ruffly scarf

happy new year everyone!
my husband and i run in different schedule - he gets up at 5am every morning, go for a run, prepare a break fast and wakes me up at 7am. he goes to bed at around 9 or 10. for me, i stay up a couple more hours after he goes to bed to sew. i stayed up till 11:30 to sew last night - one of the things i made was this scarf.
i did not knit, i just used the material, that's knit fabric. two rectangles on top of each other, and i finished with ruffled edge. my favorite part is this bow appliqué. i think it turned out so cute!

sweat pants tara

made this top last night, using my husband sweat pants. he's never worn the pants, and didnt want them anymore, so i recycled them!
i love the result - i think it goes well with bulky sweater cardigan and jeans on weekends. the fabric is cotton flannel.

retro tweed dress

sorry for the serious look on my face. i had a small argument with my husband while we were taking pictures:(
im satisfied with how this mini jumper came out. i started using the pattern that i purchased from etsy, the vintage pattern from 1968, but decided to drastically modify it. took off sleeve, change the shape of the skirt, made button closure instead of zipper, and added pocket. oh, also shorten the length. it is available for purchase here:)

next project

my next sewing project is coat! coat for myself. i collected some images from japanese magazines, and am brainstorming for my dream coat. 

i bought the fabric for it the other day, its 70% wool and 30% silk gray fabric, and i love it. i would need thick lining for it though to bear this cold weather. im so excited! 

speaking of coat... i found this coat from vintage shop on etsy. what a beautiful coat! it is from 1950s, and $125. 

photo originally downloaded from allentown company inc. 

happy 2nd year anniversary

andy (my husband) and i try to do something fun for our anniversary which is on dec 12th. last year, we went to le bec fin, which is the only 5 star restaurant in philly.

this year, we decided to escape the cold cold weather in north east, and flew to las vegas! however, the entire time we were there, it rained. it was so sad. we stayed at luxor.

the hotel we stayed...

downtown vegas

merry christmas

boys dying to open the gifts... 

im in ballston spa NY for christmas:) merry christmas everyone! 

firm christmas party

if im not making clothes at home, im working at this wonderful law firm during the day! we had a christmas party last friday. it was fun! i look very pink (or red). alcohole does this to me.:( im wearing the dress i made with purple sparkly cardigan.

mom jacket

although i made this for my mom for christmas gift, i'd end up using as much as she does...when i go back to japan in january! its too cold to wear it in philly, but in tokyo, this jacket would be perfect with turtle neck in side. 

i used the japanese pattern book, called, "shiroi fuku kuroi fuku" by sato watabe. i bought this when i went to ny, thinking, id use it to make the purchase worth it. however, i would give this book 3 stars out of 5.. one of the reasons is that i have to trace the patterns, and many patterns are intertwined in big sheet of paper and its really really hard to see what lines are connected to what. i get so frustrated with this! i spent more time tracing the pattern than actually making it.  another reason for 3 stars is that most garments are so boxy. i like fitted styles much better, and when i bought the pattern, i didnt consider that. 

but over all, the book is nice to have and i like how this jacket turned out. the pattern book is like $25 in US. 

new this week

I added this to my shop this week. It's a super comfy t-shirt dress made of cotton jersey. this ruffle around the neckline got many different feed back from my family and friends. some hated it and told me that i look like a crown. some liked it. what do you think? 

belated thanksgiving wishes & recipe

belated happy thanksgiving! i had about 15 people over for thanksgiving this year. i made turkey and sweet potato casserole, and people brought other dishes. it was fun! 

since sweet potato casserole was so popular at the party, i will share the recipe here:) 

its sweet, and almost like a desert! 

casserole ingredients:

1.5 lbs of mashed sweet potatoes (peeled, cut and boiled)

3/4 stick butter at room temperature

1 egg

6 tablespoons of sugar

1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

salt

topping ingredients:

1.5 cups crushed cornflakes

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

3/4 stick melted butter

preheat oven to 400

beat egg, potatoes, sugar, butter, spice and salt till smooth and blended

pour into baking dish and bake until brown around the edges (25 min)

prepare topping while potatoes are baking (just mix topping ingredients)

spoon over baked potatoes and put back in oven until topping is brown and crisp (10 min) 

its so easy and good! enjoy 

red tights inspiration

i went to flickr to get some inspiration in how to wear a red tights. the one i bought was more like wine color, darker red. but i thought those two pics above were so cute.

also, liebemarlene pairs color tights with vintage skirts and dresses, and i love her wardrobe! 

i rarely wear pants during the day. 4 days out of 5 days at work, i wear either dress or skirt. so i must wear tights now since its 30 degrees outside in philly! 

what i got today

from forever 21! 

wine red color tights: $5.80

flower earrings: $2.80

frog boat neck top

for my friend, naoko, i made this top. she wanted something very simple, and fitted to her, so i made as she said. she does a lot for me. she is making me a website for my clothing line, and takes me to fabric shop.. etc. you can check out her claymation from here.

tagged

i was tagged by karen a while ago. i was meaning to do it, but im so bad at making a list about my self, so i kept delaying it... but tonight, im writing 7 things about myself. 

here are 7 things that i love...

1) im addicted to peanut butter. anything with peanut butter in it, i can eat endlessly. 

my favorits are nips peanut butter and reeses butter cups! 

aw, when i googled "nips" to get an image, i happened to get pictures of many naked women.. oops. 

2) kettlebell training:

its an exercise using the type of waight, called kettlebell. kettlebell looks like a kettle with handle, and you swing it, with both hands or one hand, do snaches...etc. 

since i started going to the kettlebell class at gym, i think my body has changed a lot. 

i started because my husband did it first. he was inspired by Gerald Butler in the movie, 300, who trained using kettlebell for the movie! 

3) running

i used to HATE running, because its so hard. but for some reasons, im into it now. im training for broadstreet run in next may. its a 10 mile run. 

4) im already running out of stuff to say... so i list my favorite blogs and website:

chelsea she posts her handmade clothes in her blog.. i love her style

静香のメイク日記 this is in japanese..she updates her make up, hairstyle and fashion stuff and ive been reading this for a while

Polyvore i can play with this site for hours! 

5) im cooking turkey tomorrow! 

6) i love hookah. i have one. its like a middle eastern version of tabacco. its nothing shady or scary, it's a type of tabacco with less nicotine in it, so not addictive. my favorite flavors are pineapple and kiwi! 

7) last one! 

my dream is to one day open up a small coffee shop/boutique. 

a coffee shop that has had made section in the back, maybe? i love coffee! 

city paper trunk show

ill be at city paper's trunk show on black friday! its at TLA (3rd and south sts) from 10 to 4:) i'll be bringing many dresses and tops from my etsy shop.

absolute boyfriend

im so into this japanese drama, called "absolute boyfriend". in japanese, its called "zettai kareshi". its about a girl who buys a robot that's supposed to be a perfect boyfriend. 

i know. im so dorkey.. but i just can't stop watching it! 

im watching it from here

Today's outfit

forgive me for the confused look on me... i was trying to figure out the bast way to take photos!

its been so cold here in philly. it snowed a bit already this week. so i try to stay warm.
top: The Limited
skirt: French Connection
(i love this! its like sweater wrap, keeps me so warm!)
boots: thrifted for $4