Giftwrapping - Baby gifts

I must have procrastinated more than 1 month to wrap these presents. S. finally remarked that I do it soon, before the baby stuff didn't fit the babies anymore. Ha! Little did he knew I was smart not to get clothes and what-not that wouldn't fit over time. I love to shop for baby stuff, they are so tiny and cute, but when it comes to buying baby clothes for friends' newborns, I resist every temptation to get even 2-3 sizes bigger than their present size. I heard they grow really quickly, and don't you think they look so snug and comfy wrapped in blankies? So I usually get photo albums, photo frames, blankies, burpies and stuff for mommy. Recently 4 of my ex-colleagues had new additions to the family. Great time to hit the stores again.. hee hee... and to the paper shops. I am a total packaging freak.






I came across this Japanese giftwrapping book which uses lots of fabrics. Really pretty, and I decided to use some of the newly bought linen. Yummy pink. I hope Teri likes the packaging as much as the linen hat and bag inside.

I'm really inspired...

It's the type of shop I would want. Wooden matt floorings, turquoise and cream coloured shelves to ceiling height, filled with fabrics and sewing supplies. A sewing corner with an industrial sewing machine, huge windows with wooden frames. Loads of daylight, natural linen curtains with brown polka dots. Whimsical looking chairs with floral fabrics. Fresh white roses everyday.

All that inspired by one online shop I stumbled upon: Linnet

I don't know when I'll ever have the resources to finance and support a shop like this, but let's take a baby step at a time. I should start err... printing my own fabrics first? Get a sewing machine? My birthday's coming up. Will hint to S. that a sewing machine could have the power to steer me into a new found career.

Getting the same things in different colours...

Well, if you have the habit of buying the same items in different colours, please drop a note here. You are not alone! (though I could well be the only queer one).

I used to buy shoes and pants in different colours when I find a good fit. Sometimes I am even tempted to buy 2 of the same pair of shoes (and I mean IDENTICAL) but I quickly stop myself. When the only pair wears out, it's always too late to replace it (I hope fashion can be less seasonal!).

Yes, boring, resistant to change, predictable, that's what my friends would call me when they go shopping with me. I'd prefer adjectives like "classic" and "sentimental". Ahhh... do I hear some cheer from the like-minded? ^___^


When the same habit translates to craft supplies, it becomes a different story though. We may need paint, colour pencils, pastels in full palettes, but to get the same printed fabric in all available colours? Even I am finding it a little too indulgent. For all being said, I still indulge. (okie you can slap me...)



I had tried to stop but I just can't (searching for self-dicsiplline. See? I can't even spell it properly.) The only way to go on is to figure out what to do with them. I use very little fabric (as of now), so I have to find ways to use more. I have a close friend who exercises frantically to enjoy loads of high calorie food; I think I am close to grasping her theory. Haha...

Miu~ on facebook

It's awful weather:- howling winds, uprooted traffic lights, bent trees, falling road signs. All appointments were cancelled; I was home (almost) the whole day (still manage some grocery shopping!) and I did 3 pieces of graffiti on facebook's superwall (it's an application that allows you to make send drawings/messages with brushes like how we did with the old ).) I drew Miu~ the optimistic cat (again!). They must realise I am terribly glued to the laptop.


I raced a virtual pet on facebook (aka (fluff)Friend) over 60 times over 10 hours to earn some virtual money. Such an animal abuser. I even gave the poor giraffe 2 shots of coffee to help it race better! Awfullllll me. I'm still praying the weather would be better tomorrow, so I can check out a few places in Taipei, but weather reports are clearly asking people to get real and stop wishing for the rain and wind to go away. I'll have loads of time to work on a friend's wedding invitation! Yippieee~~~

The brief: "Something auspicious, preferably red, without being TOO red." Huh, it's a little ambiguous here, but I'm very excited about the opportunity to be involved in their wedding. It's just 2 months away! Such a rush, I should get on it as soon as possible.

I'll do a post when it's ready. :)

Silkscreening Miu~

I had been waiting for this workshop for a month, and when 29th September finally came, the Saturday morning seemed especially cheery. It had not been easy looking for silkscreen classes where I reside, and when I finally found one I could attend, I jumped with a big HOORAY!!!.

Though a short session (yup it's 3 hours, I'd hope it's a full day workshop so I can keep printing), I learnt 2 basic techniques with loads of hands-on:- Mono Screenprinting and using Reduction Screen Filler Stencils. For those completely new to the concept of screenprinting (yup, I was totally new a month ago as well, and watching how-to videos on youtube helps), you might want to take a quick look at screenprinting on Wikipedia before you read on.


For Mono Screenprinting, screen mono prints are using water-soluble crayons, pencils and fabric dyes drawn or painted directly onto the mesh of the screen. Once your image is completed on screen, a transparent base is used as a vehicle to transfer it onto the paper. The image can be used once or up to a few times, before the image fades out.

For the latter, a screen filler is used to create or edit images by closing areas of mesh, preventing them from printing. Each time you squeegee, you print 1 colour. If you have 3 colours on your image, you print thrice. Quite a lot of work actually, but loads of fun. Below is a simple diagram showing the filter meshes and the resulting print.





The floral image (with green background) is printed twice, once with green, and the second time with brown.

It was a great workshop at Tyler Print Institute of Singapore. Another part-time course I found was hosted at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, it spanned 10 evenings over 10 weeks in August/Sept, and focused on printing on fabrics (which I love). I am not sure if courses like these would recur. If you know of any other silkscreen printing classes coming up, please do drop me a note!

Miu~

I got fixated on Japanese fabrics since a month ago, and I can't seem to resist them. I haven't got a sewing machine (sigh.. no oven, no sewing machine, something in life is just missing). I tend to consider for the longest time when I shop for "equipment" of any sort. I go crazy looking at specifications, learning about functions & features. I dwell on every single detail and consider and reconsider every need and future need. Ha! By the time I finish the research, the model is outdated, and no longer sold. "L" for loserrrrrr. While I am not too quick on buying the BIG things, I jump and almost pounce on all the small little indulgences. Weaving seamlessly between shelves of ribbons, bales of printed cottons & linens, I am quick (and almost too eager) to part with some cash.




Okie, back to Miu~, this card features a contented cat sitting on an armchair. I wanted to find a way to start using all the ribbons, paper and fabric I have. I find it therapeutic to draw wallpaper and furniture. Voila... I showed it to Sha when we met up last week. She said she would open up her bookstore when I make 1000 of these, 20 (or is it 50?) designs. She would sell them in her shop. Well, I don't think I'll reach 100 anytime soon, because it's horribly tedious to ink & cut & paste, but this somewhat informal remark is giving me an awful amount of interest in making them, because I *REALLY* wish for the day Sha has her dream book store! I know she would find so much fulfillment in running it (and reading everything on the shelf!).

1000... okie, 1 at a time.

Well, she didn't say no printing.

Hur Hur Hur...

Falling in love with Cranes & Sakuras

This fabric didn't quite catch my attention on first sight, but I have grown to like it so much it's therapeutic to look at. If you have a queer shopping habit of scrutinizing almost fabric in the store, and looking at the shortlisted ones 10 times before considering thrice and finally deciding to buy the same pattern in multiple colours (I only needed 1 though.. hmmm), you would probably know how I feel. "Precious find...oooo.. ahhh....might as well get the purple, and the brown.. and the..."




I don't know if this would fall under "excessive shopping", but it's certainly turning me into a collector of various kinds of art supplies, most of which I use, but some of which I can only bear to admire with growing appreciation.



I should really get kicking to get started on learning about screen printing my own fabrics. After rolling more truffles *promise* :)

These fabrics are available in my little Etsy store.