I think I will always love drawing with black pen the best. I've been feeling a little cloudy lately...not sure why. But after finishing this little sketch, my mood lifted significantly. Sometimes, a bunch of stylized rainy clouds is all it takes. ... Read more
Happy Friday!
My standard uniform nowadays consists of yoga pants, a tank top and hoodie. The I-plan-on-going-to-the-gym look ("plan" being the operative word), worn mostly for the comfort. Once in a blue moon, though, I wish I had an opportunity to wear something fancy like the Valentino-inspired dress above. K saw it and said, "Is that a witch's dress?" Hmmm...not the look I was going for. Even if I'm not presented with ball gown worthy events, I could probably swing something fun like this: I ... Read more
Roots
My parents met in New York forty-two years ago. They were in their early twenties, both from Japan, staying in a boarding house across Central Park. My mother had recently arrived via Germany, where she had been an au pair for a Chinese family (confusing, I know). My father was traveling around the world with friends. My mom boasts that there were several choice young men to choose from back in the day (she claims to have been proposed by an African prince), but my father was by far the ... Read more
Kid Fashion
Today I sketched some imaginary outfits for K. I love miniaturized grown-up clothes using sophisticated colors, shapes and fabrics. It's so easy to end up with garish and overly cutesy when it comes to kids' clothes, and that's probably why I gravitate toward patterns from Japanese craft books. The models are styled so simply and evoke a sort of nostalgia. Very lovely. I also love Oliver + S, and I recently discovered Figgy's, featuring fun, modern patterns for kids. I have a few patterns in ... Read more
“Young Adult” Books
This summer, I read The Floating Islands, a fantastic young adult book about cities that are buoyed in the air, tethered by magic and unfathomable technology. There are dragons and wizards and the usual suspects of fantasy novels, but the book felt fresh and was one of my favorite summer reads. I am a huge fan of young adult sci-fi/fantasy novels. From Twilight to Hunger Games to the Wildwood Chronicles (which, by the way, is awesome) - I am fully up-to-date on the latest YA hits. Maybe it ... Read more