how does a cow moo in french?

For a change-of-pace, I like making etegami-collages, where I stick something extra (often fabric or washi of a completely different texture-- but this time a postage stamp), to a traditional hand-painted etegami. I have a special interest in postage stamps, and this cow stamp from France begged to be used in an etegami.

etegami sampler book 2

My second professionally printed portfolio book is finally ready. 60 pages with 61 different etegami, each one inspired by Scripture. Perfect as a Christmas present, don't you think? Find it, along with sample pages, on my Etsy shop.

phony definitions

gravel stones

Inspired by the following lines from Kodoku no Tonari (next door to loneliness) by the late, best-selling Japanese writer, Ayako Miura: Life is as full of material to learn from as a gravel road is full of stones. Not having gone to school is itself something to learn from. So is poverty, a weak constitution, failure, a broken heart, ignorance, prosperity, and adversity. If you have the will to learn from it, anything can be teaching material. 

the power of books

Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back. Books can satisfy your curiosity. Great books can give you a new life.

grateful

Yes, even in Hokkaido, where we have snow for six months of the year, this summer has been hot and humid beyond enduring. It hasn't been as bad as the rest of Japan, I admit, but we are much less used to this sort of thing, so I'm convinced we're more miserable than they are. Besides, most of us in Hokkaido don't have air conditioning. Okay, enough complaining....  I painted this one for an etegami call on the topic "gratitude." Thanks to Hokkaido's abundant snow, we have never had a water shortage. I am so very, very grateful for that.

etegami newsletter -september issue

If you are signed up to receive the Etegami Fun Club Newsletter, the September 2013 issue should soon be in your email box. Apart from the two-month break I took from it this summer, this issue completes the first year of the newsletter's publication. (This is where you cheer and break out the good champagne.)

The September issue discusses how Etegami Recipe Cards "evolved" from their beginnings, more answers to Questions from Readers, a new Koike Quote, an update on the etegami recipe card giveaway, and a simple index of the main articles in all past issues of the newsletter. I hope you enjoy it, and I look forward to your feedback.

If you haven't signed up for this free monthly newsletter and would like to do so, please send a request to dosankodebbie (at) yahoo (dot) co (dot) jp

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