I bought these in Japan in ’03 and they have served me well. I remembered that early in their life they were on the cover of a CD so I went to roughly re-create this. The CD cases were handmade from orange card with a black and white photocopied sticker with the picture of the shoes (and other things) stuck on top. This particular spare copy was presumably a reject because the gluing was a bit wild as you can see…
CD case from 2004:
2010:
My new bike basket, I got it a few weeks ago. The last one had snapped off during the winter, I need one anyway but there is this moment I look forward to every year when it is British strawberry season and I can bike home from the market with a couple of punnets in my basket and the smell for the strawberries flies up in my face, utter bliss!
My previous bike baskets have been of the black wire variety, I went for this as you can clip it on and off the front of the bike so I take it into the shops with me. I hadn’t thought too much about what it would look like when I carry it around as it was mainly a practical decision but it actually gets quite a lot of positive comments and smiles from strangers. Anabela and Tommy are style leaders in the wicker field :)
This one is from a local shop, not expensive, it seems best to look for wicker in local places and secondhand. You don’t have to go far in this part of the world to come across wicker baskets or woven bags.
This was from a fair trade stall, I seem to remember it is made from plastic bags or something.
My bike basket in use for a lunchtime picnic in the park.
A little incense man from Germany, a gift, you put an incense cone inside his legs and smoke comes out of his mouth.
Pig lighter from Japan, you push back his hat and flames come out of his nose. Bought by me in Kiddy Land in 2003.
Alarm clock, not really nonsense, it belonged to my Japanese grandfather and he kept it on his dining room table. I consider that I co-own this with my sister. I guess the nonsense part is because it hasn’t worked properly since I inherited it, the time drifts. Perhaps my grandad used to adjust it often back to the correct time? I keep it as it reminds me of when I used to visit him on Saturday lunchtimes and we would eat Chinese food.
Ginko leaf from Japan. Now broken. I picked it up in November on the street where my great aunt lives.
I don’t mind that it is broken, that’s the way it goes with leaves.
Little farmers, from Berlin. Have to keep these away from the cats.
Argh, run farmers! Giant snail! The snail is from Womad festival, a gift from my sister who worked there one year.
Cake paper pad. A gift from Japan.
Mini camera, from Ireland. I am not sure how it works. It belonged to my great uncle, my aunt gave it to me.
This was fun to show things! I think I am going to keep show & tell as a regular topic.
A brief pause in the snow pictures. I wanted to show some recent lucky finds.
This is the Larch bag by Valhalla Brooklyn. I thought as I was 30 it was about time I found a proper bag :) I had been looking for a squishy large-but-not-too-large bag that would age well for ages. It’s made really well and the leather is beautiful! So glad to have found THE bag at last and I am pleased it is handmade. One of my most useful Etsy purchases.
This is my current favourite shopping bag. It’s a Rilakkuma tote from Tokyu Hands, makes me smile. I keep it folded in my main bag until needed.
If it is raining really hard on my bike home I put the first bag inside this bag to keep it from getting too soaked.
I had been keeping my eye out for carpet bags on ebay and this kilim briefcase was about £15 including postage on ebay. I use it as my laptop bag.
I’m not sure it would be suitable for a really serious meeting :)
