belle and rose

Valentine's Day Ideas

2012-01-26T20:11:00.000+13:00

Things to bake, buy and make :)

Source: livinglocurto.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: glorioustreats.blogspot.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: raspberricupcakes.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: shopbando.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: karaspartyideas.com via Leanne on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Sweet on Pinterest

Gong Xi Fa Cai

2012-01-24T21:57:00.000+13:00

Happy Chinese New Year!

The photo is not really Chinese New Year-ey, but it will have to do. It was taken somewhere in Shanghai in 2009, on a family vacation :).

This year is the Year of the Dragon, which is my Chinese zodiac. If you are curious and would like to know what is your own zodiac sign, check out Wikipedia. It is similar to the Western zodiac, but instead of determining the zodiacs by the month, the Chinese look at the years instead. Being a dragon baby is very sought after in the Chinese culture. It is believed that babies born in the year of the dragon are smarter, stronger and have the best luck. Looks like we can expect a baby boom in Chinese communities this year!

This year, I am celebrating the occasion alone. My family is still back at Kuala Lumpur, whilst I am in Auckland, finishing up my last paper for the summer. I spent the eve and new year's day with friends instead, which is almost as good as celebrating with family!

Hope you are having a lovely day and a great celebration :)

Pip Studio

2012-01-16T23:45:00.000+13:00

My Pinterest home page was filled with some lovely things lately, in particular, things from Pip Studio. When I first saw it on Pinterest, I went crazy and started Googling images and products from Pip Studio.

Here are some pictures to share:

Source: hearthandmadeuk.blogspot.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: thelabelfinder.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: cocorosetextiles.blogspot.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

I am particularly interested with the porcelains (I have a particular weakness for ceramics and china). In my crazy Pip Studio frenzy, I found two New Zealand websites stocked up with porcelains. If you are local like I am, you might want to check out Maisy and Grace or Lennox Design Studio.

I love this bowl...

... this plate....

... and this cake stand...

Unfortunately, these are a little pricey for me :(. They are so pretty though!

Crochet

2012-01-14T11:13:00.000+13:00

I will learn to crochet beautiful blankets... one day :).

Source: weheartit.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: debeecampos.blogspot.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: notyouraveragecrochet.wordpress.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Happy New Year!

2012-01-09T18:15:00.005+13:00

Gosh, it has been so long since I have dropped by! Hope everyone is well :).

I spent part of my summer holiday at Kuala Lumpur. I spent most of my time sleeping, eating and looking after a little cute one year old baby. It was good to relax and do nothing! I arrived back in Auckland last week, and I am currently completing my last paper in summer school before heading out to work in February. In mid-February, I will (unofficially) be a graduate with degrees in Law and Commerce! After 5 years of studies, I am more than ready to start working!

My official graduation will be held somewhere in April / May, and I am really hoping I will receive this as a graduation gift!

Isn't it the cutest owl ever? I don't know where to get it, but fingers crossed, someone may actually buy that for me! ;)

As you may know, I am a soft toy addict. My sisters know this and hence, bought this as a Christmas gift for me:

It joins Busby, Tiramisu, Pi, Mochi, Chocolates and a whole lot of others.

I love all my soft toys, but as I'm moving out to another city in Feb for my new job, I've finally began listing some of them on Trade Me. I thought it would be nice to post some photos of the soft toys I'm farewelling to. The following are their Trade Me mugshots.

Bunny

Panda

That's all for now. I need to destash some of my fabric and kawaii items so that I can have a lighter and smoother move to my new apartment in February!

The Guide to Getting a Bunkbed

2011-09-06T22:26:00.004+12:00

I share a bunk bed with my little sister. At the beginning, it was quite challenging to live with her in the same room, and share the same shaky bunk bed. Overtime, however, we somehow got used to it.

Despite that, I would love to trade in my bunk bed with a normal bed. My sister is a tosser, and she tends to shake the whole bed with her when she moves around. The bed also tends to shake uncontrollably when she climbs up and down the ladder. It is simply the reality of having bunk beds, I suppose. Ours is a steel, stable one. I assume you will need built-in bunk beds if you want the tremors to lessen significantly.

For the past two years, I've learned how my bunk bed life could be improved. But due to the costs and hassle, we will never trade in the bunk bed for something else unless we get a bigger place. However, I'm dying to share my bunk bed lessons with you. So here are some of them:

1. If possible, always place the bunk bed by windows. One of my favourite things to do is to read in bed. But because the lighting is so poor at the bottom bunk, I can no longer read or sew in my bed :(.

Source: leah-theinsidestory.blogspot.com via Sheila on Pinterest

2. If the room lacks BIG windows, consider installing a lamp at the bottom bunk instead. It would also be great if the top bunk has one too because lighting conditions near the ceiling is not that great either. With this, it is possible to read at night :).

Source: janecoslick.com via Teresa on Pinterest

3. Well, why not have both a window and a light installed? :D

Source: beachinspireddesigns.blogspot.com via Marsha on Pinterest

4. Personalise the bunks! Sadly, we live in a rented apartment, so there is no sticking or hammering allowed! But if you have the opportunity to hang a couple of frames, built some shelves for books or soft toys (my soft toys are taking over my bed). Go wild!

Source: gusandlula.com via Saidfraz on Pinterest

5. The lack of privacy in the room can be quite an issue sometimes (or most of the time, in my case). Curtains for the bunks can work - this gives some privacy if you would like a good cry after reading a good book, or just to write in that private journal of yours.

Source: houseofturquoise.com via Melody on Pinterest

6. There is ample of storage space under the bunk bed. If you are doing built-ins, do something like the picture above. Or just stash your things in boxes if you are lazy like me :D.

7. And the best bunk bed: One which is a reading nook as the bottom bunk and a sleeping bunk at the top <3.

Source: beaconhillstudios.us via Su Lyn on Pinterest

And that's my guide to getting a bunkbed :).

Mid-Autumn Festival

2011-09-01T22:06:00.002+12:00

Today is the Chinese mid-autumn festival. To be honest, my family and I have not celebrated this festival since we left Kuala Lumpur. Mooncakes and lanterns sold in Auckland tend to be really expensive and overrated.

I do miss the days where my cousins, sisters and I would light lanterns on the streets and decorate the garden with colourful candles.

And of course, the yummy mooncakes to feast on :).

Source: flickr.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Happy Spring :)

2011-09-01T21:55:00.002+12:00

If you are living somewhere on the Southern Hemisphere, here's a Happy Spring to you :).

Source: frolic-blog.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: jacinandpat.blogspot.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Cupcake Bouquet

2011-08-31T19:00:00.002+12:00

If you check out my Pinterest boards, you will find that I'm really in love with food. Cupcakes are my obsession at the moment.

My wedding will have this :D

Source: favanything.blogspot.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

You can never go wrong with pastels:

Source: flickr.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Roses are infinitely pretty:

Source: adorablelife.tumblr.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

And this is something which I want to make one day soon:

Source: flickr.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Are you interested in tackling cupcake bouquets too?
Check out the really easy step-by-step photos here:

Link

And some icing tips:

Source: glorioustreats.blogspot.com via Angie on Pinterest

If you make a bouquet, don't forget to share pictures with me :).

Food that make you go, "awwwww"

2011-08-28T10:11:00.002+12:00

Source: minminnyminmin.tumblr.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: mypersonalfeast.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: woman.excite.co.jp via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: raspberricupcakes.blogspot.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: yaplog.jp via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: weheartit.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Cookie time

2011-07-22T20:09:00.001+12:00

Source: hwtm.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: tumblr.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: photosbylukas.tumblr.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: accenttheparty.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Neglected

2011-07-17T17:30:00.002+12:00

Hi everyone!

Yes, I am actually alive. And yes, the blog is horribly neglected. I do miss coming here and sharing some cute things with you. It has been difficult to find time to make, create and blog during the semester. This year is a vast difference from that of 2010, with my part-time work and additional responsibilities on two different university clubs. I am still struggling to stay sane.

However, I am still reading my favourite blogs, and have also been caught up with the Pinterest craze. It is such a great source of inspiration. Just 10 minutes on Pinterest everyday leaves me feeling giddy with happiness!

For the next few months, I will be rather quiet on Blogger (with the occasional updates!), and will be pinning occasionally. I just need some time to focus on getting my degrees and earning some money on the way. If you like some of the following photos I have on my Pinterest boards, you may, if you like, come say hi here :).

Have a happy July, and I will come say hi again before the month ends :).

Source: flickr.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: thehaystackneedleonline.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: thehappyhomeblog.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: mylittlefabric.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Source: myparadissi.com via Su Lyn on Pinterest

Happy Easter!

2011-04-22T21:09:00.000+12:00

I'm sorry I have been MIA lately. Lots of things have been going on in my life, and I am absolutely swamped with university work and so much more. My boyfriend has been pretty sweet to me, and recently, had a package of sweet goodies delivered to my doorstep. They are from Send A Chocolate Cake, and they are absolutely delicious!

I can't promise frequent postings from now on, but I will definitely be keeping this blog going with a couple of posts now and then. My goal is still to introduce cute things to my lovely readers!

Hope you all have a lovely Easter :).

Dwippy

2011-03-06T20:29:00.003+13:00

I'm sure most of you know about My Milk Toof. Really cute stuff, and I'm sure like me, you are totally in love with it!

Inhae recently started a competition, called Your Milk Toof, where Milk Toof lovers can submit versions of their own Milk Toof. The prize is a free signed copy of the Milk Toof book! Yay-yay! The picture above shows Dwippy, my Milk Toof which is dipped in chocolate. To be honest, I am rather disappointed with the results. Initially, I was quite reluctant to submit Dwippy, but after some encouragement form a friend, and the fact that my efforts would be completely wasted if I didn't, I finally took some time to photograph it quickly in the nicest setting I could come up with in 4 minutes.

So here's my submission: Dwippy

And there are so many great entries for the competition! Do browse, if you have the time! :)

I shall need to console Dwippy now...

My Very Own Nook

2011-02-27T17:53:00.002+13:00

I may have mentioned this before: I share a bedroom with my sister.
Our room is really tiny for both of us. We live with two big study tables, a bunk bed and a small shelf, where most of my craft supplies and books are placed.
The place is really cramped, but we do get by :).

I've always wished however, that I have my very own special nook :).

Credit

Credit

One can dream, surely? ;)

Mushroom!

2011-02-18T14:07:00.003+13:00

I made some mushroom brooches a couple of weeks before I left for Kuala Lumpur last year. I cannot remember if I had posted photos of them before. If I haven't, here they are! If I have, I'm sorry for boring you with the same old thing :(.

What I like about these brooches is that they can be pinned anywhere :). Bags, caps, shirts etc - you get my drift! :P.

They are smiling mushroom brooches :).

For those living in New Zealand whom are interested in these brooches, I have two listed on Trade Me here. Or just leave a comment :).

I Love Stationery :)

2011-02-15T15:52:00.003+13:00

One of the things I enjoyed doing at KL was shopping around for stationery. I bought lots of essentials, such as highlighters and rulers, but I was trying desperately not to go overboard on the notebooks and memopads. I simply have too much of these in my stash!

I caved in for the following purchases:

Apple memopads.

Too cute to resist!

One will go as part of a birthday gift for a friend who loves stationery as much as I do!

A memopad...

Of which I thought the illustration was Japanese-like!

And a cute stick-it/post-it set.

I really do try to minimise my stationery stash, especially since I have little storage space.

Are you a stationery stasher? ;)

Tiramisu and Busby

2011-02-11T16:08:00.000+13:00

I mentioned that I bought lots of things from KL in one of the past posts. And I think I went a little overboard with the soft toy buying. Here are just two of them, although I bought more than just these ^.^. I will find some time to take photos of the other two before the month ends ^.^.

Boo!

This is Tiramisu :)

These are 'Russ' bumble bees.

One is for my friend's upcoming birthday, and the other is mine :).

Mine is named Busby (aka Buzz-bee).

See how chubby it is? ^.^

y0omii

2011-02-07T14:32:00.001+13:00

There is an awesome crafter I want to introduce to you today. Her name is Sherry and she is the person behind y0omii :).

Her characters are unbelievably cute. Honestly, unbelievably: keee-yootttt.

Allow me to let her toys do the talking:

Max!

Who is my favouriteeeeee.

I love Rocco too!

Owl

Pandas!

They are heart-breakingly adorable.

(I need one!)

My favourite owl :)

Toki

Mushroom bears

And y0omii is stocked with a cute selection of stationery too!

They are soooo cute, right?

Do you want one? ;)

These links are what you need:

Etsy Shop - y0omii

Sherry's blog

Tumblr

That's all for now.

I need to get back to staring at y0omii's toys! ;)

All photo credits belong to y0omii.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

2011-02-04T21:12:00.000+13:00

which is Happy Chinese New Year in Mandarin! :)

As promised, here are more photos I've taken at my grandparent's home. In this post, I've included the structures/interior of the house. This is actually the first time I've taken so many pictures of the house, despite the fact I visit my grandparents every single year.

I really hope you like the photos!

Happy Chinese New Year!

2011-02-03T20:52:00.002+13:00

Happy Chinese New Year to those whom celebrate this day! :)

It's the bunny year, and may this year be hoppingly wonderful for all of you :).

As always, my family and I visited my grandparent's home located in a tiny village to celebrate the occasion. There was lots of food, and on my part, lots of picture taking. I thought of sharing some of the photos I took at the house. Today, will be the food, and tomorrow, I will put up the photos of everything else I've taken :).

I hope you like them! :)

Gumball Machine!

2011-01-23T18:14:00.003+13:00

I've been shopping in KL, and one of the cute things I bought was this gumball machine. Cuteeeeee right?

It is quite tiny, about the size of my palm. And it is refillable! So long as the candies are round and tiny, the machine will spit it out!

I bought this at a candy store in the mall. And every purchase came with this Morinaga (hope I spelled this correctly) candy. Love the reflective wrapper :)

I've purchased more cute things over these two months. And I will try my best to take decent photos and post it here. I also have a special someone to introduce to you! That will come up soon :).

In the meantime, enjoy what is left of Jan 2011! My internship ends next week, so I'm looking forward to spending quality time with all my fellow interns at the company. Till then, take care :).

Sorry :(

2011-01-13T22:54:00.002+13:00

:(
I'm sorry for being away so long.

I have a poor excuse - I started work late November. I leave home at 6.30am everyday, and only arrive back home at 9pm. Weekends are reserved solely for resting and shopping. Hence, the lack of updates :(.

I'm not even sure whether I have any readers left! Thank goodness for the "Follow my blog" button. Hopefully, some of my readers notice that I am still alive!

If you have any questions, please direct it to Pi, who has been busy bonding with all my sister's soft toys, including Scruffy here.

I promise that I will make more frequent appearances on my blog from now on :). Till then, take care!

Zakka wallets and bags :)

2010-11-12T09:42:00.006+13:00

Hi there!

Since I will be flying off to Malaysia soon, I thought it would be nice to get to know the many talented Malaysian crafters out there. I stumbled on Artchala Handmade on Etsy and the products she makes are absolutely lovely!

Everything is so zakka and they definitely make me smile :).

Here

My favourite:

Here

This is a favourite too:

(Yes, I have many favourites!)

Here

Many of the items above are actually sold items. It seems like her products sell out pretty fast! So if you're interested in her products, you should definitely keep an eye on her Etsy store and snap them up if you like particular items!

I'm coveting the last bifold wallet! Unfortunately, it has been sold out :(. Too cute for words.

Hello hello!

2010-11-09T17:45:00.002+13:00

Hello everyone!

After a long period of absence, I'm still surprised to see that I still have followers! Yay! So a big thank you for sticking with me while I was going through a horrible period of silence.

It was the exam period, and I had to begin studying a month before my first exam, and sadly, it consumed almost all of my time.

Apart from the exams, October was quite eventful. I turned one year older last month! I had the yummiest cake ever - Green Tea & Fruits. It was so good that the boyfriend decided to order the very same one (but three times the size) for his own birthday! I was not able to take a very nice picture of it, and this was the only I took:

Mhmmmm... Look at the fruits!

I will be leaving Auckland again this summer. This time, instead of bumming around, I will be interning! So this summer would be quite interesting, I think.

So I'll be flying off soon. Wouldn't it be great travel on a hot air balloon or paper plane? ^.^

Fly Away With Me by SeaOfJewels

Take Flight by SeaOfJewels

The sweetest buttons

2010-10-09T14:14:00.000+13:00

From duringmyheyday

Too cute for words!
My absolute favourite would be the top left one!

And another cute item from the same seller:

A simple, lovely pincushion.

Wishing you a rosy day :)

2010-09-17T16:09:00.002+12:00

Sorry for not blogging lately :(.

Unfortunately, it has been pretty hectic around my university life. I will however, be coming back with something better than a short post (like today's), early next month. It is my birthday month and I hope some exciting things are happening, or at least, exciting gifts ;).

I'll leave you with a picture of a rose I received recently, and Pi smelling/eating it :).

Plaid Please?

2010-08-31T11:41:00.000+12:00

I WANT:

From Minxshop - Teatime adventures Dress Part Deux Plaid

I WANT

From Mariforssell - DSLR Camera Bag

Orange Matryoshka

2010-08-29T16:25:00.000+12:00

I've been trying to take some decent photos of the things that I want to sell online. I've sorted through the plushies that I made during the holidays, and this tiny orange one tumbled out of the box.

I'm not a big fan of orange, but it looks quite nice on this little doll ^.^

Tea time :)

2010-08-25T16:49:00.002+12:00

Mom made peach cheesecake last night which is absolutely delish!
I have a rather sweet tooth, in case you haven't noticed yet ;).

I've also finally got a new cup to replace my very very old one (I have been using it for about 14 years now). It is not exactly "new" as it was a birthday gift from last year. It features Wellington bear (by Hallmark).

I hope your day is going sweetly too! :)

Beary Loveable

2010-08-23T10:01:00.000+12:00

Hey there! :)

Just a small crafty update from me today (shocking, I know ;) ).

This bear was made a couple of weeks back, when I had some time during the inter-semester break. Currently, I'm working on some brooches that are taking ages to finish, mainly because I'm improving on the prototypes.

I have also been trying to take some decent photos of my Chubbees and other small plushies I'm trying to sell. For the time being, I have decided to sell them on Trade Me (New Zealand's version of eBay for the time being) :). Let's hope this works! ;)

Have a happy week! :)

PS: To sweet Charlotte who commented on my previous post - Please click here to see me reply :). Your e-mail was not available on your profile page, hence I replied under your comment :)

Cute! :D

2010-08-17T22:32:00.002+12:00

Bookworm baby

I found a new blog! The blogger is a mom who imagines what her sleeping baby may be dreaming of during her nap time. She then constructs a scene around her sleeping baby.
How adorable!
Check it out here.

Stuck!

2010-08-11T19:52:00.002+12:00

A few posts back, I expressed my hopes to attempt to sell my handmade goods online. I had everything all mapped out in my mind - account details, packaging and what-nots have all been sorted out and secured.

And a week ago, I went to the post office to sort out the last item on my list - to check for the cost of postage. I nearly had a heart attack when the cashier gave me a quote on the postage. It costs USD 5.70 to send ONE of my Chubbes to the UK and US.

ZOMG.

I kid you not. That postage for that tiny thing is so darn expensive. Maybe I'm slightly ignorant in saying this, but I do think that the cost is really too much!

This makes me think that it would not be wise open a store on Etsy. I am not looking to have an idle store.

Whether or not I should proceed really depends on how much a potential customer is willing to spend on my goods. If you can help me out in this respect, it would be great! :)

I would like to find out the following:

What is the maximum amount (inclusive of postage) you are willing to spend on one of my Chubbees?

If you can help me out, that would be great! I would be really grateful! :)

Note: A Chubbee is about 70 mm in height.

Thank you soooo much in advance! :)

Looking for...

2010-08-09T09:28:00.005+12:00

The cup which I have been using since I was five recently retired :(.

And now, I'm looking for a replacement. I thought I could share some of the ones which I'm coveting for:

Click on the image to go straight to its Flickr photo page :)

:) Happy Monday!

Hello! :)

2010-07-28T12:18:00.005+12:00

When the boyfriend went to Sydney during the inter-semester break, he brought back some gifts for me.

I have to say that I was really surprised with the selection of gifts, because they are really a reflection of me and me personality. I have never expressly told him what I like. I mostly keep my obsession :) with zakka/kawaii to myself. But I guess once you start exclaiming over how cute things are, the other person will have an idea of the things that you like :P.

Yep. Mashimaro. It is a really fat bunny, with cheeks like mine (chubby and squishy :D) and is oh-so-cute!

And because I have to name all my soft toys, I came up with an equally adorable (or so I believe :p) name for it. It is named after a type of food:

Photo from Flickr.

And the other surprise is a pair of Hello Kitty bedroom slippers. The size of the head makes me laugh :D.

That's all for now.
Have a good day, you! :)

Happy weekend :)

2010-07-24T21:48:00.005+12:00

Hello! :)

I just wanted to drop by to say hi, and to wish you a very nice weekend indeed!

The weather in Auckland is sooooo wonderful and sunny today. So spring/summer-like.

I hope it continues. But knowing the crazy Auckland weather, it will most probably rain tomorrow :p.

More Russian Dolls!

2010-07-19T12:46:00.000+12:00

I bought these dolls when I was in Kuala Lumpur last summer.

I could not resist them, and there is a blue version of these as well, on my little craft shelf :D.

I hope you're not too sick and bored with seeing matryoshkas plastered all over my blog. There might be more coming soon! :)

Matryoshka Dolls

2010-07-17T12:40:00.000+12:00

I am so in love with these matryoshka dolls.

I don't "love" the things I make often. This is one of the rare exceptions :).

So far I've made three, two of which mom has claimed that they have to be for her friends. I have firmly announced to my family that the red one is MINE (yep, firm, bold, block letters).

I am definitely making more (if I have the time!), and mom has reserved one for herself :). And they will happily join the Chubbees if I ever get around to opening a store.

Have a great weekend, everyone! :)
:)

My Creative Space

2010-07-15T10:20:00.001+12:00

My last creative space post was some time ago. Last August, to be more precise. It was really difficult trying to fit in crafting time when the semester started.

So here's my first one for 2010!

CHUBBEES!

They are quite tiny and so time consuming to hand-sew. These are also slightly bigger from the first batch of Chubbees which I made in January.

I have also made other small non-Chubbee plushies which I will share with you some time this week :).

Making a pyramid of Chubbees...

I have plans for the plushies which I've been making for the past 2 weeks. I would like to attempt to sell them on Etsy. I recently read through the things I have to do, and I realised that I have little knowledge on selling things to international buyers. My experience has so far been limited to transactions on Trade Me, the local form of e-Bay. I sound so stoopid :(.

My goal is to learn more and read up so that I can open that little dream store of mine by the end of July. If you have a tip for a newbie online seller, please leave a comment! It would be very much appreciated :).

Check out Pi with one of the Chubbees. I think Pi wants to be friends with this particular Chubbee because of the cupcake!

From A Slice of Pi

Come show off you creative space at kootoyoo! :)

A Slice of Pi

2010-07-14T09:37:00.002+12:00

Hello Wednesday!
Today is a little a special because I'm introducing a little special friend of mine :).

Meet Pi!
Yes, as in π, 3.14159265 :D. Just a tad geeky :p.

He is a Russ Berrie and he is supposed to be a dinosaur. You can't see the tail here, and most of my friends have difficulties identifying his... err.. species. The BF and I thought that his face looked more like a hippo's, and thus, decided that Pi was a happy mix-up of species - the dinosaur and hippo. That is, Pi is a Dwippo :).

Pi, the Dwippo :) working his way up to the plate of banana crepes.

I love taking snapshots of Pi and I would love to share them with others. But I thought it may be a little boring to find Pi popping up randomly on this blog, and hence I created a Pi-devoted Tumblr. If you're a Tumblr user and would like to follow Pi's adventures, come say hi at A Slice of Pi :). Those who are not Tumblr users can still come for a visit (Pi would like that :)) and the link to Pi's Tumblr will sit on my blog's sidebar for your easy access :).

7321 Design

2010-07-13T12:48:00.000+12:00

I recently discovered 7321 Design, which is a Korean brand with lots of cute things made under its name. Too cute for words :).

Mobile Phone Cleaner

Take better care of your mobile phone with this super cute cleaner :) :)

If I had one, my phone screen would be spotless.

Alice in Wonderland Weekly Schedule Book

Okay Tina Mini Cards

I love love love love love these cards!

The designer behind Okay Tina is so fabulous!

Polaroid Mini Album

Memo Glass

All images from 7321 Design.

The Little Surprises :)

2010-07-12T11:47:00.004+12:00

Yesterday was shopping day with mom and my little sis (a rarity!). We were at a homeware store, and mom spent the whole time staring at these icing kits/pastry cutter. She was completely smittened, and after we left the store (without making a purchase), I doubled back and got them as an early surprise birthday gift for her. She was very surprised :).

And...

Just recently, the BF gave me this cute Kimmidoll keychain. I love Kimmidoll (and of course, all other Kokeshi dolls). Perhaps the most unique thing about Kimmidolls are that each character has her own personality and are very inspirational.

The Kimmidoll on my keychain is Hasumi, and she symbolises gracefulness. There is a little blurb on Hasumi from the Kimmidoll website: "May your graceful ways bring a sense of calm serenity to even the most challenging circumstances".

The Rose Drops on the left are also given by the BF who knows I heart roses! :)

I hope your day is filled with little fun-filled surprises too!

I've been making :)

2010-07-09T00:26:00.003+12:00

For the past few days, I've been crafting!

Here are some pictures of the work-in-progress.

I'll definitely post the final products once they are done! :)

I have plans for these Chubbees, which will be unveiled soon! :)

Happy day to all of you! :)

Fabric :) :)

2010-06-26T17:14:00.000+12:00

Yay! The pieces of fabric which I bought on Trade Me (New Zealand's version of eBay) has finally arrived!

They are small sample sizes, which is fine by me as the things that I sew are usually tiny anyway! :)

Here are some of my purchases:

I'm in a shopping mood at the moment.

And I think there might be more fabric purchases in the near future coming up!

"Uh oh!" says the wallet.

;)

Mmm... Japanese Inspired Embroidery

2010-06-25T12:01:00.000+12:00

So pretty!
:) :) :)

Click on the images to go straight to the Flickr page!

Strawberry Latte

2010-06-14T20:12:00.003+12:00

I just love how creative Strawberry Latte is!
How cute are these necklaces?

Candy necklace

Recycle bin

Cute Mail

I loveeee the Recycle Bin necklace (and the cute mail one too!).

And I'm wondering if it's because I spend way too much time on my laptop, studying, typing notes (and some Facebooking too :p) - everything study related, with exams going on right now. I crave for the time when I had some free time to stitch up something new. At the moment, my schedule is really tight, as I'm taking a heavier-than-normal load of work this semester. I'm crossing my fingers, and hoping that I will have some time to do some sewing during the upcoming break!

*Crosses fingers*

Have a good week, you! :)

Printable Party Kit

2010-05-24T22:56:00.000+12:00

Look! Printable party kit from paperglitter on Etsy!

So cute and convenient!
The pack even includes napkin rings, colouring pages and baskets (in addition to many others!)

This particular kit is the BIRTHDAY Japanese Kawaii Love Party Kit

And there are many other themes available here :)

Lunch Cloth

2010-05-20T19:26:00.004+12:00

Aren't these lunch cloths cute?

Do I need one? Yesssss :) You know, just to make me feel happy every time I have lunch in the dreary lecture rooms :) :) (I tend to get hungry mid-lectures and it's difficult to wait for 3 hours of lectures to end to eat!) :P

Or maybe some zakka mats for indoor eating instead? Hmmmm...

All from Shinzi Katoh's webbie :)
:)

Lauren & The Lost Boys

2010-04-23T17:51:00.000+12:00

Hi there :)

I'm just popping by to say Happy Late April! :) And to say that the blog has not been forgotten! It has been pretty busy around here lately, and I have been spending most of my time meeting essay deadlines :(.

The unhappiness aside, I found a cute shop on Etsy that I would love to share with you!

Introducing: -
Lauren & The Lost Boys

Preppy Love Cushion

Crochet Bag with Striped Bow

Pony Club Placemat

Vintage Flag Cross Cushion

Check out the store for more goodies :)

Love sunny days!

2010-04-11T23:18:00.002+12:00

Auckland has been going through a period of good days so far, and I've been taking full advantage of it. Going out with friends, lunching with family, reading by the harbour, etc. It has been great :). Here are few of the photos I've taken during this break:

I hope wherever you are - you are getting nice, sunny days too :)!

Happy Easter :)

2010-04-04T19:09:00.002+12:00

Hello :)
Just dropping by to say Happy Easter!
Hope you have a hopping, love-filled one :). I know my bunny did!

And of course.... chocolates :)

Remember to watch out for the Easter bunny! :):)

Gabrielefelt

2010-04-03T20:38:00.002+13:00

I just had to share this with you - little adorable felted bears by Gabrielefelt!
She's on Etsy and the following pictures are all from her lovely Flickr photostream.

They are sooooo cute, right? Right? :D
And such lovely details too!
I think my heart melted upon seeing the pink one! Super adorable creatures :).

Have a lovely day, You! :)

Old Blossom Box Store

2010-03-31T10:36:00.003+13:00

There is a store, located at Kuala Lumpur which holds the most adorable things! And while I have not visited the actual boutique before, they have an online store/blog which I regularly visit (or as regular as I can make it).

So check out: Old Blossom Box Store

Drama Collar

Vintage inspired prints

Kate Picnic Heart Cut Out Dress

Katie Candy Vintage Like Bag

Brooches

I am so looking forward to visiting the boutique if I ever take a trip back to KL again!

And... Hope all of you are having a fabulous week so far!

And Happy early Easter too (just in case I won't be able to drop by again during Easter!)

Tickle me pink

2010-03-25T17:34:00.001+13:00

I am currently sharing a room with my younger sister. This has been a tad tough for me, especially since for the past two years, I had the whole apartment myself - room, kitchen, bathroom!

Since moving into this new apartment, I have been dreaming of a room which I can call my own, and in doing that, I seem to be dreaming pink most of the time :D.

Hope you have a wonderful dreamy day... :)

Anne Patzke

2010-03-21T22:26:00.005+13:00

First up: a BIG SORRY for being away for so long.

Life has been hectic. All I've been doing nowadays is reading law cases and running the household as my mum is away for awhile.

Anyhoo, to make up for my long absence, I'm introducing Anne Patzke to you all :). Hopefully you will like her illustrations as much as I do!

All images are from Amazon.

Crafty-zakka-kawaii Happiness

2010-02-28T11:33:00.005+13:00

Hello everyone!

It has been some time since my last post. Unfortunately, I'm getting busier as the new semester looms (the first day of university for the year starts tomorrow!). I will have less time to blog and to wander around blogland; and definitely much much less time to do something crafty. Despite this, I hope you will still stick around, because I will try my best to continue to bring crafty-zakka-kawaii happiness on my blog!

So here are some of the crafty-zakka-kawaii happiness I found recently:

White Teddy Bear Apron

Have a wonderful, wonderful day!

Absolute Delights!

2010-02-18T20:08:00.006+13:00

Hey everyone!
Today is all about my favourite things - zakka and kawaii items!

I know many of my posts are centred around these things, and I can't help it! They are simply simply wonderful, don't you think? :D

Mika Atika (Japan) Foldable Shopping Bag

Rub Dub Dub Lunch Bag

Scrapbook Sticker Decotape

Linen Covered Cork Based Coasters

And the most delightful of them all!: Shinzi Katoh Long Wallet

All items can be found in this delightful store on Etsy - boqinana :)

Psssttt! Can I tell you a secret wish of mine?

I wish to have a store like boqinana too!

Maybe a brick-and-mortar store, as well as an online one too! :D

Happy days to you, dearest readers!

Happy Valentine's and Happy Chinese New Year!

2010-02-13T11:07:00.000+13:00

Valentine's is coming up tomorrow! :)

A day of love and to be spent with your loved ones :)

Image source here. Check out more of Neils Lorance's illustrations! Love 'em!

Image source here

The 14th of February also marks the first day of the Chinese New Year!

So, Happy New Year to those of you who celebrate this day :)!

Happy 14th of February (for tomorrow) to you, you and you! :D

Decotapes :)

2010-02-08T22:23:00.004+13:00

Hello again!
I'm back at Auckland and I've been unpacking ever since I arrived last week! (Why do I have so much books, clothes and craft supplies?!)

And I've been so naughty for the last two months. While I was at Kuala Lumpur, I went on multiple shopping sprees :(. In fact, on the last day of my stay at KL, I bought some yummy looking decotapes, which I simply could not resist!

The designs are so adorable!

Hope you have a sweet sweet day!

Looking back at January

2010-02-01T23:16:00.003+13:00

Happy 1st of February, everyone!

Here's a tiny sewing review of January:

For the past few weeks, I've sewed some very simple things.
Simple, tiny things called Chubbees :).

I hope you like it :)

I've always dreamt of selling some of my things online.
But there is always a fear that I'm not good enough.

Perhaps one day, I'll work up some courage to attempt online selling :).

Have a good week!

Spools of beauty

2010-01-31T21:55:00.004+13:00

I loveeee wooden spools.
They are so pretty and so perfect for trims, thread and ribbons.

Image from here

And look at this! Shinzi Katoh on wooden spools!

Ahhhh... They are such beauties!

Image from here

roses are red...

2010-01-27T15:37:00.004+13:00

.. violets are blue :)

I love roses, they are so gorgeous! I hope you love them as much as I do :).
And since Valentine's Day is coming up, it is time to spoil ourselves with the things we love :D!

Click on the photo, and it will bring you to the Etsy page!

Scarlett's wine A bitten crimson necklace by SeaUnicorn

Rose Bird Bobby Pin Duo by lizhutnick

Isabella Rosebud Headband by rosebudlips

Blue Rose Filigree Ring by adrienneaudrey

Have a wonderful rosey day! :)

Shop, shop, shop!

2010-01-22T18:30:00.000+13:00

Hi everyone!

Today's post is all about my own kawaii/cute purchases. I hope you like what I'm about to show you :).

First up are kokeshi dolls, which came in a set of three.

I bought them while I was on my Shanghai trip :).

Pink Kokeshi Dolls

I bought a reusable shopping bag from Daiso.

I simply could not resist the cute apple prints on such a functional bag!

Apple Shopping Bag from Daiso

And some tiny delights in the shape of cute earrings!

Earrings

And my fave tee at the moment...

"Love you" in blue pants

2010-01-21T04:12:00.003+13:00

"Love you" in blue pants

I know, I know! Another one?

Hehe. I guess I couldn't resist making another one! It is so easy to sew a "Love you", and I think it is cute enough as a little gift to a dear friend.

Now that my sister has seen this blue pants one, she has demanded a blue one for herself too! So it looks like it's back to sewing again for me :P.

Hope your day is filled with love :)!

Of balloon and balloon

2010-01-17T01:53:00.004+13:00

With all the madness going on in my house (lots of packing, parents and sisters moving to Auckland, visiting relatives), I've had little time to craft. Or maybe I've lost some of my mojo. Either way, I've finally found some time over the last few days to whip up something really simple.

Prototype

The following two brooches are really tiny, but my sister seems to like them (the second one is hers)! So, I can declare this a success, I think!

Prototype - I love balloon

Love you brooch

I hope you like balloons, because I'm crazy over them!

Hope you have a nice, lovely, balloon-filled day :)

Gamza Dori

2010-01-12T20:21:00.001+13:00

I was Googling for cute things when I came across Gamza Dori.

I think this cutie originates from Korea, and is a potato!

I may know little of this cute potato (if it is indeed a potato), but this does not stop me from going "awww" when looking at Gamza Doris. :D

All images of Gamza Dori (and more!) can be found here :).

Pssst: They are so perfect as desktop backgrounds!

Fly with me :)

2010-01-08T18:40:00.000+13:00

Sometimes I wish I could fly.
Would you like to fly with me, and share my balloon? :)

Flying Sofa Brooch by HairSock

Sunburst Felt Brooch Pin by boqinana

My Beautiful Balloon Brooch by mamaslittlebabies

Winton Ballon Festival Stained Glass US by cathynaturalpalette

Acrylic Balloon Dog by anotherempire

New Year's Resolution: Being more organised

2010-01-05T11:44:00.000+13:00

2009 had been a mish mash of events, tests, assignments - all of which I failed to organise properly. I started off 2009 with an amazing looking diary, only to find it completely empty and unused in the middle of the year.
So this year I aim to be more organised and neat.
Let's bring on some cuteness to this tideous task!

We start off with this super cute diary...

Pony Brown About A Thing Dairy/Notebook

And of course, with the diary comes cute stickers.
This one says, "It will rain tomorrow. Bring an umbrella along!" :D

Very Berry Deco Sticker Set

And there must be cute post-its to decorate my books with :P.

Red Hair Anne's Europe St Marking Label Index

And I need to stick things together with some awesome decotape...

Paper Deco Roll Tape

or maybe some of these masking tape...

Coloured Paper Masking Tape

And although this does not really fit into the theme, it sure is too cute to be left out!

Sew in Fabric Love Letter Label String

All of the above cuties can be found at nothingelegant on Etsy! (Honestly, the shop is filled with really cute things!)

xoxo

Oh Fabric!

2010-01-02T19:45:00.004+13:00

As you may well be aware by now, I love fabric :).
And this year started off with a fabric shopping spree. Wheee!

Stripes, checks and flowers :)

Alexander Henry's cute children collection

Petit Minicco and Wyndham's Storybook

Minny Muu collection

Needless to say, my 2010 craft shopping has started out very well indeed ;).

Hope you're having a super sweet day!
xoxo

hello 2010!

2010-01-01T01:54:00.002+13:00

Happy Orange kawaii card

2010

Happy New Year to you, you and YOU!!
May 2010 hold even more creativity, love, hugs, balloons and all things sweet for you :)

xoxo

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-26T02:01:00.003+13:00

Source

Hope your day is filled with love and joy!

Merry Christmas, everyone :)

xoxo

Japanese Amigurumi Book

2009-12-23T17:03:00.005+13:00

Meet my latest purchase from Kinokuniya *love that bookstore*!

There were many choices of amigurumi books to choose from, and this one stole my heart.
The amigurumis are so cute!

The problem is that I do not know how to read patterns in chart form.
And while the book has step-to-step instructions (which looks so detailed!),
they are all written in Japanese only :(.

So, it was the Internet to the rescue!
This is an excellent help to learn to read crochet chart patterns and to recognise words related to body parts.

At the moment, I do not have much time to sew or crochet, but it sure is fun to buy books and supplies for use in Auckland!
*hearts craft shopping*

2 more days to Christmas!
xoxo

Christmas! Christmas! (is coming soon)

2009-12-21T15:57:00.003+13:00

Hi everyone! I'm back again!

I arrived home last night and like the rest of my family, I am now sick :(. Shanghai was freezing cold, and we were not prepared to walk around with the temperature hovering around 0 degrees. Despite that, the scenery was beautiful, and I also enjoyed visiting Nanjing, Wuxi and Hangzhou. Photos to come :D.

Now, I'm waiting for Christmas to arrive, and I'm sure you are too!
Here are some Christmas handmades, and I'll be back very soon with my next update :).

Weihnachtswichtel und Nikolaus by caruba

handcrafted & thrifted glee... by dottie angel

Miniature Gingerbread House by PetitPlat

boxes on the wall by ali edwards

how to make christmas ornaments by Saidos da Concha

xoxo

Away...

2009-12-12T17:09:00.000+13:00

Candy Cane Hearts by Glorious Treats

I'm sorry for being away for such long periods in the past few weeks. My posts have been scarce and short. Unfortunately, I'll be away again as I will be leaving for Shanghai tonight!

It is an unexpected family holiday and I'll be back in 8 days time.
I will definitely be back here, in blogland, for Christmas :)!

Till then, take care :)

xoxo

Treeson :)

2009-12-06T19:03:00.003+13:00

Hey hey :). Hello again!

I'm now back at Kuala Lumpur, and boy oh boy, it's hot here! I have the air-conditioner switched on most of the time, but I still feel like I'm melting in the heat.

Heat aside, something else has melted my heart!
Meet Treeson :)

by Joe0923

by Sindy

by milk & kisses

How can something so small be so adorable? :)
Truly, I am in love with Treeson!

Check out Bubi Au Yeung's (creator of Treeson) Flickr photostream for more Treesons and her other creations! :)

xoxo

Packing + Papercuts

2009-11-24T19:28:00.001+13:00

1. iso vintage suitcases

I'm currently packing all my belongings into boxes and throwing unwanted items out. It is a tiring task, more mentally draining, than being physically challenging. I truly despise packing, and I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that I do not need to go through the same stress next year!

I'm sorry for complaining, but I can't help but express my strong and negative feelings towards packing!
Anyway, the computer will be going into its own box soon as well. And this will be the last time you will be hearing from me in November :). I'll probably be back in at least two weeks time :).

Take care, and I'll see you then :).

sugarraindrops

2009-11-22T11:38:00.004+13:00

I love fairytales :).

My favourite has always been Alice in Wonderland :).

And I hope you love fairytales too, because today's post is filled with kawaii fairytale necklaces, brooches and rings from sugarraindrops! :)

Snow White and Blue Bird Vintage Cameo Brooch

Alice In Wonderland Card Necklace

Hansel and Gretel Heart Pendant

Fairytale Tea Party Necklace and Ring Set

Pinocchio Fairy Tale Necklace

European Style Floral Pastel Tea Cup Rings

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! xo

Bolts and Bots

2009-11-18T22:09:00.001+13:00

Are you ready for a robot invasion? :)
Bolts & Bots is a store on Etsy made up of little polymer clay robots, so cute to look at! There is Darth Vader, Harry Potter, Miley/Hannah robots, but I have to say that my favourites are the original bots, like the iBot and Brain Bot (both pictured below). They are just too cute to resist! You can be the judge :).

Bear Bot

Robin Bot

iBot

Brain Bot

Silver's Sled

If you love them, visit Bolts and Bots on Etsy! :D

The Cutest Objects!

2009-11-16T08:44:00.001+13:00

I have the biggest crush E.V.E.R. on The Small Object. The artist behind this outrageously cute store is Sarah, who has boundless creativity and is based in Georgia.

She's Ah-Ma-Zeeng!

The Small Object is Ah-Ma-Zeeng!

Lovely Wooden Wonder Box

The Get-A-Long Gang Stamp Set

Checkers To Take With You Travel Game

Celebration Candle Kid

Tell Me A Story Set

Miniature Mighty Mustache Magnet

Saw See Sew Wooden Needle Case Holder

If you are crushing on The Small Object now too, I suggest a visit to the Etsy store :)

Cute postcards :)

2009-11-14T00:13:00.004+13:00

Hello, hello! :D
I've finally sat for all my exam papers for the year! So, I'm done with uni for 2009 and I can now relax a little :). Although I have to admit that it is strange not to be studying anymore (at least for this year anyway)! :D

So whilst relaxing (and browsing through Flickr photos), I came across a Flickr photostream with the cutest postcards! They are Japanese illustrated and they are for sale on Etsy. The seller, KawaiiPostcard is based in Osaka :).

Bakery Moco postcard

Very Cute Cat Postcard

Kawaii Sakura Postcard

Taking a Nap on the Grass Kawaii Postcard

Swimming in the Sea Kawaii Postcard

On a Snowy Day Kawaii Postcard

Have a lovely weekend ahead :)
xoxo

Ecoute! Marini Monteany

2009-11-08T12:54:00.004+13:00

New Marini Monteany items to look at! Have I mentioned before how much I love her work? Oh yes, I have ;).

Don't they make you go awwww? :D

Images from here

Have a wonderful and happy Sunday! :)

Smile + Drink

2009-11-04T08:07:00.001+13:00

While I was sick, a friend came over with several bottles of Aloe Vera and Sweet Honey Lemon drinks to help treat cough. When I saw the lemon bottle, I could not help but exclaim, "Oh, so cute!".

Awww... It's smiling at me :). My immediate reaction was to grin back at the bottle cap :D.

I simply love cute drink bottles/cans that make me smile :).

kawaii cans from nyaaa

momoten peach water by selva

Bot Beverages

Do they make you smile too? :)

Sweet love :)

2009-10-31T09:04:00.001+13:00

A couple of weeks back, I found some lovely masking tape in a post over at the wonderful bloomize and it led me to the Graphia website. Because the website is in Japanese, I struggled to comprehend the details of the goodies featured on it.

This is what I think the page is saying (with the help of MSN Live Translator): A new magazine featuring Tokyo stores which sells sweet delicacies is being published, and in conjunction with its release, a range of stationery has been designed and is being sold.

I'm probably wrong ;), but that shouldn't stop us from feasting our eyes on the following goodies!
Pages from the magazine:

The stationery line:

Stickynote Set

Minicard Set

Block Memo

Masking Tape

Magnets

Stickers

That's all the delicious treats for today :D.
Have a wonderful weekend!

PS: I'm now feeling much better! No more sleeping for only 2 hours due to constant coughing, and I have far less coughing fits. Thank you all again for your advice and comments on my "sick" post :).
xoxo

Ratako's Illustration

2009-10-29T09:46:00.003+13:00

I came across Ratako's Illustration while surfing blogs/Internet. It is filled with awesome illustrations and clay models - and I could not resist sharing it here. I don't know much about the illustrator (the website is in Japanese), but needless to say, I found the work delightful :D.

Illustrations:

Dog - Cat - Girl

Stive

My Pet

Policeman

Clays:
Scott

Richardson

Niclas (my favourite!)

Yun

Petitobi range (also part of my top favourites!)

And they even sell merchandises with the illustrations on them :)

Hop over to Ratako's Illustration to see more :)
Tomorrow I'll be sitting for my first exam - Law of Contract! Eeeekkk! It's really the hardest of all the papers which I'm sitting for :/. After that, I'll come back to post more stuff which made me go "awwwww"... Till then, take care :).
xoxo

IHeartPaperStudio

2009-10-26T08:18:00.002+13:00

First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to suggest some remedies for my cough. I really appreciate your kind comments :). I've been trying out some of the remedies. Fingers crossed, hopefully I'll feel better soon, and in time for my first exam. :)

Illness aside - here are some happier and cuter things :D - raccoons and cupcakes; pandas; bunnies and elephants:

Cute, yes?
Check out IHeartPaperStudio from Fresno, California! :)

And... Have a wonderful start to the week! :D
xoxo

Sick again :(

2009-10-25T08:00:00.000+13:00

by Mayleur

Hey readers! :D
I have some bad news on my part - I've somehow managed to fall sick again, less than one week away from my exams! I've been coughing a lot, and can only cope with 2 hours of sleep per night (coughing wakes me up from my sleep). My tummy now hurts so much from coughing. I'm at loss at what I should do. I have been taking medicine, including cough syrup, but they seem quite useless in making me right again. Perhaps you have some advice on how to cope better? A way to sleep better at night perhaps?

Telecom Light Show @ Auckland

2009-10-21T08:50:00.001+13:00

Recently, Telecom sponsored a light show in the city centre.
4 projectors + 1 Ferry Building = A very pretty light show!
These are some of my favourite scenes:

Hope you enjoyed the photos :D.
xoxo

Memo Pads + Post-Its

2009-10-18T20:40:00.000+13:00

Hi everyone :). I'm sorry I have been MIA for the past one week. My exams are two weeks away, and I have been trying to fit in time for friends + studying in the past days. Hence, the lack of news from me. I deeply apologise! Hopefully, you would forgive me once you see what I've picked out for us today.

Memo pads and post-its! :) :)

When I was a child, I used to stock up on memo pads and sticky post-its.
Till this day, I still have memo pads collected from my childhood days, yet to be used. As a university student, I shy away from memo pads as I recognise the need to use my "stock" before I turn 30.

But this store on DaWanda is way too tempting! I would love to stock up some of these cuties!

Finger Post Its!

Egg + Bread = Memo pad

A zakka notebook :)

Retro orange bus memo pad

Fancy a gum?

This is super cool! Love love the images of sample uses.

*Clicking on the images above will bring you to the store*

IHeart store is based in Shanghai, and the store owner also has an Etsy store :)

B are for birthdays :D

2009-10-11T02:00:00.003+13:00

Hello! :D
Remember how I mentioned I had a party on Saturday? It turned out that the birthday girl threw a little surprise for me as well, and baked Tiramisu (my favourite!) which was yummy :D

I got many gifts (I was sooo pampered :D ) - and here are a couple of cute things which I got:

The cutest bunny in the world. My friends and I pimped the bunny with
glowsticks (we spent most of the time in the dark during the party) and
I made it dance to "I'm Your" by Jason Mraz. :D
I named it Furry (so original, no?) :P

A "Wellington" bear mug, which is so adorable!

The dog on the left is a speaker, alarm clock, reads e-mails, reads text from Word files,
voice recorder, pant pant - it Does Everything!

A tee which is so adorably vicious!

And a Winnie-The-Pooh key which can be cut to fit into my own house door.
It is engraved with my nickname :)

And some scenes from the party:

Oh yes, did I mention I turned 21? :D

Have a wonderful Monday! :)

Pinkies and the Reds

2009-10-10T12:38:00.001+13:00

So this is the last post on the gifts which I prepared for the birthday girl.

This is part of the whole birthday package:

It is basically a pink basket filled with mostly red goodies - my matryoshka doll, the amigurumis (Big Heart Bunny and Cheeky), a pink scrunchie, 3 red eggs and Hershey's Kisses.

Some of you may wonder why are red eggs included. Honestly, I don't know either :D. Mom used to dye hard boiled eggs on birthdays (mine, my sisters' and dad's) and we each had to have at least one. I miss having those on my birthday, which may seem a little silly because all I had to do was to boil an egg and dye it red if I wished. But I guess it is simply not the same :).

I did a little research on the symbolism behind having red eggs for birthdays and I came across this - "Eggs are symbols of life changes and their round shape is the symbol of harmony and happiness in life. Eggs are dyed red because it is the colour of happiness in the Chinese culture."

Hehe. I'm not at all superstitious, but I think its a rather sweet gift :).

And lastly, I bought a plushy throw rug because the birthday girl loves furry things.
That's it from me!
I have a party to attend and a Diwali celebration to check out, and I shall be back soon (I think).

Have a wonderful weekend ahead!

Forrero Rocher + Bouquets = Yumminess!

2009-10-09T18:27:00.005+13:00

Hey again :D
Tomorrow, I'm attending my very close friend's birthday, and as part of her gift, I made this:

It did not turn out as nice as I hoped it would be. I could not find a tutorial online, so I blindly stabbed skewers into the box, with guidance from lovely photos of real chocolate bouquets on online stores.

The weather has been really bad lately, hence the not-so-brilliant photo (but then again, it hides the flaws of this bouquet quite well :D )

I also added some amigurumi creatures - this time, they are bear muffins (can you see the muffin/cupcake liners?). E.g. bear heads disguised as muffins. Or muffins disguised as bear heads. Whichever you prefer :D.

I also received my first birthday gift! My birthday is on Monday :).

Also, I have been really busy lately. My Google Reader recorded 300+ unread posts since I slacked off reading blogs over a week ago. I marked all as read to clear them - so bear with me as I slowly make my rounds around the blog-sphere in the next week :).

And... I'll be back tomorrow to show what else I've prepared for my friend's birthday! :D

Tata for now :)

The Russian Doll and her Apple

2009-10-08T13:37:00.004+13:00

So I have been a tad busy over the week. I have been helping a friend with her media assignment, and bits and pieces of me (primarily, snippets of my eyes, mouth and nose) are being featured in her video.

Anyhoo, my acting debut (or lack of) aside, I have made this:

An applely matryoshka doll.

I really love how it turned out - it is a big improvement to those I made earlier this year. It also has a little pocket at the back. Perfect to hold a note or something similar :).
The apple label on the back of its head is a super cute buy from Daiso!

These were a tad more expensive than one would expect them to be, but they were toooo cute to resist! :D Perhaps someone who is able to read French is able to tell me what the words on the Paris and apple ones mean? I think it has something to do with the love of summer.

Summer love... Love summer :)

Tomorrow, I shall be back with more, in order to make up for the lack of posts this week!

Till then, take care :)

One Year Old :)

2009-10-04T17:30:00.000+13:00

Errm.. I'm one day late for my first year blog birthday. Blogger refused to cooperate with me last night. But I guess it's not too late - at least some of my readers are still enjoying the 3rd of October :).

To celebrate this belated birthday, Barry has a message for you:

Hmm... He seems to be quite distracted by a passing girl-bear (see, how Barry blushes when the girl he likes passes by?).
Anyhoo his message is this: Here's a Big Thank You to all of you (yes, you!) for being a wonderful reader, commentor/lurker! Barry and I Love having you here!

You rock! :D

And to add some happy news to the celebration...
My little amigurumi chick has been featured on Cuteable! Yay!
And... Big Heart Bunny also made its debut on a wonderful Gallery over on Flickr! Double yay!

So now, I shall be off, to finish two assignments which are due tomorrow (eeeekkss!). But I will be back by Friday to show you some things I've been whipping up!
Till then, take care :)

Cakes, cookies and pies - Oh my!

2009-10-01T09:35:00.003+13:00

Yay! It's finally the first day of October :)

October is a super special month because it is the month my blog turns One! I first started blogging on the 3rd., and boy, has it been a super wonderful journey! :)
Secondly, a wonderful friend's birthday falls somewhere mid-October. I have been busy crocheting in preparation for that day!

And... It is also my birthday month!
In my opinion, the best thing about celebrating birthdays is having cake! :D

So to kick off this birthday month, let's have some cake, rolls, tortes, cookies and pies! :D

Click on image to find source :)

And also, note that the last 3 images are from Betty Crocker's Recipes on Flickr. Each image comes with recipes on the Flickr page :)

PS: This is quite unfortunate, but my posting has become even more sporadic and less frequent in the late weeks. I am in the midst of pushing myself to start studying for upcoming October/November exams. After that, I'll be flying off to Kuala Lumpur in early December. I'll promise to come and say hi as frequently as possible during these busy months :).
xoxo

Amigurumi List / Tutorials

2009-09-30T09:36:00.000+13:00

Two Peas in a Pod from Lion Brand Yarn

Ever since I started crocheting, I have been relying a lot on Amigurumi World (by Ana Paula Ramoli) and Super Cute Crochet (by Nicki Trench). There is an unlimited source of ami patterns online, and the following are the ones which I thought were cute and may try in the future. I thought of sharing the list here, just in case you would like to try them too :)

Bibo (the bunny)
Ana Paula's free patterns
Chicken
Hot Dog
Spring Bunnies
Bunny Boo
Kawaii Bunny
Birds of a Feather
Hearts

From Ana Paula

The following are from Lion Brand Yarn website. You will need to register to access the patterns (free registration). Note that the patterns are really adorable!:

Pablo Panda
Paula Puppy
Georgina the Giraffe
Two Peas in a Pod
Pig
Graduation Bear
Holiday Penguin
Best Bunny

Best Bunny from Lion Brand Yarn

Crocheting/Amigurumi tutorials if you would like to start learning now
I used a variety of online videos and library books to help me learn. These are the video tutorials which I find particularly useful:

** The Knit Witch: Single Crochet Stitch, Double Crochet Stitch
--> I found these tutorials really clear. I learned sc and dc just by watching these videos :).

** Hook and Needles: Amigurumi 1, 2 and 3
--> These tutorials are fast paced. I find it easier to watch the Knit Witch's videos first before going through Hook and Needles tutes.

** Learn to read patterns using Nimoe's cupcake tutorial

Paula Puppy from Lion Brand Yarn

And a peek into Super Cute Crochet by Nicki Trench:

The bunny on the cover of the book should look familiar :)

Cheeky Chick

2009-09-27T11:45:00.002+13:00

Just a quick post to introduce you to Cheeky.
It is one tiny chick - about the size of a size 7 egg.

Unlike Big Heart Bunny, Cheeky is able to stand on its own two scrawny feet!
Can you see its tiny feet?

Okie dokie!
I'm off now to lunch with friends ;).
I promise I'll come visit your blogs tonight or tomorrow :).

Have an awesome weekend! :)

Say, "Tees!"

2009-09-25T16:46:00.002+12:00

I reckon I spoil my family too much. Every time I visit them, I bear a large pile of gifts. Today, I bought these adorable tees for my sisters. While I prefer to avoid wearing "cutesy" tees to classes, my sisters, on the other hand, are comfortable wearing them everywhere :). So these are perfect for them.

No meals with friends for the next two weeks for me! And no movies. Or coffee...

Tee-source: Jay Jay's

Big Heart Bunny

2009-09-22T12:19:00.000+12:00

Big Heart Bunny

Big Heart Bunny is a pattern from Nicki Trench's book, with few modifications here and there. For example, missing limbs :D.
I had actually prepared all 4 limbs. But I decided it looked cuter limb-less. Perhaps you can be the judge. I'll be posting some pictures from the book soon :).

Poor little thing can't sit or stand. Hence, it was subjected to some cruelty while I attempted to take some decent photos of it.

I pegged its ear.

Ouch?

Always Smile :)

2009-09-21T08:23:00.003+12:00

There's a seller on DaWanda who sells the loveliest things. Handmade items can also be purchased (moumou is incredibly talented and creative!) and everything in-store is soooooo adoh-ra-ble! I am so In Love with this store!

Such a cute way to tote papers/documents around :)

I love Little Red Riding Hood, and this card holder is to die for!

Zakka handmade bag :)

My favourite deco tape so far!

I need this to keep my computer table cord free!

A beary cute pouch :)

I love this - dokidoki make-up wallet!

I should have this permanently stampedon my forehead :D

About the seller: moumou from Always Smile is based in Guangzhou! Is she awesome or what? :D

*Clicking on the images above will bring you to the DaWanda page!

And you have a smiley day! :) :)

Not so sick of eggs :)

2009-09-18T16:00:00.002+12:00

mejika

On Tuesday, when I was moaning and groaning about the fever I was having, I accidentally published the post when I was still busy and sickly editing it. Which explains why the title was missing.

But my appetite has returned (which is great). And I've been consuming lots of eggs during my sickly days (because I have nothing else left in my fridge) :D. Since I'm still so egg-ified, I thought this post should have some egg-love too :).

Sandra (so cake)

dragan

groverflow

cutesypoo

*Clicking on the images will bring you to the website of which the pictures are hosted :)*

I hope you like eggs as much as I do (especially those yummy egg tarts - they are my absolute favourite!)

Have a wonderful Friday/Thursday :)