Craft Fair –Exhibition Announcement

I am excited to share that on December 13, I will be exhibiting at the Care St. Louis Animal Rescue “Sip & Shop” Craft Fair as the Japanese Institute of St. Louis.

I have been a member of the Art & Craft Committee, supporting Sip & Shop behind the scenes.

However, this year I will be participating officially as a vendor　representing my NPO.

After volunteering at this event for so many years, joining as a vendor feels both refreshing and a little thrilling.

Crochet Creations – A Heartfelt Collaboration

I am truly grateful that my Japanese friend and her daughter will be creating and contributing crochet animal-themed pieces for my booth this year.

When I was a child, my grandmother taught me knitting with two needles. I still remember sitting beside her, making sweaters and scarves together.

But looking back, those pieces were only possible because my grandmother guided every step.

My friend has always told me,　
“Crochet is much easier than knitting!”

—and she has patiently tried to teach me.

Yet for me, it feels exactly like being told,

“Skateboarding is easier than skiing”

back when I was young.

My mind still rebels:

“How is standing on one foot easier than standing on two?!”

That is exactly how I feel about crochet:

I simply cannot understand how one hook can create such complex shapes.

Even when I watch YouTube tutorials, or sit right beside my friend copying her movements, her hands magically glide and create perfect shapes…

while mine somehow transform into mysterious creatures I never intended.

My very first crochet attempt—a “fly”—was not fit for sale, but the cats absolutely loved it as a toy, so I decided to take it as a win (and laugh about it).

Because of this, I decided I would fully entrust all crochet work to my friend this year, and focus on a different type of craft myself.

🎄Handmade Greentea Soap

My Contribution This Year is Handmade Soap with a Japanese Touch.

I will be bringing handmade soaps, something I have created many times in the past along with candles.

For this craft fair, I wanted to bring something that reflects Japanese culture, so I chose to create soaps with a “wa” (means Japanese-style) theme.

In the past, I made rosemary soap using fresh rosemary from my garden, as well as oatmeal soaps.

I enjoyed experimenting with ingredients such as olive oil and almond oil, creating natural scrubs with herbal textures in the past.

This time, however, I decided to use something very special: green tea–infused olive oil that I had steeped for over a year.

Using a recipe I found on YouTube as a reference, I made this as a completely natural soap—

no added coloring, just the pure color of the ingredients.

Unlike the vivid green on YouTube, my soap did not turn green, but the results were beautiful in a different way.

Thanks to the olive oil’s richness and the skin-soothing properties of green tea extract,

the soap leaves the skin incredibly smooth and soft, with a moisturized feel that lasts all day.

🐾  Selling Animal-Themed Japanese Goods

In addition to the soap, I will be selling various animal-themed fabric items and cute small goods that I have collected over the years.
Many of these items were purchased in Japan, making them hard to find in the U.S.

Please feel free to stop by my booth and take a look.

Sip & Shop – A Warm and Vibrant Event Every Year

Sip & Shop brings together many talented local artists and makers.
It has the warm, festive atmosphere of a small handmade market—much like a Japanese *marche*.

Guests can enjoy food and drinks, take photos with Santa, listen to live music, and participate in the online silent auction.
There is always something exciting happening.

This year is especially meaningful because CARESTL has purchased a new building near the City Museum and is remodeling it from scratch for this event.
With all the hands-on work and DIY atmosphere, this year’s Sip & Shop feels more special than ever.

❤️ Looking Forward to Meeting Everyone❤️

This will be my first year participating as a vendor, and I am genuinely looking forward to speaking with everyone at the event.

Please come visit on December 13!

I hope to see you there.
https://givebutter.com/c/SipNShop25