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Sanae Ishida

A crafty little atelier in a grey city

Endless Summer Tunics

July 18, 2016

Good morning! Looky here -- I sewed something! In fact, I sewed two somethings: This is the Endless Summer Tunic pattern by A Verb For Keeping Warm (have you seen the IG feed? Stunning). How is it that I didn't know about this pattern? I made the grey linen one first -- complete with pockets -- and used the same fabric as this top for the yoke facing and pocket linings. I should mention that I've long since donated that polka dot button down because I felt sloppy and frumpola in it ... Read more

Filed in: sewing, sewing for me • by sanae • 32 Comments

FOUR YEARS!!! (+ a giveaway bundle) [CLOSED]

July 15, 2016

Well, well, well. If you traverse all the way back to the beginning of this little online notebook/sketchbook of mine, you will see that I started to record my thoughts and projects on July 16, 2012. Which means that tomorrow, this blog turns 4 years old. FOUR. I powered through the clumsiness of the newborn stage filled to bursting with love, uncertainty and awkwardness. Then I dug my heels in for the toddler phase and touch-and-go twos. Finally, I observed with somewhat flagging energy and a ... Read more

Filed in: giveaway • by sanae •

I am now a minimalist traveler

July 12, 2016

We made it back in one piece! After a soul-nourishing and relaxing week in Michigan, our flight back to Seattle was mysteriously canceled so we had to scramble to Chicago via rental car to make our connecting flight because all the airlines were booked solid (or so I was told). We cut it super close, but cruised through Illinois toll booths, security checks and grumpy child syndrome with surprising ease. Actually, the grumpy child syndrome was non-existent because K was a champ. She hardly ... Read more

Filed in: illustration, life, watercolor • by sanae • 8 Comments

Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls Calligraphy Kit Giveaway [CLOSED]

June 27, 2016

My friends, I have an especially lovely giveaway for anyone who's ever ogled at the hand lettering trend that's been taking the world by the storm. The fabulous duo of Besotted Co. introduced me to Maybelle's work a couple of years ago, and it was of course love at first sight. Her instagram feed alone is spectacular. So when I saw her calligraphy kit at Kinokuniya a while ago, I snapped it up. Given my various obligations right now, however, the idea of starting a calligraphy habit is ... Read more

Filed in: giveaway • by sanae •

Happy Friday + Randomness

June 24, 2016

Happy Friday! Still plugging away at my various projects...I did, however, take a little jaunt into downtown to Drygoods Design on Wednesday to pick up a beauty of a book. The Merchant and Mills Workbook makes my neutral-loving heart sing. I want to make everything. Everything! The instructions seem to be pretty sparse, which is okay with me since I don't seem to follow instructions all that closely anyway. Oh, the photography and styling of this book are so, so good. On a side note, I ... Read more

Filed in: sewing resources • by sanae • 9 Comments

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I’ve been spending less time around here — the I’ve been spending less time around here — the landscape has been feeling dark and murky and I wish I had a magical luminous flower like this bunny to light the way…#procreatewatercolorfun
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