Personalized Cat Banks

Quite awhile ago, I purchased two plastic screw on lidded banks from Daiso . I knew I wanted to decorate them (so plain) but I didn't have any ideas.  Finally after a long time, I decided to decorate them for two cat loving boys.  I wanted the coin slot to be hidden so I reversed the banks.  However, then the designs on the clear body of the banks were upside-down.  I solved the problem by gluing some bumpy grey yarn around the body of the banks.  Now the banks sort of look like cat scratching posts. LOL!

To decorate the recessed lid of the banks, I found colorful confetti (HM BFC), small ceramic cats            ( Daiso), and miniature Scrabble letters (from my stash). I used UV-LED resin (Padico) and a UV light to adhere the letters and cats first.  Then I filled in the recessed area with confetti (two different ones for each of the banks) and resin.  I used the UV light several times to make sure that all the resin was hardened and dry to the touch.

I am pleased with the outcome of the banks.  They are not only useful, colorful and cute but they feel so furry and cat-like.  Perhaps the best part is that the banks don't look like banks  (kids love to hide their money) and can be used to hide other special items.  If you can't find the banks for sale at Daiso you might be able to repurpose a Talenti ice cream jar (similar shape).  Anyway, have fun creating your own personalized bank as a gift or for yourself!

Father's Day 2026 Card

This year because of a trip to the East coast, Father's Day just sort of appeared on my calendar.  This meant that I had to think fast and work with supplies I had on hand.  I found a scrap of hand dyed (by me) watercolor paper (in my stash) that had the just right quiet colors that matched my husband's personality. I wanted to stamp an appropriate design over the dyed colors but I couldn't find a large enough rubber stamp.  Since he does a lot of traveling (even got a million mile recognition from American Airlines), I looked for airplane or travel stamps.  I finally located an impression folder which had postage images....good enough!  After impressing the dyed watercolor paper by running it through my Big Shot machine, I rubbed the surface lightly with a dark brown stamping ink.  After adhering the impressed, dyed panel to a grey card blank, I die cut the words using a Lawn Fawn die on grey metallic foil paper.  I used Fabri-Tac glue to attach the words to the front of the card and voila! my Father's Day card was done! My husband, father of my children,  loved the card!  I am happy that I found a quick and easy way to create a suitable card to celebrate this special day. Hope your dad had a great day too and you made him something heartmade!

 

Father's Day Blueberry Cornbread

 

While our sons were growing up, my husband cooked breakfast almost every Sunday. He usually made cornbread using the recipe on the cornmeal box.  The kids enjoyed it and I got to sleep in late. This year in honor of Father's Day, I decided to make my husband some cornbread. LOL!  To step it up a notch, I added blueberries, melted butter and heavy cream. Whenever we have excess blueberries and/or heavy cream, I freeze the extras and so I usually have them on hand to enhance everyday recipes.  Here is the recipe I created for Father's Day Blueberry Cornbread:

1 c. ccornmeal

1 c. all purpose flour

1/4 c. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 c. heavy cream

1/3 c. melted butter

1 large egg beaten

1 c. frozen blueberries

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.  Combine the liquid ingredients and add them to the dry ones. Carefully fold in the blueberries and pour into a parchment lined 9 x 9 baking pan. Bake the cornbread in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and let cool before cutting into individual pieces. Enjoy! 

Resin Mofusand Coasters and Sumikogurashi Trinket Tray

I purchased a package of blank cardboard coasters from Daiso quite a while ago.  I finally decided what to do with them.  The inspiration came from some Mofusand stickers I bought in Japan.  Of course HM Ben Franklin Crafts has hundreds of sticker packages you can choose from to design your coasters.  It is simple work to adhere the stickers and then apply the UV resin (Padico) and set it with a mini UV kught (reasonably priced ones are available at HM BFC).  Apply just a thin coating of the resin or your coaster will warp.  Slight warping can be corrected by leaving the finished coaster under a heavy weight. Coasters like these would make great party favors and can be personalized with a name or message before applying the resin.  I only applied resin on the front of the coaster.  Before applying the resin, put the coaster on a jar cover over parchment so you can catch any excess resin drips.

I think this Sumikogurashi  sticker trinket tray turned out very well.  It was so easy to do . I started by applying a large sticker onto a printed cardboard tray .  I think I purchased the tray from Daiso or HM Ben Franklin Crafts. Next I poured Padico UV Resin into the tray and brushed it up the sides of the tray.  A UV light was used to set the resin and that required several timed exposure to insure the resin was dry.  The back of the tray was done in the same way.  Although, the resin makes the tray waterproof, I asked the resin manufacturer if the finished resin surface was food safe and he said the resin was designed to make beads or charms.  I guess this means that the resin coated tray should NOT be used to hold food.  I plan to use this Suikogurashi trinket tray to hold my current favorite jewelry pieces for easy access.  Making a simple tray like this is so rewarding.  It makes the recipient (me) smile everytime I look at it.  A big Sumikogurashi Smile to YOU! 

Vintage Ceramic Treasures Discovered

While traveling, I often peek into antique shops in the hope of finding something unique and irresistible.  During a quick stop at the Cambridge Antiques store in Boston, I uncovered two vintage ceramic pieces. This first one was made by the Roseville company in 1944.  The glaze color and unique shape made it stand apart from all the other 'stuff' on the shelves of ceramic items. For a piece of pottery 82 years old it was in great condition, having a lovely glaze with no cracks or chips.

From the top view, you can see the frog holes that are meant to hold the flowers or greenery.  I need to find a large glass bowl to set the frog in so I can arrange some flowers in the piece.  I think gardenias from our garden will look great blossoming from this vintage piece.  I paid very little for this flower frog and after research I discovered it was a real 'find' worth several times what it cost.

The second ceramic piece that I 'discovered' at the same antique store was this small matte glazed pitcher.  Although this piece doesn't have an impressed mark to identify the maker, I think it probably at one time had a foil sticker with the maker's name and date of production.  If I would have to guess, I think it likely was made in California during the 60's or 70's.  It just has that west coast 'hippie' vibe...like me!  It doesn't take much to make me happy and for just a few dollars this little pitcher really brought a smile to my heart. I'm sure many would disagree (especially my kids) but I believe that we should surround ourselves with items and people who make us smile and bring back memories of happy times.  Yes, I've become one of those old ladies who has a story to go with everything in her house.  I can tell you stories about every collectible so don't ask unless you have lots of time. LOL!

Chiikawa Figure with Macrons on Jar Top

 Here is the second Chiikawa figure jar that I've made.  Like the prvious blog post the components were adhered to the cover with Padico UV resin that was set with a UV light.  The little hearts are actually confetti (HM Ben Franklin Crafts). 

The macrons were made from Hearty clay and were formed in a silicon mold.  I can't remember where I purchased the mold from but I think you could hand form the macrons.  Like the previous Chiikawa jar, this one is waterproof so it would make a great washable food jar...I suggest a sweet treat! It doesn't take many supplies to make a cute jar like this and it comes together quickly because of the 1 minute setting UV resin  available from HM Ben Franklin Crafts.  You don't have to use a Chiikawa figure...look around and I'm sure you'll find something that will make a perfect cover topper. Cute, useful and handmade are the perfect ingredients for a great craft project. Give it a try!

Chiikawa Figure with Flowers and Butterflies on Jar Top

When in Japan we saw many people eager to purchase some figures with large round heads and expressive faces so we bought some, too! Hahaha! Copycats!  I later learned that these figures were the rage because of their association with Manga.  The packages I purchased were mystery ones meaning that I couldn't see which one I was getting.  It turned out that two of the six figures were duplicates so I decided to use them to deorate some glass jars from Daiso. The first one had a very bald head  and I decided it needed something whimsical so I added a butterfly.  On the rest of the jar lid I added flowers, leaves, and another butterfly before pouring Padico UV LED resin over them. It just took a few minutes to harden the resin with a UV light.

Some of the flowers were actually confetti and others were tiny artificial ones. Both of them and the plastic leaves (from Daiso) were easily adhered with resin (Padico) and cured under a UV light. A bit of resin was also applied to the sticker butterflies to firm up their wings.  This jar lid is waterproof so it can be washed and used to hold edibles.  I think this jar made good use of an extra plastic Chiikawa figure and it will probably will make a Manga fan very happy. I was really pleased to make another pretty and useful container. You can do it too....really!

 

Moru (Chenille) Doll with Hearts and Sweets on Glass Jar

 I made the Moru (Chenille) doll a long time ago from a kit I purchased at HM Ben Franklin Crafts.  I liked it so much that I kept it on my desk to play with....I bent the limbs and added a hairclip. One day I had the great idea to glue it onto the wooden lid of a Daiso glass jar (like I did with the ceramic cats in a former post).  I glued on a plastic lollipop and some other treats that I purchased from HM Ben Franklin Crafts.  Next, I applied some Padico UV LED resin around the doll and arranged some plastic heart beads (available at Daiso) onto the resin before turning ont the UV lamp. After a few minutes, the resin was set all around the jar lid. Just like that....it was done!  I am really pleased with the outcome of this instant project.  I plan to keep hair clips and elastic hair bands in this sweet jar.  Because the Moru doll is not washable, I will only keep non-edibles in the jar. This is an easy project that you can easily do in a few hours. Use your creativity to make a jar that makes you happy! I did and I am so HAPPY!

Banana Bread Studded With Persimmons, Raisins and Chestnuts

I had some dried persimmons, raisins and chestnuts from Japan and I thought that they would be nice in a loaf of bread, but I didn't want to make kneaded, yeast bread to try my idea out. I opted to make a simple banana bread (my Mom's recipe) and add the chopped fruits and nuts.  My cooking experiment turned out attractive and yummy.  The recipe usually makes one large loaf but I divided the batter into two small loaves...one to try and one to freeze for later.  Because I like giving baked goods for gifts, I am happy that this test bake was a success.  Time is always short during the holidays so having a quick but special looking treat to give to friends and family is always swonderful.  To me, baking like crafting is full of experiments.  Please share the results of your creative ideas!

Japan Hobby Show 2026

Always a highlight of my craft year, this is the entrance of Big Site where the Japan Hobby Show has been  held for over a decade.  This year as always... rain or shine, tired or not I move my feet through the long walk to the showroom doors.  Once inside I forget all the time and effort it took to make it through to the giant craft area.  

One of the first incredibly irresistible handmade crafts I spied were these dessert cats.  I thought I would circle around and buy one later, but I forgot....sigh, maybe I can figure out how to make one myself.  If only I can find some miniature dessert dishes I'll be in business!

Another booth that I was entranced by was one that had  a variety of paper products. Some of the items for sale are already in our HM Ben Franklin Crafts.  I especially love the paper dioramas...so intricate and beautiful. Japanese crafters are also very talented at creating gorgeous cards.  I think they do way more correspondence by mail than we do in the U.S.

If I could have gotten a bonsai plant arrangement back to Hawaii, I would have purchased one.  They were so fantastic and artistic in a refined, simple way.  The seller had most of the bonsai arrangements encased in plastic like individual greenhouses.  I loved the way that the arrangements were so perfect that I had to go up close and touch the leaves to realize they were real.  I'm sure the booth owner really loved me touching everything....my hands were clean...really!

Another favorite booth was the one with ceramic bowls and handmade wooden utensils.  If I didn't just buy a bunch of wooden spoons and gorgeous tea bowls from the Toji Shrine fair, I would have made the booth owner very rich and happy.  Sadly, I really couldn't add more weight to my suitcases.  I didn't have an inch or ounce to give to the acquisition of handmade Japanese treasures.  Ah, but there is always next year and I understand that the Japan Hobby show will be at Big Site again. Hopefully, the show won't be at the tail end of my trip when my suitcases are bulging. LOL! I don't think I've ever left Japan with even the tiniest space in any of my many suitcases! I hope that this post has whetted your appetite for Japanese crafts and you'll make an effort to attend the show nest year.

Confetti Gel Card for a Dog Man Fan

Since I had fun making my confetti gel cards and loved the look of them, I decided to make one for my grandson. He is a big fan of the Dog Man book series so I made a copy of a Dog Man image, sprayed it with a matte clear coating and cut it out. Like the previous gel cards (see earlier post) I placed gel and confetti in a small baggie before sealing it with glue.  This baggie was then glued into a decorated window card which had a piece of white card stock behind the gel bag.

I couldn't resisit making a Dog Man gift card with the extra image that was printed. I sized the image to fit a small card and envelope that I had in my stash. The result of this card was so pleasing that I think I'll find out the favorite characters of other relatives to make them gel birthday cards too! What other gel crafts can I create?  Visit this blog site to find out!

Japanese Hula Festival

While in Japan we stayed in the small town of Kinshicho. By accident we came upon a Hula Festival in a nearby park.  Who knew that Japanese have such a big interest in Hawaiian hula dancing? There are approximately 2 million hula dancers in Japan! These three pretty ladies were some of the festival royalty.        

There seemed to be an endless stream of performers, all dresses in authentic looking costumes.  The dancers and musicians were really good and the crowd was thoroughly entertained.

Also there were many booths selling colorful Hawaiian wearables. The prices and styles were great so I bought a couple of 'Hawaiian' outfits to wear back home.
 

We were surprised to see local Hawaiian plants for sale too.  I rarely see ohia or pikake plants for sale even in Hawaii.  The plants were healthy and sold for a song....wish I could have taken some home on    the plane.

I just spotted the muu muu I purchased from one of the vendors in the lower right of this photo. Hahaha!  Anyway you can tell I had fun browsing and being entertained at this Japanese Hula Festival.  Apparently, they have a hula festival every year in this Kinshicho park. I think the people of this little town are doing a wonderful job of promoting the charm of Hawaii and the ftradition of hula dancing.

Confetti Gel Birthday Cards

After watching Joy and Ren demonstrate the 'gel in a jar' prduct on Joy of Crafting, I knew I HAD to buy some.  After playing with the gel for awhile, I decided to try incorporating it into a card.  I started by putting some gel (about 1 Tablespoonful) into a small ( 3-1/4 "x 5-1/2 ") plastic zip bag. Next I added some confetti to the bag. Don't use confetti that are too big or have sharp edges.)  After getting just the right amount in the bag so when zipped closed just a thin layer of gel is encased, I sealed the bag with glue so that gel would not leak if the bag was squeezed too hard.  For the card I used matte white card stock (available at HM BFC in a pack) to cut a 11" x 5-3/4" piece.  This piece was folded into three panels and the center was cut out with a 2-3/4" x 4" Spellbinders rounded corner rectangular die.  Stamped images and words plus printed paper were used to decorate the card front. The corners of the cards were cut with a Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper (one of my favorite tools).

As you can see, the variety of confetti gel cards is endless and they make a wonderful, playful surprise for the recipient.  I know I'll be making more of these cards in the future and perhaps I'll try making a confetti gel cover for a gift box.  Now I've got to buy more colors of gel to play with....off to HM Ben Franklin Crafts!  

Toji Shrine Fair 2026

I was lucky to attend the Toji Shrine Fair again this year. It is held on the 21st of every month...rain or shine.  In good weather it is a rather large event with delicious local foods, gorgeous, resonably priced antiques, and lovely craft items for sale.  

I tend to concentrate on the old dishes and handmade items as I am a collector and always on the hunt for new craft ideas. Japanese crafters are meticulous, clever, and seem to undervalue their crafted items.

Over the years my husband and I have collected way too many kokeshi dolls.  I love the ones that bob their heads!  Due to house space, we've stopped collecting the really large dolls and try to limit our purchases to only special looking kokeshi dolls.  On this trip we found a much desired doll with a secret note space in it's body....of course we bought it....a steal at 200 yen!

I mostly spent my time (at the fair) acquiring tea bowls and even though I never drink tea from them, I love the look of their shape and variety of glazes.  Some of the sellers put outrageous prices on their ceramicware, but here and there a true bargain beauty can be found.

I wish I had taken more photos to show you the breadth of the fair but I was so engrossed in searching for new treasures.  I even tripped and fell flat on my face into a display of bowls spread on the ground....I didn't break a single bowl! Of all the things we do and see in Japan, I enjoy attending the Toji Shrine Fair the most.  I guess I'm a treatsure hunter at heart and enjoy meeting/chatting with the talented crafters. I hope someday you will be able to attend the fair and find your own handmade goodies, both antiques and edibles!

 

Washi Paper Covered Notepads with Japanese Fabric Charms

 

Recently, while looking for something in my super messy craft area, I 'discovered' two undecorated notepads. They were purchased a long time ago from HM Ben Franklin Crafts. The notepads were made from kraft paper cardboard and had simple magnet clasps. I'm sure you can fashion one yourself using a self-stick note pad, kraft construction paper and some Velcro tabs. Anyway, it was simple cut and paste to cover the notepads with printed Japanese washi paper (lots availiable at HM BFC).  The fabric charms were made from kits purchased at HM Ben Franklin Crafts.  At first the small parts may seem overwhelming but trust me they are really simple.  Although the instructions are in Japanese, it is easy to translate using Google Translate on your phone.  The kits are for making charms but I thought they would make great decorations for washi covered notepads.  All you really need is a sharp pair of scissors (small) and 3-in-1 glue. This is absolutely my favorite glue because it had the right viscosity to grab quickly but still allow for sliding the parts around to adjust into place.  Also this glue dries clear and permanent.The padding on the charms is just perfect for giving some dimension and interest to the notepads I think making a bunch of these notepads would be perfect for party favors or just small gifts for no reason at all. Don't you love giving and receiving unexpected surprises?

                                          

    

Cat Candy Containers

I love shopping at Daiso because I never know what I'll find there.  Both the jars and the ceramic cats were from Daiso and were simply put together with UV-LED resin. I thought about just using E6000 glue to adhere the cats to the jar tops, but then I thought the resin would give the containers a more professional look.  I simply spread a generous layer of the resin (Padico UV-LED Resin hard ) onto the wooden cover, positioned the cats and aimed the UV-LED light.  I moved the light around so I was sure that l hardedned all areas of the lid. These cat jars were so easy to create and turned out so cute that I know I'll be making more of them in the future.  Daiso carries many other ceramic animals too, in various sizes. The containers can be used for holding many things besides candy....like paper clips, cotton balls, rubber bands, etc.  Decorated glass jars like these would be perfect as party favors, so easy and inexpensive. Go check out your nearest Daiso and discover a multitude of crafting supplies for your next creative project. 

Shaker Resin Charms

Recently, I've been having fun making resin shaker charms.  It was easy because all the supplies needed (except the resin) came in a kit.  I purchased these kits from Japan and HM Ben Franklin Crafts.  Although the instructions for the charms are written in Japanese, it wasn't difficult to use an app (Google Translate) to decifer the words into English.  I was quite impressed with the cleverness of these kits to use resin to construct little pockets to hold the confetti, forming shaker elements.

Some of the kits make two charms and I printed acetate film with the designs so that I could later make multiple charms using the reuseable resin molds.  There are many shaker charm kits available and I am eager to try more as the end products are so pleasing.  You should try making a shaker charm if you can acquire a kit, UV resin and a UV-LED light (sorry not in photo).  I know you'll have fun and will enjoy shaking your charm as it hangs from a favorite handbag.