Thank You and Happy Holidays!

Oh wow! No pictures in a post! Haven't done this in a very very long time! I am currently on holiday in Singapore, back home with my family and we leave for a family holiday to Turkey and Dubai tomorrow. We won't be back till the new year, so just wanted to say a big huge thank you to all of you for all your support the past year. This year was probably my hardest year so far. With so much going on. Those of you who read and follow this little blog will know I lost my best friend to cancer. ( I dreamt of him two nights ago. I miss him terribly! ) I'm still learning to cope with it every day. Some days it's good, some days it takes a while for me to let it all sink in that he's no longer a phone call or tram ride away. But life goes on! And this year sure went really fast. I guess being in mourning helps. I worked myself to the core and had so many wonderful opportunities be given to me. All the magazine and newspaper features, teaching experiences, new friendships formed. Thank you so much for everything.

So yup, before I end my last blog post of 2011, I just wanted to say, have a blessed Christmas with your loved ones, and a terrific New Year! I'll be back in full force come Jan. I'm pretty sure I'll be taking a whole crazy lot of photos while in Turkey. And I am going to try, with all my might and luggage space, to bring home a carpet. Even if it means I'll look like a total wacko, wearing all my clothes onboard just so to have enough space in my luggage, I'll still try! All the beautifully hand woven textiles. I'll be crazy not to bring any home! So yes, wish me luck with not getting a heat stroke on board the plane!

See you in the new year folks!

Outpost in Sydney

Some pictures I took while visiting Outpost on Cockatoo Island in Sydney with Darren a few weeks back. It was such a rainy and gloomy day. We were caught in the rain, and totally way underdressed! Others around us were in huge jackets. We were in our summer wear? Haha. To be honest, I don't really know how to appreciate graffiti. But I do enjoy looking at super huge colourful murals. Especially those works in progress! Did anyone of you Sydney-siders go?

Sydney in a blast!

So, for those of you who don't already know, I'm now on instagram! Yes! I have just joined the gang. I was such a noob at it. Not knowing how to use it, reply to messages others have left, etc. Actually, I still don't really know how it works. Do I actually have a physical page somewhere with all my uploads? Like how Flickr and twitter works? Not sure! But yup, I went instagram crazy while I was on my recent trip to Sydney for Finders Keepers. I just love how I can tweet and Facebook my images while on the go! It's such a novelty, but yet it's pretty fun I think! Now see if you can spot and identify the places I went to. Hehe! And yes, I'm ashamed to say this but we definitely did eat our way through our entire trip! Again! ( The last time we visited Sydney back in 2009, we ate up to 7 meals a day just so we could fit all the yummy cafes into our travel plans! ) I know, we're such pigs! * I do have more food pictures but I shall be a bit more civilised and not scare you with the amount we actually ate. Haha.

Now, before I head off, don't forget, there's a 20% SALE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW ON MY ONLINE SHOP! Just A few more days to Christmas! Order today to get it all by Christmas!!! Once prints sell out, no more reprints! That's it! I'm planning new things for next year. Think : limited editioned pillowcases ( Vegetarian options! Dessert options! ), a few very limited large archival art prints. And perhaps a few smaller digital prints, etc. I'm actually back in Singapore now on a holiday till Feb, so I've appointed Darren as my official postie. Thank you Darren!

Now off for a lovely swim at the pool! It's too hot here in Singapore!

Florence in action!

Ooh look! It's the very special Florence in action! If you don't already know, Florence is Frankie and Swiss's amazing printer. She's not just any normal printer. She's a textile printer! ( Not sure if that's the right term ) But hey! Look, that's Michelle and Shelley, and that's Florence turning my artwork into beautiful linen napkins for Shelley's studio dinners next year!

Shelley has specially asked if I was game to team up with her in producing some limited edition napkins for her dinner, which will be part of Melbourne's 2012 Food and Wine Festival. Of course I said yes! I didn't even need to think! Good food, art, how cool is that. Very, I think! And it didn't help that I was already in love with Shelley's shop. It's the perfect little shop, filled with beautiful handmade pottery ( Made by Shelley herself of course! ), soaps and candles and yummy candies. I keep telling others how Shelley's shop feels like Christmas all year round! Thank you so so super much Shelley for asking me to be part of this exciting adventure! And thank you Michelle too for teaming up with us to make this all happen! Without you and Florence, this wouldn't even be possible! Thank you!

Did you know, Florence also printed my funny meaty pillowcases? I have 2 left in the shop! And with an additional 20% sale, they might be too yummy to resist? You never know, someone out there might like a meaty pillowcase!

20% Off Everything in my store!

Hello friends and family, one and all! I'm about to leave on a long Christmas holiday! So I'm throwing a 20% storewide discount! Yes you heard me! EVERYTHING will be on sale!!! Get the print you always wanted but thought was too expensive! It's now or never! Items will NOT be restocked once gone.. No more reprints, ever! Moving towards a whole new concept next year! So yes. Get it now before it's gone forever! Use discount code HAPPYHOLIDAYS : ) Have fun shopping everyone!
www.handmadelove.bigcartel.com

And don't forget, my last Christmas market before I pack up and leave on my holiday! Come say hi if you can!

Finders Keepers!

So, I've just returned from a nice little break in Sydney! Well, Darren and I went up for Finders Keepers and had lots of fun meeting new faces, selling my work. Even though it was really tiring having only 3 hours of sleep ( thanks to last minute packing ) to last us through our first day of flying + setting up + selling adventure, it was nonetheless still a super experience! Darren's excited and wants to do it again next year! Haha. Well, we'll see how it goes. Perhaps We might apply for the Brisbane market? Hmm... Thanks to everyone who came and said hi. All you lovely lovely readers, makers, friends, Lauren, Chrissy, Em and John, Matthew, the Frankie ladies, Angela and Renne from Leeloo, Kirsty and Josh, Beth Emily, Dani M and so on.. And of course, not forgetting the Harvest gang! Emma and her lovely sister- Ange, Thank you for the last minute Bunnings run! Emily and Jenn and the ever so hilarious Miss Indie and her love for thai salted duck eggs. Haha. You guys made my whole Sydney market experience one to remember! View more pictures here! Sorry, I decided not to post them up here. I look SO tired in almost all the photos. My teeny tiny sleep-deprived eyes! Gosh!

Darren left with a cute little house brooch. And I left with a necklace from NotTuesday, Which I wore every day after that! A lovely wooden rice spoon from attia, a brooch for my sister and the cutest ever vintage-style polka dot red bathers. I tried them on at the market and instantly felt hot! I NEVER ever feel that way about myself. A old lady came up to me after seeing me in it and said " Darling, you got to get it. Seriously, You look so good in it! You've got such good legs! Seriosuly.. It's great on you! " Awww. Thank you lady. You put a smile on my face : ) I never enjoy spending time at the beach cause I'm always so conscious. Singapore/Asian girls are tiny and being a size 14.. 16..It's like I'm a giant. So thanks lady, for making me feel good and special about myself! Best market experience ever!

The Design Files Open House

So, if you don't already know, The Design Files Open House is this super huge crazy mega pop up. But wait, it's not just like any other pop up. You see, Lucy is this amazing wonder woman. Do you think superheroes would settle for a random shipping container to host a pop up? No. They have standards and Wonder Woman Lucy got herself a HOUSE. Yes. You heard me! A real house! One where people actually live in?! And Wonder Lucy basically took over, along with partner in crime, Esther and her team of superheroes and together, they transformed the entire home into one's dream land. Talk about crazy! EVERYTHING in the house is for sale. Including tap fixtures. I was soooooo lucky and was invited to be amongst the bunch of 75 awesome makers. I contributed 4 original artworks for the event. They're hung with lots of love in the kitchen!

I wanted EVERYTHING in the house. Including the house itself. Actually, on hindsight, I'd be more than happy just having only the toilet and the couch and maybe all the Jardan furniture and a few paintings, and lamps and bed linen. Oh and please how about adding in the very awesome 24k gold bin and baggu bags too? Please Santa, pleeeeeaaasssseeeee! I am definitely allowed to dream and wish right?

My theme phrase for the night was " OH MY GOD. I AM MELTING!!!! MELTING AND DYING AND MELTING INTO THIS ROOM.. LOOK AT THE BED.. OH MY GOD.. SOOOOOO NICE.. I WANT!!!!!!!!!!! " Yes.. I think I repeated that every time I turned a corner. Even if it wasn't a bed that I wanted to melt into.. it was the couch, the chair.. Even the toilet bowl looks nice to me! I got lucky and got to use the toilet for a few minutes. It totally put my own home toilet to shame!

Sorry I couldn't really be bothered to fine-tune my images and just shot them any-o-how, without adjusting my camera settings.. Hahah.. It was all TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL and I had so much fun! Thanks LUCY FOR EVERYTHING!!!! Drop by if you can! Warning, you might leave feeling like your house totally sucks. ( That happened to me! Haha. But only for a while. Don't worry, all my second/third/fourth-hand broken student furniture, we're still best friends. Just maybe not for life! )

More pictures on Lucy's blog here! If any of you make it there and if you've got extra time on your sleeve and a camera in hand, PLEASE take a photo of my work and send it to me if you can! I did not have time to go take photos in the day today ( the only day I can make it before I leave for Sydney tomorrow ! ) and it was way too crowded and difficult to photograph it last night. Thank you so so much! I will be really grateful if you can help me out!

Oh and on a totally different note, I'll be away in Sydney tomorrow till next Tuesday! I'm going to be at Finders Keepers! Along with my trusty elf/ man friend Darren! : ) We'll be there selling my art and wares. I am really really really excited about the market! It's my first in Sydney! Come say hi! I'd LOVE to meet all of you Sydney friends! It's always nice to meet new faces and know the lovely people who read this little blog!

See you if you can make it!
Take care and have a nice week!
PS: I was having lunch at a cheap Japanese place today and read this post on TheThousands. I burst out laughing! So funny!