PARENTS

Our local book festival, "Hooked on Books" was held last Saturday.
Our school district organizes this huge event for children every year.

It is such a good family fun event.

There are many activities in 3 hours.

This year, a famous children story author was there to do her autograph.

It is getting bigger and well organized every year which is very good!

This was our 4th time being there to do a SAORI mini workshop.

It is a good PR opportunity for us. It is very LOCAL!!

My friends we did a show together last month had their own art activity spots, too. (picture)

It is so nice to work with someone we know!

Last year, because of this exposure, a girl decided to have a weaving birthday party.

It is good for both of us since there aren't any places in our area to do a weaving birthday party.

Anyway, there were some repeaters.

Some children came direct to our workshop since their children enjoyed it last year.

It is always the case once a child starts weaving, other children come to see what he/she is doing. Then we will have many children waiting around looms.

It is always interesting to me to see parents.

Some parents stay with their child helping (teaching?) too much saying, "Oh, you missed. Go back!" "Switch your feet now!" etc....

In the other hand, some parents leave then alone and wait away from them.

Then we tell the parents who teache too much their children..."SAORI is....."

I am not a parent, but I wonder which parent type I would be.....

Where is my...

My friend brought her little daughter to weave today.

At the end of the class, she started looking for her bottle.
I know she had it for a little while and looked like she left it somewhere.
"I saw her holding it."
"Where did she leave it?"

I told my friend and people in the class half joking,
"Is it in the yarn shelf with other yarn?"
and looked at the shelf.

Here it is!! Her bottle with white yarn same color as what's in her bottle.

I had to take a picture of it. It was so funny.

SAORI "KIMONO Wrap"

A arranged "Margaret Coat" is now "Kimono Wrap".

Thanks to my friend Marcia who named this. It sounds very exotic!

Her husband also did a good job taking great picture of this.

This piece is sold.

I made this specially for last weekend's local art show "Undercover Artists".

I usually try to make something big for a show.

The second day(the last day) of the show, a lady purchased this.

She said, "Nobody has something like this."
Yes, that's true, because it's SAORI!

Thank you so much!

Undercover Artists Show -1-

Happy New Year!!

This year, I will try to blog at least once a week.

I do well on my Japanese blog, but not this English one.

I think that's because I need to post in English.....

Well, anyway, I really had a good weekend.

Very local artists including me and guest artists had a show called,

"Undercover Artists" in Carver, MN.

I've noticed in surburb, people less care about art compared to people in the cities.

Though there are many artists in our area. We need "ART" here in our county, too.

Four of us (three painters and I) started getting together once a week to exchange information and soon, we decided to do a show.

We had a good mailing list since we belong to "Art Consortium" that our country organized, so many people and our friends stop by for the opening Friday evening.

The venue was in a histrocial building that used to be a bank.
Usually the space is used for children's after school activity ccalled "Funky Minds".

We transformed into a "gallery" as we display our work.

There is still a safe door in the building and old hanging lights that were nice addition to the show.

to be continued...

Watching People

I am now helping out my friend's business at the airport.
Today, I was there waiting for a family from Japan.
I usually wait quite a bit until the people who needs asisstance from us at the airport.
While I wait, I have fun watching people going by.
Sometimes I guess like "Is she Chinese or Japanese?"
"What language are they speaking?" etc....

Today, I saw a lady who had a kind of poncho type of coat on.
She had a belt on it, too.
It has to be easy to make because I am not good at sewing....
It looked easy. So, I decided I wanted to try making one like that.
It is easy to make, but I need to weave quite long. Oh well, better than a lot of sewing.
So, I will do it next especially I have a show next month.

Happy Weaving!

While I was in Japan...

While I was in Japan, I rented one of my looms to a couple of students.

One of them, Y made several scarves for her relatives in two weeks!

Here are some of them.

I like how she put black.

We met last summer in August at the Japanese Festival in St. Paul.

I was having a booth and was demonstrating SAORI.

She started coming to my studio right away and now she brings her friend, too.

She is very different from me in a way, so I can learn a lot from her.

She is more picky in a sense (good way of course)and I am NOT. (If you know me well, I can see you nodding.)

That's why I can learn from her.

It is interesting!!

She now keeps one of my looms at home and keeps weaving at home, too because she has many people she would like to give away her scarves in this holiday season.

I know she is now working on a scarf for her sister in Japan.

I am looking forward to seeing it when she comes this week!

Happy Weaving!

Flower Field Series

This is one of my new "Flower Field" series shawl.

I don't have any series in my SAORI. This is the only one so far.

I don't think I will have any series, but I really like this Flower Field color combination.

I have made 4 shawls like this this year so far.

I finished this one the end of last week for a show in Wisconsin starting this Friday.

My friend Martha took it with my other items today. Thank you for driving all the way to the venue Martha!

I went to Japan!

Wow! It has been a while since I posted my blog last time.

There were a lot of things I had to do before I left for Japan the end of October.

Yes, I went back to Japan to be a part of SAORI 40th year anniversary.

Of course, I also went to see my family there.

It was much warmer than usual in Osaka.

When I came back to Minnesota on Nov. 13, I was ready to be in cold, but it wasn't cold at all.

I was surprised and of course, I was so glad it was not cold.

Anyway, I had such a good time in Japan.

About 1000 people from all over Japan got together to celebrate this big event.

Also 26 people from 11 different countries got together.

It was so nice to see all the SAORI friends!

I kept screaming whenever I saw some faces I've known, but haven't seen them for 6 years!

It was exciting.

It was exciting to share the moment together.

It was exciting to see their SAORI pieces they were wearing.

It was exciting to see Misao Jo the founder of SAORI were there with us.

She is 96 years old!!

Fashion show, A key speaker's speech, another fashion show, forum...

Oh, I was one of the forums on "SAORI's Future" .

There were 4 of us on the stage talked about SAORI's future.

I also helped translating a speech from a delegate from VSA arts head quarters in Washington D.C.

It was such a good experience for me to be on the stage especially the venue was "Osaka Public Hall" the historical building. (picture)

To be continued.....

Stillwater Debt!!

Stillwater, MN is a beautiful small town people visit all year around especially in the fall, you can see all the trees along St. Croix River are turning into red, yellow, orange etc....
You can take a river cruise, walk around downtown with many antique shops and other artsy type of shops.....
It is easy to get to if you are in Twin Cities area.
Yesterday, when I drove from where I live in the surburg, it took me exactly one hour. It's not too bad though.

A new yarn shop is going to open next month in downtown Stillwater called "Darn Knit Anyway"
www.darnknitanyway.com
I went there to show my SAORI scarves and my new creation "needle felted pierced earrings" to people who are opening the store.
They both liked them and one of them even bought one pair of the earrings at the site!!
I told them about SAORI and I can do classes.....
SO, I will be able to teach SAORI in Stillwater!!
People who took my workshop before and who are living in the area, it's good news for you!
Anyway, I will showcase my work.
The good thing about them is that I can put my contact info. and website.
They said, "We want people to find you directly through us." How Nice!

I am excited! At the same time, I have to weave and make more stuff!! It's okay, it's still FUN.

I will post some images of earrings. I am asking my friend to be a "ear" model. I don't have pierced ears.....I don't have pierced nose either.....

mobius scarf

My first attempt, "Mobius Scarf".

This was introduced in a SAORI monthly report last year in January.
I wanted to try it for such a long time. Yes, it took me a year and eight month to do it.
I have to make the warp a little longer than regular scarf to make this mobius scarf. Instead, I made the width narrower than regular scarves.

Here it is!!
I though I followed the direction, but when I finished and looked at it, I only had fringes one side.
The image shows there are fringes two sides.

Well, it's okay. I like this one side fringes.
I used "fall colors" a lot.
There was a little "tight" part where I put warp as weft in the end, so I made the second one today with organic cotton.
This one, I put some wooded beads in some fringes and I love it!
Shall I keep it as mine? Or shall I keep it to sell since there are many winter gift shows coming up.....

Anyway, I hope you like it!

My two favorite things are.....

One, of course SAORI Weaving.
It leads to more people, new world and new connections!! I love it!

It will be exactly 1 year since I started taking Japanese Drum lesson in Minnesota!!
I take a class every week. It takes me about 35 minutes to get to the class by driving, but I love it! It is so much fun.
Yes, I am playing the Taiko (Japanese Drum) in Minnesota. (in the U.S.)
I have never played the Taiko in Japan. Though I was a part of percussion when I was in Junior high and 1 year in high school in Michigan.

I really enjoy SAORI and Taiko
I need to balance to do both SAORI and Taiko.
I love both, so I can do this!!

I love being in this Taiko community, too! Wonderful people....

It has been a while.....

I do facebook and mixi(a kind of Japanese version of facebook) usually.
I don't update my blog. One reason is "That's because I have to write it in English!".
I know facebook is the same, but I can just write several words.
Well, I can do the same here, too.......
Anyway, I am updating now.
Summer is almost gone (or gone?).
I had a good summer.
I have a good friend now in N.C.
It is so nice to meet and connect to people all over.
I also have good friends who started coming to weave at SAORI Studio "FUN".
One of them is originally from Hawaii, so I am learning about Hawaii when we weave together.
She is learning about Japan from me. Her parents are from Japan, but she grew up in Hawaii.

I entered two pieces this year at the MN State Fair.
I purposefully wove something very SAORI.
I was looking forward to reading the judge's comment.
I hope one day the judge wonders "By the way, what is SAORI?".
I entered a shawl and I received the third premium.
Thank you for my friends who went to look for my pieces. I know it's hard because they don't put any information on the work.

At the State Fair, we found a sewing machine.
My Singer sewing machine I brought from Japan is dying.
I bought it used and used it for over 10 years.
Benjamin the rabbit chewed the code. Dan fixed it, but it was not complete(?) it suddenly stopped when I am sewing.
So, since they were having the big State Fair discount, we decided to get one.
I went to pick it up a few days later and here it is!
My new sewing machine!!
Wow! Sewing machines these days have many functioning, but I know I can take advantages of all the functions, I got a simple one. It's okay, because that's what I need.

I am looking forward to sewing something for mine!?

My Belt!

My "Treasure Belt" is in Handwoven Magazine Website!
http://www.handwovenmagazine.com/
click "thrums slideshow"

Thank you my friend Terri in Canada for sharing the information!
By the way, Terri's leftover project piece (postcard) is in the newest Handwoven Magazine! (Page 10)

Welcome!

I am waiting for a lady who is coming to take a SAORI intensive from out of Minnesota starting tomorrow!
She will be with me weaving and staying with us for 4 days! I am so excited!
I hope she is, too.

I will also have a couple of high school girls coming to weave for SAORI summer camp for 3 days.
It is nice for everyone to weave with other people, so we get inspired by other people's work.

I have been weaving and making something small using left over woven pieces.

Anyway, it will be a fun week!

SAORI Magic!

I had a 8-year old boy, his sister 10-year old and their grandma for a weaving class yesterday.
I met this grandma at last month's Jordan Art Festival.
She called me the other day to reserve to weave with her grandchildren.

I was amazed these children's concentration! Usually, when they weave, they show their great concentration.
This boy especially was sticking his tongue out when he was showing his "concentration".
I always love to see the scene.
I used to see this all the time when I was working at a preschool.

The grandma and his sister tried "interlocking" and they loved it, so they kept telling him to do it, but he said, "Yeah, it looks good, but I am not going to do it".
That's fine. He is focusing and having fun weaving! That's the most important thing.
I told them, "If he is ready, he would tell me to show it to him."
However, he didn't and that's okay, too!

After telling his grandma that he was showing the great concentration and she told me at the end of the class,
"I don't know why he is diagnosed ADHD. He can focus."

I was so shocked to know that he had one.
"?????"
He sat for a whole 2 hours! I couldn't believe what she told me.
Sometimes at his school, teachers put a weighted blanket on his laps so he can sit still.
He only stood up when he needed some different yarn and went to see what his sister and grandma were weaving.

This is so called "SAORI Magic".
This is not the first time that happned something like this.
I used to bring my loom to the preschool where I used to work and children who tend to wonder around all the time sat for certain time I gave them to weave. They even told me, "I want to weave more!".
The teachers were surprised that he sat for a long time on a loom.

You don't need to be a magician to do this SAORI Magic.

I am always moved by children't concentration.

Something Very New

Last whole week, I was a tour guide for Japanese people here in Minneapolis.
There was an Lions Club International Convention. Many people from all over the world got together! There were many Japanese people, too.
My friend(and boss) asked me to help her business as a guide.
I learned about being a guide taking a bus when she was guiding people and walking downtown Minneapolis last couple of months.

Duirng the convention week, I got up early every morning, drove to a closest train station during the rush hour and took a train to downtown.
Usually, I like jeans and t-shirt, very casual style, but last week, I was a little bit of "business" look with lipstick on!!

It was a completely different week for me.
One morning, my husband said, "You are enjoying this job, aren't you?"
Yes, I was. I think I like meeting people.

On the way to the airport by bus, I talked about Minnesota and how difficult/expensive to get Japanese groceries. Then they gave me all the food they brought from Japan!! WOW!
Thank you very much! I didn't mean it though....

My group of people had a big happening one day, but in the end, they left for the next destination smiling and healthy, so I am happy.

Thank you for the great opportunity!
It was such a refreshing for me being a way from SAORI for a week even though I love SAORI.
I can weave something reflecting this great experience.....

"Untitled"

I really like this!!

This is my first try for me to use roving this way.

This roving is from MN. I purchased this at Shepherd's Harvest last month. A lady who sold this was my next door one year at the festival. Since then, we meet every year and I keep visiting her booth to purchase rovings.

I was supposed to use this rovings for my friend's "Sea Turtle". Yes, I was going to make felted Sea Turtle for her, but I used it all for my SAORI Weaving, sorry K.

This can be either a winter shawl (wool 100%), a wall hanging.

Now, I feel like making one for me to wear. Yes, making a garment.

This wall hanging, shawl is now at the Mill District Arts Gallery, downtown Minneapolis.

Do you like this?

Going to Japan!

I am so excited to going to Japan to be a part of celebration of SAORI's 40th year anniversary in November.
I know there are more than 6 months ahead, but I feel so good to know that there is something excited in the fall!
This time, my husband is not going, but my SAORI friend in Canada is going with me!
We will be taking SAORI training (I hope), hiking, visiting some places I would like to take her before/after the event.

Before going to Japan, I need to parepare lots of things.
There will be Winter Gift Shows everywhere and I am participating at some of those so I need to keep weaving!

I think I can do it. I need to do it!

I will do it!

SAORI is out there!

The Alpaca Expo was held in MN the end of this month.
My friend K and I entered our alpaca SAORI woven items to the fiber art contest.
K made a hat (100% MN alpaca) and I made a shawl (100% MN alpaca, too).

Do you know about Alpacas? They are much warmer than wool.
Also, you can use(put on) alpacas instead of wool if you have wool allergy.
Did you know that?
My friend who has an Alpaca farm taught me about it.
Lanolin is the cause for the people who has wool allergy.
Alpacas don't have Lanolin. That's why.

Anyway, we entered and I am sure they are the only SAORI woven items.

We got prizes, First and Second!!
We are so excited to get prizes together.
We entered them because this is one way to tell people that there is a weaving called SAORI in this world.

I hope judges and people came to the expo thought "What is SAORI?" reading our artist statement.

I will post images of our items next month.

"ECO" SAORI

I finally made a couple of "ECO" SAORI items and went to drop them off for Kingfield Community (Minneapolis) Art Show and Silent Auction.
I forgot to take pictures of them, but I will on the day of the show.
This Art Show's title is "aRt: ReDefine, ReCreate, ReInvent".

Guess what I used/made for my SAORI pieces?
I made a belt using plastic bags. The title is "Plastic Discovery".
The other piece is a bag. The title is "Revival Fringes". Can you guess what the title mean and what I used?

I will show you the images next time after the show on the 21st.

I enjoyed making these two items. I would like to make more!

I am now looking forward to going to the show!

xxx stitching

My friend Kimie has introduced me "cross stitching".
She let me use all her material and I have finished one bookmark for my husband the other day.
I am working on the second one for my best friend in Japan right now.

I have done cross stitching a long time ago. My mom bought me a kit of cross stitch cusion cover.

This is refreshing! because I can do this at a dining table, sitting on a couch.
When I weave, I can't do that.
I can easily take it with me to everywhere, too!

I have picked next project and have purchased own material the other day.
It will be bigger than "book marks" for sure!

I am also learning how to "quilt" with Kimie now.....

Christmas Eve

I finally bought a "Donabe". It is a Japanes hot pot. You can directly put it on the stove.

I also bought a portable gas stove so that "Donabe" and the stove can be on the dining table.

"Onabe"--the hot pot dish in Japanese is very easy to prepare and so healthy!

I invited a couple of Japanese friends over for the Christmas Eve Hot Pot Party.

One of them brought "cod" and I prepared chicken and about 10 kinds of vegetables (Japanese kinds? of mushrooms, carrot, napa cabbage, green onion etc...) to go in the soup in the pot.

Everything goes into the pot.

We also put Japanese noodle in it and that was yummy!

Another friend brought Potato Salad and made "Potato Salad Christmas Tree"!

Now, I have this "Donabe" so I can prepare "Onabe" dishes during this cold season.

This helps heat your body a lot!

We really had a good time!

Happy Holidays!

Let's be healthy and warm!

SAORI Studio "FUN" in Minneapolis

I will be teaching SAORI in downtown Minneapolis soon!!

The venue is going to be at the gallery I am a part of, yes, Mill District Arts Gallery.
The gallery now opens only Thursday-Saturday, so I will be able to use the space while it is closed, Mon-Wed and Sun.

I have been told by many people "It is too far to go to your studio to weave!" since I live probably at least 30 minutes away from Minneapolis area.
Now, people who told me so can join us at SAORI Studio "FUN" Minneapolis class.

I will be promoting it soon, but first, I need to finish get ready for my show "In the Moment" .
It is coming up at the beginning of January at The SPACE for Creativity in New Richmond, WI.
Just keep in mind that you will be able to do SAORI in Minneapolis in the very near future.

My another dream is going to come true!! I am excited.

Let's Go to Mill District Arts Gallery

Mill District Arts Gallery---You can see/purchase my SAORI pieces there all the time!
It is in downtown Minneapolis, Riverfront District.
There is a Metro Dome, The Mill City Museum, The Center for Book Arts... nice area.

Last Saturday there was an opening party for the gallery artists' families and friends.
Many of my friends came...Thank you.

I got to meet my team members' families and friends, too.

I am glad that I found a place to show my work in Minneapolis all the time, but what I am very glad is that I am a member of this art gallery community.

I have my own hanger rack that is not full yet. The hanger rack was made with recycled wood.
One of our team members made it for us that is very nice. It matches to the brick wall.

There are potters, digital photographer, sculptors, painters in the team members.
I am learning a lot from their work and people themselves.

It will be a nice experience and learning for me!

If you are in the Twin Cities, please stop by!

Let's keep in touch.

Timing

Everything has timing, I believe.
The story I am going to tell you is all about "TIMING" I think.

There is this informational website relates to arts that I check sometimes.
I have gotten the information on "Eco Fashion Show" and my first solo show that is going to be happening at the beginning of next year from this website.

A couple of nights ago, I got nervous about after my show. "I have nothing special to do once the show begins." Then I checked the website right before bed.

"Looking for an artists who can run an art gallery with other artists in Minneapolis", I read it through and e-mailed the person who is in charge of this right away with images of my work.

Next day, I kept checking e-mails. I was so excited about this information. I couldn't even fall asleep right away...However, you have to get the agreement from the other artists who are already in the group.
In the afternoon, I got an e-mail saying, "We are impressed with your work" .
Yeah!! I am one of the artists who can run the gallery with other gallery.
I can put my work all the time at the gallery in Minneapolis!
This was my dream to expose SAORI somewhere in Minneapolis, so I am so HAPPY!
I still need to meet with the owner of the gallery. I hope the owner likes me...

Anyway, this is huge news makes me weaving.
This arts gallery will open middle of next month. I will keep you posted!

Get back to weave!
Timing is important, isn't it?

Let's Be in Touch!

BALANCE

I have been weaving a lot lately. That is because I have to bring my hand-woven vests and scarves at the Textile Center (Minneapolis) in less than 2 weeks! After that, I have a place I need to bring my stuff...
I am still enjoying weaving though even though I have a little bit of pressure...
It's O.K. I always need some pressure, so no problem!

However, my body is honest. In the afternoon, my body especially my back is telling me "You need a break" "I need to be stretched" etc...
So, I listen to my body and go to the gym just for a while. It feels good!
I do fast walking on the treadmill and do some machines.
I go to take Bikram Yoga class one or two times a week, too. That feels good, too!

Everything needs to be balanced.
If I push myself too hard and not listening to my body, I am sure I won't be able to sit down and enjoy weaving.

Yesterday, I even bake!! I bake Japanese Style Green Tea cake (kind of). Yum!

I like to enjoy many things, so I will enjoy being balance, too!
I hope you will, too!

The picture on the right is my recent favorite work, "His Scarf", not my husband's though.

Somebody who likes this scarf... it might be "Hers" that's okay, too!

Let's be in touch!

Tornado Hat

Here are my "Tornado Hats".

You will need them if you are living in Minnesota in the winter!?

I made them quite a few last few weeks for some events and sold some.

Unfortunately, it is not my idea. I get SAORI newsletters every month and this is one of the new ideas from one of the SAORI weavers in Japan.

It is easy to make and cute! Nice idea!

Because of hats, it matters sizes.

I wash them when its finished and depends on the yarn, some shrinks a lot and some doesn't.

Yesterday at the Mill City Farmers Market (Minneapolis), there are some people who had to give up getting it because of the size. There are variety of sizes, but I guess I need more sizes.

I learnd that I need to change the width when I weave.

Anyway, aren't they cute?

Which one do you like the best?

Let's be in touch!

Wisconscin Debut!?

I am so happy now.
I have received a phone call from an art center in Wisconscin.
http://www.thespaceforcreativity.com/index.html

I sent some of my SAORI sample items, images of my work and application form to the center before I left for Australia.
I almost forgot about it.
Since I have an event to go to this weekend, so I thought about my work to sell.
Then I remembered "my scarf and greeting cards!!" The next day, they came back. This was last week.

Then this afternoon, the phone rung.
"You are one of the featured artists for our center next year."
"WOW!!"
The show will be Jan. 9 - Mar.10 2009 two months!

I have been so fortunate recently, really.

1. My SAORI scarves and vests are available at the Textile Center in MN for their Winter Gift Show Nov. 1-Dec. 29 2008
2. My first challenge: putting my shawl at the MN State Fair and received a blue ribbon (2nd place) and an award from the Weavers Guild of MN "Best use of colors".
3. My work I wove with organic cotton, cotton, wool were accepted for the Eco Fashion Show it will be held in January in Minneapolis.
4. Then this show in Wisconscin!

These four things happened last one month. I also went to Australia for the first time!
I can't believe it! Everything is going so well for me. I am so happy!

I need to keep weaving, weaving and weaving.
This is what I do! This is what I enjoy!

I am happy!

Let's be in touch.

I am back!

I am back in Minnesota. I am almost over with jet-lag (I hope).

Wow, it was terrible. I woke up at 2:30am and couldn't go back to sleep until around 6am. Last night, I slept good I think that is because a night before I couldn't sleep well at all, so my body was too tired to wake up at 2:30am.

Anyway, I need to get back to work as a SAORI weaver/instructor.

I have left my full time job as an assistant at a Montessori preschool last June and now SAORI is my full time job.

I have so many things ahead of me. A two fiber fairs, gift show, classes...

I have been enjoying weaving. I would like to weave with Australian colors I saw when I was in Perth, Australia.

Here is one of them; very Australia! A wallaby and a SAORI strap jeans bag. I found a nice model!

I have a good idea (I hope) and I would like to go shopping for a little tool to knit. I am not a knitter though I would love to learn how to ... If this idea is very good, I will show you what it is.

Let's be in touch.

Tomorrow...

Tomorrow, I am going back to MN.
I have almost a whole day tomorrow though since my flight is almost midnight.

It has been two weeks already. Time flies.
This last two weeks, I have been moved by beatuiful fwild flowers, colroful wild bires, beautiful ocean, lovely creatures, aboliginal art and so on.
Now, I am ready(?) to express all these impressions by weaving when I get back.

Today, I went one of my friend's daughter's school to do a SAORI demonstration.
I was a "Special Guest" at the classroom.
All 30 students listend to the story about SAORI and tried weaving.
Tomorrow, I am going to another school to do a demonstration.
It is so fortunate to get this kind of opportunity in a different country.
I am not just a tourist. Now I have a new friend who is trying to start SAORI program here in Australia. I came to help her start. I hope I did a good job helping her even though I did so many fun things such as taking lessons of Didgeridoo...

Thank you to my friend.
I will never forget this journey.

Let's be in touch.

C in Perth

Didgeridoo

I am finally confidet spelling "Digeridoo".
I tried to write a blog a few days ago, but I couldn't spell it, so I gave up updating my blog.

Now after taking the Digeridoo class twice and have MY OWN DIGERIDOO, I can spell it!
Yes, I have my Digeridoo. I bought it after I took a free workshop the other day. I am going back to MN with it next week.
I have to practice a lot. I wonder somebody plays the digeridoo in Twin Cities area.
I am going to take another workshop again Friday and I am on my own. I also purchased a DVD to practice at home. I love the sound. Do you know that Digeridoo might be the oldest music instrument.

I purchased a simple Digeridoo, no aboliginal painting on it. I purposely chose a simple one because I would like to put SAORI on to it. I would like to make a case for it with SAORI.
Wow, I have a lot to do after I get back to MN.

I have been enjoying my stay in Perth. Seafood and Western Australian wine is lovely.
I noticed many people here say "LOVELY!".

I also have been enjoying watching wild flowers and birds. There are a lot of them.
I am so fortunate to be here this time of a year. People are friendly, too.
I have taken so many pictures of flowers and birds.

My friend here is sewing now. She is making a T-shirt with SAORI piece on it.
She is going to make a vest with her woven piece that is Australian wool which is very LOVELY.
Of course, I now have some Australian wool and rovings to work with in MN.

I will show you pictures when I get back so let's be in touch!

Good Day!

How are you doing? I am in Perth, Australia!!

This is my third day here my first time in Australia.
Wow, it was far away though.
MSP-LAX, LAX to Melborune and Perth---Total of 21 hours of flight time plus lay over.
This is my record.
There was also about a 2-hour delay from LAX so I had to take a different flight from Melborune.
Anyway, I am safe and enjoying the time here. It is beggining of Spring here though it is quite warm during the day. It gets cold in the morning and night, but it is much warmer today.
I took a walk in town yesterday by myself. I love to watch and listen to the birds. There are many wild flowers. I know it is almost spring, so it will be very beautiful with lots of wild flowers around here soon.

There is an art center close to where she lives. (She live in downtown, so everything is in walking distance!!) There were many drawings/paintings from children from local schools.
I noticed that many of their work has "kangaroo" in them. Yes, because they live in Australia.
Probably kids in MN draw cows and horses?
I haven't seen kangaroos yet, but I WILL!! I heard Koalas don't live in Western Australia because of the certain Eucalyptus trees they eat don't grow here...make sense.

I am making Wild Rice Soup for my friend, her family and her friends today. I brought some Wild Rice from Minnesota!
It is my favorite dish, too. I had better go to a grocery store.

I know I am here for teaching SAORI to my friend. I also brought many SAORI samples for her.
She seems so happy and helpful to see those itesm directly.
She is already happy herself what she does everyday, but she is not happy for people with disabilities here. That is why she decided to do SAORI so she can introduce it to them.
What a nice thing to do! I am also happy that I am a little bit of part of her great thinking.

Tomorrow, she is taking me to a yarn shop. I would like to see Australian sheep yarn!

Let's be in touch. I will report again from Perth.

Off to...

Perth, Australia this afternoon!!

My first time to Australia, I am so excited!
This is not just a vacation trip. I am going to see my SAORI friend in Japan's friend there to teach SAORI.
Thanks to my friend S in Japan to introduce her. This is what I love, the "SAORI Connection."

It is going to be a long flight, but I like flying. I am going there by myself, yes without my partner D.
This will be my longest flight, longer than going to Japan... Well, I have a lot to do in the airplane (sleep? Of course...)

First, I am going to take a Bikram Yoga class this morning to let my body be ready for the flight.

I will try to blog you while in Perth. We'll see.

See you~! and let's be in touch!

C

Minnesota State Fair

~Minnesota Great Get Together~

D and I went to the first day of Minnesota State Fair today.

This was my first time to go there on the first day.

This year was special for me because I entered my SAORI piece for the "creative activities".

Almost every year, we go to the fair and I thought "Some day, I will enter mine."

And I did this year. Thanks to "S" from the Weavers Guild of MN. She told me to enter my work at the fair.

I entered "weaving shawl category". There are many categories you can choose from.

Since I entered at the end of last month, I didn't enter something big.

Anyway, the first place we visited was of course "Creative Activities" hall.

Wow, there are so many crafts, cannings and bakings as usual... You can spend a half day here. There were so many of them!

I found a show case that had woven stuff in it. And here is mine...

Red Ribbon!! "Second Premium" Yeah! I got a ribbon for my first entry.

Not only that, I also got Weavers Guild of Minnesota Award that is "Best use of colors." Wow! Two awards. I almost screamed right in front of my piece!

I got so excited.

I feel like I am now 100% Minnesotan?!

Anyway, that made my day. I didn't want to move from the show case, but well, I enjoyed the rest of the fair might as well. We walked a lot...

I feel so GOOD! Getting awards like this give me so much energy.

I fell like "I am going to enter more pieces next year!".

Let's be in touch and happy weaving to all the weavers.

From Happy C

small work

There will be $99 SALE event at The Soap Factory in Minneapolis next month.

http://www.soapfactory.org/

I have never been there. It is a gallery, not a soap factory.

Anyway, artists who are interested in submitting their work need to be 5"x7 " size and it has to be hung flat on the wall.

I got interested in doing this, so I asked the gallery that I would like to submit my woven work.

They were so good at e-mailing back to me right away that was very nice.

I heard many artists draw on "140lb. cold-pressed paper".

To me??? Since I don't draw/paint at all, I didn't know anything about papers. Why 140lb.? Why cold-pressed?

I found the right paper and sewed on to it.

I have never woven something small like this particularly.

The title is "THE TEXTURE".

I am going to drop it off tomorrow.

I have a to-do list before I leave for Australia next Monday.

One of them was this to be done.

I need to pack, too...and more...

Let's be in touch!

SAORI Olympics!

I stay up late these days because of the Olympics!
It inspires me a lot. I don't do any sports particularly, but I love moving my body!
I get inspired for my SAORI.
I have my loom right in front of a TV and I am watching Olympics and weaving SAORI many nights these days.
I get a lot done! While the commercial, my hands speed up and once the race starts, they slow down. It is still O.K. I am enjoying it.
I rememver two Olympics ago, I was doing the same thing back in Japan (I was still living in Japan two olympics ago).
I titled one of my pieces "Olympics".

I haven't felt like naming "Olympics" to any of my pieces yet since a couple of pieces have images of what I saw outside when I was walking or watching a cartoon movie with my neighbor child.
Now, I am working on a piece using "organic cotton" a lot.
I found out that there is a Eco Fashion Show in fall, so I am trying it out!
I love the theme "ECO". That is why I would like to try it out. We'll see....

In September, I will be able to weave with a lot of images/ideas from Australia because I am going there in 10 days! I am going to do SAORI with a woman in Perth.

I am so excited being there and make new connections with people in Australia!

Before I leave for Australia, I need to finish several Eco pieces! I had better go to my loom.

Have a nice day and Let's keep in touch!

SAORI weaving camp

Last Tue. & Wed. I had 3 girls plus 1 boy(he joined us Wed.) for SAORI weaving camp.

I know all of the children because they go to the school where I used to work.

One of the girls came to weave last fall for her firend's birthday party. Since then, she kept telling her mom "I want to weave" "I had a dream of myself weaving"etc...

Whenever I saw her mom, she used to tell me about her daughter wanting to weave.

Finally, she came with her friends. "My dream finally came true!"

For the other girls, it was their first time to weave. As usual, children are such a quick learners.

Soon, I heard them saying, "It's easy" "It's cool!".

They were all quiet. I only heard the shuttles are going back and forth.

I was able to observe them and weave myself.

"Feel this, Chiaki!" "I made this color!". Their smile faces..

At the end of the first day, one of them found a SAORI dog I made.

"Can I make this tomorrow?"

So, we did at the end of the second day. Look, aren't they cute?

They enjoyed two mornings of weaving with colors and texture.

The girl who wove for the second time, she has three brothers. One of them joined us the second day, but the other didn't and asked their mom, "We want to weave! Can we?"

So, the mom scheduled to come to weave with all her children and herself.

It will be fun!

Later, one of the girls gave me a "thank you" message on a stone so sweet.

Let's be in touch.

SAORI WEAVERS

"SAORI WEAVERS"---this was the name of the show at a gallery in the Chaska Community Center.

SAORI friends around the U.S. submitted their work to this show for last one month.

Yesterday, D and I went to take them down. It has been a month already, time flies.

This show was a part of SAORI U.S.-Canada Conference 2008 that was held second weekend of July in Chaska, MN. Some of SAORI friends from Canada, Hawaii and East Coast came to attend this conference and did a few public events, too. It was nice exposure for us to show SAORI to people in Chaska, MN.

We really had a good weekend here in Chaska.

We also made good connections with people.

Some of them are excited about introducing SAORI at their work places.

We are excited, too.

We are fortunate to have people to work with through SAORI.

D's tapestry called "Daily Lives" you know what it mean looking at the image?

My tapestry called "Oh, Minnesota". I expressed four seasons in Minnesota.

Let's be in touch!

C

Don't they?

Here we are presenting on SAORI at Early Childhood Conferernce that was held at East Tennessee State Univ. last weekend.

Don't we look smart? I do at least...pointing the screen behind the presenting desk.
The facility was great, everything was there...and such a well organized conference that is why so many people came.

I don't usually prepare what I need to talk about. If I do, I am sure I will be so nervous trying to follow what I prepared.
PowerPoint is great! All the images and description show people visually. That helps a lot.

Since we did several presentations so far here and there, we now are getting better at presenting. We learnt more to make the presentation better and better for the next time.

Experience is Learning...It's FUN!

Let's be in touch.

Chiaki

Our Blog!

Thank you for helping us to creat our own blog, Chris!

Now, we are able to share our ideas, concern and anything through this blog.
People who live far away are able to check what we are doing here in MN, too especially after being in Tampa, FL and Johnson City, TN last one month, this is great.

Anyway, I would like to thank you for stopping by our SAORI booth at the Convergence.
It was SAORI's debut at Convergence. We learnt a lot. We will look forward to meeting again in 2010 somewhere in the U.S.

Thank you for listening to my presentation at ETSU the other day for the Early Childhood Conference. It was worth driving down to Tennessee. We are so excited seeing so many people were excited about SAORI.
Now, we need to figure out how we maintain your interest.
Hopefully, one of us can go down there to do a workshop once in a while.
Let's see. Be positive.

This summer has been so busy with Convergence, SAORI U.S.-Canada Conference and Presentations in Tennessee as well as regular summer weaving camp and classes, but we are enjoying all of them!
Oh, thank you for coming to the weaving workshop, fashion show and movie event people around Chaska several weeks ago. I hope to see you soon since you are so close to us!!

Anyway, let's be in touch!

Dan and Chiaki

What is SAORI?

What is SAORI?

SAORI has 4 slogans:
· Consider the differences
between machines and people
· Weave with a Happy Heart
· Explore with all your might
· Learn as a group

Are you thinking about something new for yourself or your schools / facilities? We have everything you need (looms, accessories, books) to start a SAORI program! We are looking forward to working with you!!