Sour plums

Sour plums!!  This is the last step of making sour plums.  I already dried them under the bright sunshine for three days and jut put them in the jar with the juice.  It is said it'll be good in 6 months, so we can start eating them next Jan or Feb.   I really like shiso leaves.  It makes plums reddish and taste good.


Have you ever tried some?  It is not sour at all but just salty.  You need salt to reserve food for a long time but I prefer less salt.  You can take too much salt, right?  But anyway why is it called sour plums?  It should be called salty plums. 

The Swimwear Bag

I started to make a bag for my daughter 2 weeks ago. Well, she was going to a pool with her friend on the 15th, but she didn't have a nice bag. I didn't want to use regular fabric or leather bags to the pool since it'll be wet. This vinyl coated fabric has kind of hard texture and is hard for me to handle with. If I get used to it, it'll be easier I guess... Anyway, the picture is from the half way through.




And, finally I completed the bag!!! It would take only a day to finish if I had a sewing machine! Well, it is okay for me to sew by hand. It is fun and easy to fix when I make mistakes. Now, I want to try something else with the leftover fabric.

Finally I completed the bag! Woo hoo!! Isn't this lovely? At first I bought the blue fabric at a store and was going to use it as the exterior. And there was this pretty fabric at a different store and it attracted me so bad. I changed my mind that this pinkish fabric as the exterior and the blue one as the liner. The blue one was kind of plain... and not exciting. (what am I saying? I chose it!!)
Eventually it turned out better, didn't it?

At the Garage Sale

On Sunday our family had a picnic at the park nearby. It was really hot day and luckily we had some shades. My daughter looked happy with her papa and mama!! My husband and I shared a can of beer. I know it was not enough for both of us but we did not want to get drunk on Sunday afternoon.

Anyway, after the lunch we walked to a shopping street 10 minutes from the park and bought some groceries. Of course we stopped by a fish store. Then, we happened to appear right in front of the garage sale when we got out from the fish store. The garage sale was held in front of the other door of the store. I almost walked away but I found a girl's kimono on the corner. I took a careful look at the kimono if it was torn or not.


It was for Shichi-go-san and especially for 7-year-old girls. Shichi-go-san is for 7-year-old girls, 5-year-old boys, and 3-year-old girls to wish their good health and wealth. Shichi means 7, go means 5 and san means 3 in Japanese. Girls and boys at the age wear a special kimono and go to a shrine for the prayer. Anyway, the design of the kimono looked antique and not a few years old. The old woman told me the kimono was worn almost 40 years ago; however, it looked older than that. I guess the girl received the kimono from her mom. Probably the design came out in the early Showa period, which is around 1920's.

I found small torn parts and small spots but they are on the nagajuban, which is an under garment but looks like a kimono. So, you can't see them when you put it because it goes under the top kimono. And if you rent it it will cost over $50!

The set price was $50 and it was not but for the quality. I loved that antique looking, so I decided to get it!!! I've got $10 discount!! Lucky! It became $40!

Yukata

Finally I finished this yukata. It took a year since started!!! It would take only 1 month for me to finish if my baby didn't come early. Since she was born 2 weeks in advance, I couldn't sew it for a while. First, I need to ask my mom how to sew step by step, and sit down at least for 30 minutes or 1 hour while she is sleeping. It is hard to go back and forth to my parents' house so often and to sit down for a while.

Recently, I kind of know how to control(I don't know if "control" is the good word.) my baby's nap, so I can spend my time on needlework. It is great!

Anyway, I can't wait to put it on and go out!

New Plates

I've got a set of new plates for my baby. Although she started food 4 months ago we just used ziploc containers as her plates because it is plastic and microwavable. It is convenient but not cute at all, so I've been looking for something cute.

A few Saturdays ago, I found them at an outlet mall near my parents' house. They are not so cheap and not microwavable, but they looked so cute. They cost about $35 in total... but it is ok. They are imported from France, so that is why they are cute.


This is the main plate. I can put pancakes, bananas, pudding... that is my dream!


These are the folk and the spoon.






This is the little cup.


I like this because there is silicon underneath, so it won't move when my baby touch it.





I love all of them! They are so lovely and make me cook more!

Ice Cream Stand

When I was small, my parents took me and my sister to Yamashita-Koen Park in Yokohama. It is a well-known harbor park in Yokohama, so there are lots of tourists all year around. I should say it is a good date spot for couples, especially at night. The night views are gorgeous and romantic as well. But I came here with my parents and they would buy us ice cream in summer. It was almost 25 years ago when we came. It was another history... hehe.

Today, I found the ice cream stand just outside the park! I wonder why it wasn't inside though. Anyway, I couldn't resist that. I had to buy the ice cream and go back to my child days for a minute. It cost 200 yen and was only 100 yen back in the early 80's. Although the price was double the taste was the same as before. Is it good or bad??? Suddenly I felt like a child again. The woman selling the ice cream said she had been selling over 40 years! Can you believe it? When my daughter is able to eat ice cream in the future, I'd like to buy one for her.