I'm in the middle of one of those "Oh my! What have I started!" moments. I'm spring cleaning. I simply cannot believe how much STUFF, and that's what a lot of it is, stuff, we've acumulated in the last two and a half years. I dream of having the Japanese zen-ness rub off on me and not having so much stuff. But I swear, it breeds! The thought of having to pack eveything up and move countries next year is not a good one.
Anyway, the first place I'm tackling is the bookshelves. Both hubby and I love books and hey, can you really blame me for getting as many Japanese craft books as I can while I'm here, so there are a lot.
Cleaning the bookshelf always seems to take longer than any other part of the apartment. I get distracted and want to flip through pages again, revisit publications I haven't seen for a while, it's much like a catch up with an old friend.
One that I came across today, is my favourite Kimono magazine (Mook actually). Kimono Hime. I love this one because it stands out from all the other publications. Most Kimono magazines are all very traditional and pretty, but quite predicatable. Kimono Hime is much edgier in its style and layout.
Here's some images from one of them...
I love the stark white background with the traditional paper cutouts they've used in this series.
Then in this issue they also did a piece on Handmade Linen. Not kimono, but very Japanese influenced. There were also some great looking articles on traditional dyeing techniques.... if only I could read Japanese.....
Well, that's my break time over, it's now back to the spring cleaning!
Then in this issue they also did a piece on Handmade Linen. Not kimono, but very Japanese influenced. There were also some great looking articles on traditional dyeing techniques.... if only I could read Japanese.....
Well, that's my break time over, it's now back to the spring cleaning!
15 comments:
Umm..you're packing those up and taking them with you, right??
And if you are NOT, you should stuff them in an envelope and send them to me. Seriously. :P
Ooooh lovely pics....how are you going to ship it all back with you?
Oh my, breathtaking. Now Googling to see how I can get hold of one!
Such lovely images-very special indeed. It is fun to clean bookcases and get distracted by what is on them. You might need to start shipping stuff now because you can't part with all your lovely things!!
i'm glad i'm not the only one who feels like i'm in over my head when i start to re-organize. it's always worth it in the end, though. the images are really beautiful!
Oh I'm so mad that I didn't know about that magazine before I moved! Those pictures are stunning. I bought several other kimono mags occasionally, but don't remember every running across that one.
You're making a convert of me, dear one.
Quick!! get a friend (or student) to translate some of the information in this beautiful book for you. Write it out keeping track of page numbers and then keep it with the book.
I love the little matching stripy sox ... lol...
I too would love to have a tool that you could just scan in Japanese text and get a good English translation back out of it. I have so many publications in Japanese that I have toyed w/ the idea of taking some classes...but I think that would be a monumental undertaking. Good of you to collect as many books as you can. Last time I was there I almost could not carry the amount of books I bought back with me due to space in my luggage. You're a woman after my own heart.
Oh I love the linen stuff! I need to visit Japan! At least learn Japanese so I can translate patterns :)
Thank you for posting these - they're absolutely stunning!
Ship them all home - you'll love them in your Australian life even more, I'm sure, as they'll carry the memories of your life over there, too. (They would for me!)
As for reading Jap, I studied Japanese for ten years, and still can't read all the kanji, so don't feel too bad. It's a huge ask!
Oooooh that kimono hime is just divine! Sympathies on the sorting pre-pack drama. I took 6 mths to sort through my stuff before I left Japan. 7 years worth of stuff! Managed to get down to 1 cubic metre to be shipped to Aus. I couldn't afford any more than that. That cost me $1000 to ship !!!!
These bottom two pages are awesome!
P.S. You can buy this issue and other issues of this magazine from amazon.co.jp.
These scans blow my mind completely, thank you SO MUCH for sharing!!
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