muji

If you've been reading this blog for awhile, I think you know how much I love MUJI.

I recently saw this "make your own gift" can on television.

They come in 3 sizes.

The top is sealed.

You need to fill the can from the bottom.

It holds quite a bit.

They recommend not putting in anything too fragile and not over stuffing it.

Then pop the bottom on.

I decorated the can with masking tape.

Then I wrapped the plastic box with craft paper so that I could write the address on it...and sent it off.

Cool, yeah?!

p.s. Today is a National Holiday Kinro Kansha no Hi

furoshiki

After seeing La Fuji Mama's post about furoshiki. I had commented and she asked me to post about my Coach furoshiki. (I got the Coach furoshiki when I purchased a fashion magazine here.)

I then went through all my furoshiki....I didn't realize it but I do have somewhat of a collection.

A bunny chirimen (crepe) furoshiki (46 cm x 46 cm).

And the Gion matsuri cotton furoshiki (100 cm x 100 cm).

A Laura Ashley cotton handkerchief that turned into a furoshiki (56 cm x 56 cm).

Sbilla (which I think is a Japanese brand) cotton furoshiki (48 cm x 48 cm).

Cotton tea towel that turned into a furoshiki (48 cm x 48 cm).

And the polyester Coach furoshiki (70 cm x 70 cm). This one is a bit stiff, guess it will take some time to soften.

Here are some ways to use furoshiki from the magazine article--as a means to carry wine, cake, flowers or as a bag.

This site offers techniques on how to tie furoshiki for various objects.

I use the 100 cm x 100 cm furoshiki mainly to carry dishes to pot luck, and the smaller furoshiki to carry bento and mugs to picnics.

If you want to help the environment, want to stop using plastic bags but don't know how to sew, this is a great way to carry groceries and gifts because any squarish piece of fabric can turn into a furoshiki. Also, if you use a nice piece of fabric you could use the furoshiki as gift wrapping and give it away along with the gift inside.

Be creative and do your part to help the environment.