Merry Christmas

And a special greetings from Pearl. 

Our Christmas and Boxing day

Hello! I hope you had good Christmas. We have been watching lots of children's films on TV. (And I cry!) On the eve, I was peeking at the sky, just in case Santa was passing through. Mike was, of course, asleep. In Japan, there are no houses with chimneys. I used to worry how Santa could get into our house. Mother said he would come anyway.

This year I made a wishing list on Etsy and named 'Mike'. I had kept showing what I would like to Mike, but he didn't get any hint. Even after I showed him the list named 'Mike' I could see he was not sure, so I explained. 'I made the list as my wish list.'

The textile art is by Jane Horton, Bath based artist. I found her Etsy shop earlier this year. It is machine stitched. I like the style very much. I like the faces she stitches. They look a bit medieval; simple but spiritual. We will get a frame for it.

He also got me a little glass penguin. The other day, we happened to find the little glass studio in Canterbury. There were a group of cute penguins. When Mike returned to get a few, this was the last one. He is going to get a few more for me when they have more. Penguins need to live in a colony.

Two dried roses were sent by one of my best friends in Japan. I was surprised that they arrived intact. The secret was that they have magnetic at the bottoms and they were stuck to little steel strips inside the acrylic boxes. She also sent me green tea and snacks. How lovely!

 

I was going to order other things on 'Mike' list for him to give me until one day I went to a dentist and got estimated bill of £300 for simple filling. That blew me away. But I have recovered from the shock. I will place a few orders before New Year's day, anyway.

On the Christmas day, We had Mike's brother, Tony, with us for Christmas lunch. He had been looking after our animal family while we were away when we attended art fairs. He is kind to all our family.

Topaz usually barks at any guests and visitors. She is nervous. So we usually put her in the car in the garage during warmer months or in my office upstairs during winter when we have visitors. So when she started barking at him, we were not surprised. But eventually they settled on the sofa together. Look at this! We were shocked!  She had never done this to anybody else but us.

Topaz found her daemon! 

Our tree looks best in dark. :D

On the Boxing day, we wanted to have a relaxing dog walk. But they were keen and sure that there was a cat somewhere! 

Christmas coloured coats - but they wear them all year around! 

I was going to do more tidy up in my office/packing room, but didn't.

A box room on the boxing day! 

Instead, I played with these two! North Pole meets South Pole! 

Polar bear is now in my shop. 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you! Canterbury was drizzly this morning, but the sun has finally appeared. I had to go to dentist this morning. I was supposed to relax and enjoy the day. Mike and I are going to watch 101 Dalmatians to relax. There is nothing better than an old Disney film when you are feeling a bit tense!

This beautiful photo was sent to me on Twitter by hoek @jeanmarron. It is about love, happiness and all things about Christmas, I think.

I hope you have wonderful time.

Copy right: hoek@jeanmarron 

Christmas creation and storm

Hello everyone. I hope you had a great Christmas. We chilled out and probably ate a few too many sweets, especially Turkish delights and chocolates! We also looked after cats for a neighbour.

I have also made several little creatures.

Ice Baby

 I made Ice baby for three children over the pond.

Mother dog

Feather

Turtle

And also made several owls. These are larger than the previous ones, You can see very sleep owls!  

Owls

The storm we had was the biggest one for some years in our area. Next morning, we saw a couple of fences came down in neighbours gardens. 

Two fences were down.

 When we walked dogs, we discovered more damage caused by the storm. 

Fences were down here ...

and there.

We won't walk near the tree.  

Lots of houses lost ridge roof tile at the corner. We were lucky not to get any damage.

Ridge roof tile fell. 

Then I received an email from a lady in Surrey that she had had no power since last Monday! It's terrible. I hope you are safe and sound.

Pearl decorated!

Merry Christmas, everybody!

Hello everyone. Mike finally finished Christmas shopping this morning. We have stocked up with our sweeties again. We had already finished two boxes of chocolates and one box of Turkish delight earlier as well as my special New Year rice cakes. I intended to keep it until New Year's day, but while we were ill, we ran out food, so I ate them!

New stock of sweeties

Last night we had a storm. I felt the house shaking. I am from Japan where typhoons are an annual thing, even so I was worried if our roof would take off! There were a couple of fences blown down in our neighbourhood, but we were safe.

'Dad has bigger cushions on the tummy! '

In the afternoon, we shampooed Topaz, While she was drying herself in a warm bed upstairs, Mike, I and Pearl watched Narnia and Life of Pi with chocolates. Mike gets jealous if I am putting Pearl on my lap. As I am so kind, I let him hold her. :D It's Christmas!

Next box, please!

We finally put the tree up last night, and started watching Downton Abbey. Last 12 months I had been too busy to watch anything on TV or in cinema. I hope I would be able to relax a bit this year.

Topaz and the tree. 

So finally we are ready for Christmas. I wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Lots of goodies from Japan

Yukiko's mother's handmade card

Hello everyone. We have received lots of goodies from Japan last couple of days. Yesterday Hitomi's presents arrived. She gave each of us a bag of goodies. Thanks, Hitomi.   

My bag from Hitomi

Wow, lots of things! She knows I am not very keen on sweeties, so selected something savoury and not-too-sweet sweets! : ) She also enclosed the toiletry that I can't get hold of in UK. Precious!

My bag - inside

In the mean time, Mike has devoured sweets in his bag before I had a chance to take photos. Yes, his bag was full of sweets. All his teeth are sweet kind.

Mike's bag from Hitomi

This morning, we have got three packages. Yeah! What a lovely day! One from my mother; she had sent me a big package earlier the month, but she obviously forgot to enclose some delicacy, so that has arrived.

This lovely  package is from Mr Yatsuzuka who used to be my immediate boss when I used to work in a company at Tokyo. He is architect. He loves to take a part in Japanese festivals. His website on the festivals is here.

Sweets from Mr Yatsuzuka

This is from my friend Yukiko. A long time ago, we met at Brussels while she was a student at the Conservatoire. Her mother gave us a beautiful hand-stitched card every year. We put all in show at this time of the year. They are all different and all beautiful.

From Yukiko

This Disney card is from my aunt, Shoko. It arrived before Christmas. She always sends us a cute music card. But this year's is so special! So I have to share with you. It has 16 different tunes, all Christmas related, of course, with flickering lights on the tree part! Music can be started or stopped with a click at the corner of the card. Mike was so amused, that he showed it to our parrots. They seemed mesmerised and became very quiet. Then they started head bobbing dance!

Aunt Shoko thinks I am still a child!

  

Merry Christmas from Pearl and Topaz

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you have had a lovely day today. We have had a totally relaxing day. We have stopped inviting family and friends a couple of years ago partly because our parents became too old to travel (mine are in Japan), and partly because we often get flu during the holidays. Once we had a very bad flu (swine kind); it had taken me three weeks to get rid of. That was when we made this decision, and we have never regretted it.

Merry Christmas! (Pearl)

Merry Christmas! (Topaz)

Today we have done more ceramics. Mike has thrown some bowls, and I have done some finishing work on my piece, which I have worked for a week. Then we had Christmas lunch, yes, turkey, but not roast. Mike made delicious turkey breast rolls with cheese and shiso leaves, very fragrant Japanese herb. Ah, they are so delicious. Of course, we had a bit too much. Our desert was Haagen dazs chocolate and vanilla ice cream with strong coffee, followed by whiskey truffles with stronger coffee!

Mike's turkey breast roll with cheese and shiso

The second desert course.

I didn't become hungry until late; so I had some Alaskan smoked salmon and cream cheese on slices of a baguette with a glass of wine, just before watching Downton Abbey. We had Turkish delight and tea whilst watching the program  I love pistachio and rose. By the way, I was stunned by tonight's plot. Are you?

Our favourite Turkish delight

Little helpers, the tree and lots of sweets

Hello everyone. Mike, I and our dogs, Topaz and Pearl went to the post office to send the final post from my Etsy shop before Christmas. It is nice to have Mike and Pearl to walk with; I usually only take Topaz with me. The last post was a beautiful milky white whippet. I hope it will travel safely and get to the nice lady in Devon before the New Years Day.

Midori's little helpers. Pearl, Mike and topaz from left.

Me too! (Pumpkin the chicken) 

 Mike was excited to find his childhood favourite film, Lady and the tramp, is on TV this evening. We sat comfortably on the sofa and watched it. I cried at the end. Then we watched The snowman and the snowdog. It was nicely made, and we both cried a lot at the end. There are lots of good films for children during the holidays. I love children's films. It is my prime TV watching season!

A bumble bee in a Christmas rose

Our tree is lit up, thanks to Mike. We have been tidying up and cleaning the last two days. I have done a couple of hours of ceramics.

Our tree is lit up.

Mike has baked a pear tart before I woke up yesterday. It was so delicious with almond essence in it. We have already finished it! We have lots of sweets given and bought as well. I told my mother in Japan that we are a bit like Hansel and Gretel!  Mike has bought lots of ingredients for more baking.  I am a lucky one!

Mike's rich pear tart

Megumi sent us a box of sweets from Spain. They are 'Bombones' but not like bonbons we knew. They are truffles with raspberry, pistachio, chocolate and vanilla flavours. Delicate and delicious. Thanks Megumi!

Sweets from Spain

My clay works during holiday

I usually get low between October and December. It is a seasonal thing, so I know it coming. Every year I try to prevent it. In some years it is successful. In other years not so. Important things for me is to keep doing something, so I won't sink into a deep cold dark bottom. This yeas was 50% success. I didn't fall into abyss, but I didn't stay float neither.   

So, over the holiday, I did some clay works. I wanted to test several types of sample clay I obtained during summer. I wanted to compare plasticity and smoothness as well as suitability for my modelling.

Porcelain white stoneware grog

Started on the 23rd of December

How about bob cut?

Finished yesterday.

I made this as a test. I have got inspiration from ladies in 1930's.

Topaz

I also made Topaz. Not quite right with balance.... probably this will go back to recycling

Yunomi

I also threw several pots. This yunomi is for Anne. I have got an order from her before Christmas. She said she is going to drink sake in it.

On the third of January, before going back to work, Mike took decoration down whilst I was watching Narnia film, Prince Caspian. Despite I don't like this film because the story is so much changed, I still managed to cry three times....

Oh yes, we have watched lots of children's films on TV. Narnia, Ice ages, Shrek, Harry Potter etc. I am very much still child at heart, or actually I reverted to childhood after marrying wonderful Mike.

But the most interesting programme I saw on TV was Royal Institution’s Christmas Lectures by Prof. Bruce Hood. He has talked on brains for three nights. I would love to read his new book, too.