Green butterfly clutch bag

I love a butterfly print and I love a green clutch bag and this does both! It's made from a fabulous cotton vintage Japanese kimono fabric with a butterfly print in bright purple, yellow, pink and blue.

I used a hot pink cotton lining for the clutch bag, which matches the pink of the butterfly. I also added a hot pink tassel to match the lining.

The clutch bag has a green zipper closure to keep everything safe, and the bag is lightly padded to protect its contents.

Look up close and see the detail of the butterflies. Some are filled with colour and some are just outlines.

This makes a great gift for someone special, a truly unique item! It also makes a great summer clutch and is the perfect accessory to a summer wedding.

You can find it in my Etsy shop here

 

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.

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.

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.

 

Pretty patchwork clutch

 I have a great selection of clutch bags in my Etsy shop and this one is so much fun. It's made from a combination of Japanese cotton fabrics that I have patchworked together, using shades of pink, purple, green and yellow.

I use this as a clutch bag but it could be used for so many other things. It's great as a makeup bag. It's made from 100% cotton so machine washable.

Look up close and you can see all the different patterns I've used in the patchwork.

The zipper bag is light padded and lined in a cream cotton fabric. This could also be used as an iPad case.

It's the perfect size for a pencil case and big enough to fit a sketch book or notebook in for when those creative justice are flowing.

This makes a great gift idea for someone special. All items are gift 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.

Kimono fabric love

When I lived in Japan I collected a lot of amazing kimonos and kimono fabric pieces. They come in such stunning colours and are great for using in sewing projects, or just for looking at and enjoying. I now sell these fabric pieces as a selection of scrap fabric bags and each bag contains a selection of fabrics that are similar in colour.

This kimono scrap bag contains fabrics in a selection of reds, pinks, oranges and browns. There is a variety of sizes and weights of fabric, but they are all vintage kimono pieces.

This is one of the larger pieces of fabric in the collection and uses a pretty ikat-style design on a brown background.

I love this bold geometric design that is often seen in Japanese motifs. The bold red and white colour palette is very pleasing.

It's great to include softer colours too and this fabric is very fine, taken from the lining of a kimono. I love the soft pink watercolour-effect.

I love this bright orange colour and the 1930s style flowers randomly scattered on it. It has a very painterly feel and the colour makes it very bold and modern.

Stunning flower on a bright red background. This kimono fabric is cotton and includes a small geometric print around the flower.

Stunning chrysanthemum in a painterly feel. I love the antique cream ground colour.

This is such a sweet stork print, almost abstract in feel. It's a very small piece of silk but adorable! It would make a great piece in a small crafting project and I love the antique pink and cream colour palette. Some customers have used these fabrics to make doll's dresses.

Often the lining fabrics are more interesting than the outer kimono fabrics. This orange and cream fabric was taken from the lining of a kimono.

Pretty ombre flowers on a pink and yellow background. Although this fabric is obviously a vintage piece, it has touches of modernity with the bright green leaves and I love that injection of bright orangey red in the background.

 

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.