Bloggers who rock

A big THANK YOU to the Wickedly Chic and Mixed Plate blogs for giving Kimono Momo a mention this month! You ladies are fabulous.

Etsy!

I've never had an Etsy store, nor have I ever bought anything there, but now I'm in. I donated an Obi Wallet to the Wonderland Retreat. Hey, this is kinda fun!

Help from Wonderland

Until this week, I'd never heard of Alison Gordon of www.wonderlandq.com. However, there has been a tremendous outpouring of help from the crafty community to aid Alison in dealing with a recent medical issue. Like many of us who are self-employed, Alison doesn't have any health insurance. To pay the bills and show how much we like to support our own community, an etsy shop has been set up for her benefit. You can see it at Wonderland Retreat.

To donate an item, please contact renee garner at wonderlandretreat@gmail.com for more information. To make a monetary donation of any size, please send paypal to info@auroraseven.com. And pass it on!

The hardest part of my job

...is cutting into a beautiful kimono or obi. With a kimono (such as the gorgeous one that arrived in the mail from Japan today), I put it on first, see how it looks in the mirror, then tell myself that far more people will be able to enjoy it once it becomes something different, such as a set of scarves. With every stitch I remove, I think about the artist who designed the pattern on the silk, and the hands of the person who sewed it together, as well as the woman who may have worn it. In some cases, the kimono I use are deadstock and have never been worn, so the only history they have comes from the hands of the creators, not the consumer.

New items will be available in May, as well as beautiful new photos.

Welcome to Distant Lands!

Seattle was fabulous. We even saw the sunshine part of the time, which of course shows off how beautiful the city really is.

On my way to meeting up with several friends at a pub Saturday night, I got lost. I peeked in through an open door and found a shop full of Buddhas... I stepped over the threshold and met Tom, the owner of Distant Lands Importers. He helped me figure out where I was and where I needed to go, and off I went, but not before we exchanged business cards. Sunday morning I found myself back at the shop where we went through my stock and picked out several beautiful items, including two of the formal wrap scarves (my personal favourites) and an assortment of other pieces.

We also met several attendees of Sakura Con, the northwest anime convention. I think we may be paying them an extended visit next spring. My kids are already planning their costumes!

Next stop, Seattle

Portland was... interesting. The weather was about as cold as Bend (unusual, to say the least), but my shopping experience with Jandi Girard from Inspire Style Coaching was AMAZING. I met her in Nordstrom at 3:30 pm, where she greeted me with a cup of tea (she guessed what I'd like and she was right!) and a cookie. We went to a dressing room that was stocked with TONS of clothes for me to try on. Wow. My budget wasn't big enough to take home all the things I liked (and there were a lot) but I did pick up several good wardrobe staples. A few were even on sale, and who doesn't like a sale? By the time we left--around 7 pm--we were exhausted, but in a good way. My fashion sense is forever changed for the better. If you're in Portland or Bend, give her a call. Right now. Tell her Kimono Momo sent you.

The trunk show at Twisted Locks was fun. The crew there is so much fun to be with and very friendly. They became my new favourite salon the first time I got my hair done there, and I look forward to going back again. So, a big THANK YOU to Nancy, Eddie, and all the girls at Twisted Locks. You all rock.

This weekend I'll be heading north to Seattle. Oh boy... more to come.