Lucky me! :) at 2 Peas

Hello, friends,

 My ATC won the prize of Faber-Castell / Design Memory Craft challenge over at Two Peas in a Bucket. That's quite an event! The entry to 2 Peas was for the first time last year. I did a happy dance on Jan. 4, when I knew the result. But I've been busy with doing New Year's events etc. So I totally forgot it till yesterday. I brought it to mind by the inquiry e-mail to ask my shipping address from the shipping department. Thanks so very much Faber-Castell, Design Memory Craft and Two Peas!!

Have a wonderful week!
Tomo

Happy New Year! あけましておめでとうございます

Hi, friends,

 Happy New Year! I wish this year will be the happiest and the best for you and your family!!

 I took photo of the tree named Manryou (Ardisia Crenata - maybe the same as 'coral bush') in our garden, one of the symbol trees for celebrating the new year in Japan. And made this digital image as my greetings to you.

* I used a few images of my 2010's. ;) "Similar!", didn't you think so? 'Cause my favorite fonts haven't changed since I began to use computers. When I make digital images for personal purpose, I almost use a few from approx. 20 of my favorites, or draw the line of the letters to use Illustrator.

*The rock at the center of the picture is the one that surrounds a pond - we, family have the Japanese style garden. It consists of several elements, those are rock, pond, bridge, artificial miniature hill, trees and so on.
You must wonder why. This kind of sights is familiar in Japan.

a card for my Aunt

Hello, my friends,
 Hope you had a very happy Christmas with your beloveds.

 At our region, the peak of the biggest cold wave this month was over this afternoon. The consumption of electricity at our supply company seems to be decreasing gradually. Thank you.

 Yesterday, I finished a card for my aunt. Though I was going to make it after the coming New Year holidays, I couldn't wait to do it, because I received the HA new released stamps yesterday morning. This time, the delivery was quicker more than I expected for this time of year.　(But judging from the tracking report, my parcel seemed to have taken enough 'ZZZ time' for about a week at LA before going through the customs clearance.

Well, here is the card, Thinking of you'.

And, this is a close up.

 The methods I used: Blended several Distress Inks after stamping with oil based ink, or after heat embossing. Spread the Distress Stickle Rock Candy on two hearts' surface after blending inks with blending foam.
 By my broad interpretation of the sketches, I'm going to send this to Flickr to join in HA December challenge Round 2. Hope this qualifies their requirement.

Merry Christmas! and about the electricity shortage of our city

Hello, my friends,

Merry Christmas!

 After the earthquakes hit Touhoku and Kantou area this March, the amount of electricity supply comes to decrease at Kyushu island where I live, without exception. Just only one works among four nuclear reactors stands on neighboring prefecture. Because those under suspension to be inspected can't restart even now. (There's one more plant at southern part of our island. But it is under similar situation now.) So I use my personal computer to check the rate of the consumption of electricity on the website of our power supply company to escape a large scale of power cut.

By the reason of increasing the consumption - it has been unusually cold this winter, and it stormes now -,  I'm going to access friends' blogs after checking the situation, though I want to visit all by today. Thanks for your understandings.

If all the nuclear reactors restarts, it changes to be a stable supply. But we are very scary, because the nuclear power plant in neighboring prefecture is located on just only 60 km west of Fukuoka City where I live...

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!
Tomo