雨なので今日は折り紙 / Origami at home on a rainy day

今日はロサンゼルス、朝から雨が降り続いています。LAマラソンが開催されたので、

参加された方々、雨の中お疲れさまでした。体を暖かくして風邪を引きませんように・・・。

道に落ちた葉っぱの彩りが綺麗だったので、ぱちり。

It's been raining all day today in Los Angeles. I would like to give a big applause to LA marathon participants. Hope you will stay warm and stay away from cold...

Here is a snap shot of colorful leaves on the ground.

そんな雨の中、LAダウンタウンの"文化堂"という日本のお店に行って来ました。

Today I went to a Japanese store called ''Bunka do" in downtown LA in the rain.

Bunkado, Inc. 340 East First Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 625-1122 オンラインストアもあるようです。 Here is their online store: http://bunkadoonline.com/ お店には、日本の文化にまつわる商品がたくさん揃えられていて、 見ていてとっても楽しい♪ There are a variety of Japanese cultural products at the store and I really enjoyed shopping♪ そしてずーっと探していた、赤だけの折り紙を発見して大興奮。 Origamiという水玉の折り紙も、柄に魅かれて、 ９種類の紙の折り方説明書付きにも魅かれ購入しました。 こういうモダンな紙系の製品に弱い私です。 At the store, I finally found all in red origami paper and I got excited. Also I was intrigued by"Origami" by midori (famous Japanese stationary company) because the paper pattern was colorful polka dots and it comes with how to fold papers in 9 different ways so I purchased these two. I am very vulnerable to these kind of modern paper products.

Origami

オリガミオリガミ
http://www.midori-japan.co.jp/products/2010_17/

日本への愛を込めて、鶴を折ります。

またモービルを作って、お友達にプレゼントしようと思います。

I am going to keep folding cranes with love for Japan.

I will probably make some red crane mobiles and give them to my friends.

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief - 日本の被災地への救援活動

救援物資を送りたくても、宅配サービスがストップしているようなので、

当面は大きな組織が開設している募金サービスを利用して被災地のサポートをしたいと思う。

All the shipping services are not in operation so I would like to support people in Japan by participating

the donation services provided by big organizations. All three places listed here have easy setup for donation and no service charges so 100% of your contribution goes straight towards the help. Sending lots of love to Japan...

Red Cross text donation　

Text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation and support our disaster relief efforts to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific.

paypal

Processing fee will be paid by paypal so 100% of your donation goes towards people in Japan through Redcross.

mixi

既存のミクシイのアカウントを使って、簡単に寄付できます。モバイルからの寄付の詳細ですが、

募金額50pt(50円)につき、mixiが同額の50円を加算し100円として寄付するそうです。

日本の地震 / Earthquake in Japan

日本で起こった地震のニュースから目が離せない。

たくさんの人がこわい思いをして、今でも心が休まらない時間を過ごしている事を思うと

心が痛む。私に何が出来る？小さくても、何か出来る事を探そう。

All I can do now is to follow the news about the earthquake in Japan. It hurts to think when I think about many people who had horrifying experiences and still experiencing restless time. What can I do? I keep asking myself. Even it's small, I want to find something I can do. I support my country.

Flat Flowers and Cat

早速Rjorkちゃんに頂いたFlatFlowerスティッカーを台所側の窓に貼ってみました。

いつもはブラインドを閉め切っているけれど、花を見たいのであける事が多くなりそうです。

お向かいのネコちゃんが右側の窓からこちらを見ています・・・にゃお。

I put the FlatFlower sticker from Rjork on a kitchen window. I don't really open the window blind but I will probably open more so I can see the flower. Can you see a cat in the right side window? Meaw...

Flat Flowers from the Netherlands

A few weeks ago, I visited my friends in Utrecht, the Netherlands. They just had a baby in January but they welcomed me with big opened arms. We cooked, went shopping, played shiritori game(Japanese word game), watched BBC documentary, and I had such a relaxing time with them even though it was only two days. Thank you Rjork, D, and Yu-chan : )

Rjork remembered how my eyes sparkled when I saw the flower stickers on windows of some cute shop in Utrecht. Unfortunately the shop had been closed and I couldn't get the stickers. But a few days later, Rjork went out of her way to get them and right away send them to me! Crazy girl! Today I got them by mail. Thank you Rjork!! They are so so adorable...love them!

I found out that the stickers are designed by a graphic designer, Suseela Gorter, who now designs new interior products like this sticker, Flat Flowers. I fell in love with her work....It's intriguing...I can't wait to apply them on my windows....ha----...(* v *)

Flat Flowers

http://www.flatflowers.com

Welina Candle at Fashion and International Art Event

３月５日の土曜日に、IrvineのOrange Island Cultural Salonにて行われたFashion and International Art EventにWelina Candleが出店する事になったので、お手伝いに行ってきました。初めてお会いする方々と楽しくお話しして、充実した一日になりました。またこういうイベントがあったら参加したいなぁ♪

The Fashion and International Art Event was held at Orange Island Cultural Salon in Irvine and Welina candle had a booth. I was asked to help their booth so I went. It was inspirational to meet new people and talk with them about each other's lives and interests. I am hoping to participate in these events soon ♪

Flags!

先週オランダユトレヒトに住む友達家族を訪ねた。

部屋全体の雰囲気と、インテリア小物がとてもかわいい＾＾　何気ない小物にも気を使って

部屋作りを楽しんでいるのが伝わってくる〜♪

私も楽しい部屋にしたいなぁなんて思って、オランダにてフラッグ購入↑　気分が上昇☆

ちなみに写真左下は、友達の手作りの誕生カード。１月１日に出産をして、そのお知らせ用に送ってくれた。これまた可愛いので壁に飾って毎日エンジョイ＾＾

I recently visited my friends in Utrecht, Netherlands.

Atmosphere of their rooms and things in the rooms are fun and cozy^^ I could tell that my friends pay lots of attention to each object they choose to decorate their rooms.

After experiencing the cuteness of their rooms, I felt like making my room also fun and enjoyable so I went to a shop and got these flags in the photo↑ And I love the look!

My friends had sent me a card about their baby(was born on Jan 1st!) and the card has been put on the wall (you can see it on the left corner of the above photo.)