Tag: obidome

Call a Spade a Spade

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As I mentioned in the geta entry, I am a sucker for card motifs. When Mariko-san from Chidoriya World let me know that these obidome had come in, I knew I had to have one! At the time they were not able to accept PayPal, but Mariko-san was really helpful and understanding, so we managed to work things out with poor Naomi working as the middleman. She also included a lovely complimentary packet of Chidoriya World’s own oil-absorbing blotting papers, which was very sweet. I suffer from an unfortunately oily T-zone and so far they are working very well. I am trying not to use them too often though.

The obidome itself is lovely, it’s a nice substantial size and made of a really shiny black material. It’s got a really fun funky feel.

Spade Obidome

Spade Obidome

I’m looking forward to wearing it soon, I just need to find an appropriately spunky outfit to showcase it properly.

New obidome and obi-kazari

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Recently, I seem to have amassed a large number of obidome and brooches specifically for my obidome converter. The two real obidome come to me courtesy of Kansai_gal, who picked them up for me in Kyoto. The first one is probably the most special, she found it and got it for me without telling me, and there’s a bit of a convoluted story behind it.

Moonblossom obidome
Moonblossom is not only my domain name, it’s the handle I use on nearly every web forum/chat medium I’m on, and it’s a name I strongly identify with. I even have a tattoo of a Japanese-style family crest on my spine that is comprised of a moon and a stylized chrysanthemum. I have been collecting items with this design for a while now. Kansai found this and bought it for me, because it looks so much like a stylized version of my design. I was so touched, I can’t even begin to explain. I actually wore this out on the weekend. It came bundled with an adorable flat obijime that I haven’t had the chance to photograph yet, but I will soon!
moonblossom

Car obidome
This is another one Kansai found while out shopping, and she knows me so well she contacted me right away. Aside from my strange fascinations with kimono and nail polish, I’m also a huge sucker for cars – primarily classic/vintage muscle cars, but also certain classic British cars. She found this obidome and knew how much I would want it. It reminds me (as well as my father and my best friend who are both big car geeks) of a mid sixties E-Type Jag, which is one of my dream cars. I’m not sure if it was intentional, but I’m going to tell myself it was. It’s got a very interesting texture, it’s made of carved buffalo horn so it’s sort of translucent and glassy but very durable. I love it, and can’t wait to wear it!
car

Flower brooch
This technically isn’t an obidome but I bought it with the specific purpose of wearing with the converter. It’s the perfect size and shape, and the flowers seem very appropriate for kimono. I am not usually fond of gold-tone metal, but in this case I can make an exception. XD
flowers

Pewter and marcasite brooch with milk glass
I found this from the same antique seller as the previous brooch, and it had no price tag. She told me I could have it for five dollars, and I jumped on it. I love the art deco feel of the piece as well as the tiny flecks of marcasite in the leaves. I am considering replacing the milk glass with pearls at some point, since they are a bit dull now, but I still think it’s a beautiful vintage brooch and I definitely plan to wear it both with kimono and regular western clothing.
fern

Flower ring
Yes, you read that right. This is actually a ring. It’s got an interesting stretchy metal band that fits perfectly over both round and flat obijime, so I think it will be really versatile. I love the little rhinestone in the middle.
rose

Obidome converter, just about the best invention ever.

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Earlier this week, Erica sent me a box full of awesome goodies, and tucked inside was this epic doohickey. I’ve wanted one for quite a while, so I was really thrilled.

Obidome are pieces of jewelry meant to be worn on the obijime. I have several, but they’re the kind of thing that are always nice to have more of – they add a wonderful finishing touch to an outfit. Unfortunately, they don’t often show up on the secondary Western market, and when they do the prices can get prohibitively expensive.

Enter the magical obidome converter. It’s basically a very thin piece of tubing with obidome hardware (two flat metal loops) attached to the back. You insert the pin part of any brooch or button through the tube, and voila, instant obidome!

Obidome Converter Obidome Converter

And here it is on a brooch.
Obidome Converter

Rather than hunting eBay and garage sales and thrift stores and hoping I may luck out and find an obidome, now I can just use all the old costume jewelry and pins I already have lying around. Yay!

Raden and Rhinestone obidome

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I’m not sure who makes these particular raden (mother-of-pearl) obidome, but there’s a huge glut of them on eBay right now. Plenty of different shapes and styles, but all large pieces of mother-of-pearl decorated with Swarovski crystal accents. One seller has them up for Buy It Now prices of approximately $40, but another keeps putting them up as regular auctions with a starting bid of one cent. I bid on a few of them on a whim and got outbid, but since I wasn’t particularly attached I wasn’t upset when I lost. Then this beauty came up. To me, it looked like a moon. I wanted it. I needed it. I bid high, and won it for a whopping ninety-eight cents. The shipping was an impossible two dollars. What a bargain!

It adds the perfect amount of sparkle to an outfit, and even came in a fancy-schmancy black velvet box. Screw diamonds – rhinestones are a girl’s best friend 😉

I’ve already worn it once, with my crazy vintage outfit at the ToyCon.

Aikoku Fujinkai Obidome featured on ButtonCountry

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Recently a lovely gentleman by the name of Paul Rice contacted me, asking if he could feature my Aikoku Fujinkai obidome on ButtonCountry’s online workshop and reference entry on obi-dome.

The page has plenty of beautiful examples of obi-dome, and I am flattered that part of my collection was deemed interesting enough not only to be included and used as an example, but also to be featured on its own separate page.