The one hanko stamp I needed

Not long ago, I mentioned that I wanted to have my own hanko stamp. Accidentally, when browsing through old Japanese lucky charms (omamori) with the intention of drawing them, I discovered a mysterious little leather pouch. And, much to my surprise, there were two hanko stamps that were used in my husband's family. 

They read "Shibata." I'm reminded of how light, small, and precise they are every time I use them. My previous design was significantly larger and so much different. From now on, I'll be using them to sign my artwork.

There is something very elegant about the stamps. I still think of Japanese characters as visual art rather than text. Studying the characters makes me want to learn calligraphy and discover more about my husband's heritage. I am extremely lucky to be able to do so, and combining the Japanese writing system with the Latin alphabet is something that I would like to do more often in the future.