enikki in giardino

Guy Fawkes night 2011

2011-11-05T20:47:00.002Z

Beautiful fireworks.

how to get your amigurumi

2011-05-02T20:42:00.000+01:00

Please visit link below to find out how to get your amigurumi!

hope for Japan - amigurumi - how to get your amigurumi

Thank you

Hope for Japan - progress report #4

2011-03-31T21:42:00.003+01:00

Hope for Japan - amigurumi blog has been set-up.

Having a technical difficulties, I have opened this new blog dedicated to the amigurumi project.
I will be reporting a progress of the project here from now on.

Thank you.

amigurumi #8 S reserved

2011-03-29T23:10:00.004+01:00

amigurumi - Hope for Japan

Created by Hanae from Japan.
I named him "Super Elephant". He is so cute ♥

Hope for Japan - progress report #3

2011-03-27T15:12:00.003+01:00

K1 yarns -knitting boutique in Edinburgh has agreed to support my amigurumi project.
They will keep a basket for yarn donations.
They also kindly accept postal donations of yarns on behalf of my project.

If you would like to help, please drop by the shop or post your leftover yarns to

Hope for Japan - Amigurumi - Tohoku Earthquake Appeal
C/O K1 yarns
89 West Bow
Edinburgh EH1 2JP
Scotland

Please note, unfortunately myself or K1 yarns, who is kindly supporting my project, cannot take any responsibility for any lost of items through the postal process, thank you for your understanding.

Big thank you to K1 yarn to support my project.
And Thank you all for encouraging me and Japan.

Your help is our hope for the future.

beautiful cup cake

2011-03-27T12:34:00.002+01:00

On Saturday, I went to the "cakes for Japan" charity event held in Edinburgh. I found these beautifully made cup cake! It tasted as good as it looked too! (yes, of course I ate it, tho I felt guilty...)

amigurumi #7 L

2011-03-25T00:52:00.003Z

amigurumi - Hope for Japan

I went to Tea tree tea cafe knitting group (Edinburgh) today.
There are so many amazing knitters!
So inspiring and I enjoyed the atmosphere that all those people knitting, chatting and having a coffee and tea.

Thank you so much for those who showed interest in my amigurumi and offered to help my project!

Hope for Japan - progress report #2

2011-03-23T19:13:00.002Z

Chimuchimu, one of Japanese member of Raverly has provided me her amigurumi pattern.

Here is her cute monkey pattern. I am going to give this one go myself as well; and this is her blog, you have to check it out!
She's got so many cute amigurumi!!!

Thank you!

Hope for Japan - progress report #1

2011-03-22T23:17:00.003Z

All amigurumi go on sale once I reach 20 amigurumi and prices are set.

In a mean time, if you like any of my amigurumi,
please contact me at nao.amigurumi@gmail.com to reserve your original amigurumi!

100% of amigurumi sales will be donated to Japan Red Cross!

Hope for Japan!

Thank you.

amigurumi #6 adopted

2011-03-22T23:08:00.002Z

amigurumi -Hope for Japan
created by naoko
adopted by Tor, thank you

Yarn provided by Caroline, Edinburgh. Thank you.

amigurumi #5 M - adopted

2011-03-21T23:25:00.004Z

amigurumi - Hope for Japan

amigurumi #4 M adopted

2011-03-21T23:23:00.002Z

amigurumi - Hope for Japan

amigurumi #3 M adopted

2011-03-21T23:22:00.002Z

amigurumi - Hope for Japan
created by naoko
adopted by Yuki, thank you!

amgurumi #2 M - adopted

2011-03-21T23:20:00.004Z

amigurumi - Hope for Japan

amigurumi #1 M adopted

2011-03-21T23:16:00.005Z

amigurumi - Hope for Japan
created by naoko
adopted by Lorraine, thank you!

HOPE FOR JAPAN

2011-03-20T13:52:00.001Z

Hi, My name is Naoko and I am Japanese; live in Edinburgh.

As you know, 11th March last Friday, the Tohoku earthquake had changed the lives
of many people in Japan.
I want to do something to help those affected and lost everything!

To make my contribution, I decided to knit "Amigurumi" (Crochet animals) and
sell them at a shop. I will then donate 100% of sales to the Japan Red Cross.

And, here are some favours I would like to ask to all knitting / crocheting
lovers.

1. Please support me with leftover wool if you have.
(this will help me to continue knitting for
charity)

2. Please donate some knitted animals if you have.
(this will help to raise more money)
s
I only have 7 knitted animals so far, either way your help would be greatly
appreciated.

All amigurumi are original.

I already have an agreement with a shop in Grassmarket that Amigurumi can be
sold with no overhead cost. This mean that all the money raised from this
fundrasing will go to the Japan Red Cross to help people in needs.

I will make sure to report back the result of all support and donations to the group via email.

This is the first time for me to organise this sort of thing, so I would
appreciate any supports, advises on this.
If you have any inquiries please get in touch with me via email
(nao.amigurumi@gmail.com)

I will try my best to answer all the question you may have.

Thank for your time and your support.
Your support will give us hope which all we need right now.

Naoko

crochet hats and scarves

2011-02-06T15:20:00.002Z

crochet hats and scarves for my beautiful nice and god-child.

Christmas 2010

2011-02-06T15:12:00.003Z

Time flew by so quickly that it is already in February in 2011.
Christmas time was hectic, K had an operation and we had our christmas alone.
Challenge was for me to cook christmas meal for the first time.
Took me more than 4 hours but the result was good, I think.
So, it is better late than never, I decided to blog about it.
Hope your first month of this year has been happy and your new year resolution is still going strong.

lovely gifts

2010-10-16T23:19:00.003+01:00

My friend gave me these beautiful "Aizome" (Japanese indigo-dyeing) bag and a bookmark.
She tells me that her uncle is a "Aizome" expert in Japan.
She plays fiddle beautifully with Cross the border.
Any suggestion what should I use this lovely bag for?
As for the bookmark... which book should I read first... "Winnie The Pooh", "Alice's adventure in Wonderland"..?

Casa Vicens.

2010-10-13T13:36:00.004+01:00

With your camera always in the purse.

2010-10-09T15:13:00.003+01:00

When Straberries turn into pure evil.

2010-10-07T20:53:00.001+01:00

Breakfast with Moomin

2010-10-06T22:53:00.002+01:00

Found a shop near my home. They have a lots of Moomin goods...
I must go back again... :-)

This is a nice fall.

2010-10-06T16:53:00.004+01:00

My sister is over for a week and today we visited the botanical garden. We took many pictures and wished we had packed a wee picnic with us.
The most amazing thing was the silence you could find and how peaceful it was.
I´ll probably be back soon with a nice book.

Homesick at a supermarket.

2010-10-06T10:05:00.002+01:00

Found these snacks from Japan.
Then, Thought about my sisters whom I used to fight over these snacks with, thought of my family.
I miss home.

Speaking of lights

2010-10-04T19:37:00.002+01:00

These are photos I took when I visited Paris for the first time.
Speaking of lights, This is for you Chiara.
Without the lights we do not see anything, without the shadows we do not see the lights.

Studying the light.

2010-10-04T09:58:00.004+01:00

Drawing and painting makes you think a lot about the light.
You look around and try to understand how it works and how you can make it work when you are painting it, trying to reproduce it but make it different too.
Sometimes I find myself daydreaming about my mountains and I always go back with the memory to a special part of the day when the light is a soft tone of indigo .
When I think about my parents home, I imagine it in the late hours of the afternoon at the end of summer, all is warm and quiet and you can almost feel it on your skin, not see the light but feel it with your body.That I would like to be able to paint.

Be wise.

2010-10-03T17:34:00.003+01:00

Be wise. live your life in full.
I thought a bird in a shopping mall said something like that.

Beautiful food, wine and a conversation.

2010-10-03T17:21:00.004+01:00

We found a lovely italian restaurant around a corner from our home.
People there were so lovely too.
Waiter singing .. amore....♪Brilliant.
You feel your heart and stomach are content with beautiful food, wine and a conversation.

Just where I left you.

2010-10-03T07:10:00.003+01:00

I know when you rent a flat you shouln't get attached to it but I will always think about the number 3 of Glen street in Edinburgh as the first real home I have ever had.
I will always remember the first time I saw it and the day I left it. I still miss it...

Things I see, I do these days

2010-10-02T13:07:00.004+01:00

In Scotland, my days are filled with indoor activities these days. Since I have signed up to do some study, it has been so difficult for me to properly rest. My brain is constantly thinking... and other corner, my heart is screaming to do more creative stuff. It's all to do with balance, perhaps. It will soon be over, then I will be able to appreciate how creative stuff can release all negative powers sometimes accumulate within you.

I promise, to myself, that I will treat me with many more crocheting, painting and any things tickles my creativity in coming months!!

Porco Rosso wait for us.

2010-10-02T06:49:00.002+01:00

If here is something that I really missed in Scotland, it was the chance to go out as much as I wanted, to be outdoors all the time.
Now, I must admit that choosing to be an illustrator is not the smartest move if you want to be outdoor all the time but now that we moved here I am enjoying it as much as I can.
Today we´ll go and watch the Red Bull Air Race , I hope I´ll manage to get some nice pictures. Porco Rosso we are coming!!!

When you cannnot sleep.

2010-10-01T04:28:00.004+01:00

When you cannot sleep you watch tv, you have a glass of hot milk, you count the sheep, you make a list of things you want to do the next morning, you make a list of the cleaning products you need to buy, the cleaning you need to do, the places you want to see, the people you want to meet, the animals you would like to save if there was an ecological disaster, the people that influenced your art, the people that influenced your life, you imagine your wedding day even if you say you'll never get married, you imagine your funeral because at some point you'll get one for sure.
I could go on and on about the things I am doing in my head these days to fall back to sleep but nothing is working so if you have any suggestions please come forward and send me back to that beautiful place that is my head asleep.

Let´s take a walk monkey and bring your bottle!

2010-09-30T07:26:00.007+01:00

There are things when you walk in the street that make you wish you had your camera with you, just for a second and then you forget all about it.
This time I had my camera and I am happy I won´t forget it!

Ahh haa, found the cable!

2010-09-29T13:01:00.002+01:00

Here are some pictures of the last weeks in Barcelona.
Hope you´ll like them , Naoko!

Last Sunday, on the beach with bread still warm and the paper.

Still a nice day, good enough to swim!

A show for the celebration of Fiestas de la Mercé.

On the Tibidabo.

Just keep moving...

2010-08-26T10:04:00.001+01:00

After almost 6 years in Scotland at the end of June I moved to Barcelona.
Big change, I must say.
I am not ready yet to write about the moving and there are so many things that still feel upside down that it will take me a while to adjust but the truth is that changes are good for you, they test you and they give you the chance to change what you don't like of your life.
I am still looking for a job and this seems to be a big challenge but I'll find a good one, one that doesn't feel like a punishment every morning, possibly even one I could enjoy.
I have lost the cable to download my pictures but I'll find it and post some here, some of the new flat and the new city, a new amazing city, ready to be explored and enjoyed!

2010-07-13T23:56:00.003+01:00

I have finally opened Enikki in Giardino shop @ Etsy.
Please have a look.

My dear friend, Chiara. I used your pottery for a display.
Please join me there!

afternoon tea

2010-07-13T23:39:00.002+01:00

I had a impromptu time off.
Had a lovely afternoon tea at prestonfield hotel Edinburgh.
They tasted as nice as it looked!!

walk about

2010-03-28T21:42:00.003+01:00

Went out with my knitted smily bunny the other day.
Today, I went to Zoo. No matter how many time you visit Zoo, it's always nice to see animals doing nothing but sleep :-) so peaceful. but somehow, I didn't take any photos of animals which actually belong to the zoo. I was more drawn to squirrels, little humpty dumpty on the wall...

Happy weekend activities

2010-03-02T20:55:00.002Z

Painting, Knitting and playing with miniature people.
what an easily amused person I am :-)

Happy purchase

2010-03-02T20:40:00.002Z

Treated myself by purchasing these beautiful print created by Geninne D Zlatkis.
Her prints inspire me so much.

beautiful...

2010-02-22T20:57:00.001Z

this is so beautiful and amazing!

happy 2010!

2010-01-07T08:40:00.003Z

happy new year! welcomed 2010 in banff, canada.
loved the place and lovely people. {yes, i managed to put a japanese flag into the photo}
May 2010 to be a fantastic one for everyone and enikki in giardino!!!

Edinburgh in white.

2010-01-06T16:31:00.005Z

Christmas back home.

2010-01-06T16:10:00.007Z

My beautiful god child

2009-12-18T02:14:00.002Z

She is so beautiful. I am going to be her godmother.
I am honored to be such a wonderful part of her life.

shopping in dublin

2009-12-18T02:06:00.002Z

Christmas shopping in Dublin. Every street had a lovely decorations for Christmas.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

you have to see this!

2009-12-11T11:58:00.001Z

http://www.worldbeardchampionships.com/

oh,so cute!!

2009-12-08T08:51:00.004Z

Brighten up

2009-12-04T23:26:00.005Z

Painting. crocheting.
It's always the best way to forget about short day lights and rainy days.

little bit early...

2009-11-24T18:09:00.002Z

but had a wee christmas dinner with friends.

making a notebooks...

2009-11-24T16:07:00.004Z

practicing bookbinding at Chiara's.
I had a lovely pandoro cake with tea... can't do anything crafty without something sweet and lovely tea (or coffee)!

More Birthday...

2009-11-03T19:02:00.002Z

My lovely nephew's birthday on Thursday. Packed the present and sent it today.
Let's hope that it will get there and it will not be too late.
Happy Birthday, Jack! N

Happy Birthday!

2009-11-02T18:52:00.000Z

Made a little birthday card for C at the weekend.
And there was a great party!! Hope the birthday girl had a fabulous time!
(who was actually the party host, thank you for those lovely foods!)
xxx

painting day

2009-10-29T19:43:00.003Z

Inspired by this blog, decided to do some painting today.
relaxing and calming process of painting, it releases those negative energy which clouded my mind for a bit too long to bear.
I tend to forget that how crafty process can take you for a special place where your soul feels exhilarating.
Happy crafting everyone! for your soul and happiness!! xxx

Origami coaster

2009-10-28T20:38:00.002Z

Hi C, I promised I will post this a while back. How to make an origami coaster.
Uploaded photos a bit bigger this time so that you can see it better. xxx

I want a puppy...

2009-10-28T18:27:00.003Z

It's been a while I had a walk in a park.
It's right around a corner from where I live but I have been too lazy to go out and enjoy fresh air and trees.
Never thought that trees can calm you so much.
I never liked woods when I was little and I am from rather large city so never thought I would miss trees or feel like I did.
I saw lots of people walking with their dogs.
(I didn't get a chance to take photo of any of them as I was too busy adoring those cute dogs..)
Now, I want a puppy so much!! xxx

Beautiful colour

2009-10-23T22:48:00.003+01:00

Sometime forget where you are.
Sometime forget all colour around you are so beautiful.
It will never be the same colour again.

I cannot wait...

2009-10-14T13:51:00.001+01:00

I have been watching the trailer so many times already...

C.

Screenprinting.

2009-10-14T13:33:00.004+01:00

In less than 12 days I'll be 30 and I am starting to realize that my fear of showing my work is becaming my biggest enemy.
Not only it keeps me from believing in what I do but keeps me from being happy too.
Here is my first screenprint I worked on a while ago.
Hope you'll like it and you'll give me some feedback !

Chiara

half marathon

2009-10-04T18:35:00.003+01:00

No, it wasn't me. I have to make it clear that I did not run a half marathon.
It was my hubby who done it.
I must mention though, supporting those who does a half marathon is not that easy either.
It takes about 2 hours and we, supporters, have to walk around the park to see people running.
OK, I get it, I was just walking and not running so it could not be that hard, you would say..
but, in order to see as much of the half marathon as possibly could, you must short cut to catch those people running.
It's not easy. Please, have a cafe area for supporters!

Baking

2009-08-09T12:09:00.003+01:00

with our audiences, baking process had began or the first thing first, a lovely lunch with beer.
(you can bake with empty stomach)

melting butter mix with chocolate, mixing, whipping and mixing again.
why baking looks so easy when Chiara does it but it always seem so complicated whenever I attempted by myself.
had some this morning with coffee, it's so goooooood!

P.S. Happy Birthday, Kev!!!

It's like treasures...

2009-08-08T23:25:00.002+01:00

Walking around town, and with a pure luck, we found the market full of little thing, it's like a treasure hunt.

a sunny day

2009-08-08T23:16:00.003+01:00

Decided to take a walk in a sunny park.
precious moment of warmth...
Pretty post box. make me want to write some letters.

Lovely lunch

2009-07-29T18:20:00.004+01:00

It is always lovely to have a long lunch with a friend.
Talk till so thirsty and have a more excuse to drink...
The last day in Edinburgh for a friend.
Lucky her she is going to Spain, Italy, Austria and Holland for the next 23 days!!
Good luck!!

Trip to Amsterdam

2009-07-22T20:04:00.006+01:00

I have been the airport (in Holland) countless times.
Finally, I got to see one of their city.
Beautiful place.

Cap of tea with antique cup.

2009-07-12T18:02:00.006+01:00

I finally went to the tea room, where I wanted to go for a while, with a friend. (who is headless in this photo, sorry!)
The cups were so light and elegant. We had a long talk about many different things.
It was a lovely afternoon.

Waiting for the spring

2009-02-26T22:32:00.002Z

This photo was taken last year found on my MAC while tidying a photos. lovely garden with cute shed.
and beautiful/ cute photos

Let it snow!?

2009-02-09T20:59:00.003Z

I never seen this town covered in this much snow!!
Beautiful but I have to drive to work...
I started to knit scarf. Taking a time to knit but it looks like I am not in hurry.

finally crafty

2008-12-11T18:59:00.002Z

It's been a while.
Since I started to work in Glasgow, I haven't done much crafty bits.
It's terrible, I know.

This week, I wanted to do crochet so much that I crochet and slept less.
I am tired but happier.
When I crocheted him. His neck looked something missing.
I made a scarf. Now he looks cosy, don't you think?

Very merry Christmas and happy new year!!

The first view on snow..

2008-11-04T20:11:00.002Z

We went to the Isle of skye a few weekend back. It was amazing to see how middle of nowhere you can be. Fresh air, wide view, stroke of rain you can observe in the sky. It was cold day. It's coming. the winter is here.

Sneeze and bake.

2008-10-25T20:36:00.003+01:00

Spending all day at home was getting really boring so I decided to try my new cookie shapes...

New babies.

2008-10-22T15:28:00.006+01:00

Life is a constant time of change , I keep on changing my mind about my future and the meaning of happiness is different everyday.

These are the last things I made in the pottery workshop, in the next days I'll show you some more.

Some days I am happy about what I do and who I am and some others I feel lost and a really bad artist...for a matter of fact I still wake up everyday feeling like creating something.

Should not be the time for me to accept the fact that life is not perfect and it is going to take some time to be who I want to be?

In the workshop they have a pot full of little pieces of paper with quotes, every week I pick one, last week I got this:

" The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to make a living doing what they most enjoy." Malcolm Forbes

It's been a while...

2008-10-20T20:10:00.003+01:00

a new job started at the beginning of last month. It's been quite busy and tiring. a new beginning for one thing and the other get on hold... I need to balance but I also need a little time to do so.

I started this crochet with no much ending in my head. Now I would like to finish but I followed the book I borrowed from library and I have to figure the pattern from what I did so far... or else wait till I get some spare time to go to library again...

This is why, I love doing my own things. Just to crochet whatever the way I want.

How are everyone's crafty hands are doing?

I am not lost.

2008-10-08T17:12:00.004+01:00

I am still here, still alive.

I have been too busy, too lazy, too sad, to happy to post but now I'll try harder...

Well I 'll try...

I have also been on holiday in Asturias in the north of Spain, nice eh?!

Origami

2008-09-04T22:24:00.002+01:00

I used to write some note and pass it to my friends when I was a little girl.
I just thought about it and found this Origami blog .

Unfortunately, this is in japanese. So, I will make some illustration with English
instructions soon.

Here is some Origami I made.

amazing photos

2008-08-15T14:25:00.002+01:00

just a quick note to introduce my friend's photos..
AMAZING!!!

my favorite at a moment is "Waiting for the sun". Have a look!

Drawing time

2008-08-14T23:25:00.000+01:00

I hope you are enjoying the fringe festival if you are in Edinburgh at a moment.
My new shoes actually already looking old because of the bad weather!!

Camille O'Sullivan is amazing!

Cooking time

2008-08-14T16:05:00.000+01:00

Here is a new project that I am working on.

Let's feed our soul...

2008-08-10T21:05:00.000+01:00

Welcome to enikki in giardino.

I wish we are all in the same place and celebrate this great moment.

Cute crafts, nice food, good music, comforting chat and some drink... let's feed our soul.

絵日記のひろばへようこそ。

手作り小物、おいしいもの、素敵な音楽、

楽しいおしゃべりとお茶、ゆるりと心に栄養をあたえませう。

I went out today to enjoy the festival. Lovely view of the city with blue sky.

posted by Naoko

The workshop in my dreams...

2008-08-09T19:54:00.000+01:00

If I close my eyes I can see the mountains in front of me,I can smell the grass and hear the river,the fresh air in my face and the happiness all over my body.There is a place where I grew up that I always considered my home,I always felt right there and always dreamt about bringing the people I love and build a workshop.The chances of this happening in the close future are very few and this is the reason why creating this space for my friends Naoko and Elena,my sister Fede and myself seems such a good idea to me.I love all the creative things that come out these ladies brains and hands and the possibility that we'll ever be in the same place at the same time to have a workshop together is quite remote.I imagine this little corner of the web to be that little house in the mountains and maybe for them is a little loft in Paris or the blue door in front of the sea but we will be together sharing our ideas and keeping the creative energy moving.Today I am happy and positive, "if I want it I can do it "goes in loop in my brain,tomorrow maybe I'll be listening to Billie Holiday all day and looking at my rainy Scotland from the window but at least this is the first step into a new exciting place ,Enikki in giardino ( illustrated diary in the garden ) is now open!!

Posted By Chiara

2008-08-09T15:08:00.000+01:00

hola J!!! C and N