Here’s a look back at my month with photos, blog posts, plans & goals progress, links and more. I’ve merged my Favourites posts back into this and sections will come and go each month depending on whether I have enough to include.
What I’ve been up to
Not that much really, since it’s still been so cold and stormy. Nicolette came to visit for a day and got to see the massive piece of wood from the storm that’s now firmly stuck on the beach. I did some crafting, tried some recipes, took some photos of snacks for TokyoTreat and did a lot of blogging and reading. And right at the end of the month, I had a little work trip to Iona that I’ll probably blog about soon.
This month’s blog posts
- All My Unfinished Craft Projects
- Woodland Wonders Felt Flower Garland
- Solo Day in the Life
- Recent(ish) Purchases & Gifts
- My Wooden Turtle
- Plans & Goals Update
- January 2024 Recap
My posts on Super Cute Kawaii
- Unique & Fun Kawaii Stationery
- CUTE Exhibition & Coffee Shop in London
- Handmade Kawaii Art & Craft Accessories & Tools
- Tea Lovers vs Coffee Club Shopping Picks
- Kawaii Valentine’s Day Crafts & Activities
- Kawaii Suncatchers To Buy & DIY
- New Craft Books To Buy & Preorder
- & more…
Plans & Goals Progress
- Books, Comics & Zines I Read in 2024 (4 more, 6 ahead of schedule!)
- My Woodland Wonders felt garland kit is finished!
- I made a list of All My Unfinished Craft Projects
- New recipes – I made a few things I should blog about.
- I also made a tentative return to waffle-making by using pancake mix, an alternative option promised by the packet. Sadly this was ALL LIES and they were just waffle-shaped pancakes.
Links I Loved
I started gathering up all the links I’ve been saving in 100 different places over the last few months and now hopefully I can do this more regularly and sensibly in future.
- I Am Acrylic made some little pots from my ghosty off-cuts!
- Vice published a surprisingly supportive and accurate article about the whole saga I was involved in last year: The Etsy Sellers Getting Sued for Using a Smiley Face (bad title though – we were sued for using the single word ‘smiley’!)
- In this current world of increasingly-tedious drawn-out launch campaigns, I love how Alison Roman announced that she opened an IRL grocery store last year and didn’t tell anyone or do any press. It sounds lovely.
- A Zelda Fan Created a Short Godzilla Movie in Tears of the Kingdom and it’s so well done!
- Half an hour of The Legend of Zelda Orchestra in concert. Bookmarking this to listen later, as is only right for someone still using bits of the Ocarina of Time soundtrack as alarms and text alerts on my phone.
- These type of posts are usually ragebait but IGN is pretty spot on with the 10 Hardest Shrines Stumping Players In Tears of the Kingdom. I’ve done the whole lot twice and reading this still made me go 😖
- The Nana Wedding Dress Collection inspired by the manga is incredible! I was going to say they missed a trick by not making the dress from Paradise Kiss but looks like that is exactly what inspired the brand Lulu Felice in the first place.
- What’s the best way to spend 1,000 yen at Muji Japan? at SoraNews24 made me sad. I miss Muji, especially their surprisingly wide food range. Some of which is actually on the UK website, ooh!
- Lots of intriguing-sounding books in What Mary Robinette Kowal Read and Loved in 2023 and Caustic Cover Critic’s 2023 year in reading.
- 10 Exciting Japan-Related Books to Read in 2024 at Tokyo Weekender. Not sure I actually want to read any of these but it’s an interesting list.
- A reminder that I share all my kawaii & Japan links on the Super Cute Kawaii newsletter. It’s free!
- I laughed at the below in a recent – great! – Pet Shop Boys interview in the Guardian. You and me both, Neil…
