Over the past month, the Kate Spain blog hop has brought a lovely big bunch of new readers to these fair shores. So I thought I would take the chance to properly introduce myself and tell you all a little about me before giving you the microphone to tell me some more about you!
This quilting thing started a few years ago after my son was born. I had this idea that one day I would make each of my kids a quilt, perhaps for their 5th birthdays. Instead, my husband bought me a little Elna 1000 spontaneously about 2 years ago and so, it all began. So really, he only has himself to blame! One of the first projects started was a transport I-spy quilt for Jonathan, followed by the Good Fortune quilt… both of which were not finished until after we moved to Japan!
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| January 2013 |
In May 2012, my little family of 4 upped and moved from South Australia, Australia to Chiba, Japan. My husband is a scientist, and having completed his PhD 4 years ago, he needed at least one overseas research stint to add to his credibility as a researcher. Very broadly, his field is cancer, more specifically, low dose radiation biology (by low dose, we’re talking the average levels of radiation received on a daily basis from background sources or a few X-rays). While America had been the original idea, his boss one day suggested Japan. Between Ben’s very good Japanese, already knowing his now-boss and a one-week holiday here 3 years ago to have already introduced the culture and country to us, the suggestion became a reality and Ben signed a contract for 3 years.
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| Jonathan starts yochien (preschool), April 2013 |
Thirteen months down the line, and we’re still loving it here. It is very hard to be away from family, especially this year with the loss of my niece, the ill health of close grandparents and a nephew due in November. But the kids are thriving, their Japanese improving daily especially with Jonathan attending preschool 8:30 – 2pm every day.
And what do I do? Well, originally I was planning on continuing my Masters of Gifted Education part-time (I’m a primary school/elementary teacher) but a change in how I paid the fees meant it became too expensive. So I currently am on “Leave Of Study” at least until the end of this year, awaiting a reply to know whether it is just until the end of the year or until I return to Australia. Hopefully the latter! So instead, I’m teaching English two afternoons a week – two hours on Wednesday and one on Fridays with the hope of more as the school gets bigger. And also loving the freedom of my time without study, few social obligations and zero family obligations to devote to quilting and blogging and also some quilt designing. Totoro, Ornamental and Tea For Two are already available and some more later this year, hopefully!
Isabelle will start yochien next year, and while I’m loving having just us girls for the first time, I don’t know what I will do with myself during the day! Hopefully some more English teaching, and hopefully it means more sewing too without little munchkins to distract me.
I also have a small Etsy store on the side, selling Japanese fabrics. I love shopping for fabric here – the range is so amazing but of course I can’t keep it all, let alone afford to do so, haha! So instead, I share them with you! This year I started the Japanese Bundle Club – a monthly bundle of Japanese fabrics based on a different theme. Order it by the end of the month and it will ship by the second Friday of the next month. So far the themes have included sewing, text, cherry blossoms, children, and this month the theme is Tanabata. July is the month of festivals here, a way to make the hot and humid Japanese summer more fun! Tanabata is just one of them, so this bundle (available in fat quarters or fat eighths) includes 6 Japanese prints featuring Japanese festival motifs. Next month’s bundle will be cool-coloured prints (available to order from July 1st)!
As for blogging, I recently had my one year anniversary when I rounded up some highlights from my first year of blogging. Those who are new here might have noticed I do not have the Google Friend Connect option. That’s because I am moving to WordPress early next month which does not have that following option. You can see a sneak peek of my new blog design above – new colours, new logo! Next month also brings the start of the Easy As ABC quilt along, and I’m beyond thrilled every time someone says they’re joining in! Also, one of the sponsors and the Easy As ABC quilt kit provider, Sew Lux Fabric, is currently having a storewide Summer Stash Sale including the sale section – 10% off orders over $40 and 15% off orders over $75! So if you were thinking of ordering the kit, jump on it now!
I think that’s about it… Hopefully that’s given you a bit of background to who I am and where I’m at.
Current favourites:
Food: Sashimi
Flower: Hydrangeas (in full, glorious bloom everywhere!)
Fabric: Cuzco by Kate Spain
Movie: Little Women (starring Susan Sarandon and Winona Ryder)
Cookie: White chocolate and macadamia – gooey and chewy please, not crumbly.
Colour: Sky blue
TV Series: Glee and Game Of Thrones tie
Now it’s your turn! Tell me your favourite food, flower, and fabric!
ruthsplace says
I’m Ruth. I’m also an Australian ex-pat. In 2012 we moved to PNG after 6 years of living in South Africa.
Favourite food: PNG makes really good quality dark chocolate
Favourite flower: making the most of my time in the tropics by growing orchids
Favourite fabric: I love them all, but I’m currently lusting after Kona white solids
LisaW says
Food – Zambrero chicken burritos
Flower – Lemon Carnations (I used to hate them, but now I love their retro vibe)
Fabric – Well, you know I’m new to this fabric caper, but I’m loving PB&J by Basic Grey for Moda. Loving that my favourite scrapbooking companies do fabric as well!
Jess @ Scrappy n Happy says
Food – Lasagna
Flower – Crepe Myrtle
Fabric – Anything by Sweetwater and a new fan of Tula Pink!
Olivia says
Food: grilled salmon with rosemary
Flower: coneflowers
Fabric: currently the Nancy Drew fabrics and Happy Go Lucky from Moda
Crickets Corner says
Food: Pizza or Kansas City Barbecue
Flower: Mums
Fabric: Hipsters by Riley Blake and anything Bonnie and Camille
Color: Sea Glass blue
Diann Little Penguin Quilts says
Food: anything chocolate, especially dark
Flower: Daffodils
Fabric: I don’t really have a favorite, but I have loved being introduced to many wonderful fabric designers and their lines since I started blogging!
MsMidge says
Food: truly don’t have a favourite – there are too many!
Flower – Love Gardenias and Camellias
Fabric – Ummmm…….well, Terrain is up there – but I love the Notting HIll sitting in my shelves patiently 🙂
Kelly Young says
Great to meet you! Mu husband is a cancer researcher (his PhD is in organic chemistry) here at St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and I’m a teacher! So funny that we have such similar jobs. my faves-
Food- Gumbo (I’m from south Louisiana)
Flower- Gardenias and yellow roses
Fabric-currently Marmalade and Happy Go Lucky by Bonnie and Camille
🙂 Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation
Adrianne says
Nice to get to know you a little better!
Jenelle says
I love that first photo! 🙂 We’ll have to chat sometime about school. I’m considering starting a graduate program in education next year and I’d love to get your inside perspective. 🙂 Currently I’m teaching science as part of the programing we do at the non-profit I work for, and one of our volunteers is also a cancer researcher here in Seattle.
Food: Good cheese (I’m a generalist lol!)
Flower: Peonies, thistles, marigolds, allium….(I studied horticulture and have many, many favorites)
Fabric: Love by Amy Butler and Good Folks/ Little Folks by Anna Maria Horner
Carla says
That’s very cool! How exciting and such a great experience for your children. We had an exchange student from Chiba once ; )
StasaLynn says
Love your pictures…. what a great experience for your family. Thank you for sharing a little more about yourself.
My favorite food is Asian Noodles
Favorite flower is Sunflower
Favorite fabric is Studio e (right now;)
Serena Edwards says
Wow you are on quite an adventure! I love Japan, I stopped over for a visit in Tokyo and Osaka pre-kiddies and got to try out a little of my high school level Japanese – needless to say I did better with lots of hand gesturing 🙂
Fav Food – freshly baked bread with lots of butter
Fav Flower – Banksia (any colour)
Fav Fabric – geez I’m sooo fickle I can’t decide, but I like anything with a deep navy blue background at the moment.
Gina says
what a fun post and great pictures!!
My favorite food is fish tacos
Fave flower: peonies
fave fabric- everything except batiks
Deborah says
Fun post 🙂
My favourite food: olives, sundried tomatoes, pancetta and brie cheese (can’t get any of it where I live at the moment!)
Flower: I am really not into flowers
Fabric – too many choices, Central Park by Kate Spain, Field Study by Anna Maria Horner and at the moment Madhuri by The Quilted Fish.
SIMPLESEW says
I loved the Bundle this Month……….
Jacki B says
Loved this post!!! My Husband and I are planning on moving to Japan in about a year when he is done studying for his Masters in Education. We are wanting to teach there, and he also has family – in Chiba actually! I’m excited to follow along with you blog and if you are still there whenever we come next would love to meet up and maybe find all the fabric shops =) Going to look at your bundle club now. VERY excited to keep up with your blog!
ChristaQuilts says
Such an adorable family!
Nita says
Nice to meet you! I am Nita in Whitehorse, Yukon (Canada) and I blog at http://www.nitadances.com. I love anything resembling a flower, and the nicer they smell, the better – but I even like the stinky ones. Favourite fabric…I love Kate Spain, Amy Butler and Kaffe Fassett but I don’t own any because they are so pricy and rarely come on sale (and also because my LQS doesn’t carry them) so…I worship from afar. Favourite food? Sushi (but not sashimi! I am more a california roll kind of girl) and oranges, cold from the fridge. Oh, and cheese & crackers. Ciao!
Flying Blind... says
Thanks for all the background mularky – food: chocolate, flower: white roses, fabric: currently Archtextures and anything Denyse Schmidt xxx
Reb Thack says
My hubs is a cancer research scientist, too. Small world. So fun to read more about you – outsi of your amazing talent that we get to see as blog vauyers, that is!
I prefer: sushi, gardenias, and as for fabric… That’s hard to pin down as it is anything that speaks to me. I’m currently working with Happy Go Lucky, Posy, Cruiser Blyd, Little Apples and Avalon (but not all together)
Roslyn@Sew Delicious says
The problem with my comment is that I like too many types of food and too many fabric ranges! I can’t narrow it down! I love the classics, a good old spag bol, a curry, a roast dinner 🙂 As for flower, I love waratahs. Fabric is all over the place, I love Amy Butler Lotus, Lotta Jansdotters designs, Kate Spain’s Cuzco, anything by Echino. xx
Jennie says
Food – lamb souvlaki
Flower – tulips!
Fabric – Happy Go Lucky
Heidi Staples says
Alyce, this was such a great post, and I loved getting to hear more about where you are in life right now!
Food: pot roast and mashed potatoes
Flower: white daisies or tea roses
Fabric: Happy Go Lucky (today)
c says
food: turkey and dressing lots of sage
flower: white rose
fabric: ANYTHING, even scraps
this was great post by you and your family, I appreciate it very much-thank you
aka kingcooper0001@aol.com
éjac faciale chaude de la chatte says
Une fois de plus un poste effectivement plaisant