Shop Closed While Family Visits

Our shop will be closed from 5/21 at 3pm CDT to 5/31 while family visits.  Thanks for your patience!

We'll miss you all and are looking forward to being back with you!  (I may be able to sneak a post or two in during the visit - but no promises.)

[caption id="attachment_599" align="aligncenter" width="254" caption="Happy Onigiri done in Sashiko on Linen"][/caption]

Catching Up on News at Ojamiya

The end of the school year here has just been crazy and fun.  I have too many plans and not enough hours in the day to accomplish everything.  Sashiko and Bento are on my brain 24/7 lately!  (You've got it bad when you sign the kids up for swimming lessons and are planning your Sashiko projects for then already!)

Patience is not my best virtue - I'm like a little kid squirming in my seat if I have to wait and I don't know the plan.  But I'm waiting as patiently as I can to find out when the Sashiko Correspondence Course from Olympus will officially start.

My goal is to take all the courses in Sashiko that they offer - as it's becoming a serious obsession for me.  I'd like to have official accreditation to teach and learn as much about the craft and the history behind it as I can.  Sri Threads blog is a favorite haunt of late.  The humbleness of the craft truly draws me - as Sashiko was mainly used as a patching and reinforcing technique.  I love seeing the patched together garments.  Some are simple and everyday - just diapers and dustrags.  Some are gorgeous complex designs - in complicated patterns on the backs of fisherman's coats.

Cross your fingers for me.  I'll find out around 6/15 if I get to teach a Beginning Sashiko class at North Country Fiber Fair this September.   They're reviewing the class proposals right now.  (More waiting...)

Shop News:

[caption id="attachment_581" align="aligncenter" width="217" caption="Mio Kitty Face 2-Tier Bento Box"][/caption]

The adorable "Mio" kitty 2-tier bentos are restocked.  And I'm making bags as quickly as I can, in between other projects.

We have our very own bento related Sashiko patterns in PDF form (as a download)  in the shop in the Sashiko section.  Here's a peek at our first two.  (Click on the images below to see more information and images of them in the shop.)

[caption id="attachment_579" align="aligncenter" width="226" caption="Sashiko-Pattern---Bento-Box"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_580" align="aligncenter" width="227" caption="Sashiko-Pattern---Obento (Kanji)"][/caption]

That's all the news for now. (And yes I need to post more Step Away from the PBJ...Hopefully soon.)

What are your plans for the summer?

Favorite Spring Sights

Two of the things that I love about spring and walking with my family are finding robin's eggs and the wonder that the babies are so small and the flowering trees here. I'm not sure what kind the flowers below are - but they smell nice!

We found the robin's egg on a walk yesterday near the arboretum.  (Can't remember the name of the park...)

We have a winner for the “Spring into Mad Science” Contest

Thank you very much to all who entered!  Excellent suggestions and ideas everyone!  It will be fun to use these ideas on bags. ;)

There were 17 entries between the post page and Facebook:

1    Susan Buchanan    Ca or He
2    Bonzo Gal    New fan from Etsy- I vote for Californium or Berkelium!
3    Bonzo Gal    (new fan)
4    crystal    Beautiful Bag!!  I think N2O would be cute too. I found you on Etsy,I will visit again;)
5    Sandy    So cute! I’d love this one for my daughter who’s name starts with an H! I’d want one that had something to do with chocolate or coffee…maybe the molecular structure?? Fun!
6    Regina    First off, I’m lovin’ your element baqs. Ya know what would be great? The Periodic Table of Sushi, grouped by shape and ingredients maybe… I’m sure there are enough different types of sushi to make it feasible…
7    Krystie    How about an H2O bag for summer beach fun. Adorable bags
8    Sandy    Fanned you on facebook! How had I not done that already?? :~)
9    sheri    Hmmm…how about the sequence of planting a seed, sprouting roots, sprouting vine, then bean! Or watermelon, or tomato? My son loves that part of science class
10    sheri    Tweeted! Or RT’d http://twitter.com/sweetiepiegirly/status/11902280713 P.S. Your readers can VOTE in the justbento.com contest now!
11    sheri    Fanned you too! No, I’m not a crazy stalker Amy! Only a very “sane” bento fan!
12    @WSCreations    That tote is wonderful! I’d like it for my DD who wants to be a chemist … and just had to learn the whole periodic table!
13    Amy    Hmmm…how about the sequence of planting a seed, sprouting roots, sprouting vine, then bean! Or watermelon, or tomato? My son loves that part of science class
14    Richard    Fanned you too! No, I’m not a crazy stalker Amy! Only a very “sane” bento fan!
15    Susan    I honestly think that the symbol for a bi hazard would be perfect for a lunch bag. Might stop other people in the workplace pinching your lunch!!!
16    Susan    Oh and I forgot to say, I’m fanning you on FB!
17    Kurai    Would I be terrible to suggest Pi? It’s not exactly healthy for bentos though XD I’d also love to see something banana themed with K for potassium on it. I think it’d be cute X3

Applying the handy dandy random.org generator...



Congratulations to Sheri who had entry #10.  I'll be contacting you for your mailing info.

Have a great day everyone and add a little big of mad science to your day if you can!