Today on unexpected guests, we’re traveling all the way over to a seaside town near Tokyo, Japan to visit with cottonblue. As a housewife in japan, cottonblue loves sewing, home decoration, hunting treasures in flea markets and recycled shops, as well as playing with her two adorable lovely westie dogs, and travel. cottonblue lives in a 70 square meter tiny home in the seaside town which is 20 kilometers away from tokyo. she loves that shabby chic style, white old pine furniture, blue and pink soft furnishings with rose patterns, and flowers, flea market finds and lots of trinkets for decoration – what cottonblue likes to call ‘cosy, inviting, soft, a real home’. she runs the etsy shop cottonblue, where you can find some of her japanese cotton fabrics, ribbons, buttons, and little craft accessories.

What is your idea of a perfect day in your city?
the city I live is a quiet, residential suburb. everyday life is a routine, simple, no surprises. a peaceful sunny day, a walk with my dogs in the park, hunting treasures in the local thrift store, some fortunate finds, grocery shopping, nothing unexpected, but perfect enough for me.

What’s your favorite local shops?
*2nd street*, is the name of a thrift shop near my home, and I almost go there everyday, as I always get some great bargains.

What’s on your wish list?
actually I don’t have a wish list. But I do want to have some improvements of my home, such as white floors, and to get rid of the wallpaper and paint the walls, etc.

What’s your favorite bargain find or product?
Most of decorating stuff in my home are from the flea markets or thrift stores. they are great bargains for me, and I love them all.

What is your biggest interior design nightmare?
The home of the future, like in the Hollywood movies, year 2060. all the things that are made of cool steel, electronic, robotic, that is a nightmare for me. I wish I could have lived in 18th century, the life is slow and chic.

Who is your favorite artist? Where do you find inspiration?
I have no idea about a favorite artist, I get inspirations from everywhere, craft magazines, the internet, small shops, the craft people behind each product is an artist, they might not be as significant as those famous masters, but their designs and creations are more related to our daily life, practical, natural, and down to earth.

Do you collect anything?
someone said to me that I collect junk. well, yes, I collect so many things, someone’s junk, might be my treasure. I love cups and saucers, enamel wares, tins, fabrics, small old trinkets.

What’s your favorite feature in your home?
my favorite part in my home is the craft space, I spend the most of time there.

Who would you like to sit down to drinks with?
all my flickr friends, flickr is my favorite website, I met so many crafty friends there, I wish we could get together in person someday!

Do you have a guilty pleasure?
go to thrift store almost everyday, someone might say that is a waste of time, but I really enjoy it.

What is your most treasured belonging?
well, not really belongings, my two little westie dogs, and my husband . and I always say, if there is a earthquake, or fire, we just want our dogs safe, everything else is not important. they are my family, the real treasures.

What’s souvenir did you bring back from your last trip?
I brought home a backpack load of flea market finds from the last trip to spain and portugal, some pottery, and some enamel wares.

What is your idea of living hell?
no family, friends and dogs around. no sewing machine and fabrics to play with, no thrift stores to hunt treasures, no internet connections to my flickr.

What are some of your favorites websites/blogs to visit?
flickr, my favorite, I love the group function of it, I met so many friends there.