I’ve been a huge fan of the Aranzi Aronzo on-line store for awhile now. I love pretty much everything they have, but I’m especially fond of their postcards and books. Images like this one make me completely lose it; they are so cute.

Their stuff can be expensive because of shipping, etc., and I agonized over what to get the first time I placed an order. However, everything I received was SO worth it. (Ok, well it felt worth it to me at least.) How can you not feel happy inside when you’re looking at something like this?

It gets better.

Just before submitting my order, I saw the option to join the Aranzi Aronzo post club. For 900 JPY (about $8 USD), you receive one post card each month. I subscribed and promptly forgot all about it.

Somehow I got dropped off of the list, and when they caught their mistake they sent me a lovely e-mail:

As the two cards are delayed, we would like
to extend your subscription for two months.
It should be from vol. 13 to vol. 26.

And I will inform you by e-mail whenever I post
a card to you from next time.

Again, thank you very much.
I hope you will receive the envelope safe and sound.

Warm Regards

So now I’ve been getting all sorts of extra attention, e-mails, and stickers – and that doesn’t even take into account the postcards. They are like little warm fuzzies in my mailbox.

Posted by The Little Happy Ones at 08:43 AM | Permalink

I never thought knitting was my thing. The last time I tried, I was 12. I had one skein of rainbow-colored yarn and wanted to make a scarf for my grandmother. Unfortunately, the yarn and my attention span wore out fast. At Christmas, I gave my grandmother a scarf which was maybe 8 inches long and barely wrapped around her neck once. I didn’t think I would ever knit again.

Now I’m back, and I’ve set a quota of 10-15 rows a day. I think I might actually be on track to finish up 3 scarves by Christmas. They certainly aren’t fancy (no tricky patterns or alternating stitches), but I’m on a mission to find the perfect colors for my friends (and sister!).

I think Melissa will like her furry pink scarf. When I hold it up in front of the mirror, I feel a little Sparkly. I hope that’s a good sign.

Posted by The Little Happy Ones at 11:53 AM | Permalink

Sewing is not really my specialty. I figure if you throw enough thread at something, it will eventually stick together. Of course, in my experience, it might not be in the exact shape or dimensions you intended for it to be. There’s a good chance that anything I try to sew will be 50% smaller than intended. That may be fine for some things (stuffed animals come to mind), but it’s really not going to work for projects out of this beautiful (but intimidating) Amy Butler fabric.

For Mom -
• A basket bag for projects (inspired by these creations over at wee wonderfuls)
• A knitting needle/crochet hook case
• A pin cushion – ok, fine. The pin cushion could very well be 50% smaller than intended. It would only hold three needles though…

For my sister -
• Pot Holders/Oven Mitt
• Café Apron (inspired by this apron seen at tie one on.)

I think I’ve successfully sewn maybe two things without having my mom stand over me and fix it. Unfortunately, it’s probably really wrong to have your mother sew her own Christmas present. I hope my pot holders don’t end up being the size of postage stamps, but such things have been known to happen around here.

Posted by The Little Happy Ones at 10:32 AM | Permalink

Did you see that the Little Wooden People at Acorn Style are even cuter now?

Ack! I can’t stand it.

Posted by The Little Happy Ones at 01:11 AM | Permalink

I’m letting the little wooden people go. It’s hard, but I think it’s for the best.

Like a lot of other people, I fell head over heels for these little guys at Acorn Style. I know in my heart that the draw (for me) is the packaging design. I love the slightly awkward way the names are translated. (Fairy Tale Animal Band and Girl with Red Hood are personal favorites.) Of course, the really sweet expressions on the wooden people themselves can’t hurt either.

I had visions of little sets of wooden people. There would be a little handmade story book tucked inside with the history of the little wooden people. I showed my test versions to my group of creative advisers. I can have a lot of ideas in any given week, and usually 85% of them are pretty bad.

The little wooden people were met with blank stares followed by a sort of slow nodding of the head and “uh-huh.” Comments included “hmm, yes, looks like something you would like.” None of this translated into “Yes! Make them!” (I clearly expect too much.)

So I’m letting them go. I do like making things, but I don’t like giving badly made things... Things where all you can say is “it was supposed to be cooler” and “in fact, it was significantly cooler in my head.”

Good-bye, little wooden people. I will remember you fondly.

Posted by The Little Happy Ones at 12:54 AM | Permalink