Last night we had dinner at the house of our friends Scott Moore and his wife Tashina Banks-Moore. Great food and great company, and Eleri's first dinner party. They presented us with a very special gift, Eleri's first baby moccasins which were custom made for her by an artist friend of Tashina's. Check out her website, she does some amazing things: www.eriimamura.com
Tashina met Eri in a Native American Studies class at UNM and they became fast friends quickly despite their cultural differences. Tashina is Native American and grew up in South Dakota, Eri is Japanese and grew up in Tokyo. The moccasins depict the cherry blossom, "sakura", the japanese characters on the bottom mean "left" and "right". They are made out of brain-tanned deer hide which is the softest leather available, and traditional for baby moccasins.
As you can see, they fit her perfectly and are an expression of her sweet disposition. They will be a treasured heirloom for the family, no doubt. The last picture is Eleri in the arms of Scott, a real baby whisperer...