In the Garden with Totaro and Hello Kitty

Only one day left to go out and enjoy the Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Gardens.

They did a photo shoot out in the Japanese garden with some of the amigurumi I made with other plush items they got in.  I was so excited to see the post go up on there Facebook page, but really devastated when I realized all the comments where pretty much negative and all by the same person and having nothing to do with what the post containing the picture was about.  They where all just realy negtive feed back from someone who didnt seem to like this years Festival, which is sad because I had a great time.

I just find it hard to get and stay excited about having them post my work to their page when it is now connected to all that negativity.  It would be one thing if they didn't like the craftsman ship and where actually commenting on the toys in the image, or about the Gift shop in general which is what the post is about but why post such negativity, and negativity that is not even justified (candle light walks are by defection done in the dark by candle light, and the festival she is comparing it to last year was a special one time event hosted at the garden that was Chines and separate from the Japanese festival they hold every year) in this particular post.

Not to be a stick in the mud but man I was excited when I saw it had alot of comments and now I am just upset.

I blame this rant on all the Nigori Unfiltered Sake we had at dinner. #ThanksChad for the sake

Japanese Festival!

So we got to go out to the festival Saturday walk around and have some fun. I enjoyed the garden and even got a paper parasol painted with a Sakura tree on it to help keep the 102 degree heat off.

I have to say what I enjoyed most (besides getting to be there with my husband) was the Japanese ladies who did 4 different cooking demonstrations with samples of everything they cooked.  They als talked about how making bentos they always make sure to have 4 colors of food to make sure the kids are getting alot of the vitamins and minerals they need.

The top image, is a bento box one of the lady's moms used to pack for her to take for lunch to her kindergarten class when she was growing up in japan. 

The cooked all traditional home style items that would have been something they ate when growing up in japan and items they still cook today for their kids here in the US.

The items they made where--
Stuffed Lotus Root (In the bento box it is the item on the far left) which is two thin slices of lotus root with a ground meat mixture sandwiched between then lightly pan fried with a pan sauce over.  These where crunchy and only slightly sweet.  I plan on trying to make them for dinner one night, or even make a larger batch to take to the group I game with.
Japanese Style sweet Omelet (in the sample bowl image its on the bottom left next to the fake grass) This was a very different dish for me I had never tasted anything like it.  It was not  my favorite part of the sample but it wasn't bad just different... very um not anything like you would expect.
Steamed Veg & Japanese mustard dressing (broccoli and carrots)  They had cute little metel cutters that where about 1/2 in wide they used to cut stars, flowers, and even kitty faces out of carrot slices the sauce was realy good with them I could see it turning a broccoli hater into a lover easy.
Rice Ball with Sesame and salt - Literally just rice seasoned with sesame and salt but still good.
Finally my favirt item of the sample--
Butter Mochi!!  It was a very sweet and dense style Japanese cake which I can not wait to try making!

Here are some photos of the garden grounds, and some of the bonzi that were on display.

And finaly I will end the post with an image of the gift shops display of my amigurumi.

The Amigurumi stops here---MBG

I have finished 51 diffrent amigurumi in assorted unicorns, bunnies, and chibi cthulhu's.  I went up and delivered them all today so the stress of 'finishing' is over.  All in all I was able to make 14 Unicorns, 17 chibi cthulhu's, and 20 Bunbuns (4 of which are Skel-o-Bunbuns).

I took group shots of what I still had left to deliver but some how lost the group shot of unicorns and since I already dropped them off I cant take an other.  I will try to get a shot of the display they put them on this weekend when I go out to the Missouri Botanical Gardens Japanese Festival.  

I cant wait, I realy do hope they sell well and people like them.

 These bunnies just wanted to pile up and be unruly.  It was like bowling only with out a bowling ball the bunnies would just all decided to fall over randomly.  So their group shot is a Pile-o-Bunbuns.

Now the Chibi Cthulhu's on the other hand where more then happy to stand up and even stay in formation for their photo op.  Nothing beats a murder of Cthulhus.  Any idea what the plural for Cthulhu is?  I know a Murder is a flock of crows but I like the term for this grouping of Cthulhus.

Sneak Peak of MBG work aka Image Heavy post

Ok so here is the sneak peek at what I will be taking over to Missouri Botanical Garden for the Japanese Festival that is happening Aug 31-Sept 2.  My hubby plans on taking me up on  one of the day because we have know about it the last 2 years but never actully made it up for the festival and this just makes me even more excided.

I tried my best to group them by color, but the bunbuns where not having it so most of them got solo shots. 

 

So much crochet -.- in so little time.  I just hope they all find homes with people who love them as much as I loved making them.  I also wish I had a better way to take photos I have been using my phone and it tends to bleed out the colors =(

Off to the MBG

These guys are going off an an adventure to the Missouri Botanical Garden to have their pictures taken in the Japanese garden!

They will be the first batch to go up.  Hopefully everyone else loves them as much as I loved making them and they find good homes.

I have two styles of Bunbuns, the ones with cylinder like ears and the ones with big fat ears.  Personally I like both styles which is why I made both.  I tried to mix and match the colors for them in ways that worked.  I have two style Unicorns as well, Silver and Gold!  Of course not to be left out are the Chibi Cthulhu, one in traditional green and the other two in bright playful colors.

Possitives and Stress!!

So I have Positive news but its stressing me out a little!!

The Missouri Botanical Garden wants me to crochet for them!!  Sadly the amount they wanted was way to much.  It was about 3-4 months worth of work.  I shot back more reasonable numbers that I know I can finish by the time they need them (August 31).  Its stressful, I think as I am working I am way to hard on myself.  I really want to de-mane all the Unicorns I finished because I don't like how they look and that will add a lot more work onto my tab *sign*.

Have you ever been unhappy with your crochet and taken it apart to redo?  I feel I just rushed them to get them done and the manes are to short so the yarn isn't laying right.

I really hope these do well at the festival.  This opportunity is amazing for me and I am so excited and grateful to the mystery person who passed along my card.

I will share photos in a few days of the work I am making for them when I get a chance.