crafty mcgee

Ozu

Another in my homage to Asian director's series, this time it's for Yasujiro Ozu. Ozu's films were all about people, small dramas about folks just getting by in the world. They say that his earlier films were much more Hollywood-like and funny, but I'm only familiar with the post-war stuff. They are all about people coping with the Westernization of Japan after World War II, from the grandparents mourning the changes to their lifestyles, to the little kids scheming for their first TV, and all the ages in between. Perhaps the most famous, and they one I would recommend, is Tokyo Story. I usually shy away from family dramas, but Ozu's films are fascinating. He is credited for introducing "new wave" film techniques, such as long still shots, elliptical scene transitions, and having the actors speak towards the camera, instead of in head shots with each other. The scene behind Ozu is a famous shot from the film Floating Weeds. This lighthouse and bottle were the only thing in the frame for nearly a minute, at several different points in the film. Sometimes you could hear dialogue, sometimes music, other times just the sounds of the sea. Interesting stuff (to a film geek like me, anyhow). I chose a cat because of the filmmaker Ozu's fond, but somewhat distant treatment of his characters. You know, cat-like.

My Ozu is another tiny piece, he is just shy of 3" at the top of his ears. I based him loosely on a pattern from one of my mame wanko books. I tried to get him to pose with the newest member of the household -

our little Neko, but neither of them would have any of it. Cats! What are you gonna do?

japanese craft books: stamp carving inspiration

ISBN 407248881X

Here's my latest purchase from the Kinokinuya bookstore near my work. This book is filled with cute images and clever ideas - like stamping on unusual surfaces:

If you click on the image you can enlarge it enough to see the robot! I've put a request in the crafting in Japanese group on Flickr to see if I can get specific directions for stamping on glass. This calendar is great:

I think it would make a great project with kids, or a great gift, and the possibilities are endless! I have a good idea of what I'm doing for Moki's recipe card swap, but this book has some good ideas for multiple color printing:

The little blueprint stamp is really cool! I'm also impressed with all of the text she's carved, I've always shied away from that. All in all, a very helpful book. While I was at the bookstore, I couldn't resist this sweet pen case:

Now I can take at least a few drawing tools along with me all the time.

ami-groovy!

I'm not trying to be clever, it's the title of this great book:

It was one of those serendipitous finds on eBay, and I thought it might be out of print, but no! Lucky you, it's still available - ISBN 4277171451. It's got a lot of great, easy to follow patterns that I haven't seen in a lot of other books. Cute creatures:

 
Scientific stuff (yay!):

 

And, perhaps best of all:

Now all I have to do is start crocheting again, like I've been threatening to do all the months since I started this blog. Here's a technical question for you crocheters out there (click on the picture to make it bigger) -

Does this look like a good way to start a round?  It looks really easy, but I'm worried it might be a bit unstable. It's been a long time since I've crocheted...

Happy Chinese New Year!

More dogs! I made the card for Myra's postcard swap. It was printed with my Gocco, with some hand coloring that's hard to see in the photo. The little stuffed pup is from a pattern in this book, and the little guys with the umbrella are just from my collection of stuff. Here's a place to read more about Chinese New Year  - one unusual thing I learned is that in leap years, the lunar calendar adds a whole month!

japanese craft books: embroidery big and little

   
Two embroidery books from my library - one older - the pink one - ISBN4-14-031105-3, and one new - as of yesterday - called "point", ISBN4-277-31148-2. The older one is full of big, beautiful ideas. Oh, how I dream of embroidering a set of tarot cards, a little film, a garden journal or wine labels. Here's just a sample:

 

 
It makes me dizzy just thinking about the possibilities, and how much time they would take. So here, from the newer book, are some smaller projects that seem a bit more realistic:

 

 
I love the tea towel book covers and the little coasters. These I could get started on right away!

oh deary deer

Here's a little deer I made for a swap with Kelly.  It's from the "nuigurumi style" book, and it's actually the first thing I've ever made directly from a Japanese craft book - usually they're  just inspiration.  But I think it's too small! Here's a picture of the original in the book, and I've included a standard issue plastic deer for scale. I guess the instructions said to enlarge the pattern, but my Japanese isn't so good yet. I still think it's pretty cute. I made a couple of small changes to the directions - I put bits of pipe cleaners in the legs for stability, and there's supposed to be a collar, but I thought mine should run free.

Thanks for all of the get well wishes. They, along with lots of oscillococcinum, got me through the weekend without getting worse. I like Mimi's theory that since everyone in the crafty blogosphere seems to be sick with something right now, we must be catching it from each other. So remember to disinfect your keyboards! ; >

japanese craft book day: so many ideas

 
Here are two of the small (about 5"x7") magazine format Japanese craft books I got a few weeks ago. The one on the right "cafe chez moi" (ISBN4-576-05163-6) is filled with all kinds of great little crafts (a lot of them suitable for kids) and photo tours of crafty shops and studios. Here's a sample:
     
I've got to admit, I bought the book on the right based on the cover alone.  "No 5" (which may also be called Amulet - ISBN4-576-05206-3) seems to be a type of catalog and course listing for a cafe/shop that doubles as a craft school! At least that's what I gathered from the pictures (please correct me if you know what it really is)!  It has a lot of paper crafts, and what looks like an interesting feature (pic on right) on a woman named Kazuko Hamachi, whose books are published in German! I googled her name, all of the matches are in German - yipe!

The last book I got in this order is the best of all - nuigurumi style (ISBN 4-05-604179-2). Lyn posted about this a few months back (she also posted about cafe chez moi - I had forgotten - but we used different pics), but here are a few images she left out:

And there are still more...WAY more! Not only is it filled with amazing images, but there are full page patterns and clear directions for everything. This is the hands-down winner of the McGee Award for Best Japanese Craft Book of 2005!

japanese craft books: more embroidery

I know what I'm making for this month's softie; I've decided to make a block for in a minute ago's "All That Jazz"  Katrina quilt; and I've got a few other ideas rolling around but I'm in the thinkin' and sketchin' stage, so nothing to post yet. So I thought I'd show my latest Kinokinuya acquisition: "The Art of Dyeing Cloth and Embroidery" ISBN4-277-36106-4.

Beautiful stuff:


And as the title suggests, Ms. Yumiko dyes her own fabric:

The pictures are very clear and easy to follow, but I'm not sure what tools, dyes, etc. she is using, and I feel a little overwhelmed doing something like this without understanding the directions.

japanese craft book day: happy fall!

Happy first day of Autumn! At least for those of you in the northern hemisphere, happy Spring everyone else! There are no words to describe how much I love Fall, so I won't even try. The season is grand here in the Pacific Northwest, but it was even better back in Pennsylvania, where I grew up. I do tend to get a little nostalgic for the east coast this time of year, but the "live foliage cams" of Fall in PA help. (There's not much happening yet, they've had a very hot summer).

But this is not what this post is about. In honor of the season, it is to show this lovely Japanese craft book. Totsuka Embroidery, ISBN4-7672-0551-4.

 

   
Yep, Fall is good.

 

japanese craft book day: more mamewanko

Fortunately (or unfortunately for my bank account), I work about five blocks from the Seattle Kinokuniya Bookstore. Many's the lunch hour I've spent poring over Japanese craft and design books. I've got a bunch, enough that I could probably make this a semi-regular post for a while. My latest acquisition is another mamewanko book, ISBN4-579-10936-8. I think the other one came out a couple of years ago. They show "how to make tiny dogs":
 
They have great design:

And if all that doesn't make you pass out from the cuteness, it even has instructions for accessories for your tiny dog...including a teeny tiny dog for him to play with!!

Eeeeee! (That's me squealing with delight). I can hardly stand it, but here's one more:

I'd really like to make some of these guys. Does anyone know of a source for these?
Thanks!