Wednesday, September 28, 2011

LBD

I've taken a couple of sewing classes with my Aunt,
and this is what we'd worked on in the last lesson.

 

It's a great dress for swishing in!


I figured out scalloping on my own after the lesson at home, though I really should have asked her for some tips. For lack of great technique in sewing and making some rookie mistakes, my scallops came out all wanky. I don't mind it too much, it still works.

I guess, it's one of those things where you could call it unpolished, or you could call it fresh and free with the power of denial!

Still, not sure if I should add the belt to it (it's just a piece of flat white string I tied around my waist for the picture). Also, maybe I have hemmed the dress half an inch too short? But, ah!

Can't wait to wear this little blue dress out! :D

Monday, September 26, 2011

Cat House

More turning my living room into my studio, I printed some Sad Cats on my sofa covers

 

Here's a bit of print close-up

 

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Friday, September 23, 2011

Sequences and Sequencing

It's been a very interesting past few days! 

Headed out to Lykke Li's gig at The Esplanade.

   

A great gig. She can do no wrong in my books. 

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Got my hands dirty with Playground for the project Unleashed
Had a grand time smelling paint fumes and silk-screening on newspapers :)

 
These are the posters


 
& this is my freneighbour Ty

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Made my way down to a Dutch Market too. Thought there would be more crafty things to look at. Instead, it was just lots of re-selling of purchased jewellery from "exotic" places like Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, etc. 

Had a good lunch with Janice nonetheless that further re-structured my thought patterns. 

I have some exciting adventures lined up for me which, I can credit it to no more than divine providence. Gonna be in mode top-secrecy, till it's all confirmed (which, in good faith, should be).  

The umbilical cord to several negativities in my life has been cut off, and I too, have lifted the fog of potential depressing uncertainty about me. I've never been made more aware of the kind of energy I want around me, and have never been more convicted of surrounding myself with such influences.

To whom who makes all things possible! Lead on.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Project Cushion

On a mission to transform my living room into a studio space, I decided to spruce it up and make it mine (as much as my mom possibly allows me).

So I made some hand-dyed cushions yesterday!

Took me a good few hours to make 3 cushion covers. Too long a time, I reckon, for I kept making silly mistakes. I repeatedly sewed zips on the wrong side of the fabric. I too, had Britney's "Oops, I Did It Again" destructively and uncontrollably playing in my head.


It was a trying time. But, I pulled through!




Here they are, balled up & ready to be dyed. 

 

I probably should have listened to Jian regarding letting it sit longer in the sink. But, I am the impatient type, So I washed and dried it out after two hours of soaking.

I almost immediately regretted my unwillingness to wait when they came out of the washer. It turned a mildew colour (my mom calls it) instead of the bold grey it was when they were first unwrapped.

 

I went to sleep pretty troubled and disappointed, thinking of more ways where I could better these slips.

After a night of unrested sleep, I got up anxiously to find the cushions a delightfully soft silvery-grey in the morning light!

   

My phone can't quite capture the fine wisps and textures of the tie-dye, but I am loving how the covers turned out. They look almost like moon crevices.

Now with these done. I can move on to my next home project (more about that later)!

Also, if you're wondering what is Lights doing in all my pictures, I will explain. I'm not sure if all cats are like this, but Lights is just a very curious feline and loves being involved in all that I do. Be it sewing, mixing up dyes, painting, or even cooking!

However, one thing she hates, it's music. Should anyone strum a guitar, or play the piano, she runs far, far away.

Other than the bit where she's lacking in musicality, I guess, I count my blessings with such a loveable cat.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Ipoh

Jian and I came back from Ipoh the other day. 

No big holiday or large amounts of gorgeous photos to show. 
It was just a quick trip down and back up again. Main purpose was to visit Jian's extended.







 Like a blast to the past. Had to shower with a scoop.
Quite certain nothing's changed over a 100 years.
Not much to do, not much to see.
Food was good, but!


We had these prawns which their heads were the size of my palm.
(Think lobster cross prawn hybrid.)
They could even make 2 dishes out of them, that's how big they were!
First dish, stir-fried bodies. Second dish, steamed craniums.
I have only a photo of their thinkers, below.

No photos of its juicy flesh cause my hands were too covered with their deliciousness to snap a shot. But, trust me.
Those fresh water prawns were unreal.

 

Monday, September 5, 2011

Drive, chauffeur, drive




Some personal sew projects I've been working on for myself :)


A simple cropped top, to wear with a high-waisted grandma skirt I've recently purchased



And this tote with a little red bow  



Somebody once told me: "From one entrepreneur to another, there's only one person's support you need. It is the most important one you'll need. Yet, this one person's support is also the hardest to get. This person, is you. Now, remember that."

Thursday, September 1, 2011

It is good





Got some cupcakes from one of my students as a teacher's day gift yesterday. A first!

An unbelievably nice gesture. Yet ironically, what a bittersweet feeling it was too, as it was my last day teaching the kid(s) at VMAS.

Growing up, I never saw myself teaching. Yet, suddenly, almost overnight, I became a teacher.

The most wonderful thing about this job, is that you're actually imparting something beneficial to another human being. You're imparting knowledge.

You see a young child who knew nothing about playing the piano before, he now knows how to read music, to understand music, to correspond that to which he sees with his eyes, with his fingers, his ears; and hopefully in time, relate to it with his heart and soul.

What a wonderful opportunity I have been given to teach music to children from as young as 3! I don't regret having join VMAS. It's just an awful pity that the place is not what I thought it'd be.

I have been through quite a bit in this short 7-8 month stint. Went through many phases, and fought many battles. I am tremendously happy and relieved that I have finally left the place (joy in chorus). Yet, I am most definitely, a little heartbroken about having to leave the kids and a few of my colleagues behind. There's quite a bitter taste in my mouth too, but with the situation as it was/is, it's almost unavoidable.

A good experience nonetheless - shook me up the right way.

Here's to boldness + good faith + guided pathways!