Welcome to my blog.

After a few random posts I've decided to dedicate this blog to my life long project of Japanese food
and culture (and my life in general, especially my travels).

Since my first taste of sushi back in 1997 I've been interested in, and frequently been making
Japanese food.
My interest in the country and culture started long before and continues to evolve.
I was lucky to finally visit Japan in October 2008, again in November 2019 and hope to be back soon.
In July 2012 I visited Japantown in San Fransisco, the next best thing!
I was lucky to be back in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019 thanks to the fact that we now have family living in California.
Both small and big adventures will from now on, as time permits, be shared with you.

I will post other recipes and pictures too, mainly cooking projects, plants and art projects
(including my new love - making kumihimo braided objects).

I hope you'll find it interesting, and feel free to leave a comment or ask questions!

I write mainly in English, but there will be some Norwegian too, especially posts about things
that mainly have Norwegian interest. Tutorials are bi-lingual.

Showing posts with label smykker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label smykker. Show all posts

Sunday, 1 June 2014

A few new bracelets to welcome summer!

Finally I had time and energy to sit down and finish two custom orders. Thanks to patient customers.... I hope they will be happy. The sun and a long weekend did me good.


While I was at it, I took out the disc and finished two other braids; One brown silk and one vintage grey silk. I also put together two other bracelets that were ready braided, but not finished.


You´ll find them in the store! These two are already out, the plum, purple and brown ones are coming!


Sunday, 22 September 2013

Black brass findings...

I decided to try some new findings this autumn; black brass. I find them at Fallen Angel Brass on Etsy, and they´re casted and finished by hand in the US. They ship fast and the findings are fantastic! They contain no lead, nickel or cadmium, so they´re perfectly safe too.

The store is here: FallenAngelBrass on Etsy


Green silk 16-count braid with black brass tulip endcaps, pinecone charm and green crystal.

I hope my new bracelets do them justice and that the customers will like them... Want to take a peak?


I´ll be making only one piece of each of this, so they´re all OOAK.
They can be ordered directly from me or take a look in the shop; I´ll put them out as I finish and photograph them...

Black silk bracelet with purple and green flowers, calyx endcaps, butterfly charm and green crystal.

What do you think, do you like the darker side of krysantemum design?

Friday, 27 April 2012

The X-change

Awhile ago I fell in love with some lovely earrings and contacted the shop owner to buy them.
Her response was: I love your bracelets - let´s make a switch! I was so happy!
I already have one par she made, and waited for the parcel eagerly - she didn´t just send me one, but two pairs of earrings!
I think I have worn them every day since I got them, but finally I had the time to take pictures:

 Silver and mint ceramic pearls.


Visit the very talented Hilde-Iren´s shop here to get your own goodies:
MonoMe on Epla

And this is her blog:
http://www.monome-me.blogspot.com/
I wish I wore other rings than my wedding band, because her rings are stunning!

Oxidized silver and red granates.

The bracelet I made for Hilde-Iren in return.


And this is my latest custom order for a friend:
Olive green wrap-around with pearls and crystal.

Monday, 9 April 2012

Finishing your bracelet - montering av armbånd.

Montering av kumihimo armbånd
Finishing your bracelet

Disse instruksjonene viser hvordan du monterer et tynt 4 tråders armbånd, men prinsippet er likt for alle typer armbånd, fotlenker og halskjeder.
The tutorial shows how to finish a 4 thread bracelet, but the principal is the same for all bracelets, anklets and necklaces.

Du trenger: Endestykker i passende størrelse. De skal passe stramt rundt tråden, men må være store nok til at du får trådende og lim inn. Hvis de er for store kan de bli løse, så velg noen som er 1 mm større i indre diameter enn tråden.
Lim: Velg det sterkeste limet du kan finne. Jeg brukte superlim før, men det kan kapsle seg rundt tråden inni endestykket slik at det løsner, samt at det kan løsne i vann. Nå bruker jeg E-6000, et bra lim, men det trenger 24-48 timer herding + god ventilasjon.
Lås, o-ringer og charms: Her bruker jeg sterling sølv deler og noe kobberdeler for variasjon, samt ferskvannsperler, sølvcharms og Swarovskikrysaller.
Smykketenger: Jeg har en kutter, en rundtang og en flattang.

You´ll need: Encaps of the appropriate size. They should fit snuggly around your braid, leaving only enough space for the braid + glue. Too big endcaps might become loose.
Glue: Pick the strongest glue you can find. I used to use superglue, but it can loosen if exposed to water or if something happens inside the endcap. I´ve switched to E-6000, a better glue, but it needs 24-48 hrs drying time + good ventilation.
Clasp, jumprings and charms: I use sterling silver findings and some copper for variation. I add fresh water pearls, silver charms and Swarovski crystals. Anything you like!
Pliers: I use a flat nose, round nose (loop) and a cutter.



Hold endestykket i en hånd og ta lim på en avklippet q-tip eller lignende med den andre. Smør lim i endestykket og eventuelt også på trådenden.
Hold the endcap with one hand and apply glue with the other, both inside the endcap and on the braid. 


Lim et endestykke på hver trådende og la dem herde over natten før du fortsetter monteringen. Tørk vekk overflødig lim så raskt du kan.
Glue one endcap on each end of the braid and leave it to dry overnight before continuing. Wipe off excess glue as soon as possible.



Med en flattang og en rundtang (eller en flattang til) åpnes en o-ring og tres i løkken på endestykket. Hold fast o-ringen med flattangen og tre på en lås og charms. Lukk o-ringen med flattang og rundtang.
With a flat nose plier and a round nose (or another flat nose) plier, open the jumpring and slide it on to the loop of the endcap. Hold it with the flat nose plier and add a clasp and charms. Close tight using both pliers.



Sett på o-ringer i det andre endestykket og du er ferdig!
Add jumprings to the other endcap and you´re done!


Sunday, 21 August 2011

Bought and won in August:

I was lucky to win a give-away at Elle designs; a nice necklace made out of a Scrabble-piece!
I wore it to work and got a lot of compliments for it...


"Good housekeeping" is a joke in my home, as cleaning the house is my least favorite activity....


And the piece is a "L" offcourse - hey! Only 1 point for an "L"? Outrageous....

You can get one here (they´re very reasonably priced):
Elle designs jewelry


I also bought a pair of earrings from Laterna Smykker for a wedding in September.
I´ve made a bracelet with fresh water pearls, and these will fit perfectly! Picture of bracelet coming soon, it´s in the making.



More lovely, hand made items, can be found here:
Laterna Smykker