back from the world's weirdest, last-minute roadtrip! I'll be finishing off my crafts and sending soon!

I also received from riario! The Package is awesome! I'll be posting pics soon!

I have both books and once craft. I'll be gone on a roadtrip to Cali for 6 days, starting tomorrow.. I'll finich crafting after I get back! wooo!

I got quite a haul from the book sale! I even got  copy of Rip Van Winkle published in 1914! nifty! So now I have both books.

I started my second item and I know what my third item will be. funness

Actually all you really need is a standard round cake. cut the cake like a cat's eye's iris...like an oval but with the tips pointy. take the leftovers and cut them in half so you get a dorsal fin type shape...then put them next to the pointy-oval/cat iris shaped part and  frost over it..did that make sense?

omg...I'm really sorry, I'm freakish about these things, but it would be "You're Invited" ...not your...

[Hecate]

Thanks for the info, Hecate.  I'm definitely going to do more research before starting.  Plus, I live in the boonies of West Texas (hour to Wal-Mart - 2.5 to 3 hours to a craft store/mall/decent restaurant), so all my stuff will be packed in tupperware until I can get supplies online.  I think the greatest appeal to me is the Japanese roots (I'm 1/4 Japanese) and the portion-control.  I'm working hard to lose a lot of weight in the next year or so, however long it takes, and I'm well-aware that my portions can be out of control.

There are some really great bento blogs out there. There are even live journal communities, although, the bentos I've seen on there are not really good examples...alas.

cooking cute (www.mmmbento.livejo urnal.com) and lunch in a box are also good sources!

ah I'm 1/4 Japanese as well!

When I look at the price of food and the size of many bento containers...I'm not suprised how tiny Japanese women are...O.O

Woo I just finished my first project! now onto the next one!

I my first book for my partner at the salvation army! Many thrift stores have good books too!

I'm super excited! tomorrow is the library book sale.....

If only I had a private library like the one in the disney version of beauty and the beast.... that is my dream...alas, I'm poor.

I have tons of books(book junkie...yes) on making healthy box lunches for my boys..so next school year thats what they are bringing..

with the rising cost of school lunches and 2 kids in school I cant imagine doing another year..

they have the containers..might as well use them..I think what we are missing is having an awesome thermos..

Yeah a lot of health enthusiasts love bentos because they are great for portion control. Good nutrition never goes out of style!

it sounds awesome, but also sounds like it could get expensive. I would love to do this, but I don't think I have that kinda of time. How long does it take to assemble a bento lunch?

It actually not that expensive. bento boxes can be very inexpensive, usually less than $20. bento accessories usually run aroun $1-$5 each. If ypu collect them slowly then its really not that bad.

bento assembling time really depends. Some elements can be prepared ahead of time like cutting the veggies, cooking the main dish, etc. other things like the rice should be prepared the morning of. (I have an awesome rice cooker that I can program so that my rice finishes cooking at a certain time. So I can prepare it the night before and it will finish cooking just as I am starting to put together the lunches) Probably at the beginning it takes  a lot of time. I usually do bentos on the weekends, because I can be a bit lazier....

really if you have the leftovers it takes no time at all. I made a lunch for my mom in just about half an hour. I made fried rice, put in in the bento box, sliced some chicken from the night before and arranged it over the rice, sliced a kiwi and put it in a small side dish cup I had already fitted into the bento box. simple and fast!

I just got my first bento a couple of weeks ago but haven't used it until this week. I absolutely love it! I haven't taken any Asian food in it yet since I've had salmon cakes, mac & cheese, and lasagna leftovers. I need to find some dividers though for when I experiment with my bento. I know silicone cupcake liners work well, but I was hoping to find something more straight? I'd like my bento to look like a divider plate sometimes.

Thanks for all the info too!

I know what you mean. Have you tried fake grass, like the kind that sometimes comes in your take-out sushi containers? Its great and flexible. Its also washable and/or disposable. You can buy it in packages at some asian markets.

Also I've taken my cheap silicone cups and cut out the bottoms and then notched the bottom edge so that it stands kinf level instead of forming a circle. That way they make straight dividers or curved dividers.

You have Oh Henry the Canade-->Us list, but Oh Henry bars are available in the US...unless we're talking a different kind of candy...

For the Japanese list:

MeltyBlend chocolates
Crunky Bars
Yan Yan
Koala Yummies (they don't sell 'em int he US anymore)
Pucca