HS HQ

A little while ago a Japanese magazine came to my apartment to shoot a story on small spaces. We live in a 38 square metre apartment in Shimokitazawa. It's tiny!

(Oops I've bought a lot of extra junk since these apartment shots were taken. And look over here to see how it looked before we moved in! I can't believe it's been almost three years since I moved to Tokyo!)













Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

April + May in Tokyo 2013

Hello Sandwiches!


It's getting warmer in Tokyo these days which, for me, is a shame as I love winter in Japan. Although all of the colourful spring flowers and potted gardens around each corner make up for the humid days on approach.


My friend Ros made an amazing 'Omedetou-five-year-Japan-visa' Panda onigiri lunch for me the other day. It was made using a panda onigiri mould and nori punch.



Keeping with the panda theme, Ros decorated her apartment wall especially for our lunch. You're the sweetest, Ros! Thank you!



After lunch we spent the afternoon exchanging craft techniques.



Recently I also visited my friend Kasuga-san's beautiful new atelier. Her styling is impeccable.







I was delighted to see Kasuga-san had my zine in her display book shelf.



Kasuga-san had made some delicious rice portions wrapped in foil and presented in a beautiful woven bamboo basket.





We sat around drinking sake, beer and wine and chatting about craft and other creative projects.



The Hello Sandwich x Martha Stewart Crafts Japan x PLAZA workshop in Futako-Tamagawa.







Experimenting making polka dot patterns with Martha Stewart Crafts clay.



Receiving cute handmade customised cookie sticks from friends is the best!



Stocking up on multi coloured pompom tape from the Japan Hobby Show.



Cute 'Do not bend' messages on mail from Mami-chan.





The cutest (post Japan Hobby Show) treats from Mami-chan.



Books + Zines on display at my Aoyama workshops.


Cutest beer ever!水曜日のネコ！  Love you Japan!



On the topic of great Japanese packaging, I love the design of these オーバンドカラーバック rubber bands.



Using the Martha Stewart Crafts Clay I made each staff member from my new Japanese company these little brooches to pin to our name tags.



If you're in Tokyo, please come along to the Hello Sandwich handmade notebook workshop on 28th May at Tokyo's best craft shop, Wrapple! For details, and to reserve your spot, please check here.

(P.S. If you're in Tokyo and looking for craft shops, you might like to check out my new Tokyo Guide Zine which includes all of the cute shops I've found since living here in Tokyo. There are only a limited amount left (1/4 zines left) so please don't miss out if you are thinking of coming to Tokyo this year).


Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

Japan Hobby Show, Tokyo, 2013

Hello Sandwiches!


I have just finished another year at the Japan Hobby Show in Tokyo promoting Martha Stewart Crafts Japan with my new Japanese company. Thank you so much to everyone who came along and attended the workshops! I hope you had fun! We hosted lots of workshops (three a day!) and many informal demonstrations showing how to use the cute new punches.




 










Boys can enjoy Martha Stewart Crafts punches and Hello Sandwich craft, too!



Hello Sandwich Obento Furoshiki workshop using Martha Stewart Crafts Adhesive Stencils.



Hello Sandwich Hanging Ornament workshop using Martha Stewart Crafts Circle punch.





I just made a little video for anyone who wasn't able to make it to the event. I hope you will enjoy.





We have also started a new blog dedicated to Hello Sandwich crafts made using Martha Stewart Crafts items. If you have time, please check it.


Love Love
Hello Sandwich

xoxo

Couriers in Japan

Hello Sandwiches!

One of the many amazing things that make it so enjoyable to live in Japan is the incredible courier service offered by most companies here.

When I first arrived in Japan I received a 'Unable to deliver' slip for an international package while I was out. Embarrassingly, I did what I used to do in Australia, and took the slip up to my local post office to collect the package. There was a lot of confusion and I walked away empty handed. The poor people who work there were so sweet and even offered to call for re-delivery for me. Now, though, I'm finally savvy with the technique and it's amazing! You just call the number on the back of the slip, type in your tracking number, and select from a range of times for redelivery.

I always thought that was such a bad service in Australia because usually the post office is only opened when you are at work so it's almost impossible to get your package.

The redelivery times in Japan are all throughout the day, with the last time slot often being in between 7 and 9pm, making it amazingly easy to get your package. And many courier companies work seven days, too, such as Sagawa (seen in the video above).

It's quite common, too, to have 'pay on delivery' here in Japan. I'm sure that exists in Australia, too, but I rarely used it. Now, when I order my zines, or stationery, or even alcohol, I usually use a courier. For instance, we just ordered some alcohol from Kakuyasu this afternoon at 3pm and it arrived via courier bike at 4pm. If you follow my instagram, you'll see that those are the same guys who delivered a free ohanami leisure sheet around ohanami time. Seriously Japan - I love you.

Another incredible service is offered by Japan Post. If you have one EMS package in your outgoing post stash, they will come and collect your post. You simply call the toll free number and select the time you would like them to come to your apartment to collect your post. I must say, this service came in handy when I was posting out hundreds of Tokyo Guide Zines!

Working from home, on certain days the couriers are the only people I see. So it's kind of a highlight when I get to say 'ご苦労様です！' at the door. They work so hard.  When the poor Sagawa courier had to carry 1000 zines to my thrid floor apartment I felt so awful that I prepared a token of thanks - a can drink with a 'ありがとうSAGAWAさん’ note on it.

Often when I'm walking around Shimokitazawa I'll see one of the couriers who come to my house and we exchange a friendly 'こんにちは'. I like that sense of community.

By the way, that SAGAWA 急便 TVC at the top of this post almost makes me teary. The words roughly translate as "Even on a rainy day, even on a windy day, West or East, we will go...' and so on. Nawww Love you SAGAWA. Love you Japan.

xoxo

Dot Mania

Hello Sandwiches!


Dot Mania is a new book from Editions de Paris featuring crafts made using products from the new Mark's Dot Mania collection.

It's a really cute book featuring some of my favourite craft artists such as Wool, Cube, Wool! and Sophie et Chocolat. And I was lucky to be one of the five craft artists asked to make some craft items using the collection!

Below are some of the projects I made.











The book is really sweet and has pages of polka dot stickers in the back section. And the Dot Mania collection has some lovely products, too. My favourite is the Dot Mania stamp set! If you like polka dots, you might like to check this out.

Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

March in Tokyo, 2013

Hello Sandwiches,

How was your weekend?

I can't believe March has come to an end already. So many changes have taken place this month. Shimokitazawa station has gone underground, the Sakura have pretty much come and gone, Gmail has changed, Google Next button will soon be gone...All constant reminders that nothing stays the same forever. I'll miss a lot of things. But we only have the memories to hold on to.

March in Tokyo, 2013 has been incredible as usual. Here are a few memories.








How awesome is Instagram? One day I am commenting 'Wow! I want a goodie bag!' on one of Minimega's photo's and the next day I open my door to Japan post who is delivering the cutest said goodie bag to my mini me Tokyo apartment! Thank you so much Minimega for sending me such a lovely surprise!




A sunny afternoon lunch. Miso soup with carrot, kale, leek and enoki. Onigiri with edamame and shiso kombu. Quinoa and kale pattie. Sprouts, carrot, cucumber, coriander, tomato, cheese, avocado and raddish.











Getting my nails painted with Hiki-chan.


My new Tokyo Guide Zines arrived and were dispatched on 21st March. If you ordered one please check your mail box and enjoy! There are less than 1/2 of the total zines left so please place your order to receive your copy if you're thinking of visiting Tokyo in the future.



My deeply loved mamachari on location at Yoyogi koen sakura. I bought this mamachari almost three years ago when I first moved to Tokyo and it's now developing a lovely aged squeak. In a way it makes me happy to have such an authentic sounding mamachari although I should probably pop some kind of grease in it to stop this squeak!





Visiting an exhibition of my favourite artist ever! I feel so happy to live in Tokyo to be able to have access to amazing shows like this!



Bike riding sunset.



Bike riding view.



Rainy days from inside my apartment. This is a blurry sakura tree in the background.

A Drawing-A-Day in March. This one is a stack of books.



Not much room in this teeny Tokyo apartment to display the Drawing-A-Day collection.



Super cute packages arriving via courier from my new company!



My scrapbooks for my interview with 101 Woonideeen magazine.

Wrapping for my friend Mami-chan.











Along the nature walk in Daizawa.





Ohanami parties.





Sakura Sunsets in Inokashira koen.


Making free booklets for my new company. Come along to the Martha Stewart Crafts Japan booth at the Japan Hobby Show and pick up your copy.


Well designed girlie alcoholic drinks.



Pop up accessories shop in Shibuya.







The sakura for this year is almost gone. It's too fleeting.

We can only hold on to the memories.

Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo

Daizawa Nature Walk Sakura

Hello Sandwiches.

I just took a quick walk after work along my local Daizawa nature walk to see the sakura. So so so so incredibly beautiful!!!







































If you're ever in Shimokitazawa, I really recommend walking down to Daizawa nature walk - it's beautiful all year round - but especially gorgeous at this time of year.


Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo