Time to sit back and relax

I finally found time after work today to treat myself with a much needed time-off. I've been stressing over grad show the entire year. I got so stressed, I actually fell sick and was sick on and off for a good half a year. Today, with grad show all wrapped up ( well, sort of. I still need to bring home my sculptures on Thursday ), I went to my favourite suburb and walked around without any art making in my mind. I treated myself to some fish sans chips ( I do not like chips! ), a huge ice cream which I couldn't even finish, bought some fresh flowers and popped into the bookshop. Oh and I bought some yummy french beans for dinner too. It was so nice to finally be able to sit down and relax and just not think about work. After this Thursday's 'de-install', I will officially be taking a big long christmas holiday. That means, no art making ( I'm a known workaholic, so I'll have to try very hard on this one! ) and just sitting back, enjoying life and relaxing till I'm all geared up for next year. I always believe in taking a break and then coming back all refreshed, ready to make better art. Well, this tactic's been working like a gem for me the past 3 years. So I'm pretty excited about it. Oh hello holidays, it's so nice to meet you again!

2 Things

Smiling and knowing my bed now looks extra cute, with my smiley face Beci Orpin pillow + floral and polka dot square square pillow. My stuffed cat-Polkie, which I've had for 4 years now, is always ever ready to make new friends, so he's been happy with my two new pillows.

I also spent the whole of today in school, dragging, lifting and pulling with all my might, all my sculptures down from the studios upstairs into the drawing studios downstairs. I was meant to un-stuff them today too. But I had no strength left in me at all. Being sick makes me want to sleep all day and not do any heavy lifting at all. Oops! I lined my sculptures up to take individual photos of each one. My friends commented they looked like they were lining up to be questioned. Haha. I think so too. I think they look kind of cute like that. I will be going in on Thursday to unstuff them and bring them all home. I will definitely be missing all their squishy-ness, that's for sure.

MARKit roundup!

MARKit was a huge success! The crowd was huge, thanks to the rain, and it was non-stop action all the way! The 5.50am alarm clock and 7am bunk in, with moments of getting caught in the rain, was definitely all worth it. Thank you everyone for coming by. I think it is so nice knowing many people will be receiving nice handmade goodies this year for Christmas. I like it when I receive handmade things too. It makes it special, knowing somewhere out there, someone is behind it all, slowly working away at the sewing machine, printer, painstakingly making everything work together like magic. That sort of thought makes me smile and be glad I can be part of this entire community of special 'magic-makers'.

Thanks everyone for coming! And of course, a big thank you to Craft Hatch and Craft Victoria! Without them, I wouldn't even have had a stall at MARKit. Look out for more craft markets in the future! The next one up will be this exciting one right here! I'm saving my very last 5 tea towels for this market and several food recipe prints too. Yum yum yum! I won't be there on the day itself though. My parent will be arriving from Singapore! So I'll be popping by as a customer and the wonderul Lara, Jess and Emma will be selling my work on behalf. Aren't they super? I owe them one!

Anyway, I'll see you around, soon! I'm going into school today to possibly unstuff my sculptures and bring them home. Just the thought of it makes me feel a wee bit sad. But it's ok. It's the start to new beginnings! After my 'sculpture-business' I will be making a trip down to the bank with my stack of earnings from yesterday. Need to bank all of them in and 80% will be going to next month's rent. Ah, money comes in, money goes out. Such is life of an artist! Haha.

PS: Sorry about the quality of pictures. All shot on my iphone! Oops!

To Market To MARKit!

I spent the whole of today planting myself at my table near the window, sewing and sewing and packing and sewing tea towels and prints. I even whipped up a mailing list! It's been crazy here with non-stop sewing and packing action. All in preparation for this Sunday's big MARKit design market! I've got a stall there, all thanks to the lovely Kim Brockett of Craft Hatch and Craft Victoria. Thank you Kim! See, she's even written such a super post about me over on the Craft Victoria blog! Totally left me blushing. Haha.


I've been a Craft Hatchling for a while now. And I must say, my little Handmadelove business actually started off from my very first Craft Hatch market in early November last year. Since then, I've been part of two other Craft Hatches, and it's been super fun! It's such a comfortable market, with chairs, and tables all set up nicely. With the toilet just round the corner, and air conditioning, and at the City library/Degraves Street too. So far my lunch for the past few Craft Hatches, have been yummy sushi from the shops downstairs. Sushi's good. At least to me!

My very first Craft hatch back in November last year. In fact, my very first Craft Market in Australia!

It's great to know friendships have forged out of Craft Hatch too. I met the lovely ladies of Harvest Textiles at one of my Craft Hatching experience, and guess what? We've since stayed in touch. I'm actually starting a series of Kids classes at their new East Brunswick premises early next year! You'll see the brochures this Sunday at MARKit. Harvest textiles will be there too, along with so many other awesome crafters and designers. The lineup is simply amazing. I hope I don't end up leaving Darren to mind my stall while I go do some shopping myself! Hmm.. Highly likely I think!

I'll be selling a limited number of tea towels, recipe prints, and also, a new recipe print which hasn't been listed in my shop just yet! So come on down and get your Christmas shopping done! See you then at Federation Square this Sunday! We'll all be there from 10am to 5pm!

2 Things

My early christmas present from Darren, a beautiful pair of Liberty Bensimon sneakers! I've always wanted one. The other taupe one I have is super comfortable. We got it from Manon in Hawksburn. Apart from shoe wearing and looking down at my shoes all the time, I've also been making and having lots of bircher muesli. Topped with berry yoghurt, honey, cinnamon sugar, almonds, berries and in the fridge they go, to set for a night. So yummy, so good and needlss to say, so super quick. Now off to have a nice breakfast of some bircher muesli I made last night!

Opening Night!

I should have shown more pictures up here but I ended up not taking that many photos. it was so warm that night, I wasn't in any mood for photos at all. I actually had somewhat a heat stroke after that! Horrible. But yes, you can view the rest of the pictures here. I took those way before it got crowded. Lots of young hippies art school people, friends and family. Not so much art collectors. I think it was just too warm a day for buying any art. Haha. I myself wanted to leave because I got so dizzy and felt a little pukey, but decided I should stay throughout. And I'm glad I did because I got to say hi to several familiar faces and meet new ones too! Thanks for coming and bringing a friend, partner along. So nice to meet you all.

Lots of kids came along with their mommies and daddies. In fact, kids were most of the time, the ones attacking my work. When I say attack. I really mean that. Haha. There was this little toddler, upon seeing my Tetley's tea bag, he practically just dived into it. But his parents caught him just in time. One on each side! Well, you see, I don't blame him at all, because my tea bag's a bean bag anyway. So it's meant to be sat on. It's so squishy so maybe that's why kids like it so much? I'm not too sure. There were little kids pulling their mommies to my work and showing them 'hey look mummy! it's so soft!'. There were cute teenage girls taking photos with my sculptures. They actually placed their phone camera on timer, on the floor! How cute is that! I think it's very cute. Haha. I'm so glad little kids like my work. And the adults too. Nice to see so many smiles and I think my sculptures are happy themselves too, having gotten several hugs, and squishes from smiling strangers.

Oh and I won two awards too. A $1000 prize from the NGV, and a solo show at a gallery next year. Yay! Thank you all of you who helped me in one way or another. All your pillow donations, encouraging words, hugs and emails all mean so much to me. Without all of you, and of course, without Jesus, nothing will be possible!

Ah, I cannot believe how fast everything went! I am still feeling a bit spacey. As though my body's stuck in the present and my mind's in the past? Totally strange! Seems like only a couple of months ago my friends and I were bumming around wondering what on earth will we do for our graduation show. And here it is! All done! So weird! It's been such an amazing journey.

Anyway, the show's on till this Sunday! I'd say go have a look if you like, during the weekend. it'll be much cooler and less crowded. I'll probably be there on Saturday morning for a while. So see you if you're coming!

Today's the day!

Okay. Honestly, I am freaking out big time. I have been having nightmares about my sculptures breaking, the air mattresses in my sculptures deflating because some kid decided to go pierce it or jump on it or something. For almost a whole week now, I have been waking up super early because I am just too nervous about tonight. I actually wanted to go to school yesterday ( on a Sunday! ) just to check and see that nothing's been damaged or jumped on. I spent over an hour yesterday freaking out because I don't know what to wear. Which shoes to match with my dress, which bag to carry. I know, I sound so girly right now, but yes, I am freaking out! My friends were saying how you really don't know who's coming, people from the streets, friends and family, billionaires, companies, gallery owners, art collectors, so dress to impress. I am not sure how is it going to be tonight. If anyone is going to like my work, or even buy my work. How people will respond to my work and stuff like that.

You know, I still can't decide what to wear. And my tummy hurts all the time because I am so nervous I have a gazillion butterflies in my stomach. Ahhh.

But yes, all will be well, I am sure. Something will work out, right? Like it always does. So fingers crossed people will smile when they see my work. Because I think smiling and happiness makes art making all worth while.

Ok, wish me luck! And see you there at the opening if you can make it!

My Creative Space

Here I am with a sore back and ankle, but I'm pretty excited to share with you my creative space! Well, it's been my 'work in progress' space for the past week at least! All in preparation for our graduate show! Today I went into school again and fixed up some remaining bits, and stuck up price tags for my works. I also mopped the floor and my lecturer made me pose with my work. She took fancy shots of me doing silly poses, hugging my sculptures and all. Things like a leg and arms up in the air. Haha. They are unglamorous but fun shots. So I will not show it here. But I like the ones above best. Even though I look slightly funny, so tired and slouchy. She says that's my 'media' shot and I kind of like the second one too. It looks like I'm talking to my work, like they're my friends. Haha.

Tomorrow I will go in and dust my work and I am done! All ready for Monday's big opening. Cool beans I can't believe how fast everything just goes. I have exactly three days to go make myself presentable on Monday night. I need to get my brows done, pimples on my face cared for and dress picked out and ironed. My brows and face looks like they've been in a cave for a year or something. Haha. Oops!

PS: More fun creative spaces over on Kootoyoo's blog!

I'm Graduating!

And yes oh yes, you are invited to come along to my graduate show opening! It's open to public so you can bring anyone really. I'm not fussed, the more the merrier! My friends and I have been working so hard the past couple of days, clearing out our entire studio space and transforming it into our very own 'gallery space'. It's been crazy. And really a lot of hard work. We practically took apart, stacked and packed over 80 metal cupboards, 100 over chairs and wall partitions. Scraped off icky bits from the walls, sanded the walls and painted several coats to make it looks nice, clean and fresh. We all had paint on our faces, hands, arms, legs, even in our hair! And needless to say, I went home with spotted jeans and shoes. How funky. We got on all fours ( yes all fours! ) and dragged ourselves across the space scrubbing paint bits off the floors. You know, my bag, jeans and shoes got so black. It's gross! But it was all worth it. Just thought I'd share a few work in progress photos with you.

Maybe these photos will interest you and you'll come with family and friends to our show? It'll be nice and I'd love for you to come see my huge fat squishy food sculptures! They are already happily basking in their spots, making friends with each other, chatting in excitement about who's coming to say hi to them and possibly even meeting little kids who'll give them nice big hugs.

Anyway, the show opens this coming Monday 22nd November, at 6 to 8pm at the Victorian College of The Arts, 40 Dodds Street, Southbank. I will be standing with my works, at the painting department. So come say hi. Oh and all works will be for sale! They'll make really wonderful home decorations I reckon!

See you there if you can make it!

Weekend Breakfast

Melbournians generally love a good hearty weekend breakfast. Well, I know I do. And so does Darren. Whenever we go out for a nice weekend breakfast, he orders a huge boy's kind of breakfast. Complete with eggs, beans, mushrooms, toast, bacon and hash browns. I on the other hand, usually prefer a sweeter option. Pancakes with lots of maple syrup! Yum...

Today however, Darren ordered pancakes instead, and I opted for a much healthier Bircher Muesli. I actually never ever order cereal, muesli, granola or anything of those sort. But the one at Grigons and Orr is just too good to not order. It came in a tall ice cream cup, filled to the brim with strawberries, apples, almonds and raspberries. So good I finished the entire cup! All by myself. So healthy and and so yummy. Or so I think...

From Ebony

Look at what came in the mail the other day! Ebony sent me this whole package of goodness. How sweet is that?! Thank you so much Ebony, I really appreciate it. Your package made me smile, after a really bad day/week/month. And I'm so thankful for that. I've stuck the cute Mogu Takahashi postcard on my wall. I see it everyday now and when I do, I'm reminded to stay strong and keep my chin up. So thank you so much Miss Sando!

Those of you who follow me on twitter, will have already known that I'm going through one of the worst months. Preparing for graduation show is already stressful enough as it is. But no, on top of that, our lease ends end of December, so we have house hunting and moving out to take care of. We need to find a third housemate! Not many people want to move just before Christmas. So if you do know anyone, let me know. That aside, my very good friend, one of my best friends in fact, is very ill. I don't want to say anything more, but I hope my friend gets well. I really do.

Anyway, thanks Ebony. Now whenever I am sad, I will look at the postcard, and be reminded of you and your happy face, and the lovely encouraging things you say to me. And it will make everything better. Thank you!

More Tea Towels

Spent the whole of yesterday and today busy sewing and packing a bunch of tea towels. Those of you who've pre-ordered online, good news is, they are done! So I will be sending it out on Thursday. Thank you so much for your patience. I am secretly thrilled my tea towels are going to lovely homes, and will be used by nice nanas, mummies, girlfriends, crafters, bloggers. In general, to nice homes owned by nice people. Yay!

Boeuf Bourguignon

Darren and I got a new cast iron pot. So we spent the whole of yesterday evening making Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon! It took forever to make, with me falling asleep and waking at 1am to pull the pot out from the oven. But the effort's all worth it. We had it for dinner tonight, along with some homemade potato mash, broccoli, homegrown snow peas. So yummy, fresh and hearty. The recipe says it's for 6. But looking at the pot now, I think it feeds 8! Now we have enough Boeuf Bourguignon to last us for the next couple of days. Oops! But I guess no one's complaining.

Tea Towel Sewing

For those of you who are wondering about the tea towels, they are being sewn. For those of you who've pre-ordered, they'll reach you soon, I promise! If you'd like to pre-order some for Christmas, let me know. I've gotten a second batch printed after the first batch sold out within the first few days. Drop me an email if you're interested. Thanks!

Last days at school

The past couple of days, I've been slowly but surely moving out of my studio. It's that time of the year again when I clean out my entire space and move out. Every year we get a new studio space. And for the past three years, my studios have all been my second home. I cannot imagine school's almost all over. I've been making and learning so much. I think next year, I will find it a bit hard to adjust to a routine without a proper studio and school. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I think I will miss school! But then again, I'm pretty excited about new adventures. So I think I'll do fine!

And yes, that's me hiding behind my sculptures. Darren took the photo for me because I wanted to remember that very moment. The very last of my school days. I think with this photo, I can safely say, ten years down the road, I will remember how my very last days at school were almost all filled with heavy lifting, tripping over things, saw dust, and massive fast-paced sewing. Sewing like I've never sewn before, with hair all over my face, and bruised fingers, shouting 'ahhhhhh! I'm so stressed' over to my friend, who shouts back 'ahhhh! I know!! Ah. Can't wait for it to be over!'

Haha. So stressful and back breaking, but so much fun!