PH stationery

 

the wonderful papierlabo has collaborated with high tide to create PH stationery line.

cholon

cholon has stores in sapporo and tokyo.

it sells nice things, by the looks.

one more karikomi

i am a great big fan of ouno design blog, and i am so very honoured
for ouno to mention my recent post on karikomi.
i think one of the best things about conversations and comments via blog postings
is the way it encourages further reflection.
lindsay from ouno design's comments
triggered my memory that there was another topiary garden
outside of japan that knocked my socks off.

it is the antwerp garden of belgian landscape deisgner jacques wirtz.
simply amazing asymmetrical forms.
it is perhaps reminiscent of the temple cloud shapes.
i saw it on the around the world in 80 gardens BBC series
recently screened on ABC here in australia.

the above image is via here.
the below is via here.

art, writing and a big cartel

the lovely marie from ici blog has opened a big cartel.

and i just discovered marie has also begun a new blog called lire, words on the literary.

it is lovely to visit marie's charming, quiet and contemplative world.

the above image is from lire. it is a water colour by melbourne artist alice byrne,

currently on show at james makin gallery.

the below are some oishisou onigiri by marie.

ps - and how very very exciting it is that mieke willems now have a web shop!

pps - i am centred now.

hunter gatherer

via the really excellent huntergatherer.  a great store in LA called iko iko. 

edit: thanks everyone for the help with the iko iko link!

humor

these are handkerchiefs by fuge, via online store humor.

handkerchiefs are so great, i wish they were in use more often.

for general hand drying purposes, as well as the sustainable nose wipe.

there is an explanation of fuge here (in japanese, but with nice pictures!)

and this is fuge's website (with a gallery of her work).

karikomi

here is some more topiary.

i found the basic term for clipping into shapes is karikomi (刈込) in japanese.

these images are all of temple gardens from here. above is shoden-ji temple.

edit: reading the age newspaper online today, this article expresses well how tragic is the 'race to the bottom' that australia's leaders are engaged in on emissions trading and carbon reduction. it should be better than this.

chion-in, kyoto

western garden at tofukuji temple in kyoto

JT ads

top: is topiary that i like. via tsuyatsuya's potted gardens.

second and below:

these have been about for a while, but i do like them.

it is hard to choose a favourite, but perhaps the 'children scolding 

adults with paintbrushes' one? although the olympic torch runner one is also brilliant.

they are japan tobacco (according to wikipedia, still a 50% state-owned tobacco company.  i didn't smoke until 

i went to japan,a personal choice though, and yes, i know smoking 

is bad, i would love to quit) smoking manners advertising.

images via combinibento.

satorialist freckles

this irish freckles and dress combination is pretty amazing. via the satorialist.

and for the japan content, look at this japan cool in paris. the golden tabi are pretty incredible.

some photos i like

some photos that i like that i have seen lately.
from top to bottom:

by urszula wolek via oh photos
(the last wedding i went to was like this. best dresses in the wind and shivering knees)

via no penny for them
(these colours, they stop me)
via no penny for them
(this is what sakura look like in dreams)
by amira fritz, via oh photos
(in the woods)
by patrick romero via oh photos
(deserted utiliarian)
by mari via make it easy
(looking out the window backlit and half asleep, this is life)