38 weeks

38 weeks! I can't believe I only have 2 weeks or less to go. It could be tonight that baby Sophia Kiko decides to pop out. It's a weird feeling, exciting, but strange!

My little sister (4 years my younger) and my parents came over to my place, and we snapped these photos right outside of our house. 

The baby moved when my sister touched my belly - she is so active..always kicking, punching and stretching.  Except when Andy touches my belly, then she freezes! I think she is shy.

Look how flat my sister's belly is! I hope to get back into shape once the baby is born.

And she can fly...like a bird.

I barely made it off the ground. My belly is just too huge.

This blue dress was my recent vintage find from "Sanbiki no Koneko" (three kittens) in Shimokitazawa. I bought it for 600 yen (about 6 bucks). I really liked the bat sleeves, and elastic waist, so I decided to take this home with me.

One problem with the dress was that it was too long for my liking, down to mid calf level. I decided to hem it shorter.  But, having learned the lesson from my hemming experience of this polka dot dress a few weeks ago I decided to readjust my approach to hemming. If you hem a dress or skirt in the traditional way while you are in your third trimester, the center front of the skirt will raise more than expected because of the big belly. So, you must compensate!
So, this time I cut the front center of the dress 3 inches longer than the side and back.

From the side view, you can see that there is a slope - front center is longer than the side and back on dress form. Once the baby is out, I can hem the dress again to even out the front:)

Doing this will make allowance for the expanding pregnancy belly and make it so that the dress will not rise too high.  

By the way, I was asked about maternity tights and leggings by one of the blog readers recently. I thought my answers might help some other pregnant ladies out there, so I decided to post them here.

1. What about Comfort and Durability (will they last the whole pregnancy?): 

Maternity tights are super comfortable. I can't live without them now. The maternity tights have a longer length allowance from crotch to waist, and they cover the whole belly. They seem to stretch more than regular tights. As for durability, I guess it depends on how often you wear them, just like regular tights! Mine are still wearable, no  holes or other such wear and tear yet! 

2. In regards to fashion, what sort of things can they be worn with? 

I pair them with everything! Dresses, long tops, shorts etc. 

3. What are they like compared to standard tights (eg differences)?   

As I mentioned above, maternity tights has longer and stretchier in the torso in order to cover the big belly!

Inspiration: Sessun x Urban Outfitters

images via Sally Jane Vintage blog

A collection of clothes by Sessun is now available at Urban Outfitters.I love the vintage inspired lookbook above, and the bicycle! Their clothes are unfortunately still out of my price range though..:(

Pay it Forward 2011 - CLOSED

Guess what I found in my mailbox today? A handmade gift from lovely nette!
This truly made my day - all the cute stuff pictured below was handmade by her. A couple of weeks ago, nette posted about "Pay it Forward 2011". It's a chain mail about friendship and sharing, and, as I saw on her site the first 5 people who commented on her post would receive handmade gift from her. I was the lucky enough to be number 5! It must be admitted that Nette did allow me to cheat, because although I posted, I did not post about "Pay it Forward 2011"thinking that there had already been 5 people ahead of me. But Nette kindly let me know that it wasn't the case and allowed me to be the 5;)

I'm just truly amazed by her craftmanship:
I received a stuffed elephant for the baby, a small mirror with my initial cross stitched on, a pale pink mini bag, and a pin.

I haven't bought diaper bag yet, and I'm not sure if I will - but this mini tote will be perfect to hold a couple of diapers, wipes, bottles and other necessities. I will be using this along with my regular bag to go out! Oh I'm so excited.

I know Nette intended this cutest elephant for my baby, but this little guy is way too cute - so he will stay in my bedroom for a while!!

This is how "Pay it Forward 2011" works, a quote from Nette's blog:

"The first five people who comment on this blog post will receive a handmade gift from me.

The only requirement in return, you must FIRST write a blog post explaining 'Pay It Forward 2011'.
Then, about the most exciting part, make and send a handmade gift to the first 5 visitors who comment and commit to do the same. "

So here is the fun part:

I would love to extend this cause, but modify it a bit. My version will work so that the first 3 visitors who comment and commit to do the same, "win".  I'm cheating by not using 5, but making handmade gift s for 3 people is what I'm capable for right now..sorry!  The gift will be a combination of the following: vintage pattern, Japanese fabric ,  notions, and some handmade goodies.

Looking forward to seeing the comments from you all! xo

Weekend recap

Let me say this, Spring weather in Japan is so moody!  Its worse than pregnant women! Saturday was beautiful, it was the warmest day we have had in months. My parents and sister came over to my place, and we had a lunch together. We went to a place called Volks, nothing fancy, it's just a Hamberg restaurant.  Many of you may be unfamiliar with the ways of Japan will not know the Hamberg but suffice to say we Japanese took the classic American hamburger and made out of it our own creation.  Volks is nice because it comes with a salad, soup and bread buffet. This time, I went little nuts with the bread bar - I'm usually staying away from bread because of the high calorie count, but on Saturday I allowed myself to enjoy as much bread as I wanted :p My family is excited for the arrival of the baby..maybe in less than 2 weeks now!

But getting back to the weather, Sunday unlike Saturday was miserably cold. Spring weather needs to make up its mind. Andy and I went to church, had people over for the Bible study, and I cooked dinner for the first time in months. I used to cook dinner every night, but for the last couple of months I have been so busy with sewing and work that Andy kindly took over that duty and has been cooking as one of his reular assigned duties. But Sunday I really wanted to feel like a good wife and cook nice meal. In fulfilling this urge I decided to make lasagna. I used to make lasagna a lot when we Andy and I were first married living in Philly, but we havent had it since we moved to Japan. So in preparation for dinner we went to a grocery store to get ingredients, but for some odd reason lasagna noodles in Japan are expensive to the point of being obscene. It was $6 for a tiny box of lasagna, and I just couldn't bring myself to pay that much for noodles that in the States cost $1. So, I ended up getting regular pasta, meat sauce, and cheese, but here again as with the lasagna noodles I was met with resistance.  The store didn't have ricotta cheese. I was irritated but not to be defeated, I improvised.  I used crushed tofu mixed with salt, pepper, and cheese as a replacement  for ricotta cheese and regular spaghetti noodles as a replacement for lasagna. Below on the left is a picture. It wasn't quite good-old Italian lasagna, but Andy and I were both satisfied :) Below on the right is a picture of our $2.95 wine!  I had a taste and Andy had the rest.  It wasnt great but it was better than the boxed wine we used to drink!

As for is weekends sewing, I finished this custom order dress - a cut out dress in gingham check. I love how it came out and I think I'm going to make one for the shop as I still have some fabric left over.
I also finished the last batch of bridesmaid dresses before I go on leave. I'm happy with how the dresses turned out, all have a lovely pearl vintage button in the front :) The same dress was featured on Washiongtonian.com, Etsy Stylist.

The weather was moody, my cooking attempt was weird but satisfying and the dresses were finished and I am pleased with the turnout.  Nothing eventful but not too bad of a weekend.  How about you guys?

Oh if you are interested, check out the interview I did with Girl With a Satchel! I'm also offering special discount at Fabulously Frugal.

Five lovely things.

It's Friday! I'm so happy..Hope everyone has lovely plans for the weekend:) Here are five lovely things that I would like to share:

1. I love this shop I found on etsy the other day: Flapperdoodle. She has the cutest prints ever! The shop also has a print for Japan earthquake relief.

2. Oilcloth storage bin tutorial at Design Sponge.  I personally dislike sewing oilcloth (I think oilcloth is really hard to sew!), so I might use regular fabric with thick iron-on interface instead. I need a couple of these small storage bins to hold my notions, lace, buttons etc and also for to hold some diapers and cute headbands for the baby's room:)

3. Anarchy Street back lace cut out shirt
I've been eyeing this shirt ever since I saw Aime of Song of Style wearing it. Unfortunately it's sold out now, but I'm thinking this can be made with a thrifted white shirt with lace?

4. Rucksack in Cinnamon Brown
Another find from etsy. I want this so bad, but $162 is a bit out of my price range... This would be perfect to hold my 15 inch screen laptop.

5. Longer length pleated skirt & flats
I don't think I own this between knee, but not quite maxi length skirt. Natalie styled it up so nicely and I can't wait to imitate her outfit above. As much as I try, I don't think this style works well with my huge bump:p

Have a great weekend! 

37 weeks

 I went to my 37 week checkup yesterday. I'm almost there! I'm still not dilated, but because of the doctor's schedule etc, I'm tentatively scheduled for induction on the 14th of April. That's exactly two weeks from now. If the baby does not seem to be ready by the next appointment, which is a week away, the doctor might change the date to the 20th of April. The doctor told me to do a lot of squats so that the baby will drop... I am pretty convinced that doing squats, walking or jumping as a natural induction effect is a wives tale. I don't think the doctor realizes how many squats I do.. but I decided to shut my mouth and ignore her comment.

Oh thankfully, no nipple pinching from the midwife this time. Thank goodness! Thank you again for everyone who gave me the advice on my last post about breast massage and breast feeding. It was so helpful! It seems pretty common to do the breast massage in Japan, and everyone talks about it here, but I'm glad to hear that it is not necessary or makes all that much difference at this point. I'd much rather leave my breasts alone now.

The weather is warming up here in Japan, and I'm glad to be able to use light weight dresses and cardigans without bundling up with heavy coats and scarves. I got this 50's vintage gown from badcollavintage on etsy last Summer. The shop has a great collection of vintage night gowns, which can be worn as dresses, so I check out her shop often. I bought this one before getting pregnant.  I can still wear this comfortably because the fabric has a stretch to it. Plus, maxi dresses are great for times when you don't feel like showing your legs or are feeling bloated.

 Last Sunday, Andy and I stopped by a small thrift shop located right close to our church. The place has all kinds of junk - washers, dishes, kimono fabrics, antique pins etc. I love going there from time to time to treasure hunt. You don't know how excited I was when I found a used stair master and weights! I went to Sports Authority the day before I found these treasures, and the cheapest stair master they had was 5000 yen (about $50). I was so glad I didn't pick it up on impulse. I actually haggled the price with the guy at the shop, and ended up getting both stair master and 4kg weight set for 1000 yen ($10).

Since my belly had grown so big, I adjusted my workout routine a bit. I used to do a lot of Bass Ruten's  fighting workout (Thai boxing), but I can no longer kick comfortably, so I stopped doing his CDs. I still do regular boxing workouts, but this stair master and weight combination will be a nice new addition to my routine.

Here is some short video that Andy put together about my week 37 workout routine :) Hope you like it! xo

Inspiration: After the Carnival

Source: Sally Jane Vintage blog

 Source: Insensivel Garota on we heart it

 Source: The Beautiful Delirium on we heart it

Source: Thesepictures from we heart it

I am tossing around some ideas for an upcoming photo shoot in mid May.  I definitely want to use balloons as props, and I want to incorporate bright solid colors such as sky blue, yellow and orange for the clothes. I like to have a "theme" for the shoot, instead of just naming it as "Spring collection" or "Summer collection". When I told my idea of using balloons for the shoot to Andy, he said, "How about "After the Carnival" shoot?" 

I am thinking that I like the title! What do you think? Now I am imagining things like Ferris wheels, big lollipops, cotton candy and a big bright blue  sky...

These images above are some inspiration photos that I've been collecting for the shoot :)

Spring makeup goodies

Spring has come! At least for today. It was sunny and warm during the day today, about 15 degrees (c) which made me really happy.
On top of that, I received a package from my best friend, Kaitlyn with some make up goodies. She put together a lovely package of all Springy make up items..I love them all!

I usually spend less than 5 minutes on my make up, and I've had the same routine for years now - a little bit of powder, blush, eye brow, black eyeliner and mascara. But it's always fun to experiment new items and different colors of eye shadow and lip gloss. After the two photo shoots I did in February, I have become more motivated to learn about make up and how to use them.  It really can make a huge difference! Anyway, here are the items I used today in getting ready to go out to lunch with my friend:

1. Dolce and Gabana eye shadow quad in eden This is so pretty and Springy, comes with pastel green, white, pink and bluish gray. I used the gray (left bottom).
2. annapie perfect veil, souvenir from Korea
3. Kevin Aucoin sensual skin enhancer this concealer is amazing! A little covers a lot. I tap this around my nose and under my eyes.
4. Trish McEvoy sexy petal
5. Estee Lauder DayWear sheer tint release
6. mally evercolor starlight waterproof liner
7. Maybelling the Magnum volume express super film
I think this version might be availabe in Japan only. This super film form is really easy to remove. I only use hot water to remove it, and it comes off very quickly. Best part, no black circle under my eyes! I will most definitely buy another when this one is finished!

I forgot to take a  picture of this, but I also used NARS angelika blush. It's a pretty blue-toned baby pink with some sparkles...I love this item! I don't think I had any items that I didn't like from NARS.

Interview: Meet Amelia Aventine - The photographer behind the "Secret Garden" lookbook

Hello! I hope everyone had a nice weekend:) Mine was very relaxed - I'm taking things slow now as I'm anxiously waiting for the baby's arrival. Andy and I finished watching Boardwalk Empire season one this weekend. I really enjoyed the show, and can't wait for the second season to come out! 

As I wrote before, Amelia was the photographer/stylist/make-up artist and creative inspiration behind the Secret Garden collection and lookbook. I was utterly inspired by her work, and wanted to share with you more about her. I'm so sad that she went back to UK after her short term visit to Japan... 
Anyway, here is Amelia:) 


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1.Can you give our readers a quick self introduction?

I'm Amelia, a UK based photographer. Recently my focus has been on fashion, but I enjoy all type of photography that involve people.

2.When did your interest in photography start?

It actually didn't really start until I graduated University 2.5 years ago and found myself unemployed. I had in the past thought that photography might be fun, so I decided to use my new found free time to explore it. I started off with self portraits, then also started to use friends as subject matter, and eventually in January last year I started to shoot fashion with local models and creative teams.

3.What was the first shoot you did? How did it go?

It was a bird themed fashion shoot. I found a local model on ModelMayhem, had a artist friend do the make-up, borrowed some lighting equipment off another friend and collected the props myself. I was very nervous and probably a little too shy, but the end results weren't too bad.

4. Where did you learn about photography and who are some of your influences?

I learnt photography mostly from just taking photos. I also picked up tips from books, internet forums and friends, but definitely a lot of trial and error.
Influences are definitely people with huge creative vision. People like Tim Walker, Annie leibovitz and Kirsty Mitchell. For me photography is about creating something from the imagination, a world more beautiful than is really there.

5.How do you find models and other people to work with?

I mostly use the networking site ModelMayhem. It is fantastic resource, especially in the UK where there are thousands of creatives on there. I am also lucky to have talented friends to use, and when it comes to models there is always the odd person who you see on the street who would be great to shoot.

6.You live and work England but recently spent time building your portfolio in Japan, How long were you in Japan? Why did you choose Japan? How was your experience working here?

I was there from January to March 2011. I actually ended up in Japan because my partner (also a photographer) was given a work opportunity in Tokyo.
I had an amazing time – both traveling and working. Tokyo is full of so many talented people and I was luck enough to get to meet and work with some of them. Every one is so enthusiastic and skilled, and as a result I have ended up with some incredible additions to my portfolio. I feel the whole experience and improved my confidence and fueled my excitement for photography a great deal.

7. You and I recently worked on the Secret Garden photo shoot. How did you come up with the idea?

As usual the path to the final idea was convoluted and involved many small pieces of inspiration. I saw your designs which gave the initial feeling of where the shoot should go, and I also looked through the inspiration posts on your blog and saw that there was a definite feel that linked them all.
I was then out exploring Tokyo and stumbled across the beautiful location we ended up using.  It instantly made me think of of your designs and so the idea began to take form. I then started to look around online for images liked to 'Secret garden fashion' and other whimsical fashion images using nature as a backdrop. From there I found a model I thought fitted the look, and formed an idea of the styling I thought would work – and then just let it all flow. 
This is a pretty usual situation, in the way inspiration came from many different things and the idea evolved over time and changed as new components were added.

8.What would you say is your biggest strength as a photographer, in what area would you most like to see your work improve?

I think my main strength is my creative ideas. As I said in the previous question I get inspiration from many different mediums – books, paintings, emotions, nature. I am a very visual person and I find myself taken by a particular element of these mediums and then daydreaming about the visual representation of them.
I often find myself frustrated that I can not produce what I see in these daydreams however, so I would say the area of improvement is definitely my technical abilities. In particular I would like to improve my knowledge of studio lighting, and also my skills in directing models to show the emotion of the ideas.

9. Do you have any up coming projects?

I head back to England at the beginning of April and I hope to keep the creative momentum I have gained in Japan. I would like to continue to build my fashion portfolio (I always have more ideas than time to execute them), and I would also like to explore other areas of photography. One of these is a more art based project, focusing on the visual representation of happiness – and how it is different for everyone.  

10.Do you have any people in particular that you would like to work with in the future? Why?

I am always on the look out for enthusiastic and creative people to work with. My Japan trip was the first time I had worked with designers, and shared creative control of the shoot. I enjoyed this so much - it was great to have another person to give input and bounce idea around with. I was very luck to collaborate with people who had a similar vision for the end result, and so the process flowed wonderfully and the final images were just what we all wanted.

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Check out more of her work on her website, or follow her on twitter❤
Entire Secret Garden lookbook can be viewed here. 

Scrap heap project

Look at this mess. This is my fabric stash in my closet. sigh...
I don't know what happened. I thought I cleaned it up pretty nicely when I moved into my current place last August. I love fabric. As I wrote in the guest blog post over at the cupcake goddess, visiting fabric shops became a hobby in and of itself. I always buy way too much, but in my defense, the majority of left overs  come from pieces bought for custom orders.  The reason being that I don't like to worry about not having enough fabric to fill the order, and so I often end up with much more than I need.

I am going to be on maternity leave soon. I'm excited and nervous at the same time about this. I'm excited for the obvious reasons - to have some vacation time and time to spend with the baby.  I'm nervous because I am a bit of workaholic. I get jittery if I'm not busy. So, as soon as I get out of the hospital and am able to get up and move again, I want to start a project called "Scrap Heap".   For this project I will make something  from this fabric mess. I plan to make one item a day, Monday through Friday for a month. I think this will give me some schedule so I won't be sitting in front of my TV wearing pajamas all day long. Have any of you done something like this?  Has anyone found a post pregnancy, maternity leave hobby?

During my leave sabattical, I also am thinking of learning how to create patterns on computer. Does anyone know any good software for that?

By the way, thank you so much for those who commented on my last post - I feel so relieved that I don't have to pinch my own nipples! I will leave my nipples out for the time being:)

P.S. Check out my interview post over at Willow Would..thank you Amber!