Nanna Moments from October

Busy times here at Nanna Headquarters!  While my blogging has slipped, I have been enjoying moments of Nanna Technology that keep me inspired and excited.  Here's a taste AND I would love to hear about your Nanna/Papa moments!

I discovered applique!  This is such a fun activity - perfect for those new to sewing.  As you can see, I appliquéd the owl to make a cushion.  I bought a pack of scrap material from an opshop and also used some other scraps I had.  It was fun to see which colours worked best together - that probably took the most time.  Then I just used the zigzag stitch to attach the pieces.  

Beetroot quiche! Yum!  Each year when the beetroot crop matures we go scrambling for a recipe for cheesy beetroot parcels with dill.  They are great.  This year, I adapted the recipe a bit to make it less fiddly/pastry-y.  Really lovely with green salad. (And how good is dill?! My favourite scent/taste at the moment!!)

Pants!  I found this material at the opshop for $2.  I was able to make my daughter pants and a pair of shorts.  I have had some great finds with material at opshops recently; my guess is that people buy gorgeous material but never get around to the project OR buy too much and have big scrap pieces left over.  I also made cushion covers for my outdoor bench- the fabric was a bright Ikea design for about $4.  

Peas! We had so many beautiful snow peas and sweet peas.  My daughter loved eating them raw.  I loved the peace  of podding. 

Over to you!  What's been on at your place?

Latest Research: What NOT to get your friends and family for Christmas rant

Here I am back at the keyboard ready for a chotto rant.

Today I was op shopping and came across my bugbear:  vast collections of gift-type items that seem to have been used once or not at all.   I went a bit secret squirrel and took some photos to show you what I mean:

Piles of gift boxes and tins

Bags of plastic toys - mainly happy meal toys! Also soft toys that you can tell have never been loved.

Unopened decorations

There was also a pile of unopened pamper packs with bath supplies and hand creams that I didn't get to photograph.  I often see these types of items in oversupply at op shops.  

I am not anti-gift-giving, but I am anti-thoughtless-gift-giving.  It is a common scenario - you have people to buy for on your gift list and you have no idea what they like. I am thinking this is especially common for work or group Kris Krindle's or for the in-laws you don't spend much time with.  It is a busy time of year and and you have no time to research an appropriate gift.  What do you buy? A gift tin with biscuits or chocolate?  Some soap?  A little plastic toy?

Jump forward a week in this scenario and you are now appraising the newly gifted stuff you have accumulated.  How do you sort your piles?  Do labels like: keep, regift, return and op shop come to mind?  What I am trying to say is that we need to stop giving these generic gifts when they are unsuitable.  Gifters are throwing away their money while meeting society's need to provide a wrapped package.  Giftees are all generally so affluent that they can pick and choose the gifts they will keep and redistribute the rest. It seems so wasteful when you consider how the money could otherwise be spent .  And if the money wastage doesn't bother you, consider this: these gifts are shitty to receive.  If it is the 'thought that counts', the thought behind these gifts is: 'I don't know you well and don't have time to think about you' (and that is a best case scenario).

So what CAN you buy people?  I suggest it is possibly better to get that information from them.  It is October so there's still plenty of time to get some snooping in before Christmas.  Perhaps just ask them, their friends or family for suggestions.  If you are at their house or desk, get some clues there.   Could you get them a coffee voucher, refill their chocolate stash or a movie ticket?  Lastly, if you must take the generic route, at least save yourself some money and buy from the opshop!  Or maybe you could get crafty and try to up cycle some opshop finds, like these:

tutorial here

From this blog

My American Quilt Experience & some sunny inspiration

Recently I thought of something I said here back in February:

I want to learn how to look after myself and my family and feel the self esteem that comes with doing it myself.  I also want to spend time with my daughter and my older relatives to learn and teach and do - and while learning get that intangible bonding time that we are missing in modern society.

I want to step in to the movie, "How to make an American Quilt".  

I just joined a local beginners sewing class and on my first night I thought how lovely it was to be in a room with a mix of ages.  I provided the mix, I guess, being about 15-20 years younger than the other students.  The class is currently student-centred; students bring their sewing project and the teacher supports. However, there are plans to all complete one project so the teacher can take us through the process from start to finish.  Another student and I have decided to attempt a simple A-line winter dress pattern for her grand daughter and my daughter.  One student was altering a top from round to V-neck, another added lace details to towels while the third was starting a pants suit.  Can you tell I am excited? I am!

My family and I are just back from a trip to the Sunshine Coast.  It was great being warm, walking everywhere and watching the waves.  We went to the Eumundi Markets and I came away super inspired.  Madzara skirts are Chotto Nanna!  Made from recycled cloth - including curtains and table cloths - they are gorgeous!  And go nicely with boots for the cooler climate I (**currently**) reside in.

There were some gorgeous owls at the market that I loved. I'd also like to make more toys - below is a first attempt at a sock monster for my daughter.  She likes it - Monster was given a big hug and got to join in many interesting activities.

I have also been working on my BIG project: slippers from a blanket.  There's been some progress... After several effort to make the blanket in to felt I have given up - I don't think the front loader is up to the job.  Instead I used the blanket, making a pattern and prototype.  AND breaking my sewing machine needle.  More to come!

Totes Nanna in Winter and House Wear

There's nothing like a bit of cold weather to bring out your Nanna tendencies.

As I type, there is a likelihood that I will have:

• a beanie 
• a rug around my waist
• a daggy 'house' jumper over my other clothes
• slippers
• scarf
• a down jacket on
• leggings or tights under my clothing
• a warm drink (to warm hands!)
• heater on, door closed, 'snake' (or cushions/towel) by the door
• a little jog around the room or a break to do some household task that will warm me up

What are your secrets for keeping warm?  

Recently I bought a super snuggly and warm cardigan that I was looking forward to adding to my winter outerwear arsenal for 2014.  Alas, my husband has dubbed it my Chotto Nanna cardigan and now I find it being relegated to "House Wear". Admittedly, it isn't super flattering.

Do you have a collection of House Wear - clothes just to be worn at home (or maybe for a super quick trip to buy milk, if you are feeling particularly daring)?  I think House Wear is a great nanna technology as it prolongs the life of your clothing- both your good outfits and the older/worn/stained etc. but-still-delightfully-comfy stuff.  

Japanese people often do House Wear well.  As well as taking off their shoes when they return home, they also change into comfortable clothes.  I love the Japanese idea that home is a sanctuary - leaving the dirt and stress of the work day or outside world behind them when the shoes are removed.  I was given a pair of winter pyjamas by a boyfriend while I was in Japan.  Initially, I wondered why a boyfriend would be giving me (ugly) flannel pyjamas with a fleece overcoat... but the idea that he wanted me to be warm was romantic in its own way! (I found many houses in Japan were uninsulated and often cold). 

Often we don't change our clothes when we get home as we feel too busy or we worry that a visitor might arrive unexpectedly.  I guess I am challenging myself (and you, if interested!) to try out House Wear for a week or 2.  For those that work at home, you may find the challenge in dressing up when you leave the house.  For those that work out of the home, it may be to consciously designate "knock off time" when you change into your comfy house clothes.  It will be interesting to see if  a new system can prolong the life of your clothes and maybe cut down on washing.  

Yes, a bit of a taboo to challenge the idea of reducing washing;  what if my clothes are stinkyyyy?!  I just wonder if I am often lazy and wash things if they need it or not- reducing clothing life and using resources unnecessarily. Hanging clothes up to air between wearings and spot cleaning were recommended in Make Do and Mend to help families reduce resource use and prolong clothing life during World War 2.

So my husband is likely to see a bit more of my Chotto Nanna cardigan this Winter.   Rather than challenge my $4 opshop cardigan choice, maybe he should be thankful the blog isn't called Totes Japanese…

source

What are your secrets for keeping warm?  Or looking decent when an unexpected visitor arrives?  

Children's Day Activities for Chotto Kids

Children's Day is celebrated in Japan on May 5.  If you completely missed it, like I did, here are some activities that you may like to do with any Significant Children in your life.  

These activities are suitable for:

- Australian Teachers of Grade 5 and 6 -  Japan is studied as one of our Asian neighbours.  

- Guides and Scouts, youth groups, playgroups, holiday programs or similar.  

- If you are planning a staycation this school holiday, these activities are a great way for children to experience Japan without the crowds and airports (and can work well inside, out of the wet!).  Staycations are a great Nana technology: reduced cost, fuel and time while relaxing and exploring close to your home.  Just don't fall into the trap of feeling like you need to do lots of major cleaning/ home projects.

I have arranged the activities in a rough schedule - of course, pick and choose as you see fit!!  I have conducted some of these activities as a teacher and with youth groups, so I have added some tips below.

1. Make a Japanese headband.  (Click link for instructions)  These are a good way to start the day and get children into the Japanese vibe.  

2. You could learn to bow in greeting and some Japanese words:

Konnichiwa - G'day

Konbanwa - Good evening

Dozo - when offering something (please use these scissors) or please go ahead. 

Thank you - arrigato

hai -yes

Bye bye- see ya

Sayonara- good bye (when you won't see someone for a long while)

If you like, add kun (boys) or chan (girls) to end of names and call the teacher or group leaders sensei.

3. Karaoke or Group Dance.  Kids can practice a dance or song to be performed after lunch/snack.  If you walk through Tokyo's Yoyogi Park you will often find large groups performing a dance.  Karaoke is popular too- either inside karaoke booths or in the park at cherry blossom time.

4. Craft activity 1 (See below)

photo source

5. Make sushi and/or onigiri.  Onigiri works well - less fiddly and messy.  Children don't have to actually touch the rice ball- they can make it in clingwrap.

photo source

6. Picnic time.  Whether you are inside or out, put a blue camping tarp down as a picnic rug.  At cherry blossom time, parks are packed with people celebrating the blossoms - and presumably the end of Winter.  Children can take their shoes off and place them neatly around the edge of the tarp, just as they would be expected to do in Japan.

7. Perform karaoke song or group dance.  

8. Craft activity 2 (See below)

9. Active games.  Baseball and soccer are popular, if you think either will work with your group.  I'd also suggest tail tag using the Japanese headbands tucked in to the back of pants/skirt. Students could also follow this morning exercise video that is very common in Japan (Just over 3 minutes), perhaps try it at the beginning and end of your Japan day.  

Craft activity suggestions:

- a cherry blossom-inspired activity (older children) : worked well with grade 6.  We sat on the blue tarp, with Japanese pop playing, while making fingerprint (or cotton bud print) cherry blossom paintings.

-a carp activity (good for younger  children): Preps loved this.  I pre cut lots of circles from origami paper, but kinder squares, old gift paper/magazines would work well too.

- origami, If you choose origami, please note that it can be frustrating to teach in larger groups.  If possible, teach a smaller group, let them practice and then they can be roving mentors to help others.  

- manga drawing If you choose manga drawing, be aware that there are many characters online that are either suggestive at a minimum, X-rated at the other end of the scale.  I'd suggest printing out images or tutorials for students to copy and follow.  I am not very good at sketching, but was able to have some success with the manga tutorials online and in books (try your local library).

- or try these other ideas.  

Hope you enjoy your Japanese Children's Day! 

Please add other suggestions in the comments below.

Sunday Night Comfort Food & Kids Chair Update

When I think Sunday night tea, I think of Grandma's tin tomato soup and toast cut up into soldiers or one of my mum's omelettes. Lovely, light and quick meals that is enhanced by eating in your pyjamas.

Lately, when I am after some comfort food I enjoy Japanese favourites.  There are 2 stand-outs: oyakodon and okonomiyaki.  Oyakodon is egg and chicken cooked with onion and a soy sauce - based mixture, with rice.  It is a hearty and healthy meal.

Okonomiyaki is often described as Japanese pancake, however in many ways it is closer to an omelette.  It is easy and quick, but you do need a few pantry items on hand.  From the Nanna perspective, it is a great way to use cabbage and eggs from the backyard.

I am no great cook, but I thought I'd share my simple version of okonomiyaki. I've found it to be a fairly forgiving recipe, so I encourage you to try it and adapt as you see fit.

Makes enough for 2 for dinner, with leftovers. (Microwave leftovers, then add mayo and sauce. YUM! You are at work and it is Monday, but you still have a bit of Sunday night to enjoy.)

Pre - preparation

You need to have on hand:

Dashi stock and Okonomi sauce: available from Daiso or Japanese/ Asian supermarkets.  You can omit the dashi, but the sauce is essential!!  If you are unable to source the sauce, make your own.  Try here, or google (there's heaps).
Tempura flakes: Woolworths
Japanese mayonnaise: Woolworths.  I prefer my regular mayo, but some feel it makes it more authentic.

Ingredients

2 cups plain flour

1.25 cups dashi stock (or plain water) 

4 eggs

1/4 of a medium cabbage (I have used a few, purple was used in the photo), shaded

3 spring onions, chopped finely

8 tbsp tempura flakes

vegetable oil for frying

Toppings: okonomi sauce and mayonnaise 

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix flour and stock (or just water) in bowl. Cover and leave for an hour in the fridge.

2.  Add the eggs, cabbage, spring onions and tempura flakes to the flour batter and combine.

3. Heat a large frypan (or BBQ hotplate) on medium-high and add a tablespoon of oil. Put 1/4 of the mixture on to the cooking surface, shaping into a thick round pancake. Use a spatula to gently raise the edges and flip when no longer gooey. Cook on the second side until no longer gooey.  Add some okonomi sauce to the top of the pancake (in a stripy pattern) and flip again (this step makes it messy but "cooks in" some yummy sauce!). Eat straight away or repeat with the rest of batter and serve all at once.

4. To serve, "stripe" the okonomi sauce and mayonnaise across the pancake, refer to photo below.  Okonomiyaki goes well with a simple green salad. And beer.

source: okonomiyaki world.  

Chair Update

I recently wrote about being glad I bothered, when I repainted some chairs for my daughter.  Here's how the chairs turned out.  They go well with a little table I had previously used as a bedside table.  Play dough moulding, drawing and tea parties await!

Sticky Moments

My Mum gave me some very useful advice the day before my wedding day.

This pearl of wisdom has helped me out on several occasions since, as I attend to my wifely duties:

Eucalyptus Oil is great at getting gunk off stuff.

So, let me rewind to the day before I got married.  We were preparing the reception room and found that some of the coffee jars I had set aside for candles had glue and label residue.  Mum came to the rescue - after stocking up on eucalyptus oil, we left her with the jars to do her magic.  Mum came through - providing sparkling jars for our tables.

Since then I have used eucalyptus oil to clean the outer surface of preserve jars.  For example, I gave cherry jam as gifts last Christmas.  The jars had all been used before, washed and then sterilised.  However, the labels stayed on.  Over a sink of hot soapy water, I scrubbed the jars and applied the oil with a cloth.  Not only did my nasal cavities feel clear, the jars sparkled.  I now also use eucalyptus oil for washing wood floors and the bathroom.

There is so much we can learn from our elders, and yet sometimes we don't appreciate it because it is coming from OUR elders.

Please share some advice that has gotten you out of a sticky situation.

Totally Sucked In: My Story of Stuff

I have been decluttering recently and came across a plastic tub I have barely touched since my last move.  I cringe when I see it and fear not throw it out.

It is my technology graveyard and cord box.  Do you have one too?

(And this doesn't even include the 3 other cameras and video camera I bought)

In the tub are all the various music players and cameras I have bought, that still work, but that have been superseded in some way.  I also keep all cords from said technology, lest I throw them out and render technology unusable. Yes, I am not totally sure what each cord is for, so I keep them all.

I cringe because I think of all the money I have spent!! I was sucked in to the hype of better.  The items still work but are impractical…or just not as good as subsequent technologies.  Only a couple of times have I bought new just because I want, I want - the iPod shuffle and the Lumix camera are examples (I have had each for 7 and 8 years respectively and still use them).  Often it was just poor timing or I got sucked in to the idea of the product.

For example, the Pentax film SLR camera I bought in 2000.  I had wanted one since high school and when I bought it I asked about digital SLRs and was told they didn't do as good a photo.  Fast forward 3 or 4 years and most people had digital cameras and film processing was becoming inconvenient and more expensive.  Ideally, I'd like to get a new digital body to use with my lenses to lessen my guilt and get some more use out of the camera.

Another bad buy was the mini-disc player.  I bought it in 2003, just as iPods were taking off.  The player was faulty, so I had it fixed twice - an investment of 4 3-hour roundtrips.  Now I see it as a bit of a time capsule - listening to the music of 10 + years ago - and hopefully a novelty I could either rock myself or offload on ebay one day.

My weirdest buy was in early 2000, while travelling in the USA: Pocket Mail.  It was basically a tiny laptop for composing emails.  To send and receive emails, you would hold the device up to a phone and call the Pocket Mail people. It worked well in the US, but in Europe and Australia it was prohibitively expensive.

I think I am also annoyed when I think of the devices I have that I rarely use now because my iPhone has their capabilities.  Alarm clock, camera, video camera, watch and personal music device…all now in my pocket.  Which reminds me, there have been about 8 mobile phones since my first in 2000.  Laptops: 4.

So what do I do with all this stuff?   The phones have been disposed of thoughtfully and laptops have been recycled appropriately.  Any thoughts would be appreciated, especially on the SLR and mini disc player.  Or do I suck it up and just op shop them all?!


P.S. Check out Story of Stuff

P.P.S  I have started a secret group on Facebook for people who do nanna technology at their place - the idea being you can share what you have done, get inspired by others, share info and stay motivated.  If you are interested, request to join Nanna Technology Brag Book. Be warned - it is just my mum and I at this young stage, but we'd love to have you there!!

When were you glad you bothered?

Recently I have thought: Why bother?

I can think of 2 specific instances:

Last week, when thinking of my sustainability actions as a whole - the issue is too big, I can't see any progress...

And yesterday, when I was doing up some play chairs for my daughter, rather than buying new.

For what it is worth, I am addressing these 2 thoughts here - with snazzy photos of my 'in progress' vintage chairs!!

Green - or Eco - Fatigue

Green -  or Eco- Fatigue are terms coined to address the reaction to the overwhelming number of choices and the knowledge of the consequences of our actions.  As the research and the consequences of climate change continue, you'd think it would be easier for us to stop the bad choices and pick up the good.  But in general, that doesn't seem to be happening.  Rather than SHOUT THE RESEARCH FINDINGS LOOOUUDDDEERR we need to stop and consider human behaviour to get some useful answers.

OR, to think about it with another common behaviour change issue...

I need to lose weight.

I know I just need to eat less and better while exercising more.

But I'll just have seconds / miss a walk etc. etc.

We know, but we don't  always do.

AND there's the choices and conflicting information that need to be weighed up before the decision.  For dieters and environmentalists!

Dieters: Eat fresh fruit and veggies…avoid sugar….try to have an alkaline diet…

Environmentalists: Is it better to shop local or organic?  Does all that water for washing cancel out the good of reusable nappies?  Plastic bag free or reuse supermarket bags as bin liners?

Bottom line: if you care about the environment, be aware you might get eco fatigue.  Give yourself a break, be kind to yourself and seek out things and people you enjoy- hopefully you'll get your groove back soon!

Chair Refurbish

When I was little, my brother and I had a gorgeous child-size table and chair set.  My mum still had the chairs, so I asked if I could do them up for my daughter.  The chairs, particularly one, need some structural work and some paint.

I've sanded and painted furniture in the past and was relying on my husband for the structural knowledge.  Two nights this week, we have rugged up and worked on our project in the shed after dinner.  I have also put in some time during the day.  One day, as I worked alone, I thought, 'Why bother?'.  I could probably get 2 new chairs for $50 and surely my time is more valuable than that.  The following are reasons to bother (not necessarily always, but when it matters to you.  Chotto, chotto!!)

1.  My daughter will sit on the same chair as my mum, uncle, brother and I. Successive adults have maintained the chair - that time commitment demonstrates a love for the child and their own childhood.  It is a warming thought. 

2. The chairs are cute and relatively unique.  I'll enjoy having them in our house.

3. The chairs are still useful.  By caring for them now, they are saved from landfill.  (Or possibly a fire, which could be useful to a really cold and family - this isn't my strongest reason)

4.  As my daughter grows up, she'll see furniture as something that can be timeless, sentimental and last a long time - rather than a flimsy, short term item that is regularly updated.  I know I am careless with items "just from Ikea/ Big W/ the op shop".  The items have similar embodied energy and will take up similar space in landfill, so maybe we should consider treating them in a similar manner, despite their relative cost or perceived quality.

5. I've loved spending time with my husband - he's part of the chair story now!  He showed me how to prep sandpaper, use a power sander and mend the chairs.  It is a good time for us to chat too - and more active than watching TV.

6. As I alluded to above, I am learning new skills and gaining experience in furniture restoration.

7.  I have enjoyed quiet-ish time spent working and problem solving and am looking forward to seeing the finished result.

So yes, I am glad I have bothered in this instance.  Now here are the pics…

 

The chairs have been sanded and are currently clamped to allow the glue to do its thing.  I have some white and red paint from past projects, so that makes colour choice easier.  More photos when complete.

P.S. In a recent post, I wrote about the cross stitch project with my mother-in-law (MIL). There's been progress and it links in well with the "Glad I bothered" theme.  On Easter Sunday, my MIL, stitched the apron, showing me some tricks and getting me involved.  The family was sitting around chatting as we did it- good memories.  I still have to add a pocket, but much closer to finished.  To compare, I have photographed another apron. The apron was 50 cents at an opshop - brand new, with price tag: $24.50.  Seriously?!  It will be good to have a back up apron, but I know which one will be the keeper.

SO, when were you glad you bothered?

Opportunity Shopping: 5 steps to getting the good stuff

source: viewed on dirtgirl Facebook page

I love op shops.  

As a child I used to go opshopping with my mum and come home with fairly horrid stuff like porcelain figurines and huge stuffed toys.  Then I went if I needed a costume for a high school or a uni event.  When I moved out of home, I would go occasionally but would feel a bit embarrassed by it.  I'd hate to be seen there.

More recently, I have embraced opshopping.  A career counsellor told me it was a good creative outlet. I decided I prefer secondhand as it was better for the environment.  AND I realised that it was true: people make stupid choices and give away really good stuff to opshops.

Coincidently, opshops are a great place to visit to find out what NOT to give as gifts.  Christmas mugs, scented candles and gimmicky kitchen appliances are overstocked at many opshops.  

Here are 5 ways you can really benefit from opshopping.  

1.  MOST IMPORTANT: Go and go regularly.  If you are serious about finding the good stuff it is pretty important to make it a habit.  I go at least fortnightly - usually 2 opshops in the same area at a time.  I think the ladies know me at some!!

2. What do you need? It is overwhelming to look at everything - although a cursory glance over smaller shops may bring its own opportunities. Novels, bags, children's clothing or toys - have a general idea to keep you focussed.  Consider setting a budget.  It is easy to go overboard.  Just because it is cheap, doesn't mean you will use the item.  Still consider if you actually need the item.

3.  Kids toys and clothing are often practically new.  With so much gift giving and fast-growing children, there is much at the opshop for little ones.  When people say they wouldn't put their kids in opshop clothes because, "Who knows what the previous owner did with them??!!", I wonder - What do YOU do with clothes to make you so suspicious?!  With a wash, clothes can be as good as new - either brand new or with much wear still in them.

4. Is it an Exy Oppy? Depending on overheads, some opshops are generally more expensive.  By comparing key items you can get an idea.  For example, an empty Moccona coffee jar will cost you between 20 cents and 2 dollars.  Also consider that some opshops are more expensive but have higher quality merchandise.  For example, one opshop I love has great designer clothing.  I am happy to spend $15 for something there and appreciate that someone has sorted through the clothes and just left in the good stuff.

5. Buy items that you would generally buy new at a shop.  This might sound obvious, but it is really a reminder that opshops have a wider range of items than you might expect.  Magazines, incense and greeting cards can all be found at the opshop.

P.S.  Oh dear, I had been sitting on this post for a bit and then read this one in a blog I enjoy.  Similar tips, so maybe I should feel like my advice is spot on?!

Please tell me your best find at an op shop!!

Dreaming of Japan… Itinerary & Top 10 Tourist Experiences

Lately I have been dreaming of going to Japan.  I'd love my husband and daughter to see it and I'd just love to be there: getting lost amongst all the people on the streets, navigating the massive train stations, quickly grabbing onigiri (rice balls) for lunch or walking through the friendly and lively streets of Tokyo way too late at night.

Realistically, a trip with my toddler wouldn't be visiting the Japan I remember.  For now, I am happy to wait and get by with little experiences of Japan in my day-to-day life (I'll write about them soon! For a slightly out of date taster, try clicking here).



However, if I HAD TO rush off to Japan for 10 days next week, this is what I'd do….

(PLUS, see below for a top 10 of my tourist experiences in Japan)

Day 1: Day flight in to Tokyo - Narita Airport.  Be kind to yourself and get the N'EX - Narita Express- to Shinjuku.  It is about 90 minutes, so make sure you head to the convenience store at the airport and get a beer and snacks.  Woohoo! You are in Japan.  Last time I was in Tokyo (2009), I stayed HERE.  Kabukicho is a bit seedy, but I feel pretty safe there.  (I was victim to a bag grabbing in Tokyo once - way out in the suburbs, a block from my apartment.  So do look after yourself as you would in any other large city)

Day 2: Sunday.  Take it easy, take it all in.  I am linking to a friend's blog, Tight Arse Travel, as it has a day trip I wrote about that is perfect for a Sunday in Tokyo.  Find it here.  I have copied it here too:

This half day plan for Tokyo is especially good for Sundays & a good remedy to museums. Apart from train tickets, food & drink, it is all free. It is worth a mention that these are based on my time there in 2006.

Take the train to Shibuya station & get out at the Hachiko exit. Have a look at the loyal dog statue and check out the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world. There is a Starbucks with a great view over the crossing - a great spot for people watching.

Next up, walk to Harajuku station (or train it) - there is an elevated walkway towards the park. On Sundays this is where you'll find heaps of dressed up teenagers looking all Gothic or manga-like & loving the attention. Keep going and you'll find Meiji jinga (shrine) in Yoyogi Park. The shrine has a lovely long entrance that includes walking under the torii gates - it is a nice shady place to be in summer. The shrine is great to look at and you'll often see a traditional wedding.  

Head back out and spend some time in Yoyogi park - on the weekend there's some awesome people watching, pet watching (dressed up dogs, rabbits … crazy stuff) plus people doing kendo, singing or dancing.

Hungry?  If you are happy at the park, grab an ice-cream from one of the vending machines (Y100) or head back to Harajuku station and grab something from the convenience store (beer, rice ball, sushi, spaghetti ... there's a high turnover so there's a fair range and fresh Y300+).  If you are happy to leave the park, walk into Harajuku, on to the main drag - Omotesando dori/street. Opposite Zara, there is a cheap but good sushi train place on the first floor - plates from Y100, plus all the wasabi, ginger & tea you can eat & drink.  

Bonus activity: The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Buildings in Nishi-Shinjuku are open morning- evening: the observation deck will give you an idea of the size the city.

Day 3: It is Monday, so think about whether you want to get in amongst rush hour in the world's most busy train station or not.  It should be less crowded by 9am ish.  Head out to Omiya today.  It is not a huge tourist destination, but it has a great kimono shop - reasonable prices, plus try on.  They also have a business in central tokyo if you'd like to get your hair and makeup done, have a tea ceremony and visit a shrine in your kimono.  See the website here.  In the afternoon, visit the Edo Tokyo Museum for a good history of Tokyo, including dioramas and models.  Tonight head out to an izakaya for tea and drinks, plus "just half an hour" of karaoke.  The karaoke place they used in Lost in Translation is close to the hotel and has great views.

Day 4:  Check out of the hotel and lock your bags at Shinjuku Station in a locker.  Hardcore Tokyo today: Tsukiji Wholesale fish markets, Akihabara - Electric Town & weird manga stuff, Senso-ji Temple, Kappabashi-dori (for awesome catering gear, including plastic food and beautiful crockery), the Imperial Palace and a look at Ginza.  Tonight you are on the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Hiroshima, so go to a convenience store and buy dinner or get a bento at the station.  There is a huge turnover of food in Tokyo, so it is fresher than you might expect.  Check in to your hotel (no recommendation, sorry! Maybe try the local Tokyu Hotel) and sleep...

Day 5: Why did I make DAY 4 so full on?  2 reasons- Japan is fast paced, you had a slow start to warm up but now it is time to travel hard, Empress!  Secondly, and more importantly, is to get the most mileage out of your 7 Day Japan Rail Pass.  For the rest of your trip -including the pricey trip back to the airport- your train costs are covered.  Yes, thank you would be appropriate right now!!

You are in Hiroshima.  I don't love Horror Tourism (Auschwitz, HoChiMinh War Museum, Phnom Penh) but I did find the Peace Museum fascinating.  Go in the morning, then head out to Miya Jima - a shrine by/in the water.  Tonight is all about the local speciality: okonomiyaki. And beer. And talking about how we can rid the world of nuclear weapons.

Day 6: Heading to Kyoto.  Stop off at Himeji to stretch your legs and see an awesome castle.  Check in to your hotel in Kyoto then go geisha spotting in Gion at sunset.  Early night in preparation for another big day of sightseeing. Stay at a traditional inn (ryokan) near Kyoto Station: HERE .

Fushimi Inari Shrine (as seen in Memoirs of a Geisha)

Day 7-9: Kyoto is a wonderland of temples, shines and beauty set amongst an otherwise standard modern city.  I love it.  Find moments to breath in the old Japan before hot footing it to the next sight.  It can be overwhelming, my picks would be: Kiomizudera, Fushimi Inari Shrine, the Arashiyama area and the nightingale floor at the castle.  But there are many sights so do your homework and don't forget to stop every now and then - one travel companion had a one temple / one ice-cream rule, but that would be challenging to most appetites in Kyoto!

Also in the area is Nara and Osaka - easy to get to by train for a day trip.

Kinkaku-ji, Kyoto

Day 10: Travelling back to Tokyo.  A free day to make sure you get all the karaoke-ing, shopping or hot spring bathing you need done.  If you haven't already, go to a 100 yen store ($2 shop, but better) to buy some souvenirs.  Train to Tokyo during day - hopefully you will see Fuji san from train.  Then out to airport.  After you check in, my tip is to head back to the convenience store for some umeshu or sake then spend your last few hundred yen on a massage chair.  Nice way to relax for the night flight home…

Top 10 Tourist Experiences in Japan, no particular order…

1. Night cruise on Tokyo Bay- Okonomiyaki and beer, plus a gorgeous view.  The boats are a bit decrepit, so drinking beer helps.

2. Karaoke.  The first rule of Karaoke Club is: no one is made to sing!!  Give karaoke a go to see what the fuss is about.  In my experience, most people come reluctantly and end up having fun.

3. The Sapporo Ice Festival - see the sculptures carved from ice then visit the Sapporo Beer Factory for a tour, tasting and the Genghis Khan BBQ.

4. Bathing in a hot spring with a pretty view.

5. Shopping: 100 yen stores, Loft, Kappabashi Street, 3 Coins (300 Yen store) - there's some great shopping.

6. Hakone.  Stay at the Fuji Hakone Guesthouse, get the all inclusive ticket.  It is a beautiful place to see Mt Fuji, enjoy the hot springs and get away from the hustle and bustle.  I contemplated adding this to the suggested itinerary for the last couple of days as a nice way to round off the trip - see how you go!

7.  Taiko drumming is pretty awesome - I saw a performance and would recommend.  I am not really in to many cultural performances (I've seen a few on my travels and tend to be dinky) but I love the energy of taiko.

8. Sumo - check to see if there is a bout on when you go.  Great fun and easy to understand what is going on - even I could understand the rules!

9. Tokyo Disney Land and Universal Studios Osaka.  Fun days out and a novelty if you don't have these theme parks near your home.  I still remember the thrill of cycling into the sky with E.T. and hearing him say my name!

10. The Japanese are great at celebrating the changing seasons.  I loved cherry blossom season - picnics at the park under the trees.  I also loved the changing colours of the ginkgoes and the Japanese Maples.  Summer meant festivals - the chance to dress up in summer kimonos - while winter was for eating nabe and visiting the a shrine in the early hours of the new year to bring good luck.

Of course there are many great travel experiences to be had - have you been to Japan?  What would you add?

A Very Nanna Sunday

Why do I want to blog about my experiences in Nanna Technology?

4 main reasons:

1. To get myself used to writing regularly.  I love to write but need a purpose.

2. To keep myself motivated to learn more about Nanna Technology.  I am not naturally a finisher - I start projects with so much enthusiasm and then they fall by the wayside.

3. To have a record of what I am doing day-to-day, month-to-month.  Staying at home with my daughter, people often wonder what I do all day.  Well, I keep the family organised and fed, 'nurture' my daughter and then Nanna it up!

4. To share inspiration with others - it feels good to work on nanna projects and talk about them.

Why did I put off blogging for so long?

1. Being a mum and a blogger is a huge cliche.

2.  I'm not an expert or want to suggest that I am.

3. I didn't want people to think I was bragging or trying to "one up".

I realised I can't control how others view what I do and the  positives outweighed the negatives -I decided to just start writing.   This is how I often coach myself when starting something new: Get over yourself, who cares if you look like an idiot, you are allowed to be crap at something when you just start.  Worse to be the person who steps back because they are too scared to look like an idiot!!

So please remember, if I show photos of my preserves, it is because I like to take photos (and put them into apps to make collages and add text).  It is just a snapshot of one moment in my day - a day which probably also involved watching TV, googling stupid stuff or whatever!

Enough said…here's how we Nanna'd it up last Sunday…

1. The tomatoes were pulled out to make way for the next crop, leaving 1200 grams of green tomatoes.  I found heaps of recipes online but went for the one that I had all the ingredients for.  It seemed illogical to go and but a bag of apples if the point of the exercise was to make use of an otherwise wasted resource.  Tried some with cheese on toast the same day- tasted alright to me!

2. My Mother-in-law suggested a joint project - making a small apron for my daughter.  I will cross stitch and she will help me sew it.  The last time I crosshatched was at Brownies!! So I youtubed and googled to remind myself.  I got a pattern for a simple heart online.  

3. Not me - my husband went and collected wood.  We have a small wood stove in our kitchen that we use as heating and to boil water.  

4. Cooking the quinces I gleaned from a roadside.  I looked at lots of recipes and went for the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Companion recipe: poached in syrup.  These are really good.  I didn't get quinces straight away.  Like ginger, it was something my mum liked and that I would eat but not really enjoy.  I enjoy them now. 

Thanks Collage and Typic for helping me make the photos!!

In praise of The Local

Recently I heard of a granny involved in a little magazine syndicate with two friends.  These are three women who know how to get value for money, while still loving to keep up with the weekly glossies.  So they have an agreement: they each buy a particular magazine, read it and then swap.  They have a designated drop off location in one of their backyards - under the barbecue cover, if I remember correctly. They have an initialling system so they can each keep track of the magazines they have read.  Once there are 3 initials, the magazines go to a daughter, then her daughter-in-law and finally a hospital waiting room.  I love systems like this! It is a great example of getting more use out of resources and reducing waste while decreasing clutter in the home.  AND a great example of giving yourself a little bit of luxury in the everyday.

Source: here

On a larger scale, you have the local library.  I guess libraries are not actually FREE - we do pay for them in our taxes.  So, are you getting your money's worth? I wonder why libraries are not utilised more and I think maybe it is the perception that libraries have limited selections.  Or perhaps the time taken to access books from other libraries? I am SO IMPRESSED with the library.  Here is my case for libraries as a bona fide nanna technology!

Firstly, Exhibit A: The Lady.

I found this at my local library, the story of Aung San Suu Kyui.  It was a GREAT film, relatively new and one I had been waiting to see and not found in the local video shop.  Oh, and it was FREE.


Next,  I love that I can access lots of libraries.  The library catalogue is online and therefore accessible from home.  When I search for books and other media, I can choose to search "All Libraries".   Once I've made a reservation I get a text when the book is ready for collection at my local library.  As a result, I have books coming from across the state, FREE, to me.

Third, magazines, book or DVD binges.  I am not hugely enamoured any magazine at the moment, but when I am it is a great way to indulge without paying for it (i.e. it is FREE).  Also add to this list: holiday fiction, films, TV series, recipe books and how-to books.  If you have a holiday coming up or not feeling super energetic, the library is a good place to stock up on entertainment.

How often do you get to the library?  Is it an impressive or underwhelming experience?

I'll be writing about some of my library finds soon.

Upcycled Happy Cushions

I love making cushions.  They look pretty, they are EASY to sew and I love using bits of fabric I have collected over the years.

Cushion making makes me HAPPY.  Making 'something pretty' is rewarding enough - accomplishment - but making something out of another thing that is destined to be thrown away or seldom used is even better to me.  Lovely, happy memories and a knowing that you are living more lightly, I guess.

 Even more, I find sewing is an activity that totally engages me - I get measuring, cutting, piecing, sewing and stuffing and time races by.  Research has shown that people who have an activity they get totally engaged in are likely to be happy (read more about it here). My own gut feel is that it is great to get super engaged in activities as a counterbalance to the multitasking we do in other aspects of our lives.  So I prioritise projects that allow me to be a bit creative and learn a new skill while being 'in the zone'.

When I was heavily pregnant with my daughter (waiting, waiting, waiting) I hand sewed 2 cushions- one show-pieced a piece of silk kimono I purchased about 8 years earlier.  The other was made from a summer dress I bought at Hampton Beach about 13 years before! As I sewed the dress I thought of the  fearless, independent and FREE days of travelling.

Since then I have had my Granma's sewing machine serviced and I am slowly getting used to the faster pace.  Last night I was at it again.  This time I had a 'vintage' tea towel and a gorgeous silk furoshiki to play with.

Here you can see 2 of my creations- one from an old sun dress, the other from a tea towel.

(Yes, I have a camping chair in my kitchen.  People wonder why until they sit in it. )

The opshopped tea towel is a souvenir from Tasmania - bright orange, with a map and images of famous places.  Given that it is a tea towel, it will go well in our country kitchen.  And yes, I am looking forward to people admiring my map of Tasmania. (Had to!)

Cushions made from Japanese fabric.

The silk furoshiki was a birthday gift from my awesome mum.  She thought I could do something with it and she was right.  Originally I did use it as a furoshiki, however a lovely member of my household who helps with the washing put the furoshiki into a warm wash and it shrunk.  I was disappointed but quickly realised it was now thicker and perfect for a cushion cover.  (It probably wouldn't have worked so well if it was intentionally shrunk!!)

I have a very adhoc style of sewing - the cushions aren't perfect.  However, I do feel like I am getting better and more confident as a seamstress - one cushion at a time.

What's your happy activity? I would love to know.

Furoshiki: no sew bags and packaging

image: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43287/43287-h/43287-h.htm

I came across furoshiki while I was in Japan, but it wasn't until recently that I got how nifty they actually are.  One piece of cloth has many uses.  Just like other technologies, if we are not in the right place mentally to think about how we can use them, we tend to ignore them and go on as usual.

Furo shiki = bathing cloth.  The Japanese used to put their bathing essentials into the square and tie them into a bag.

I have several gorgeous muslin wraps that were given to us when our daughter was born.  They were great to swaddle our daughter in over summer.  However, more recently they were used mainly as a change table cover.

Furoshiki changed all that.  Examples of use so far:

• bundle up blocks or small toys - the bag doubles as a play mat
• bundle food for a picnic - again, picnic rug is built in!
• separate clothes when travelling- clean/dirty clothes or mum's/daughter's clothes

A link to the best instruction website I have found is below.  I have made the bags and the bottle holder.  I wrapped up a bottle of drink and slung it on the handlebar of my bike when I was going out for dinner recently (It was a short trip and a plastic bottle- a bit of care needed!!).  It is quite fun - origami with material!  Grab a square of cloth and fold along.

furoshiki folding techniques

Next I would like to use furoshiki for gift giving, however I am chotto confused about who keeps the furoshiki.  I would love someone to fill me in!!

Nanna Technology photo scavenger hunt at my place!!

Enough typing, I wanted to show you what I mean by Nanna Technology!

I took some photos in my house and garden - I can't take credit for all these gadgets, my husband is quite nifty and resourceful.

Garden

From top left.

Rhubarb in reused containers.  Rhubarb has a tendency to get out of control, so a containment was essential.  This is part of an old wheel that was at the house when we moved in.

Our lovely outdoor table shattered.  Rather than get a replacement, my husband used some salvaged wood to make a new tabletop.  I am thrilled with result: we get a funky table that means a lot(it was an engagement gift).

We planted garlic cloves around the border of our veggie gardens and had a bumper harvest.  We have enough to eat fresh, preserve, give away and plant for next year.

The tomatoes are staked with rags - old clothes that had really had it.  The clothes are ripped up and tied around the reusable wooden stakes.

The peg bucket is an old milo tin with holes in the bottom (for drainage, when it rains). A coat hanger makes the handle. It is both rusty and rustic, but gets the job done. 

Lastly, we have made pots out of chipped mugs for strawberry plants and other seedlings.  An electric drill or a nail and hammer made the holes (potential for cracking, take care!).

House

From top left:

I updated the cushion cover on this chair from a pretty scrap of fabric I found at an opshop. 

Tomato pasta sauce in Summer - look out for tomato bargains.  I bought 5 kg for $5 at the local supermarket, plus some basil and garlic from the garden.  The jars are also reused.  

We got this awesome secondhand Fowlers Vacola kit through friends. It is basically a big pot - when filled with water it cooks and sterilises bottled fruit. So far we have bottled local apricots and peaches.  The clingstone peaches were lovely.

Old coffee jars for storage in the kitchen. They are practical and I find them aesthetically pleasing - they look wholesome and interesting when filled with different coloured plulses and grains.  These jars were also used as candle holders at our wedding. 

We got a gorgeous recipe collection tin as an engagement gift.  Instead of buying file cards, I have used the engagement cards and left over wedding thank you cards to attach or write recipes on to.  Many of the cards are laminated too -  this is a heirloom in the making!  I love the regular reminder of the engagement and wedding and the people who were there (Including their handwriting!!).

I am sure you could find examples at your place like these - and I'd love to see them!!  

While I have been researching Nanna Technology, I have come across alternative names, including:

granny skills

homesteading skills

upcycling

Maybe it is the science teacher in me: I like the term Nanna Technology, a play on the scientific term nanotechnology.

Source: here