Mermaid Birthday Card & Japanese Folklore

人魚のカード

A Mermaid Birthday Card

A Mermaid Birthday Card for a Young Woman from Belarus

I made a birthday card at the request of my mother-in-law. It is summer and the card was for a young woman, so I chose a card with a mermaid motif.

主人のお母さんの依頼でバースデイカードを作りました。夏、若い女性にということでマーメイドモチーフのカードにしました。

A Mermaid Birthday Card

Making a Mermaid Card

I used a stamp for the image of the mermaid and coloured with Distress Oxide. The background is die-cut paper coloured with Distress Oxide with a pearl paper backing. I added a silver pattern and glitter to the card mount. The sentiment is made of acetate with silver embossing powder and acrylic pearls.

人魚のイメージはスタンプを、色づけはDistress Oxide を使ってみました。バックグラウンドはDistress Oxide で着色した紙をダイカットしパールペーパーを裏に貼りました。台紙のカードにはシルバーで模様をつけラメをのせました。センチメントはアセテートにシルバーのエンボスパウダーを使いパールを飾りました。

Materials Used 使用品

Mount / 台紙 6”x6” white cards & envelops (Craft UK Limited)
Die-Cut Inner ダイカットの裏張り Century Pearl fresh white A4 (Crafter’s Companion)
Sentiment Band センチメント帯 Heat resistant acetate (CC)
Stamp スタンプ Stamps Molly Harrison Art (CC)
Die-Cut Background バックグラウンドのダイカット Shell Trellis Due set (Card making magic)
Colouring 着色 Distress oxide, Distress ink (Ranger)


Amabie (#アマビエ ) and COVID-19 

An illustration of an amabie, a kind of mermaid from Japanese folklore.

There are several kinds of mermaid in Japanese folklore and one has made something of a comeback in these strange days under COVID-19.

According to legends in Japan, mermaids are often said to have mystical abilities such as crying tears of pearls. However, some mermaids, like the amabie, were said to be clairvoyant and able to predict the future.

In one story from the 19th Century, an amabie communicated with humans and prophesied that a great plague would fall upon the land. However, the amabie told the people they could protect themselves by drawing an image in its likeness, as shown in the picture above.

In 1984, manga artist, Shigeru Mizuki, brought the amabie back into the public conciousness in an illustrated encyclopedia of youkai (supernatural monsters, spirits, and demons in Japanese folklore).

Once again, the amabie has been resurrected in Japan as people look for protection against coronavirus. These hashtags are trending on Twitter and Instagram:

現在COVID-19下の大変な状況下で日本の民間伝承から復活を果たした人魚がいます。

日本の伝説では人魚は真珠の涙など神秘的な能力を持っていると言われています。 その中でアマビエは千里眼で将来を予測できると言われたそうです。

19世紀のある記録では、アマビエが人間とコミュニケーションをとり、大疫病がその土地に降りかかると予言しました。 そしてアマビエは人々にその肖像を描くことで疫病から身を守ることができると伝えました。

漫画家水木しげるは、妖怪図鑑のための一枚絵としてアマビエを描きました。この絵は、『水木しげるの続・妖怪事典』(1984年)のために描かれたもので、その後も『日本妖怪大全』や『妖鬼化』など水木による各種妖怪図鑑にも収録されています。

現在アマビエはコロナウイルスに対抗して日本で復活しました。 これらのハッシュタグはTwitterやInstagramで人気があります。

#アマビエ

#アマビエチャレンジ

#アマビエ様

Kuretake ZIG Gansai Tambi Starry & Pearl Color Watercolour Paints with Detailer Brush 

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14 thoughts on “Mermaid Birthday Card & Japanese Folklore”

  1. I love the colours in this card – they are very marine! It was interesting to read about the Japanese folklore. Thank you!

    Reply
  2. Such a pretty mermaid & card, love the scalloped die cut background … I agree crafting can be educational too having recently looked up beetles as I was stamping one on a card !!!!

    Reply
  3. Gorgeous card and thank you for the information on the Amabie – living in Cornwall we still believe in and follow alot of folklore – more often than not it has its roots in fact and history. Emmax

    Reply
    • Thanks, Emma. Yes, that’s one of the things I love about Cornwall! My husband would love to live there! He has also suggested that I include more Japanese folklore and cultural elements to my posts. I’m glad you found it interesting.

      Reply
  4. Beautiful card for our ” borrowed” Belarusian grand daughter who now lives in Turkey. Unfortunately a month later it still hasn’t reached her. Turkish post apparently is diabolical. Thank goodness I could show her the card on here and she could read about the relative folklore.

    Reply

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