Hina Matsuri (Doll’s Festival)

Hina Matsuri from Fumira

In Japan, March 3rd is called Hina Matsuri which is usually translated as Doll’s Festival. It is a special day for girls all over Japan. Almost every Japanese family will have some Hina Dolls that have been bought or passed down over the years. A full set of Hina Dolls has seven steps or tiers and 15 dolls in total. Besides the dolls there are also other items like doll trees and treasures that would be seen in a palace. On the top step is always the emperor and empress dolls. The whole doll set is very expensive, but even if a family can’t afford to buy all the dolls they will almost always have at least the top step to display in their home.

Today I have linked some fun Hina Matsuri crafts from around the internet. Please enjoy making them with your children and celebrating Hina Matsuri in your home too!

Paper Hina Doll Set from Canon

 

Origami Cherry Blossoms from theflirtyguide.com

Hamaguri-Ushio-jiru from La Fuji Mama

Flowers for the Spring!

Fire Flower

Christmas Flower

Cotton Candy Flower

Chocolate Flower

Lavender Flower

Spring Flower

Sea and Sky Flower

There once was a perky young flower
who just loved every fine April shower
‘cos now every petal
is in much finer fettle
everyone can feel a surge of green power!

Kit Heathcock (March 2006)

Late to the Show

So… this little brooch was a little late for the Christmas party, but I’m still really pleased with how it turned out.

Christmas Holly Felt Brooch Pin

Inspiration from my Grandmother

Vintage Style Felt Brooch Pin with Sequin Flower

Inspiration is a funny thing and sometimes it can come from the oddest of places. A few nights ago I dreamed of my grandmother and the thing that I remember most about the dream was the brooch that she was wearing. Of course, it wasn’t in felt but I don’t know how to make jewelry so I decided to adapt the style for felt.

I did some research around the internet, looking for some way to add texture to the brooch and came across this video:

I love testing new techniques so I decided to give it a try with this brooch. Of course, her flower is much better than mine but I don’t think mine is too bad for a first try! There are more pictures and closeups here in my Etsy Shop

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Happy New Year!

Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu!

This is what we say in Japan after it becomes the new year. Japan, unlike many other Asian countries, celebrates New Year on January 1st. Before the Meiji Period we celebrated it using the lunar calender like China still does. In Japan we have many New Year’s traditions.

Many people with go to their local Buddist temple (寺) or Shinto shrine (神社) after midnight on December 31st. People can buy charms called omamori (お守り) that will bring them good luck through the next year. The charms come in different kinds, some for good studies, some for safety while driving, or just general good luck. If you see school children in Japan, they often have these charms dangling from their school satchels.

Ema at a Japanese Shrine

Another thing to do at the temple is buy an ema (絵馬). An ema is a little wooden plaque with a picture painted on the front. A person will write their wishes on the back of it and hang it up in a special place near the shrine for the kami-sama (gods) to read later. If you take the time to read some of the ema you can see that people have many different kinds of wishes. But- a lot of them are from students who wish to pass their entrance exams to high school or university. Sometimes you can also see ema written in different languages like Chinese, Korean or even English!

 

Sometimes people also buy omikuji (おみくじ). Omikuji are little pieces of paper that tell one’s fortune for the coming year. Daikichi (大吉) is the best. This year was quite funny for us. My husband got daikichi (great fortune), I got chukichi (middle fortune) and my child got shokichi (little fortune). I think that this is a lucky pattern for us. What do you think?

What kind of traditions does your country do for New Year?

 

Bonenkai 2011

Yesterday my workplace had their yearly bonenkai. For those of you not in Japan, bonenkai mean ‘forgetting the year party’. It is a party at the end of the year when people can relax, forget their troubles and just play as hard as they have worked in the past year.

We went to a ryokan (traditional Japanese hotel) for the evening and had the most wonderful dinner that I took some pictures of to share with you.

Starters of various vegetables

A yummy tofu dish

Some sashimi to clear the palette

Echizen Crab - a delicacy of Fukui Prefecture

Chawanmushi with real gold leaf!

Well, did seeing that make you hungry? I certainly ate it all at the party! Do you have bonenkai where you live?

Three New Brooches!

Here we go everyone. Three of my newest brooches, or as the Americans say, pins. The Japanese style one I am very happy with in particular.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Fukuiicrafts

Kawaii Kokeshi Doll Brooch

Japanese Inspired Winter Brooch

Christmas Poinsettia Felt Brooch