I'm hooked

No hoop, No life
As you can see I don't even have time to clean!! (Please don't look at our messy house!) I am eating, sleeping, breathing the hoop and I haven't even had my first class yet!



My inspiration...


I have been practicing furiously with a very dodgey, undersized exercise hoop. On Sunday I will meet up with the only trained hoop instructors in Tokyo. They are also the only ones that have hoops in Tokyo!! (aaaaaarrrrgghhh) I really want to make my own so if any of you EVER see black polyethylene 3/4" pipe in your Tokyo travels please, please email me (I am obsessed and driving Masao around the twist!!)

Brazilian Nights Tokyo

This month's Dr Sketchy's Anti Art School at The Pink Cow had all the sparkle and heat of a night on the Brazilian streets. Steamy Brazilian model, Carina gave us a taste of Carnivale donning an authentic Brazilian costume formerly worn by Miss Brazil. Note the huge sequined soccer ball on the head piece, a much loved favorite amongst the Sketchy's crowd.





In the early stages of the night the costume was kept very hush hush. As Carina slowly but surely added piece by piece of the glorious costume to compliment her poses the crowd was kept mesmerized.



Once the posing, sketching and jaw dropping was over we all jumped at the chance of having our pictures taken with a true Brazilian samba queen!



A stunning photo of Carina, samba princess, Tracey owner of the Pink Cow and Alison and Dillon the Dr Sketchy's Tokyo organizers.



I was not leaving until I had at least touched the jewels!



Tomokuni was also bedazzled by the sparkles!



Another successful and oh so fabulous Dr Sketchy's event thanks to Dillon and Alison, The Pink Cow, the fantastic Carina and of course the crowd of talented artists! So very excited to be a part of this growing Tokyo event.

A special thanks to LADE clothing, Dress Pod and Sci-Fi for donating gorgeous prizes that were given away to lucky comp winners on the night!

The next Dr Sketchy's Tokyo will be August 22, be there!

Mardi Gras

My Mardi Gras goal!
Where is my damn hula hoop??

Prime Minister in Pink

We are both super huge fans of Gala Darling and her unique splash of lifestyle tips, raging fashion flare and swish model like poses. So when we finally got the opportunity to participate in her monthly International Dress Up Day extravaganza we jumped at it .

Delighted to see the new and shoeless Prime Minister of Japan, Tamaoki San, in full color on Gala Darling.

The first sign of facebook addiction

It is official, I have major probbies! It is all facebook's fault! I can't and simply won't stop until my computer blows up. There has got to be some kind of rehab or support group for this kind of thing. Please tell me there is!




My cool celebrity look-alike collage from MyHeritage.com. Get one for yourself.

One morning in Paris

Light
Originally uploaded by sushi_zume

Remembering last summer...

TM in BAB

Being a Broad is a powerful support and information network for international women living in Japan. BAB, as they are commonly referred to, offers a best selling reference book aswell as a website that offers info about Japan-based events, jobs, living tips, discussion board and many other special offers. A super resource for those of us living here and a great place to start if you are thinking of visiting or living in Japan.

They also publish a very gorgeous glossy magazine, Being A Broad and we are so proud to be featured in the July #22 issue.



The super talented Hinagiku, Kens Scratch, B.S.E.T.C, Tiny Azure, Pod Canvas and Comet Man have had their gorgeous creations featured in the style section of the latest BAB publication.

Thanks BAB for all that you do and supporting Japan-based independent design and creation.

TM
xx

TM in Shibuya

We are ecstatically excited about our new postcards designed by roro the creators of the sleek iPod wear - Dress Pod

What do you think? For any of you who have been to Tokyo, watched Lost in Translation or seen pics of the city you will recognize the scene as the famously overcrowded Hachiko intersection in Shibuya, Tokyo. What makes our heart skip a beat about this scene is, if you look closely at the buildings you will see TOKYOMADE takes up prominent Shibuya advertising space. A prophetic postcard is ever there was one...someday!

Sending this lil baby off to the printers at once. Want some?? All you gotta do is mail us and your wish is our command!

For more roro design take a look HERE

Legs Eleven

I got a hankering for some hardcore BINGO


Think I may have to cook something up, I feel a Tokyo event brewing, swelling, welling...
STAY TUNED

exhale

I don't know if it is the music or the socks but there is just something so very captivating about this...

Paper Lanterns

Recently we have been overjoyed to hear that a few friends, both old and new, are heading to our pretty city for the Summer. Summer in Tokyo is not everyone's cuppa and it doesn't take long to realize that for those who go about business as usual in the often unbearable humidity, Summer is no exciting street parade. However if you are lucky enough to take a break during the steamy months, Tokyo and many other parts of Japan are buzzing with enticing festivities, noisy cicadas and the flapping of pretty paper fans; making for a lively and colorful season.

For me personally I get a little giddy at the thought of summer in Tokyo, senses are on high alert as the city gets into full swing and as romantic as it may seem, for me any summer night in Tokyo has the potential to feel like being swept up in a scene from Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away (you know the street scenes with the swinging paper lanterns and the clattering of pots and pans).

Alas if you are not making your way to Tokyo this summer, instead you are choosing a more relaxing, homely or exotic location for the season, you can still bring a touch of old Tokyo romance to your very own bedroom/apartment/street/neighbourhood. The July CuTiE mag is jam packed and one of their more colorful fashion spreads is all about the yukata and stylish accessories that make for the perfect summer festival outfit.

Whether it be mode, girly, classic or pop style; bright and bold colors are set to be the fashion statement at this season's many street and river festivals.







Need to add some colorful wa style to your wardrobe? We have just the thing for you HERE, HERE or HERE. Make a fresh and romantically traditional Japanese styled statement at your next fest. Oh and don't forget the wa style for your little poochie.

tortured housewife

It is not very often that I get the urge to clean and when I do it usually means there is something on my mind!

So as the man of the house worked ie chatted to an old friend on the phone while in his office...



I dug out the 40's housewife garb and got to work, scrubbing and soaking.


Fortunately for me, whatever it was that was on my mind soon dissipated and I was lured by thoughts of powerful tequila cocktails.



Just as my foremothers would have, I gave into the call of the grog and what started as a productive afternoon of cleanliness, has finished as a steamy evening of loud music and a slight headache. I best take a bex, put my curlers in and have a bloody good lie down.

TOKYOMADE SUMMER HAIKU COMP

See these bulging bags of TOKYOMADE goodies? They could very well be yours! To WIN and WIN big is super easy. All you have to do is send us your steamiest, silliest, sexiest or most serious summer Haiku poem and you could be the winner of one of two HUGE TOKYOMADE summer prize packs!

Here is the deal:

- Jot down a Haiku poem. Haiku is a Japanese form of poetry that usually consists of three phrases. The first phrase contains 5 syllables, the 2nd contains seven and the third phrase has 5 syllables. Haiku traditionally have a seasonal word, but for our competition there are very few rules so feel free to make it as mixed up and contemporary as you like. The only rule is it must have three phrases with the 5-7-5 syllable format. For more about Haiku and a ton of inspiration go HERE (this is our fav, rockin' haiku site), HERE and HERE!

- There are 2 ways to enter your poetry:

1. Send us your Haiku via email, especially if it comes with some fab photos, drawings or other art forms (in which case it will definitely be displayed on our blog and possibly win our hearts!) - contact (at) tokyomade (dot) com

2. Leave a comment on any of our blog entries, include your original Japanese haiku as a comment (but be sure to leave your email address with us so we can contact you if your a the lucky duck!)

- You can enter as many times as you like with your original pieces. You have until August 6, 2007 to get your haiku to us.

- We will announce the winners in the week following the close of the comp. The winners will be notified and a super cute TOKYOMADE prize pack filled with pieces we sell on TOKYOMADE as well as some summer goodies we have picked up from our Tokyo shopping adventures, will be sent their way!

- Be sure to join our Tokyo Fan Club for updates!

- All Haiku sent to us will be posted on our blog, with your permission, so please be sure to include your name - real, false or stage.

I think that is about it. Your time starts now! Get drafting, can't wait to read your luscious phrases.

Be sure to contact us if you have any questions. But for now here are a few we just whipped up to get you in the mood and kick this comp off!

Oh Tokyo boy
So shy and yet so stylish
Why don't you come here?

Busy sushi chef
Your hands must get so tired
Wow your knife is sharp!

Carp in the river
Mosquitoes everywhere
Yes, summer is here


Good luck!
Happy Haikuing
TM
xx

inside out

This is how I feel on the inside. Isn't it funny how our outsides are so different?!