Orange Witch

MOVED!

2011-08-28T21:57:00.000-07:00

Time for a change of name, this one has associations that I no longer need.

All the old posts as well as the new ones can be found at http://saman-cha.blogspot.com/

Eco Bag

2011-07-06T21:12:00.001-07:00

Every so often I have to help out with a kids event at work.

Last time it was making Eco bags, I had to make a sample so that I could learn how it was done and I got to keep the sample afterwards!

The kids said my Australia looks like a cat!

=(^_ _^)= にゃん！

Paint collage page

2011-03-21T04:43:00.000-07:00

Felt like making something while watching TV today.

Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami/Radiation Leak

2011-03-14T18:10:00.000-07:00

My area of Japan is almost completely unaffected. We get our power from somewhere further west so we aren't even part of the rolling blackouts here. It's eerily normal although there is a somewhat subdued atmosphere in town, unless I'm projecting that.

I am grateful if guilty that my area is ok. I'm also grateful for strict building codes that probably saved thousands of lives in the areas affected.

The thing that is really scaring me at the moment is the possibility of meltdown at Fukushima. I grew up next to a nuclear power plant, most of my family has worked there at one point or another so I know that in general it's pretty safe and well-regulated. But I also know what can happen when radiation gets out, we all do. I'm not sure what my stance on nuclear power in general is any more, but I do think that countries which have a high risk of natural disaster may want to re-think their nuclear stance.

There was a fire at Sellafield (then Windscale) in 1957, it's Britian's worst nuclear accident. My mother was three months old and was outside in her pram when she was covered in radioactive ash. I believe she remains the youngest person in Britain to have had a full radiation scan. And she is one of the healthiest people I know. And I know that little is known about exactly what radiation does and I know that news reports (even the most reliable ones) need to grab headlines. "Radiation leak - all fine" wouldn't really get you clicking would it?

Still, we are brought up in a culture of fear, and radiation is one of those. It's not something we can see, it's hardly something we can run from, and it's not likely to turn us into cool X-Men mutants.

I think this whole thing is freaking me out more than I was aware. I thought I was fine until I was watching a DVD and a plane flew over a little closer than normal. Luckily I wasn't alone so I calmed down a bit but I hadn't realised I was so on edge about another quake coming. Especially as my area is due a big one. I'm carrying my passport around with me now.

I'm not sure this entry is very cohesive but my head's a bit jumbled up right now. You'd think I'd be used to crises considering everything but there we go. Half of me is calm, half is freaking out!

Two More Nail Art Sets!

2011-02-25T19:17:00.001-08:00

I've completed two more sets!

Painted lace with 3D hearts:

And Halloween!

That's almost half-way and I have three more sets partially completed!

I also bought the stuff to make the actual displays so I'm well on my way to getting this all done on time, it's to be handed in next Wednesday.

Nail Art

2011-02-23T19:44:00.001-08:00

I got started on my sets for the open day! My kitchen table is now covered in nail art gear, I like it!

I've got two sets half done and one completed, the Nordic design:

I took the design the teacher showed us and some ideas from magazines and came up with this, hope my teacher likes it!

Nail Art

2011-02-19T16:40:00.001-08:00

I haven't really written much about nail art here. I'm not sure why, I tend to blog about it on my Japanese blog which is more fashion and pretty stuff.

Anyway I've been going to evening classes for about two years now. I'm the sort of person to try and give up a lot of things so for me to keep going for two years and still love it is quite a feat!

At my last class we were told that for the centre's open day we have to do a display, to promote the class. We each have to submit two A4 sheets with a total of 40 nail chips! She said it's up to us whether we do 40 separate designs or full sets.

I've decided to to eight sets of five nails, so one hand. It's good because it gives you the chance to adapt the designs for the different size nails.

So far I'm thinking of doing:
(the pics are from the classes we did on those themes)

Nordic

Painted lace with 3D hearts

UK punk rock
3D spring flowers (sponging base)

Painted check
Japanese style

And maybe
Halloween

Candy
Autumn leaves

Argyle

I've got enough stands to have three sets going at the same time so I can do them little by little and let them dry properly!

I'll keep updating with my progress!

2011-02-08T23:06:00.000-08:00

I wish I knew why I don't feel rested, even though I sleep long hours.

I wish I could get through this book I'm trying to read so I can read something else!

I wish I could manage food/shopping planning better so I stop wasting food! ><

Update on last week:

I got rid of my sore throat! Yay! Still got a bit of a cough but not enough to bother me really.

I went to the supermarket and they had a display of sewing machines, so I chatted to the guy and went to his sewing shop the next day, I think I've chosen which machine I want!

I'm not sure about the last one, I think I have to accept that there are some times when parts of your self need to be separate (I doubt my work would be very impressed with my weekend look!) and some times when there's no need for me to separate. Like with friends, my friends should know the big parts of me even if we are friends for one particular common interest. I'd feel weird if a good friend suddenly said they had this complete other interest that I never knew about!

Wish Wednesday

2011-02-01T19:05:00.000-08:00

I wish I could integrate the different parts of myself somehow, instead of splitting them up over various blogs and sns sites, or accept all parts of myself...

I wish I could take the plunge and get a sewing machine and some lessons like I've always wanted to

I wish I could get some rest to get rid of this sore throat and cough!

Afraid of Trying

2011-01-28T03:26:00.000-08:00

I keep reading blogs and tips and articles about being creative and getting past the block and actually doing things.

And I get excited and think yes! I'm going to make something! Anything!

But then I don't.

I'll watch TV, and I could prep some art journal pages or basecoat some nail chips while watching but I don't...

I think I'm afraid of trying because if I try I might fail. If I don't try then I know I won't fail.

But I won't succeed either.

This is a pattern that goes through other things in my life, from studying to learning any new skill.

Which is probably why I'm not very accomplished at any one thing.

I'm not sure how to proceed from here, but I'm happy that I am becoming aware of this part of me. For now I'm going to observe my patterns, then I will work on changing them.

At my own speed.

Simple Is Best!

2011-01-20T22:16:00.000-08:00

The title of this post is somehow a saying in Japan, in English.

I've been trying to get my digital things organised, I got a new computer in the summer and I still haven't got around to copying everything over neatly yet!

I've also got a lot of online/sns sites that I use haphazardly for different purposes. So I decided to try and get things organised somehow and spent time researching different websites and programs that help you out. But I don't really want to sign up for another account. I want less!

So I went right back to basics and went through all the sign-up emails and have listed out everything (I think!) that I'm signed up to, along with password hints and how things are conected to each other. Flickr uses my yahoo email, for example. Then I added a final column for "Use". It seems a little too organised but it's helping me sort things out!

Mostly I have things clearly defined now, except for this blog and Tumblr. I think the reason I blog less on this is because I don't really know what it covers now! Once I can get a definition clear then I'll know what kind of blog I have.

Anyway, the main point I wanted to make was that I didn't need any fancy system, new software or a new account on yet another website. I just needed the simplest tools that I already have on my computer. A spreadsheet and a word processing program. It didn't even need to be Office, anything would have done.

I know that simple is better than complicated, but it's hard to remember sometimes. Especially when you get caught up in the excitement of the new, shiny things.

Hmm.. perhaps I need to carry this over into shopping as well...

Totem Animal

2011-01-06T23:16:00.000-08:00

So one of the things I wanted to do last year was find a totem animal. I spent an afternoon of vacation playing around with different ideas.

I decided I wanted a bird because of the freedom of flight and the speed that I like when riding my bike. I also wanted something strong and powerful because that's what I'd like to be/am becoming.

So I started looking at lists of birds of prey. But nothing jumped out. I was thinking I wanted something magical as well so I was all set to go to mythical creatures when I decided to have a look at British birds of prey, me being British and all and then one name stood out...

Merlin

Merlin! A freaking wizard! So I read on and I discover that they are fast and agile, resourceful, sometimes hunt with their breeding partners and are very unafraid and have been recorded trying to catch cars and trains.

Let's think about that...this not-huge bird will see a great big train and think "I'll have that, thank you very much" and just goes for it!

So yep, I think I've found my totem animal. Hope it brings me good fortune for this year!

My Christmas Dinner

2010-12-25T12:52:00.000-08:00

Traditional? No
Delicious? Yes

I met my friend and her friend and we went to a nice Italian restaurant that I'd never been to before, it was really good food! There was nothing close to Christmassy so I went for the tomato pasta of the day...

We were sitting by the Christmas Tree so I got arty

I used the More Noel iPhone app to make it sparkly! :)

And Polarize because that's one of my all time favourite apps.

After dinner we went to volunteering and helped pick up rubbish at the river. So much rubbish gets washed up, it's really sad. We only get one planet!! （−＿−；）

It was so cold out there so afterwards my friends and I went to the tiniest cafe! There was one table that could sit maybe six people and a little section at the back for cooking. The guy who runs it was a laid-back surfer and we chatted to him for a while about travel and learning other languages.

Then it was back home to snuggle up on my sofa with chocolate and a blanket and skype home. Everyone there seems to be coping, I'm glad they can support each other!

So that's another "first" after the loss of my brother. It's supposed to get easier but I honestly think I'm still blocking my feelings and am in denial so I may have hard stuff to work through ahead.

This Year's Christmas Design

2010-12-25T01:14:00.000-08:00

I completely forgot to take a picture so this is from my friend's twitter feed. I was majorly pushed for time this year so the text is from last years card, I added a cute 2010 tree!

Christmas

2010-12-24T12:01:00.000-08:00

My little tree

It's 4.30am on Christmas morning here in Japan.

Although only a tiny percent of Japanese people are Christian, somehow the holiday has become a tradition over here though somewhat altered.

The Christian part of the holiday is almost completely missing, a few of my student know but generally if you ask them whose birthday is Christmas they will answer "Santa Claus!"

Now, I'm not Christian myself but my country used to be Christian so our tradition has evolved from that. It always seems a little weird that everywhere here is decorated for Christmas without the meaning being known.

It would be like me having some Jewish decorations up and celebrating Hanukkah, and not being able to tell you what it is!

The parts of Christmas that Japan has embraced are:

Decorations. Almost every shop has Christmas lights, wreaths and a tree. Towns and cities also have amazing illuminations. My city usually has this giant light tree that does a music/light show every fifteen minutes but this year it's not there because of construction :(

About half the students say they have a Christmas tree in their house, though they usually mean a small desk one and are always impressed by my pictures of my big tree at home.

Santa Claus. Not just as a character, Japanese kids believe in Santa like western kids do (except we in the UK call him Father Christmas!) Though they get much fewer presents than western kids do, maybe only one or two.

Christmas Dinner. Or a version of it, turkey is unknown here so it tends to be a chicken dinner which leads me nicely into...

Christmas things unique to Japan:

KFC= Christmas Dinner
In possibly the best marketing scheme I've ever heard of, KFC managed to convince an entire nation that western folks go to their fast-food place on Christmas. Yep, forget turkey with all the trimmings, a traditional Japanese Christmas dinner is KFC. The colonel is always dressed up like Father Christmas too.

Christmas Cake: a Japanese Christmas cake is a vanilla sponge cake with white icing and strawberries. I've no idea where it came from, I can only assume it was more clever marketing. The Japanese are often strangely susceptible to advertising, or maybe we are too and its just easier for me to see from a slight distance.

Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is more important than Christmas Day. New Years Eve in Japan is a traditional family holiday so Christmas Eve has become a romantic day for lovers, not unlike Valentine's Day, which is also recognised here. Bloody couples having more days to make us Singletons feel worse. Bah...humbug.

So there we have it, a traditional Japanese Christmas would consist of decorating your house, going on a date to KFC and having strawberry cake all to celebrate goodwill and the birth of that important gentleman... Santa.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Or if you can see Japanese characters: メリークリスマス！

Day Six

2010-12-15T22:29:00.000-08:00

Day Six: Five people who mean a lot (in no particular order)

This is except for my family of course!

1. The Girl in the Red Coat
2. The Penguin/First Mate
3. The Tokyo Grad Student
4. The Gyaru
5. The Zoo Keeper
6. The Massage Therapist

(I switched the amount of things for five and six because this works better for me so there)

Day Five (No-one said it had to be consecutive days!)

2010-12-14T20:50:00.000-08:00

Day Five: Six things you wish you'd never done

Well, I get that you're supposed to regret the things you didn't do and that I'd be a different person if I had made different decisions but maybe that person would be a bit happier so anyway here goes...

1. Become involved in an emotionally destructive relationship.
2. Twice.
3. Got rid of those books when I was decluttering
4. Bought shoes/clothes that don't really fit or look good, just because it was "a bargin"
5. Been so lazy studying French at school

Day Four

2010-12-09T21:46:00.000-08:00

Day One: Ten things you want to say to ten different people right now.
Day Two: Nine things about yourself.
Day Three: Eight ways to win your heart.
Day Four: Seven things that cross your mind a lot.
Day Five: Six things you wish you’d never done.
Day Six: Five people who mean a lot (in no order whatsoever)
Day Seven: Four turn offs.
Day Eight: Three turn ons.
Day Nine: Two smileys that describe your life right now.
Day Ten: One confession

Day Four

1. I wish it was three years ago.
2. If I was a successful model/actress/tarento what would I be doing today?
3. I want over the knee boots.
4. I wish I was free all day everyday.
5. Just x number of lessons til lunch/hometime/the weekend.
6. What's ~ in Japanese?
7. It's so bloody noisy here.

Day Three

2010-12-08T22:55:00.000-08:00

Day One: Ten things you want to say to ten different people right now.
Day Two: Nine things about yourself.
Day Three: Eight ways to win your heart.
Day Four: Seven things that cross your mind a lot.
Day Five: Six things you wish you’d never done.
Day Six: Five people who mean a lot (in no order whatsoever)
Day Seven: Four turn offs.
Day Eight: Three turn ons.
Day Nine: Two smileys that describe your life right now.
Day Ten: One confession

Day Three
1. Love me just as I am.
2. Get me a present that means something to us.
3. Tell people about me, be proud of me.
4. Learn about something because I love it.
5. Look after me when I'm sick.
6. Be silly with me.
7. Watch a KAT-TUN video with me without slagging them off.
8. Be gentle not aggressive when I'm worried or sad.

Writing Challenge Day Two

2010-12-07T20:12:00.000-08:00

Day One: Ten things you want to say to ten different people right now.
Day Two: Nine things about yourself.
Day Three: Eight ways to win your heart.
Day Four: Seven things that cross your mind a lot.
Day Five: Six things you wish you’d never done.
Day Six: Five people who mean a lot (in no order whatsoever)
Day Seven: Four turn offs.
Day Eight: Three turn ons.
Day Nine: Two smileys that describe your life right now.
Day Ten: One confession

Day Two

1. I love sweet candy-coloured roomwear and blankets, despite being 29 and wearing mostly black clothes.
2. I dance while I'm cleaning.
3. I love stories about magical worlds hidden within or accessible from our world. Straight-out fantasy doesn't appeal too much.
4. I believe tea is magic and can make the world a better place.
5. Bubble baths are also magic and Lush bath stuff is the bestest.
6. I like autumn and winter because I like the fashion I can wear then. (Boots!)
7. I love themes (blogs, restaurants, parties, Vegas, lessons), but for some reason not themed weddings
8. When I talk to myself it's usually in Japanese.
9. I am a terrible liar.

10 Day Writing Challenge

2010-12-06T21:57:00.000-08:00

I can't seem to last a month doing something maybe I can go ten days!
I've seen this in a few places and thought it'd be a good start.

Day One: Ten things you want to say to ten different people right now.
Day Two: Nine things about yourself.
Day Three: Eight ways to win your heart.
Day Four: Seven things that cross your mind a lot.
Day Five: Six things you wish you’d never done.
Day Six: Five people who mean a lot (in no order whatsoever)
Day Seven: Four turn offs.
Day Eight: Three turn ons.
Day Nine: Two smileys that describe your life right now.
Day Ten: One confession

Day One
1. I wish you'd come back so we can talk and I can ask you why and we can fix it.
2. I think I'm still in love with you.
3. (Two people!) You didn't fail, you were the best and I only hope I can live up to your example one day. I'm so lucky to have you.
4. (Two people!) You have no idea how much your friendship means to me and how much I don't deserve it.
5. I'm scared I will mess everything up for you.
6. I'm sorry I just never called you back. ごめんなさい。
7. I wish it hadn't taken this to make us get to know each other better.
8. After what you did I no longer consider you family.
9. Sometimes it feels like you're dismissing my feelings.
10. Rescue me.

Why I Can't Bring Myself To Buy Furniture

2010-12-05T23:10:00.000-08:00

Background relating to my last post! After realising that my place is often messy because things don't have a real home, and that I get annoyed at having to drag art things and stationery out of the back of my closet, I decided that I need some new furniture...

I also realised that everything I own now was either free after someone left Japan, bought from a second-hand shop, or the cheapest thing I could find that would do the job. I have no furniture that I have chosen because I love it.

So I moved my bed to make room, I measured, I found things I liked on-line and double-check them against another store, I added them to my cart... and then closed the browser and ran away. (Not literally!)

Usually I would just have carried on but as I've been reading more blogs by people who think about themselves I decided to poke around my head and see *why* I haven't bought the things yet. I realised there are three things at work here.

1. Money. Growing up we didn't have much so although we never lacked for anything, I've been taught not to waste money. I'm also afraid that someday I won't have money so I'm in the mindset of saving instead of spending and often feel guilty for even my small shopping sprees.

Ways to help this: Write down how much everything will cost compared to my savings and see what a tiny portion it will be. Look at how much other people spend on more frivolous things to compare. Think of something I didn't buy and replace that with this in my head.

2. Time. I only have a one year contract so I'm never sure how long I will be here, or how long I will even be in Japan. Buying furniture is a bit scary when I feel I may have to gt rid of it soon. It feels like waste again.

Ways to help this: The longer I wait, the less time I will have. If I'd bought a nice sofa last year I would have had a nice sofa for a year longer than now, same with two years ago, or six! The pieces I'm looking at aren't *that* expensive. Even if I lose this job I know I'm going to try in Japan first and then I'll still need furniture!

3. Worth. I sort of don't feel I'm worth having a nice place. Like I don't deserve it.

Ways to help this: ???! I don't know about this...

Know that a nice place will make it feel like home, which is a feeling I'm missing...

Well, it's interesting to see that there's more to this than just me being silly about buying stuff. I'll let you know what I decide!

My Home

2010-12-01T19:05:00.000-08:00

I've lived in Japan for six plus years now. I want to stay forever. Thing is, I'll never have more than a one-year contract in this job. That's just the way it is. People tell me it's normal in many countries now but being an immigrant makes it so much harder to ever settle. If my Japanese friends lose their contracts they won't be kicked out of the country. Many of them still live at home so their houses are safe too.

I feel very unsecure and what this has prevented me from doing is creating a home environment that I love. I bought a interior magazine/catalogue yesterday and spent a long time dreaming about furniture I could have. And I'm not talking about wonderful antiques in my future mansion! Just simple reasonably priced furniture, that would fit in my current place. And yet... I'm not buying. I can afford some of it.

I looked around my apartment yesterday and every single piece of furniture was either free, second-hand or the cheapest thing that would do the job. And many things aren't doing the job well which is why things get messy because they have no real place.

I've been "making-do" for so long it doesn't occur to me that I could buy a desk, or a dressing table anymore. That's for some day in the future when I'm "settled". And much as I want it, I'm started to realise that that day may never come. It's a trade-off I made when I left my home country.

Unless I get married here (haven't quite given up on that yet!) I'll never know more than a year ahead where I will be. That used to be ok but I'd very much like to settle down now. So I have to come to terms with that.

And then I have to make a decision. Do I continue with my oddments and making-do because leaving will be easier if I have to? Or do I put some money and time into making my apartment into my home, no matter how long I'll be here?

Tokyo Nail Expo 2010

2010-11-28T15:55:00.000-08:00

Well, Art Every Day Month seems to have fallen by the wayside, but it did give me a bit of a kick in the right direction, which is what I wanted!

Anyway, yesterday and today is Tokyo's Nail Expo 2010. I haven't posted much about my nail art here. I'm not sure why... like it isn't "arty" enough. Well, mostly this blog was to be for the postcards I guess.

Nail Art is really popular in Japan and I've been going to evening class for almost two years now. My strengths are in selecting colours, adapting designs, stonework and painted designs. My weak points are 3D art, detailed paintwork and gradiations.

The Nail Expo is for professionals, students, hobbyists and anyone with an interest. Though I think if you just like to look at the pretty nails you'd be better off with a magazine, it's crowded and the discount tradestands are what most people go for.

I arrived at Odaiba's Big Sight just after it opened and there was already a lot of people there and quite a lot already leaving with big bags off stuff! I made the rounds and looked at most of the stalls before jumping in to the Okamoto stand to pick up some bargins. OPI polish at half the retail price was the best part and I got some higher quality stones than I usually use! I also picked up two bowls for soaking just your fingertips, as I want to do more nail and hand care at home. It was a squash and I got stuck in the aisles a few times. You just had to wait til people shuffled along and then shuffle with! It's not for the claustophobic, that's for sure.

I wandered around watching some of the demonstrations for tips but they are almost always gel nails. My own nails are long and healthy so I really don't need gel. It's a shame there wasn't more old-school demonstrations but it was good to watch the professionals explain things. I also watched a bit of the contest where lots of top nail techs compete for the title. I'll have to wait for the magazines to see who won though.

I also saw my nail art teacher there and because she runs a salon one of the trade stands was giving her and her friend a free bottle of polish so I got one too! Nice timing! Some of the stand were giving samples of hand lotions which are now stashed in my desk at work.

It was crowded, hot, noisy and frantic but it was a great chance and I got some good bargins and I'll definately be back next year!

Art Every Day #10 Happy #11 Wink

2010-11-11T20:00:00.000-08:00

They were done on time just not posted!

Wish Wednesday

2010-11-10T00:51:00.000-08:00

I wish I had more stability in my life.

I wish I had a simpler life.

I wish I had more energy.

How can I get this?

Stability? Not much I can think of...

I can write out the things that are complicating me and reduce them if I can.

I can excercise more and try to improve my sleep.

#9 Reflection Fuji

2010-11-08T17:43:00.001-08:00

#8 Mt Fuji

2010-11-08T17:42:00.001-08:00

Day #7

2010-11-07T20:41:00.001-08:00

A break from the daily doodles for Diamond Fuji photo art :)

Art Every Day Month #6 Mt. Fuji

2010-11-06T04:44:00.001-07:00

It needs something else to it I think...

I did this because I'm visiting Fuji today!

Art Every Day #5 Keep Cool and Rock On

2010-11-04T18:25:00.001-07:00

Art Every Day Month #4 Wish You Were Here

2010-11-04T04:54:00.000-07:00

Art Every Day Month #3 Play Time

2010-11-02T15:57:00.000-07:00

Art Every Day Month #2 Let's Make Magic!

2010-11-01T14:20:00.001-07:00

Art Every Day Month #1 Light Up

2010-10-31T14:42:00.001-07:00

I'll just be doing drafts I think then I'll scan and colour them later.

Art Every Day Month 2010

2010-10-31T05:05:00.000-07:00

http://creativeeveryday.com/art-every-day-month

November is Art Every Day month, and I've signed up to give me a little kick! I've spent time on the blog fiddling with the banners (I've actually done a new version I need to get scanned) giving things magical names and otherwise faffing around.

What I haven't been doing is designing any new postcards, which was the whole point of Orange Witch in the first place!

So, I have established a Creation Station on my kitchen table and I have already forgiven myself if I do not draw or post every single day... I will give it a shot but you never know what's coming in life. I've also got a couple of weekend trips this month but as I only need a postcard and a pen that shouldn't cause any problems.

I need to stop thinking that I have a limited supply of creativity and start thinking of creativity as a muscle that is sadly lacking exercise, much like my actual muscles come to think of it, but that's a post for another day.

Good bye, October, you were one of the less difficult months this year but not quite kind to me either. I forgive you though.

Wish Wednesday!

2010-10-26T15:17:00.001-07:00

I wish I knew what to do next in life.

I wish I knew what my dreams were so I could make them come true.

I wish I had more energy.

How can I make magic happen?

The first two wishes are similar so...Mind-mapping and journalling. My thoughts keep spinning around my head and I can't get anything straight. Also meditation, I'm afraid of listening to my thoughts so recently I've been drowning them out with TV and errands. I need to spend time with myself quietly.

As for the last one, I'm not sure. I need more/better sleep but I almost always wake up in the middle of the night and that's when bad thoughts are waiting.

I need to get more exercise and eat better too, my stomach has had enough and is fighting me. I'm keeping a food diary which might help.

Validation

2010-10-08T15:29:00.001-07:00

Recently I was sent a link to a wonderful short film featuring TJ Thyne as a parking attendant who gives people actual validation along with their parking validation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbk980jV7Ao&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Just watching it restores a little of your faith in humanity. I think that so many people walk around without feeling validated and it can be so draining.

I've had more than one loss this year and yet I was keeping a strong face on it and I am still trying so very hard not to fall apart. I posted on my online women's circle my whole story for the first time, and I got such wonderful replies of love and support.

Just writing my story down took a little of the burden off my self. And when people replied with sympathy it validated my pain. I'd been trying to get rid of it, be strong, keep calm and carry on and all that. And now I'm seeing that yes, I have actually been through a lot and yes, it's ok to look after myself now and yes my pain is real.

I'm not near dealing with it yet but I'm on the right road. And all it took to get started was validation from some incredibly kind people.

It makes me want to pass it forward and validate someone else, either by helping with their pain or by telling them how wonderful they really are like Hugh Newman in the film.

Perhaps we're not comfortable with doing this to the extent of Hugh Newman but think about the people in your life right now. What makes them special? What do they need to hear to feel loved and validated? And can you say it to them?

Metaphors for Creativity

2010-09-28T00:13:00.000-07:00

I walked to work in the rain this morning, and the water seemed to let my mind wander more than usual. Like thinking in the shower, which is where I get some of my best ideas.

I used to be involved with someone who didn't speak much English and as I'm far from fluent in Japanese I often used metaphors and stories to explain to him how I felt. "When you do that, I feel like a little lost kitten, out in the street looking for scraps," and things like that.

So I was trying to work out where my creativity has gone and I think that it's been hard to work out because I don't really have a clear idea of what my creativity is. This morning I came up with a few possibilities but I still need some rain-thinking to get an answer!

Creativity is:
a muscle- it needs to be excercised and mine is weak like my arms!
a bottled potion and I've poured all mine out
a wave and right now the tide's out
borrowed and lent but right now there's no-one lending
a virus but I need to catch it first
a part of me still but I seem to have misplaced it, or put it in a drawer.
what the ninja under my sink feeds off so he can dirty up my place when I'm not looking...

Unfortunately the weather cleared up so I'll have to wait until we get some more rain...fingers crossed!

Kim Schedule Book

2010-09-25T05:42:00.001-07:00

Finding a good schedule book is always hard, you can never get a perfect one for what you need and in Japan at least there's a massive amount of choice!

This year I've bought the Kim Schedule Book. Kim does postcards and books of photographs combined with thoughts on life. I have a few of his postcards and was lucky enough to go to a book signing and get his book signed.

The schedule book comes in four or five different covers, the one I chose has the saying (roughly translated!) "Who decided you couldn't, who decided you wouldn't get used to it, who decided you won't, in your life you decide, you live your life"

Inside isn't as cute as most of the Japanese schedule books but it has more photos in the front and sayings throughout. What I really liked was that on the weekly pages there's a section for "happy and thanks" so I'm going to use this as a schedule book and a gratitude journal. Something I've been wanting to do without having a separate notebook.

It also comes with a free postcard. Not sure if all books come with the same postcard.

Here's to a better life in 2011!

No Sew!

2010-09-22T17:18:00.001-07:00

I'd love a sewing machine and to learn how to use one properly but until I get settled somewhere I'm avoiding heavy purchases! If I see one second-hand I might get one but for now I'm discovering the joys of iron-in webbing tape stuff (not sure what it's really called!).

It's a rainy day so it was the perfect time to give it a go and so I made a book jacket! It's a little wonky in places but I'm still rather proud of myself for giving it a go.

Now I can try and do things with the pretty bits of fabric I always seem to come back from craft shops with!

Getting Back On Track

2010-09-15T23:46:00.000-07:00

This year (actually the past two years) has contained a few big setbacks and life interruptions for me. I know I need to get back on track so this post is my process. (Or ideas bubbling in my Cauldron)

It's meant that any kind of regular schedule, any studying, any progress to goals, any routine has been disrupted completely every few months. It's making me feel like I'm climbing a mountain covered in gravel and everytime I get a bit farther up I just slip and slide back down further than last time.

I've a ton of unfinished projects hanging over me, which makes me feel stressed, and I'm not looking forward to doing them even though they should be fun, I'm just wanting to knock them off my list now.

My apartment is a mess because everytime I feel out of control I attempt to rearrange everything but I get disheartened and give up. So I've things yet to find a home for all over the floor and bags of things to be taken to a recycle shop (difficult to get to when you've no car). I like things to be tidy so this stresses me out and my home is not the sanctuary I need.

I know my health is at the lowest it's been for a long time due to poor diet, no excercise and lack of sleep.

My studying is so broken I've not even applied for the December test because it would be too heart-breaking to fail something that's far below the level I should be by now.

That's how I'm feeling today so I think I need to figure out some kind of plan of action to get back on track (even though the Blue Witch in my head is saying that I shouldn't bother because something else will just come up)

Plan of Attack
1. The Apartment
This is the most important thing. I need to get things I don't want out of the place, and the things I do want need a home. I also need to address the Ninja who lives under my sink and keeps messing things up when I'm out.

2. Studying
I need to get into the habit of studying each day. At the moment there are three seperate things I'm doing. I can put two on hold until I get the main one to be a habit.

3. The Computer
I got a new computer and as of now I don't know too much about how it works (Win7) and all my stuff is just dumped into a "To Be Sorted Out" folder on the desktop.

3. Unfinished projects
I need to make a list, but I need to make it a shiny-magic list not a To-Doom List. Maybe I'll make a special page for it on here...

The main thing I need to remember is not to get overwhelmed or disheartened. And just keep going. That's all I really can do at the moment!

Back from the Magical Mystery Tour

2010-09-07T00:14:00.000-07:00

Which occured in Liverpool, where there really is a Magical Mystery Tour. I didn't have time for it though. I didn't have time to go on the Ferry cross the Mersey either. I did make it to Penny Lane and Anfield one Saturday afternoon, and went to the cinema once. Apart from that it was study study study, which paid off as I received my results yesterday and not only did I pass but I got a grade B! According to Wikipedia "As of 2000, worldwide 5% of trainees withdrew before completing the course, 3% failed, 63% received a pass, 25% received a grade of B, and 4% received a grade of A."
I'm quite happy with that! I think that may have been the most I've ever worked for something academically. It was a good feeling but I wouldn't want to keep up that pace long-term. When I got back I had to go straight back to work with tiredness from the course, jet-lag and having to deal with being back in 35 degree heat. I'm still recovering I think!

I do feel more confident in my own abilities now. Especially some of the points I was told were higher than standard. I know this confidence is shaky and a bad class might bring it down, but I'll have my piece of paper to look at in those times!

Orange Witch's Magical Mystery Tour

2010-07-19T23:04:00.000-07:00

This is what I'm calling my summer away to make it a little more acceptable. I'm looking forward to a magical mystery tour more than I would be to "Summer Intensive Teacher Training" ;)

Basically, I fell into the job I have now. I absolutely love it and I think that I'm good at it but there's a chance I may be out of work in March. So in case that happens and to get some formal training, I'm going back to the motherland for a month-long intensive course.

I'm kind of looking forward to learning, and studying, and finding out if I really am on the right path or if I'm completely lost in the trees. Though it's a little bit of an expensive way to find out this is the wrong path for me...

I just don't like this intensive aspect! I'm not too good at focusing on one thing for a long time, and I very much like my own time.

Fears:
I'm afraid I will be bad at the course even though I technically might be the most experienced.

I'm afraid that I'll get burned-out and do badly.

I'm afraid I'll fail just because I'm no good.

I'm afraid that if I have good ideas other people will copy from me and get better marks.

I'm afraid I'll hate the actual job part of the training, and then where does that leave me?

Stress coping strategies
5 minute morning yoga
Meditations on my iPhone
breathing techniques
a happy-song playlist
a chill-out song playlist
5 mins journalling at the end of the day

I will be keeping off the internet as much as I can unless it's for research so I will probably be back on this blog (my safe place) in September all newly-qualified!

Have a magical summer!

Forgetting To Worry

2010-07-17T16:29:00.000-07:00

I'm having breakfast on the second day of my Tokyo weekend trip. I had a really fun day yesterday, met someone new, talked to a stranger, met a friend and went to a concert.

I had consciously decided not to worry about anything on this trip. I've not been checking train times, just showing up, so I'm not worried about missing a train. And you know what? Every time I've got to a platform the train arrives for me!

Thing is, I realised at one point that I had a nagging feeling I was forgetting something. You know that "Did I leave the gas on?" feeling. Then I realised what it was. I was forgetting to worry!

I've always been a worrier, I get it from my dad. And I do have some big worries/changes/unknowns in my close future.

I've been worried about my future so much since April this year that I literally couldn't understand how other people were functioning. And it was sending me into a really depressed state where I was losing hope of ever feeling differently.

So now, on this trip, where I have nothing to worry about, it feels like something is missing. I've had this sense if despair for so long that it's a bit weird not to have it.

It feels so good to be just going with the flow and not stressing over things. Now I know how other people are living and how they can laugh.

I only hope I can keep this when I return to my regular life on Tuesday!

Lessons From My Suitcase

2010-07-16T02:42:00.001-07:00

I'm on the train on a weekend trip to Tokyo which I am determined to enjoy and not regret the past or worry about the future for at least these three days.

Anyway, I have new-to-me little suitcase that I bought at a carboot sale in the UK. It's perfect for weekend trips and fits in the plane as carry-on. It's a little wheely one.

It's a great size but it turns out that it only rolls well on smooth surfaces, as soon as things get a bit rough it goes all wobbly and falls over. I had to keep stopping to let it settle then carry on, and when I got to a really rough patch I had to carry the little suitcase til things got better.

I hope you can see where I'm going with this!

Lessons learned from my little suitcase:

1. We can all function well when the going is easy, but we have different levels of what is rough.

2. When things get rough it's very easy to let everything get unbalanced.

3. When things seem like they are becoming unbalanced, take a little rest, get yourself right, and carry on.

4. When things get really rough, it's ok to ask for someone to carry you through

5. Don't give up! Even when things are rough, and you need a carry, you're not useless! And things will get smooth again soon!

2010 Creating Your Goddess Year: Check In Post

2010-07-15T00:09:00.000-07:00

2009 was a difficult year. It contained the second hardest goodbye of my life. That relationship left me drained, feeling unworthy and took a huge hit to my self-esteem that I haven't recovered from yet. The goodbye started in March and didn't really end until a final phone call on New Year's Eve.

After that, I decided I needed to do something, but I didn't know what. My life had effectively been on hold for that relationship, my creativity was non-existent and my health and energy levels were low. I had been found Goddess Leonie's blog at some point late in the year, and decided to take the plunge and buy her Creating Your Goddess Year workbook as well as joining her Creative Goddess Course. I have to say both were fantastic! The creative course really got me to play with different methods and different ideas. I now have a creativity corner in my apartment with a bookshelf that is now full of supplies! I even bought a guitar which had been a long-held dream of mine firmly put in the "You can't do anything well so don't try" drawer.

The workbook was so so so pretty and colourful! I love filling in worksheets so it was perfect for me. There were a couple of pages that didn't sing to me so I left them alone but printed the rest and put them in a special binder.

Here's a check in as to how I'm doing half-way through 2010.

Unfortuately in April 2010 I lost my younger brother. He was only 26 years old. This is the hardest goodbye of my life, because I can't say it. I still feel as though I'm in shock and may never quite deal with this properly. I don't want to go more into it yet. But I feel that again my life is on hold. For two years I've watched people grow, change, study, graduate, marry and become parents. I feel exactly the same as I did in the summer of 2008.

Anyway, I wrote that I wanted to let go of worry, feelings of worthlesness, and that "I can't do anything well so I won't try" feeling. Well, I was heading towards a better place but now have a huge set-back. I just can't get angry at myself for this, I must let myself feel the feelings I have.

My word of the year was to be "Learn". I had planned to take a kanji test in June, attend English teachers training over the summer, a Japanese test in December and to learn the guitar and about designing in more detail. I am leaving for the UK next week to study for the summer. I hope to be able to take the kanji and Japanese tests at the end of the year. I picked up the guitar again last month. My brother used to play so it feels nice that I can carry on. I think I'm afraid to learn more about designing. I love my postcards but again this comes back to "You can't do anything well so give up already"

In terms of my goals:
Money: My financial thinking is all over the place, it's hard to be an ex-pat. There's advice for ex-pats but only those who are rich, the rest of us are on our own!

My health and body: I think I'm in the worst state of my life, I've been eating terrible processed foods because I don't have enough energy to cook and I don't care anyway. Recently I started buying salads, because I can feel my body getting weaker.

Business/work: I'd love to turn Orange Witch into a little design business but I'm scared to! I love my job but I may have to leave next March. The training in summer will help me to find another job I hope!

Creative: I am being more creative, I am using it to help me through this time with painting and creative journalling. My specific goals I have not achieved yet though.

Spiritual: Who Am I? I'm still working on that!

Family: More contact. In a horrible way my brother's death brought us all closer, I'm in much more contact with my family than I was. Especially my other siblings. I wish I had been in better contact with my younger brother before he died.

Personal Goals: As I said I'm stuck, but I can't see where I need to be going now. Seems all my hopes and deams are stuck too. I can't find them...

Big Impossible dreams: Orange Witch as a business (eep!) fall in love (blergh) be worthy and loved (maybe) pass the highest level of the Japanese test (one day)

My favourite part was the 100 Things To Do (happy things!) I have done 26/100 and abandoned 3.

All in all I'm not where I wanted to be this time 2010, I'm not really where I wanted to be this time 2009 either. Two major events have shook me to my core. But I have to hope it's going to be alright, and even if I lose my job, home, and have to move cities (countries??) next year I'll get through it. I just kinda wish the universe was done with these Terrible Things That Will Make You A Better Person. I'm tired now, can't I just have a shallow and easy life for a while? Please?

Wish Wednesday

2010-07-14T13:46:00.000-07:00

It's the time of the week where we put our wishes out into the universe so we can work on the possible ones coming true!

I wish to pass the CELTA this summer without becoming an insecure wreck.

I wish there was an extra hour in the day (like in Scott Westerfeld's Midnighters series)

I wish I had studied more English grammar and Japanese in the past.

What can I do?
Well, I need to remember that in the grand scheme of things this is just a one month course, the trainers are human and will not be following me back to check I'm teaching their way.

If I want a little more time I'll have to carve it out of what I already have. If I can get my sleep, excercise and diet on track I might not feel so tired all the time.

I cannot change the past. And I must remember that I stumbled into this life so it's not like I've been neglecting a childhood dream. I have learned so much of both considering where I started. All I can do now is go forward from here, and try not to think "If only..."

What do you wish?

Themes

2010-07-12T16:49:00.000-07:00

I love themes. I was writing up new stuff for my about page (which needs some graphics I think) and I was thinking about the fact that I love themes. Here's some ways themes fit into my life...

Sometimes I want to just keep creating new blogs so I can play with the themes! Maybe getting into html properly would let me play with other people's themes more... Anyway, I used to love changing my theme when I blogged on Livejournal, especially thinking of different ways to say "Leave a comment". I think my favourite was when I had a Clockwork Orange sort of theme (Orange!) and it said "Viddy well?" and the comments were counted as "2 droogs" :)

For my 21st birthday party I had a movie character theme, everyone looked great! I was Satine from Moulin Rouge, but I didn't get any good pictures of my costume :( For my 23rd we had a pirate theme and the Cat, the Penguin and I still refer to ourselves by our Pirate rank and talk about our Pirate Ship the Kurui-Zaru Maru (Crazy Monkey). I was Captain as it was my birthday.

I love the way manga volumes look on shelves because they are all nicely matched by their covers (and all the same size!). Odd shaped books annoy me somewhat. DVD boxsets are joy in matching themed form!

I love themed restaurants! There's a 100% Chocolate Cafe in Tokyo that is great and I'm dying to go to the Alice themed restaurant but can't seem to ever fit it in to a trip!

I and my two best friends the Cat and the Penguin went to Las Vegas once - a whole city of themes!! We stayed at the Luxor, and I loved just walking up and down the strip.

I love the witchy theme I have for this blog. I've decided that the place where my ideas bubble away will be the Cauldron. The network of blogs I love will either be the Spider's Web or the Cobweb. I just need a name for the page where I will put up my designs. Gallery is not themed enough (and also sounds pretentious - yuk!) Any ideas?

Wish Wednesday: Tanabata

2010-07-07T02:18:00.000-07:00

Today is a special Wish Wednesday! The 7th of July is Tanabata here in Japan, also known as the Star Festival. It's the one night of the year that the two lovers Orihime and Hikoboshi can cross the Milky Way and meet.

The festival became mixed with a Chinese festival to plead for skills and evolved into the tanabata festival of today. The main custom these days is to write wishes on colourful paper and attach them to bamboo.

Today I wrote my deepest wishes and attached them to my (plastic) bamboo. Unlike previous years my wishes were serious this year.

I wish for self-esteem and self-worth.

I wish for my family and friends to be healthy, happy and safe.

I wish to find my path in this world.

Here are my wishes:

What do you wish?

Creative Journal: All Good Things

2010-07-05T15:03:00.000-07:00

I started dabbling not too long before my brother passed away. Then, along with all other creative hobbies I left it alone until now. Following a post on ABC Creativity I made this page last night. I don't know how much I believe it right now but it's there in the book when I need it.

I like the idea of creative journaling, there's no pressure to fill a page with words when just an important question or sentence is all you need. I can play with colours, textures and arrangments. When I had a normal diary it always just turned into a list of what I did rather than what I felt.

This journal has my thoughts, hopes and fears. It's a bit scary putting some things down on paper but it's a Good Thing.

Have a go!

Wish Wednesday!

2010-06-29T22:53:00.000-07:00

I wish I had a bit more security in life...

I wish the humidity would go away!

I wish I would get my arse in gear and actually do the things I daydream about :)

Wishes Come True!
I got cute rainboots!

I also got the most comfy yet cute pants for the summer heat! No photos of them! :p

What do you wish?

Creativity 101

2010-06-27T18:17:00.000-07:00

I recently signed up for ABC Creativity's new free Creativity 101 e-course. This is the first week and I'm looking forward to it. My creativity has gone recently which is a stuggle as I do need to be creative in my work and I love to be creative in my free time. I'm hoping that this course will give me a kick-start much like the other Creative Goddess e-course I did that appeared from the Universe when I needed it.

I'll update as I work my way through the course and hopefully start feeling more like myself again. Right now I'm trying to force it so much at work that it's sapping the little energy I have and the result is nowhere near as good as it could be.

My Cousin is a Clown

2010-06-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

Actually, my mam's cousin is a clown. Or my mam's second cousin or something.

Anyway, he's a proper clown. Not a scary one though (What do you mean?? All clowns are scary!!). He is retired and is a part-time clown to raise money for the town Children's Hospital and to cheer up the kids. He gave me his business card and it has his picture on the back in full clown get-up.

While I was home a few weeks ago, he and his wife were visiting my uncle. I was there before I flew back so we went to Stonehenge.

I went to Stonehenge with a clown.

There's not really a point to this post other than that, because other than me and mine, who can legitimately say "I've been to Stonehenge with a clown."?

Of course the other people there didn't realise that they too were in the presence of a clown because he was disguised as a people...but then...what if the other peoples were in disguise too? What if Stonehenge was chock-a-block full of clowns and pirates and witches that day?... maybe the world is a bit more magical than we can really see...

What's your best "I have~" sentence?

Wish Wednesday!

2010-06-22T20:10:00.000-07:00

It's Wish Wednesday again!

I wish I had remembered to bring more than one sock to work today!

I wish I had a cute bento everyday.

I wish I had magic rainproof clothes/hair/skin!

Wishes Come True!
I made some time to be creative last night so I played guitar, worked on a set of nail chips for a friend, and started a set of mini-paintings :)

I don't yet have cute rainboots, but I checked one shop and I'm going to the other after work today.

What do you wish? Can you make it come true?

New Banner!

2010-06-19T20:24:00.000-07:00

Ooh, there's a new top banner! It's much cuter than before! I've also made a little mini-banner for Wish Wednesday....

Good thing about blogger: control over html
Bad thing: Not knowing that much about html!

Bloggery things to do:
Sidebar: looks unbalanced
Pages: What are they and pretty them up
Witches: little project I'm working on
Gallery: Actually put my designs Out There
Figure out why the social network buttons don't start on a new line

I'm actually kind proud of the bits I've picked up of html and that I can figure some things out by myself, like everything I do though I jump in with what I need/want to know rather than starting properly from the beginning...but that's another post...

Find myself? Where did I lose me?

2010-06-18T00:05:00.000-07:00

There are about 89,900,000 results on Google for "find yourself". It's a common enough idea, It's what I thought I was doing when I went back-packing after university.

I found Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia, I found a plane and jumped out of it and a cliff and jumped off that. I found a friend from Japan which is how I ended up living here for the past six years. I also found that I do like home comforts like running water and a cosy bed. And that carrier bags are the most annoying things to have in a room where other people are sleeping.

Did I find myself, though?

I think I changed on that trip. I learned that I could do exactly what I wanted, for me. When I found that I had more money than my friends did and they needed to go fruit picking I decided to go to New Zealand alone instead. Scary biscuits. But I don't think I found myself. It's like I was expecting to have a moment where I realised "Ooh, there I am! Now everything will fall into place!"

I kept on changing. After I came to Japan, I became more group-minded. I wanted to do the best for the group as well as for the individual. That still causes some conflicts in me. I met more people with their own selves and incorporated some of them into me. I learned a second language and I think thinking in another language has to affect the way you think.

When speaking Japanese, it's perfectly acceptable to say "the me of last year" or "the me of the future". I think the concept of self is more fluid here. People know that you will change. Maybe it goes back to the buddhist zen idea or maybe it's to do with your "outside face" and your "inside face"

I was sort of thinking that I was pretty much who I was going to be a year or so ago, but as I'm reading new blogs and trying new things I'm still adjusting.

Recently my younger brother died. That was a huge blow and I'm not ready to write about him too much yet. But that changed me vastly again. It also ended a fledgling relationship because I'm not the same person I was three months ago.

I used to think that because I changed I was flaky or shallow but now I realise that that's normal. Our sense of self is influenced by things that happen, by those we meet, even by books, movies, blogs and Twitter.

There's a quote on a blog that I've been reading:

Life isn't about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself.
Free Spirit Knits

I like that to a point but I think life is about noticing yourself. Nothing big or major that needs to involve being silent for three months on a barefoot trip to the mountains. Just you, right now. You are made up of every experience you've ever had. And you're not going to stop experiencing things now, are you?

Wish Wednesday

2010-06-16T14:10:00.000-07:00

I still wish I had cute rainboots.

I wish I could meet the pop star I have a crush on.

I wish I worked a four-day week.

What do you wish?

Wish Wednesday

2010-06-08T15:30:00.000-07:00

I wish I had this blog looking the way it is in my head.

I wish I could take today off to play.

I wish I had cute rainboots.

What do you wish?

The Little Things in Life

2010-06-06T16:49:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the little things are the ones that make life ok and balance out the Big Scary Things. Here's an on-going list of some little things that make me happy.

a nice cup of tea (I am British, after all)
my herb garden
the sun shining but not too bright
friends
waking up refreshed
waking up before the alarm goes off
herbal tea
my soft blanket
my soft roomwear
Harry Potter (book, audiobook or DVD)
clean sheets and pyjamas
nail art
paint
a tidy room
getting a real letter in the mail
karaoke
early morning quiet
saying hello to people on the street
riding my bike
organising
reading blogs I love
to be continued...

Knitting

2010-05-28T20:32:00.000-07:00

This is my very first attempt at knitting! It was going to be a scarf but it's turned out a little narrow so I don't know what it's going to be but I'm quite excited to find out!

Fear

2010-03-24T00:35:00.000-07:00

Well, it's almost my birthday. I don't usually deal with birthdays well. I tend to be negative though I am trying very hard to be more positive and it's slowly working. However I don't think I will ever like birthdays and other big anniversaries. I focus on the regrets rather than the good things I have experienced or achieved!

In terms of this blog and my designs, this means that I have been stagnating. I started full of dreams and enthusiasm, buuuut... I have been stopping myself.

I will tell people about this blog when it's ready.
It'll be ready when I have the layout perfect. (what's perfect?)
It'll be ready when I have lots of designs. (what's lots?)
It'll be ready when I'm a success (this doesn't even make sense!)

I put off actually sitting down and designing
I need to clean first.
I need to study instead.
I don't have any ideas now.
Where's my pen?!

I put off scanning and finishing off those designs I do have.
They're not good enough.
I might think of better ones
I don't want to use the computer right now.
Ooh look, wrestling...

I have been doing thinking recently and looking back at my life... I would rather give up or not try than fail. I would rather be safe than take a risk.

Enough.

This blog isn't ready. I only have four "finished" designs. I am afraid that people won't like them, I am afraid that no-one will care. I am afraid to try in case I fail.

I'm trying.

Prizes for school

2010-02-25T15:32:00.000-08:00

By day I'm a mild-mannered ESL teacher, by night a funky designer... in thinking of prizes for my students this term I decided to let my worlds
collide and give them Orange Witch original name postcards! I've got thirty-five more to make!

私の仕事は英語教師、趣味はデザインです。三学期の頑張った生徒にオレンジ魔女のオリジナル名前ハガキを作りました！後三十五人を作れなきゃ！頑張ります！

Vase

2010-02-21T13:55:00.000-08:00

I made a vase yesterday, it was the first time I've tried pottery. It was more fun than I thought, I'd like to try again someday!

昨日花瓶を作りました、初めてですね。以外と楽しかった！もう一回やりたいです！

Creative Filenames!

2010-02-16T23:04:00.000-08:00

So I have a lot of articles starred in Google Reader, and I decided to copy them into word docs to keep in case the internet gets deleted or something. I started with very organised searchable boring names like:

Aromatherapy, Blogs, Happiness and Relaxation, Producitivity, Self-Development, Simplifying, Writing, Environment, English

blergh

So I decided to be a little bit creative and now I have...

Aromarama
Bloggy Blog Blog
Happy Happy Joy Joy
Just Do It Or Don't Whatever
I'm Fabulous Me
Simply Marvelous
Write Me Up Before You Go Go
It Ain't Easy Being Green
Me Fail English That's Unpossible

(That last is one of my favourite Simpsons quotes)

So now I have a filenames list that makes me smile whenever I see it! I'm very tempted to go through my whole computer and creatively rename everything!

Give it a go!

Home Painting

2010-02-09T09:28:00.000-08:00

This is my first painting on proper canvas, it was really fun to do! The background is more purple than the picture though, I couldn't get it to look right! これは私の初めてカンバスで絵を書きました！楽しかったです！でも実は花の後ろはもっと紫です、写真はちょっと違います！

Creativity Expansion!

2010-01-06T22:57:00.000-08:00

So originally this blog was purely for updates about my designs. Recently I've been doing a lot more general creative stuff, and was thinking of starting a new blog for that. Then I realised that I already have five (really?! when did that happen?!) blogs so I thought I would expand this to a more general creative blog. Still going to keep up the Orange Witch designs though! I love them, I have my own designs up alongside other artists I like... is that weird?

Anyway, will be tweaking blog settings over the next few weeks...new toys to play with!

Christmas and New Year Cards

2009-12-30T16:56:00.000-08:00

These are my Christmas and New Year designs. 2010 is the Year of the Tiger.
Happy New Year!

これは私のクリスマスと年賀状のデザインです！2010はトラの年ですね！

皆さん、良いお年を！

Hallowe'en

2009-09-22T22:22:00.001-07:00

Spent yesterday working on a Hallowe'en design, need to work on it some more, but am hoping to launch that plus two designs to Zazzle.com this weekend!

昨日ずっとハロウィーンデザインを作りました、まだ終わりませんけど、多分この週末にそのデザインそしてもう２つzazzle.comにアップロードつもりです！

Welcome ようこそ!

2009-08-29T14:49:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Orange Witch Designs! オレンジ魔女デザインへようこそ！

I studied film and television at university with a focus on camerawork, which gave me a sense of putting what you need to see into a square. After university and I came to Japan and fell in love with this country.

I studied Japanese calligraphy for a year at evening class and this has influenced my designs. In Japanese calligraphy one simple idea is expressed in black ink on clean white paper, the only colour being the stamp of the artist. This simplicity is the basis of my designs but with a cute, modern feel.

Coming to Japan I started collecting postcards from artists such as 　Kim, Kaori Wakamatsu and Yoko Tanaka. And so I began my own designs.

My very talented friend luxvesperis will be creating plates of my designs, so look out for hand-printed and coloured postcards at my shop on etsy.com and also I am planning to have the designs available as t-shirts, mugs etc on cafepress and zazzle soon!

私は大学で映画やテレビの(ムービーの）勉強をしました。特にカメラワークを専門としました。その勉強で私は、いかに画面に物を配置するかというセンスを磨きました。大学卒業後、日本に来てこの国に一目惚れしました。

私は夜間クラスで一年間、書道を勉強しまして、それが自分のデザインに影響しました。書道では白い和紙に墨汁でシンプルなアイディアを表現します。色はアーチストの印だけです。こういう単純さが私のデザインの基準ですが、もっと可愛く今風の感じです。

日本の来る後に来てから、私は日本のアーチストのはがきを集め始めました。例えば、きむさん、若松かおりさん、田中葉子さんといった人たちです。そして自分のデザインを始めました。

私の友達ＯＯは私がデザインしたスタンプをつくります。だからオリジナルhand-printedはがきを私のetsy.com ショップでチェックして下さい。そしてデザインはcafepress そしてzazzle でTシャッツやコップについても計画があります、それもチェックして下さい！