Walkway
page template is by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

As seen in the August 2012 Artisan Notebook

Finally, have you seen the Challenges over at The Digichick? Yes, I'm still in charge of them and I have a wonderful Challenge Chicks team. I'd love it if you would come and join us for a fun challenge or two. One of TDC's staff members, LuAnn, came up with a wonderful impromptu challenge idea - making new forum signatures. I'd been meaning to remake my siggy, so this was just the motivation I needed!

everything here from Love in the Park by eNKay Design

I think my goal over the next few weeks will be to make some pages for my boy. Old photos, new photos, I guess it doesn't matter. Its all about the memories.

As always, thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web. Please come again soon.

Of peaches and potties

One of the first "culture shocks" I experience every year going back to America happens soon after landing at the airport. Inevitably, after sitting in an airplane for a few hours with the fasten seat belt sign on, standing in lines for immigration, customs and baggage claim, mother nature calls and we all need a quick trip to the restroom.

I understand that airport restrooms are not necessarily the best representative of American potties, I do find that they are pretty much standard for a public restroom in America. After entering the stall and getting situated, the shock happens. The gaps. The cracks between the doors and the door jams in each unit. I can sometimes fit a whole finger through those gaps! If I can see the people outside of the stall, they can see me. Not that they are looking, right? But still!

The average public Japanese potty stall is more like a broom closet. There are almost never any spaces between the door and the stall, no gaping cracks through which to look out or in. Its a private little haven.

I'm not saying they are necessarily any cleaner - heaven knows Japan has more than its fair share of dirty potties. No judgement call here on which country is better or worse. Just a little observation on my part. I wonder what public potties are like in other countries. Just don't get me started on my experiences in China....

Oh! But this was probably the most shocking thing I've seen in any public restroom anywhere. The morning we were leaving to come back to Japan, at the little regional airport in my parents' hometown. Situated right over the sinks, at first glance I thought it was some new-fangled hand dryer. Not! I've never seen this one before. Sure just the fact that it was there in the first place was surprising enough, but even more so the fact that it was nearly halfway full. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's ever blogged about public potty gaps before...

Okay! Back to our regularly scheduled programing.

I've been relaxing this past week. Reading, scrapping, cleaning and cooking. I just happened to stumble upon a lovely little kit called Peachy Keen at Sweet Shoppe Designs and thought I would use it to scrap my photos of our days in the orchard.

Last May, there was an eclipse. Do you remember? Well it was big news here, and since it was pretty much a once in a lifetime event (unless I live to be 150) we had to take a few photos. Last week the ladies known as ViVa Artistry came out with their huge Celestial Collection and not surprisingly there are some beautiful, funky papers and elements that I thought would be perfect to scrap my eclipse photo.

This last page is photos of my babes just a few weeks ago. My parents and I took a day-trip drive up over a gorgeous Colorado mountain. We always have lunch at our favorite little hummingbird restaurant. What happy memories. And Sherwood Studio's From the Ashes was perfect for these photos. Julie - the designer of Sherwood Studio - also lives in Colorado so she knows exactly what tones and textures go with Colorado nature pictures. You should definitely check out her shop!

As always, thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web. Please come again soon!

Back in Japan Back to Scrapping

Well, I've wasted no time jumping right back in to scrapping after having returned to Japan just 5 days ago. Actually, a few of my pages were made before leaving and I'm just now getting around to updating.

I'll have some pages and commentary about our vacation in a few days (more like a few weeks knowing me). It was great fun and the best part was to be with my family again. Its always soooo hard to leave not knowing when I'll get to see them again.

Still suffering a very little bit from jet-lag and still have a ton of things to get done around the house before the kids go back to school and I go back to work, so I'll be brief today. But I'll be back "soon."

all papers and elements from Point.Shoot.Capture.-The-Bundle by Alamama's Pressed Petals
clear alpha is Seeing Clearly Alpha by Etc. by Danyale
staple is from Yearbook - Alumni Class by Alumni Digichick Designers
page template is from Solos Part 11 by Busy Bee Designs
font is from Storytelling Sisters by Darcy Baldwin {fontography}
 

papers and elements from Practically Perfect by Sahlin Studio and Ju Kniepp
template is from Summer Flavors: Raspberry Lemonade for the The Daily Digi August Digi Files by Busy Bee Designs
font is Mouskateer Kim by Darcy Baldwin at Sweet Shoppe Designs

everything here from Maiko by Studio ViVa Artistry, the August 2012 DST Gold Member kit

 As seen in the July 2012 Artisan Notebook

papers and elements from Thriftique and Thriftique Borders by Sherwood Studio
font is Ma's Handwriting by Darcy Baldwin Fontology
sketch is stock image on internet
lyrics are from "I Am" by Nicole Nordeman

for the Homecoming Weekend Event: School Memories Challenge at The Digichick

TDC Yearbook - Class of TDC
TDC Yearbook - Alumni Class
Blockhead Templates - Little Green Frog Designs

 papers and elements from The Great Outdoors by The Digichick Designers
font is Shannon Print by Darcy Baldwin
page template is from Little Green Frog Designs

for the Tell Your Story Everyday - Great Outdoor Traditions Challenge

Summer Flavors Raspberry Lemonade by Busy Bee for The Daily Digi August DigiFiles
Sweet Songs by Studio ViVa at Scrapbook Graphics
font is Miss Jinkie Van Pelt by Darcy Baldwin at Sweet Shoppe Designs

As always, thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web.

Not scrapping Not in Japan

So, this won't be a post about scrapping and it won't be about Japan.

My children and I are right I the middle of a one-month vacation visit to my family in Colorado. I can't necessarily call this town "home" since this is not the place I grew up. But this is where my family is. Home is where the heart it, and my heart is with my family. So this is home.

Just a few days after arriving here, my childhood neighborhood was scarred by a movie theater shooting. I was surprised when a few of my Japanese friends contacted me, sending me their thoughts and prayers for my hometown. I guess the incident was heard about worldwide. I won't get into any controversial thoughts I might have on the situation, just let me say that I am so happy we don't have to worry about guns in Japan. Not that it's a better place or a worse place, no judgement calls. I can't say how many movies I've watched over the years in that very theater. It was sad and shocking for so many. I pray that one day these kind of incidents will be no more.

I was able to spend five days in Aurora, with my beloved niece and her precious family. Water World - I can't even remember how many years it's been since I've been there. Great fun! Church - visiting with friends and Pastor. Seeing old friends and their own growing children. I wish I could have stayed longer and visited with more. One of these years I'm going to have to just schedule a few weeks trip to Denver.

Road trip through the Rockies, such beautiful scenery. Outlet shopping in Castle Rock. I can tell why so many foreigners like to come to the states just to shop.

My parents moved away from Denver several years ago. The big city, the crazy traffic and the all-too-fast paced life wore on them and they chose to retire in a smaller city on the other side of the Rockies.

Orchards are common here. So when my mom and dad built their home, they wanted an orchard of their own. It's not huge, but they have several fruit trees of various types of fruit. Apples, cherries, apricots, plums, pears, and of course, peaches.

This small orchard seems like a great deal of work to me, but when you get to harvest time and actually get to "reap the fruits of your labor," I can imagine no greater reward. While we're here we try to earn a little of our keep by helping out in the orchard - digging water ways, pulling weeds, making mud pies, etc. Although I'm not sure the latter counts as help.

nothing like a hot mud footbath while working away in the orchard.

hello dear son.

hello dear daughter with your silk blanket on your head.

hello precious dog and cat helpers (supervisors).

me. hiding out under mom's summer hat.

Us. Making the most of our summer here. Loving every minute of it.