Hello Kitty Cake ♡

I baked a cake today for my birthday friend 😀 She and her daughter loves Hello Kitty, so I thought to surprise them by making a very cute cake!!

I’d love to introduce my quite healthy Hello Kitty cake. I mean “healthy” by not adding any artificial color to make it. Okay, please let me show you how I’ve done it 😀

First, bake a sponge cake. You can use whatever recipes you like. Once the sponge is done, you will wait and let the sponge chilled since it is much easier to cut them when it’s cold.

Then, slice the sponges into 2 to 4 layers. Also, you will cut the sponge’s outline as the face of Hello Kitty. You don’t have to be so nervous about this 😀

On each layers, spread a whipped cream and put some fruits, and make layers. I used lots of sliced strawberries since my friend’s daughter loved them 🙂 You’ll also cover the top and side of the cake nicely with the cream!

Now, the most important part is to put eyes, nose, whisks and the bow!! I’ve used sliced strawberries to make a bow. For the eyes and whisks, I used chocolate. (Precisely speaking, I had ganache at home, so I just used them by shaping them nicely by pushing and rolling them.) For the nose, I’ve used a chestnut.

Now, Hello Kitty is ready to be eaten!!!

Maybe you will try to make one for your friends or for the party you’re planning? 🙂

I’m sure it will brighten up the atmosphere and people will love it 😀
I hope you will enjoy making this cute cake ♡

Brown's date by the sea

As some of you might have expected, my little Brown has finally got his girlfriend, Cony, a rabbit.

 

To celebrate the birth of this little couple, I decided to let them join in my family trip to Monterey, California. They look excited to see the big ocean for the first time in their life. I think they’ve got quite surprised to see how big the ocean is!!

 

Let me share how their date went and also how beautiful and exciting Monterey is!!

At the port, we saw many sea lions. Here are some…

 

Together with many of them in their back!! Say cheese 🙂

 

We saw many sea lions and seals there. What’s the difference between them? I’ve learned that if you found ears on them, they were sea lions. If they didn’t have ears, then they were seals 🙂

After exploring the port, we joined whale watching tours!! We got on a boat. They look quite excited about it!! Of course, all of us were excited!!

 

While waiting for the departure, they were posing for a picture … do you think they are imitating the famous scene of Titanic??

 

Wooooow!! The boat ran really fast!!

 

After running for 1 hour, the boat stopped… what’s there??

 

Here it comes!!! A whale!!! The whale appeared out of nowhere. We found some more whales and dolphins 😀 ♡

 

To be honest, I got seasick 30 min after the departure, so it was a nightmare for me… For the rest of 2.5 hours, I couldn’t enjoy it… but I got some fantastic pictures!! So I’m satisfied with this journey. I think the little couple had so much fun on the ocean!!!

 

Then, we visited another must-go place in Monterey. Can you find them in the picture?? 🙂 ♪♪

 

I was so excited because I didn’t have to get seasick to see the marine creatures!!! 😀

Sea otters. I think I saw some on the bay as well. But to see them just close to me… it was wonderful. They were so cute!!!

 

Say cheese!!

 

It seems they were quite tired after seeing so many new things to them!!! Sweet dreams 🙂 ♡♡♡

What's in the box?

One day, a big box arrived at home.

 

Hmm… what’s inside?? Let’s have a look!!

 

Hmm??!

 

Something is coming out!!!!!

 

Wow… the box completely opened!! Scary!! Is it something dangerous?

 

… Something came out?

 

… Ears?!!

 

… Face?!!

 

TOTORO!!! Ah, Totoro says hi 🙂

 

And from me, too 😀 lol

 

I couldn’t resist playing with this huge box!! lol

This is my way of celebrating the Totoro’s popularity in Japan! I’ve read a news that they have broadcasted Totoro on TV for 14 times for the past 26 years since the movie was out and it’s still got an audience rating of 19.4%!! I’ve also watched it again very recently and I think it’s really fantastic!!

 

What I’ve got actually in this box is a sewing machine!!

I need to learn how to sew now 🙂 There are so many things to keep myself busy 😀 ♪♪

Smells yummy! And some monsters came…!!

I did a baking party with two young moms 🙂 I showed how to knead the dough and they did pretty well while also taking care of their babies. Hmm, moms always have multiple tasks to do… they are great!!!

 

TA-DA!!!! We successfully baked melon breads with chocolate chips as well as cookies with macadamia nuts!! 🙂 We all did a good job!! While baking them, they were smelling so good and the entire house smelled like a bakery shop. Yummy!!

 

The nice smell attracted not only us but also some creatures…!!! Can you guess??  It was the creature who loved cookies a lot… Oh well, it was a baby cookie monster 😀

 

“Me want cookie!” “Me eat cookie!” “Give me more cookies!”

 

“Why? Why are you eating cookies alone? Can I join you?” His best friend , Elmo, has joined him now.

 

Cookie monster was very kind so that he shared his cookies. Nom nom nom…

 

“Oh, this cookie is so yummy!!” Elmo looks so happy 🙂 Is Cookie monster a little bit jealous now?

 

Both of the cute little monsters enjoy cookies. “Hmmm… yummy!! There are nothing better than cookies!!”

 

A while after, Elmo was stuffed. She wasn’t interested in cookies anymore. You know Elmo is always curious about everything!! Yes! Curiosity is good 🙂

 

So the blue monster was left alone…

 

“Give me high five!!”

 

The little Elmo girl loves doing “high five”.

 

“Yeah!!!” Seems like this is the best thing to do right after eating cookies… 🙂

 

“Can I switch to be Elmo now?? That looks fun!!”

 

“Sure, you can use mine!! Here you are.” Oh, she is also very kind!! 🙂

 

“Hmmm…I think I should be Cookie monster! I shouldn’t be Elmo! I want to take off this cap!” He tries to take off the cap.

 

“Oops!!” He couldn’t take it off…

 

“Did you see that? Oh I’m shy!” His smile is so cute 😀

 

The two little monsters played happily together 🙂

 

I had so much fun 🙂 I had great breads and cookies, and I finally met two cute monsters 😀

 

Maybe those who want to see those cute monsters are now thinking about baking something yummy?? Enjoy your foods and smile a lot ♡

An adventure of BROWN :)

One day, I came up with an idea of changing something I had at home into something very cute!! And this is the before and after… I cast a spell upon a clothespin to turn into Brown, a bear character from LINE.

 

It turned out really cute!!! He enjoys sticking everywhere in my house.

 

I wish I really could use the magic like I said so that I would change all of my clothespins into lots of cute things!! But in reality, of course I can’t use magic… so I had to work little by little like this… 😦

 

I thought I would make him a girl friend at least, but it was taking lots of time… and now, he helps me to make his girl friend 🙂 How kind and how sweet of him 🙂 ♡

 

He is usually a good bear. He offers me a cup of coffee ♡

 

However… he sometime gets very greedy… he tried to hunt my first tomato of this season!! No way!! I wanted to have that one!!

 

Of course, he got punished afterwards…

 

He was forgiven.
Then, we went out for a short trip to the Lake Tahoe. There, right after we arrived at the house, he got his friends. Seems like he doesn’t get scared of anything.

 

He enjoyed playing at the beach.

What kind of adventures are waiting for him… ?  🙂 Enjoy summer ♡

Laughing is the best calorie burner!!!

 

How often do you laugh?? Are you laughing a lot?

I’m spending lots of my time in working on crochet or cooking by myself, so I’m sometimes realizing how much I miss laughing during the day… But I actually laugh a lot when my husband is back home, when I’m teaching/learning cooking with others or when I’m with my lovely friends. Laughing is so important; it enriches your emotion and it also burns calories!! I think laughter brings happiness in your life and laughter is a very important factor to make people more appealing or beautiful!!

I’m considering making my husband laugh a lot as one of my important lifetime role. He works really hard, so I need to do something stupid/funny so as to reduce his stress 🙂 (I don’t do much outside the house though…lol)

 

So, here you are…

 

 

 

 

This creepy photo of myself has actually helped some of my friends laugh a lot!!

I’ll be flattered if it works the same to you 🙂

 

By the way, have you already realized who the cute rabbit is?? This is CONY from LINE.

I can’t live without this SNS service now. With this, I can send texts or cute stickers like this rabbit timely to my friends, or I can even call my family and friends all over the world for free 🙂

 

My friends, laugh a lot, relieve your stress and be more beautiful 😉

The world is beautiful and so are you ♡

 

 

Welcome to our world :D

How small and how cute a newborn baby is …!!!

One of my best friends has delivered a baby!! Congratulations!!! I visited her soon after she gave birth to him, and it was almost my first time to see a newborn baby. So, I was so excited to see the small beautiful creature!!!

A few days ago, I visited them again. It’s already been a month since he came to the world. He looked a lot bigger than the last time and I gave him the Jiji beanie this time 😀 Maybe the cap is still a little bit big for him, but I’m sure he’ll wear it perfectly soon ♡♡

He was either sleeping or sucking at his mom’s breast when I visited him.

My friend, his mom, told me that she had been spending almost 8 hours a day just to feed him!! It takes her about 1 hour to feed him and to burp him, and he cries almost every 3 hours for the milk… oh… how tough the mom’s job is…!!!

I thought sharing the fact with my husband was really important. So, soon after coming back from her house, I told my husband what I had heard at her place. I hope he will share the work when we have babies sometime in the future… 😀

I couldn’t believe how soft his skin was, how adorable he was (even his feet was adorable!!) and how small he was!! Sleep well and be a good boy, my dear 😉 ♡♡♡

I can’t wait to go out often with the mommy and her little one 🙂

I will be always there when you need me, my lovely friend ♡♡♡

Elmo Strawberry manufacturing :)

Let’s decorate your cake with some fancy strawberries!! I’m sure everybody will love them!!

Prepare all the ingredients and tools, and let’s get started 🙂

 

◇ Ingredients ◇

• Strawberries
• White chocolates chips (for eyes)
• Orange button shaped chocolates (for noses)
• Dark colored chocolates (for the eyes and mouthes)
• Whipped cream

 

◇ Tools ◇

• Knife
• Baking sheet
• 2 bowls

 

◇ Recipe ◇

Step 1. Wash strawberries very well. Then, take off the stem and cut the bottom part of the strawberries slightly diagonally (so that strawberries can stand by themselves and they can show their faces).

**In the picture below, you will notice strawberries slightly tilting toward their back.

Step 2. Put 2 white chocolate chips and 1 orange chocolate nicely on the strawberries, using whipped cream as a glue.

Step 3. Melt dark color chocolates. Put dark color chocolates in a bowl, and you will put a warm water into another bowl below that bowl. (Make sure not to let the water come into the chocolates bowl!!)

Step 4. Roll one sheet of baking sheet nicely into circle so that you can use it as a chocolate pen. It will be better if you roll the edge sharp with just a tiny hole for the chocolate to come out. Pour melted chocolates (made at step 3) into the pen-shaped baking sheet.

Step 5. Draw black eyes with the chocolate pen made at step 4 in the white chocolates. You may also draw their mouthes.

Step 6. You will put whipped cream on your favorite cakes, and put your sweet Elmo strawberries!! Done ♡

Aren’t they too cute to eat?? It’s a little bit of effort, but your cup cake will look a lot more prettier than just normal strawberries on, isn’t it??
Happy tea time with extra smiles 😀 ♡♡♡

Handmade time!! My First Tutorial to My Knotty Friends :)

I thought you would be interested in making beanies by yourselves. So, as a first project of my crochet tutorial, I’ve picked up Hello Kitty beanie which I’ve already uploaded in the previous blog. If you like it, please feel free to make one by yourself 🙂 I will also be happy to see your works once they are done!! Then, let’s get started 🙂

◆Materials◆

Worsted Weight Yarn (Medium 4)

• White: CARON SIMPLY SOFT (WHITE)
• Red: BERNAT Satin (CRIMSON)
• Black: CARON SIMPLY SOFT (BLACK)
• Yellow: Sugar’n Cream (YELLOW)

Size G(4mm) Crochet Hook
Size H(5mm) Crochet Hook
Yarn Needle

◆Size◆

If you follow the instruction below, it will probably fit for 1 year old baby. But everyone uses a different tense when we crochet, so the outcome might be in a different size. If you want something bigger, you can just add an increase row and some even rows. I strongly recommend to check before stepping forward to the even rows (in this instruction, it’s at the end of Row7) if it fits the head size. You can always adjust the size as you like 🙂

◆Pattern◆

*** It’s easier to start every row with 2 chains and end each row with a slip stitch since you will see where you started the row which you are working on. If you take this method, please don’t forget to count this 2 chains as 1 hdc. (So, you need to skip 1 “hdc” in the instruction below, starting from Row 2.)

*** I like the seamless surface, so in this tutorial, I take this method. You just have to keep going, but it may be difficult to see where you started the row. So, it’s better to use a safety pin at the first stitch of each row.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

◇Step 1: Face with Size H hook, White yarn◇

1. Row 1 : Make a double magic ring (magic loop). Ch 2, and 7 hdc in the magic ring. (8 hdc*)
   • An easy tutorial on magic ring is introduced here: “How to make double magic ring”
   • You will count Ch 2 at the beginning of the row as 1 stitch
2. Row 2 : 2 hdc in each stitch around (16 hdc)
3. Row 3 : 2 hdc in the 1st stitch, hdc in the next stitch around (24 hdc)
4. Row 4 : 2 hdc in the 1st stitch, hdc in the next 2 stitch around (32 hdc)
5. Row 5 : 2 hdc in the 1st stitch, hdc in the next 3 stitch around (40 hdc)
6. Row 6 : 2 hdc in the 1st stitch, hdc in the next 4 stitch around (48 hdc)
7. Row 7 : 2 hdc in the 1st stitch, hdc in the next 5 stitch around (56 hdc)
   • You may adjust the size here.
8. Row 8-16 : hdc in each stitch (56 hdc)

 

◇Step 2: Ears with Size H hook, White yarn◇

1. Row 1 : Make a double magic ring (magic loop). Ch 2, and 5 hdc in the magic ring. (6 hdc*)
   • An easy tutorial on magic ring is introduced here: “How to make double magic ring”
   • You will count Ch 2 at the beginning of the row as 1 stitch
2. Row 2 : 2 hdc in the 1st stitch, hdc in the next stitch around (9 hdc)
3. Row 3 : 2 hdc in the 1st stitch, hdc in the next 2 stitch around (12 hdc)
4. Row 4 : 2 hdc in the 1st stitch, hdc in the next 3 stitch around (15 hdc)
5. Row 5 : 2 hdc in the 1st stitch, hdc in the next 4 stitch around (18 hdc)
6. Row 6 : 2 hdc in the 1st stitch, hdc in the next 5 stitch around (21 hdc)
7. Cut the yarn long (around 10″) for sewing purpose.
8. You will make two of these ears and sew on the face with the yarn you left.

 

◇Step 3: Eyes with Size G hook, Black yarn◇

1. Row 1 : Chain 4
2. Row 2 : Sc in the 2nd stitch from the hook. 1sc, 3sc, then 1sc in the following 2 stitch. Finish with slip stitch at the 1st stitch of the row.
3. Cut the yarn long (around 5″) for sewing purpose.
4. You will make two of these eyes and sew on the face vertically.

 

◇Step 4: Nose with Size G hook, Yellow yarn◇

1. Row 1 : Chain 4
2. Row 2 : Sc in the 2nd stitch from the hook. 1sc, 3sc, then 1sc in the following 2 stitch. Finish with slip stitch at the 1st stitch of the row.
3. Cut the yarn long (around 5″) for sewing purpose.
4. You will sew the nose on the face horizontally.

 

◇Step 5: Whiskers with Yarn Needle, Black yarn◇

1. Embroider whiskers with a yarn needle just as you like. You can adjust the length and angles of them, which will make a difference of the expression of the Kitty.

 

◇Step 6: Bow with Size G hook, Red yarn◇
*I posted a tutorial on making a bow in the other article. I introduced very much in detail with step-by-step photos. So, please check the instruction.

Here is the title of the article:  Here Summer Comes!! Ponytail With A Pretty Bow??

◇◇Make oblong & Center ring

◇◇Put together

Insert the oblong into the center ring and sew not to move around. Then, sew it onto the right side of the ear (from your view point).

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

♡♡♡ Thank you so much if you follow the instruction all the way till here. ♡♡♡

Now it’s done!!! I hope you liked how I made Hello Kitty!!
If you find some difficulties to understand some parts, please just leave a comment!! Enjoy making “lovely handmade things” by yourself 🙂

A girl's birthday present♡

I was invited to one of my friends’ daughter’s birthday party this weekend! She turned into 3 years old now!! I’ve been thinking what kind of thing a 3 years old girl would like… I asked my mom over Skype. Then, we thought about an accessory!! Yes! NO GIRL dislikes accessories!!!

She has short hair, so hair accessory wouldn’t stay on her well-treated healthy hair. What would be good… well, a necklace!! It was my first time to make a necklace with crochet, so it took time to figure out how to make nicely… I think the outcome is quite good 🙂

Can you recognize this smily guy? He was also here!!

My stuffed cow also looks quite happy with him around his neck.

The Anpanman necklace is in a gift-box waiting to see his new friend!!

He met a girl finally, and for me, those two looked super cute together!! I hope my little friend will enjoy this accessory 🙂

A Symbol of GIRL

What character do you think is the symbol of girl??

I would say… Hello Kitty 🙂

When I was little (about 20 years ago… wow time flies!!), I was not really a “Kitty girl”, but she was already very popular. I can still see lots of Hello Kitty everywhere even here in California!! I’ve got really amazed by her popularity 😀 Do you know that wherever you visit in Japan, you can find regional Hello Kitty goods!! (We call them “Gotochi Kitty-chan”.) I have many friends who like to correct these goods!! So, if you like Hello Kitty and if you have a chance to visit Japan, why don’t you try to find and collect the Gotochi Kitty goods??

Hello Kitty’s weight is same with 3 apples and her height is same with 5 apples!! Wow. I’m not sure how many apples I need to describe my weight… I wouldn’t like to think about it… 😦

I think my stuffed cow is now satisfied with Miss. Pretty!!

What would you do if you could use magic?

If you could use magic, what would you like to do?? Kiki from “Kiki’s Delivery Service” made her cat, Jiji, speak with her. I’m not a cat person, but still I imagine that it would be nice to communicate with them by words!! When I was young, my image of the foreign countries were exactly like what they showed in this film. I love the scenery of the film and the songs!! I hope many of you will enjoy watching this movie!!

Here is as usual, my new beanie with my cow.

I’ll give this baby cap to my friend. I hope her baby will learn how to speak very soon! I can’t wait to talk to the baby !! 😀

Curiosity is good

After Cookie Monster, I couldn’t resist making Elmo!! How do you think of him? 🙂

Here is as usual the cap on my stuffed cow. You know Elmo is really curious about everything. As we grow up older, we may tend not to ask often… In my case, if the topic seems difficult, then I easily give up to know more in detail… Maybe I should behave as Elmo does!!

I can’t wait to see cute babies wear them with big smiles 😀 Boys and girls!! Be curious as Elmo is 🙂

A cookie on your head?

I love Cookie Monster the best in Sesame Street!! So, the first project of my character beanie from this series is Cookie Monster 🙂

I watched it when I was young, but I don’t remember the details at all… But we have lots of the character goods sold in a shop, so he is very familiar to me. Especially, I’m a huge fan of sweets (chocolates and cookies), so he has something common with me 🙂

I like his fluffy hairs, so I’ve tried to present them 🙂 It worked!!

Here is how my little boy wears it 🙂 My cow has never eaten cookies, but it seems like he is feeling like to have one as well!!! Happy sweets time ♡♡♡

Totoro Beanie

♪♪Tonari no (My neighbor) To to ro Totoro, To to ro Totoro♪♪

Have you ever watched “My neighbor Totoro”?? I cannot think of Totoro without singing this song in my mind. Hmm, I just love this song and this movie!! I think there may be nobody who doesn’t love this film once you watch it. You know that the famous film director Akira Kurosawa loved it and he even counted it as one of his favorite films. According to a survey, this film is the most popular film in all the Studio Ghibli‘s products.

I’ve made this Totoro beanie to fit on me. So, when it comes to my stuffed cow… oops, he looks like he’s got a completely new face :p Do you think my little boy still looks nice like this??

Here is Totoro on my head… and he’s staring at you…!! Wow, he is a bit scary…!!

I like this cap, so I’ve worn it when I went out by bike yesterday. Then, I noticed that people were staring at me (or Totoro) from cars!!! Oh, I felt a little bit embarrassed… But I could see that some children looked excited to see this unique cap, so I was quite happy in the end 🙂

Be something unique and keep smiling!!! That will influence people around you, and then, everybody will start smiling and you all will be happy together♡ If you find it difficult to smile always, then why don’t you put this beanie on you? Totoro will smile to the others instead of you 🙂 I hope our lives will be full of smily faces and full of happiness!!

A Great Ambassador

Today’s cap I’m introducing you is the Japanese most famous anime character, Doraemon. I hope many of you know him. He has been popular in Japan for over 4 decades, and I believe that he’s been successfully popular in some other countries as well. Until I searched on him, I didn’t know that he was the first Japanese Anime Ambassador!!! Oh, Amazon has English version of its comics!! If you weren’t familiar with him, I’ll be happy if you search on him 🙂

I loved him a lot when I was little, and my cousin’s little boys love him now. He’s been and he will be a hero for children. So, I thought it would be nice to make our hero this time.

As usual, I asked my stuffed cow to wear him. A shot from his front, and then from the upper position like a model… Cute 🙂

If you are interested in him, and if you have some chances to visit Japan, you’ll probably enjoy visiting Fujiko-F-Fujio Museum.

The Most Loved Flying Bread

This is one of my favorite beanies which I’ve created recently!! They will absolutely look pretty on a baby 🙂 Do you know who he is??

This is a Japanese popular anime hero, “Anpanman”. Everyone who has grown up in Japan knows him and many kids love him. Back in Japan, I’ve seen many kids with Anpanman-printed clothes, shoes, bags, some sweets and a lot more other things!! His face is made of red-bean bread, so many Japanese bakery have Anpanman-shaped bread. If you have a chance to go to a Japanese bakery, please ask them if they have Anpanman-shaped bread 🙂

This anime has been really popular in Japan for so long (for more than 20 years), but I have never seen this in California… I think children here would love him if they had a chance to watch him on TV!! (I’m not sure what is a “must-know” hero character here in the US…)

After spending some days with him, I said goodbye to him and he is now with a cute 2 year-old boy 😀 I hope they are getting along well!!