Hello! Just a quick note today with one last reminder that today's the deadline to sign up for the Secret Valentine Exchange. We'll stop taking sign-ups tonight, around midnight-ish my time (PST). We have nearly 150 participants!! Ute and I can't wait to pair everyone up - there are over 20 countries represented, making this the most internationally diverse SVE yet! I, of course, am planning, planning, planning. Last year, Ute made a stunning constellation mini quilt for Elle (scroll down ... Read more
Faux Fur Infinity Scarf + Giveaway [CLOSED]
Well now. Ute and I are simply blown away by the enthusiastic response to the Secret Valentine Exchange!! It's been so enthusiastic that my server crashed a number of times last week. It's true that I have a wimpy, tiny server, but still. I also think there's something problematic about multiple people trying to fill out the form simultaneously, but that's an uneducated guess on my part. We're approaching 130 sign-ups!! If you were one of the folks who couldn't access the form to ... Read more
Happy Friday + Randomness
Happy Friday! I may have mentioned this before, but in my family we had this sacred tradition: on the morning of New Year's Day, my mom would plop a few pairs of new underwear on all the kids' beds, and the three Ishida offspring knew that it was mandatory to don one of them to bed the first night of the year. Just to clarify, the new undergarments are worn on the first evening of the year, and not on New Year's Eve. I have no idea if this is a traditional Japanese thing, or if it's some weird ... Read more
2016 Secret Valentine Exchange!!
It's happening: the 3rd annual Secret Valentine Exchange!! Ute and I are teaming up as per usual, and we're thrilled to be hosting this unique and all-around creative event. Based on the Scandinavian Secret Santa tradition called Julklapp, our first SVE brought 40 participants together and last year we had a whopping 100+ participants! Essentially, you sign up and Ute and I assign Secret Valentines (we're part of the gift exchange fun too). We'll send you the info about the person for whom ... Read more
The New Year’s Day Puffer
Good morning! Over the years we've perfected the last-minute micro-vacation, and this past weekend we drove out of Seattle to a small mountain town called Cle Elum. I snagged the last room at the Snowcap Lodge (aka Best Western), and though K declared that it was no Comfort Inn, we thoroughly reveled in the rare experience of snow everywhere. It was beautiful up there - frigid but serene. But I'm not here to regale you about our budget trip just outside of the city. Do you see it?? A ... Read more