28 June 2010

Metal frame pouch - Vintage yellow flowers

I actually made a similar one in purple flowers prints first. But my mum loves that print so much that she took it and use it to keep all those extra cards which cannot fit into her purse. So, I had to make another - in yellow flower prints that's equally pretty in a vintagy feel.

27 June 2010

Metal Frame Pouch - Little blue flower prints

Introducing my latest craft creation! Metal frame purse in little blue flower prints in using raw cotton linen fabric! Its perfect sized to fit the extra cards which you carry around all the time just in case its needed - discount cards, credit cards, name cards and many others. Not so many cards to bring around? Then use it as coin purse, pads ... whatever it is, you can never get enough of these cute little pouches which are handy in size and easy to use! :D
So for now, I am busy making these and trying to take good pictures of them. Here's the first one to start with and more to come ! :D

Photo credits: Thanks to Ms Vong for giving 'artists' direction on props to use with the pics

Vong's Cuisine

We were delighted to be invited over to the Vong's place for a hearty meal of home cooked food.
Nothing beats homecook food @ friend's place on a saturday night. Would very much prefer that over jostling with the crowd anywhere outside. Plus its comfy @ the Vong's place... just like my place.. onli thing missing's prob a sewing machine or craft room! hahaha
anyway, the very totful ms vong waited till we were nearing her place to start cooking. tat way, the food's fresh out of the stove instead of re-heated. and here's what she cooked for us! very good very good. forgot to take a pic of the soup and croquette. so ms vong, can we go over to eat weekly? next time, we want ang moh food for ur frenchy style place with the french music and french wine?!??! can can ?
too bad lucky lak wasnt ard to join us. Bon appetite! :D

25 June 2010

Metal clasps Makeup Pouches

I like 2 types of pouches. Either the bendy bend open pouches or the metal clasps pouches. Find them much easier to use compared to zippers. And chances of leaving it open are lower compared to zipper pouches and hence, my stuffs remain neat and organized.

Made this last weekend using Japanese dyed cotton linen fabric which i got during my taipei trip recently. Cotton linen in its 'raw' color's very popular for japanese crafters but i prefer mine with some color. So got some blue ones.

In order to give the pouch a prettier & sturdier shape and feel, I added interface. And I love the end product!!! I could have done a flatter version but i wanted it to be roomy enough as a cosmetic /toiletries pouch so made a wider base.
and just to show how it can be used, i filled it up with my makeup goodies. There's no need to label the stuffs but I like how some magazines do that so here's my version :D. I prob dont use 70% of the stuffs within anyway. :P

Anyway, this is not for me. I've already got my own handmade pouch for makeup already - made using fabric with russian dolls prints :D

Bridal Doggy Gowns

Got my doggies matching wedding gowns from Sogo Taipei... for bro's forthcoming wedding.

Luckily it fits them. But the color blends in with my doggies :( not as outstanding as i tot it may be. Anyway, they still look cute with the veil and dress.

Pictures of them in the gowns. As usual, snowy dont look happy to be wearing it nor to be photographed. :D

Fun Trip to Ju Ming's Place

When Uncle Pai (Dad's extremely hospitable & friendly Taiwanese friend) suggested to go to a museum in Taiwan, i tot to myself "boringggggg! another museum?The very popular and famous GuGong in Taipei was boring enough and now u want to bring us to a less popular museum?" Anyway, we went along cuz dad's interested plus Uncle Pai seems to like it alot to recommend.

So to JuMing Museum we went. I was in a treat! A positively fun treat and we spent about 3 amazing hours there. Just a short introduction about this. JuMing is a talented craftsman (just like me ! haha) who carves. His most popular famous works are his bigger than life-size Ta Chi Statues. Visit his website for more info. Anyway, all his statues are amazing ... very cute and very poseable and very photograph worthy. He crafted so much that he had no space to store them and so he spent all his live savings to buy a huge piece of land to house all his crafts. Its more like a non-profit museum but he keeps it going for his passion. The last i heard , the museum's still making losses/bleeding monthly.

I would definitely recommend this place as one of the places to visit in Taipei. Only glitch is that its highly inaccessible as its located in the mountains. My parents enjoyed themselves alot and took alot of pictures which were rare. Here are some of the pictures!

Self Fulfilling Prophecy - Taipei

Don't underestimate the power of positive thinking cuz it can become a self fulfilling prophecy.

I digress a bit. I had been toying with the idea of going to Taipei again to top up my stash of fabrics. The last time i've been there was last year with the girls. Anyway, needed fresh fabrics for my crafts which are available for purchase exclusively through Belle Maison Zakka now. The carpark coupon/cheque book holders are especially popular. While i could get fabrics from Singapore, I feel it would be too commonly available and most sold in Singapore are made from thinner cotton fabrics. I like to use cotton linen or canvas fabrics instead cuz it gives a better feel & look and its sturdier. I am happy to say that I have brought back a whole stashful of fabrics to last for the next half year. Do look out for my new crafts in new prints! :D

Back to self fulfilling prophecy...I have been thinking of going there with family/ friends. But those who have been there have enough of Taiwan to last for a year or two. So, left with no choice, I even tot of going by myself. Anyway, so i keep wishing /dreaming /thinking of going to Taipei soon ... and viola - thoughts do come true! The opportunity to go came in the form of a business trip for dad and so , my mum & me conveniently tagged along :D And the additional bonus ? We get to de-tour to HK along the way too! :D Double happiness! :D

Now, my new 'self fulfilling prophecy' target is to visit either Hokkaido or UK!

I wish I wish I wish!

touching ad 1

Its about 2 years since i left my previous job and joined my family business to help out. the joys of working for ppl and for the family are very different.

When i was working for ppl, my satisfaction comes when bosses acknowledge my contributions (i thrive on little praises and flattery :). Plus its easier to work as everyone has a specialised area and teamwork really makes a difference (aka delegation of duties :D ).

However, working for the family's very different. I have to do everything myself. There's no one to arrow to nor to delegate to. There's no praises nor flattery when I complete my stuffs. Satisfaction has to come from within - taking my own initiative, setting my own targets, achieving them and self praise (luckily, i am good at that - even data entry is satisfying)! :D And the best part of it, I have freedom and flexibility to plan my time and this allows me to spend more time on my love ones and the things i like to do.

As I age, I realize freedom & flexibility are more important than a great career with high salary (Ha ha. I say that now maybe cuz i have no career :P ). Sure I can get a paid job outside now, but I am not willing to sacrifice personal flexibility for another extra few thousand bucks. There are just some things money cant buy.

Sometimes, parents would tell me about how successful her friends kids are - doctors, lawyers etc. Its not in the negative way but just sharing about their friends lives. So, one day, i chanced upon this advertisement by Yasmin Ahmad (she coincidentally did a very touching advert for Singapore on Family values too before she passed away). Every time i see it, i get goose-pimply. She was able to capture the essence of all very accurately. Needless to say, I have showed it to my parents to 'hint' my tots :D

So, just wanna share this advert. Its is dialect so not all will understand. But in essence, it shows old ladies sitting around boasting about how successful their kids are. So successful that they have no time to spend with their mothers. One of the old ladies goes 'ooo ahhh' and start using her finger to count how much their kids earn. And when asked about her son, she just says that he's good and filial to her. And at that same time, her son cameto pick her up to go travelling. The other old ladies look at her with envy. And it ends there.