Rainbows & Clouds, Paper Bag Inspired Tote & MJ

I'm not sure why I have this obsession with rainbows and clouds. I guess it's because I always see them when I look out from my studio. On the weekend, I had to grab my camera to take a few shots. I love taking photos of these beautiful sights that we take for granted.

How cute is that street lamp in the left bottom corner camouflaged in the dark shades of the trees. And can you see 2 rainbows below?

I've been pretty slacked with my sewing but I'm giving myself a pat on the back for finishing this Tote. This bag I am calling "Paper Bag", was inspired from the humble brown paper bags used in grocery stores before they were replaced by plastic bags. Thank God they seem to be back again replacing those nasty plastic bags.

Noticed the square shape and the wide gussett. I made it exactly like a paper grocery bag but with handles. Imagine a celery or french bread popping out. I think it's cute. My daughter said I should have put a slot for an umbrella. Great idea, I think I will do that next time!

Sorry guys but I still can't get over MJ's passing.

Here's another favorite of mine, 'I just can't stop loving you' written and composed by MJ. Recorded as a duet with Siedah Garrett. Apparently, Whitney Houston and Barbra Streisand both turned down the opportunity to record the song with Michael. Siedah was unaware Quincy Jones wanted her to record the song as a duet with Michael, until she turned up for the actual recording session.

I'm sure everyone have heard this beautiful song but did you know that this was also recorded in French and Spanish by Michael and Siedah? Entitled Je Ne Pas La Fin De Nous and Toda Mi Amor Eres Tu.

Here's the French version. I'm sure if you hear the spanish version you will love it too. Grab some tissues before watching ...

Gone Too Soon

'Gone Too Soon', a song by Michael, dedicated to Ryan White, a young victim of AIDS whom he befriended prior to his death. This song seems fitting for him now.

I'm sure that I'm just one of the hundreds of bloggers who will blog about Michael Jackson. But I have always been and will always be a big fan, no matter what people say about him. I think that Michael was the most misunderstood person in the world. People bullied him and made fond of his appearance. He was called 'Wacko Jacko'. The media never gave him peace and privacy. He may be weird and freaky, but that's what makes him awesome. He was the eternal Peter Pan. It can not be denied that he was the King of Pop.

As they say, even with all the blows, Michael's star never fully dimmed. Elvis is still very much remembered for the glory days of his career and with Michael Jackson, that's what people are going to remember the most.

Gone too soon ... RIP Michael, you're a legend.


Michael Jackson, Pop's Thrilling King.

My Daily Morning Routine

This is my daily routine on a weekday:

Alarm goes off at 5.30 am. I press the snooze button and go back to sleep. When the alarm goes off again and after 2 snooze attempts, I drag myself to the bathroom to take a shower. This would normally take about 10 to 15 mins. Then I change and quickly check emails on my phone. Not that these emails are so important but the LED light keeps on blinking and I just have to make it stop (good excuse!).

Then back to the bathroom to put some facial lotions, make up and what have you. Then dry and fix my hair. This is mandatory. We don't really want to go to work with a bad hair day, do we?

It is now 6.20ish. I'm ready to have my coffee while fixing lunch for the family. Now this part of the routine requires a superwoman like me because everything happens at the same time. I ran to my laptop to turn it on, turn on the coffee maker, heat something on the microwave, turn on the sandwich griller or the mini oven and make 4 different types of sandwiches. Yes, 4 different types because there are 4 people in the family and each one of us have different "tastes" in sandwiches. If only we can agree on a "sandwich for the day"!

By the time I finish this hullabaloo, the time would be around 6.50 am. Yes! I still have time to surf the net until we leave for work at around 7ish.

Yesterday, for some reason, I woke up as soon as the alarm went off so that meant I was like 15 minutes early. I looked at the balcony and the sun was not quite out yet. So I ran and took some photos. This was taken at 6.41 am.

Featured Artist - Made for Me by Oaklie

This week's featured artist is Anne. She's the designer behind 'Made for Me by Oaklie'.

Tell me something about yourself.

I was born in Schweinfurt, Germany and adopted by a loving couple here in the US. I grew up in Palo Alto, CA and had an excellent life! I have 1 sister and 1 brother. My husband and I now live in St. George, UT with our 5 "Babies" (Abbie, Skipper, Baby, Zazoo and Daisy). We weren't blessed with children so we have the "4-legged" variety.

What are your sources of inspiration?

Very often I just get an idea in my head.... no idea where it comes from; but, suddenly have the urge "I need to make that!". A lot of my other creations are inspired by color or texture. I picture the color in an item and begin to create! Craft stores are a "Danger Zone" for me... I can spend hours looking and getting inspired for great craft ideas!

Where and when did you learn your craft? Who taught you?

My Grandmother taught me to crochet and embroider. I taught myself to knit with a book I had bought as I thought how wonderful it would be to knit too! I also paint... oils and pastels are the mediums I have used in the past.

Aside from your craft, what else do you enjoy doing?

I love to play the piano and am a big "kid" at heart as I also love computer games.

What piece of advise can you give to other artists?

Follow your dreams! Use the gift God has given you! What I love most about my different crafts and abilities is that I express who I am through them and bring enjoyment to others. My hope is to get my painting studio replenished and set up again so I can begin painting. I have ignored this passion far to long and need to get it going again.

Visit Anne's shop at Made for Me by Oaklie or drop by her Blog!

Going ... going ... gone!

Every now and then, I list some of my items on eBay.
Starting prices of my auctions are way below normal prices so it's just like having a SALE!

I currently have a few items on 7-day auctions. Click on the photo to get more details. Don't miss out, grab a bargain!

Going ... going ... gone!

My SLR Camera Bag con Messenger Bag

Yay! I finally finished my camera bag.

5 Reasons Why I Love my Camera Bag:

1. It's not Boring.

Camera bags doesn't have to be boring. I've put some color in my bag to make it different and trendy. So if I bring my camera with me I don't need to bring another bag for my things 'coz this beauty can fit my camera, accessories and my stuff.

2. It's not Stiff

I hate stiff bags. Full stop.

All camera bags are stiff and super bulky. Not really my type. Yes, yes, I know there is a reason behind it but there are other ways of protecting the camera. My bag is made of suede fabric inside and out. It is soft and padded (inside and out) ... so luxurious.

3. It is Big, Bold BUT Light ... even when it's full

Most camera bags are so heavy and that is even before you have put the camera and lenses in it! But with mine, I don't have to worry about breaking my shoulders or my back.

And by the way, don't be deceived by its looks. This camera bag measures 12" x 11" x 5". It's so spacious, you'd be surprised how much it can carry.

4. It is custom made for me

I have made this bag to suit my needs. The straps are just right, I can use it crossover or as shoulder bag. Although some camera bags have adjustable straps, with my one, I don't have to put up with straps that's either too short or too long.

Inside there are 3 (padded) pockets for the camera body and 2 lenses and there's more than enough space for my personal things such as wallet, keys and more. There are handy pockets on the sides and in front for other accessories. Hey, I'm not Rambo, so I really don't need 100s of unnecessary pockets!

5. It doesn't look like a Camera Bag

The last thing I want is to walk around looking like a paparazzi! My bag simply looks like a normal messenger bag. Who would have thought that there's a camera in there.

I had people asking me if I could make one for them. My answer is, why not?

The Wonders of Yucca

Don't be fooled by a dying Yucca, they are stronger than you think.

As you can see, this one looks like there's no more hope of surviving. This has been left on the ground without being planted in the soil, unattended for weeks. Until I decided to temporarily stick it in the sand since I didn't have the time to plant it yet. When it was finally planted, it looked like it was just a stick.

My hubby suggested I should just throw it out because it didn't look nice. But I said shoooshh ... yucca are survivors, they are very hardy. I squeezed and pressed the trunk. It was still hard and I could feel there's still life in it. As long as the trunks are hard and you can see a bit of green inside, it means they are alive.

Then one day, we had a pleasant surprise! Leaves were growing.

Look at the these beautiful yuccas now.

Big and Bold

Here's a casual Supersized Tote. It's practical and big enough to fit all you need. You can fill up this bag and it would still be light to carry!

You will love the extra large pocket in the front that is secured with a magnetic snap. Plus enjoy the extra wide zippered pocket at the back.

MEASUREMENTS: Width - 38 cms (15"); Height - 32 cms (12 1/2"); Gussett - 10 cms (4"); Strap Width - 4 cms (1 1/2"); Strap Length - 48.5 cms (19") from end to end; Strap Drop - 20.5 cms (8")
And with more pockets inside, there's no excuse to be disorganized!

This 'must have' Tote is now available at Dawanda and Etsy.

Uncle George

I received a very sad news today. At lunch time, I learned that "Uncle George" passed away last night. George, or as my girls call him Uncle George, was the bus driver who took my girls to school and brought them home safely everyday for 10 years, from kindergarten all the way to Year 10.

He was so reliable and never missed a school day. He was a big help for us because me and my husband both go to work. The only time I remember he was away was when he had a knee operation and he even scheduled it as close as possible to the school holidays so parents like us don't have to worry.

Uncle George was funny and treated all the kids in his bus as if they were his own and made sure they were always safe. He was one person who took his responsibility with the kids very seriously. One time I forgot to call him to let him know that my daughter wasn't going home with him. So when my sister came to pick her up, he wouldn't let my daughter go with her. After much reassurance from my sister, George reluctantly agreed.

Uncle George was originally from Costa Rica. He had this really loud voice and very strong accent. He was one of the very rare people who pronounced my name 'Mo-nee-ke'. I don't know but I never bothered to correct him. When my daughter started kindergarten he only had a Tarago. Then after a few years, to accommodate demand from parents, he upgraded to a shuttle bus.

The last time I saw Uncle George was when my family hired him to drive the whole family plus visiting cousins, nephews and nieces to Canberra in December 2006. He was in his normal cheerful self.

Uncle George, you will be dearly missed.

My Little Corner

Here's a picture of my little corner in action. This was taken tonight after I got sick of ripping out my sewing of the camera bag. That thing you see on top is my camera bag in progress and that's Bro, my indi machine. You see, I've miscalculated the inside pockets. After the bag was done then I found that the camera body and the lens won't fit! So yes, you guess it right, I had to rip it off, not just the pockets but the sides and bottom of the bag as well. What a waste of my precious time. I got sick of it and so I abandoned it. My buddy, Nikki, sitting happily in the tripod was calling me to take a photo. So I did!

Stand

Okay, I admit that I have been a bit slack the last few days. I didn't even post my kikay weekly yesterday. I am blaming it all on the weather. It has been really cold here in Sydney this week that I just didn't feel like doing anything (or is it just another one of my procrastination techniques?).

Before I forget, I'd like to mention my thanks to Florence from Florence Wang designs who's given me a blog award this week. Since I've been actively blogging, I have found new friends, albeit online only. I now owe quite a few nice and very supportive crafter bloggers a blog award too. But not to worry, I am just waiting for the right time to pass it on ... it will come, I promise.

Like I said, I haven't done anything the past week. But thanks to the cold weather, I've managed to find time to fiddle with my camera. I am slowly learning so that's good. And this morning I decided to make myself a camera bag. I refuse to use those typical camera bags, you know, those bulky, black bags. I know, I know .. they are meant to protect the camera but unfortunately, I don't like the look of them. I am going to be a rebel and express my own individuality by creating a trendy camera bag for myself. I'm so excited, can't wait to finish it ASAP.

To wrap up the week ... it was cold, I haven't done anything productive, I didn't have a sale, procrastination was in, motivation was out ... what else???

But the good news is that the passion is still there. It's just a matter of listening to this inspirational song 'Stand' from Rascal Flatts to get myself going again!

Featured Artist - Passion for Beads

Do you like this bracelet? This is a creation of Sally, the designer behind 'Passion for Beads'.

Tell me something about yourself?

My name is Sally and I am originally from Hong Kong, and lived in Canada since 2001. I am a stay at home mom with two gorgeous boys, 6 and 3 years old! I have been beading for about 6 years. When I first started beading, I was doing it for fun until one day a friend of mine asked me to make her a choker and a pair of matching earrings. I started having orders for bracelets, chokers, necklaces and earrings thereafter. My journey of crystal jewelry business has also officially started and Passion For Beads is my very first online shop which established in March 2009.

What are your sources of inspiration?

My inspiration and ideas mainly come from craft books. I read a lot of craft books on beading to get ideas. Once a find a pattern that I like, I start working with the beads. To create a piece of work can be just a few hours or it can be days! Sometimes it is hard, but I enjoy the whole process. Other sources of inspiration are from those promotional flyers from local jewelry shops, inputs from my customers and other artists.

Where and when did you learn your craft? Who taught you?

It was about 6 years ago, a good friend of mine taught me the basics of beading and then I started to learn from books. However, the way I do beading slightly different, I do not use needles. Therefore, when I see a pattern I like, I start to create it in my own way! I think I am also a self- taught jewelry designer.
Aside from your craft, what else do you enjoy doing? Any advice to fellow crafters?

Aside from jewelry making, I enjoy cooking! I always look for good recipes to try. I also enjoy listening to music and spending time with my family. Spending quality time with my family is a little bit of challenge for me after starting my online shops! I guess this is also my advice to other artists. Besides creating your own masterpieces, do not forget to spend time with your family and friends!

Check out Sally's creations at:

Passion for Beads at Artfire

Passion for Beads at Made it Myself

Also, follow her Blog - My Daily Living

Photos and Quotes

I had the chance to play around with my camera in the last 3 days, so here are some pics. I obviously need to do more reading and playing around with the gadget. Out of (literally!) hundreds of pictures I took, these were the only ones that are sort of ... what do you think?







Thanks to my Blackberry, I get daily rss feeds of interesting articles (of whatever!) including motivational quotes. Here are some of my favorites:


"You pile up enough tomorrows and you'll be left with nothing but a bunch of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make today worth remembering." ~ Meredith Wilson


"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing" ~ Helen Keller

Love all, trust a few. Do wrong to none. ~ William Shakespeare


and here's my favorite of all -

"If you can solve your problem, then what is the need of worrying? If you cannot solve it, then what is the use of worrying?" ~ Shantideva

I heart Succulent Plants!

I love and I'm addicted to Succulents plants. These beauties are just so colourful. Aside from being "crispy" (I could eat them!), they exhibit a variety of forms, shapes, textures and flowers which makes a garden a work of art.

Just as camels store water in their stomaches (yes! you read it right, camels store water in their stomaches not in that big 'ole hump!), succulents store water in their swollen leaves, stems and roots. That is why they can survive the heat.

Although succulents can survive drought (they will if they must!) they could use some TLC every once in a while to keep them attractive and at their best. If you noticed that their leaves are not as crispy anymore, then that's a sign that they are longing for water. So give them a shower ASAP but please don't overwater them or they'll die on you.

Most succulents prefer sunny conditions which brings out their brilliant colors. Here's a tip, do not fertilize these plants if you want them to show off their colors. And just as you need regular hair trim, they too need the occasional pruning.

These plants don't ask for much but if you plant them in a well drained soil (you know, a recipe of top soil mixed with sand, 50:50) they will grow happily. And the best part of all, you can bring out your creativity in your garden by mixing and matching these plants and make your garden a work of art!

Kikay Weekly (Issue 04)

I am writing a Kikay weekly post so it must be Friday!

I had 2 surprises this week, one was a featured shop surprise from VA Beach Quilter and the other was a Blog Award from Kizz Designs. I'm so honored, thanks to both of you.

Last Monday, we released the Retro Tote Bag 'Hip to be Square' and what a better way to introduce it than to present the bag in a beautiful photo effect from Photofunia.

Four weeks ago, we trialled the Blog Shop. The feedback was great. However, we noticed that the rapid carts were slowing down the page loading. As you know, most people don't have the patience to wait. So we've decided to remove the rapid carts for now while we think of a better way to maintain a blog shop here. Widgets from shops at Etsy, Dawanda, Artfire and Made it Myself will remain.

It's the Queen's Birthday public holiday on Monday so it's a long weekend for us here downunder, yay! I'll be working on the Cords Bags Series on these days. I hope to release these winter bags next week.

By the way, leave a mark before you go! Sign my guestbook found at the bottom of the page.

Before I go, here's a feel good music from Bob Sinclair - Love Generation.

Peace and love to the world from Sydney, Australia!

Enjoy your weekend everyone because I'll surely enjoy mine!

About Me (Part 2)

'Kalachuchi' in Acrylic, 2003

Here's the second part of my 'About Me' ...

So aside from designing and making handbags, I also love to paint. I never had formal training but I went to Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney to study oil painting. But after one term, I quit. I thought the lessons were too dragging and I just wanted to paint away! So instead I read and bought a lot of books and basically taught myself to paint.

'Mexican Jar' in Oil, 2003

'The Fishing Boat' in Acrylic, 2002

When I first started, my medium was acrylic but I had problems catching up with my paintings. The paints just dried too quickly leaving me no time to manipulate my work. Being an amateur with no training at all, I found it frustrating so I shifted to oil. This time it allowed me more time to paint while I learn. And most of all, I had all the time to fix my mistakes by redoing the whole painting or even start from scratch. And yes, some of them even have layers and layers of overpainting.

'Morroccan Jar and Yucca' in Oil, 2004

Dracaena in Oil, 2003

It's been a while now since I last painted. I hope to open up my art and paint box one day and start painting away!

'Mexican Warrior Mask in Oil, 2004'

'Kikay' in Oil, 2003