So I am planning on going to Japan for a year after I graduate next summer. At the moment I am looking at applying for the JET programme and also saving money up in case I don't get on that and have to go it alone and pay for TEFL and the such. I worked out I am going to need to work while I am out there of course and all I have heard about is teaching English and not much else. So ya is there anything else I could look at whilst on a working holiday?

http://justbento.com/news-maki Get well soon! hoping for a quick recovery for you! T

I have a lovely book on sashiko embroidery - but no real sashiko supplies to try it with. I'll tinker with my cotton embroidery thread and thick needle until I can find the real thing. But does anyone know of a US based supplier for the thread, needles, thimble, premarked patterns/fabric (for a beginner), etc.? thanks! Amy

ahoy everyone, i dropped a bottle of dark soy sauce in the kitchen, of course it broke and splattered everything, including my pants! my normal detergent doesn't get soy sauce stains out (i know that from my kitchen towels). are there any grandmother tricks for getting rid of soy sauce stains in textiles, like with red wine or grass? if not, i'll just have to buy some kind of commercial oxi-wash product, i guess.. any ideas? i can't bleach these pants.. rehfilet

So I've got a cheque for £50 coming through from YouGov (yay!) and I'm wondering what to spend it on. I've been thinking of getting a rice cooker, and want the Sanyo one which is about £87 at the moment. Or I could get loads of little things like a huge bag of rice, bento accessories and food stuff....or I could splurge and get some bento boxes from casabento. So any suggestions? :D

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! and ¡Felices Reyes! Here's the virtual gift I've picked out for all the forum's readers: http://paperm.jp/craft/food/obento/index.html But there's more! Select your choice: http://paperm.jp/craft/dollhouse/index.html http://paperm.jp/craft/food/index.html etc... Then open the pdf files for your very own bento/dollhouse/dollshop/dollrestaurant kit. Hope you enjoy them!

Day of the Ninja is my favorite under celebrated holiday! I'll be celebrating today with my Day of the Ninja post on my shop blog and attempting a ninja bento. Anyone else up for a Ninja Bento Challenge?