ヤシの葉 Palm Leaves

 庭師さんがしばらく来てないので、自分でヤシの木を剪定しなくてはなりませんでした。
The gardener hasn't been coming for a while, so I had to trim the palm tree myself.

 あまりにもヤシの葉が綺麗で捨てるのには惜しかったので、何かしなくちゃという気持ちに駆られました。
The palm leaves were too beautiful to just throw away, so I had to do something with them.

 とにかく、編み始めてみました。

I just started braiding.

そしてこんな物が出来上がりました。

Then, I ended up with this.

これが後ろ姿。

This is how it looks from the back.

 そして、ちょっと可愛らしいお花で色を付けてみました。

Then, I added some color with cute flowers.

家の中の可愛い飾りになりました。

It became a charming decoration in the house.

秋子版、付けまつ毛と化粧 Fake Eyelashes and Makeup, Akiko Version

 このところお客さんが３人滞在中で忙しく、投稿が遅れていますー。さて、先日のお化粧クラスでの私の付けまつ毛と化粧の写真をというリクエストがあったのですが、私の順番が回ってきませんでしたので、昔にしたのを投稿しますー。こちらは、付けまつ毛を付けただけの私と、何もしてない私。
I've been busy with three guests' staying with us and haven't been able to update my blog often.  Anyway, a few people had asked me to post the pictures of my putting makeup and fake eyelashes from the makeup lesson, but I didn't have my turn, so I post the pictures from the old posts.  Here, the pictures of me with fake eyelashes only and the picture of me with nothing on.

皆さんに化粧なしでありのままでいいというコメントを頂いたので、化粧はもうしばらくやめときます。でも、スキンケアと紫外線予防だけはしておきまーす！ちなみにこちらの写真では、付けまつ毛なしの化粧だけの私。
I received comments saying I am OK without makeup and just being me, so I will go without makeup for a big longer.  However, I will put some effort doing better skincare and UV protection.  FYI, in this photo, I got no fake eyelashes, but makeup.

付けまつ毛と化粧 Fake Eyelashes and Makeup

先週お友達が、付けまつ毛とお化粧の教室をしてくれました。モデルになってくれたお友達。こちらは、顔左半分だけに付けまつ毛を付けてお化粧をした写真です。どうですか？
Last week, a friend gave us a lesson how to put on fake eyelashes and makeup.  This is my friend who volunteered to be a moedl.  In this photo, she has a fake eyelash and makeup done on only left side of her face.  What do you think?

すっごく違いますよねー！！２番目の写真の方がすっごく若くて可愛らしく見えますね〜！
She looks so different, doesn't she!  She looks so much younger and pretty in the second picture!

こちらはもう一人のモデルさん。お化粧と付けまつ毛で本当に変わりますね〜！彼女も若返ってはつらつとってもチャーミングに〜！お化粧ってすごいなー。さてここで質問は。。化粧をしない私は年齢より老けて見えるか？損をしているか？５０歳を超えて、そろそろ化粧の仕方でも習うべきだろうか？んんん。。。。
She is another model.  The makeup and fake eyelashes make so much difference!  She looks much younger, vibrant and very charming!  What fake eyelashes and makeup do is amazing.  Now the questions are;  because I don't put makeup, do I look older than my age?  Am I missing out on something?  Maybe, now I am over 50 and is it time that I should learn to put some makeup on?  Hmmmm....

仕事を終えた付けまつ毛、休憩中。。。ご褒美にピーナッツをもらいました。
The fake eyelashes rested after a long day of work and received peanuts as a special treat.

布の在庫処分 Clearing Fabrics in Stock

 長い間使っていない布がいくらかあるので、それを全部使い果たすプロジェクトを先月始めました。まずは、こちらのバッグを作りました。
I have some fabrics I haven't used for a long time, so I've started a project last month to finish using up all of them.  First, I made these bags.

 このバッグはリバーシブル。

These bags are reversible.

 それから、こちらのバッグも作りました。こちらはちょっと小さめ。

Then, I made two of these bags.  These are slightly smaller.

こちらもリバーシブルです。まだまだ布があるので、デザインや色の組み合わせを思案中。

This is reversible, too.  I still have more fabrics and am trying to come up with different designs and color coordinations.  

理輝２０歳のお誕生日 Riki's 20th Birthday

今日は理輝の２０歳のお誕生日です。日本で２０歳はとっても記念すべきお誕生日！なのに、彼は日本に居るので一緒にお祝いできないのがとっても残念。姪っ子達が用意してくれたお誕生日ケーキです。ありがとう〜！

Today was Riki's 20th birthday.  In Japan, 20th birthday is a very special birthday to celebrate.  I was so sad that we couldn't celebrate such special day together as he was in Japan.  This birthday cake was prepared by my nieces.  Thank you, girls!

 彼は冬休みを長野の実家で過ごしました。スキーに向かう途中の理輝と姪っ子達。

Riki spent his winter break in my hometown in Nagano. These are my nieces and Riki on the way to go skiing.

 4日は京都の寮に帰り、寮のお友達と晩ご飯を食べてお誕生日を祝ったそうです。
He went back to his dorm in Kyoto on the 4th and had dinner with his dorm friends to celebrate his birthday.

ラーメンがめっちゃ美味しそうでお腹空いて来た。。。

Ramen noodle looks so good and makes me feel hungry.

明けましておめでとうございます！ A Happy New Year!

皆様明けましておめでとうございます。今年もチャンファミリーブログをよろしくお願いしまーす。啓安と理輝が私達と一緒に住んでいない今、家族５人で写真を撮る事が難しくなってきました。なので、今回は１５年前の写真を使わせて頂きましたー。子供達がちっちゃくって可愛い！
A Happy New Year, everyone.  Hope you'll enjoy visiting the Chan family blog another year through.  Now, Joshua and Riki are not living with us, it's getting more and more difficult to take a photo with all five of us together, so I'd like to share the family photo from 15 years ago this time.  Kids are so small and so cute!

雪だ！Snow!

 朝起きたらなんと外は美しい雪に覆われていました！おそらくテメキュラで前回雪が降ったのは１０年前。
We woke up to this beautiful snow covered view outside this morning.  The last snow we had was probably about ten years ago.

冬には常に雪がある長野で生まれ育った私は、ついつい興奮してしまって、こんな物を作ってしまった。

Born and raised in Nagano where we always have snow in winter, I got so excited and made this.

それからこんな物も。。

And this....

十分雪の中で遊んだ後は、こちらのお節を作りました。

After playing enough in the snow, I made this OSECHI, the traditional Japanese New Year foods.