Rose and Mistletoe Kanzashi

One of the reasons I love making kanzashi is there are so many flowers, plants, and other natural things you can create with the technique. I especially like coming up with new kanzashi designs based off of local plants and animals. Some purists would say some of my creations are not traditional, and therefore I have no business calling them kanzashi at all. I think it is the spirit more than the rules that define an art form, and by creating based off of my surroundings I am adding to the art rather than making something completely different. What do you think?

My version of a rose kanzashi.

My completely original kanzashi; mistletoe. 

I'm not sure the plant can even grow in Japan, but it makes a nice kanzashi^^ 

Mini Kanzashi

So, I finished this batch a while back, but with the MCAT coming up I have been seriously lax in posting what I'm up to. Not that many people would notice if I skipped posting for a couple months, but there you have it. Maybe I'll show you how I make them if there's enough interest ^^



Which one do you like best?

DAIKIN Festival.

Every year the DAIKIN company in Huntsville puts on a huge festival. The company makes a variety of plastics, but the festival includes dances, balloons, and free food. Once again, I didn't get a balloon ride; the lines were literally over a hundred yards long for each balloon. I did however, dance some really ridiculous looking dances, and ate way too much yakisoba and ice cream....



I also made this sunflower Kanzashi today. Maggie wore it to the festival, and it was a good thing I sewed it to a hair elastic; she danced really hard^^

http://www.flickr.com/photos/morichansgarden/7284006306/in/photostream/

Clematis

There are so many flowers blooming right now, even though it's been so cold the last little bit. Here's a Clematis Kanzashi I just finished. What do you think?

Friday the Thirteenth

You know how Friday the Thirteenth is supposed to be an unlucky day? Well, the only bad luck I had was pricking my fingers making my latest Tsumami Kanzashi.



I have been told it looks rather steampunk-ish. What do you think?



I also made some mushroom jewelry. There are two charms and a set of earrings. They may look like poisonous mushrooms, but there super cute!

New Flickr Account Success

I have a new Flickr account. Well, actually, I lie. I have had the account for almost a month, but have now figured out how to link the pictures to my blog. Tada!



Made by me, photo'd by me, and now posted by me^^ If only I could figure out how to fix the time and dates on the pictures...

First Day of Spring

Spring Equinox is here, and with it the Spring. There are bugs, birds, and baby animals everywhere. Is it any wonder almost every culture and religion has a celibration of new life this time of year? Easter, of course, is what I celebrate; a story of rebirth out of what appears dead. Like a pheonix, let's make this new life better than the old one.

With all the warmth all my flowers are seriously confused. The lilac is blooming almost a month before usual.

I took this picture of cherry blossoms last weekend. Good thing too; they're already falling. Looking forward to the cherry blossom festival this weekend, even if the trees are bare.

Not sure what kind of flower this tsumami kanzashi hairstick is, but I made it anyway.

Also, this strawberry kanzashi. It was a fun hair accessory to make. It seems a little early, but the plants are already blooming. The berries will be here before we know it.

Saint Patrick's day/twin's birthday.

Today was not only the twin's birthday party, but Saint Patrick's day as well. Mmm corned beef and cabbage!

This was the quietest birthday party this year. No screaming, no crying, just playing video games. It was almost scary.^^

Minecraft cupcakes by me. Creepers, gravel, dirt, and minecraft style cakes. The new square cupcake pan made them easy.

Four leaf clover Tsumami Kanzashi. The big one is a lapel pin. Gold at the end of the rainbow anyone?

Hina Matsuri (Girl's Day)

Today was hina matsuri, or girl's day, in Japan. It is also known as momo-no-sekku, which means peach festival, because this is when Japanese peaches begin to bloom. Girls all over Japan set out their hina ningyo (dolls) several days or weeks before the actual day. The most important dolls are the Emperor and Empress. Every little girl is supposed to have a set of them. There are ministers and servants, soldiers and attendants, and even house wares that are also part of the display. These are not always there; I only have an emperor and empress mayself. They are often passed down from mother to daughter; some of these dolls are two hundred years old! Many snacks are served, and prayers are said for the girl's growth and happiness. Usually one eats oyster soup, sweet sake, and scattered sushi for girl's day: we had udon noodles with veggies, chicken, and seafood instead. Yum!



Hina matsuri dolls. I made them myself. The hardest part was the the outer kimono; my bunnies were a bit chubby around the middle, so they aren't quite right. It's very hard to get the right silks here in the US, so I used brocades instead.


A pink flower tsumami kanzashi I made for my mother. I can't decide if it is a peach (momo) blossom or a cherry (sakura). Maybe it's neither!


This is a doll yukata I sewed for Maggie's doll. It's made out of scraps from her yukata, so they match. I had to put in a few weird seams though... it's almost like patchwork!


Dango. Traditionally sakura cakes and tricolored mochi are eaten, but I had no pickled sakura leaves and Maggie doesn't like mochi without beanpaste. So I just made tricolored dango instead. Maggie helped make them. She's getting to be a pretty good cook for an eight year old!

St Valentine's Day

So for St. Valentine's day I made all my sister's hair pin kanzashi. My brother Robert and I made one for mom as well. I made up a new recipe for linguini using chicken, tomatoes, and king oyster mushrooms. They really do taste like oysters. A little cheese, some spices and pesto sauce and it was ready to go. Of course for dessert we had chocolate.(^.^)



Holly's hair pin kanzashi. I still think I should have painted a little white something on the middle bead.



Maggie's hair pin kanzashi, plus one for her doll. The big one looks longer than it really is; I have no idea why the photo came out this way

Mom's Birthday

So, my mother's birthday, 'nough said.

Mom's cake; chocolate peanut butter.
Of course the boys put the cake too close to the stove when they were helping with dinner, so it's saggy on one side.

Mom's present from me.
She wanted a sea shell set.

The other present from me.
Fall kanzashi have such pretty colours.

First Communion

My youngest sister, Maggie, just recieved first communion today. I made the veil she wore, including kanzashi flowers for the head band. Took forever, but she looked adorable. I'll post some more pics when I find my other camera.

Kanzashi veil.The veil detaches from the headband.  I love trying new flowers.

Veil. It's almost as long as the dress. The hemming took hours.



Kanzashi Butterfly Pin. Butterflies are so much fun to make!



Maggie. She's the one in the middle of the front row.