Mee a Bee

Stay at home mums - what do you do all day?

2011-02-15T16:00:00.000+09:00

You're a stay-at-home mum.
What do you do all day?

Well apart from the obvious (search the internet and read blogs) I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I love to eat and I love to cook. I especially love to bake.

My criteria for recipes is that they are simple enough to scan read; that the ingredients are easy to get hold of (in Japan we can't get even the most basic of things); that the preparation uses minimal equipment since I hate to do dishes; and I guess I like things that come together quickly.

Some mothers might like to get out of the house each day and the supermarket may be a welcome diversion. Me, I'd rather poke out my eyes with sticks than go food shopping. So, I cook. From scratch. I buy ingredients, rather than (prepared) food.

Little Guy detests being alone. He cannot stand it. I've been told it's because of his star sign (Leo). Understanding this helps me to cope with his constant need for attention, companionship and appreciation.

Luckily I can work in my kitchen and still be near him whether he is playing in the living room or playing outside.

Noodle doesn't mind being alone. His quirk, which I cannot say where it comes from (perhaps his father) is that he doesn't have much of an appetite. He'll eat, for sure, at mealtimes or if something is presented to him but he rarely asks for food. I feel he's on the thin side and this year he's incredibly busy with after-school activities. So I've made it my life's purpose to prepare nutritious and/or filling snacks for him.

Today: homemade sausage rolls! (made with pork mince and frozen puff pastry).
Yesterday: fresh-baked apricot and chocolate chip cookies.

Noodle is due home in 2 minutes. I cannot wait to hear what he thinks of my sausage rolls since they're his all-time favourite!!

Appropriate Attire?

2011-02-14T15:31:00.000+09:00

Last week I was chatting to you about snow suits, wet gear and chilly kids. Seems it was wasted energy as here comes Noodle, home from school, wearing what I like to call his 'ridiculous' little shorts. In the snow.

No coat. No snow boots. And shorts.

As seen in ....SHOP 4 KIDS!

2011-02-14T11:36:00.000+09:00

Today is a very exciting day for Mee a Bee. We've been featured in Shop 4 Kids! (the magazine for children from the same publishers as Shop Till You Drop, Australia).

A few months ago one of the editors of Shop 4 Kids approached me about a feature in the next magazine. I sent off a couple of samples so they could be photographed professionally then waited to hear how the feature would appear.

The samples were well received by the editors so it looked promising but I still didn't know if we'd make it in. Today the magazine has finally hit newsstands and I am getting tons of emails from my friends in the biz. We're in!!

My great friend Kellie De La Vega of Mini Must Have gave Mee a Bee a huge thumbs up in her list of picks and 'must-haves' for kids. Thank you so much Kellie!

It's really funny as I couldn't say anything about the feature until today since I was never sure if we'd make it in. For the same reasons Kellie did not tell me about the mention!

I got this picture from the editor of Shop till You Drop, seen on her blog. Hopefully later we'll get to see a great picture of the actual feature. I've seen it and it's wonderful!!

Thanks again to everyone who has seen the feature and emailed me. Thanks to those who made it happen.

PS. The samples were donated to charity after the photo shoot. I asked the editor to put them under the nearest Charity Tree rather than send them back. She told me that they always give tons of great pressies at the end of every year, all their samples. Isn't that great?

First Cousin Once Removed ? who on earth is he to me?

2011-02-14T00:17:00.000+09:00

My cousin had a baby. A while ago now, he's coming up for two. I can't seem to work out the relationship between us so I guess I just call him my nephew (which is completely wrong but much easier). We're a pretty close family and my aunts are more like aunts to my kids then great aunts - which implies ancient dottery relics, doesn't it?

Anyway .... my aunt asked me to make a bag for Max as he will start at a little playgroup. He's not totally sold on the idea so we're hoping his own bag might help with the preparation, anticipation and ultimately the transition to more pre-school down the track. As he's not potty-trained there will still be a lot of things to take along so I made this set for him. I'm calling the extra drawstring bag The Overflow Bag.

I have just one extra in my shop at the moment. As a set you'll save $5.00 off the normal price, plus benefit from combined shipping. I will add more styles as I find suitable fabrics.

Dad Love

2011-02-09T15:26:00.000+09:00

I have a new favourite picture! When I started making Mee a Bee messenger bags for toddlers I had in mind my own family. Mr. Mee a Bee has a couple of bags this style and my little guy was all about being "just like daddy" at the time.

This picture captures the essence of Mee a Bee just perfectly. Independent enough to carry a few of his favourite toys and trinkets but still little enough to catch a ride from Daddy.

It comes from a customer of mine who is also a blogger. She's written a wonderful post on her blog about Mee a Bee, which is so nice of her. AND I just can't stop thinking about the amazing party she threw for her little lad a few days ago. You really have to take a look. HapaLAB is the blog. Take a look at theThe Big 3 party and read all about Mr. Roboto, Mee a Bee bag.

Thank you J!

Are you a Meal Planner?

2011-02-07T21:42:00.000+09:00

I've been looking at Omiyage - a beautiful webshop based in Canada selling Japanese craft supplies, paper and stationery. The owners and I are friends from OhMy Handmade.com which is nice since we have the Japan connection.

On the Omiyage blog a few weeks ago was a cool idea for using washi sticky tape. Make a colourful grid on a whiteboard and then write in the daily {meal} plan. The one pictured on their blog has very elaborate magnetic meal picture cards but it would probably take me longer to make the cards than the meals themselves. I still like it though. And you could use it for any kind of planning you need to do.

I have a very busy new schedule starting from tomorrow which will involve me being out in the evenings around dinner time. I haven't gotten so far as meal planning yet but today I have made a couple of things to freeze. Casseroles and soups are easy to make ahead and freeze. I've also made two cakes which I'll need next week.

Some cakes freeze well. Banana cake for instance. The trick is not to decorate it (I mean frosting or icing), just freeze it plain. It should also be wrapped carefully in two layers of wax or greaseproof paper then put in an airtight ziploc bag or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. This stops it getting freezer burn. Defrost on the bench top about two to three hours before you need it then decorate as usual.

I also freeze bread loaves when I can get them from Costco or a nice bakery. I wrap them tightly in two layers of aluminum foil. To defrost, place in the oven on 180 degrees for 15 minutes. Your loaf will be lovely and warm inside like fresh-baked bread.

I have meat thawing in the fridge and will cook up something in the crockpot tomorrow. I'm not sure if it's beef or pork so I'm undecided on the recipe.

Do you have any great time-saving tips for busy mums?

One Hour Bag: My new Beach bag

2011-02-05T16:05:00.001+09:00

Last night I was sitting at my desk thinking about what I'd do. I had three sewing orders for Mee a Bee to start as well as a thousand other "work-related" things to do. What did I do? I made a bag for myself! I started at 11.30pm and finished it just after 12.30. Perfect. Don't you love the satisfaction of completing something all in one go?

I stumbled across this fabric last week when I sneaked to the material shop on my way home from the gym. The mall is open until 10pm every night so I can sometimes summon the energy to drive down there after aerobics on a Tuesday. It's always deserted at that hour so I can really have a good look around (without my impatient side-kick).

I've made a simple tote bag. I chose to use a whole half width of the material. I made it shallow and wide with a good flat base. It's perfect for a rolled up beach towel.

The fabric is new from Kokka, designed by Yoshie and is called MiriPorun. It's lovely cotton and linen blend. I've lined it with linen cotton polka dot fabric in a hot pink - one of my favourite colours.

You can find this fabric around and about on the net. Coincidentally I found a write-up about it on the True-Up blog last night.

Still made here: Senshu Towels - February on OhMy! Handmade Goodness

2011-02-05T09:54:00.001+09:00

February is Handmade Here month on OhMy! Handmade Goodness. Our editor Jessika asked contributors for articles, interviews, gallery tours and inspiration about things that are made locally by hand. Contributors to OhMy! are scattered all over the world which will make for some wonderful stories.

Last Thursday I got on my bike and toured the small town where I live snapping pictures of local towel 'factories'. Towels are not quite handmade anymore but I think you'll find the history of the senshu towel interesting. Plus there's a chance to win the two towels pictured here on the bottom right. I had a lovely chat to the woman at the shop about them. ~~Visit OhMy! Handmade Goodness to read the full article and make sure you enter to win the two handtowels.~~ Congratulations Allison! the winner was picked via OhMy! and I posted them off today.

Noodle's thoughts about girls

2011-02-04T22:17:00.000+09:00

Noodle is nine. For quite a few years now girls have been smelly, gross, too chatty, so annoying and so boring. He has just one friend who is a girl but be careful not to call her his girlfriend.

This afternoon we helped Noodle with a massive colouring-in project for school. He was assigned the task of writing and illustrating a story which he will read aloud at the class performance next week. Noodle, being the creative kid that he is, has written a very detailed story with SEVEN LARGE accompanying pictures. (His friend has written two and a half ...).

The topic of girls was brought about by Noodle when he commented "it's funny how the girl in my story is just kind of in the background in all of the pictures except this one". Without looking I knew something bad would be happening to her in that one. "Yes", Noodle smirked, "In this one she's being eaten by the lion". He laughed and said it was hard for him not to draw her smiling.

I came across this website called Spaceships and Laserbeams, Parties with Boyish Charm. It's fantastic!! thanks Li'l Magoolie for the link. Check out the "Girls have Cooties" cupcake wrappers for Valentine's Day.

Reading for Little Guy - still trying valiantly

2011-02-04T00:27:00.000+09:00

The day starts with a book. Little Guy's current favourite has been propped up in the recipe stand open to the page of ingredients for Gingerbread Men.

I ask Little Guy to "write a list" so we can go to the supermarket to get what he needs. He draws the pictures and I write the words.

He won't take off his funny PJ pants but we go to the supermarket anyway. They have cute kid-sized trolleys. He gets milk, flour, ginger and a packet of M&M type chocolates for the eyes.

This supermarket is really kid-friendly. Little Guy has his own card to collect stamps on. Once he has ten stamps (from ten visits) he'll get a little present.

The lady on the checkout gives Little Guy the receipt and helps him load up his shopping in his eco-tote bag. She's incredibly kind and patient.

My kids both share a love of advertising posters, restaurants and cafes, welcomes and sign-up sheets. This particular poster welcomes people to The Gingerbread Man Restaurant.

When Noodle gets home from school he walks in the front door, spots the poster and immediately signs up as though it's a completely normal thing to do. Little Guy is hiding and jumps out shouting "Gingerbread Man!!" like you would if it were a surprise party.

All in all a fun day and hopefully some of it will stick in Little Guy's mind.

What's on the Machine at Mee a Bee? wallets

2011-02-01T18:18:00.001+09:00

The cold weather has us inside most of the time at the moment. Little Guy is happy pottering about by my side with his Lego and his train set. I'm grabbing moments here and there to sew.

Today I had occasion to revisit a Mee a Bee favourite - the Velcro 'rip-tear" wallets. I came across Little Guy's one the other day when it fell out of his pocket as I was hanging the washing out. It's not the first time it's gone through the wash but I'm pleased to say it really stands up to all that you can throw at it!

Look at his little hands! He's grown heaps since this picture was taken.

It's finished! Toot Toot All Aboard Backpack

2011-01-31T01:16:00.000+09:00

Phew! I have finally finished this backpack. It's rather late (or rather early depending on how you look at it) so my model is asleep but I am certain this bag will be a winner with him.

The long-awaited .... BACKPACK

2011-01-27T19:56:00.001+09:00

Many times over the years lovely people have asked me about backpacks. Especially for kindergarten backpacks seem popular. I know from searching myself that there is not much around if you are not a fan of Dora, Diego, Thomas or the Wiggles (which we are in small doses occasionally).

So when a customer of mine emailed me last weekend about a backpack for kinder I decided to tackle it with renewed vigour.

The backpack may look simple but on closer examination you'll see a lot of extra 'hardware', buckles, zips and clasps. You will find that backpacks are usually 'pieced' to define the shape.

I spent a few hours on Sunday just sitting and visualising how I would overcome some of the logistical difficulties and finally came up with a very workable solution. Here's Little Guy giving the mock-up a test-run. As you can see it's got Mee a Bee written all over it - plain canvas base, lovely soft acrylic straps and fantastic printed flap (that's not sewn in the picture, just clipped on to test for size).

The kids have been sick this week, both of them housebound so it's been the perfect opportunity to sew a little each afternoon while they napped or watched television. For the record, I am THIS close to never wanting to watch The Polar Express ever again! Actually, that's wrong, what I would like to do is eliminate from the world any children singing Christmas carols. That aside, I am pleased to report that Noodle seems 95% recovered and will return to school tomorrow after almost seven days of illness.

Little Guy's Pick: Fabric

2011-01-25T22:19:00.001+09:00

Last week Little Guy was passing as I was looking through an online fabric catalogue. He loves bears so he suggested that we take a closer look at this one. It arrived a few days ago and he does love it. It may be a great unisex fabric?

I'm calling it "Bears Try Something New".
They appear to be attempting yoga poses from a manual.

Little Guy and I are all about trying new things. We are just getting started with a new "project" of the exercise variety. The flu has stopped us in our tracks so we'll post more about that later.

For now, how do you feel about this fabric?

You can't keep a good man down

2011-01-25T08:48:00.001+09:00

Have you heard the news? Now it looks like Little Guy has the 'flu too. Yaye! not!

I rushed him to the doctor at the first sign of the fever and he's now on medication. Miraculously, or I shouldn't be surprised, he's back to his normal self already. Up at the crack of dawn, eating and playing normally. I was hoping for more of a reaction like Noodle's. He's been dead to the world for hours each day on the couch, he's so exhausted.

Little Guy: tough as nails.

And now for something that is NOT fun at all

2011-01-23T12:15:00.001+09:00

Poor Noodle has got the 'flu! A couple of kids in his class have been down for the count. Noodle is quite susceptible to colds. Perhaps because he had his tonsils and adenoids removed a few years ago? He's never had the flu before but so far he's been a real trooper. We'll be laying low for a few days.

More fun than you can shake a stick at

2011-01-22T00:27:00.001+09:00

We have some funny sayings in New Zealand. I am sure most of them originate from the UK but some I am not sure. Like this one: more fun than you can shake a stick at. It sprang to mind this morning when I enlisted Little Guy's help with a mini-photo shoot.

In the space of 15 minutes I have about a hundred shots of him waving this stick around, throwing the stick, jumping down from high places, picking up stones and rocks, riding a tricycle that he has outgrown, kicking a large boulder, sliding down a dirt slope, yawning and sighing loudly and creeping through wild grass looking for snakes. BOYS! they are such busy wee creatures!

How about this saying: That'll put hair on your chest. (Said to Noodle after he discovered I had put pepper in something). A conversation ensued as to how I knew that Daddy (Mr. Mee a Bee) has hair on his chest. Hmmm, how do I know that?
Says Noodle: Oh, right! You've seen him at the pools!
Me: Yes, that's right!

No words to describe how gorgeous this shot is!

2011-01-21T14:22:00.001+09:00

This picture was taken by Brandy Cardarelli, a photographer based in North Carolina. She shoots weddings, families, babies and children. These "snaps" were taken just for me and are a thousand times better than anything I could ever shoot myself. Take a look at Brandy's online portfolio for a better glimpse into the life of a professional photographer. I can't thank you enough Brandy!

Boredom Buster: Hacky Sack Darts

2011-01-21T09:29:00.001+09:00

This morning I noticed the call out for ideas on Mini Eco to beat boredom with little kids when the weather is miserable.

During the holidays I "made" this dart board for the kids. We have tons of hacky sacks that I "let" the kids throw around inside. Half of them are perched stuck on top of the air-conditioning units or the pendant lights but we still have two or three in action.

I think I should have done the numbering the other way but it was a very rushed job when I was at my wits end with the two cabin-fever struck kids.

My hacky sacks came free with bottles of Pepsi years ago but you can easily make your own with old socks, like here.

Do you like Little Guy's funny pjs? He's in love with these as he likes being a real live polar bear. They're fleecy.

etsy faves: polar bear

2011-01-20T21:13:00.001+09:00

We love Polar Bears. Here are a few faves of mine from Etsy. Did you know you can now search on Etsy from your favourite shops or favourite items? I have millions of bookmarked pages from years of blog reading and coveting.

PLAYING WITH PAPER by Jenni Phillips, pictured is Ursa Major.
EVERYESKIMO, pictured is quimby. a small polar bear.
STORIES AND DIVINATIONS, Missing You - Poor Polar Bear

Where's the Party?

2011-01-20T15:39:00.001+09:00

There comes a time in a little person's life when their social circle explodes. Gone are the days of hanging off mum's apron strings. They have their own friends! And these people KNOW how to party.

The new Mee a Bee Mini Messenger Bags are ready to party. Slightly bigger than the tiny Toddler bags we're famous for but still with the same simple functionality. Nothing tricky for little girls to operate (velcro, zips, etc). Room for a small gift, cardigan and maybe a party favour when you come home ♥.

Mini Messenger - new size!

Nuts and Bolts of Neighbour Relations

2011-01-19T19:45:00.001+09:00

In this day and age we (especially women) pride ourselves on being independent. We have a nothing-can-conquer-me attitude. I'm queen of DIY at my place. Repairs, maintenance and making stuff are all in my realm.

Today I found myself having to make a repair on my bicycle. Upon rummaging through the toolbox I found I did not have the right size nut and bolt. Rather than leave it until I could get to the hardware shop I decided to pay a visit to my elderly neighbour to see if he had one. My shocking Japanese and the fact that I have never knocked on their door before didn't stop me. I am so glad I did.

My neighbour was all too happy to help. He spent a good twenty minutes assisting - in fact he did the whole job for me! I was pleased to get it done of course (and yes it was just a matter of tightening a couple of nuts which I could've done had I had the right parts). But more than anything I think my neighbour was mighty chuffed that I asked for his help. He's in his eighties, long since retired and not all that active apart from his daily walks. It probably gave him quite a sense of purpose.

So I guess my question is, when was the last time you reached out a hand to a neighbour or asked for a simple favour? It goes a long way toward making the world a happier place.

I Love You My Deer

2011-01-18T18:36:00.001+09:00

My friend Cassie created this beautiful treasury inspired by my Deer Messenger Bag, isn't it wonderful? Cassie makes bags and crayon rolls at EmmiGrace Kids. Thanks Cassie!

'I Love You My Deer' by emmigracekids

Super cute finds for the ones you love on Valentine's Day. Enjoy!

peppersprouts $65.00	sarahjanestudi... $3.00	makemesomeart $15.00
antibromide $52.00	maustudio $6.00	zeppiprints $5.00
meeabee $35.00	RetroPops $25.00	jackandjane $7.00
FableAndFury $29.00	sweetbippypape... $4.00	breadandbutton... $4.00
RaeGun $16.50	betsywynn $58.00	violetpi $27.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Oui Oui Gâteau

2011-01-18T16:12:00.001+09:00

One of the best presents I received for my birthday last year was a collection of French-inspired treats from my auntie.

I'm am just getting started with this book by Elizabeth Bard: Lunch in Paris. It is wonderful for me on so many levels. Firstly it's a romance of the international variety - an American living in London meets a Frenchman living in Paris. An affair begins.

Then I'm really enjoying the little cultural observations Bard makes. The things that surprise and even dumbfound them about each other's core identities, as a result of their cultural upbringings.

Finally the book includes intimate explanations of perfectly Parisian cafes and bistros followed by recipes inspired by those places. In other chapters she shares family recipes. I'm not a foodie but I think it's well-known that I do love to eat. And I love recipe books.

Today, in preparation for my class tomorrow (Chatty Cafe) I am making a Yogurt Cake which Bard attributes to blogger Clotilde Dusoulier of Chocolate and Zucchini. It was an absolute cinch to mix up and uses ingredients which are almost pantry staples for me. Lemon zest was called for in Bard's version and I happened to have a lemon in the fridge. The topping could be either canned apricots, which I had, or chopped pears, which I also had. So easy!

Bard also has a blog which I plan to explore after I finish the book, I don't like spoilers! although I do kind of know what's going to happen in the book.

Nostalgic, for holidays done right

2011-01-17T00:51:00.001+09:00

Valentine's Day is coming soon and I am remembering those awkward early teen years when I sent "anonymous" cards to boys I was sweet on. Really how anonymous were they?

Here in Japan Valentine's Day has been heartily embraced with a nasty twist. The array of chocolate available is quite simply amazing but MEN are the only recipients of it. There's another poxy half-hearted attempt at reciprocity in March but it's been my experience that men could give a toss about it. So we women luck out.

Oh I wish they'd get it right sometimes.

I've fallen in love with a beautiful website called NOSTALGIA (found via Eat Drink Chic). It's typical for me to really nosey around when I find a page I love so I was happy to find owner Elea Lutz's blog. There I found these adorable free downloadable labels for Valentine's treats. I will print them and leave them in Mr. Mee a Bee's drawer. hint hint, darling.

If you're in the mood for some romantic comedy we just finished watching It's Complicated. Meryl Streep was nothing less than her usual fabulous self and Steve Martin was adorably goofy. We both enjoyed it a lot (even Mr. Mee a Bee). We were both in hysterics several times.

Robots for Little Guy

2011-01-15T13:26:00.001+09:00

Little Guy has finally chosen his kindergarten fabric. I am so pleased it does not feature any of the commercialized characters that he has been drawn to in the past. We got ROBOTS!

In a couple of weeks I should be receiving the information about the bag sizes. He'll need a bag for his lunch box, one for his PE kit and another for bringing artwork home.

In the meantime the boys have started sharing a room. After my father stayed with us they realized they quite like being in a room together. I didn't think it would work out since there is almost five years between them in age. However we seem to be at the point where Little Guy is happy to stay in bed once he's in there and Noodle doesn't mind being in charge of extra bedtime stories.

Of course I am super keen to redecorate BUT I am approaching it cautiously for budget considerations. It'd be so easy to really go crazy but in the end I think I'd be pleasing myself more than them. They're not completely indifferent to their setting but at the same time they're perfectly happy with the mix and match look of bits from Little Guy's old room and Noodle's existing theme.

Robots though .... a GREAT bedroom theme, don't you think?

Back to School - Term 3

2011-01-11T12:19:00.001+09:00

Noodle is finally back at school today after what seems like a fairly decent break for Christmas and New Year. It went quite slowly so we are all well-rested and happy. The kids DID NOT FIGHT during the holidays which was wonderful. I hope we've turned the corner on their pointless bickering for good.

Little Guy and I had some errands to run today. We zipped here, there and everywhere so by 10.30 we were in need of refreshments. Finding ourselves outside Tullys (coffee shop) we had a perfectly lovely coffee and chat, just the two of us. It was so nice.

Earlier this morning my heart starting racing and my eyes teared up at the thought of Little Guy soon being away from me all day. I have waited for the day when kindergarten would start so eagerly. Now it's finally here I'm getting cold feet. Now that he's actually not bad company!

The sale went extremely well at Mee a Bee. Thank you to everyone who stopped by, bought bags, told their friends and blogged about it. I am extremely grateful and full of optimism about the upcoming year. The future looks bright for Mee a Bee. I'm exactly where I wanted to be: Little Guy will be at kindergarten, Noodle will be at school and I have my own business! No need to seek a part-time job as was threatened by Mr. Mee a Bee five years ago when discussing my status as a housewife with kids in school.

We rewarded ourselves for the busy weekend of orders, emailing and sewing with a bunch of gorgeous bright yellow and orange flowers. I hope you've had a good start to the week!

Happy New Year from Mee a Bee! SALE TIME!!

2011-01-06T09:49:00.001+09:00

Just in case you haven't heard it's now time to take a massive 50% off anything at Mee a Bee. It's only for those in the know and you'll need the code RABBIT50 for the discount to take effect.

The usual conditions apply - excludes shipping, postage and delivery. Not valid with any other offer and not applicable on custom-made items.

HURRY SALE ENDS JAN 10th, 2011!

HAPPY YEAR OF THE RABBIT!

Homemade Celebrations: my post for OhMy! Handmade Goodness

2011-01-05T17:38:00.000+09:00

our osechi feast for Jan 1st

This month for OhMy! Handmade Goodness I have shared some of our family traditions for New Year's. Click over to read about decorating, cooking and crafting to ring in the New Year Japan-style. I've included a couple of links that you should check out.

2011-01-04T14:59:00.001+09:00

One of the things I have tried to embrace in my adopted country Japan is the celebration of events like New Year's (o-sho-gatsu). The Japanese celebrate the beginning of the year with grand finesse and it has a lot of appeal to crafty types like me. Bigger than Christmas it lasts a few days and is a lot of fun to prepare for.

First there is the food. If you know anything about Japanese food then you would expect celebratory food to be amazing. You're not wrong. It is beautifully and artfully presented even if it does not tempt all taste buds.

One of the first things I bought as a newly-wed was a handcrafted lacquer-ware box for the New Year feast. Called a jubako it has three or four tiers and each is filled with various foods that represent good health, long-life and luck for the upcoming year. In this picture you can see we have supplemented our homemade dishes with purchased foods. My husband and I have our tried and true recipes and rely on our mother-in-law for other favorites.

The table should look as appetizing as the food so we use special chopsticks, placemats and other decorations. These often feature the Japanese zodiac symbol for the year. 2011 is the year of the rabbit (usagi). It's easy to make table adornments from Japanese paper applying simple paper folding (origami) techniques. Make your own origami rabbit following instructions from Origami-Instructions.com.

It's also traditional to decorate the house for the New Year. It's been my observation that this is done with careful consideration resulting in a refined elegance that could only be Japanese.

A symbolic door wreath wards off evil and welcomes good fortune. It will be displayed for just the first few days of the New Year and then burnt to avoid offending the gods.

It probably takes a lifetime to learn the art of Japanese flower arrangement (ikebana) but each year I do try to decorate inside with a few sprigs from the garden. Camellia, pine and winter berries are readily available. The key is to keep it simple.

Since the kids are home from school it's a favorite past-time to make our own decorations. This year we had a go at this amazing Mochibana decoration designed by artist Yoshihiro Suzuki and available for free download at Creative Park.

My boys love to get crafty so we also made our own New Year's greeting cards (nenga jo) to mail out to friends. Here are a few of the cute hand-drawn ones made by my son's third grade friends. Rabbits feature prominently!

Each year I learn something new and truly appreciate living in such a culturally rich land. Happy New Year!
You can learn more about Japanese New Year customs here on Wikipedia.

We're Writing: Christmas and New Years Cards

2010-12-23T21:49:00.001+09:00

On Tuesday, Noodle, Little Guy and I went to the mall for lunch. Noodle finished school early and we had no food in the house so it seemed like a good chance to do something. At Noodle's request we spent quite a while choosing New Year's cards. He told me he wanted to send some to his own friends this year. I'm all for encouraging his blossoming friendships and any opportunity that gets him writing is too good to pass up.

It cost me an arm and a leg but we did get some really cute cards. The great thing about nenga-jo (Japanese New Year Cards) is that they are pre-printed with postage included so you don't need to queue up at the post office for stamps. Very clever.

I've spent the evening writing out mine. I feel so frustrated that from year to year I never seem to have all of the components of everyone's address written in my book. Why is that? Luckily Mr. Mee a Bee doesn't seem to mind reading the Japanese for me and translating. As soon as I have finished this blog I am going to update my address book with all the post codes I've just been looking up online (I promise).

I have received a lot of beautiful Christmas cards this year and also some lovely newsy yearly summary emails. I had big plans to do a newsletter this year but somehow it hasn't happened.

I am sending quite a few late Christmas greeting cards to my wonderful overseas friends. For those who miss out I might just send an e-card from Fossil (pictured). Found via Creature Comforts.

We're Writing: Christmas and New Years Cards

2010-12-23T21:34:00.001+09:00

We're Eating: Christmas Cocktail Party

2010-12-22T21:49:00.001+09:00

This evening we convinced our friend V to return to the mad-house for a meal. This time we had a cocktail party! Well actually there were no cocktails but I did find a bottle of not bad Argentinean red wine at the local supermarket.

For evening drinks I think finger food is appropriate so we had mini-spring rolls with sweet chilli dipping sauce; Camembert and sliced kiwi fruit; sliced ham with fresh mango; avocado dip (aka guacamole); chicken nuggets, cocktail sausages and chips (for the kids); vol au vents (puffed pastry) and a cheese with dried fruit. It was basically a put-together menu based on what I could grab at the little supermarket down the road. I was aiming for things I could assemble simply.

We had planned to take a stroll and admire the Christmas lights in our neighbourhood but the kids were exceptionally tired (it's been an exciting week) so we took a raincheck on that plan. We don't often entertain at night so it was a real treat to have a guest.

Our party music was provided by iTunes. We downloaded The Very Best Christmas Selection - 100 All Time Season Favourites. It's a great mix of oldies. We had a great time trying to pick the artist - Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, all well before our time but I think we got most of them right. Can't go wrong with the classics!

We're Watching: Christmas Movies

2010-12-20T21:37:00.001+09:00

I can't believe I forgot to tell you about our movie afternoon. I'm sure you'll find it incredulous but we had never seen The Polar Express.

Saturday rolled around and it seemed the perfect day for a movie afternoon - very cold and gray. Since I hadn't seen the film or read the book I knew nothing about it. My trusty friend Google search led me to the publisher's website where I found a whole stack of printable activities. Little Guy and I spent the morning making name tags, train tickets and a screening schedule. We shopped for hot chocolate and popcorn.

Needless to say we loved the movie. It's brilliant. I think it was even more fun watching it together and making a whole day of it. The kids could not wait to tell their father all about when he got home that night. I was happy that Noodle did some brain stretching with the wordfind and crossword puzzle - it's so hard to find time for English literacy exercises for him.

Click here for the party kit - it's a SLOW TO LOAD PDF file but it's worth the wait, from Houghton Mifflin Books.

We're Reading: Christmas Books

2010-12-20T21:09:00.001+09:00

Books about Christmas are a dime a dozen and we certainly have our fair share. Today Little Guy was treated to a lovely little storytime with our friend V.

Christmas is all about friends and family so I'm doing my best to create the atmosphere. We had a yummy scrummy Christmas brunch this morning which put us in the mood for Christmas Eve cocktails (plans are hatching!).

Have you seen this book? How Santa Really Works (ISBN 978-1-4169-5000-4)
I got this book two years ago for Noodle. Little Guy enjoys having it read aloud and he doesn't notice if you skip all the details. It's a fun read! Noodle reads it by himself and giggles away. It's a good one for boys who like diagrams.

Getting Crafty in the Kitchen: homemade shortbread

2010-12-20T20:51:00.001+09:00

Our Christmas festivities continue, this time in the kitchen. Last week I attempted to make shortbread.

I looked through quite a few cookbooks to find a recipe that looked easy. I didn't have all the ingredients for any of them so I improvised. The shortbread didn't exactly have that buttery melt-in-your-mouth texture but I packaged them up and gave them as gifts to my Chatty Cafe ladies anyway. (they were edible and really quite tasty).

On Saturday I tried another recipe. Again I didn't have quite enough of the ingredients AND I tried to mix them in the blender. It was a buttery mess but at least the cookies had the right texture once baked.

So my New Year's resolution is to save up the 500 or so dollars for an electric stand mixer.

Getting Crafty in the Garden: homemade wreath

2010-12-15T19:47:00.001+09:00

It had been my plan for some weeks to attempt to make a Christmas wreath. We have a very overgrown Christmas holly bush and three towering pine trees in our garden. Dad offered to prune them but I told him I was saving them for my special project. Here is the finished result:

I bought a circular wire frame and some green floral wire. I attached each piece of branch separately, overlapping and all in one direction. It was very prickly and there were a few hairy caterpillars! but it didn't take long to do.

I wasn't sure how I would hang it from my front door. I tried a few ideas and in the end the wire coat hanger was the only thing that worked - even if it looks a bit funny. Our door is high and the wreath is at eye level so I don't think it's immediately obvious. I am expecting a few visitors this week so we'll see if they notice!

Ballet Girls in pink!

2010-12-14T19:34:00.001+09:00

Ballet Girls Bright Pink and Blue on a Cream Background
Originally uploaded by Mee a Bee on Flickr.com

New colour.
New size.
Coming soon for little girls with "extra" important things to carry.
By popular request for ballet shoes and tap shoes.

Stay tuned!
Messenger Bags for Kids.

Our stocking stuffers

2010-12-14T08:43:00.001+09:00

Muji Magnetic Space Shuttle Toy

Now that I am finished the bulk of my sewing for the year I am free to really focus on Christmas for my kids.

We're really enjoying the preparations. I think it's the first Christmas that we've really gotten into for a while. Last year we were in New Zealand so we didn't do anything here at home. The year before I still had a very mischievous two year old on my hands and the year before that we spent Christmas week in Guam (which was a nightmare in itself).

So I'm going all out with decorations, presents and food.

Noodle is really into soccer / football at the moment so I have bought him a few soccer-related gifts - some soccer skill cards (like flashcards that teach one ball skill at a time), some chopsticks for school lunch and a few stationery items.

In his Santa sack he will find this: (from Muji). I think it'll be fun on Christmas morning!

Muji Football Bowling in a Bag

Little Guy wrote a letter to Santa and then put it somewhere but he did tell me he's asked for a rocket. I think he'll enjoy the Muji space shuttle and rocket I got. They click together with magnets.

Now I just have to finish their stockings!

2010-12-13T09:00:00.001+09:00

It's been a fantastic year here at Mee a Bee. I've sewn my heart out and am thrilled to bits that so many little children (and a few fabulous mums) have splendid new bags. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your support, kind words of encouragement, recommendations and custom. The shop is still open but it's getting a bit late to make promises about delivery for Christmas.

Please join me in the New Year for my HUGE January Sale.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Mee a Bee!

Swimming for Mummy's birthday

2010-12-10T20:07:00.001+09:00

In our family we love 'theme' presents. This year's theme for my birthday was swimming. I asked the boys to get me a new sport's bag and a swimming cap. I swim once a week in the Master's Club and do aqua-aerobics once or twice a week so if I go out it's usually with the farewell "I'm off to the pools!".

Noddle did this picture for me to go with the other presents. I LOVE it since he has included so many small details - my black and pink floral swimsuit, my huge whale-like form in the water - carefully keeping my legs out of sight, the cap and goggles, my smile and the lane marker. I also really like the writing and especially the spelling which is all correct.

I've had a perfect birthday, thank you everyone! I've had millions of emails, several phone calls, lunch out with a friend, beautifully behaved children and Mr. Mee a Bee arrived home at a reasonable hour. Plus I got tons of really excellent presents, thank you! Oh, and a bouquet of pink dahlias arrived about an hour ago.

Christmas is so near!

2010-12-10T00:31:00.001+09:00

Are you excited about Christmas? We are! Here at Mee a Bee HQ we have a rule - no tree until after the birthdays. Well as I approach the big FOUR OH I don't feel as fussed about my birthday as I used to. So I decided to abandon the "rule" and put the tree up last Friday (exactly one week before my big day, which is tomorrow and is still thankfully a birthday in my thirties).

Little Guy and I have had an amazing week doing all things Christmassy. We started last week with some present shopping for Noodle and Mr. Mee a Bee. Little Guy has done superbly so far and kept all the presents a surprise. Isn't that great? He finally gets what Christmas is all about!

On Saturday morning we had to go to the mall again so we made the most of it and went ornament shopping. We found that most shops are "over" Christmas (already!) so all the decorations were on sale. We went a bit crazy at two shops, Franc Franc and One's Bazaar. We had a Christmas treat at Starbucks. We really just loved being out in the crisp wintery air, listening to the carols and admiring all the beautifully decorated trees in the shops. We topped off a fun morning by picking up pine cones on our way home.

We went to our first (and maybe only) Christmas party on Monday. We had a really lovely time with some old and some new friends which really put me in the Christmas spirit. I actually came home and tried to download some Christmas carols to itunes (unsuccessfully I might add, any recommendations?)

A few of the days this week were very cold so we rented some DVDs. I got The Polar Express for the kids which we will watch together tomorrow night. None of us has seen it but I have heard great reviews.

Our postman has been busy. We have received several cards which I have hung from a ribbon with some cute tiny wooden pegs. Our decorations from klt:works arrived and they are perfect! I got a gorgeous felt banner kit at from soul. My kettle gave up the ghost so I am now the proud owner of a sleek new Russell Hobbs one.

This afternoon we hit the shops again. I wanted to check out a few things at Muji. I didn't get any of the things I was planning to look at but I got a few more stocking stuffers for the kids. Mr. Mee a Bee is being treated to a gorgeous-smelling organic face cream after Little Guy and I got a bit hooked on their Shea Butter hand cream. I might sneak some to see if it's any good for my sensitive skin ;)

Our last stop was Kaldi, the imported food shop. Christmas is quite depressing when you don't have any family around and most people are at work so we're making it BIG with lots of presents, decorations and FOOD. I got chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate to hide under the tree.

As you can see I've thrown all caution to the wind, abandoned my budget (what's new?) and really let loose. I've been feeling downright festive and that's what this time of year is all about.

My next stop is real food. What to have? Two weeks to go!

Little Miss Two comes to visit!

2010-12-05T20:33:00.001+09:00

I know so many people celebrating late November and December birthdays. My little friend Miss Two visited on Friday and we all went out for lunch. She turned two just a few days ago. I turn 21 again on Friday of this week. Happy Birthday Me!

Miss Two was more than willing to model one of my new bags for me. Isn't it funny how little girls know just what to do when it comes to bags. She did not even need to be shown how to put this on! Miss Two's older sisters have several Mee a Bee bags so I am sure she has been itching to get her hands on her own one.

Thank Miss Two for being a super model and a lovely lunch date!

The bag shown is new, Lolly Scramble, it's in my store, Mee a Bee, handmade messenger bags for toddlers and small children. Most of the bags can be made to measure for two year olds or as pictured they're ready to ship for three to five year olds.

The Challenge - giving an Ikea Christmas stocking the hand-made treatment

2010-12-05T19:28:00.001+09:00

A few weeks ago I was at Ikea where I found some great fabric Christmas stockings. I immediately thought they could do with some snazzying up. It's taken me this long to get the craft store and as you can see I still have to actually plan and make them.

This is the challenge - to get these two stockings ready before Christmas Eve.

I bought sheets of iron-on craft felt, iron-on appliqué initials - the kids' names are Noah and Tyler. (Noodle and Little Guy). The frog and the croc are not exactly typical Christmas characters but I think they are super-cool and I know my boys will love them.

I'll keep you updated! Wish me luck.

A Colourful Christmas! thanks Style Milk and Mini Must Have

2010-12-04T18:48:00.001+09:00

WOW! Thank you Jen and Kellie for this stunning feature, TWO Mee a Bee bags in this line up! Jen and Kellie have teamed up to put together a whole series of beautiful gift guides. Their focus is on handmade lovelies.

La Papier Studio Winter print $24.00 USD

Mee a Bee Toddler Pink Bunny Ballerina Messenger Bag $37USD

Mini Envy Onesie $29.95 AUD

Shak Shuka Butterflying Mobile 21 Euro

Fine Little Shop Apple Papple on Sale (until DEC 10 2010) $25 USD

Pinwheels and Pearls Princess Pastel Pack $90AUD

Ollie & Rose Babushka Clip holder available in a range of colours $16.95 AUD

Mee a Bee Green Apples Messenger Bag $50USD

Maiike Toys

Party Bags - a new idea!

2010-12-02T15:15:00.001+09:00

It's my niece's birthday tomorrow so I wanted to make something a little bit cute and a little bit special for her. I ended up making a bag and buying a fabulous set of Sylvanian Families creatures for her. It's my indulgence - shopping in the pink department of Toys R Us.

I looked at my fabric supplies and found I had a small pile of very special printed cottons. I mainly sew with linen blends these days but I am a sucker for all kinds of fabrics especially of the pink variety. To put all of these lovely prints to use I came up with the four-in-one bag.

This tiny party bag features FOUR delightful fabrics, one on each side.

You can see all of the four fabrics in the main picture.

Side one - piggy goes to rabbit's party in the woods.
Flip it! Welcome to Pink Town! cats, bears and rabbits go about their daily business in a charming little pink village.
Reverse it! - a pretty patchwork of strawberries, polka dots and daisies.
Flip it! - teddy bears' picnic on a gorgeous bright pink check cloth.

Depending on how you choose to wear it you have a different bag every time! I've listed five of these little bags (all identical) in my shop.

$15.00 each plus FREE SHIPPING this week.

and Happy Birthday Emily!

Lego Board Games: Robot Champ

2010-12-02T14:26:00.001+09:00

Lego Games
Originally uploaded by Mee a Bee

Have you heard about new Lego Board Games? Noodle got this one for his birthday but shhhh .. here's Little Guy and I playing it while Noodle was at school.

We are huge Lego fans, everyone knows that. When we heard that board games were coming out we were itching to get one. This one is very simple. Robot Champ centers around a contest at the Robot Factory. The first one to complete their robot wins.

The comes with a special buildable Lego dice which is rolled to tell you which piece you can use and where you can get it from - from the pile, stolen from a competing player or swapped. The set contains all the pieces you need to build three robots as well as the instructions for how to do that.

Even if you only have one person you can still have fun making the robots. Little Guy is four and a half and he can kind of follow the instructions to make the robots but is not so good at following the rules to actually play the game. It is recommended for 6 - 10 year olds for that reason I guess.

Great stocking stuffer! http://shop.lego.com/product/?p=3835&LangId=2057&ShipTo=US

Oh so cute! Make It Perfect picks me as a December Cool Shop

2010-12-01T08:27:00.001+09:00

Make It Perfect

One of the things I love most about making bags for children is actually seeing them on real live kids. This picture was sent to me this morning by Toni as part of a review for her website Make It Perfect.

Mee a Bee was picked as one of December's COOL SHOPS which is a real honour. Toni sews herself, is a recently published author and generally does amazing things. It's wonderful to be recognised by someone else in the field.

Here's what Toni said about my sewing "I was very impressed with the workmanship of the bag, it is impeccable and definitley does not look as though it was handmade."

Isn't that great!! Thank you Toni!

Toni's little girl Lil squealed in delight when she opened her package. Her bag has already been to playgroup, church and the shops. She's just adorable isn't she?

Thanks again Toni for the honour of being a December Cool Shop! Welcome to Mee a Bee readers of Make It Perfect!

Use the code SAVE10 until December 31st for 10% off at MeeaBee.com (Australian dollars) and MeeaBee.etsy.com (US dollars).

Festive Scented Playdough thanks mini-eco

2010-11-29T21:14:00.001+09:00

We had a nice quiet day at home today. Just me and Little Guy. Kinda lonely ...
It was beautiful weather but we mooched around inside for most of it.

I spotted this tutorial for homemade playdough on mini-eco and decided it looked so easy I had to try it.

I'm pleased to report that it is SO EASY I made two batches - vanilla (pictured) and later when Noodle came home I made some C H O C O - L A T E dough. YUM! (of course it is not edible).

It takes less than ten minutes to make, including the time to drag the ingredients out of the cupboard. Luckily, I have been a conscientious DIY kind of a mum for years and had actually bought some cream of tartar about five years ago while on a trip to NZ. I had always planned to make playdough... and have several recipes somewhere.

The kids declared it the best thing ever - we played with it all morning and then for about two hours with Noodle. The texture is perfect and of course the scent is wonderful.

The other scent suggestions are cranberry, allspice and marzipan. I'm trying to think what scents would truly evoke warm Christmassy memories for me given that Christmas means summer to me. Maybe strawberry? Or brandy?

I think the thing I miss most from home at Christmas-time is Fruit Mince Tarts. Thanks to mum I have a little stash here. Not for long though, oink oink.

Thanks Petit Eco KIDS - gift guide feature for Mee a Bee (and kltworks)!!

2010-11-28T21:25:00.001+09:00

Mee a Bee toddler's messenger bags are pretty popular around this time of year and make many star appearances in curated gift guides.

One of my favourites is this one by Flavia of Petit Eco Kids. She's picked out the very best attributes of my bags - they're handmade and they have a lot of eco-friendly qualities.

Mee a Bee bags are natural cotton and linen; linen made from hemp (a highly sustainable resource); oeko-tex standard 100 approved threads by Fujix; low-impact dying and chemical processing by the fabric designers.

I also like to point out the safety of the materials used which are non-toxic, contain no lead (no metal), no phthalates (no soft plastics), and the straps are dyed and treated without formaldehyde.

I also like to think my manufacturing techniques are low-impact on the environment. I sew in small batches. I buy local where possible. Almost everything I buy for the business was made in Japan - all of the fabrics are made in Japan. I recycle and use recycled paper office supplies. I ride my bike to the post office and often the fabric shop too.

There are two exceptions to the Made in Japan rule that I apply to Mee a Bee.
I love Moo cards and use them as my swing tags and business cards. To overcome the fact that they are made abroad I order them in bulk, a few hundred at a time, to cut down on unreasonable transportation.
I get my sew-in labels made for me in Hong Kong or Thailand. As yet I have not found a reasonable supplier locally. I also buy in bulk, about once a year.

To find out more about Petit Eco Kids click the new link I've added to the sidebar or to learn more about the products featured visit the post here http://www.petitecokids.com/2010/11/christmas-gift-guide-handmade-gifts-for-kids-eco-green-.html

Woodland Deer gets a colour change

2010-11-28T18:53:00.001+09:00

Dad left yesterday so rather than miss him I have thrown myself back into my work. I did the absolute minimum while he was here so I'm not behind on anything but there is always a lot to do.

I was pleased to have a chance to get the camera out this morning. I had quite a few bags waiting to be photographed including this one which is not new just different. It's now available in my shop in pink and in purple. I definitely like purple best. What do you think?

Noodle's Ninth Birthday

2010-11-28T11:14:00.001+09:00

Dad has gone home to New Zealand so I am looking back over the photos remembering all the fun things we did. One of the highlights was Noodle's ninth birthday. Noodle is lucky in a sense as his birthday is the day after a public holiday. We always have that day to spend as a family and celebrate Noodle's special day. This year it was PERFECT as we had Grandad here to jolly things up.

The weather wasn't fabulous but we wanted to something outdoorsy. I had a bunch of brochures about our area and one caught our attention. It was a mountainside resort type of place with hiking, BBQ, hot spring bath and mini golf. All within half an hour of our home!

The place was a bit of a joke - run-down and derelict, quite deserted and very sad. We wandered around the muddy field and stumbled upon the "mini golf". It was really very funny as they had a mini golf course on the side of the mountain. Both my dad and my husband are keen golfers so they were up for the challenge.

Here's Little Guy's best shot.

Little Guy almost gets a hole-in-one on the first hole

I stayed down the bottom out of the mud and off the slippery slope. I am not sure who won actually but they LOVED it!

We spent the morning mucking around in the woods then came home for a BBQ. It was too cold to eat outside but we still got to enjoy yummy marinated steaks and fresh vegetables.

Noodle got tons of really cool presents (thanks everyone!) and we had a huge green (Ben10 coloured) chocolate cake.

It was a really good day where Noodle got to call the shots and spend time with the people he loves most.

And now I am the mother of a nine year old!!

little.lovely

2010-11-26T08:42:00.001+09:00

Charlotte from little.lovely

Earlier this year I was excited to meet with Khali at little.lovely to discuss ways of becoming part of the team in her lovely world. Mee a Bee is now one of a select few sponsors of the little.lovely website which is just fantastic.

I thought Khali and her children really needed to see the Mee a Bee messenger bags for themselves so I arranged for Charlotte and Hunter to pick their favourites. Isn't Charlotte just a delight? Her dear little smile and her earnest concentration as she stuffs her favourite dolly into her very own bag! It's priceless!

little.lovely should be on your list of regular stops. Khali is a beautiful mum living in Sydney with her adorable family.
As well as the blog she also runs Ma Mere, an online store selling designer maternity and nursing underwear. If you have any pregnant friends or are expecting yourself go and indulge a little! (there's a sale on)

Get your craft on

2010-11-24T09:06:00.001+09:00

Hello! Still waiting for those photos? Sorry! I seem to have deleted some vital component from the computer that enables me to get photos off the camera ...

In the meantime how about crafting some handmade goodies for Christmas? Thanks STC Craft Melanie Falick books for these 14 free downloads.

Check out the Handmade Holidays 2010 blog for a chance to win.

I'm on holiday but a Special Offer for you! 20% off select items

2010-11-18T08:30:00.001+09:00

My father is here visiting from New Zealand so as you can imagine we're BUSY! We are having a super time and I will have photos on the weekend.

I wanted to pop in to let you know about the special offer I have in the shop this week. Our featured item bags with 20% off - this time two bags for BOYS.

It's fitting today as I am headed to the immigration office. Fifteen years ago I was applying for a new passport and a visa to work in the UK. I got the visa and left New Zealand bound first for Osaka. My plan was to work here for a few months, save up some money and carry on to backpack around Europe. Well, you know what they say about the best-laid plans .... I met my husband-to-be shortly after arriving in Osaka and here I am still here! I did go to Europe for a while and have the best memories, especially of London. What would my life have been like if I had stayed in London?

How green is your home? or small business?

2010-11-14T22:59:00.001+09:00

One of the things that has always been important to me at Mee a Bee is the use of environmentally friendly products, safe products and non-toxic products.

When I started Mee a Bee three years ago a "hot" topic was that of the poisoned toothpaste from China. The following year another story emerged about tainted baby formula. There have been many heartbreaking stories over the years and people have become fearful and mistrusting. And rightfully so.

I decided that I would only use materials that are made in Japan. A lot of my suppliers have accreditation for being mindful of earth's resources and have made great efforts to reduce or eliminate the use of dangerous chemicals in their manufacturing processes. Still for me, being essentially a non-Japanese speaker, it's very hard to get to the bottom of these issues in the products I use. I work at it though.

On a related topic, this evening I have been looking for a simple checklist that I could go through for Mee a Bee to see how I'm doing on the 'green' front. I'm happy to say we are quite conscientious about switching off lights, only heating or cooling rooms we're using, recycling where possible, avoiding the use of our cars when the bicycles or public transport can be taken - the things we now consider the basics, right?

Green Living Ideas.com seems like a good resource that I intend reading more.

I was rapt to find simple green at my local hardware store today. I have only just run out of it after using the same bottle for years and years. Don't worry I do clean! it's a concentrate that you dilute.

Got any green tips for me?

ONE DAY SALE: SPECIAL in-store 20% off select items

2010-11-14T10:24:00.001+09:00

Pink Bunny Ballerina

Today only, these two featured bags are on sale.

20% off!

Pink and Blue bunny ballerina bags!!

Blue Bunny Ballerina

A little luxury needn't break the bank

2010-11-13T23:46:00.001+09:00

It's that time of year again - heavy hitters on the bank account include eight family birthdays, Christmas, New Years and my dad's visit (from tomorrow!!!). Still it's nice to dream about what I would buy if money grew on trees. I've been creating treasuries again. Here's the latest: Li'l Luxury.

Visit my treasury and comment if you can please.
This helps drive up the popularity.

Pinterest - Pin your interests on a virtual corkboard

2010-11-13T00:06:00.001+09:00

Thanks to Ez at Creature Comforts I have become very very keen on a bookmarking site called Pinterest. I was invited to join by JoJo so I decided to take the plunge.

Pinterest is highly addictive but it does do quite a good job of soothing those impulses to "add to cart". I think my bank balance will thank me.

Here's my latest little crush - handmade gorgeousness from Turkey. Goodness knows why I suddenly felt like exploring Turkey more.

If you want to learn more about Pinterest then pop over via my page. I'll invite you to join if you like.

Don't forget! 15% off at Mee a Bee.com ends today

2010-11-12T11:31:00.001+09:00

Mee a Bee

15% off using the code SAVE15. Ends today (Nov 12 '10)

Valid only at Mee a Bee.com

What do your favourites say about you?

2010-11-10T11:09:00.001+09:00

One of the features that I really love on Etsy is the ability to add a heart to favourite items or favourite shops. When you view a member's profile you can view their favourites, unless they've opted to keep them private. What do mine say about me? I love smokey blue/gray and teal. I seem to like things for kids. I could never have enough wall space for all the prints I would like to own. I have a fascination with water and sea creatures.

Getting Cozy with fleece

2010-11-08T17:14:00.001+09:00

This morning we found ourselves at the fabric shop as we often do. There wasn't much in-store that I liked for Mee a Bee but I was rather taken by the cut pieces of fleece.

Our home is open-plan with wooden floors. We have a lot of windows so it can be cold. Double-glazed windows and thermal-backed curtains help keep the heat in but I love snuggling up with a knee rug. I chose these camel-toned ones as I thought they would be less of an eye-sore than some of our other blankets.

home-made throw rugs - fleece fabric

They were unfinished pieces so I have hemmed them myself. Fleece doesn't fray so it's easy to work with. I folded about an inch down and stitched two rows, for decorative effect. I did both the short ends first, then the two sides.

My tips - use a nice long stitch, mine was about 3-4mm long. A stretch/knit thread is probably ideal but I did not bother with that. You'll need a nice full bobbin or even two if you have a large piece of fabric and start with a good sharp needle. Try not to pull at the fabric as you stitch as it will stretch and you'll have a wonky side.

Tweaking here and there: Australian Dollar Website

2010-11-08T09:15:00.001+09:00

http://www.meeabee.com/

Good morning everyone. I hope you've had a good weekend. Mine went way too quickly, that's all I can say. This time next week my father will be here which means we're really in a mad panic trying to get ready. The week is already full with lunch dates, shopping excursions, swimming, karate, chatty cafe and a million other things. There never seems to be enough time to do all that we want to do.

Over the weekend I made some major changes to my website. Here's the new pastel-shades banner which I think is really cute. The website is hosted on Big Cartel which is a secure shopping cart that links directly to PayPal. The great news is that I am able to set the currency in Australian dollars. No more exchange rate worries for my Aussie friends.

There is still a link to the Etsy shop where I hope you'll continue to shop in US dollars.

So far the new website is only stocked with the newest messenger bags for toddlers and preschoolers but I hope to add some of the other designs over the next few days.

My website changes were made by Matt Anderson who runs a freelance business called Tonka Park. He specializes in customization of Big Cartel and works mainly with small businesses. He's absolutely fabulous, with the technical knowledge to do what you want, excellent and timely communication and fast results.

I'm thrilled with the new simple layout so to celebrate I offer my blog readers a discount: use the code:

SAVE15 to take 15% off your order

valid until November 12th, 2010
to be used at MeeaBee.com only

Shipping is free this weekend

2010-11-07T15:40:00.001+09:00

messenger bags for little kids

Don't forget! Free worldwide delivery this weekend at Mee a Bee. Messenger Bags for toddlers.

Mini Drama: an evening at the movies

2010-11-07T01:24:00.001+09:00

This could be a regular column - mini dramas happen to me a LOT! Here's today's instalment.

You probably don't know but I am a HUGE Twilight fan. Maybe it's not the world's best kept secret, I see it's on my blog a fair bit. When I heard that Eclipse was coming out November 6th, I was over the moon.

I am so mad, my local theatre is only showing the dubbed version (Japanese voice-over instead of subtitles). I can't imagine the torture of watching and listening to Edward and Bella mumble sweet nothings to each other in that loathsome language so I searched for the subtitle version.

Now bear in mind that I speak and read very little Japanese so I rely on "copy and paste" searching through Google Translate. Long story short, I found a theatre within driving distance but four small cities away. Google Maps helped with the directions. Isn't Google the best?

Now this surely will not come as a surprise - I DID get lost. A right turn instead of a left turn had me drive about ten kilometres in the wrong direction. I was really determined to see this film on opening night so I carried on and eventually found the theatre. Yaye!

We're not out of the woods yet. Once inside the gargantuan mall I could not find the theatre. I spent a maddening half hour wandering around the blue section, the yellow section and the green section until I eventually found the right elevator tower to take me to the theatre.

Then I realised that my car was parked in the wrong tower and that chances were pretty high I would not be able to get back to it when the film finished at midnight since the mall would be closed. I moved the car and got back to the theatre with two minutes to spare.

The film was good, not as good as the first one, in my opinion, but I did enjoy it.
Did anyone notice I was a Nigel-no-friends? there alone? who cares!

11.30pm: the film finished. It took 10 minutes just to drive out of the mall parking building, up and down ramps, along strange tunnels. All I could read of the signs was '26' which was the route number I needed.

I finally got onto the highway and somehow got off almost immediately - in the middle of nowhere. Truly a black deserted street with no street lights. And a lot of 'hourly rate motels' around. My doors were locked.

Now you know what's going to happen next? I panic that I am running low on gas. A couple of u-turns and I find a 24 hour self-serve gas station. I despise filling my car and you know why? I can never get the pump to click onto the car and somehow gas squirts out all over the side of the car. Isn't there supposed to be a sensor on the nozzle??

By this time it's after midnight and I am glad that I grabbed a can of coffee before I left. I eventually get onto a highway that looks promising. I am incredibly relieved when I see the airport symbol as that's my direction.

I'm normally up this late anyway but the journey was quite draining emotionally. I got back at 12.30am, exhausted. What a very long hour it was.

I've skipped small details like turning the wrong way onto a one-way ramp in the carpark, several u-turns, being busting to go to the toilet, having to forfeit my validated car-parking ticket when I moved the car, worrying that I won't have enough cash to pay for petrol and road-tolls and even seriously contemplating having to sleep in the car until daylight!

So how was your evening?

I'm decking the halls and we have another FREE shipping weekend

2010-11-06T00:49:00.001+09:00

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

Oh so cute! Mee and Bee (not sure what these kiddies names are?) are getting ready for Christmas with little hats and a tiny bit of snowfall. AND they're all set to offer FREE worldwide delivery this weekend! There are tons of really cute messenger bags for little kids in the shop. I'm still able to make some in slightly larger sizes or with longer or shorter straps. Visit the shop to see if anything takes your fancy and if you buy something make sure you mention you read my blog as I will pop in a li'l something extra! thank you.

Fun T Shirts for Kids: apericots

2010-11-04T08:55:00.001+09:00

I got this t shirt a few weeks ago and I've been meaning to share the link. If any of these things are important to you then you should take a look at apericots.

Eco friendly, Organic Cotton, 100 percent USDA Certified Cotton, Pesticide Free Cotton, Machine Washable, Hand-printed. Original designs.

Free shipping caught my eye as well as the prices. Not to mention the cute designs. I think Little Guy looks awesome in this deep aubergine purple Fleur de Lis t shirt. He liked the bear one but the one both kids fell in love with was the wolf one. Little Guy thinks it's a werewolf.

What's Little Guy up to in this shot? He's "building" a house from an old blackboard, a broken wooden market umbrella and a piece of rope. He is brandishing a real hammer but it's a very lightweight one which doesn't do too much damage. At four years old he is pretty handy with tools and has taken over his brother's toolbox. It's his accessory of the month, he carries it everywhere.

Perfect Autumn Weather: Cycling weather

2010-11-03T15:20:00.001+09:00

LOOK at the blue sky we have today in Osaka. It's gorgeous. After what has felt like weeks of overcast days, howling winds and cold nights.

I'm here pottering around, doing housework, eating chips and chocolate biscuits. I finally managed to photograph a new bag that I made with my husband in mind. Do you remember my dad's one? It was a different colour.

It's perfect cycling weather. Noodle and Mr. Mee a Bee are home as it's a public holiday. BUT Noodle's bike has a puncture!

Every weekend my husband takes our two boys out adventuring. Their top places to go are the library, the park, the pet shop, the hardware shop, the zoo and the Tomica shop. Most of these places are within cycling distance of our home. Today they are at the kindergarten craft fair. The kindy is right across the road from the library so that was their first stop.

When they're going further afield Mr. Mee a Bee will pack a bag. Drinks. Sunscreen. Insect Repellent. Hats. Spare clothes for Little Guy. A book. Mr. Mee a Bee has no qualms about taking one of my many floral tote bags but I think a lot of men would cringe at the thought especially when they're out without the mother of the children! What do you think?

Mee a Bee bicycle tote bag.

Gift Idea: for a crafty friend

2010-11-03T10:30:00.001+09:00

Scandinavian Stitches by Kajsa Wikman, image from Amazon.com

This morning I received an email from a friend who asked if I had seen the Scandinavian Stitches book yet. Had I? NO!!! I'm so thrilled to see Kajsa Wikman of Syko has written and published her own book. Congratulations! I don't know how I missed this news.

I think this would make a perfect gift, don't you? It's out-of-stock at The Book Depository (which has free worldwide shipping) but you can sign up to be notified when it's back in or check it out on Amazon.

Scandinavian Influence - my Etsy Finds for OhMyHandmade Goodness

2010-11-02T23:59:00.001+09:00

My father is due in less than two weeks so we're in a mad panic trying to get ready for his arrival. Cleaning. Tossing. Re-arranging. Shopping.

We went to Ikea. We went back to Ikea. Bought and returned.
The Nitori catalogue came. We were excited. Then not.

This is what I have concluded about Ikea and Nitori. If you are tall then shop at Ikea. If you are height-challenged then shop at Nitori. If you are in-between then you are stuffed (me).

We'll make do with what we have but I am dreaming of buying all of these things I found on Etsy. My decorating brief is minimal chic with the essence of Scandinavia thrown in.

This post will also appear this month on Oh My! Handmade Goodness. Visit me over there!

Picture one, top: 1. my favourite Dala horses appear in this cute print by PrettyMod. 2. If you love little critters then you'll love MapleShadeKids 3. Fabulous handmade clock from uncommon (check out their wooden chandeliers!) 4. M is for magazines, even my kids have them overflowing off their shelves. this one comes in a few colours from paperdollwoodshop. 5. I simply can't pick a favourite from helkatdesign, can you? 6. This would be a splurge item but I just love the colour, OCB Design, Hamlin Lounge Chair.

Picture two, bottom: 1. handmade lampshade and hand-printed fabric from Helen Rawlinson, 2. these dolls really make me smile, from HappyDoodleLand. 3. You had me at Marimekko, doorstop from I Just Love That Fabric. 4. He's organic! from my dear friend JoJoEbi, Viktor the Viking. 5. I've been a bit crazy about these giant floor cushions from Mookah for ages. 6. And equally obsessed with everything from RoddyandGinger. 7. Gorgeous handmade baby blanket (or knee rug!) from EucalyptusCreations.

New fabrics for linings

2010-10-31T19:48:00.001+09:00

Although autumn has really just started to kick in here in Osaka we are already looking ahead to spring at Mee a Bee. This week our delivery guys were kept busy as we received three delicious parcels of fabric.

The lime green fabric is B R I G H T so I am hoping that eighties neons are in next summer. I do already have a project in mind for this one.

Until then please visit the Mee a Bee etsy store for the final day of birthday savings and special offers.

We love paper n stitch!

2010-10-31T14:34:00.001+09:00

oh yaye! we made it to the front page of paper n stitch yesterday!

The bag featured, my nautical messenger bag for little boys, has been very popular and we are reaching the end of our stock of them. There are only 3 or 4 left so get in quick if you want one.

Guest Post: Tania of IndoBay

2010-10-29T00:50:00.001+09:00

Tania is another of the wonderful friends I have made via Paper n Stitch. Tania's shop is gorgeous just like Tania herself. I love the simplicity and modern lines of Tania's work as well as her dreamy photography. I've invited Tania to share her creative process with us.
Take it away Tania! and thank you!

Tania, indobay inc.

Jacqui, thank you so much for the opportunity to speak a little about how I create! My designs are created for someone who really appreciates simple, thoughtful reminders of Home. I'm constantly inspired! I love reading blogs, and design magazines but inspiration is so subjective and can strike at anytime and in so many different ways. I am constantly inspired, even by some of the most unlikely things.

One of my most favorite designs, which happened to be one of my first designs, came about somewhat by accident.

Tom Dixon's Beat Lighting

I was sitting by my computer and was glancing at a stack of magazines. The cover was a picture of Tom Dixon's Beat Lighting (pictured, left). However, I was looking at the magazine upside down. Upside down I did not see lighting but blooms! Brilliant I thought...this became my "field of blooms" design! (pictured below printed on cloth napkins).

Once I come up with a design the next part of my creative process is figuring out which medium I will use. Most of my designs are block printed, but sometimes I handprint on fabric or wood. I also illustrate on ceramic with ceramic ink. Then it's time to figure out what I will print the design on. Some designs work really well on a pillow cover but not as well on napkins or a mug. I love the entire process and the fact that it gives me permission to play. I really do have the best job!

Field of Blooms Cloth Napkins

Here are some of my links for you:

website: www.shopindobayinc.com

etsy shop: www.indobaytextiles.etsy.com

** I just love to hear how ideas come about, thanks Tania!

Jacqui, Blooming in Japan.

Mee a Bee is three years old!

2010-10-25T19:40:00.001+09:00

*see below for the conditions

This week Mee a Bee turns three years old! I couldn't have done it without your support and encouragement, thank you!

To celebrate I have three great offers to choose from for my special customers.

1. Buy anything from Mee a Bee and ask for FREE shipping!

The cost of worldwide shipping will be refunded to your account or you can wait for a revised invoice.

2. Ask for a special gift with your purchase! Buy anything from Mee a Bee and get either a mini tote bag or a little snap button purse gift with your purchase. Limit of one per customer, per order.

3. Buy any three bags from Mee a Bee and pick a fourth one absolutely free! The free bag must be the same or lesser value of the three purchased bags.

All three offers are available until midnight October 31st, Japan Standard time.

Purchases must be made in the Mee a Bee Etsy shop.

You must let me know at the time of purchase which of the three offers you would like to take advantage of, either in the 'notes to seller' on your order, by Etsy message or by email.

One offer per customer.

Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Not valid on custom or made-to-order bags.

Happy Birthday Mee a Bee!

coffee and cake at my place on Thursday!

An afternoon at the flicks

2010-10-23T16:55:00.001+09:00

Noodle came home from school with a coupon for a special movie showing at the town hall. It was five animated short films. He really wanted to go. His classmate had said he was hoping to go as well so I offered to pick him up to go together. The next day Noodle came home with the news that his friend wasn't able to go. Nobody from his class was going ... so I suggested he jump the fence and ask our neighbor. We found out yesterday he could go so Noodle was terribly excited.

We arrived in plenty of time and got the tickets. I was planning to just drop them off but the man said I could go in to get them seated. That was kind.

Little Guy and I went off but ended up back at the hall a bit early. We waited around for a while then the kind man told us we could go into the theater to watch! Little Guy got to see ten minutes of Super Mario Brothers (I think?) on the big screen - his first time in a "movie theater" - it was just enough and he is over the moon about having been to a real movie.

Noodle is pretty chuffed too for organizing the whole outing and going to a film on his own.

I am happy too that my kids got to experience something normal and that we didn't have to endure the long afternoon at home which is usually dominated by them fighting. All in all a good day!

Macaron Madness

2010-10-21T16:43:00.001+09:00

Around the blogging world I've noticed (and I am sure you have too) a lot of delectable looking macarons in gorgeous party settings. I've been more than a little keen to find out what macarons are all about. I was just over the moon when a new friend presented us with a little packet of them. Aren't they cute?

They were quite yummy and now I think I need to dig out my French cookbook for a recipe for them!

If you have keen eyes you might be able to see a new bag in the background there. It'll be in my shop in January with a whole lot of other sweet bags!

Apples are always in-store in October

2010-10-20T14:55:00.001+09:00

It's harvest time again and I am happy to have some lovely green apples in my store as well as in my fridge. Yum!

This bag is a KIDS' sized bag, a little larger than the little toddler ones I usually make. It has an adjustable strap and a small inner pocket. It stays closed with velcro. Check it out in my shop - just one is available in this size.

Kids Messenger Bag - Green Apples

A few things you may not know about me

2010-10-19T00:29:00.001+09:00

I see a lot of "Ten things you didn't know about me" posts around including this one most recently by Maddie at Li'l Magoolie. Nobody has invited me to share but will anyway!

1. I don't have any body art or piercings. I had my ears pierced when I was about 17 years old but I react to most metals so they are virtually closed. I have terrible skin so there is not one part of me that I would have a tattoo done on.

2. I'm a total night owl and a real horror show in the morning. I hate being woken. I'm Jekyll and Hyde. Just ask my kids.

3. I love music, especially female singers with a quirky sound to them. I rather like melancholic tortured lyrics. I also love an up-beat dance song. I almost never listen to music from the past. The nineties is about as far back as I'll go.

4. I am from New Zealand but I have never bungy-jumped and I doubt I ever will. I'm not an adrenaline junkie at all. Plus I have a touchy back that pops out of alignment really easily.

5. I don't like reality shows. Except I have watched a lot of American Idol.

6. My eyes are green. My kids love my green eyes and it's the first thing they draw on pictures of me. My husband told me he still finds my eyes a bit freaky. 99.9% of the people in this country have very dark brown eyes.

Fall Catalogues: Kraso and Couturier

2010-10-16T11:50:00.001+09:00

Couturier

Oh it's the month I look forward to all year, October! The new Kraso and Couturier catalogues are out!

Couturier is full of wonderful craft kits that never fail to inspire. With winter coming up there is a lot of knitting, crochet, lace tatting and needlepoint.

My favourite project from Couturier is a modern take on the lace granny doily. Each month for a year you receive five balls of cotton thread and instructions for creating the pretty flower doilies. I'll do the math, by the end of the year you'll have 60! It's very much like the coveted coloured pencil collection from the same company.

Kraso

I can't stop thinking about this stamp set from Kraso. Have you ever wanted to design your own home? blueprint style? Each month for a year you recieve a little stamp pack for every room in the house. The details are so special. In the garden set, pictured, there is a tiny garden table, a little sausage dog on a lead and a fish pond complete with fish and lily pads.

Dear Santa .... more for mummy's list.

I borrowed these images from the Felissimo website.

On Yer Bike

2010-10-14T21:07:00.001+09:00

image from Asahi Cycles

Today Little Guy and I rode to the post office as we usually do. Then, since it was a really nice day, we carried on to the shops, bought lunch and ate at the park.

On our way home we bumped into our friend V on her new bike. She got the super-stylish red one below a couple of weeks ago. It really is fantastic and I am very envious.

Bikes and cycling is pretty cool these days. It's so eco-conscious and it's good exercise. I found this blog of photographs of people cycling called Cycle Chic. There are tons of links in the side-margins to good cycling related things.

I found out about the Cycle Chic website from iSpyStyle.

Dear Santa

2010-10-10T23:44:00.001+09:00

NinjaBread Men

Dear Santa,

Mummy wants these but you can pretend they are for us.

Love Biggie and Little Guy

found via KidCrave.com

made by Fred
yes, the same people who make the Matryoshka measuring cups I got for Christmas last year :)

A little girl to sew for ...

2010-10-09T17:55:00.001+09:00

Deer Messenger Bag

I called mum earlier today and was happy to be able to hear my almost three year old niece chattering in the background. Mum said she's like a whirlwind flittering from activity to activity but it sounded like such fun.

We talked about sewing (not bags). Mum is planning to sew a fairy dress for my niece. I've found a no-sew tutorial via the SewMamaSew blog for you mum: Grosgrain: Midsummer Night's Dream Tutu It's super-easy since the tulle is knotted onto the elastic band - brilliant!

Here's another one where the tutu is attached to a t shirt. It's so cute! Tutu T Shirt Tutorial from Joy's Hope (via sewmamasew)

I asked mum what colour she had gotten for the tulle. PINK of course!

WEEKEND DEAL: everything ships free at Mee a Bee Oct 9,10,11

2010-10-09T00:28:00.001+09:00

This weekend it's a three day weekend for us in Japan. I'm getting ready for the Christmas rush that I know is coming.
Help me out by buying early and get free shipping/delivery for your trouble. Worldwide. Valid on purchases paid in full in my Etsy store from now till midnight October 11th.

My Raspberry Crush

2010-10-09T00:07:00.001+09:00

I think it was Valentines' Day I bought some Hershey's Raspberry chocolates. They were foil covered hearts, dark chocolate with a raspberry creme filling. I ate the whole packet myself, over the course of a couple of weeks, in secret, in my pantry (yes, that's why I can't lose weight). I tried to order some more but they were sold out.

That started my obsession with raspberry and chocolate. One weekend I bought a tiny Godiva bar for about $10 and gobbled it down before we'd even driven out of the carpark. Last time I was there: sold out.

I'm still on the hunt for the best raspberry and dark chocolate bar. Can you suggest one?

This deep raspberry strapping is my latest crush. I want to use it for all my new bags.

Christmas Present Idea: Orchard Toys for Preschoolers

2010-10-08T23:52:00.001+09:00

Christmas isn't far away and I've been thinking about what I'll get and/or make for the kids.
I bought this game for Little Guy last year, when he was three and a half. He could play it but he had a very short attention span so he didn't seem to enjoy it or want to stick with it. I was happy to discover him playing it this morning, by himself, with the CD turned on and all the pieces in the right place.
Cock-a-doodle-moo!
Ages: 3-6

Players: 2-4

Listen and match farm sounds

Play the CD and try to identify the fun farmyard sounds as you race to be the first to stand your scarecrow in the field.

by Orchard Toys

Guest Post: Naomi of Thula Thula

2010-10-07T13:30:00.001+09:00

Thula Thula

Hi, I’m Naomi, creator and designer of thula thula.

The name is a Zulu word meaning hush….why thula, well, I’m married to a South African and I fell in love with a little song with the same title. It’s quite lovely and embraces the design focus I have when I create for the label.

Jacqui asked me to write about what I do and I’m quite honoured.

Being handmade and just little old me, I love that I can do it from home, even though it’s very hard to juggle the house and kids. So most of my sewing is done at night when the little ones venture off to bed.

And my main weapon of choice for everything I do…coffee! Strong!

I’ve tossed and turned about what to write today and thought I’d share with you the tools I use to make my designs and why I do it. Many of you are possibly un-aware of the work that does go into creating fashion. Mine is condensed since I don’t have a team of people and I have a collection of vintage and new tools to help me in my process.

Both my nan’s were crafty/arty. So I guess that’s where I became hands on. One of my nan’s knitted, which I really can’t do, the other a very talented embroider and I get a lot of inspiration from her work, which I now treasure. I also inherited her tools of trade along with a collection of buttons and trimmings, I don’t use these, but they are scattered as decorations around my work area.

So my tools.

Sketch books, they date back to Fashion Design school in 1993. I don’t throw them away, they have everything from a design I dreamt of in the night to something I saw while people watching. From a costume in a movie/tv to scenes of a city, anything that gives me inspiration….even clippings from magazines.

My rulers and scissors…essential. When making a pattern or grading each one comes into there own. Pattern making I find relaxing and enjoy. When I have drafted a pattern I make a sample of the garment and alter it in the pattern if needed. The final pattern is graded in to other sizes.

Blocks. These are basic pattern forms, like a bodice or pant made of thick cardboard. I made my own for children and are used for a creative new design. No designer can do without them.

And finally my Sewing machine - my love. I have two and an overlocker. No commercial, just basic domestic, but they are well looked after and oiled every second day and given a service twice a year.

Best of all, is teaching my little girl…the next generation sewer in my family. She is now 3 and very interested, so I love to nurture while she is interested and has her own vintage sewing machine to practice on.

Thank you so much Naomi for sharing a little insight into being a fashion designer, working from home and your tools of the trade. I have added my own favourite picture of Naomi's little girl. She has two Mee a Bee bags and with her gorgeous curly hair and vintage charm she may just become the muse for a new collection of bags.

Jacqui (Blooming in Japan).

Thula Thula is available online here

We get by with a little help from our friends

2010-10-06T11:59:00.001+09:00

One of the biggest tips I could share as a independent business owner is the importance of creating a support network. Beyond friends and family, who we couldn't do without, it's absolutely necessary to have like-minded people in our lives.

Have you heard of Etsy Teams? I'm a member of a few teams. Together we work out ways to support and promote each other's work.

The Etsy Kids team is made up of a large group of Etsy stores that make and sell goods for children. It was from this hardworking team that the awesome Modern Handmade Child magazine had its start. It's grown beyond just Etsy Kids so you can see how a team might help you achieve bigger and better things.

One of the things I've just signed up to be involved in is creating team treasuries. Here's my latest one featuring all team members. I picked these items as gift ideas for a Baby Shower. if you visit the Treasury Page on Etsy you'll find each item featured is a clickable link. I've shared this page across all of my social network thus raising the profile of my fellow team members.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4ca747c7868d6d917a588b4f/its-a-boy-its-a-girl

I am also a member of a children's industry-specific business network called Skout Trade Fair. Our network is made up of craftspeople, manufacturers, photographers, review bloggers, graphic designers - anyone in the business of children's products. I've met some amazing people who have helped me in many concrete ways. I'm not sure if my business would still be around if it weren't for the contacts I have made here.

Aside from the professional support the friendships I have made through these networks are priceless. Who better to turn to when your kids are sick and grumpy and you have orders coming out of your ears than a fellow-crafter who has been there?

A lovely inspiration

2010-10-06T07:36:00.001+09:00

A few days ago I received the most beautiful note from my friend Claire. She wanted to tell me about a recent project of hers. I visited her blog and found that Claire had done this drawing inspired by me! I still can't believe it and have been going back each day to read Claire's kind words. Here's a snippet "this is how I imagine Jacqui to be a beautiful blossoming tree by the sea in Osaka where she lives."

The whole article and the picture is so touching, really I am beyond words. I hope you'll take a moment to read it on the Claire Ishino blog.

handmade jewelery by Claire Ishino

Claire and I have been online friends for a few of years having met through our Etsy shops. She designs and makes this beautiful jewelery. About two years ago Claire moved back to Australia with her young family (from Japan). We've kept in touch during that time and Claire is another person who I am proud to call my friend even though we have never met.

How soon will my allegiance shift?

2010-10-05T22:08:00.001+09:00

Tonight our new instructor started at aqua-robics. I LOVE our old instructor. She's the reason I have stuck with it for over a year, the reason I even started doing the aqua-robics class. I have her to thank for the muscles in my arms.

The new instructor was quite nice. She's young and enthusiastic but still appreciative of the fact that we are mainly all old women. Our first class went well.

I can't help wondering if I will be like Cristina Yang in the episode of Grey's Anatomy where she falls in love with the visiting cardio-guy Thomas someone, dropping Teddy Altman like a sack of potatoes.

You can never have too many pairs of shoes?

2010-10-05T14:37:00.001+09:00

Little Guy choosing a pair of shoes for Biggie

Shoe shopping with my two has historically been a very stressful outing. These days I'm happy to say it's more manageable. However my kids seem to have a ferocious appetite for shoes.

This past summer I bought them each a nice pair of sandals right at the start of the holidays. In the car on our way to drop Biggie off at camp we realised he was wearing el-cheapo imitation "crocs " which were not allowed at camp. We screamed into the nearest shoe shop where I found them a pair each on sale.

Soon enough the weather was hinting at autumn so I took Little Guy to the Ecco outlet shop in search of some decent leather sneakers. He has terrible stinky feet but a good quality leather in-sole reduces the odour well. Unfortunately they didn't have anything in my price range at Ecco, although they were gorgeous, so we settled for a good pair of sneakers at the sports' shoe shop.

Over the weekend I noticed Biggie stuffing his feet into a bashed up pair of sneakers. He insists they still fit but today I have been to buy him a new pair. I bought the next size up in the brand he always gets. Fingers crossed they fit him comfortably (he was not with us). I always buy Syunsoku sneakers for him, you can read about them here. They're well-made and usually a pretty good price. I like them.

Little Guy took one of the new Robot and Train Messenger Bags for boys for a trial run.

Robot Invasion - Bags for little boys

2010-10-04T17:11:00.001+09:00

Biggie has had the day off school today since he was there for the sport's event yesterday (Sunday). I asked both of the kids to make some robots like the ones on this robot bag. I wanted to take some new pictures since the strap colour has changed slightly since I originally made them.

I think he did a great job. It's a "transformer".

Awesome Robot Messenger Bag for Toddlers by Mee a Bee

I just mailed one of these bags off to the USA today. I think I have sold at least one bag to every state in the US now. It's so exciting!

PS: Did you see the Mee a Bee review on Li'l Magoolie? I'm a new sponsor of that cute New Zealand-based website.

October = Sport's Day

2010-10-03T18:57:00.001+09:00

Third Grade Dance

Across Japan in late September and early October every school and kindergarten has a sport's day event. It's a huge deal for the kids and they spend weeks practicing for it.

Today our school had it's big day but as you can see from the ominous sky, we got rained out half way through.

Biggie's grade did a towel dance. I'm still not certain what the theme was but the colourful towels looked pretty. Biggie's towel was blue which I didn't find out until the last minute.
I was standing in the wrong spot.

We were supposed to have a picnic lunch together in the school grounds. This is also quite a big deal. I noticed some families had ordered huge platters of sushi and bento delivery from fancy places. We had a good old-fashioned home-made Japanese lunch.

Mr. Mee a Bee made everything you see here: tamago-yaki (egg omelette), steamed vegetables, little cocktail sausages, kara-age (fried chicken)and onigiri (rice balls filled with tuna and mayonnaise). Presentation is important to him, I thought the lemon slices were a nice decorative touch!

As I said we got rained out so we ate our picnic lunch on the living room floor at home. It was lovely! Wednesday we'll return for part 2 of the Sport's Day - I'm hoping for good weather.

Adorable cross-stitch kits

2010-10-02T23:18:00.001+09:00

This week my grocery-delivery pamphlet had an extra craft supplement. I fell in love with these wonderful cross-stitch craft kits.

Each month from October through to March you receive two little cross-stitch kits to do. Once complete it can then be mounted in the plastic frame to be displayed as shown or even used as a coaster. Aren't they adorable?

I have not tried cross-stitch but I do enjoy tapestry. I think this type of crafting would be very therapeutic and restful during the cold months of winter (as soon as I am finished my manic sewing-bags-for-Christmas schedule).

I didn't order them since I don't really have the time or a use for them. Now prepare yourself for a cuteness overload, they are made by this company: NekoJiroTV (all in Japanese).

These are the titles of each.

October - Tea Time

November - Garden

December - Handmade

January - Kitchen

February - Dressing Room

March - Flower

Earning my keep as Mum to this family

2010-10-02T09:07:00.001+09:00

I had a million things on my to-do list yesterday and I managed to cross them all off.

We started our day at the kindergarten. We were first in the queue to sign Little Guy up. The notice said to come at 8.30am so I got there at 8.20. Even though the teachers and staff were not doing anything they still made us wait until 8.30 on the dot. (roll eyes). We're one step closer to the start date of April 1st next year.

Next stop, McDonalds. I told Little Guy a tiny white lie by saying it was not open yet. "IT IS open, look I can see lots of cars there". I asked him what he'd want to have if it were open, "Pancakes" he replied, without hesitating. I guess at some point in his life we've had McDonalds for breakfast ...

I need a new passport so I went to get my photo done. Somehow, without doctoring the picture my hair looks smooth and shiny and I have no wrinkles! Little Guy had fun while we were waiting. He went with the shop owner's wife to take their dog for a walk. In typical four year old fashion the toilet part of the walk was a huge joke.

The bank and the post office were uneventful.

Biggie finished school early and he had a dental appointment. I'll tell you more about that another time.

We ended our afternoon at the beach. Biggie spent an hour throwing stones into the sea, happy in his own thoughts, calming himself after quite a stressful time at the dentist. Little Guy, who craves human contact at all times, befriended a family with a little baby. I cringed each time he threw a rock or stick into the sea just praying he wouldn't hurt anyone. We saw three fish and found a bowling ball in a rock pool. We watched the sunset then came home to a thrown-together dinner after a long but very productive day.

We had eight appointments / chores on the list.
Times Japanese spoken: 8
Times English spoken: 0
Quite an accomplishment for me. Feel the fear and do it anyway.

Inspiration: Red Nautical and Victoriana

2010-10-02T01:04:00.001+09:00

Mee a Bee

When I am out shopping for fabrics I usually buy the ones that jump off the shelves at me. Of course I am influenced by what I have seen in magazines or on websites. These images of SoSooki inspired this bag (images via Style Collective).

So Sooki

Mee a Bee

This boy's bag was inspired by an article I read about Victorian influences on kids' fashion on the WGSN website. I've been noticing a lot of grey, black and white, minimal and neutral fashion items, have you?

This image from the Eva and Oli website sums it up nicely.

Eva and Oli

Tyler's friend Oscar

2010-10-01T10:35:00.001+09:00

I loved the picture on Mini Must Have last week of Seth and his BlaBla Dog. Seth is my friend Tam's little boy (of Unique Boutique). Take a look, it's adorable. This morning I happened to be taking a photo of a new bag for Tam when Little Guy said he wanted Oscar to be in the picture as well.

Let me tell you about Oscar. He's very dear to us as he was bought by my nana who has since passed away. She bought him for Biggie when he was a baby, almost nine years ago. Biggie never took to Oscar but Little Guy did. They have been inseparable for three years.

Oscar is gross and ratty, quite smelly and seems to have lipstick on one of his feet. He hates baths and showers although he did once take a swim in our storm water drain and has been left out in the rain once or twice. He packs quite a punch when he is catapulted across the room at your head since he is filled with beans of some sort. He is loved dearly but it's a tough love.

We didn't name him ourselves, he came with his own birth certificate, but he suits his name perfectly.

A little Party Bag

2010-09-30T15:13:00.001+09:00

Here's a little idea I am working on. I'm calling them Party Pouches. I think they're perfect for little girls to wear when they are going to birthday parties.

I whipped up these two for a friend of mine. They'll be sold at our kindergarten craft fair in November. I'm still nutting out the details for Mee a Bee.

It's raining here today so Little Guy has been happily playing with his Lego giving me a chance to sew. Yaye! Technically speaking he's still recuperating after coming down with a cold on Monday. He seems fine apart from a lingering cough.

Thinking about Halloween

2010-09-28T23:14:00.001+09:00

Halloween is pretty low-key here in Japan. Decorations are put up and there is Halloween-themed food but it's yet to really catch on. Still my kids love it so we usually try to do something as a family for it. We don't trick or treat but we do have costumes. Bits and pieces grabbed from the dress-up bag. Pirates are easy to pull off don't you think?

I really love these purple striped items from Hanna Andersson and Nordic Kids. I think they'd make the perfect pirate-y outfit (maybe not together!) with a silk cummerbund and a bandanna head scarf.

I've made one Halloween Loot Bag which will be free with the purchase of the Pretty Pirate messenger bag, it's in my shop now.
The loot bag is a massive 13" x 14". sugar-coma!

Fresh in the shop today

2010-09-28T15:01:00.001+09:00

I have so many bags here in the wings waiting to be sewn up, photographed and added to my shop. It's a slow process! Today my little one is still under the weather so I have convinced him to take a nap. The sun is out so I am snapping shots of some of the bags I want you to see.

One red bike is the fabric I have used for my little boy's book bag / totes. It's a gorgeous printed canvas-weight cotton which is why it's perfect for heavy-load bags. I also have it in a rust red that I haven't had a chance to use yet.

I couldn't resist sewing a few of the little messenger bags for boys as well. The first ones I made are available at Pulp Creative in Manly, Sydney or you can check them out in my online store. I've used a thick red thread like what you would see on jeans to outline the bag flap and as a contrast feature on the navy blue strap. I think it makes the bags pop, otherwise it would be a fairly plain navy blue bag. Ride My Bike Messenger Bag for Preschool Kids.

You are my Sunshine

2010-09-28T00:05:00.001+09:00

Ferntree Studio

Oh yes I do. I love paper n stitch. The new exhibit is up for the month. Oh so much to see and so many things I want. Take a squizzy yourself. Paper n Stitch.

this shop is new to me and I am so in love: Indira Albert