Lost Art

Pomrie

It was a temptation I tried really hard to resist, but alas, I was weak and I knew that I would eventually give in.

While in Tokyo, I visited this electronics haven called Bic Camera. Not only do they sell cameras and accessories, they have floors dedicated to mouthwatering gadgets and other odds and ends you could think of. While looking through the printers section, my husband led me to a hidden spot and excitedly pointed to this nifty little gadget (yes, I have a very supportive husband).

Lo and behold, it was a Casio Pomrie.

A Pomrie is a small printer that makes stamps. Yes, you can create your own rubber stamps!

It has two versions - wifi and USB. I got the USB, since printing stamps wirelessly isn't something I see myself doing anyway. The tiny printer comes with a CD for the app (which I downloaded over at the Casio site anyway), an instruction manual (in Japanese), power supply and a USB cord. The box also contains a 15x15mm stamp sheet with block holder, and a bottle of black ink to start you off. Not bad for its price. I didn't think I'd find Pomrie supplies in my neck of woods, so I also stocked up on stamp sheets and blocks, refill sheets, and inks. Good thing they were on sale when we were there.

I'll post another entry when I figure out a nice stamp to print out.

In the meantime, in case you're interested in getting one, Amazon Japan sells it and I found a really neat site that explains how to order from them.

Kappado

This is making my heart yearn once again for letterpress.

Craftsman: Mitsuro Yuge of Kappado.net
Short film by Yutaka Yoshida.

I will always want one.

Kokeshi Doll

Always, always a long hiatus, but here I am, back in the swing of things. So.

This lovely video displays the calmness and precision of this Japanese craft. I can only wish to be in this state of focus and quietness.

video discovered in thisiscolossal.com

Astier de Villatte

Last weekend, a friend told me about this short film. I've been looking at AdV's exquisite ceramics and I can't wait for the day that I'll be able to afford them. Sigh.

Handmade ceramics, typesetting, bookshops, Snoopy, having fun. They just hit the right notes for me.

Motion Silhouette

Looking around for craftsy things to see and do in Tokyo led me to this:

It's not a 'see' and 'do' in Tokyo thing, but I love that this Japanese book is a pop-up of some sort. What an exquisite work of art.

More of this here.

Craftsy Tokyo

So I've been busy planning a trip to Tokyo later this year and naturally, I've been sniffing around for things and places to check out, crafts-wise.

I know that Japan has a very craftsy culture, and I still can't get over the fact that they love to make their own stationery. As a matter of fact, I was pretty impressed by that culture that I bought my own Gocco - read about it here, here and here. So here are the places I've listed down so far:

1. Tokyu Hands - I read that the branch in Shibuya has 8 floors plus a mezzanine on each floor, so a total of 24 levels of items to satisfy every handmade craving! Reviews state though that navigating through the Shibuya branch can get a bit confusing and they recommend going to the Shinjuku branch. This one also has 8 floors but with slightly larger floorspace, no mezzanines and easier to find stuff.  I think I'll hit the Shinjuku branch first since we'll be staying in the area for a couple of days.

2. Nippori Fabric Town - While I don't sew, I do like stocking up on nice bolts of fabric for sudden embroidery urges, or maybe try some furoshiki (I downloaded an app for this.) Also, where there's fabric, there's sure to be notions! Buttons, ribbons, lace and colourful zippers are things that make me feel giddy. Tomato is pretty popular, but I plan to visit smaller stores like Mihama.

3. Kappabashi - Wouldn't want to pass up the kitchen supplies street. It would be nice to browse through the fake food aisle - I hear they're expensive - and maybe, just maybe, attend that workshop on how to make fake food. Here's  a pretty good blog entry on the experience with tons of pics.

4. Loft - Similar to Tokyu Hands and good reviews on their stuff. The Shibuya branch is recommended for first timers.

5. 100-yen Stores - Daiso is the most popular one. We have similar stores here that sell selected Daiso products and I absolutely love them! I'm pretty sure I'd be blown away with the stuff they have in Daiso motherland. Seria is supposed to be really good too, so I'll drop by a branch to see what they have to offer.

I'm sure I'm still missing a lot of must-visit places for crafts, so please drop a line at the comments section for your recommendations. Arigato in advance!