Thursday, February 23, 2012

It's Akemi-chan!

As my daughter would say...."FINALLY!"  She has been patiently awaiting this release for months now and the time has finally come for me to introduce Akemi to all of you.  Akemi means something to the effect of bright and beautiful, but according to Reverend, it also meant something about a beautiful child born in the morning?  Well, that's not why we picked that name... Initially, we wanted to name Akemi after my mom (remember Miyono?), but Mom didn't like that idea, so I asked her to pick a name if she didn't want us to name our daughter after her.  Her first suggestion was Kiyomi, but that was my sister's name, so we went with her 2nd choice,which was Akemi.

There is a very special reason why this image was named after her.  You see, I had asked my sister to come up with some images featuring kids with pets, and she took it a step further and transformed this idea and personalized it for Akemi.  My daughter's BFF is her stuffed bunny "Daba".  Daba has been a faithful companion since Akemi's first Easter and they have been inseparable ever since.  I just love how this image features Akemi showing her stuffed bunny to a real bunny... priceless!



 
Here's the very first project I made using Akemi.  I covered a pressboard frame with some of the washi paper I got from Japan.  Added a punched gold strip and then placed Akemi over it. If you are wondering why Daba is plaid looking and is colored pink, you'll see why in the next photo....




So here's Akemi with her BFF Daba.  This was shortly after she got Daba- I can tell because he's still pink and still has a nice bow.  Well, the bow is long gone and Daba is now a brownish pink color.  You can barely see his checkerboard pattern anymore, but Akemi can still tell it's him.. She just smells his ears and she can tell.  If you've ever read the story of Knuffle Bunny, you understand the relationship between Akemi and Daba.


Here's Akemi shortly after she turned 1.  Now that she was more mobile, she dragged Daba along wherever she went.  I have more stories about Daba that I'll share a little later.

So even though we are releasing this image at Easter, you don't have to use it just for that.  To me it's something I can use year round and also in my scrapbooking.


So now that you know a little about Akemi and Daba, you'll understand why this is my favorite image!  I want you to have a chance to win this stamp too, so here's all you have to do:

  1. Publicly follow this blog if you haven't done so already.
  2. Leave a comment on THIS POST by 02/29/12 11:59pm HST.
  3. Just for fun, tell me if you had a favorite toy you couldn't live without.
I hope once you get Akemi, she will become your favorite image too!  Good Luck!

27 comments:

  1. Isn't your daughter gorgeous :). My little girl got a white/pink cat the day she was born - it still sleeps with her even after 6 years.
    Adorable stamp and you are right - it's not just for Easter.
    Unfortunately I can't remember my favorite toy - it's a long time ago lol. Looking forward to see what comes tomorrow.

    Hugs, Mette

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  2. Ooohh...I replied to yesterday's post :o(
    So...here I am again :o)
    Just found your stamp-line and your blog.
    I like your stamps very very much, just love a lot of Oriental stamps.
    Yours will be available soon in Holland I heard....YES!!!

    My favorite was a browish Steiff bear and he is still at my Mum's house.

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  3. I agree with Mette, your daughter Akemi is gorgeous. (One of my good friend's middle name is Akemi) Love her pigtails. A wonderful idea to create a set of stamps with kids & animals in mind. Definitely not just for Easter is right! Adorable pressboard frame. The washi paper is gorgeous and your coloring is fabulous. The yellow band is a nice finishing touch. O my, I also can't remember my favorite toy. lol.
    Nice start to this release.
    ;)

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  4. your daughter Akemi is so cute! my nephew's daughter (uh...that makes me sound old! lol!) has Akemi for her middle name! oh, i don't think i had a favorite toy, but my kids certainly can make up for that! another adorable release of these cuties, cant wait to see more! ;)

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  5. You're daughter is adorable and I can see why this release is super special to you.
    As a kid, one of my favorites toys was also a stuffed bunny. It was a lop and Gund brand, so you know it was cute and soft. She was white with lop ears and a rattle in her tail. I named her Lopsy.

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  6. such a sweet story behind the stamp! it makes it all the more special! such cute pics of your daughter and her bunny! i have a favorite teddy bear that even after 30 years, i still have him. he is a little matted and dusty but still sits in my closet.

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  7. Oh how cute is Akemi (both)!!! Love the baby pictures, she is SO cute with her lil' bunny! yah this image is a must have! =)

    hmmm, my fave toy when i was little was my glow worm... went everywhere with that doll... LOL

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  8. Oh she is ADORABLE (your daughter AND the stamp!)

    Growing up I had a HUGE pink elephant named Alex and now that I have a daughter Alex sits on the end of her bed each and every night to keep her company.

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  9. I love the stamp and the story. Very nice. I had a doll that looked like shirley Temple that I couldn't live without.

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  10. Your images are sooo adorable. I cannot wait until my tax refund comes so that I can buy some. Did I have a favorite toy, you bet and I still have it and I am 44 years old. It is a bean bag bear that my daddy bought me when I was just a little girl. I used to pretend it was a baby. lol. I can't believe it is still in one piece.

    Lisa Atha

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  11. What a sweet picture of Akemi & her Daba! When I was small I had a little puppy that was a hand puppet. I had him until my baby sister started to play with him & sucked him to pieces. ;P
    I've just recently discovered your line of stamps & they are all so adorable! You & your sister are great artists!

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  12. Akemi is a beautiful girl...we finally get to see her! This new stamp is so cute with Akemi's bunny Daba! Hmmm, to be honest with you, I can't remember a favorite toy since it was SOOOOOO LOOOOOOONG ago hahaha! But I did love the little red wagon my dad got for us and we used to put friends in it and pull it all over the place!

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  13. adorable image and photo frame! love the story behind akemi and daba :), she's adorable too! hrmm...favorite toy...i think it was my big snoopy! thanks for the chance!
    *hugs* and much aloha, steph :)

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  14. What a cute story, Jenny! Makes me thing of my little one, Maddie, and her little Angry Birds and other stuffed animals. LOL! I didn't have a favorite stuffed animal when I was little, but oh, did I enjoy my toy cash register! HA HA HA !!! I know -- what a DORK, huh? Thanks for the opportunity to win!

    Aloha,
    Dena Jones
    (Crazy Crafter)

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  15. Hey Jenny! This post is so heart warming! Akemi and Daba are so cute - all four of them! Cant wait to get this release! My fav toy was a brown Teddy bear. Unfortunately, one of his button eyes came off and every night as I slept, I guess I was digging out his stuffing! Well, one night my mom came in and took him away while I was sleeping and threw him away! Sounds mean but she replaced him with another bear but it wasn't the same. :-( In all fairness, she did warn me that if I didn't stop digging, he was history. Hahaha!

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  16. Akemi and Daba is so adorale, along with your daughter. Love the frame. I had a fav doll when I was young and still have it. The doll is a dog from Disney Lady and the Tramp. But didn't call her Lady, I called her Goda. I really wanted a real dog when I was young and my mom didn't want me to get one. So when we went to Disneyland, she got me a dog doll, since that would make me happy and it really did. I treated Goda as she was a real dog to me. Bring back memories and I can't wait to pass it to my daughter when I have one. Thanks for a chance to win.

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  17. I love to hear where an artists inspiration comes from. You daughter is definatley a cutie ;) As a toddler my BFF was a bear called Moosie, I think he may have been pink with a red cap now he is a well love brown and the cap has seen much better days! I am now in my 30's and Moosie is still has his place in my bedroom much to the amusement of my partner. I only wish I had photos like Akemi and Daba's to look back on.

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  18. I couldn't help but smile all thru while reading your story about Akemi and Daba...it melted my heart and reminded me of my son and his teddy bear. TFS a heart felt story. As for my favortie toy?...I couldn't drag all of them around with me, but I absolutely loved 'My Little Pony.'
    Thank you, Sister Stamps & Jenny...

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  19. Loved the story about Akemi and Daba. The Akemi stamp is so darling - just like the real Akemi. Don't recall a favorite toy as a child, but my favorite toy now is definitely my cell phone (followed by my iPod, Kindle, and of course all of my crafting supplies)! :)

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  20. What a wonderful story! Akemi is so adorable & I love the stamp also. I don't recall a favorite toy either but love reading your stories & see pics of your daughter.

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  21. I think this is just my favorite release of stamps and I love it even more knowing the meaning of Akemi's namesake. I really hope I'm lucky this time with the blog candy!

    I had two favorite items as a child. A stuffed bear named "Donna" (who I was adamant was a bear). When I was really little I actually used to wear Donna's clothes that he came with! My other item wasn't a toy, but a security blanket and I suppose I can admit...I still have it to this day! True love :)

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  22. Awww such an adorable story! Akemi is so cute and I love that she has a daba so kawaii that it inspired this stamp. :) My favorite toy growing up honestly was my real life cat that passed away when I was 26. He was very docile and I was very gentle with him, but we had the most fun together! Loving your Spring releases!

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  23. Another sweet story! This release is definitely my favorite! ;)

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  24. I love how all your stamps have a personal story and not just random images. Makes your stamps that much more special! I didn't have a fav toy but my brother had a fav blanket. He brought it everywhere with him. When my mom has to wash it, he would watch it spinning dry in the dryer until it came out! It would crack me up - I have pictures of him like that! Eventually it was used so much that it tore to shreds and my mom had to put it in box for him. Now to the present day, my neice (from the same brother) has an obsession with a baby burp cloth! Go figure!

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  25. How cute is your daughter with her daba? I really can't remember if I had a favorite toy or not…I only remember fighting with my brother about toys, lol! But my daughter's favorite toy for a long time was a beanie puppy that also happened to be my dog's favorite toy too. If he saw the puppy laying around, it would be bitten and shaken vigorously. Heaven forbid my daughter would see that! Lots of crying, screaming, and chasing around...

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  26. Ahhh - I love the story of Akemi and Daba! I think I love it even more because I have a similar story with my little girl and her Bear. She has had him since she was a baby and he was lovely and fluffy and had a blue bow - and now he is very matted, flopsy, and has lost the color in his fur and bow due to many washings, lots of kisses and cuddles, trips everywhere and even some surgery performed by Mama when she was asleep. I love Bear just as much as she does and if she ever get rid of him I am going to keep him! He is full of memories. And as for a favorite stuffie - we were a stuffie family when I was little so we did certainly have some favorites. But one of mine is my baby blanket - which is completely torn to bits and threadbare and I still use it as a pillow on my bed every single night. Thank you for a chance to win Akemi and Daba!!!

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  27. That photo of Daba and Akemi sure reminds me of a photo I have with my Glo Worm! Too cute and thanks for bringing back some of my sweet childhood memories.

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