Chalkboard vinyl Door Decorations

 I made door decorations using my Silhouette Cameo and chalkboard vinyl. Try and look past my horrible handwriting  It's very hard to write when it's already up on the door and I just have no talent when it comes to writing:) I need to redo it. I used a chalk pen and it held up very well in a storm we had the other night. one of the gingys ran just a tiny bit. just barely.  I made the scary wreath (from the movie Nightmare Before Christmas) back in 2002 I think.  I love the banner because I can erase it and write something new like Happy Easter! Or GO AWAY! I made the gingy by tracing the pattern (to make the ornament) in the Silhouette Software.

I love Instagram pictures. I truly believe they can make anything pretty. These were taken the night before I flew to Japan, in our hotel.

Japan-waaahhhh!

I think I mentioned before that I would be going to Japan over Thanksgiving week? I went and I'm baaack! went to see my BFF Jennifer and her family. Jenny B as she is known on the blog is a teacher and works for the American military school system in Japan. I love her and her family and hadn't seen them in years! Well I saw Jenny B a year ago but hadn't seen her family in years. 

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This is primarily a crafting blog so I will mostly show the crafty things I saw/bought there. I felt like I was going to the mother land of all things cute (Kawaii cute that is). The Japanese make the coolest cutest things. Really. They have my philosophy for decorating; cover it in cuteness. 

While at our hotel in Tokyo I googled fabric stores in Tokyo and found this blog (thank you fellow blogger!!) I showed the concierge and she directed us to Loft (one of the coolest stores I've ever been in) and another fabric store ...oh man, I can't remember the name. It's the one on the left and it started with an M. I'll have to find my papers. I bought fabric at the one I can't remember the name and misc. cuteness at Loft on the right.

You see this fabric?? Oh my goodness! Double gauze and cottons and knits. 

Jenny B and I LOVED this one above and she asked I make her something out of it. Anything. One pair of undies coming up! Here's my stash below. Not a good photo but when they arrive in the mail (I had to send them home free military mail or I wouldn't have been able to lift my suitcase) I'll show each one in detail.

Double sided double gauze. WHAT THE WHAT??

laminated cottons.

Dots and ginghams.

I know you recognize the fabrics below (my sewer readers not you Dad).

This trip besides seeing my Jenny B was like a crafters dream come true. It's all the fabrics and cuteness I see all over blogland. I finally got to see it in person! It really made me miss all my Goose coworkers. You all would have appreciated all of these fabrics and been excited to go with me!

I'm dying just looking at these photos again. And so you can understand how much each fabric was a meter, 1,000 yen is about $13 USD. So if it was 1,160 yen a meter then it was about $14USD. 

I bought lots of washi tape and just other random ...wait for it...CUTENESS!!

Mount Fuji out my window. Cool huh?? Me and JB at the Tokyo Tower. It's a fish-eye lens which should explain the warped heads.

The big buddha which has a name but because of an inside joke I'm not allowed to say it:)

Oh man..the harajuku area. That place had some serious cute. I barely saw any of the dressed up girls you'd see if you googled Harajuku. But that's ok. I just wanted to buy all the stuff the area had for sale.  

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I bought these Kokeshi dolls at a flea market from various sellers. I am so in love with these. Soooo in love. 

The bowls are in my kitchen, one for each of us. And the Mt. Fuji tissue/change purse is in my purse. I had seen it on pinterest a while ago and wanted it. Then we walked into Loft and it's one of the 1st things i saw. I HAD to have it. Sock stores were everywhere and oh how cute are they??? I got them in the girls sizes too. They LOVE them.

I did get a red riding hood cup but it's not any of these. It's being shipped with the fabric so I'll show it when it gets here. 

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I had a wonderful time in Japan as you can see. We toured Shrines and graveyards and many a Starbucks:) 

2012 Christmas Card

Picture In Portrait Christmas Card

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I just ordered our cards! This template is from thealbumcafe.com and uploaded to shutterfly.  

Star Wars Snowflakes

Star Wars Snowflakes made from these templates. I made them on my Silhouette by using the trace button. Super easy!! I only took these with my phone and then gave them away so I don't have better pictures till I make more. I used regular card stock some textured some not. Jon loves these and so do I . Soo cool I can do this on my machine!!! I forgot to take photos of the Princess Leigh one.

Passport holder: Elefanten

Another passport holder but this time for me! it holds 6 passport if needed. I have been hoarding this fabric for a while now (I think it's a Japanese import, lightweight canvas). If I ever had another baby I wanted to make an infant car seat over out of it. It's just sooo cute! The inside is a stripe I've had for ever. I mean a loooong time. And I used piping to define each row of pockets since with a stripe it hurts the eye. I didn't use any interfacing on the lining (only the outside fabric) to keep down on bulk. But then the lining stretched a little when sewing and "bagged" here and there. Over all I LOVE it. So vintage circus looking.

Pattern is this free tutorial again.

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 Ava is in the "Elefanten Gruppe" in school. That's just what her classroom is called.  Each classroom has a different name. There's one room called the Maulwurf. Can anyone, without looking it up, guess what that animal is? 

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Did I mention I'm going to Japan to visit my BFF Jenny B? Just me; no kids , no Jon:) I'm sooooo excited! I leave in a week!

Tee for two #2

Another Tee for Two refashion using an old Nightmare Before Christmas tee shirt of mine and an old Gap striped tee. Pattern is Figgy's Tee for Two. I made it in a size 8 this time and while it's a little big, she can at least grow in to it. This time I made it so the seams are inside instead of exposed and took the neck band off the red tee and laid it right on top of the neck opening, sewing it on the existing stitches. It's a little messy; my machine ate the fabric here and there. She LOVES it. Way more so than the Zombie one. I love it and want if for myself!! Oh, and the sleeve band being wrong side out was a mistake! I sewed the arms on then realized they were wrong but taking out stitches from knits is not an easy process and tends to make holes. I think it looks like it's supposed to be like that, right?

  I'm always surprised by her beauty. I will look over at her and think oh my, she's stunning! And so pure at heart. Not a mean thought in this girls body.  

The girls at a Halloween party wearing last years costumes. Emily lost another tooth this night.
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What else happens Halloween night?? Our anniversary!! Married 11 years now (or together 20 if you count the 9 years we dated). I have no new photos of us to post but you can see our Halloween wedding photos here and here.