Japanese traditional craft

Hi, I just wanna inform about the Japanese traditional craft's official site .

The contents is covered all traditional crafts and also you can pick the craft from region. I recommend the persons who just wanna know something about the Japanese crafts. Please have a look!!!

My shop has the 1st anniversary sale this Saturday, 3rd July 2010.

Please pop in and Japanese vintage world!!!

Kazuyo's collection - 98 Latrobe Tce Paddington Brisbane.

Baby vintage kimono bear

Can you see the picture as "a bear"? Maybe not, but hope yes!!!

The bear is my first work for the one of my customer's little grand daughter. She asked me the bear without plastics.
I picked a vintage cotton kimono for the main part, shibori kimono for a ears, paws, a part of face, and tomesode(black kimono) for eyes.

When I completed, my impression "BUSAIKU!!!(it's not cute!)" But once I hold and stared the bear, "you were born now, hope she likes it...!".

It's a big different between making kimono handbags. My feeling is as same as looking after my daughter....

Last time I introduced the lovely vintage kimono teddy bear made by Haruko. I know now, how she likes teddy bears!! And also her Bear's face must be reflected her warm heart!!

Traditional wooden craft - Dovetail joint technique

Currently my shop is in the shop "Latrobe artspace"(Framing shop). the shop owner is just completed the Japanese traditional wooden craft which use the one of traditional technique called "蟻組継ぎ Dovetail joint technique". the Dovetail joint is no nails but very strong structure. So There is a very popular in Japanese traditional furniture and housing. Anyway the picture is his first work. What smart his hand is!!!

Kanoko shibori kimono bag

Kanoko shibori is mostly developed at Edo period in Kyoto, Japan. The feature is that there are the some pattern with Shibori(tied dye). The picture is the bag which made of kanoko shibori(red part) with girl's kimono(Panel). The shibori is silk and very thin, so I use heavy interface and also leather for bottom and handle. I am sorry that the picture was taken by my mobile, that's why not good and can not show the texture..

How to maintain Vintage kimono bag

Hi, This article is just information to Vintage kimono bag buyers. As you know, "Vintage" means as same as your grand mother, existing for long!!.

About Vintage kimono, there are mostly occasionally used by some Japanese person for a long time.

For example, The third sash(Crane's ) was;

First stage was a wedding gown

Second stage was a celebration sash for the lady

Third stage is "Vintage kimono purse!"

Can you imagine how old the textile is now?

It is 100 years ago old since Wedding gown!!!!!

So we need look after as a great grand mother, if you got a real Vintage kimono bags.

The small tip how to maintain your vintage kimono bag;

1. Please use a furnishing protector such as scotch guard for keeping the stitching pattern on your textile.

2. When you don't use it, please hang up(if yours have handles), and also fill some paper in your bags for avoiding moisture and also keep the original shape.

I also can not recommend to wash the vintage kimono bag even hand wash, Please go to Cleaning specialist and ask which is the better way "Dry cleaning" or "Special water washing".

If any questions, please contact to me!

Anyway, hope you are enjoying the Vintage kimono world!!!!

Japanese painting by Japanese ink - Yoko Murakami

Hi, there. First of all, I am a dinosaur and beginner for BLOG! So, I am sorry that I need to learn many function... At the moment, I am not able to response to comments person, follower..etc. Please don't think "I am rude!!!" Now I focus on showing my accompany works. Please enjoy each article. One more sorry for my English.

Anyway......
Have you seen this footpath sign on Latrobe tce Paddington?

The picture was painted by Yoko Murakami. I asked her to paint "A Kimono lady who harvested flowers and Japanese hand towel"(It's me! but changed the face from my face to the traditional Japanese cute lady!!!!)

Her back ground is Japanese traditional painting in Japan. She has 2 daughters and quality of life with her partner here. Since last year, she has started painting pictures and joining in a couple of group exhibitions.

She is painting with Japanese inks on Japanese rice papers. Her current interest are "Nature" and "Children" Please enjoy her some of works as below. Some works look like "Contemporary SUMIE"!

*There are 5-6 her works at my shop(98 Latrobe tce) also a couple of works at Hanasho(West end).

Sashiko-Japanese traditional stitching

Sashiko is the most famous Japanese traditional embroidery stitching. There are many traditional patterns and most sashiko works on Noren(Japanese traditional curtain), coaster and cushion cover etc. This is a part of the Japanese traditional Noren which Takako made. Takako also originally designed the pattern . I will try to take picture better and replace the picture soon!!!


The work is currently at my shop window, so if interest, please have a look the real her work!

Takako used to work in Japanese fashion industry, before she migrated in Australia. She is also making dress, knitting etc. Very talented lady, isn’t she!

Shincha- new harvested green tea available!!

Please enjoy the special aroma now!
New green tea leaves has just been harvested. It's the first harvest of 2010. We can enjoy Shincha such as "Beaujolais nouveau"
More SHINCHA information and on line shopping from Aya green tea.

(Picture by Kazuyo)Tea and Mizu-manjyu with Japanese homeware
*Mizu-manjyu made by Japanese ptissier, Miho

Vintage kimono teddy Bear made by Haruko

Please look at the picture! What's a cute teddy bear!!! The bear is handmade of Vintage kimonos by Haruko who lives here in Brisbane. She is also a Japanese tea ceremony instructor and enjoying Japanese traditional culture through tea ceremony as her life work.

For Haruko, These kimono teddys are special such as her own babies. When she finished making one teddy, She puts on a name which will be able to show the Vintage kimono background or the bear's outlooking. She is already a pretty well knowledge person about kimono, but just started studying more about kimono for naming.

Her handmade teddys are available at my shop.
She will look after her teddys, if the teddy become sick(injured)too!

Anyway enjoy the Haruko's teddy world!

Any interest please contact to Kaz; kimonofrog@yahoo.co.jp
visit my shop, 98 Latrobe tce, Paddington

Vintage black kimono dress

Hi, Sorry, I have still not bought a camera, so I can not show my current works....(Please wait for a while, I will show new works with vintage kimono soon!!!)

The picture's dress was made of a women's formal kimono which is called "TOMESODE". Tomesode is black colour and normally family crest on the sleeves and back, also some bright cerebration pattern on the bottom of kimono, such as crane, peacock, flowers ocean waves etc.

In Japan, even wedding reception, women wear the black kimono as formal dress.

Tomesode is one of my favourite kimono as hanging on the wall, reforming to dress, bag.

At the moment a couple of Tomesodes at my shop. If interest, please pop in my shop and have a look!

Kazuyo's collection (98 Latrobe tce Paddington Brisbane)