A girl who had previously joined one of my miniature clay lessons came back for her birthday and wished to make wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets).
It was a birthday celebration with a Japanese child and friends who hadn’t eaten wagashi very often, but they all enjoyed the process so much and worked with such skill that they finished well ahead of time. They all seemed to love crafts and were so skillful—it was hard to believe they were only ten years old!
The pieces turned out beautifully, and the children were delighted with their creations.
It made me so happy that she chose a miniature clay workshop to celebrate her 10th birthday.
Two children who joined a previous workshop came again, bringing along friends to join the workshop on making Western sweets.
The participants included students from 4th and 5th grade who love crafting, as well as a mother and 4-year-old sister.
Everyone was fully focused and kept saying how fun it was—they truly enjoyed the process of creating.
Today’s workshop included ice cream, tarts, chocolates, parfait, and Dutch stroopwafels and poffertjes.
While making, they complimented each other’s cute creations and admired their own work with satisfaction, saying how adorable everything looked.
They were such sweet children, and it was heartwarming to see how well they all got along.
The 4-year-old little girl also did her best—despite being so young, she carefully and skillfully made her own sweets. She did an amazing job during the full three-hour workshop.
Some of the children will be returning to Japan soon, and they said “This will be such a nice memory.” I truly believe it because a special experience that all of them will look back on one day, thinking. “Remember when we all made these together?”
I’m really happy to be able to provide such a meaningful experience.
Following the last session, today we welcomed another group eager to make miniature wagashi (Japanese sweets) – a mother with her two children and one of their friends.
They had seen my workshop at the Japan Festival in Amstelveen and had been wanting to try it ever since. I’m so glad they finally had the chance to join!
The mother and children all enjoy crafting, and they worked with great concentration and joy, carefully creating each piece.
The younger child, just in first grade, was skillful and precise even she was little.
Even among lower grade children, those who truly enjoy making things and are naturally good at it tend to focus deeply and work very hard throughout the session.
The family of three will be returning to Japan soon, so I was especially happy they could join before their departure.
I hope today’s creations and this fun experience will become a cherished memory of their time in the Netherlands.
Today, a pair of siblings joined to create miniature Japanese sweets (wagashi).
The older sister, cheerful and friendly, looked after her younger brother like mother. Both of them seemed to really enjoy making things, and they worked quickly and skillfully!
The younger brother, who is still in primary school, not only did a great job with the clay work but also folded a tiny origami crane using a 3cm-square paper — with impressive precision.
She said that there are some Japanese sweets that they have never tried before, such as dorayaki, and I feel that they will love their pieces(they created today) even more when they once tastes them.
She mentioned that they would love to visit Japan someday. I truly hope they’ll have the chance to enjoy authentic Japanese food, wagashi like the ones they made today, and experience Japanese culture firsthand.
They seemed to enjoy the entire process and were very happy with what they had made. They even said they would love to join another workshop again — which made me so happy to hear.
It’s such a joy for me to meet people like this and to be able to offer these kinds of creative experiences.
Thank you very much for participating!
ーーーーーーーーーー
☆ I hold one-day workshops from time to time. Please see below.
* if the above dates do not work for you, you would like to participate with a group of there or more friends, or you are interested in a workshop at your location, please feel free to contact me.
Curious about miniature clay art? Love handicrafts? Or just anything small and cute?
This summer, I’m offering a variety of miniature clay workshops—some are short and budget-friendly, while others are a bit longer and more detailed. (Workshops No. ④ and ⑤ are the same ones we held at the Japan Festival—perfect for those who couldn’t join us back then!)
Come by on your own, or bring a friend or family member—everyone is welcome! I just hope you’ll enjoy the experience.
【 Mini Handmade sales 】
There will also be a small handmade sales before and after the workshops.
At the sales event, I’ll have a selection of handmade goods, mainly Japanese-style items such as miniature clay art and tsumami-zaiku (folded fabric flowers), including accessories and decorative pieces.
You’re very welcome to drop by even if you’re not joining the workshop, so please feel free to stop in and take a look!
Since the space is limited and we’d like to have an idea of how many people to expect, if you’re interested in stopping by the market, please send us a message via Instagram or email me at [coloratura.clayhandcraft@gmail.com] If you contact me by the morning of the day, I’ll send you the location details.
Despite the hot day, many people visited the Japan Festival yesterday and joined Coloratura’s miniature clay workshop. Thank you so much to everyone who came!
At the Japan Festival, participants created tiny and cute Japanese foods, including Japanese dishes (rice ball etc..), Sushi, Japanese sweets.
Thanks to your support, all workshop sessions were fully booked within the first hour, including the final session after 5pm. I’m so happy that everyone who joined seemed to enjoy the experience.
Thanks for those who participated in the workshop, those who kindly showed interest, the Japan Festival organizers, my friends who helped with the reception, And to friends and acquaintances who stopped by to say hello.
Thank you very much.
Through miniature clay lessons and workshops, as well as sales of miniature clay pieces and tsumami-zaiku (traditional Japanese fabric crafts) at markets and events, I’ve had the joy of meeting so many people, and that has kept me going.
Looking ahead, I hope to expand beyond miniature clay and offer workshops in tsumami-zaiku and other Japanese-style crafts.
✳︎ I‘m holding the same “Japanese Food & Sweets” workshop again and other workshops in summer.
Details will be shared here soon, so please check back if you’re interested.
I am excited to announce that Coloratura will once again be hosting a miniature clay workshop at the Japan Festival, held on Sunday, June 29th at Stadshart Amstelveen.
This is the largest Japan-related event in the Netherlands!
This year, I’m focusing on the miniature clay workshop, which is very popular every year, and offering more sessions so that even more people can participate. You’ll have the chance to create tiny Sushi, Japanese food, and traditional sweets (wagashi).
Please come and join the fun !
Location: Stadshart Square, Amstelveen
Date: Sunday, June 29th
Time: 12:00 – 18:00
The workshop is open to adults and children who are able to work independently. Please note that the miniature sushi includes many intricate details, so it is recommended for upper elementary school age and older.
There will be many food stalls and stage performances throughout the day, making it a great outing for families and friends.
I look forward to seeing you there !
* Due to high demand, participation is limited to one session per person. If there are open spots at the start of any session, walk-in participants will be accepted.
Today, I had the pleasure of having a booth at the botanical garden of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
We were blessed with good weather, and the event was lively with many visitors throughout the day.
Since it was “Japan Day,” the venue was filled with a wonderful variety of Japanese-themed items, including kimonos, pottery, handmade goods (including mine from Coloratura), and of course, bonsai trees, fitting for a botanical garden event. There were also bonsai lectures taking place.
Japanese food such as sushi, yakitori, onigiri, and takoyaki was available as well, and seemed many people enjoyed eating these.
Many people who love Japan and Japanese stopped by, and I was delighted that so many people showed interest in my miniature clay art and tsumami zaiku (traditional Japanese fabric crafts).
It was a real joy to chat with such people — a very fulfilling and fun day.
A big thank you to the organizers of Japan Day and to everyone who came to the event.
On Sunday, June 1st, the Japanse Dag(Japanese Day) will be held at the botanical garden of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Botanische Tuin Zuidas), and Coloratura will be joining as a vendor of handmade Japanese-style crafts.
I have a wide selection of miniature clay works, traditional tsumami zaiku flower accessories made from Japanese fabrics, and other Japanese-style decorations and small goods.
There will also be Japanese food stalls, workshops, and more to enjoy.
Location: Van der Boechorststraat 8, 1081 BT Amsterdam
Time: 12:00 – 17:00
We warmly invite you to come and enjoy the event with your friends and family!