My chaotic wanderings through creation and restoration.
Ka-Chow! What's poppin', fellow weirdos. It's ya girl, Becky, back at it again with the evaluation station. Which is exactly the same as my display area. Which is also in my room where I sleep. That's right, these things hover over me and torment me, even in my dreams. Which is fine, I guess. I … Continue reading What’s The Damage? We’re On A Boat!
I want you to know, as I started writing this, that I have the pictures of the damage in a folder literally called "MessyAssHikiWhatever." And when I made the decision to buy this, I actually knew I was in for some of this mess. But this particular seller posts a set number of pictures with … Continue reading Restoration: Antique Hikifurisode
Majestic Mt. Fuji Overlooking A Misty And Watery Pine Grove On Smooth Black Silk. I definitely needed another one of these, right? Even if it didn't need anything in terms of restoration or repair, really? It's not that I collect things like furisode and uchikake (in short loose terms, wedding kimono) exclusively. It's that I … Continue reading Meiji Era Uchikake–Fujiyama Ukiyo-e Style
Even though you'd think that after eleven months I'd have literally any sense of discipline, I bought this, got to work on it, and said nothing about it. I took a few pictures and gushed about it with friends, but I didn't mention it literally anywhere else that matters and there's actually a few reasons … Continue reading Already In Progress: Antique Gilded Tsuru Furisode
Sometimes when I'm doing these things, I have to psych myself up a lot in order to talk about it, because I'm always defending myself to an imaginary person who thinks everything I do is partially insane. The problem is the imaginary person is not wrong. My famous last words will most certainly be: STAND … Continue reading Update: Restoration In Progress– “Great Big White Birds”
Bright Camellia Blossoms And Long Bamboo Grasses On Delicately Woven Blue Silk. This qualifies as a restoration. This also qualifies as a recent restoration. But I did that thing that I do where I take a big healthy gulp of Big Dumb Idiot Juice and my whole brain just fucks off and I didn't really … Continue reading Antique Tsukesage–Tsubaki & Sasa
A Haughty Majestic Phoenix Entangled With Blooming Flowers On Black Silk. That's right, I'm calling it a birb. It's a word I use every day. I have parrots, after all. To be honest about this one, I bought it domestically in a bundle with a maru obi that I'll detail later. I wanted the obi, … Continue reading Taisho Kurotomesode–Sassy Birb
Vibrant Blooming Flowers And Colorful Peacocks On Black Silk. I bought this kimono just before the 5th year anniversary of my father's death. That's right, it's my fill the void kimono. I'm not really sure what kind of void I'm filling, though. That shit's complicated and weird, and that's not what we're here for. Why … Continue reading Antique Furisode–Peonies & Peafowl
One of my habits is to collect small damaged items, and then hoard them like the bizarre little goblin that I am until I feel knowledgeable enough to attept to repair them. This is one of those stories. -Law & Order BLNK BLNK- Over the last few days, after tackling an entire iko (kimono stand), … Continue reading Antique Kougai Repair
Bright Gold Medallions In Lacquer Threads On Deep Black Silk. It's trying very hard to be spring occasionally here in Chicagoland, USA, so it seems the perfect time to be showcasing the jackets of my kimono collection. Today, here's a beautiful douchugi from the early Showa Era. I have confirmation that this piece is from … Continue reading Antique Douchugi–Deco Gold
Silk & Bones 