I promised I'd share pictures of the New York loot sometime soon, and so I shall - but it's likely to come out in dribs and drabs, what with assembling furniture, preparing for guests and generally getting back into "life" again. Anyway, I thought I'd show two Japanese craft books Jordi and I found in Kinokuniya with you to start the ball rolling.

First is a button book, full of ideas for stringing buttons into different arrangements and surely a book I'm going to find useful. Google ISBN 4-579-11063-3 for more details.

Second is a ribbon flower book , the Amazon Japan page describes it beautifully! Google ISBN 4-579-11125-7 for more information.

I'm really pleased to have both of these on my shelf. Even though I can't read Japanese, I can follow the really clear diagrams and be inspired by so many of the designs inside.