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Sanae Ishida

A crafty little atelier in a grey city

Happy Friday + Randomness

April 28, 2017

Happy Friday! I picked up these fetching ranunculus blooms at Trader Joe's yesterday, and it really is about the small things that brighten our days, isn't it? Pink flowers in general uplift me, but these delicately layered petals are mood-boosters on steroids. It was fun to play around with my camera and photo editing...I haven't been doing much of that. Instead, I've been spring cleaning like a fiend now that I've completed a couple of deadlines -- the dining room table's been looking ... Read more

Filed in: photography • by sanae • 16 Comments

Happy Friday + Randomness

September 12, 2014

Happy Friday! It's been a productive week - I've been sewing furiously behind the scenes and getting a lot done. This was the kind of week that made me extra appreciative of the friends I've made in the last few months through sewing. For example, I got a photography lesson from the lovely Michelle, who shot the cover of my book. She's a consummate pro and probably one of the kindest, sweetest people I've ever met. We had so much fun, and she even let me use her fancy 100mm macro lens. I got a ... Read more

Filed in: life, photography • by sanae • 16 Comments

Indy Menagerie

July 17, 2014

It's a bit of a departure from my usual topics (though do I really have a set of usual topics?), but we spent a lot of time at the Indianapolis zoo a couple of days ago, and I have to say, I loved it and went crazy with my camera. I've gone to the Seattle zoo a fair number of times, but I've never been able to get decent photos of the animals. I think they might be introverted. Not so at the Indy zoo. I felt up close and personal with so many creatures, sometimes it was disconcerting. For ... Read more

Filed in: life, photography • by sanae • 9 Comments

Happy Friday + Randomness

June 6, 2014

Happy Friday! I've been loving all the coincidence stories from my giveaway! Yesterday, I was admiring the peonies you see here -- I received them from a friend recently and remembered that her husband had the most extraordinary coincidence story: many years ago, he went to Kyoto, Japan via a research grant or some such (he's an art history professor). He was wandering around alone one day and wanted to experience the non-touristy side of Kyoto and there, tucked in a quiet and obscured area, he ... Read more

Filed in: life, photography • by sanae • 10 Comments

Photography Practice

January 22, 2013

One of my goals for this year is to become better at photography. I've worked with photos for a long time - on catalogs (if you got a Pottery Barn catalog between the years 1999-2002, I did the layouts for every single one of them! Best. Job. Ever.), as part of an imaging team at a stock photo agency and as a photo editor. But it's only recently that I shifted my focus to the taking of photos rather than just the selections or color-processing of them. I've discovered that I love it though I ... Read more

Filed in: photography • by sanae • 4 Comments

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The word that incites terror in most newbie sewing The word that incites terror in most newbie sewing enthusiasts: zippers. Now that I have a few years of sewing under my belt I’m less cowed by them, but there’s something about long, separating zippers that still makes me nervous. I powered through, however, and made this versatile twill hooded jacket originating from a @patterncouture_ zip-up hoodie pattern meant for knit fabrics that I modified a lot. I blogged about it! Link in bio if you’d like to see the different versions I created. 

To skip zippers altogether and make a truly summery garment, swipe and check out my NEW @creativebug Tiered Dress class (link also in bio!). Back to sewing more hot weather stuff because I’m going to Japan for a special trip next week! 🇯🇵🇯🇵
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