I hope you had a wonderful Christmas time with your loved ones… I had an another great Christmas with my family in low in Massachusetts, we came home with tons of goodies (thank you so much!) and now, we are off to Japan! Just wanted to wish you all a very happy and exciting new year 2010! Thank you all so much for visiting Heart Fish, being with me and being here for me all this year, I will be getting lots of pictures, inspirations, ideas, cool and neat things while I’m in Japan, I can’t wait to share them all with you! I will be saying hi sometime in next year from Japan… until then, have a great holiday season and happy happy new year 2010!!!

*Picture is from my last day of letterpress printing — I printed business cards for Randy :)

p.s while I am traveling, I am having a winter vacation sale so make sure to check it out :)

Posted under letterpress, miscellaneous

Hello! It is Christmas eve here today. I am visiting my family in low here in Massachusetts — our traditions every year :) Just wanted to take time and wish you and yours a Merry Christmas!!! Hope you are having a peaceful time with your loved ones…

A couple of weeks ago, Randy brought home my first real mistletoe! (I knew what it was, never had one for myself or for the home!) And did you know why you kiss under the mistletoe (I didn’t know why…)? The box that my mistletoe came in had a little cute story behind it so I thought it’d be a perfect thing to share on a Christmas eve…

“Mistletoe Lore:

Mistletoe has been the subject of many legends and traditions for hundreds of years. Ancient Druids considered mistletoe sacred because it grew without roots in the ground and assumed that it must have been planted by the gods. Mistletoe was thought to ban evil spirits and bring good luck and great blessings. When warriors met beneath mistletoe, they had to lay down their weapons and call a truce. From this, it became a sign of peace and good will. But why do we kiss people under the mistletoe?

It all started with a goddess called Frigga. Her son, Balder, was shot with an arrow made of mistletoe. Frigga’s friends succeeded in conjuring up powers to save the boy. Balder lived anew and Frigga ordered that the mistletoe should never again be used to harm. Instead, she made it a symbol of love by kissing anyone who passed under it.”

Don’t forget to xxxxxx

:) :) :)

Merry Christmas!!!

Posted under miscellaneous

Last week, I went to Radio City Music Hall to see Christmas Spectacular (I have worked on the website!) — it was fun :) The Music Hall was stunning!! I enjoyed the building so much.

The ceiling. I’d only seen it in pictures before, but it really was gorgeous! I took some photos and I was surprised that it looked exactly like the ones I’d seen!

When you walk in, there was this gorgeous chandelier-like Christmas tree… and the wall paining… I could spend hours here.

More ceiling / curve stairs shot… so beautiful…

The show. It definitely has its own history. It’s been going on for 75 years!

The lovely Rockettes :)

and we are going to see the Nutcracker tonight :) (I wanted to do more holiday shows this year, I don’t think I did that much last year so… yay)

Happy Friday, everyone!

Posted under NYC

Christmas tree makes me so happy and this year, I have 2 trees! Double happiness :) Wanted to share some pictures and the happiness here!

Our family white tree — we bought it last year and we placed in different area this year.

((We still need a tree top…))

Each ornament has its story and memory…

I’d been looking for dachshund ornaments forever and I finally found these handmade dachshund toys from Sweet Little Birdie and turned it into an ornament! The size is great and Maia wears red collar so it is perfect!!

Some new ornaments…

We got the cable car ornament in our last Christmas in San Francisco in 2007…

and this year, all our little pet family gets their own stockings! (I was looking for the perfect stockings for them forever, too)

and, my mother in low got me a pink Christmas tree (!) last Christmas so I finally got to decorate it in my office area and I LOVE it! I wanted to make it really girly since it is mine :)

I used some of my flower hair pieces and brooches as a tree top and ornaments and I quite like the outcome.

And those numbered votive candle holders are from my lovely client Christine from LAMA :) I love them so much! Thank you, Christine!

“LOVE” “JOY” and

“WISH” ornaments :)

This tree has a lot more spaces so I can buy more ornaments… (hehe)

Late night work is not so hard when you have your Christmas tree besides you…

How are your Christmas trees?! If you have pictures to share, please comment with the links, I would love to see!

Happy Holidays!

Posted under home

Good morning! I hope you had a nice weekend… We had a little dachshund friend Audrey for the weekend to dog-sit, it’s been fun for us and Maia :)

Over the weekend, I came across these beautiful glass bulbs from Land-Rich (via sub-studio design blog – they have my favorite gift guide every year by colors!) and I especially like this Tallow Berry Bulb — isn’t it a precious little thing? I would love to get one for our Christmas tree… this will be my ornament of the year… (speaking of which, I finally decorated my Christmas trees this weekend, I will share some photos later! Yes, I have 2 trees this year!)

They have 3 other ones, they are all so special.

About Land-Rich: Inspired by raw nature and those who embrace it, we collect and design classic goods for the discerning customer. Our mission is to provide beautiful objects that symbolize the quality, functionality, and sustainability of simpler times.

Let’s have a beautiful week, shall we? :)

Posted under art, design

Wishing you a happy weekend… Christmas is right there — I really have to start shopping and sending cards this weekend. The whole city is illuminated and so pretty. (but freeeeeezing! it’s been in 20s all day! brrrrr) I am posting a couple pictures I took from Rockefeller Center in NYC…

Stay warm, everyone! I will see you back on Monday! :)

Posted under NYC

Stocking Monogram Ornaments from Anthropologie are calling me… I’m a sucker for ornaments! Speaking of… I am thinking of decorating my Christmas tree this weekend… :)

I’m also looking forward to going to this craft show.

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

p.s Dear my International customers — last chance to shop for holidays this weekend!!

Posted under typography

Good morning! How was your thanksgiving? How was your weekend? Hope you had a good one… I am back from Boston, I had really great and yummy thanksgiving, and am ready for the busy week! I think from here on, I just have to go go go until Christmas… which is coming so very soon!

After thanksgiving, my mother-in-law took me shopping and I had to ask to go back to this great Christmas shop… (she took me there last year, it was my first time, but didn’t have time to really look around…) It’s been around for ages in Randy’s hometown and coming from Japan, I think this is by far the biggest and the most classic Christmas shop I’ve ever been to! Yes, Santa was there, too! :)

Huge store is filled with anything and everything for Christmas. I only could take some pictures of ornaments and such, but there are lots of rooms and each room has different stuff… aww I could spend all day here just looking at everything.

pretty pretty ornaments…

It was so hard to pick…

I got some new ornaments and got some ideas for our tree this year… I can’t wait to decorate! Have you pulled out or bought your tree yet?! :) I will share some pictures really soon!

Posted under Inspiration

I can’t believe it’s thanksgiving tomorrow… and I am leaving to Boston today to spend time with my family-in-law. From here on, it’s officially holiday season, everyone! I love this time of the year, everything will be illuminated and pretty, start thinking about people you love and what to give… but I hate it at the same time with all the stress that comes along. aww (I feel the stress already this week…)

but I am wishing every single one of you a happy thanksgiving and happy holiday season from bottom of my heart!! If you are traveling, safe trip!! I am so very thankful you are all here!

Just wanted to let you know that I am offering something new this year — a holiday gift package. If you are thinking of gifting my Live What You Love prints to your loved ones this holiday, this will be perfect.

You will get:

1 8″x10″ Live What You Love letterpress print
1 kraft paper bag
1 letterpress gift tag
1 tissue paper (red or green)

and done! :)

Also, for my dear readers at Heart Fish, you have been so great to me all year long, I would like to give away one of my holiday alphabet greeting cards every $25 you spend in my etsy shop this holiday! (Offer ends December 22nd. While supplies last.) Make sure to mention that you saw my post here and pick which card you’d like when you check out in the message box :)

*If you order LWYL posters, due to the tube mailer condition, you will receive 5 kraft holiday bags instead.

**All orders placed from December 23rd to January 20th will be shipped after January 21st — I will be out of country!

Thank you so much and have a great thanksgiving!!
I will be back on Monday…

Posted under letterpress, studio news

Poppytalk Handmade Holiday Market launched today and I am participating again this month! Come look at my virtual booth here!

Hope you like what I selected for the booth… :)

Posted under studio news