Kakigori

My kakigori (Japanese shave ice) syrup arrived! I know, it's kind of silly to order shave ice syrup online, but I conducted a not-terribly-in-depth survey of local Asian markets, and none of them carried the Japanese syrup in matcha flavor. So, in steps Asian Food Grocer! Their shipping rates are very reasonable, and I ask, what price matcha? So, now it's time for a kakigori party! In Japan they do all sorts of goofy things like scoop sweetened azuki beans onto the shaved ice, but I think I am going to opt for odango, little pounded sweet rice disks. I know, sounds kind of weird, but it's yummy.

The Ice Pet was excavated from my parents' house a couple weeks ago. I have fond memories of my mother making us kakigori with it. There are special round trays for freezing ice disks, which then clamp onto the Ice Pet. It regurgitates whisper-thin, snowlike shavings. Let's hope the vintage, primitive Ice Pet is still functional after all these years!

the great panty experiment begins

I am pleased, no, thrilled, to announce the arrival of the panty spandex! I also got some stretch stuff for the waistband and the legs, but I have to figure out what is supposed to go where. I tell ya, this panty stuff is complicated! Oh, and that tag that is pinned onto the fabric says "Dry Tech," but it looks like "Dry Tick," so I was really confused. Anyway, this weekend is kind of busy, so I don't know how much panty sewing will be happening. PANTY PANTY PANTY PANTY! Someone I know, I can't remember who, can't stand the word PANTY. I, on the other hand, love it. It is a superb word. By the way, I purchased my panty supplies from Sew Sassy.

sew stripey

I've been a little preoccupied with knits as of late, perhaps because of this whole "I'm going to make my own panties" deal. So, this striped knit fabric has been in my stash for I don't know how many years, but I finally decided to make something out of it (because I am preoccupied, you know, and my panty fabric hasn't arrived yet). I used a pattern out of the autumn 2007 Pochée magazine, a Japanese sewing magazine, because there was a cute photo of some cute little Japanese gal wearing this dress/shift deal in a striped knit. Well, I may be of Japanese descent, but I am wondering now if you have to have been BORN and raised there to get away with these long, layered looks, because I feel a bit like I am on my way to join the circus. We'll see.

one man's junk ...

Sunday I helped my brother and mother clean out a small portion of their basement. My father, you see, was the sort who became agitated whenever anything left the house. This is one of the reasons why there was always a large stack of paper napkins and ketchup packets next to his seat at the dining table.

Anyway, we unearthed a bunch of junk and a few goodies. The lemon twist in my mother's hand there is kind of junky now, but I am thrilled to have found it, since a childhood friend and I had just recently been discussing the great virtues of the lemon twist. I think we're ready for a big lemon twist comeback, don't you?

Ahh, the Twist Board. It is designed to trim your waistline! You stand on it and, you know, twist back and forth.

And this is kind of an awesome patch, but I don't really get it. Is it because there's a sun on it? That was the mistake, since the sun doesn't come out in Oregon? Huh?

We also found a bunch of crazy, vintage drinking glasses still in their boxes. Most have never been used! I put photos of the tumblers plus more junk on my flickr site.

sew rushed

Around 10pm the other night I got a hankering to get some sewing done, so I rushed down to my sewing room and started slapping together this top I had cut out. I learned it's not a good idea to sew in a hurry, because if you're like me and lazy to begin with, you get lazier and cut even more corners when you're speeding along. So, I just sewed and didn't pay attention to fit, which is why the armholes are a little lower than I would have liked. But see, lazy can be good sometimes, because I am going to just wear this anyway, armholes be danged. The pattern is from an old issue of Cotton Friend (Japanese craft magazine), and I've had the fabric for a long time (Heather Ross?).

The other excitement around here is that yesterday afternoon I discovered a DROWNED RAT IN THE BASEMENT TOILET. It was just about the most horrifying experience I have endured (I am exaggerating a bit, but yeah, it was gross). Peter picked a fine time to leave the country! I'm surprised Deedle didn't find it and try to eat it. Urgh. Anyway, I am a total wimp, so I couldn't deal with it. Luckily I have kind friends, and one came over with the intention to extract the dead rat. Instead, she just flushed it back down the toilet! She flushed 3 times for good measure then checked later to ensure the rat was back in the sewage pipes where it belongs (that is really disgusting). I don't know if I will ever be able to pee in that toilet again. Perhaps it can be a growth area for me.