Torii Gates tissue holder

Keep the winter sniffles at bay with this cute little tissue holder made from a Torii gates fabric. Torii gates are the bright orange structures found at the entrance to shrines in Japan. They are stunning structures and make a great print idea. This fabric was bought in Japan and makes a great gift for a Japan lover.

The tissue holder made from 100% cotton and is machine washable. The lining is made from an orange and white polka dot fabric that comeplements the outer print perfectly.

The tissue holder is big enough to fit a travel size pack of tissues and is easy to find in your bag.

It makes a great birthday gift or get-well-soon gift for someone special.

 

Stork scarf

 I love making scarves for my Etsy shop and this one was especially fun to make. I love the dramatic stork design and loved combining it with the red border on either end of the scarf. Both fabrics come from vintage Japanese kimonos which I have pieced together to create something new and dramatic.

The main print of this scarf comes from a cotton kimono and it was used for the sleeves of the kimono. The storks are on a dramatic sage green colour background. The red fabric comes form a different kimono and has a soft geometric design.

For the back of the scarf I used a vintage black kimono fabric that adds drama to the bright colours.

Touches of orange leaves and berries contrast with the green of the background.

The scarf makes a great addition to any outfit and would make a great gift for a Japanophile. All items are gift wrapped in pink tissue paper and can be sent straight to their recipient with an option gift message included.

Stunning scarf

 I have a wide selection of scarves in my Etsy shop and many of them are made from vintage Japanese kimono fabrics, like this one. I love to play with colour and I often combine several kimono fabrics within each scarf. This one uses fabrics from three different kimonos but all within the same colour palette.

The fabrics are pieced together in a patchwork effect. I spend a lot of time deciding which fabrics are going to go together. This kimono scarf uses a simple butterfly motif fabric, combined with a deep pink and white geometric fabric and a plain light purple fabric.

The scarf changes dramatically depending on which way you wear it. It looks great draped around the neck.

The colours are so vibrant and would make a great addition to any outfit.

This kimono scarf would make a great gift for a Japan lover. Each item is gift wrapped in pink tissue paper and can be sent straight to its recipient with an optional gift message included.

Patchwork kimono purse

I recently added this cute little purse to my Etsy shop. It's made from vintage Japanese kimono pieces that I've sewn together to make a patchwork.

The main print is a beautiful blossom print on a pale pink ground. It has touches of red in the print and I've added other fabrics in a similar red colour to complement it.

The purse is lightly padded and has a red cotton lining with a matching red zipper closure. There is also a red tassel on the zipper pull.

This purse is big enough to use as a travel bag or as a small makeup bag. It's a great place to store smaller items in your bag and keep them all in a safe place.

This pretty kimono purse makes a great gift for a Japan lover and is totally unique. Items are wrapped in pink tissue paper and can be sent straight to their recipient with an optional gift message included.

Vintage kimono scarf

I have a wide selection of scarves in my Etsy shop, most of which are made from vintage kimono fabrics that I bought when I lived in Japan. There are so many fabulous kimono designs and they look great reimagined as decorative scarves.

This kimono scarf is made from a stunning kimono made from a bold brown and gold print using Japanese icons such as blossoms, chrysanthemums and maple leaves.

The kimono scarf is double-sided and is combined with a solid black kimono fabric on the reverse.

The scarf looks dramatically different depending on how you wear it.

Look up close and you can see the gold detail and gold embroidery. This metallic addition brings out the richness of the browns and terracottas.

This would make a great gift for a Japan lover. Each item is wrapped in pink tissue paper and can be sent straight to its recipient with an optional gift message included.

You can buy this scarf here.

Obi clutch bag

 When I lived in Japan I spent a lot of time trawling the vintage markets and shops, discovering amazing fabrics to make bags with. I bought a lot of kimonos but I also bought obi fabrics. The obi is the 'belt' that goes around the kimono and they are often made of thick, woven fabrics in amazing designs and colours. The thick quality of the fabric lends itself perfectly to making clutch bags.

This clutch bag is made from an obi I bought in Japan. It has a bold stylised floral design and comes in shades of orange, yellow and gold.

The clutch bag has a cream zipper and is lined in a thick orange satin fabric. The size of the bag means it can be used as a clutch bag or as a tablet case. It's lightly padded to protect its contents.

Look closely and you can see the detail of the design. Metallic gold has been incorporated into the design which really gives it a special feel. Great for using as on a night out or as a wedding clutch.

This clutch bag makes a great gift for a Japan-lover. Each item is gift wrapped in pink tissue paper and can be sent straight to its recipient with an optional gift message included.

Origami bird purse

My origami bird purse is so cute! It's made from a bright red cotton fabric and has stylised origami birds all over it. This would make a perfect makeup bag or handbag organiser.

There is a bright red zipper closure and it's lined in a red and white cotton polka to fabric. It's also lightly padded to protect its contents.

This origami bird pouch would also make a great pencil case. It's made from 100% cotton and is machine washable.

This would make a great gift for a Japan lover. Items are wrapped in pink tissue paper and can be sent straight to their recipient with an optional gift message included.

 

Origami birds

I've just added this bright red print to my Redbubble shop. It includes stylised origami birds in a variety of colours and makes a great gift for a Japan lover.

I love this origami bird laptop sleeve, a fun way of carrying your laptop safely. It has a zipper closure and foam padding with a polyester cover to protect from scratches and minor impacts.

A sticker is a cheap and easy gift idea and these origami bird stickers come in several options. There are three sizes available as well as matte, glossy, transparent or holographic finishes. These are removable stickers and water resistant.

The origami bird zipper pouch is a really sweet item and great for storing pens and pencils in. It's available in three sizes and is made from a durable polyester fabric. There is a metal zipper and the pouch is fully lined.

This origami bird spiral notebook is perfect for writing thoughts and notes down and is available in a selection of ruled or graph pages. It also has a handy document pocket inside the back cover.

And this origami bird backpack is big enough to store the above items in. It's made from a durable polyester fabric and has two adjustable padded straps. There is also an external mesh side pocket, perfect for storing water bottles in.

 

Stunning storks

I love a stork print and this one comes in my favourite colour, a fabulously vibrant magenta pink.

The stork zipper purse is fully lined in a black and grey cotton polka dot fabric and has a pink zipper closure to keep everything safe.

This stork zipper purse is perfect for using as a handbag organiser and can fit phone, keys and sunglasses in. The bright colour makes it easy to find in your handbag.

It could also be used as a makeup bag. The purse is machine washable, so easy to keep clean after any spillages.

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Clutch bag

 I'm loving this clutch bag that was recently added to my Etsy shop! It's made from two vintage Japanese obi fabrics that have been pieced together. One of the fabrics is a bold, red and white stylised floral print which incorporates chrysanthemums and leaves with a scroll design. The other fabric is a geometric striped woven obi which works really well as the base of the bag.

This clutch bag is big enough to fit the essentials for a night out and adds a great accent to any outfit. It would be perfect as a wedding clutch or as an evening purse. It could also be used as a handbag organiser or as an iPad pouch.

This clutch bag is fully lined, lightly padded and has a red zipper closure to keep everything safe. This would make a great gift for a Japanophile.

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Kimono scarf

Check out this stunner! It's a kimono scarf made from a selection of kimono fabrics pieced together to create a truly original silk scarf and it makes a great gift for a Japanophile.

Whilst living in Japan, I amassed a large selection of vintage kimono fabrics that I bought at the shrine sales around Tokyo. Each piece has been carefully chosen by me to create a stunning item.

For this kimono scarf I chose a selection of orange, red and cream kimono fabrics.

Most of the fabrics in this kimono scarf include birds, flowers or leaves.

The scarf changes in look and style depending on which way you wear it.

If you look closely you will see that one of the fabric pieces includes a stylised peacock design.

This kimono scarf would make a great gift for someone special or just keep it for yourself instead!