My New Favorite Etsy Store

I can’t get enough of this beautiful store by Hiroko Inuma, Hiroko Japan.

Hiroko creates many of her works employing traditional katazome techniques. Japanese maple leaves, flowers, arches, and the like are hand-dyed on natural fabrics, such as linen, and sustainable papers that are tree free, such as mulberry, or kozo.  Hiroko also uses natural pigments from turmeric and indigo. Here is an example seen in her katazome placemats:

Simple, yet elegant and sophisticated.

There is also a whimsical element to her work, such as this pineapple scarf.  Fun!

Thank you, Hiroko, for producing such timeless and original work. I love it all!

See more at Hiroko’s website, where there is jewelry as well.

July 10, 2012 by kimolily Categories: hiroko inuma, katazome, kozo, linen, placemats, turmericTags: etsy shop, hand-dyeing techniques, Hirko Inuma, hiroko japan, Japan, japanese maple, japanese shops on etsy, mulberry, natural dyes, pigments, pineapple Leave a comment

Paper Thin Flower

It’s made of paper, or washi, in Japanese.
My younger sister handmade this gorgeous flower out of tengujou-shi, the thinnest handmade paper from Japan, that had been hand painted as well. She used a craft pack from our dear friends at Paper Connection International, and with her vision, voila!  The paper is actually made by a national treasure of Japan, Mr. Hamada. Kozo, or mulberry bushes indigenous to Japan, are responsibly farmed in the southwestern part of Japan, where they are then made into pure weblike sheets using traditional papermaking methods. Light fast pigments are then applied.  Acid free, these papers are used for more than just collage and book arts, but even conservation of art and book repair. Try it yourself!

The stem is also made out of washi, or paper in Japanese.

January 4, 2012 by kimolily Categories: DIY, japanese, kozo, washiTags: flower making, handmade paper, Japanese Paper, making flowers, mulberry, paper arts, Paper Connection International, paper crafts, paper flowers, pigments, tengujo, tengujoushi, thin paper Leave a comment