Kabuki

In Amsterdam! And I am going! Blew my paycheck on two first class tickets, but who cares? Not me. I want to see Kabuki in real life and... *swoon* be all fan-girlish and see the pretty Ebizo Ichikawa XI as Fuji Musume. *sigh*
And as the brute Yoemon in Kasane; Kasane is played by Kamejiro Ichikawa II whom makes, I believe an even prettier lady then Ebizo is... Can't wait...

Ebizo Ichikawa XI is not really or should I say not only(?) an onnagata actor, he plays many male roles too in Kabuki. Not like Tamasaburo Bando
And I think he got his fame and "star-dom" mostly because of his role of Musashi, well at least amongst the younger generation and because of this he made kabuki popular with younger generations too, can't say that's a bad thing ^_~ And I must say... he did make a wonderful handsome Musashi... Ok enough drooling over handsome samurai...

Blue Stripes

My blue and white painted striped hitoe kimono looks very cool ^_~ I paired her today with a blue tsumugi hitoe obi. I was afraid the two shades of blue would clash, but I do not think so. My nagajuban is ro silk as is the han eri. I added ro silk corn yellow obi jime and obi age. Ro silk because i believe obi age is considered like underwear and underwear should be ro now ^_^
I like how the soft yellow makes a subtle contrast with the blues but also seems to tie the two different blues together... Now I need zori with yellow hanao.
Now I only hope I am not the only one thinking this combi evokes cool feelings ^_~ And I look a little blue, am not actually only dressed in blue ^_^
And I wanted to show my new wig... New? No not quite I bought the wig in December but never took it out in order to take some pictures, so now then. I wanted to look like a samurai's wife *blush* I watched a samurai movie and drool... The samurai where so handsom and the ladies so pretty I loved how they showed a lot of han eri and a lot of nape. Now, I did not really do that but, made an effort. Later when it's less warm I'll try again...
The wig is a geisha style too. I have a takashimada which is the wig with the very high bun and the style that is used for brides too. This wig is the "crushed" shimada so the bun is smaller. I like it more then the taka shimada. This wig looks better on me too I think, it seems more becoming. Never mind I love it!

Nihongami

Suddenly I realized I never showed these... after the pinkish purple Nihongami painting

I made two more... here they are. I am trying something with traditional Japanese hair and make up, paint in a mixture of western style painting and Japanese sumi-e and combine that with traditional European lace and tule, which both to me evoke fairytales, dreams, prinsesses.
Traditional Western painting is (for me) not "dream like" enough, some how it´s too "material" for me. So I started to studie how to use ink and Japanese style of painting to get less "material" and more illusion. I think it works. How ever I often use acrylics instead of ink because ink fades so quickly... I think.

These two Nihongami ladies seem so pensive to me they deserve an extra layer of lace... Creating yet more illusions...
Mmm I should make more, get of my lazy butt, work less in the store and start picking up the arts again, it´s boiling inside. Might be good ^_^

It might also be a good idea to finally learn how to do my own site. It's kind of stupid I still use the old one. It's not correct and it's time I learned. My site I should be able to upload my own site this blogger thing is easy but not the right place for work is it? hihi

Hakata

different obi with my black wool. Red with yellow accessories, very traditional my dear friend said. So, good for me ^_^ again with red lipstick. I think I do like it... Sometimes. Have to get used to it again I guess.
Hopefully the weather will clear so I will feel more like playing with my silk hitoe kimono, we'll see.

Hitoe

and my friends suggestion to go for red accessories and red lipstick... Scary! I didn't wear red lipstick in ages I am always scared it will bring out the red spots I (sometimes) have on my skin. But it's ok now not too many spots and I realized I might not have zori with red straps, I have these "Indian" slippers so I used these hihi I like it it's bolder then I would usually do, but yes, fun. I think you where right ^_^

Five days

of awase hitoe combi. In May we wear awase kimono up to the 14th and awase obi till the 9th so from 10 to 15 May we can wear hitoe obi with awase kimono... That's a little weird, crazy little rule... But lets do it ^_^
Since it's the last day I can wear my cute new fuji Kimono I picked her, then rummaged trough my hitoe obi, and chose one that had the exact color as the hakake, mmm looks a bit like fall this rich red color, but I like it. Then I added green accessories and decided I need a brighter spring green obi jime *blush*
Later I will try this kimono with my soft green silver hitoe obi, maybe that will give the ensemble a more spring feel.
Maybe not... The weather seems like fall over here ^_~

(the nagajuban has been hitoe since the 15th of April)