Forgotten fancies

Sewing fancy: Colette meringue skirt

2012-02-13T10:36:00.000+11:00

My Colette Sewing Handbook arrived the other day and I thought I'll try making my own meringue skirt. The scallop edge is a lot easier than I thought, the only problem I encountered was accidentally cutting off some of the stitchings while grading the hem seams. I'll try not to be so clumsy next time. The fit was perfect, I didn't have to alter it in anyway, can definitely se myself sewing a couple more in the near future.

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Illustration fancy: wicker basket bag

2012-02-10T10:13:00.000+11:00

Date acquired: 05 Feb 2012

Emotional worth: 3.5 stars

Apart from clothes, I am pretty picky in terms of what I buy. Rather than going for "that will do" and replacing it at a later date, I would wait and wait until I find something that is just right. Sometimes this search for perfection would take years, it took over a year for Mat and I to find the perfect couch, 2 years for me to find the right watch and 10 years to find the perfect doctor-esque bag. It sounds excessive, but I firmly believe the hunt is usually a lot more fun than constant gathering.

I've mentioned we went to Middle Head last weekend, but what I didn't tell you is I found my perfect wicker bag in this little cafe/shop called Burnt Orange . I have been searching for the right wicker bag for years, but they were always either too big, too floppy or just too gimicky. I wanted something not too small and not too big, something lightweight but sturdy, with distressed ashy colour, not the pine looking stuff you see in two dollar shop and chunky weave with a hint of that lovely wicker smell. I told you I'm picky!

Well, as you can see, I've finally found my perfect wicker bag, and I LOVE IT! Have been using it every day since, I am in love with the hint of wicker smell which reminds me of the beach, and on top of everything else I've mentioned earlier, its lovely raw heather handle and the candy stripe lining. I'm tempted to go back and get the other one with blue lining just in case I can't find another one just like it in 10 years time.

What do you do? Are you as obsessive as me in terms of finding the perfect item on your list? I'd love to find out what you do.

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Food fancy - vegetarian hot dog with baked potatoes

2012-02-07T12:56:00.000+11:00

Look what Mat made for dinner last night, vegetarian hot dog with baked potatoes. The vegetarian in me did a little celebratory dance when Mat declared this version tasted a lot better than the meaty version. I can happily eat this everyday.

Fancy outings - Middle Head

2012-02-06T16:39:00.000+11:00

Mat and I spent much of yesterday exploring Middle Head, visiting myriad of abandon forts, hidden tracks and hidey holes fit for any curious explorers. It was such a perfect summer day, hoping we will have a couple more weekends like this before Autumn takes over.

Doesn't this remind you of Pan's Labyrinth?

We didn't find any fairies but were greeted by lots of butterflies.

I love seeing plants sprouted in the most unlikely places.

Everything seems to be connected by tunnels and hidden stairwells.

I love this photo of Mat, he has such long eyelashes.

Spot the bunny.

Fancy Miso - rest and play

2012-02-03T13:57:00.000+11:00

It has been awhile since I have given you an update on Miso. He has grown so much! Unlike most cats, he is not a chubby cat at all, rather he is quite long and lean. This picture of him sitting like a fluffball is quite deceiving, normally he like to stretch out as much as he can taking over what little bench space we have.

He is now just over one year old and he is still as playful as ever. He loves playing fetch, hide and seek and absolutely in love with boxes. He has developed quite a personality as well, he loves making this whining noise to get your attention in the morning and he has allocated a set time to wake us up every morning. 6.30am for Mat and around 7.30am for me. He is more accurate than an alarm clock!

Ok, before I turn into a crazy cat lady and bore you with anymore Miso stories, here is a little video I took of him to show you just how playful and adorable he can be.

Oh, and thanks to everyone who has entered the Any questions for Ben? competition, the winner is Lisa! Lisa can you please send me an email with your mailing address? I tried looking for it in your profile but can't find it anywhere. You have till the end of next week to email me your details. Congrats!

Desktop fancy - February calendar

2012-02-01T09:18:00.000+11:00

One thing I've mentioned in 13 by twenty thirteen is to give back to the community. So in response to spreading some love, I've created a desktop calendar for all you lovelies. I hope you'll like it, I'll be making a new one each month, so be sure to come back for more.

All you have to do is to click on the link which corresponds to your desktop size and save it on your computer. I tried to accommodate everyone with different screen sizes, but if I have missed you, let me know and I will do my best to accommodate.

UPDATE: I have saved the wallpapers to Media Fire as the other photo sites automatically shrink down the image when you download. Once you have click on the screen dimension, it will take you to the Media Fire site, all you have to do is click on the green download button. It won't ask you to sign up to anything and it's very safe.

1024 x 768

1600 x 1200

1920 x 1080

1920 x 1200

Giveaway - Any Questions for Ben?

2012-01-31T13:26:00.000+11:00

We went to the launch for Any Questions for Ben? yesterday. It was quite a charming movie, great for a chilled out Monday night. As a result of attending, I now have one double pass to give away to my lovely readers. The pass will allow you to a screening in most cinemas across the country. Unfortunately this applies to Australia only, but I have another freebie to giveaway to everyone very soon.

I don't want to make this giveaway too difficult, and I don't want to force you to subscribe to my blog just so that you can enter, so I'm just going to make this nice and easy. Simply comment below and let me know if you are interested and I will randomly pick a winner this Friday. It is just my way of saying thank you to everyone who visits my blog. Good luck. x

Fancy outings - Camperdown

2012-01-30T13:09:00.001+11:00

Since it was such a beautiful day yesterday, we decided to take a walk to a nearby suburb for a bit of inner city safari. Apart from visiting Camperdown Mews (a must see if you love vintage and antiques), we have never really been to Camperdown before. To us, it was always one of those neglected suburbs where you just drive pass and forget about. However, instead of facing a suburban wasteland, we were greeted with hundreds of historic warehouses, amazing street art and a shop where I've found my favourite lolly of all time. We are already planning our second visit.

13 by Twenty Thirteen

2012-01-25T13:53:00.000+11:00

Inspired by 12 by 2012 , I thought I'll continue on the idea and start a 13 by Twenty Thirteen project. I know I'm a bit late in terms of setting resolutions for the year, but I have been thinking extremely hard about what I want to achieve. I see some of these as mantras rather than goals. Feel free to use my logo and badge and start your own 13 by Twenty Thirteen. Love to hear what you are aiming for too.

FOCUS - no more multi-tasking, it's time to give proper attention to everything I do

BE ETHICAL - no more buying useless junk, make do with what I've got

CREATE - make do with crafty and sewing projects, the outcome will be more fulfilling

ILLUSTRATE - develop my illustration skills, launch Imagined Travels and see where it will take me

IMPROVE - give Forgotten Fancies a makeover, develop the much neglected portfolio page

APPRECIATE - stop and smell the roses, be appreciative of all the little things in my life

GIVE - time to give back, spread some love, you'll only get back what you give

CONNECT - stop being a hermit, meet new people, most of them won't bite!

TRAVEL - see Sydney, see Australia, see the world in a whole new light

EXPERIMENT - try new things, fail a little

LEARN - read more, be inquisitive, learn a new skill

SELF - be yourself, don't let anyone mould you into something you'll regret

FUN - have fun, do silly things, never grow up

Sewing fancy: you had me with jam dress

2012-01-22T17:53:00.001+11:00

My second handmade dress for the year. This one is dress 109 from issue 6/2010 of Burda Style magazine. The pattern asked for a jersey material, but being a rebel that I am, I opted for cotton instead. (As a novice sewer, I'm just too scare to use a stretch material!) I was really concerned as I was making it thinking the dress will be too tight with a non-stretchy fabric, but it turned out quite alright, it was super quick to make and everything seems to fit perfectly. YAY!

I'm not sure whether you can see the pattern on the dress, it is made of rows and rows of jams. How cute is that? I love patterns where you can't really tell what is it until you look at it close up. Now I'll just have to make some jam while wearing the dress.

Illustration fancy: fan

2012-01-20T11:39:00.000+11:00

Date acquired: around 2010

Emotional worth: -5 stars

Who thinks fans are ugly? Since I've been working from home, I have developed a love-hate relationship with Mr fan here. Although he does keep me sane and productive during the really hot days, the rest of the time he just sits in a corner wasting space and gathering dust. Surely there are better looking fans out there, but I just can't bring myself to spend a lot of money on something which you will only use a few times a year. I guess I just have to accept this eyesore and learn to love him for what he is.

Forgotten Fancies garage sale

2012-01-18T10:14:00.000+11:00

I am getting rid of all my stuff. Well, not all of them, but doing a pretty big clean out. Maybe you'll find a new home for them? I have a couple of things on ebay at the moment and will be putting more up this week. Visit this link to have a look.

Satay tofu sandwich

2012-01-16T11:35:00.000+11:00

How was your weekend? We were suppose to go exploring on the weekend but had to cancel due to the poor weather. So instead I made this satay tofu sandwich. It is so pretty don't you think? I got the recipe for the satay sauce here . It uses real peanuts rather than peanut butter. For some strange reason lots of sites seems to prefer peanut butter. The sauce was simple and delicious, definitely a recipe worth keeping.

Aerogard

2012-01-13T12:21:00.000+11:00

Date acquired: Summer 2011
Emotional worth: 5 stars

This is no exaggeration, mosquitoes loves me, they love me so much they will make strategic plans just so that they can suck on my sweet sweet blood. I told Mat once and he thought I was crazy until the night he saw an army of mosquitoes attacking me while him and his family looked on not even getting a tiny sting. They were horrified and could not believe their eyes, I honestly don't think any of them saw me the same way ever since.

Oh Aerogard, what will I ever do without you? You save me from armies of blood thirsty mosquitoes just so I can go for long bush walks, watch outdoor movies, have picnics with loved ones and sleep tight like a baby at night.

On a side note, this is my 100th post. This blog has evolved quite a lot since it started, from an illustration only blog to crafty projects, cooking adventures and just general random ramblings. People say you should only really focus on one topic and stick with it, but I would not do it any other way. Happy 100th post my little bloggy friend.

Miniature doily brooches

2012-01-10T13:09:00.000+11:00

Miniature doilies rock my world! They are so delicate and detailed, like a mini universe in itself. I just can't stop making them. Maybe I should look into doily anonymous. Anyway, here are a few that I've made over last week, hope you like them as much as I do.

Polka dots heaven

2012-01-08T19:29:00.000+11:00

I made this 50s inspired dress on the weekend, can't believe this is is the first dress I've made in over a year! Like a proud mum, I took it out for a walk the moment it was finished, even got a number of looks and compliments along the way. I have forgotten how satisfying it is too make your own dresses, will need to make more in the near future.

I got the pattern from issue 5/2011 of the Burda Style magazine, the dress style is 128 which you can purchase from the Burda Style website .

Flowers on my nails

2012-01-06T16:49:00.001+11:00

I dugged out my Konard nail stamping kit the other day after many years of neglect in my bottom drawer. I was pleasantly surprise by how easy it was to apply. I distinctly remembered thinking I've wasted my money after many unsuccessful attempts. I can only attribute this success to the fact that I have developed steadier hands now that I've grown up... hmmm

For those of you who have never heard of Konard nail stamping kit, here is a link to a pretty cute video of a girl using it for the first time. What do you think? Do you like it?

Twelve by 2012 recap

2012-01-04T13:41:00.000+11:00

So we are officially well into 2012, did I achieve the 12 goals set for twelve by 2012 ?

Well, lets see...

1. Start an imagined travel series

Not exactly a series, but I have started and the idea is more refine now which I am happy about. See the first of the series here .

2. Finish my crochet cushion cover

Yay! I even made a fabric one to accompany my new crochet cushion. See here .

3. Add more paintings and crafty goodness to my shop

A bit of a fail here, but one new item is better than none right?

4. Sell at least one item in my shop

Woohoo! Had my first customer on Christmas eve, he bought the tea towel within 30min of me putting it up in the shop!

5. Get back into dressmaking

Sort of, I am in the middle of finishing a dress, will show and tell soon.

6. Make more jam

Nope, no jam making unfortunately. Will need to make some by the end of this month.

7. Bake more

I have made the ugliest but tasty choc chip cookies , meringue, super moorish poprcorn crunch using this recipe and a few ultra delicious veggie quiche. This is quite an achievement for someone who used to bake once a year.

8. Try making macaroons

Failed, see here . Will need to try again very soon.

9. Finish reading all my magazines

No, not really. Only finish reading 2 Frankie magazines, still have a stash to go through.

10. Take a road trip

We took a trip to Barrington Tops for my 31st birthday, visited Watsons Bay for the first time and went bush walking around Berry Island Reserve.

11. Do something unexpected for someone

I'm not sure whether I have achieved this goal, hopefully I had put a smile on someone's face this last couple of months.

12. Make at least one new friend

I'm glad to say I have made a couple of really good blog buddies and met a few new friends from Brown Owls. I look forward to developing these friendships this year.

Silly outfit post

2012-01-02T09:47:00.000+11:00

What did you do on the first day of the year? We spent a portion of the day taking silly pictures near our home. What fun it was. Here's to a year of doing silly things and not having a care in the world.

Dress: Me & Oli - Clutch: Witchery - Watch: Mimco - Sunnies: Coach

What are you optimistic about?

2011-12-31T14:35:00.000+11:00

Date acquired: around 2010

Emotional worth: 4 stars

Haven't done a fancy for awhile. Found this book on my bookshelf the other day and thought it will be the perfect reading material to bring in the new year. It is a collection of ideas by leading thinkers from around the world on what they are optimistic about for the future. People are always complaining about what they don't have or wish they have or can become, so it's a breath of fresh air to read something a bit more optimistic and positive.

What are you optimistic about? I for one am hopeful with new friendships, new beginnings, new projects and opportunities. Thank you everyone for reading my blog and your lovely comments about my illustrations. I wish you all the best for the new year, see you in 2012.

x Carmen

Holidays are for day tripping

2011-12-30T23:03:00.000+11:00

We took advantage of the lovely Sydney weather and took a day trip to Watsons Bay. It always amazes me that even though I have lived in Sydney for over 20 years, there are still so many places which I have never visited. Watsons Bay was picturesque, my top favourites were the lollipop-esque lighthouse, super secluded beaches and yummy seafood by the sea. We are already looking forward to our next visit.

Both Mat and I could not stop giggling when we found this nudist beach. Yes, we are both in our thirties and still giggle at nudity.

BBQ Selection sans fish from Doyles. YUM!

Not one but two handmade goodness

2011-12-29T16:41:00.003+11:00

It has taken me a good six month but I have finally replaced our sad old cushions with some new handmade goodness. The crochet one took the longest to make, but it was so worth it, will definitely make a couple more in the next few days. I am thinking a plain cushion with a couple of crochet motifs sewn in, what do you think?

Oh, also I am super stoked that goal two of twelve by 2012 can be crossed off.

Post Christmas breakfast

2011-12-27T15:44:00.000+11:00

How was your Christmas? Ours was spent at the Watagans State Forest , it was such a beautiful day but unfortunately I didn't take any photographs for show and tell. We were just having too much fun to bother. Christmas activities involved drawing fake tattoos on the kids, munching on yummy food and going on a mini bush walk and making friends with blood obsessed leeches. This is what I made for our post Christmas breakfast, bunny eggs with veggie sausage and vine tomatoes. Tonight, we are meeting up with my bestie and going cocktailing in the city. I will try better at taking photographs tonight.

Note: No bunnies were harmed during the making of this breakfast.

Exquisite fail

2011-12-23T17:25:00.002+11:00

What is going on? Another fail by yours truly. Remember the beautiful package exchange I received from Leslie of Little Letters ? Well this is what I made for Leslie in return, which (you are not going to believe) arrived smashed into little pieces... This is totally my fault, instead of wrapping it with bubble wrap which a normal person will do without question, I just packed the box really tight thinking that it will be ok. Mmmmm... not a smart move.

Well, Leslie if you are reading this, I can't say sorry enough. This is what you present should have looked like...

Limited edition tea towels

2011-12-22T15:16:00.000+11:00

It's here! My Limited Edition tea towel is finally up on etsy . Come check it out, and get one for your friend or yourself. It is lovingly screen printed by me using organic water based ink on 100% cotton. The illustration is of Japanese vending machines I encountered during my travels to Tokyo.

This is the first of my Imagined Travels series, and as this is just a soft launch, only an extremely limited amount will be available. The tea towel will come beautiful packaged, ready to give to your loved ones.

Look what came in the post today

2011-12-22T10:31:00.000+11:00

A Christmas present from my boss. YUM! Guess I'll have to make sure to never skip my yoga and pilates class for the next few weeks.

The best girlfriend in the world

2011-12-21T14:40:00.002+11:00

Well, not really. I just like to pretend I am. Inspired by the 12 Dates of Christmas by A Beautiful Mess , I decided to create an emergency date jar. The idea is pretty simple, print out as many date ideas as you can, put them in a jar, take one out whenever you are stuck for ideas, and ta da, a super fun date to plan and look forward to.

Mine were pretty random, from going to the corner shop to get ice cream, to taking a road trip to Wollongong. It is quite unpredictable, but I think that's the fun of it. We have been super busy the past week, so haven't really had time to put the jar into practice. Part of me wishes this silly season be over soon, so we can go on one of these dates.

Arcade screen printing class

2011-12-19T14:32:00.001+11:00

Mat and I went to a screen printing class at Arcade Screen Printing on the weekend. It was a belated birthday present for Mat, but since I couldn't resist the opportunity to do some screen printing of my own, I enrolled as well. The course was aimed at people who have never screen printed before as well as people who want a refresher course on the craft. We were given the choice to print our design on either a t-shirt or a tea towel, and I guess anything else to your heart's desire. It was so much fun! We are now officially addicted and are already talking about setting up a print studio of our own.

Making sure the design fits within the tea towel.

Getting ready for my first print.

Mat's t-shirt. That's right, he made a t-shirt design on Miso, look out for a Miso appreciation club in the near future.

Happy camper. This is going to be the first of my Imagined Travels series. I will be putting it on my

etsy shop in the next couple of days. There will be an extremely limited amount of tea towels available. So get it before it is too late.

Spoilt

2011-12-16T15:53:00.000+11:00

Look what came into the mail the other day. A lovely package exchange from Leslie aka Little Letters . The idea behind this package exchange is to send your exchange buddy a present with an emphasis on pretty packaging. Our partners were picked randomly and all we were given was a list of 5 of their favourite things and 5 words describing their style.

Well as you can tell, Leslie went all out with packaging! How beautiful is the wrapping paper, and the neon ribbon!!! It was so beautiful I didn't even want to open it. After about 5 minutes of oohing and ahhing, and with prompting by Mat, I finally opened it. I haven't felt so giddy in a long time.

And look what's in the packaging! A print by Dawn Tan, a hand printed postcard set and a pack of gift tags in the most adorable shapes! No amount of exclamation marks can describe how happy I am with the presents.

Now I am really concern that Leslie will be disappointed by what I have planned for her...

Curvy gift guide

2011-12-13T12:51:00.002+11:00

The Curvy Christmas Guide is out. Click here to see what Kelly Thompson , Nicole Tattersall , Maria Finna and me have picked as the must haves for this festive season.

Not your average cookie

2011-12-12T11:50:00.001+11:00

So apparently Australians have no idea about chocolate chip cookies, according to Rose from Projectville, our cookies are "really just dry, oversized biscuits with flecks of fake chocolate in them". I am no cookie connoisseur, but surely our cookies are not that bad are they?

I thought I'll give her recipe a go and see what she meant once an for all. I followed Rose's recipe to a T, only replacing dark chocolate with white. The result was pretty damn good, the ugliest cookies I have ever made but they made up for it by being extra tasty. They are really rich, so you can easily be satisfied with just one cookie.

Maybe there is some truth in her outburst. Click here to Rose's chocolate chip recipe and see what you think.

Feeling stripy

2011-12-09T14:14:00.001+11:00

What to do when your nail polish is starting the chip but you are too lazy to redo? Add a stripy layer to cover up the chipped part of course. Is it just me or does my fingers look really wrinkly? Oh well, at least I have pretty colours on my nails.

Going loco for coco

2011-12-06T12:02:00.001+11:00

I did an illustration for the latest issue of Peppermint magazine recently. Drawing a coconut is a lot harder than I thought, but I am really happy with the result. I hope the Peppermint girls like it too. If you haven't picked yourself a copy, go get it now. They have done an upgrade on their design, and I must say, they are looking mighty fine. As you can tell, Miso approve as well.

It's better late than never

2011-12-05T13:56:00.001+11:00

You might remember the post I did on the Handmade Decoration Swap . Well, we were suppose to send our Christmas decoration to our partner on the 30th of last month. But as you have guessed, I have only just finished it yesterday. I am posting my package today. I hope Ms Talia won't be too disappointed. It took me much longer than expected to crochet these little snowflakes, but I am quite happy with the result. It feels good to know they are going to a new home.

Dressing for your age

2011-12-04T16:36:00.001+11:00

Date acquired: September 2011

I always wonder what it means to dress for your age. People tend to describe my style as girly cute. I have never seen myself as the girly type, however I do admit, every second piece of clothing I own are either floral, a-lined or princess cut. I have a very defined style and I do know what I like and don't like, but I do wonder whether it is age appropriate for a 30 something year old to wear pretty dresses everyday.

I guess I won't know until someone send me to one of those style makeover shows.

Emotional worth: 2.5 stars

Ridiculously good looking

2011-11-28T09:17:00.001+11:00

My Blackbird Fly is broken. It won't unload anymore, I took a whole roll of film when we went to

our road trip , but now it is ruined because the film won't unwind and I have accidentally exposed it under direct sunlight. I don't know what to do, maybe there are some toy camera experts out there who can help.

So rather than feeling sorry for myself, I spent the better half of the afternoon taking instagrams of Miso using Mat's iphone. Miso is such a poser, I really believe that he was a super model in his past life. Now I am tempted to get myself an iphone just so that I can play with instagram all day. Bad, isn't it?

The land of giants

2011-11-22T10:14:00.001+11:00

Thanks for everyone's lovely comments on my Macaroon disaster , I think I will give it at least one more go before I throw in the towel and give up.

Well, apart from my adventure in baking, my weekend was filled with a trip to Bondi's Sculpture by the Sea . It was a beautiful misty day as evident by the moody picture above. I can't help but notice a trend towards giant reproduction of animals and everyday objects. I wonder what would happen if a giant visit this exhibition.

Weekend of fail

2011-11-20T17:13:00.001+11:00

See that brown, greyish slush? That is my horribly bad attempt at making macaroons. Everything that can possible go wrong went wrong. Maybe I was aiming a little bit too high with goal 8 in my Twelve by 2012. I am going to crawl under my bed and cry now. Happy Sunday everyone.

1Q84

2011-11-17T19:43:00.001+11:00

Date acquired: NOV 2011

I am a big fan of Haruki Murakami, and even though the reviews for this book are not that great, I do think this is definitely one of his best. It is thick like a bible, a total of 925 pages. Mind you, there are 3 books in one, but still quite a big commitment to read don't you think? Anyway, I have only been reading this for a week and I am already halfway through book two. It is really that good!

Emotional worth: 3 stars

Still on a high

2011-11-14T17:20:00.001+11:00

Harvest Festival was beyond amazing, highlights were seeing Mercury Rev for the first time, being chased by a robot, the super friendly and chilled out festival punters and of course getting close and personal with Portishead, not only was I in front of the stage, I even got to say hi to her at the very end!

Yippee yay yay

2011-11-11T12:31:00.001+11:00

Going to the Harvest Festival this Sunday. I am dying to see Mercury Rev, Portishead, Death In Vegas, The Flaming Lips and The National. Please, please, please play my favourite songs!

Working out my festival outfit two days in advance.Yes, I am lame that way.

Happy birthday Miso

2011-11-08T09:34:00.000+11:00

Happy birthday Miso! Sorry we didn't buy you chicken as promised, but you can take ownership of our new chair if you'd like.

Badger Balm

2011-11-07T18:49:00.001+11:00

Date acquired: August 2011

I never quite understood the correlation between smell and mood until the day I discovered Badger Balm. Still amazed at the fact that a smile can be bought alive by a little dab of Cheerful Balm.

Trying out a new illustration style at the moment. What do you think?

Emotional worth: 5 stars

Working from home

2011-11-04T11:12:00.000+11:00

I've started a new job this week, and one of the perks of this new job is the ability to work from home. I have worked from home before in my previous roles, but staying at home everyday would be a first. I am still trying to settle into a routine, I'm not very good at taking breaks or telling myself to stop for the day. I'm afraid if I don't get into a rhythm soon, I will burn out pretty quickly.

One thing I have started is to make sure I get dressed and have a proper breakfast each morning. Are there any bloggie friends out there who works from home? Love to hear some of your tips.

Handmade decoration swap

2011-11-02T08:39:00.000+11:00

I saw this over at Creative Collective the other day and I couldn't help but join in the festive fun. The idea is pretty simple, sign up to the swap, get your creative juices flowing, start crafting and send your lovely handmade decoration to your swap partner by November 30th. Sounds fun right? Why don't you join in the fun as well? You can read more about it here at Tamara's blog.

Road trip - Barrington Tops

2011-10-31T17:22:00.000+11:00

We took a road trip to Barrington Tops for my 31st birthday celebration. For anyone who have never been, I would say pack your bags now! It was the most magical place I have ever been, we were greeted by friendly animals everywhere we go. We had possums, bush turkeys, bower bird and parrots knocking on our window each morning, visitations by the too curious neighbourhood pony, horses and rock wallabies. We even made a life long friend with one of the wallabies and her baby as evident above. Be ready for my image heavy post :)

We are already planning on our next return trip. Can't wait to see my animal friends again.

Goal 10 of Twelve by 2012 complete, 11 more to go.

LO-FI ~ Sophie Koh

2011-10-25T13:43:00.000+11:00

Found this adorable video from Meet Me At Mikes, makes me want to head down to my local supermarket and do a little dance. Happy Monday!

I love you too

2011-10-23T19:47:00.001+11:00

I walk past this most mornings and without doubt, puts a smile on my face every time.

Twelve by 2012

2011-10-14T19:07:00.000+11:00

I have been a big fan of Danni from oh, hello friend! from god knows when. When I saw this twelve by 2012 project, I couldn't help but participate. I love making lists, but never one where i actually tell people about (just in case I don't achieve them). The idea is to complete twelve goals by 2012. Sounds simple right?

1. Start an imagined travel series

~~2. Finish my crochet cushion cover~~ (Yay, I even made a fabric one to accompany my new crochet cushion, see here)

3. Add more paintings and crafty goodness to my shop

4. Sell at least one item in my shop

5. Get back into dressmaking

6. Make more jam

7. Bake more

8. Try making macaroons (Failed, see here. Will need to try again very soon)

9. Finish reading all my magazines

~~10. Take a road trip~~ (We took a trip to Barrington Tops for my 31st birthday, see here)

11. Do something unexpected for someone

12. Make at least one new friend

Mrs Teapot

2011-10-08T15:27:00.000+11:00

Date acquired: not sure, many many years ago

Some would call me a hoarder, but I like to think I'm an appreciator of cute collectibles. I met this little darling many years ago, it was either at Glebe or Rozelle markets, I really cannot remember.

What I did remember was how she caught my eye the moment I saw her. She was with among a table of junk and dust, waiting for a new home to go to. The man minding the stall was quite a character, I had to convince him that I'll look after her before he could decide whether to sell her to me or send me home empty handed.

As you can tell, he approved and after all these years and many house moves, Mrs Teapot is still with me. She now resides above the kitchen cupboard, watching over me, reminding to stop and have a tea break.

Emotional worth: 3.5 stars

Here kitty kitty

2011-10-04T21:07:00.000+11:00

Just have to share this beautiful photo of a kitty I met during one of my neighbourhood strolls the other day. How beautiful are her eyes? I think she and Miso would make the perfect couple....

Crafty goodness

2011-10-03T18:33:00.000+11:00

Finally added some new crafty items to the shop. Come check it out here. The prices are really reasonable and they are all lovingly made by me :) Perfect for anyone who appreciates a bit of woolly goodness.

Cabin fever

2011-10-02T15:47:00.000+11:00

I got a new haircut yesterday. It is extremely short. Well, to me anyway. I wasn't sure about it when I woke up this morning, but after a wash, I'm starting to not mind it one bit, maybe even starting to love it. But before I show you my new haircut, thought I'll show you my favourite colour combination at the moment. I thought it's only right to inject some bright colour to a gloomy day such as today. It's not a very flattering image I know, but I just love the colours.

Now to the haircut...

Ta dah! What do you think? It is looking kind of messy in the picture, I think I need a lesson in hair maintenance.

Piggy in my belly

2011-09-26T20:10:00.000+10:00

I never thought a piggy will end up in my belly until I met these little buns yesterday, How adorable are they? They were sesame steamed buns from Chef's Gallery in Sydney. They even come in his and her version. You can't really see it here, but the one that is in focus has a little bow on her head. I want another one just looking at it now.

After the piggy massacre, we took a walk around the side streets for Streetware as part of the Art and About festival. We couldn't find most of the sites on the map. Either they are not painted yet, or already covered by the council or we are just extremely bad at reading maps... We did manage to find this one by Claire and Mie Nakazawa in Dungate Lane. I love the vibrant colours. I hope this will stay for a bit, we need more colours in our city.

Art and about

2011-09-24T18:58:00.000+10:00

Last night was the launch of Art and About. And like all art lovers, we made sure we didn't miss out on any wholesome arty action. First we went to Martin Place and saw Fourplay to start off the celebration. Even though I have seen them play a number of times in the past, their musical talent never ceases to amaze me.

During the show, we were given Playdoh to play with. I ended up with a little cat/dog creation, while Mat made the prerequisite Mario head. I am now convinced that Playdoh is a must in all music venue as a sideshow amusement.

We also saw Ben Walsh and his drum-minator. At one point he was going so fast I had a hard time keeping track of which drum he was hitting.

We then made a dash to the Art Gallery of NSW for the Anything Goes Cabaret. We were entertained by the ghosts of drag performers. This one was my absolute favourite. I am a sucker for all good cabarets.

We ended the night by going to the State Library for the On Sale market. There were not many stalls there but we did manage to see some pretty awesome vintage David Jones poster. They were closing for the night by the time we found the posters, but will definitely make a trip back for further examination.

We also saw the infamous wall by Barry McGee on the way to the bus stop. It was pretty impressive I thought, this photo certainly doesn't do its justice.

Blackbird Fly

2011-09-20T21:14:00.001+10:00

Date acquired: Christmas 2008

I can't believe it has been more than a month since I've drawn a fancy. I have just been so lazy and uninspired lately. There are so many things which I want to share on this blog, and yet I couldn't seem to bring myself to post them online. Everyday I seem to tell myself that I am going to make a effort from now on, but nothing seems to come out of it. Do you feel like this sometimes? How do you dig yourself out of this unproductive hole?

Anyway, I was suppose to go to the Brown Owls meeting tonight, but ended up staying at home to work on this illustration instead. I am really happy with the result, but kind of sad that I didn't go to my monthly crafty meeting. Will definitely make an effort for next month.

So I got this Blackbird as a Christmas present from Mat the first year we started dating. For those of you who have never seen it, it is a plastic toy camera which form my memory is modelled after the Russian spy cameras back in the days when people do a lot of spying. If you are interested, you can read more about it here.

I love this little camera, purely because it is so unpredictable and so low tech, it is so hard to use in terms of loading the film and removing the film after use but I think it is the extra challenge that makes this little camera so much more adorable.

Unfortunately I haven't been playing with it for quite a while, mainly because to develop the film is so expensive. However, I have made a little promise to myself to start taking my loyal friend around this summer. So stay tune for some fun Blackbird artistry in the near future. Hopefully, this camera will pull me out of this lazy, uninspired hole.

Emotional worth: 4 stars

Show us what you're made of

2011-09-11T14:27:00.001+10:00

A lovely surprise arrived in the mail the other day. My copy of the latest Peppermint Magazine! I have always been a big fan of Peppermint, but this issue especially. Why you ask?

5 whole pages of the magazine are filled with illustrations made by me! The lovely girls at Peppermint have already told me about it when they first commissioned me, but I guess it never really hit you until you see the physical copy. They even did a little blurb on me in their front page. I'm definitely a spoilt little illustrator.

On a side note, I have finally opened my shop. You can visit it by clicking the shop button on your right. At the moment I am only offering custom illustrations, but will be adding some original art and some crafty goodness in the next couple of days. I hope you'll like it, and please pass it on to anyone who you think might be interested.

Only two more sleeps till the Google Exhibition opening. Do come along if you get the chance, I look forward to seeing you there.

Nearly there

2011-08-29T21:05:00.000+10:00

The end is so close, only have some small finishing touches to do and I will be handing in the artwork to the gallery tomorrow. So excited, and yet so nervous. Don't really know what people will think of my drawing. Have never done anything on such a large scale before.

Thought I will share some of my work in progress photos with you today. Love to see what you think.

I had to put a picture of Miso and me hard at work. He was keeping watch to make sure I'm not making any silly mistakes. How thoughtful...

Luckily I wasn't stuck at home all weekend, we spent Saturday afternoon at Brooklyn for a picnic with Mat's family. This is the result of the kiddies' sugar high. A monster cupcake and peanut butter cookie combo. Notice the two types of icing holding the cupcake together. I don't think anyone was brave enough to actually eat it.

I got pretty creative food wise as well. I made waffles with berry sauce for breakfast on Sunday. How pretty does it look? Definitely Master Chef quality I'd say.

Uncanny Valley

2011-08-24T21:13:00.000+10:00

Hello my lovelies. Long time no see, sorry I have been neglecting you, but I have some very exciting news to share. I've been selected to be part of the Google Exhibition hosted by Hardware Gallery. For those of you who have never heard of the Google Exhibition, it is an annual event as part of the Fringe Festival where on the same time and day, each artist google the same phrase and from a single page of results, each had to choose one website as their sole source of inspirations for an artwork. The phrase this year is "uncanny valley" which according to Wikipedia, is a hypothesis in the field of robotics and 3D computer animation, which holds that when human replicas look and act almost, but not perfectly, like actual human beings, it causes a response of revulsion among human observers. Pretty interesting, don't you think?

As you can tell, I pretty god damn excited. This will be the first time my work will be shown in a gallery setting. I still have a tonne of work to do, but I think it will be worth it in the end. Here is a sneak peak of my artwork.

Miso has been pretty helpful too, here's a picture of him critiquing my work. To tell you the truth, I think he's more interested in my pen than my drawing...

The opening night will be on Tuesday 13th September 6-8pm and will run till 24th September. It would be great if you guys can come along. I'm sure I'll need all the support I can get.

Uncanny Valley - 5th Annual Google Exhibition

Hardware Gallery

263 Enmore Road, Enmore

Football and lost toys

2011-08-10T19:58:00.000+10:00

Are you having a good week so far? I've been feeling really run down lately, constantly tired, I am taking lots of vitamins though, so hopefully I'll be back to normal by the weekend. I went to the football on Friday night. I have never been to any sort of sporting event before, so it was an eyeopening night for me. I think I got quite a lot of giggles from the boys purely due to my bewildered observations. At one point I asked why the game was so quiet and what happened to the commentaries. Little do I know commentaries only happens in the land of television...

The weekend was back to normal activities for us. On Saturday we took a walk to Big Brekky at Petersham for you guessed it, a big breakfast. On the way to the cafe, we saw a teddy tied to a tree. I don't know why he was tied to a tree, maybe so he can get a better view of the road.

Then I saw this walking home one night... mmm... you don't think people are kidnapping teddies do you?

On Sunday we took a very nice walk along the back streets of Newtown, and I met this lovely neighbourhood cat. He was so friendly and adorable. He wanted to follow us home, we had to distract him so he wouldn't follow us and get lost.

Mat then made us Vietnamese rolls for dinner inspired by The Great Food Truck Race. Have you seen this show? It was on ABC2 for awhile. One of the teams was called The Nom Nom and they make Vietnamese rolls to die for. The ones Mat made was pretty delicious too. He had meat patties on his and mine had vegetarian patties. YUM...

Anyway, that's it for me. Hope you guys are having a great week.

Care Bear

2011-08-07T18:30:00.000+10:00

Date acquired: 2001

I have a confession to make. I am nearly 31 years old and still own a teddy bear, and not just any old teddy bear, but a glow in the dark Care Bear which I bought for myself roughly 10 years ago. I had always wanted a Care Bear when I was a little girl, all my friends at school had at least one in their possession. When I was growing up, my mum made a very conscious effort to keep us away from anything that is remotely in fashion or commercial, hence I was never allow to even mention the word Care Bear around her.

I used to despise her for it, thinking that she had ruined my childhood, that because of her, I will always be the odd one out among my peers. She always said that instead of trying to be like everyone else, I should focus my energy on my creative pursuits and understanding what it means to be an individual.

And you know what? I did get tease quite often because I wasn't as in touch with the popular culture as my friends, but if I get to choose to live my life again, I wouldn't change it one bit. Compared to most kids, I had a very creative and imaginative life, it shaped me into the person I am today, and I guess I've got mum to thank. But don't tell her that...

I don't know why I bought this Care Bear, maybe it is the little girl in me rebelling against my mum or maybe it is a token that represents something a lot deeper. But you know what? This time I bought it because I really wanted it, not because everyone else has it.

Emotional worth: 5 stars

Belated weekend post

2011-08-02T20:01:00.000+10:00

Sorry for this belated post. I've been extremely busy the past week, didn't really have time to do any illustrations other than freelance work. Thought I'll do a photo diary instead to change the pace up a bit. So this weekend, I made a batch of custard biscuits. They were super delicious and pretty much made their way into our tummies within a day. It tasted a lot like melting moments, I was expecting more of a custard hit, but hey, who's complaining. You can get the recipe here.

Bought a wicker basket from a secondhand shop to house all my craft projects, however Miso took full ownership of it the moment I placed it down on the floor. I think I'll need to get another one specifically for him this weekend.

Here is another house item that Miso has taken ownership of. Our house seems to be filled with Miso's hair at the moment. I don't mind it much, I wonder whether he has any concern with his hair loss.

Mat made some scrumptious pizza for dinner, he experimented with a cracked egg on the pizza. It didn't cook as well as we imagined, but definitely worth a try again next time.

Started a new crochet project. I want to turn it into a table runner for our coffee table/antique wooden chest. Not sure how long it will take me since it is not even a tenth of the desire length so far. Might have to take it with me to the next Brown Owls meeting.

Took a walk to Newtown and found some super adorable paste up. I love this little chubby girl. I think we all feel like her every once in a while.

How clever is this! A cross stitch paste up! I bet it took forever to make. I'm all for crafty paste ups around the city.

Bought a mangosteen from the supermarket. I have never ever had one before. The supermarket lady assured me that it would be super delightful. Going to "unveil" it after dinner tonight. I can't wait.

Hope you guys are having a good week so far. Hopefully I'll find some time soon to post up an illustration. I have got a few project ideas developing in my head, can't wait to show you all at a later date.

BMX Bandit T-shirt

2011-07-27T20:39:00.000+10:00

Date acquired: Sometime last year

I don't think I have ever mentioned this before, but we are a pretty creative bunch in this household. Not only does Miso (my kitty cat) sings every so often, Mat is also a pretty talented T-shirt designer. This one here is called BMX bandit, and it was chosen as a one day sale item in Teefury. It's pretty darn cute don't you think? I don't think my drawing do its justice, but I guess you can use your imagination.

Now, to be honest, I'm not much of a T-shirt person. I have tried in the past, but I just can't go pass a day without wearing an adorable dress. This T-shirt however, it is my best of friends when I go to yoga and pilates each week. How can you not be motivated when you have such an adorable T-shirt to get into?

Hope you are having a great week so far. You can see more of Mat's tees here.

Nice day inside

2011-07-24T13:35:00.000+10:00

What have you been up to this weekend? Apart from a sneaky espresso martini yesterday evening, we have been spending most of our time indoor. I have forgotten what fun one can have while indoor. I made a batch of super delicious Milo cookies and made some crochet coasters for the milk.

It is a bit hard to tell from the photo, but the thread I bought for the crochet is super thin. In fact, they are actually threads used for embroidery, it took me forever to find a small enough hook but I am really loving the results. Here is a close up, as you can tell, I am quite proud of them.

As mentioned in my last post, I went to my first Brown Owls meeting on Wednesday. It was quite fun, even though we had torrential rain the whole night, a lot of people still managed to turn up. I didn't meet many people that night as I arrived late and everyone were in their little groups already. However, I did manage to meet two really lovely ladies, we had quite a few laughs and exchanged a number of interesting tales. I have to say, it is very nice to meet people who has the same interests as you, it's a pity the meeting only happens once a month.

Hitachino Beer

2011-07-19T18:52:00.000+10:00

Date acquired: late May 2011

I'm not much of a beer drinker. In fact, I can't stand any beer except for dark beer. There's something about the after taste of normal beer which I can't stand. In saying that, I have started a beer bottle collection. So far, I'm being very picky with my collection, only keeping the ones with funky labels. But hey, we are all a bit shallow deep down.

I got this bottle while we were in Melbourne. We went to this vintage Japanese + robot themed bar. They had the full range of Hitachino beer, each with their own cute label. They have a really adorable website too, go check it out. I would have bought all of them if they were not so expensive. At $12 a bottle, I got one for Mat with the intention of keeping the bottle all to myself. I don't think the lady was very impress when she saw me putting the bottle in my bag.

I don't exactly know what I will do with the bottles, I'm thinking of placing them on top of the kitchen cupboards and use them as vases. What do you think?

I'm also going to my first Brown Owls meeting tomorrow night. I am quite excited but a bit apprehensive. Hopefully the girls will like me, I can get awfully shy in group situations. I will let you know how I went in my next post.

Emotional worth: 3 stars

More nail polish

2011-07-11T14:07:00.000+10:00

Date acquired: late May 2011

I am so ashamed of myself. Some of my regular readers may have remembered my past rants about how I have way too many nail polishes and I should really stop making such silly purchases. If you don't know what I am talking about, you can read all about it here and here.

Well as you can tell, not only did I buy one, but three! What excuses do I have this time? I guess I can blame it on all the beauty blogs out there, raving about the OPI Shatter range. It seems like everywhere I look, people are talking about how amazing they are. I have to admit, when I was playing with it in the shop, I was smittened, hence the three new polish in my collection. I bought the black shatter, and the Serena Glam Slam pack which consists of the white shatter and a silver sparkle polish. I really like the results they create, but really enough is enough. If anyone of you see me loitering around the nail polish section, please oh please, do whatever you can to pull me away from the area.

Emotional worth: 0

On a side note, I thought I'll post some pictures from Seeker Lover Keeper. It was such an amazing show, the girls were so adorable and oh so talented. I have their album on constant rotation since. I think Mat is getting annoyed with my limited playlist.

Pizza night

2011-07-07T22:56:00.001+10:00

Yippee! It's Friday tomorrow!!! Are you looking forward to your weekend? What are you up to? We are seeing Seeker Lover Keeper at the Factory Theatre, so can not wait. For anyone who hasn't heard of Seeker Lover Keeper, they are a super band formed by Sally Seltmann, Holly Throsby and Sarah Blasko, three of my favourite ladies in the music world. I'm loving this video too, what do you think?

On a side note, how amazing does the pizza look? I made it for dinner the other night. Looking at it makes me feel like a slice right now.

Happy weekend everyone :)

Winter outing

2011-07-03T17:07:00.000+10:00

As promised, here are some pictures from the Winter Festival in Bondi. Don't you just love this photo? I love the juxtaposition between the outdoor ice rink and the people in bikinis sunning themselves in the background. How often would you see something like that in one spot?

The girls were pretty amazing with their performance. I can't even do that on a normal floor let alone balancing on a thin blade on slippery ice...

How cute are those plastic seals for the kiddies? I wonder if they'll create an adult version for next year.

We also saw some pretty cool street art while we were there. I can't wait for summer to arrive so I too can have ice cream dripping down my shirt.

We ended the afternoon by picking up my new acquisition from the Lo-Fi Collective. It is a screen print by this artist called Mayo. I have never seen any of Mayo's work, let me know if you have. Would love to see more of his or her art.

What I wore today

2011-07-02T18:44:00.000+10:00

Happy Saturday! It's been a beautiful day here in Sydney. More like Spring than the middle of winter. We've spent the day taste testing handmade chocolates, serious antique shopping and having an extremely late lunch at El Capo in Surry Hills. Tomorrow, we are heading towards Bondi to see my friend perform in the Winter festival as well as picking up the art print I bought at Lo-Fi Collective. Can't wait to show you guys.

Do you like the new look for my blog? It is still work in progress (the links are not working yet). However, I am super excited, finally I have a layout that I'm proud of. Love to hear what you think.

Outfit breakdown
V-neck knit by Country Road
Double ponte biker skirt by Cue + Dion Lee
Black boots by Nine West
Read leather bag by Mimco
Badges from Studio Ghibli, Tokyo

Nocturnes - Five Stories of Music and Nightfall

2011-06-26T18:49:00.000+10:00

Date acquired: late May 2011

Have you heard of Kazuo Ishiguro? He is definitely one of my favourite contemporary authors at the moment. I've only discovered him recently, he is the author of Never Let Me Go, which turned into a movie recently. I haven't seen the movie yet, I wanted to read the book before seeing it on screen. However, now that I've read the book, I'm not sure whether I should see the movie. I have already fallen in love with the book, surely I can't be that lucky and fall in love with the movie too. What do you think? Have you seen the movie? Would you recommend it?

Nocturnes is the second book I have of Kazuo, I bought it at a bargain price while I was in Melbourne. I have never been a big fan of short stories, but thought I'll give it a try since I was pretty impressed with Never Let Me Go. Have you read Nocturnes? I'm hoping it will be as good as NLMG. I guess I won't know until I've start reading it.

Emotional worth: 1.5 stars

Yellow leather handbag

2011-06-21T22:46:00.000+10:00

Date acquired: late May 2011

You must be so sick of me talking about Melbourne, but I just can't stop talking about it. I think if I keep talking about it then in a way I can pretend I'm still on holidays. In the next few posts, I'm going to talk about what I bought in Melbourne. First is this little yellow handbag from the Markit market.

I don't know whether I've told you, but my favourite colour is yellow. I love it so much that I even think in yellow. For some reason, whenever I work on any layout design, I have to plan it all out in yellow blocks. I can't seem to think in any other way. You should see the comments I get when I am at work, people will come up to me and ask why I've used yellow in the design when it is not even part of the brand...

So you can imagine how I felt when I first laid my eyes on this little sunshine. I think my heart skipped a little and I knew straight away that it has to be a part of my life. It is only a tiny little bag, can only really fit my camera, sunnies, lip balm and not even my wallet, but as long as it's yellow I don't really care for practicality.

Emotional worth: 4 stars

What I wore today

2011-06-19T13:27:00.000+10:00

How is your weekend so far? I've spent most of mine staying home and finishing up my submission for Gemma's "What I wore today" project. Gemma is calling for all doodle-bloggers to upload drawings of their outfits and if you get chosen, you drawing will be published in her new book. How amazing is that! If you want to enter, hurry as it closes on the 24th of this month. I think I'm already too late, as they only have 16 spots left and there are a lot of talented illustrators out there.

I've had a lot of fun doing this illustration, I think I am going to do more of it in the future. I love putting outfits together and to combine it with my love of illustrations, I wonder why I didn't do this sooner. So stay tune for more outfits in the future.

Outfit breakdown:

Bluejuice black woolen coat

Zara polka dot dress

I love Billy pink ballet flats

Vintage Princess yellow leather bag

Mimco watch

Wooden brooch from craft markets

Remember the passionfruit curd I made last week? Well, I had it with my porridge for breakfast this morning, and it was DELICIOUS! I think porridge is definitely one of my favourite food group, it warms your belly up for hours. Perfect for a chilly Sunday morning. What are you having for your Sunday breakfast?

My Melbourne adventure - part 2

2011-06-15T20:12:00.000+10:00

What do you think of my drawing? I kind of like it, I think it definitely has more character than my first attempt. I think I still have a long way to go in terms of techniques, but overall I am pretty happy with the end result.

While we were in Melbourne, we spent a couple of days road tripping around Daylesford and surrounds.

If you have never been to Daylesford, you should definitely give it a visit. It is absolutely adorable, it is full of little crafty shops and the friendliest peeps I've seen in a long time.

A few more happy snaps, hope you like it.

How cool is this building, it is so old school.

We stayed next to a farm near Daylesford, our closest neighbour was miles away.

I wish I could wake up to horses by our backyard every morning.

Kilda the friendly dog gave us a visit in the morning. She was huge, but oh so gentle.

We went to this place called Hanging Rock as well. How beautiful is the view?

I just have to show another photo of Hanging Rock

Rainy long weekend

2011-06-13T11:33:00.001+10:00

What are you doing this long weekend? Lots of indoor activities I'd say. So far I've been crocheting a much needed scarf, doing lots of illustrations and getting into more fun and adventure with gouache. Also I've made my first batch of passionfruit curd and of course drank lots of milky tea. Now, I'm getting ready to venture into the city for some computer shopping. I've had this laptop for close to 7 years now, can you believe it? I think it's time to send this old pal to retirement and make acquaintance with a newer model.

Happy long weekend, well what's left of it anyway.

My Melbourne adventure - part 1

2011-06-09T19:55:00.000+10:00

Our Melbourne trip was AMAZING! We were there for a week and managed to miss most of the rain that the city is famous for. Melbourne is such an amazing place, super arty and edgy. The chilly weather must do wonders to people's creative minds. Like all holidays, it ended too quickly. But I don't mind because now I am super inspired. I've even made my first painting in over 10 years. What do you think? It is made with gouache, a medium which I've only used once or twice during my uni days many years ago. The painting is of a street scene when we first arrived in Melbourne, we were having breakfast in a laneway and I noticed this little soup stand opposite us. I love the way they keep their soup in couldrons, it is super adorable don't you think?

Like all happy people after a holiday, there is no way I can leave this post without posting some happy snaps from our travels. So here goes...

I think every designer have a thing for cool typography.

How cool is this alley way, it even smelt of spray paint.

Little creatures made out of old cans.

Mulled wine, my drink of choice during the cold weather.

Cocktail in a syringe.

How cool is this window display. For some reason I just love anything that looks medical.

We found this funky little Japanese place at the end of an alleyway in Chinatown. It reminded us so much of Tokyo.

The funkyiest hotel we've ever stayed. The Cullen is filled to the brim with artworks.

They even offer Wizz Fizz, Nerds and popcorn as part of their mini bar.

Donkey leather jacket

2011-05-23T16:32:00.000+10:00

Date acquired: Winter 2010

Mat and I are visiting Melbourne in two days! We are so excited, the last time I've been was close to ten years ago, I'm sure a lot of things has changed since then. Everyone I've talked to has warned me about how cold Melbourne will be and considering we will be spending 2 of those days road tripping to the country, I'm pretty sure this leather jacket will be my uniform throughout the stay.

To be honest, I have never been a big fan of leather jackets, I've always found them to be too masculine and expensive if you are after super soft leather. This is the only leather jacket I've ever owned and I'm pretty sure will ever have for a long time. My jaw dropped when I first saw it in Just Jeans, not only was it super soft, but it was also super affordable. I really like the colour too, it is not your traditional leather colour, but a soft donkey grey. Most of the items in my wardrobe are either really feminine or super cute, so I love the contrast it creates when I team it with the jacket. I like to pretend I am a lot tougher than I look sometimes. Do you have a favourite jacket for winter?

Emotional worth: 2.5 stars

PS: Not sure if there are any Melbourinans who read this blog, I would really appreciate it if you can suggest some must sees in Melbourne and surrounds.

Karen Walker sunglasses

2011-05-17T22:30:00.000+10:00

Date acquired: Summer 2010

According to a study done by the University of Toronto, the world does look better through rose coloured glasses. With that in mind, I bought myself a pair of rose coloured sunnies by Karen Walker. Ok, the lens are not pink, but I do believe it bring me happiness every time I wear it. I've noticed people seem to find me more approachable when I'm wearing these glasses. They have gotten me quite a few friendly smiles from strangers, extra special service by shop keepers and even some yummy baked goods from the local baker. So I guess you can also say world is better viewed through rose coloured frames?

Emotional worth: 3 stars

Fruit and veggie box

2011-05-11T21:15:00.002+10:00

Date acquired: May 2011

Not sure if I have ever told you, but I'm a veggie. I've been a vegetarian for nearly two years now. My boyfriend however, is a full blown meatasouraus. The other week, I've finally convinced him to order a veggie box. We ordered it online through a place called Doorstep Organics, and it arrived at our doorstep a couple of nights after. I was like a girl on Christmas Day, going through the box, oooing and arrhing at all the different veggies and fruits. Miso our cat got super excited too, but I think he was more excited about having a new box to play with. Even Mat approved our purchase, I'm so excited, I can't wait to see what goodies we will get in our next veggie box.

Emotional worth: 3.5 stars

Anna Karenina

2011-04-23T23:09:00.000+10:00

Date acquired: Around 2002

I have a weakness for Russian writers, there's something about their sense of drama which excites me every time. I read Anna Karenina many many years ago and loved it so much that I promised myself I would be re-reading it every year. However, as with most promises, it never happened. A few months ago I picked up this book again and decided the time is right to re-visit the world of Anna Karenina and oh my, am I glad. It is like reading a brand new book, and the characters are so much more intense than I remembered. It's funny how books can present different meanings during different stages of your life. This time, I am reading this book very slowly, savoring every word as I go along. Don't know when I will finish reading this, but I'm not complaining.

Emotional worth: 3.5 stars

Bingo night

2011-03-20T11:15:00.000+11:00

One of the perks of living in our place is the old school bingo hall around the corner. It looks like something from the 1950s, we have walked pass it many times but have always been too shy to venture inside purely becuase of its uninvitingness.
One night after many glasses of wine and hours of discussion as to whether we should give the bingo hall a go. We decided to see what this elusive place is all about. There were four of us together, arm in arm we ventured inside. The moment we stepped foot into the building, it was like going back in time. It was full of old timers in outfit that wouldn't look out of place in many decades past. We received many strange looks, but we solidered on and walked towards the receptionist.
After a long time of explaining on how to play and receving many grumpy looks from people from the queue becuase we were taking so much time, we found a table and settled in for our night of bingo. It took a while to get started, but once it starts, oh boy was it hard. I don't know how they do it, this is nothing like the bingo you play at pubs with mates, this is seriously! The lady spitted out numbers upon numbers, we could hardly catch up. There were no time for chatting, not even looking on to your neighbour's card.
I didn't win any money in the end, but my friend Lisa won 2 games which equals to something like $200+. The whole night lasted for around 4 hours, some would say it was time wasted, but we did have a lot of fun in the end. I don't think I would ever go back there again, but for anyone who has never been to a bingo hall before, I would higly recommend it just for the experience. But word of advice, this is not for the faint hearted.

Miso Belly

2011-02-21T22:54:00.000+11:00

Date acquired: January 2011

We recently acquired a new addition to the family. His name is Miso, sometimes Miso Belly if he is being extra silly. He is just over 3 months old and we got him from the Cat Protection Society near our place about one month ago. He was in quarantine recovering from cat flu when we first met him, but we nursed him back to health and now we are the best of friends.

Do you like the Mickey Mouse mark on his back? Isn't he just super adorable? Miso is the funniest cat I've ever met, his favourite activity is to play fetch, he likes to collect toys and bring them under our bed at night and his favourite food is watermelon. Who would have known such a tiny kitty can bring such joy to our household.

Emotional worth: 10 stars

Dragonfly hair clip

2011-02-06T21:49:00.000+11:00

I got this dragonfly hair clip from my friend Lisa for my 30th birthday last year. It is a vintage inspired design made out of enamel and aqua sparkles from Alannah Hill. I have a weakness of dragonflies, I still have vivid memory of my first dragonfly experience down at the beach when I was a little girl. I thought it was the most magical and beautiful flying object I've ever seen. Their wings are so delicate and I love how it shimmers under the sun. It's a sham you don't seem to see many dragonflies nowadays.

Emotional worth: 3.5 stars

The bears' school 2010 schedule book

2011-01-16T10:13:00.000+11:00

Date acquired: November 2009

What do you do with your old diaries? Are you a keeper or a thrower? I'm usually somewhere in the middle, keep it in the beginning of a new year because I feel it's a good reminder of the year gone by, but throw it away towards the first quarter after the realisation that I will never look at it again and it's just nothing but useless junk.

This year however I'm torn between whether to throw or keep this diary. I bought this dairy while holidaying in Tokyo in 2009. Not only does it act as a reminder of what a lovely trip we've had, I also adore the illustrations in the diary. Each new page is something different with illustrations more adorable than the last. I always imagine what fun the designer had while designing this cute little diary. Imagine if your job position is nothing but a designer of cute diaries.... Anyway, maybe I should look into designing my own diary for next year. I wonder if anyone would buy it...

Emotional worth: 3.5 stars

Peppermint Magazine

2011-01-08T17:08:00.000+11:00

Peppermint magazine
Do you have a soft spot for magazines? I don't mean those silly weekly gossip dribble, but ones with actual content that will make you stop and ponder. One of my favourite is Peppermint magazine, it is a bi-monthly magazine filled with all things eco and ethical. For their lastest issue, I was lucky enough to do some illustrations for them!! I had so much fun! Hopefully our path will cross again in future issues.
Emotional worth: 5 stars

I was shocked when I realized my drawing takes up half the page! Luckily I made the effort of writing out every word on the label.

On a side note, what are your new year resolutions? Mine are to do more drawings on this blog, maybe 2 per week, create a popper website for my graphic business (The bunny theory), look for more graphic/illustration job opportunities, sew more dresses and read more books. Doesn't seem like much, hopefully I'll be able to tick these off in twelve months time.

Happy new years eve

2010-12-31T17:42:00.000+11:00

Happy new years eve
What are your plans for New Years eve? We are going out to see the kiddies fireworks and coming back home for lots of champagne and cocktails. I made this skirt today for our low key celebration. Mat thinks the pattern clashes, but I think it is really cute. What do you think?
This year went really quickly for me, was it for you too? It was filled to the brim with interesting activities. I bought a new home with Mat which I LOVE, started this blog, started freelancing, went camping for the first time and got myself a new job which I am starting in a few days time.
I wonder what 2011 will bring. I guess I'll just have to hang on tight and find out. Thank you everyone for your lovely comments in the past and I wish you all a very happy and safe new year.
See you in 2011!

Toy Accordion

2010-12-18T13:02:00.000+11:00

Toy accordion
Date acquired: Summer 2007
Rather than being one of those kids who were forced to learn an instrument when they were little, I was the kid who would do anything to have the opportunity to learn an instrument. The closest I ever got was playing the recorder in primary school and I would play it so often that my mum would beg me to stop. I bought this accordion as a response to all those lack of musical education I received when I was young. So far all I know is Marry Had a Little Lamb but oh how I love to play that song.
Emotional worth: 4 stars

Pink nail polish

2010-12-05T10:23:00.000+11:00

Pink nail polish
Date acquired: Various
Not only do I have nail polishes in 5 different shades of red, I also have it in 5 different shades of pink. Now I'm starting to question the significance of the number 5... I'm glad to say, I haven't bought any additional nail polish since I posted about by obsession.
Emotional worth: zero

Gummi bear figurine

2010-11-15T22:41:00.004+11:00

Gummi bear figurine
Date acquired: Unknown, maybe in the 80s
I loved the Gummi bears when I was a kid, Cubbi bear in particular. He was always so brave and adventurous. A bit misunderstood and often not taken seriously. He was rescued from my mum's place recently, she wanted me to et rid of all my childhood toys and belongings. Although I couldn't save majority of my toys, I had to take Cubbi home with me. There's something about him which reminds me of those days gone by.
Emotional worth: 5 stars

Globe Mills

2010-11-08T22:12:00.000+11:00

Globe Mills

Date acquired: 29th October 2010

I'm back! Sorry for the long hiatus. Me and Mat have recently moved into a new home. We are now officially owner of this beautiful apartment. Buying a new home is extremely stressful, especially when you don't know what you are doing half the time. There were many nights of tears due to stress, but now that we have moved in, everything seems somehow worth it. Our new home is beautiful, it is a trillion better than we imagined. The building was built in 1919, it was a major producer of wool fabrics back in the days and was converted into apartments in 2006. It is a very interesting building as it is a great marriage of modern architecture and the warehouse's past. There's nothing about this place which I don't love. By the way, it is pet friendly, so hopefully we'll be able to add a kitty into this family in the next few weeks.

Emotional worth: 5 stars

Red nail polish

2010-10-08T20:50:00.000+11:00

Red nail polish
Date acquired: Various
I'm a sucker for colourful nails, but to have five nail polishes in different shades of red, that is just ridiculous!
Emotional worth: 0 stars

Blackwork

2010-09-19T17:08:00.000+10:00

Blackwork
Date acquired: July 2010
I have a tendency to acquire lots of hobbies and this is my latest acquisition. I have never tried embroidery before except for a bit of cross stitching in primary school. It is so much fun!! The patterns are super simple but oh so elegant. At the moment, I'm embroidering a border for a soon to be dress. It takes forever, but I think it will be worth it once it is done. I'm already thinking about the next project after this. Maybe a new cushion for the couch?
Emotional worth: 4 stars

Snake skin handbag

2010-09-01T21:30:00.000+10:00

Snake skin handbag
Date acquired: January 2009
This handbag is older than me! Dad bought it for Mum when they first started going out many many years ago. Apparently there were matching shoes to go with it too, but the shoes couldn't last the distance. I love the texture of the bag, it's very delicate and according to mum, the only way to really look after it is to stroke it with your hand every few weeks so the leather wouldn't dry out. How interesting is that!
Emotional worth: 4 stars

Bunny hair clip

2010-08-17T22:33:00.001+10:00

Bunny hair clip
Date acquired: January 2010
I received this bunny hair clip as a gift with purchase at this adorable little shop named Blackbird Corner in Newcastle. The clip is so adorable that it puts a smile on my face every time I put it on. Although it is only something cheap and disposable, it has a lot of emotional attachment for me because it acts as a reminder to one of the best weekends I've had this year. It was one of the hottest weekends ever and we were stuck in traffic for over 2 hours while getting there, normally this would dampen anyone's spirit, but we were having so much fun in the car that nothing else seems to matter. By the time we got to our hotel, we spent the rest of the afternoon splashing in the pool and exploring the lazy town. The day ended with an intimate gig with the oh so lovely Cat Power. Oh... how I miss Newcastle.
Emotional worth: 5 stars

Vintage bronze cuff

2010-08-05T21:29:00.001+10:00

Vintage bronze cuff
Date acquired: June 2010
This cuff was bought at a little vintage jewellery shop in Paddington. Me and my buddy Lisa were exploring the back streets of Paddington when we accidentally stumble upon this little vintage shop. Once inside, we were like little kids playing with a dress up box, trying on one thing after the other. My eyes lit up when I spotted the cuff sitting in a corner, everything about it was just perfect, the colour, the weight, even the smell of the bronze. I even got a discount from the owner because she knew how much I like it.
Emotional worth: 4 stars

Wolf & Willow

2010-07-29T20:59:00.001+10:00

The lovely Nancy was kind enough to ask me to be her guest blogger in her super sweet blog Wolf & Willow. I was so over the moon that I have to do an illustration on my favorite library outfit. It is sad that people don't visit the library as much as they used to. Do you still visit your local library? Or better yet, do you have a favourite library outfit?

Masquerade mask

2010-07-25T18:18:00.000+10:00

Masquerade mask
Date acquired: August 2009
I bought this for a masquerade ball last year. I have never been to any dress up party or masquerade ball before so it was a completely new experience for me. Although it was only a work function, it was still very exciting, the fact that it was at the Sydney Opera House was an extra bonus. I didn't wear the mask for very long though because I felt really awkward with it on. Maybe I'll be able to leave it on longer next time.
Emotional worth: 4 stars

Aesop skincare

2010-07-15T22:42:00.000+10:00

Aesop skincare
Date acquired: Various around 2010
I am a big fan of Aesop, I love everything about them. The product, the packaging, the look of their stores, the friendliness of their staff, their marketing... One would think I'm a spokesperson for their brand.
Emotional worth: 2 star
Click here to visit their website.

Dessert girl

2010-07-07T19:19:00.001+10:00

Erin from Dessert Girl was kind enough to ask me to be a guest blogger in her blog. I had so much fun illustrating my favourite dessert, it is a very simple treat but I've never been very good at baking or making sweets. What's your favourite dessert, love to hear from you.

Yellow pinafore

2010-07-04T20:05:00.000+10:00

Yellow pinafore

Date acquired: around 2007

I love this little pinafore, it is so thick and warm, and the yellow always put me in a happy mood during the dreary winter. Unfortunately, I have gained a bit of weight since then and now it is quite tight when I put it on. I can't bear to give it away yet though, if only I can lose 3 kilograms then it will be a perfect fit again.

Emotion worth: 3 star

Milky lollies

2010-06-26T19:37:00.000+10:00

Milky lollies
Date acquired: November 2009
I am in love with Milky lollies, I had my first encounter when I travelled to Japan late last year. It was the cute packaging which first attracted me, but the moment I tried the lolly I was in milky heaven. It was like having a big lump of condensed milk in my mouth. We ended up buying packets and packets of milky lollies from the Milky shop. Now I am down to my last packet and I can't bring myself to open it. If only I can have a lifetime supply of Milky.
Emotional worth: 5 star
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