Here are nine of the best ideas for gift wrapping from the projects I have featured on this blog so far.
Hand-dyed wrapping paper and small handmade charms will make your gift even more special.
A twist to add your own personal touch to your gift. I have linked to posts that serve as sources of ideas for each. Please take a look at them along with my past projects.

 

1. Orizome Wrapping Paper

I have introduced Orizome dyeing several times in the past. Orizome dyeing is a Japanese dyeing technique. Wrapping with Orizome paper is a classic way to add our own personal touch. Dyed paper can be ironed after drying to remove creases and make it more beautiful. For more information on wrapping ideas using Orizome paper, please refer to this post.

2. Paper Gift Bag

Paper bags can be made with just paper and glue. If you use plain paper, you can make a simple gift bag with any arrangement. You can draw pictures on the bag or stamp on it. I used Orizome paper for the handles to make them more my own style.

3. Hand Stitched Gift Box

Hand embroidered cards on paper. It can be applied to gift boxes as well. The only step is to stick the thread along the pre-punched holes, that’s all. Embroidery on paper is very fun and can be applied to many different occasions.

4. Ginger Bread Wrapping

Use a white marker on kraft paper to make the wrapping look like gingerbread. Drawing pictures to make the three-dimensional wrapping look like a house is fun in itself. It seems to be a popular craft, and I think you can find some wonderful wrapping for reference if you search some on SNS and other sites.

5. Paper Beads Charm

Hand Rolled Paper Beads are made from dyed paper. I bundled the leftover beads into charms. I like to add a little handwork to leftover materials and find new value in them. Also like to spend time thinking about this. These charms are used over and over again and have added a touch of color to our gifts.

6. String Art Charm

The Waldorf inspired of the multiplication circle is incorporated into the handwork of this string art. I made this string art  into a wrapping ornament. Adding the finishing touch to the wrapping makes the gift feel more holiday-like.

7. Wood Acorn Charm

Wooden acorn charms added a touch of color to a wonderful gift all by themselves. I love this lovely gift from nature. I collect the acorn caps I find on my walks and use them in my crafts. I am grateful for blessings of nature.

8. Kumihimo Cord

A gift wrapped in cloth and tied with a Kumihimo cord instead of a ribbon. Our rule is that the wrapping, ribbon and charms can be used over and over again. You can enjoy using the kumihimo cords again and again after unwrapping them.

9. Monkiri Paper Cut-Outs

Monkiri, a paper cutting created with paper and scissors, is like meditation. These also make wonderful gifts when added to wrapping. This is a modern wrapping idea with a touch of Japanese taste.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season with your handwork!

 

 

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To look at things carefully. To express with one’s hands what one sees as it is.
To enjoy observing and expressing, my daughter F tried copying for the first time when she was 5 years old. That was her first encounter with the masterpiece.

The subject matter is Henri Matisse’s “Dance”.  What would happen if a five year old painted this picture? How does it look in the eyes of a child?
The decision I made in working on the project was to avoid adult(me) intervention in the production process. Look at the artwork through the eyes of a child and just concentrate on painting what you see. If the child got bored during the process, that would be fine. Let’s try to keep it light.

As a result, the experience was just special. It was filled with bold expressions, relaxed lines, colors, and shapes that could only be done now. Also an interpretation of details that only a child could make, different from what an adult could draw. It was a moment when I felt much closer to art as a fusion of masterpieces and self-expression, rather than as a copying that inhibits creativity.

Even after that, F painted Sharaku and Vermeer, a reproduction of a wooden dolls by Alexander Girard, and a Matisse cut-out and many others. They are all reproductions of masterpieces from a child’s perspective. It’s a resonance and just so much fun experience.

 

 

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Happy New Year!!!

We moved to California in 2018 and celebrated our sixth New Year. I always think about how I want to cherish the culture, customs, and events of our country, even when we are away from it. Especially when I have children, I naturally want to cherish the Japanese seasonal events.
One thing in particular that I think is outstanding about Japanese culture is its food culture. In Japan, there is a term called “Shokuiku” (food education). Nutrition education is “the basis of life and the foundation of intellectual, moral, and physical education. I have been practicing food education from early on so that children can acquire correct knowledge about food and eating habits.
Eating is something that is truly important in life, and we are reminded that our bodies and minds are made up entirely of what we put into our bodies through our mouths.

In Japan, we have a special meal during the New Year.
It is called “Osechi” and is a traditional meal eaten by many Japanese. Osechi contains many kinds of traditional Japanese dishes, which are packed in a special box called “Jubako”, which looks like a bento box. Each foodstuff has its own meaning and is filled with wishes for the health of the family, prosperity of offspring, and safety of the household.

Without going into too much detail, we are all happy when we sit down to a delicious meal together.
In my family, we also eat handmade Osechi during the New Year. It is a meal to celebrate the new year while thinking about Japan. It is unmistakably the feast of “Special day”.
The word “a feast — ご馳走” means “the horse runs.” in Japanese. In the old days, people used to run their horses to find and prepare delicious food. So when preparing a feast, someone has to run. I heard such a story from a respected person a long time ago, and that is why I run as fast as I can on special occasions.

This is my sixth year making Osechi overseas. Wishing the family good health. And feeling the splendor of Japanese culture at the beginning of the new year.
Thank you all for your support this year.

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The holiday season has finally begun. Choosing a gift is a fun time, but we must be very careful when selecting toys, which are becoming more and more numerous each year. The world is filled with a wide variety of toys, and parents are faced with the eternal question of what to give their children. I always try to find something that is fun not only for the moment, but something that will be loved for a long time. And I prefer to be as environmentally friendly as possible so that they can be passed on to the next generation. But most of all, it should be something that will capture the hearts and minds of the children.
I would like to share with you nine recommended gift ideas that I have actually purchased so far. These are books and toys that I know that I will cherish not only right now, but even now, years later. I hope this will give you an idea of what to look for when you are shopping for gifts.

1. Moon picnic: My Calendar

A wooden perpetual calendar was delivered by Santa Claus on Christmas Day when she was five years old. At the beginning of each month, my daughter sets up the month, the day, and the monthly events, and it has become a routine to mark the TODAY date each day. In the younger years, the calendar was an exercise to keep track of daily schedules and events: yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Even now it is very practical and not a day goes by that we don’t turn to it as a calendar for the whole family.

2. Grimm’s: Natural Rainbow Stacking Tunnel

It is a classic toy, so the wonderful thing about the stacking tunnel is that the uses are endless. The children know all about how to use it for play. When you actually put this toy in your home, you can’t help but be impressed by the imagination of the children and the variety of applications this toy can be used for. Easy to see why it is so popular, the stacking tunnel is a perfect match for making castles, dollhouses, ball runs, make-believe, or any play at any time. When used in conjunction with Semicircles Building and Building Boards, it offers even more ways to play, so I recommend keeping these in your children’s room together.

3. Milky wood: Dollhouse and Furniture

Dollhouse created by Eva, based in France. The dollhouse and furniture are made by cutting wooden boards with a digital cutting machine and arrive as flat wooden boards. So the play opportunities begin when you assemble them from 2D to 3D. Really simple and modern and made of natural materials, the dollhouse and furniture are the perfect nature-loving miniature toys. They have been out of stock for a while now, so hopefully they will have more inventory.

4. My Fairy Library: Miniature Book

Everyone has built a fairy house at least once, but this is a library for fairies. Cut, fold, and paste to create a library filled with miniature books. The small books have elaborate illustrations and text, and are well worth reading on their own. In addition, you can make your own original miniature books, so you can enjoy making, drawing, and playing with them in a wide range of ways. This is the perfect craft book for children who love fairies and stories.

5. Fairy notes: letters from fairy Violet

Once a month, Violet -a fairy who is good friends with insects, sends us a letter about her insect friends. These letters, along with beautiful sketches of Violet’s latest exciting adventures, provide wonderful magic for children.
It has been almost three years since we started receiving letters from Violet, and we continue to be delighted and surprised to learn about different new insect worlds.

6. Wobbel: Balance board

This is another classic toy, wooden balance board. Not only does it support body awareness and balance, but it can also be used in a variety of ways, sometimes becoming a fortress, a wall in a cozy corner, or a place to lie down to read a book. Both adults and children can enjoy it. The simple and beautiful grain of the wood makes it a toy that doesn’t need to be put away after playtime and fits in well as part of the interior design.

7. Papier Machine: Electronic toy book

I have encountered many books in my life, but none so strange and beautiful as Papier Machine. This is an electronic toy in the form of a book, where paper, electricity, graphics, and play meet. Paper printed with electrically conductive silver ink is assembled, and when each circuit is connected by button batteries, acoustic components, and pencils, it produces a magical sound. The graphite in the pencil is conductive, so by drawing and closing the circuits, one can play with the pitch and volume of the sound.
This is a great first step into the world of electronics. It is available at a very limited number of retailers, and stock seems to be scarce, but if you can find it, the Papier Machine will provide endless enchantment.

8. Grapat: Tinker tray

Tinker tray divided into 20 squares. You are free to choose what you want to put in in the trays, but my recommendation is to use it as a material box. If you fill each square with a variety of different materials, the kids can use it for crafts, playing house, mandala, or any other kind of play from time to time. An example of what to put in side: wood chips, small gems, pebbles, shells from the ocean, acorns from a walk, plant seeds, dried flowers and leaves, beans, etc. Fill it with a variety of materials and give it as a gift, and it will surely expand children’s imagination for play.

9. Marion Deuchars: Finger Print Art Books

The author, Marion Deuchars, is an illustrator based in England. This is a book in which you can draw various kinds of art with your fingers and handprints. Sit at your desk, let your imagination run wild, and all you need is your fingers and ink pad to become a great artist. There is nothing difficult about it. This book, filled with ideas, will take you to a world of fantasy and imagination. Even the tissue that wipes off the ink stains is beautiful as well. No need to finish everything at once, as you can engage with the book anytime, and any page will lead us to the wonderful world of art.

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On a warm sunny Sunday afternoon. We held a birthday party for my daughter, who turned 8, at a nearby park. The theme was “Floral Tea Party”.
Flowers and tea party are eternal themes that girls love. Based on my experience, I would like to share with you four ideas for party foods and activities that can be enjoyed by adults as well as children to add color to the birthday party.

1. Invitation

Invitations are sent to guests several weeks before the party. Online invitations are very useful when you have a large number of guests. It is very efficient in keeping track of participation and non-attendance, and it is nice to be able to set reminders and other details.

2. Activities

The main activity is flower crown making. This is our favorite craft for all ages. All you need is flowers and raffia. If you have plenty of flowers, they can serve as decorations for a gorgeous party. You can find instructions on how to make a flower crown in this blog post. This time, I also prepared small raffia for bracelets so that little siblings and adults can enjoy as well, which was also well received.

3. Party Foods

You want to eat a little bit of a variety of foods, just like at a tea party. Bite-sized sweets are the perfect way to fulfill this wish. If you can make everything homemade, that would be wonderful. But in reality, there may not be time to prepare everything. In such cases, you can add a little something extra to a readymade items to make it look more gorgeous. Just a little whip, a little fruit, and a few other touches can create a lovely world view.

4. Party Favor

I thought of things that our guests would enjoy along with the theme. My daughter chose a mirror, lip gloss, and a ring, a selection very typical of an 8-year-old girl. All of the items are inexpensive and can be purchased on Amazon US, but I packaged them individually and decorated the bags with original tags to unify the world view.

In all honesty preparation is hard work, but when I see the faces of the children enjoying themselves, I am so glad I did it!
When I think about how short the parenting years are, I realize that we may only have a few more years left to celebrate birthdays together at the park like this.
I would like to thank all my friends for celebrating my daughter’s growth with us.
Now ……, what will we do next year!

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Be considerate of others and respect differences. Do not compare, do not compete with anyone besides yourself, and be kind to others. These are words that our family always keeps in mind.
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. One year has passed since then.
In the sad reality of having to teach our children the meaning of the word “war,” we thought about what we could do at that time. To be close to the feelings of others. To think and imagine.

We painted using blue and yellow colors on the back of a piece of paper. Blue can be light blue, dark blue, sky blue, greenish blue like the deep sea, and many other kinds of blue. The same goes for yellow, from lemon yellow to orange.

While painting, we talked about many things. My daughter, who had just turned seven at the time, asked me many questions. “Why are they going to war?” “When will it end?” “Why? Why?” I did not know the “right answers,” but I tried to keep the conversation loving and honest. For the past year, my daughter has been asking me every chance she gets: “Ukraine and Russia are still fighting. I hope they can make up soon.”

One year since then...

A year has passed since then. Now we would like to transition to painting white, blue and red. It is not only one side that suffers from sad and painful feelings. There are many people in each country, and each person has many feelings. Again we imagine. And we learn the importance of mutual respect and dialogue.
There will always be conflict, but violence will never solve any problem.

Yellow and blue, white and red, and the differences among them are all different and all wonderful. I want to keep my mind honestly thinking that way.
As approach February 24th, I have written this here again so that I will not forget.

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On October 1, 2022, I launched the “ARUHI” project.

I am filled with excitement and happiness at the start of this new adventure. First I would like to introduce ARUHI and describe how this project came to be. I am from Tokyo and studied textile design at an art university. After that, I spent 10 years working as a graphic designer.

Now I am a mother to a baby girl, and in 2018 I moved with my family from Tokyo to Southern California, where I now live in an environment that is closer to nature. I spent the global pandemic in 2020 staying at home, as did so many others in the world. For at-home learning while the schools were closed, my daughter and I followed a daily curriculum of education and art, design, and crafts. Then I began to share our everyday handcrafts through Instagram.

We continued making “something” day after day. On Mondays, it was painting; Tuesdays it was beeswax; on Wednesdays we baked bread; Thursdays it was handcrafts, and on Fridays it was drawing… We also set out on walks and collected fallen leaves and nuts, searched for pebbles and seashells at the beach, and grew and harvested vegetables and herbs on our small balcony. Even as we faced a threat that we had never experienced before in the pandemic, we made do with what we had at hand, and enjoyed very serene, fulfilling, and productive days.

"ARUHI" is "just a day"

ARUHI is a record of our thoughts and results from our “just a day” moments, that we experience regularly, day after day. ARUHI also maintains an archive recording the everyday handworks that we have made in the past, and we use it to generate new projects for the future.  No matter when you discover us, I know that you will leave with something that can enhance your life.

All children are naturally-born artists. They create without boundaries in ways that grown-ups would never have imagined, and we can continually learn from them. Their encounters with nature and crafting develop an educational perspective. We have designed projects that are simple and easy, that can be enjoyed by anyone.

The day ARUHI was born, October 1, is also my mother’ s birthday. My mother was also once a child! You and I, and everyone else here were at one time children. One day our now small kids will become a parent (maybe). As they will grow up and raise children of their own in the future, my greatest hope is that the experiences of ARUHI will one day enhance their lives. The past, present, and future are all closely connected. Keeping this philosophy in my thoughts and keeping a “child’s heart” alive in my spirit, I hope to begin building a small community. I will be releasing several projects each month. I hope that you enjoy it like visiting an art gallery. Finally, I have spent more than a year preparing this ARUHI project. I would like to express my deep thanks to the friends who have helped with carrying out the project and the web production.

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