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.

 

I lived in Tokyo for four years (over ten years ago now) and have very fond memories of my time there. Japan still has a lasting effect on me and many of the products I sell in my Etsy shop are made using Japanese fabrics or are inspired by Japanese design. While I was living there, I managed to travel around Japan a bit and went to Kyoto several times. One time was with my parents, when they came to visit me from the UK. We spent a few days enjoying the city and seeing the sights.

One of the most impressive sights was the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine that has hundreds of stunning orange tori gates that form a tunnel up the 233 metre mountain.

The temple is dedicated to the rice god Inari and many local business pay to have a torii gate added to this stunning sight.

Visitors can write prayers, wishes or thanks on the back of these 'ema' which are wooden plaques in the shape of fox heads. They can also draw a face on the front of the plaque.

Kiyomizu-dera Buddhist shrine has stunning views of Kyoto.

It's great to go in blossom season when all the trees are in full bloom.

Geisha in the Gion district stroll the streets in brightly coloured kimonos with bold designs.

The Arashiyama forest consists of avenues of bamboo, that are very tall and tightly packed.

We came across these women in the forest, wearing stunning kimonos.

You can read more about my time in Toyo on my blog here.

Golden clutch bag

Check out this stunner! It's a cute clutch bag made from a vintage Japanese obi fabric. The obi is the 'belt' that goes around the kimono and often comes in vibrant colours and bold designs. This one is no exception with its stunning geometric motif and terracotta and metallic gold colours.

The clutch bag is the perfect size for a night out and is big enough to fit phone, keys and makeup.

It has a zipper closure to keep everything safe and is lightly padded to protect its contents. It's lined in a burgundy cotton fabric.

This could also be used as a travel bag or handbag organiser, to store smaller items in your bag.

This clutch bag makes a great gift for a Japan lover. All items are gift wrapped in pink tissue paper and can be sent straight to their recipient with an optional gift message included.

 

Gifts for her

Struggling for gift ideas for the lady in your life? This silk scarf is the perfect gift for someone special. It's made from two vintage Japanese kimono fabrics in a bold colour palette of red and blue.

Th main body of the scarf is made from a red kimono fabric that has a pretty floral design. There are touches of blue, green, yellow and white to add drama.

I've added a contrasting border made up of a geometric blue and white kimono fabric. The blue matches the blue of the flowers and adds drama to each end of the scarf.

This is a decorative scarf and great for enhancing any outfit. Wear it casually with jeans and a jacket, or dress it up with a little black dress for an evening event.

This scarf makes a great gift for a Japan lover and it is totally unique. You will not find it anywhere else! All items are gift wrapped in pink tissue paper and can be sent straight to their recipient with an optional gift message included.

Shop for more scarves here.

 

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.

Bonsai beauty

 I love this bonsai tree print, used to create a cosmetic bag for my Etsy shop.

It comes in a shade of emerald green and makes a great gift for a Japan lover. It is lightly padded to protect its contents and has a matching green zipper to keep everything safe.

The bright pink lining has been matched to one of the flowers in the print. It adds a flash of colour when the bag is opened.

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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!

 

Japanese tea towel

The Japanese icons print I designed for my Spoonflower shop has now been made into tea towels that can be bought in my Etsy shop.

The icons include kimonos, kokeshi dolls, luck cats, origami birds and pink blossom.

This tea towel is made form a lovely thick linen cotton canvas fabric

The perfect gift for a Japanophile.

Red kimono clutch bag

 I'm absolutely loving this recent addition to my Etsy shop! It's a clutch bag made from vintage Japanese kimono fabrics in shades of red, pink and orange. I have a wide selection of kimono pieces in my collection and this is the perfect project for bringing them all together to create something truly unique and different. This would be a great wedding clutch or evening purse for a summer party.

The clutch bag is lightly padded and has a red lining and matching red zipper. 

I'm loving the addition of the red tassel attached to the zipper pull.

The kimono pieces are stitched together and then top stitched to help keep them neat and flat.

This pink bird fabric is one of my favourites.

Each side of the clutch bag has a different combination of fabrics.

The kimono clutch bag makes a great gift combo with one of my kimono scarves. The perfect gift for a Japan lover!

Shop clutch bags here

Sushi lover gift

I'm loving this cute little zipper purse! It's made from a fabulous sushi print that makes the perfect gift for a food lover or Japanophile.

This sushi purse is lightly padded and comes with a white zipper closure.

Use it as a handbag organiser or gadget pouch.

I've added an orange cotton lining for a flash of colour when the bag is opened.

It's great for storing makeup in and is machine washable too!

Makes a great thank you gift for the foodie in your life.

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