Scarlet Pyjamas

Dala Horses

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Fri, 03 May 2013 18:30:00 +0000

Earlier this year, J got himself a new job that has been taking him over to Scandinavia on a semi-regular basis. When he returned from a trip to Sweden a month or so ago, I was presented with this lovely little specimen - a Dala Horse! Isn't he great?

These little wooden sculptures are a traditional Swedish handicraft - originally toys for small children. The decoration on their saddles and bridles vary depending on the area in which they were made. Though they originated in the province of Dalarma, nowadays, they are fast becoming a symbol for all of Sweden.

World's largest Dala Horse - Wikipedia

Having this little guy in my home has inspired me to search for Dala Horse related craft projects online (does that surprise you?). Top of my list is this *amazing* cross stitch cushion pattern - just beautiful. It looks like an epic undertaking, but that's all part of the fun right?

Right! I'm off to order some linen and get started...

Adventures in Tapestry

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:30:00 +0000

Months ago, I got it into my head that I wanted to try out a new craft. Something large scale and more challenging than my usual knitting and crocheting. So, off I skipped to my local library, where I found this here book. Looking through the beautiful patterns, I was decided - tapestry would be my next project!

As it happens, my nana is a bit of a tapestry pro, so once I'd borrowed her tapestry frame I set about sourcing my yarns. Isn't this just a little box of happiness?

True to my nature, I decided to start with one of the larger, more complex patterns in the book. One of these days I won't bite off more than I can chew when starting a project - but this was not one of those days. I just couldn't resist this lovely acrobat banner. As it happened, tapestry and I got on very well indeed. It's not all that different from cross stitch - the yarn is chunkier, the needles are bigger and you only stitch a diagonal line per square instead of a cross. That's it!

One thing it isn't - however - is quick. Even working on it fairly regularly, this pattern took me months to complete. So, if you're thinking about embarking upon a large tapestry, leave yourself plenty of time!

Here it is, all finished and getting blocked on the ironing board. You really get a sense of scale in this shot!

And here it is, backed, mounted and hung on the wall...

...and it looks just like I hoped it would in Little Man's nursery! So bright and cheerful.

Have you started any new craft projects lately?

Dinosaur Baby Shower

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:30:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, our lovely friends threw J and I a dinosaur themed baby shower to celebrate the imminent arrival of our Little Man. It's pretty safe to say they outdid themselves. Check out this Jurassic decor!

We even had dinosaur shaped cupcake sprinkles (on green cakes)!

You may have spotted us ready to play 'Pin the Tail on the T-Rex' in the pic above. We have very mature and grown up parties - can't you tell ;)

I won!

We're currently infuriating everyone by refusing to reveal the Little Man's name until he arrives. Consequently, he's earned himself this made up moniker in the meantime (there is logic behind it, but it's a long story). I have a feeling it's going to stick even after his real name is out there...

We were also given a host of really lovely gifts (thanks everyone!) - including this awesome handmade dinosaur playmat! Check out the stitching on this bad boy. Pretty sure it's been made by elves...

It being a dinosaur themed party, I took the opportunity to wear the awesome T-Rex necklace my parents bought me for Christmas. It's pretty huge. I love it...

A Crocheted Christmas...

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:30:00 +0000

I know what you're thinking - Christmas? What is she talking about?

Well I'm a little behind on sharing my latest craft projects. These little guys were created as Christmas presents. I should have shared them aaaaaages ago - but you know how it is. Time gets away from you. So here they are now, better late than never and all that.

This first little guy was my friend Alison's Christmas present. Do you recognise him? That's right - it's Russell The Wilderness Explorer from Up! She dressed up as young Russell here for a Disney themed hen do a few years ago, so I thought he would make a fitting gift...

Here he is in all his scouting glory - badges and everything. Isn't he sweet? This was one of the most ambitious crochet projects I've undertaken to date, but I was really pleased with how he turned out! (Also, can we take a moment here to celebrate the awesomeness that is 'Up'? I've seen it a host of times, yet it has the power to reduce me to a weeping mess every time I watch it. But, you know, in a good way...)

If you fancy making your own little scout pal, I used this marvellous pattern.

Next up - Finn the Human! He was a present for my brother, who's a big Adventure Time fan. Might have to follow it up next year with his faithful companion Jake the Dog. He came together really quickly, a very satisfying project. Plus, you can't tell from this shot but he's a tall gentleman, over 30cm high!

If you fancy taking a shot at Finn - I used this pattern here.

This last one wasn't a Christmas present. And it's not yet finished, but I just couldn't resist sharing it with you all.

It's a teeny little cashmere/merino blanket for our little man. The yarn is crazy soft - I wish I had a grown up sized one to snuggle up in. All that remains to do is the edging, so I should really go and finish it before the little guy arrives!

What are you working on at the minute?

Childhood Memories...

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 18:15:00 +0000

Lately, my parents have been having a bit of a clear out, so I went along to help out/see what goodies I could scavenge.

Their loft is a bit of a treasure trove of my past - toys, books and games I just couldn't let go of. I had a blast rootling through it all.

A few of my childhood companions...

Being a child of the '90s, I amassed quite the collection of trolls. I didn't think there were quite this many mind you! Some of these have made the journey down to the local charity shop to be enjoyed by children all over again (though some of them I just couldn't let go of...)

What did you collect as a kid? And do you still have your collection?

Now where were we?

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 12:06:00 +0000

Hey everyone!

I disappeared again for a little while there didn't I? Things have been a hive of activity over at SP HQ these past few weeks. I've had a ton of Pixel Portrait orders keeping me busy - not to mention preparing the house (and our lives) for the arrival of our little man. Hard to believe he's due any day now!

Anyway - I'm lining up a bunch of lovely blog posts to keep everyone happy whilst I jump headfirst into parenthood, but before all that I just wanted to write a quick note about Google Reader. I know, I know, I'm a little late to the party on this one, but it bears repeating.

So. As you probably already know, Google Reader is no more - so if you want another way of following Scarlet Pyjamas, why not try BlogLovin'?

It's pretty cool, you can read all your favourite blogs in one place! There's a button to follow us over on the right there. See it?

Alternatively, if you prefer something a little different there are a ton of aggregators out there - just Google it and pick one that looks the prettiest!

I'll be back soon with some less admin based posts for you... promise!

Happy Year of the Snake!

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 15:55:00 +0000

Kung Hei Fat Choi! Yep, it's that time of year again everyone, time to ring in Chinese New Year!

2013 marks the Year of the Snake - specifically the Water Snake. People born in the Year of the Snake are said to be intelligent, financially stable and determined, but also jealous.

Regular readers will know that J and I like to head down to our local China Town to watch the festivities, which is exactly what we did this very afternoon!

We began with a hearty helping of traditional dumplings (the spicy pork came out as the definite favourite!), hastily eaten whilst we watched traditional dancers...

After perusing the stalls and markets - filled with toys and trinkets - we were lucky enough to bump into the Lion and Dragon who were doing their rounds, blessing the local Asian businesses and chasing away bad luck!

As usual - a fantastic time was had by all!

Chinese New Year has left me pretty inspired craft-wise this year also. Over the past couple of weeks I've been busily beavering away at some brand new cross stitch patterns for you all! Regular readers may remember that I received some rather beautiful Chinese papercuts for Christmas last year - and it's these papercuts that I have turned into cross stitch patterns. If you fancy getting your stitch on this Chinese New Year - check out my Etsy store, where you can find all 12 zodiac signs ready and waiting for you!

How are you celebrating the Year of the Snake?

Paperman

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:00:00 +0000

I know I normally post music videos on Mondays but I'm switching things up a little today. It's worth it, I promise.

Disney have posted their latest short, in full, online and I just had to share it. It's a delight from start to finish. Plus, for you animation geeks out there, it merges CGI and hand-drawn animation in a way never seen before.

So, find yourself a quiet moment in all of Monday's hecticness, grab a cup of tea and enjoy Disney's 'Paperman'...

Unravelling...

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 19:00:00 +0000

I've been having another one of those days. I've written about it before. Days where you crave order, tidyness in the extreme. It soothes my soul.

As per usual Pinterest came to my rescue. A little while back I pinned this little delight.

As someone who runs a craft business, I am in possession of *a lot* of embroidery thread, which all gets bundled into a paper bag at the end of every portrait and cross stitch I do. In short, it was an embarrassing mess. See?

That's not even all of it. Yeesh.

So off I skipped, got myself some pegs and starting winding. Man oh man, it was therapeutic. And of course once they were wound, I was compelled to sort them.

And then, all was right with the world.

(Oh and if you want to come find me on Pinterest - I'm here!)

How to: Print your own tote bag

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 19:30:00 +0000

** This is a post that I originally shared over on NE Day Crafts - but I thought I'd share it here with you guys too! **

For a while now, it’s seemed like tote bags are all the rage. Every time I walk around town I spy one with a quirky illustration or bold slogan. For something, at its essence, so simple, creating one of my own has always felt a little beyond my abilities. After all, not many people have screenprinting facilities at their disposal!

All is not lost however, as I’ve discovered a nifty little technique which achieves the same result, but with a fraction of the kit – and I’m about to share it with you all today. Let’s get started shall we?

You will need:

• A plain canvas tote bag

• Fabric paint in a contrasting colour to your bag (I’ve used a beige bag with black paint here, but a black bag with white paint would look fantastic!)

• A computer and a printer

• A scalpel and cutting mat

• An ironing board and iron

• A sponge or paint brush

And the secret ingredient?

• Freezer Paper – you can pick this up at large hobby stores (though our US friends can buy it easily with their groceries)

1. First off you need to pick your image. I’d advise choosing something that won’t be too complicate to cut out. I chose an ampersand (bit of an obsession of mine – I’m a bit of a typography geek!). If you, like me, choose a letter, don’t worry about any areas within your image you don’t want to print – this isn’t like stenciling, these can easily accommodated, fear not!

2. Once you have your image, measure your bag and print out a version that sits nicely within this size. For your average tote bag, something roughly A4 size is perfect. Make sure your image is a nice high contrast one, you’ll be tracing it later so you’ll need to be able to see it clearly.

3. Next, place your printed version on the cutting mat underneath an equally sized piece of freezer paper (with the waxed side facing down). Use your print out as a template to cut out your image from the freezer paper with the scalpel.

4. Right! That’s the fiddly bit over with. Now it’s time to position your freezer paper template where you want it on your bag. Then, with your iron on a non-steam setting, press the paper onto the fabric. You’ll notice that it’s sticking to your bag – go over all the edge to make sure there are no bits left unstuck. If there are any bits within your image that you want to block out (like the inner loops of my ampersand), you can iron them on separately now.

5. All stuck? Time to paint! It goes without saying that at this stage, you need to be pretty careful as any fabric paint that gets on your clothing is staying put! Take your sponge and dab on the paint evenly till all the areas within the template are covered. If you’re using a dark colour, I sometimes find it helpful to put a bit of card or wood in the bag to stop any excess paint bleeding through to the other side.

6. Now we play the waiting game. If you’re impatient like me, you can speed things up a little bit with a hairdryer though.

7. Once your paint is completely dry, unpick an edge of your template and start to peel your template away. Your beautifully customised tote bag is all ready!

And it’s that easy! I created mine in less than an hour – near-instant craft satisfaction. Why not run up a batch as presents or personalise them with family member’s initials? The possibilities are endless!

So, where were we?

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:30:00 +0000

Hi everyone! Happy 2013! It's been a little while hasn't it?

To be honest, life got a bit hectic towards the end of last year and I ended up having to take a little blogging break. But I'm back now - I missed you lovely lot!

So, if it's not too late in the day for such things, I thought it might be nice to have a little round up of last year so we can catch up with what's been going on round these parts.

In 2012...
• I launched Pixel Portraits - what an exciting year it's been for this little product. It's been amazing seeing them ship all over the world - and I can't wait to expand the range in 2013.

• The incomparable Joy Cho of Oh Joy! featured Pixel Portraits on her blog - am still completely geeking out over this!

• We filled our weekends with festivals and art installations - the North East really excelled themselves last year, there was so much to do! Can't wait to get cracking on this year's programme of events...

• We took a road trip to the Peak District for a much needed holiday with family. We went down into caves, up mountains by cable car and flew kites...

• We saw dear friends welcome twin boys into their family - and visited them many times for cuddles!

• I spent inordinate amounts of time crocheting. This year I'm aiming to get back into knitting - so many projects in mind...

• I started many craft projects (but did not finish all of them - yet)...

• My choir entered their first competition - and won!

• I tried my hand at teaching for the first time...

• On a completely different note, I also tried out Segway-ing for the first time- so much fun!

• We finally remodelled our bathroom - hurrah!

• I achieved a personal goal by selling at a craft fair for the first time.

• As usual, I got completely over excited about Christmas...

• We cheered as so many dear friends received happy news. 2013 is going to be filled with weddings and babies...

• We received some happy news of our own...

• Yep, that's right - come April, we're welcoming a new addition to the fold. A boy. And we couldn't be more excited...

So! That's me - what's new with you?

New Baby Pixel Portraits!

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 19:30:00 +0000

I love it when I get to share a new project or product with you all - it's so exciting!

What's even better is when the new product is something you lovely lot have asked for. So here it is - the New Baby Pixel Portrait! Hurrah!

Again and again I've had people ask if they can order a portrait to celebrate a new arrival - so I thought, why not create listing especially for the tiniest of portrait subjects!

It's been such fun to see people getting creative with the format already. Check out this surfing family!

So if you're welcoming a new addition to the family, or know someone who is, you can order your own portrait here.

Thanks for allowing me a little shameless self-promotion ;)

This is Hallowe'en...

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 18:30:00 +0000

What a murky week it's been here up in the North East. For days now it seems like we've had wall to wall fog. It's all rather fitting for the time leading up to Hallowe'en isn't it?

This little guy was super easy to make - just carve two small holes into a little pumpkin and insert novelty Hallowe'en eyeball sweets! Done!

Hallowe'en is a pretty big deal in our house, usually marked by a all-out party at our house for us and our friends. Sadly, what with one thing and another, this year we shall not be partying. But that hasn't stopped me getting into the spooky spirit - oh no!

Dressing up is undoubtedly the most fun part of this holiday - so I thought I'd do a little round up for you all of my favourite costumes (creepy and not) from years gone by, perhaps they'll inspire your Hallowe'en outfit!

For me, the challenge (and fun) of a good costume is creating it on as small a budget as possible. After all, you're probably only going to wear it once! So when creating your outfit, hit the local charity shops, eBay, beg and borrow from relatives - you'll be surprised what you can achieve!

Dressing up as Mary Poppins - childhood dream realised!

Does it really surprise you that my first costume is Disney inspired? Some of you may remember this outfit from when I blogged it a few years ago. It still makes me smile!

Time for a creepy one! Black Swan was pretty huge the year this was my Hallowe'en costume. I remember seeing the movie in the cinema months beforehand and decided then and there that I absolutely had to try and recreate it! (Well the outfit that is... the comparison stops there I can assure you!)

I'm not going to lie, the make up for this costume was a little on the laborious side - but it absolutely makes or breaks the look. I was really happy with how it turned out!

This outfit could not be more different! Frilly and girly, yet painful and deadly - I had a lot of fun creating this jellyfish costume. I started with a super cheap ruffled flesh tone dress (found for less than £5 in the sales) and then spent time embellishing it with tendrils and tentacles. Of course the umbrella is crucial to this outfit (and useful in the British winter weather!) - for that ethereal look I filled it with bubble wrap and, though you can't see them in this pic, lined it with glow sticks!

This one is hands down my all time favourite. I'm more than a little fascinated with the Mexican celebration of Dia de los Muertos so it was only a matter of time before I used it as dressing up inspiration. The make up took about an hour but was achieved with a child's set of face paints - so this is a very achievable outfit!

What are you dressing up as this year?

An Instagram Catch-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 18:30:00 +0000

It's been a while since I did a little Instagram round up hasn't it? August and September just seemed to go by so fast - busy times!

Here are some highlights...

Lovely Moomin gifts were brought by a dear friend from Finland...

There were trips to the coast in the sunshine...

Amazing new shops were discovered...

J and I took a trip down to Manchester for the weekend...

...and stayed in a hotel where all the floors were named after famous Manchester bands...

Though we didn't participate, we went down to the Saltwell Sculpture Day to check out the creations...

Lots of fun times to lighten the busy-ness!

How about you, what did you get up to?

Recipe: Peanut Butter Crispies

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Today's recipe involves absolutely zero baking - a little warming - but no baking! What could be easier?
These sweet treats are super rich and super tasty. Not so healthy, but a little of what you fancy does you good right?

I've appropriated it from an American recipe you can find here, so it uses 'cups' as measurements. If you don't have a set, I really recommend you pick one up - you'll be surprised how much use you'll get out of them!

You will need:

1 cup golden syrup

1/2 cup white granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1.5 cups of peanut butter (crunchy or smooth - it's up to you!)

2 tsps vanilla extract

4 cups Rice Krispies

200g dark chocolate

1. Line a medium, high sided baking tray with baking parchment.

2. Pour the sugars and syrup into a pan and warm until combined - bring to the boil. Take off the heat, add the peanut butter and mix well.

3. Mix in vanilla extract and Rice Krispies. Spread into the lined baking tray.

4. Melt the chocolate, then pour and smooth over the Krispie mix. Allow to cool at room temperature until completely set. Cut into squares and enjoy with a hot chocolate on a cold autumn eve!

Music Video Mondays: Do It Anyway by Ben Folds Five

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Man oh man do I love the Fraggles. And who doesn't love a bit of Ben Folds? The two together? Magnifique!

To be honest, I'm amazed this hasn't happened sooner - when you watch the result, it just makes so much sense! Oh and the song's pretty good too. (Great message, bite the bullet and do the thing you've been avoiding!)

Music Video Mondays: Shy Boy by Secret

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 18:30:00 +0000

It seems like the whole world has gone K-Pop crazy of late doesn't it? It started with Gangnam Style (which to be honest, I don't really get - I've seen weirder dance routines).

K-Pop isn't just novelty tunes though, oh no! Regular readers will know of my love for its cousin, J-Pop, so I thought I'd share my current favourite Korean pop tune. As with 'PonPonPon', this one comes with a disclaimer - it's all kinds of catchy. And it will send you off on a K-Pop jag that may burn away an afternoon. You have been warned...

If I could be in any band, I think it would be this one - they look like they have a lot of fun!

Saltwell Park Sculpture Day

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Tomorrow marks one of my favourite days in the local cultural calendar - and for the first time in years, I'm sad to say I'll be missing it. Gutted I am.

What is this magical event I hear you cry? Why, it's the Saltwell Park Sculpture Day of course! That magical day that marks the start of autumn when the park fills with local families creating fantastical artistic creations from scraps of wood. This year my 'team' (aka my family) are largely away on holiday so we're sitting this year out - so I thought I'd do the next best thing and show you what we've created over the past couple of years!

It all starts like this. A big pile of wood and nails. Doesn't look like much does it?

At this point, I like to hold a bit of a planning meeting (not bossy at all *ahem*) and we work out what we're going to build. Every year the event organisers announce a theme - so far we've had 'Movies', 'Silver' and 'Sport'.

Can you tell what we're building here?

It's quite exciting seeing sculptures spring up as far as the eye can see - what a hive of activity the park turns into!

Here we are the first year we ever attended - with another mystery creation!

Worry not, I'll reveal our finished sculptures in a second...

But first, look at that gorgeous light! Isn't Saltwell Park beautiful in the autumn sunshine?

Right, you've all waited patiently - let's have a look at some finished pieces!

Year One - Theme: Movies

We made Godzilla! This mighty beast ended up being over 6 feet tall - not bad for a day's work.

My grandparents even made some frightened townspeople to stand at his feet.

Year Two - Theme: Silver

This one was a tricky theme, so we did a bit of lateral thinking and decided to build a werewolf. Can you spot the silver bullet that's piercing him? He ended up being a fearsome creature - for some reason we seem to gravitate towards subjects with sharp teeth and claws.

Year 3 - Theme: Sport

This was definitely our most polished piece. Really proud of this one. A showjumping horse sounded overly ambitious to me, I must confess, when my dad suggested it, but nothing ventured nothing gained - and it turned out wonderfully!

And of course, the obligatory team shot. Well most of us anyway - some were a little camera shy!

If you fancy channeling your inner sculpture, pack your tools and a picnic and head down to Saltwell Park tomorrow (30th September 2012) - full details here.

If you do go, I'd love to see what you create!

Happiness is...

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Do you ever have days when you just crave order? Maybe I'm a little OCD (actually there's no maybe about it...) but from time to time I just *have* to alphabetise something or rearrange a cupboard.

Today was one of those days. So I did this.

And it made me happy.

It also made me think of a zillion yarn based projects I want to start. And made me consider the notion that I might have too much yarn. Actually, scratch that. You can never have too much yarn.

Do you ever have a day of 'order'?

Music Video Mondays: Complete History of the Soviet Union

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 19:00:00 +0000

What an awful rainy day it is here today! All of a sudden it feels like winter has truly set in.

In this house, weather like this brings on a serious craving for all things cosy. Heating on, blankets, slippers, hot chocolate - the works. And what better accompaniment than something fun to watch whilst you're nestled up in a giant pile of blankets?

Today's music video comes courtesy of the lengthily named Pig With The Face Of A Boy and takes the melody of my beloved childhood obsession, Tetris to tell the story of soviet Russia. Trust me, it's way more fun than it sounds! Enjoy...

Music Video Mondays: 70 Million by Hold Your Horses

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 18:30:00 +0000

I'm back everyone! Hurrah!

I've been a little under the weather of late, so I took a little blogging break, but I'm back and have lots of lovely things to share with you all! What better way to get things moving again than Music Video Mondays, eh?

Today's is a real nerdy treat. I discovered it whilst watching Adam Buxton's excellent BUG show a few weeks ago and was really struck by its ingenuity. In the video, Parisian band 'Hold Your Horses' recreate a host of famous works of art (art history geeks will have fun identifying them all!).

Happy Monday everyone!

Japan Week: Day Six

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:23:00 +0000

All good things must come to an end and sadly, Japan Week is one of those things. Today marks the final day of Asian awesomeness here on Scarlet Pyjamas - it's been a pleasure having you all along for the ride! Don't shed a tear just yet though, we still have two more points of awesomeness before we finish. Let's find out what they are shall we?

11. Studio Ghibli

Photo - We Heart It

Studio Ghibli have gifted the world with some of the most magical animated films ever seen - Ponyo, Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro - each one more whimsical than the next. Some of the first movie dates J and I ever had were to watch Studio Ghibli movies, so they are very dear to our hearts. In fact, our house has a bit of a Totoro decorating theme.

Here's one...

...and here's two more...

...and of course you've met this little guy before!

In addition to purchasing nearly every piece of Ghibli merchandise during my stay, top of to do list would be visiting the Studio Ghibli Museum. Notoriously hard to get tickets for, the Ghibli Museum is a place shrouded in mystery for me - photography is not allowed inside so, despite hours of Internet sleuthing, its secrets remain intact. What I do know is this...

Photo - Entertainment Designer

The robots from Laputa: Castle in the Sky guard the site.

Photo - Deviant Art

A familiar friend sits at the ticket booth.

Photo - Entertainment Designer

And you can even see a little Ghibli charm when you sit down for lunch! Magical!

I'm intrigued, aren't you?

12. A chance to practise the language

There is no better way to perfect a new language, than to speak it in its country of origin. Japanese is a notoriously tricky language to learn - did you know they have three character sets: hiragana, katakana and kanji? That's a lot to learn!

As a household, we've been trying our hand at learning Japanese - here's just a few of our study books! I confess, J is the far superior student - he can write his hiragana character set beautifully, whereas I've only mastered a few key phrases as yet. I remain hopeful that we two will one day master this beautiful language - and what better way than to try our hand in Japan?

- - -

Well, dear readers, that brings Japan Week to a close. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have!
These last few days have been my entry to this here contest - keep your fingers crossed for me won't you?

In the meantime, it's over to you! Why would you like to visit Japan? I'd love to know!

Japan Week: Day Five

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 19:35:00 +0000

Hello again everyone! We took a little break yesterday, it being Sunday and all, but we're back on track with Day 5 of Japan Week today. Let's get cracking shall we?

9. Castles, Temples and Shrines

Photo - It's a Beautiful World

I think it's fair to say that when we in the West think of Japan, we think of an image like the one above right? Japan has thousands of beautiful temples, castles and shinto shrines just like this - often nestled within busy cities.

Photo - Jiji

You'd be forgiven for thinking that in this day and age, the shrines would be largely for tourism - but in actual fact, they are active sites of prayer, blessing and worship. Locals visit them to pay respect to their ancestors (Shinto is based on respect for nature and forefathers) and to pray for blessings in specific areas of their lives. There are strict rules to obey when visiting these sites - there's a great list here.

Photo - 8Tokyo

When visiting a shrine, many people acquire an 'omamori' or charm to be blessed in the temple - this is then taken away to bring good luck to a specific area of the person's life ie. work, family or safe travel. The luck given by an omamori only lasts for one year so it must be returned to the temple and renewed if you wish the luck to continue!

10 - Feasts and Festivals

Photo - 8Tokyo

Regular readers will know that I find any kind of festival absolutely irresistible - and Japan has its fair share of amazing festivities! Were I ever lucky enough to visit the country during one of them, you know I'd have myself a front row seat. Here are a couple of my favourites:

Photo - Lami Japan

Hinamatsuri - The Doll Festival: Held on March 3rd, traditional dolls are displayed in beautiful period dress, representing the Emperor, Empress and their court. Any country that has a whole day devoted to dolls is just fine by me.

Photo - Purple's Note

Hanami - Cherry Blossom Festival: Held between March and May (whenever the blossoms appear), this ancient tradition celebrates Japan's most famous flora - the sakura. When the flowers bloom, large groups gather to appreciate their beauty, settling underneath the trees for picnics and parties. Truly a nationwide cause for celebration!

Just us again tomorrow as Japan Week comes to an end - see y'all then!

Japan Week: Day Four

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 20:12:00 +0000

Konichiwa everyone! Today's points of Japanese awesomeness celebrate the more traditional and natural side of the country.

7 - Visiting an onsen

Photo - Wikipedia

No visit to Japan would be complete without a trip to an onsen. For the unfamiliar, onsen are 'baths', traditionally fed from hot volcanic springs and are often found in sites of great natural beauty as a result. That said, their popularity has meant that more and more 'artificial onsen' have popped up in the larger cities.

The natural mineral rich water is believed to have healing properties and different sites are said to each have their own special restorative qualities. Whether you believe in the medicinal power of the water or not, I think that sitting in warm pool, gazing out at the Japanese countryside would be a wonderful way to truly get to know the country.

Photo - Tokyo Snow Club

8 - Urban safari

Photo - Wired 2 The World

We've all heard of the sacred cows of India - but have you heard of the sacred deer of Japan? Well, if you visit the city of Nara you will!

Legend says that a mythological god rode into Nara on a white deer to protect and guard the region's capital and ever since the deer have been regarded as 'holy' and are revered by the locals.

Visitors flock to the city to witness the deer roam around as they please - though sometimes a few forget that these are not domesticated creatures. Fortunately, in typical Japanese kawaii fashion, there are warning signs advising visitors to keep their distance!

Photo - Billy Eaton

Japan Week: Day Three

noreply@blogger.com (Laura Swaddle) — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 19:17:00 +0000

Here we are at Day Three of Japan Week - once again, lovely to have you all along!

5 - A land of contradictions

Photo - Steve Vidler

Japan is a country of opposites; a land of juxtapositions and contradictions. In just one city, you can experience ultra-modern futuristic technology alongside ancient sacred sites. In Japan, citizens live a life filled with respect for tradition and custom, yet their cities are neon metropolises. Round one corner you might glimpse a geisha or maiko in traditional dress, round another a group of teenagers plugged into their smartphones.

This stunning video by Blue Eden shows it beautifully...

Tokyo HD "Echoes" - Canon 5D II, Sony A65, Glidecam, Timelapse from Blue Eden on Vimeo.

6 - It's 'super kawaii'!

Photo - My Life as a Magazine

Japan seems to have an unexplainable talent for making everything as cute (or kawaii!) as possible. In the West, we most often see examples of this on snack packaging - who hasn't bought something on impulse in an Asian supermarket just because the box it came had a cute character on it?

You'd be forgiven for assuming that these products were aimed at children, but 'kawaii' items are favoured by adults and children, men and women. In fact, cuteness has crept into some very unlikely places in Japan...

Photo - Wikipedia

How about these pink bunny construction road blocks?

Photo - Web Urbanist

Or these manhole covers - hard to imagine a more unlikely place for kawaii art!

I'd most likely spend my whole trip to Japan on a kawaii treasure hunt, seeing what unusual and unexpected sources of cute I could find.