My side of the weekend

The weather was much cooler. We even spotted the first signs of Autumn! Oh yay! I love Autumn best. It's my favourite season of the year. The weather is always just cool enough to pile on enough clothes and not look like a big ball of yarn. If you know what I mean. Anyway, we enjoyed our weekend with lots of good food and discovering quaint little shopping alleys. We walked around Greville Street in Prahan and I got myself a new Striped shirt from American Apparel. It's so comfy! We also bought a mini barbeque grill set and set it up just in time for a midnight barbeque session. So much fun!

On Sunday, Darren drove us to Canterbury. We pretended we were going on a mini daytrip. And lunched at The Maling Room. I had yummy quiche and salad. I'm craving a bit of quiche right now. Nothing but cereal for breakfast though! We ended our weekend with a big feasting over at a friend's. So much good food, to celebrate the last day of the Chinese New year festivities! Ah, so much fun. Now it's Monday and it's back to school again for me. Off to shower and then pack my 'luggage'. Moving into my new studio today! And that means lots and lots of brushes, cans, paints and stuff to bring in!

I hope your weekend was as swell as mine : ) Feel free to tell me all about it!

So warm today

I went out with my guy pal this afternoon. We drove to Albert Park for some good ice cream at Jockey's, my new favourite place for ice cream. I got two flavours, Hokey Pokey and After Dinner Mints, but couldn't taste any bit of it since my taste buds and sense of smell was still on holiday. ( 4th day running! ) It was so warm, a high of 34 degrees today. I was supposed to go for a nice French dinner date with Darren tonight. But I'm still not well, and after this afternoon's heat, I felt even sicker, I think I'm down with hay fever. And I'm now home wondering when will I be able to taste and smell again. Anyway, it's Friday so I hope you guys have a massive weekend planned!

See you Monday! xx

Friday Flickr Favourites

Hand-knit wool hat and mitten set by Finnishweaver

How To Draw Hoofed Animals by ellacinders

Deer Mini Handpainted Wooden Pin by art4milkbones

Cool Vintage Hanky Paris Eiffel Tower by PastimesTreasures

Vintage Rainbow Woven Huarache Sandals by OliverandAlexa

Mint Green Felted Beads by rainydayyarnshop

Gold filled vintage late 1940's feather pin by theCollectedCollage

Vintage MINT JULIP Cardigan by NikitaJade

So much prettiness found on Etsy. My favourite online place to go to when I'm bored. Just thought I should share!

I feel like this

Stephan Messner via Jeana's wonderful blog

I have so many ideas floating around in my head, I find it hard to sit down and focus. My nose is still blocked and my tastebuds have gone on a disappearing act for the past three days. Darren's taking me out on a date to a fancy French restaurant tomorrow, I hope my tastebuds return by then. I miss my family and I miss my best girlfriends. At least I found out today that I got a nice corner studio in school this year. I look forward to making lots of nice things in there.

Early morning

That's when I am most productive. A bowl of cereal with blueberries and banana, and some drawing = Best time of the day.

Insert Coin Here!

Have you seen this yet? Insert Coin Here! A little show/exhibit I'm involved in! Curated by the clever duo Nella and Kim! Do check out the wonderful blog for more information! I've got 10 limited edition mountain brooches up for grabs. The brooches are all individually wrapped in tea bags with nice tea tags too! Just open them up and you can wear it on your clothes! The exhibition will officially open on Friday 12 March at 1000 £ Bend from 7pm onwards. Come by and say hi! I'll be there! I promise!

Lots of exciting things lined up this year! Not only is it going to be my final year in art school ( Which I suppose means extreme busy-ness which I enjoy, coupled with lots of explosive ideas! ) But I'm also going to try and apply for volunteer positions at craft places and galleries. So I can learn more about how everything happens behind the scenes. I think it's so good to be able to learn as much as you can from the real working world and from people from the industry.

Apart from that, I'm also planning a small show with my two friends Sarah and Amy. Something small but sweet I promise! Hopefully at a quaint little cafe/gallery. And I also am looking forward to meeting some of my online artists friends to do some drawings together.

It's always nice to do some drawing over good hot chocolates and cookies.

New zine + Giveaway Winner!

Yay! Thank you all who participated! I had so much fun reading all of your lovely comments! I asked Darren to randomly pick a number today and Penelope won! So I'm happy, and hope Penelope's happy too. Heh! Anyway, Penelope, do email me your mailing address! Thank you!

Anyway, if you didn't win but would love to get yourself a copy, just to let you know, I've just listed the zine on my etsy shop! Do pop by and get yourself a copy!

Heading out to check out the Ron Mueck show at the NGV.

And also to post out some orders! See you!

Some scraps and sketches from my sketchbook

2 weeks ago, I received the most wonderful news in my inbox. I was asked if I was interested to design the cover for a magazine! I was so happy, I was over the moon really! I am so glad to have such a wonderful opportunity! Anyway, I don't think I should show any final works or let you know anything more. So just thought I'd share these bits of my initial sketches.

Oh and by the way, you guys are really such nice readers! Thanks for entering my zine giveaway and leaving all those wonderful comments! I'll be picking a winner on Monday when I get back : )

Have a great weekend!

New zine giveaway!

Remember this post I did a while back? I'm finally done with my newest Sydney zine! They'll be in my shop sometime next week! But before then, just thought I'd do a little giveaway! : ) Just leave a comment, your name and your email address and I'll pick a random winner on Monday 22nd!

Anyway, how was your Valentine's day and Chinese New year? Not sure if you celebrated any of it. But even if you didn't, I hope you've had a great weekend nevertheless! I just returned from a short 2 day road trip with my family and friends to Kuala Lumpur. It was fun, but really tiring! Considering we drove all the way from Singapore! Haha. I got home late last night with a really bad throat. Gosh! Has it been 2 weeks since I've been sick? I'm heading to the doctor's again tonight for more medicine. 2 more days before I fly back to Melbourne. I hope I get well by then! Being sick on a plane is no fun at all!

Happy Weekend + Valentine's Day

Image source

Hope you'll be having a great weekend no matter where you are. Whether you are celebrating Valentine's day, or the Chinese New Year. Have fun! I'll be back on Wednesday with a little giveaway! : )

See you fellow bloggers!

Necklaces

A while ago, I bought one of Kate Miss's Brass drops necklace. I loved it so much, and bought another of her woven necklaces. I love wearing them together. They look cute that way! This morning I got one of Jenny's wool necklaces. ( Pictured above. ) Before making my purchase, I went on flickr and I found a cute outfit post of Whitney, the cute blogger of Darling Dexter, wearing her Wiksten wool necklace. Too cute for words!

Yes, I should stop indulging and spending my money on pretty necklaces. But I can't help it. I don't know about you, but buying handmade sure does make me happy. Anyway, enough of online shopping. I need to stop buying stuff for now. And start saving the rest of my money so I can buy more art supplies and make more art.

Anyway, 2 more days before my Etsy shop sale ends!

PS: Pardon the crappy quality of the second photo. I was using my phone camera!

Rainbow in my hands

Found this image I took over a year ago. And somehow it makes me happy. I miss wearing my red cardigan everywhere I go. It's a little too hot in Singapore to do so. I haven't worn my cardigan in 3 months!

Oh and as of right now, I think I'm going through a minty green phase right now. I think about the colour so much. All the time! I would love a minty green cardigan. I think it'll be really nice.

Happy Friday!

Mandrake & Willow

Sometime in mid January, I mailed two of my prints to a lovely new shop in Yarraville. A Melbourne based shop specialising in unique handmade, fairtrade, organic, recycled, vintage and locally made clothing, jewellery and gifts, Mandrake and Willow now stocks my prints. So if you live in Yarraville, or somewhere nearby, do drop by this lovely shop, located at 66 Anderson Street, Yarraville, Victoria. Thanks to the wonderful shop owners, for taking this picture. Can you spot my two prints? They sure look happy where they are!

Madewell

I kind of enjoy watching the little introductory video that pops up when you click on 'The Inside Scoop', on Madewell's cute website. Quite inspiring to know that someone out there really makes sure every single jeans are the perfect fit. And if you haven't already known, Alexa Chung and Madewell have have teamed up to produce a line, consisting of tea dresses, polka dots, high waisted skinny jeans, wool jackets with lace, bomber jackets, etc. Sounds pretty awesome to me. Can't wait for it to be revealed on the 16th!

Thoughts on my mind today

Triangles, sandwiches and apricots in my cereal. That's all I'm thinking about right now. I think about waking up, watering my little herb garden, enjoying my bowl of cereal with lots of fruits, making yummy wheat sandwiches with lots of alfalfa in them. But really, I'm just missing every bit of being able to sit quietly in my room in Melbourne, looking at the cut-out pastel triangles I stick on my wall, while enjoying my bit of breakfast and letting my brain think of tiny little art stuff. Alone, quiet, with the sound of birds and a lovely blue sky outside my window. That's how I like it.

Off to watch Matilda now. (I used to secretly wish I would grow up to be like Miss Honey from Mathilda.) One of my favourite movies and books of all time. I love Roald Dahl's books. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr Fox, Esio trot, George's Marvellous Medicine... These were my favourites! I still re-read them once in a while now!

Tiny bit of magic

So glad to receive yet another tiny payment for my hand bound books, that I made a while ago, and are sold on Amy's lovely site.
I'm always so happy knowing that my art, brooches and bound books have found little beautiful homes to be in. Sarah, who was helping me sell my prints and brooches at last week's craft flea, told me that a guy, who was alone, bought one of my bunny brooches for his girlfriend. Such sweetness. Wouldn't it be nice to have a craft market-going, brooch-buying boyfriend? I think it is!

I hope the lucky girl, whoever you are, will love her little bunny brooch!

Super cool scarves

Gorgeous galaxy-ish scarves by Shabd simon-alexander. Wouldn't it be great to wear a little bit of stardust and galaxy around your neck? I think it is.

Anyway, I haven't been doing much drawing these days. I kind of want to spend my last few weeks before I go back to school, not making much art. Instead, spend some time thinking about my art approach for this year, gather bits and pieces that inspire me and prep myself so that when school starts, I'll be so itching to draw and make art so much, and all these bits of gathered inspiration will suddenly just explode into thousand bits of ideas, colours and new work forms. I think if you're an artist, it's a good idea to try and stop making art once in a while, take a break so when you come back, you'll have even better ideas and you'll be all excited and hyped up.

So yes, if you've been reading my blog, do prepare yourself for lots of inspiration, pretty things, found objects sort of posts. Coming right up! Do feel free to say hi, leave comments, ask questions. I never bite. I promise!

Oh and if you're looking at buying some art, my TINY PRINT AND BROOCH sale is still happening over at my etsy shop!

Steven Alan

Some of the Steven Alan tops I am coveting. Why, aren't they cute! Wish I had monnies to spend on these four tops.

Oh and just thought I'd let you know, I'm currently having a little print and brooch sale going on over at my etsy shop. Just because Valentine's day is near and I think it'll be nice to spread a little love and have a little sale.

School Days

Sometimes when I'm sitting in my studio and am bored and tired of painting, I like walking around my school to check out what others have been up to. It's always interesting to see the different bits and pieces on their inspiration walls. You know, I actually really, really miss school and my friends. Hi Shina and Greg! ( If you're actually reading this. Haha )

In exactly 22 days' time, I'll be back in school again. This time, as a Third year student. Judging from how exciting my second year was, I'm pretty sure my third year's going to be a blast!

Weekend craft market

Last weekend, Sarah and I had a little table at a craft market. It was fun while it lasted. Lots of chatting, laughter and food with a good friend is always nice. And to all of you lovely blog readers who came down and laughed along with us, it was so nice to meet you! : )

Anyway, you can buy my Bunny and Daschund brooches here.