Around The World - Sydney Australia

Sweet Sydney Postcards by PhotographyByAnita, who also has a great shop btw, check her out! :)

This week, we are flying down south to Australia! :D The giant island where kangaroos and koala bears live. And we will be visiting the largest city of this wonderfully laid back country - Sydney, where it is also one of the best places to see fireworks, according to a biased friend that lives in Australia. ;)

HandsomeGround is a fairly new shop, and I see a lot of potential in this one! :) She has the unique products and great photography, now all she need to do is to tag them wisely and list more items! List more!! Oh and also to price them appropriately too. Love the geometric cards!

When I first set eyes on CafeBaudelaire, I couldn't quite believe my eyes. The beautiful Marie Antoinette inspired vintage ladies, but with a twist that still retain the classical beauty. It was like... Wonderland! The exquisite designs, the intricate details and the bright colors, just so breathtaking! I know at least two people that will go gaga over this shop!

I love elgarboart's colorful vintage photographs! Some of them like the photo of the tufted titmouse above just looks so convincingly like a painting. His surf photography are particularly intriguing, as it is not a very common subject in vintage photography.

Sometimes, simplicity is still the most beautiful. That couldn't be more true when it comes to Ant Haus Design's contemporary jewelry. By using matte sterling silver, she creates beautiful pieces with simple, graphical shapes. I was most intrigued by the Double Curve bangles shown above. Very uniquely simple and tasteful. :)

Quoting Peticotees, "If you love dogs and love tees, you have landed on the right place." And that couldn't be more true with the whimsical and clever designs of their tees. :) Graphical dogs, origami dogs and shadow puppet dogs! Although their tee designs are still limited, but I can't wait to see them come up with more designs.

I love eco-friendly Etsy shops, and Velvet Bean is definitely one of them! :) These cushions would be awesome in a house with industrial-like deco, and just think of the journeys the sacks had been through, travelling around the world. Love their tagline too - "Reducing landfill one coffee sack at a time." And by discovering their awesome shop, I learned a new word today, and it is - Ottoman. :D

One thing I love about Etsy is... I can sometimes find some things on there that I never knew existed! Like these digital synth instruments from Rare Beasts. (awesome name too!) Words can't describe how awesome they are and I can't even begin to imagine how these are made!! I mean... just look at this youtube video of the Wicks Looper above!

I've had always been quite intrigued with terrariums, and I am most excited when I found Terradctl! You see, as a girl when I am a kid, instead of Barbie dolls (which I do have one) I love dinosaurs more! Sooo much more!! And some of these terrariums really do look like scenes from the jurassic age. Especially the volcanic one above, just look at that crazy looking plant!! Too bad plants can't be shipped across borders. :'(

Craftroom Revamp Part 2

Finally, progress! I'm taking this slow aren't I? :) I think I posted the photo above in my previous post. And I decided hey, white just ain't my color anymore! ;) I needed a splash of color in my room, something that doesn't make my room so dull and unexciting, so I went on an adventure to find the perfect color for my walls.

In the end, I found the perfect paint via Ace Hardware Nippon Color Creations, I got the Blue Puff color which looks similar to this...

It was so difficult to choose, there are just too many colors! But I wanted something bright, not too dark, but not too prominent either, so this works great. :)

And one of the reasons of this revamping is to reorganize my rapidly growing supplies. My dad informed me of this promotion that Carrefour is having, RM11.90 (that's USD4!) for one of these 3-tiered shelves! How can I pass on a superb promotion like that? So I went ahead and asked him to get 3 for me, he is my hero! :D

Work in progress of painting the wall. It was a great hassle to paint the whole room, and my dad is too busy to help me move the furnitures. So I decided to just paint one wall only. But at least that way my room wouldn't be too dull anymore! I know the blue looks kind of lighter here, but after it dried, it always turned darker.

And here is the final result! With the shelves all assembled to boot, ready for me to chuck in my stuff. ;)

Now do take note, my bed/craftroom is almost a perfect square shape, and it is a little smaller than 10x10 feet. (Yes, it is a very small room sobs) And it is completely devoid of sunlight because it is one of those rooms that is in the middle of the house, I do have a window, but it looks into a dark corridor instead of the outside world. So please excuse me if the lighting for my photos isn't too great. :(

Weekly Word Picks - Brick

Today was a busy busy day, I managed to curate not one, but two treasuries today, including the one for today's word picks. It's just a miracle that my office internet had been really cooperative today. :D (yes, I curate treasuries at work sometimes lol) To see the other treasury, click here : Oranges and Lemons.

Now to proceed to this week's word picks. This week's word was chosen by the lovely Michelle from Kindersoaps, and her word is...

BRICK

Side Door Fine Art Photograph by hiyapapaya

For the complete Treasury, please follow this link : House of Red Bricks

Did you notice the first item in the treasury and the last? ;) So what should next week's word be? Suggest by posting in the comments below!

This week's word was chosen by Michelle from Kindersoaps.

Around the World - London

It is only coincidental that the UK leg of our Around the World series landed on Euro week on Etsy. :) Such a coincidence! This week we will be visiting one of the most important cities in the world, and it is London.

Stands the clock at quarter to three by sparksoffire

The rich history, the beautiful architecture and the gorgeous views, oh how I wish to visit it one day! It is definitely one of my top 10 locations to visit. :)

First off is Flutterbydaisy! There is a certain grudgy innocence to her work that I love, like goth punk princesses. Fairy tale (especially Alice in Wonderland) inspired costumes and dresses are so overdone nowadays, but she gave it a little twist and made it fresh again. Her dresses are playful and exquisite, albeit a little pricey. But it is well worth the money I would imagine. Just look at those details!

Remember those fancy hats and hair accessories that women wore in the Victorian era? Makes me wish I was born in that era. Designs by Annalisa sells gorgeous and elaborate head pieces reminiscence of the Victorian times, just with a modern twist. :) That giant bow is definitely a statement piece, and I love that little silk pillbox hat!

I had been admiring MaaPstudio's shop from afar for a while, such a dreamy, beautiful and unique shop, you won't find anything like it! I love her flower rings, which had always been a signature line of jewelry in her shop, and I find the braille line to be particularly meaningful. :)

SarahBirtJewellery on the other hand, makes whimsical and cute silver jewelry! Isn't her bunnies and foxes just adorable? Even her vikings look adorable! Unfortunately it seems like her shop is on vacation now, maybe you could check out her shop later when she comes back. :)

I'm not necessarily a big fan of leather goods myself, but damn... Tovicorrie's leather goods are just so beautiful! It may be due to my love for Asian culture and design, but I am loving the Asian inspired pieces like the swallow leather cuff above. His works has a vintage feel to it, and I think it is pretty cool since he makes iPad and iPhone/iPod cases too, since those devices look pretty sleek and modern. I have an odd liking for things that clash. :) Except for colors of course, hehe.

I think I found Jimbobart from a Weekly Word Pick post I did quite a while ago, but I still remember his work, and that is most important for an indie business - unforgettable. :) His animal paintings are whimsical and quirky, I especially love the bears! Sandwich Defender is my fave, though I have a soft spot for wolves too, and cats... not so much squirrels. :P

There is a certain stillness and peacefulness to Jennifer Squire's photographs. The minimalistic approach, the soft and gentle colors, it just evokes a feeling of 'zen' and quietness. Just looking at them makes me feel relaxed already. I think they would make wonderful deco for a modern home, and great gifts for friends who are always hectic.

Freya Art's artworks are like a combination of adorable art and typography posters, I love the messages in them. And I am loving the color palette that she uses for her art! Such a whimsical, fun art style, with a touch of oddity. :) This is another shop that one would not easily forget as well.

Weekly Word Picks - Wild

Alright, now that I had upgraded my house's internet service to a much higher speed, (I was on their previous plan for 5 years, can you believe how outdated I am?!) I solemnly swear that I will update my blog more on time from now on, since I can't use the excuse that my connection is down anymore!

But still, they are a pretty reliable bunch, just you watch, it'll be down or wonky soon enough.

I had a lot of fun doing this week's word picks, and I'm pretty happy with the outcome too. :) This week's word is...

WILD

Intense Wolf Portrait by StephsShoes

For the complete Treasury, please follow this link : Wild

So what should next week's word be? Suggest by posting in the comments below!

This week's word was chosen by Rocki from Rocki's Artisan Metalwork and Rocki's Supplies.

And on an unrelated note, I got on the front page again in the weekend! Soooo HAPPY!!! :D

Giveaway Winner!

And we have a winner! She is...

MARY!!!!

Congratulations!!

I had already sent you an e-mail, if by any chance you did not receive it, please shoot me one within 48 hours. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be picked.

It was a blast, we had a lot more entries in this giveaway compared with the last. Thank you all for taking some time to enter, even though you did not win, but your efforts are heartfelt and well appreciated. Till next time! :)

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Effort

Japan is one of the most beautiful country in the world, the super polite people, the beautiful views, and the food... omg the food. I miss the food there the most. I had been to Japan in the summer of 2009, which I had detailed all 10 days here. And it was one of my most memorably trips. Japanese culture had also been one of the most influential in my life, I practically grew up reading Japanese manga and hell, I even draw in that style!

So you could imagine the shock and sadness that I felt when I heard of the earthquake and following tsunami that hit Japan last week. The first thing I did was get in contact with all my dear friends currently in Japan. Thankfully they are in the south or middle section, so they are okay, although I do have a friend in Tokyo itself. The status of the nuclear plant in Fukushima is really worrisome.

However, those aside, I would like to do whatever I can to help. Aside of donating myself to the Japan relief fund, I had made a simple bracelet for sale in my shop as well to raise funds.

I had named this the Rising Sun, and 100% of the proceeds will be going to Global Giving Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief fund. (minus shipping charges of course) The bracelet will be kept in the shop for as long as it needs to be.

Also, please click this link to read about the Twitter updates from the people in Japan itself, it brought a tear to my eye. People say that humans show their true faces in desperate times, and if this is what Japanese are like in the face of calamity, they definitely deserve all the help they can get and more. :')

Aside from me, there are a lot of wonderful artisans on Etsy that are contributing their work as well, please do visit this treasury featuring all these wonderful people!

Weekly Word Picks - Rush

Terribly sorry for the late post, been so busy lately that I barely had room to breath. This week's weekly word feature is two days late but I hope you will forgive little ole me, who has a day job and other obligations. @_@

So it was quite apparent that the person that chose this word on Monday was stressed out from work already, because her word was...

RUSH

RUSH 16x24 Art Print by mandap1208

For the complete Treasury, please follow this link : Rush

So what should next week's word be? Suggest by posting in the comments below!

This week's word was chosen by Jenny from jpbeads.

Anniversary Giveaway! Win $30 gift cert to spend in Skyejuice! [END]

Update: The giveaway had officially ended! A winner will be drawn and announced tomorrow :) Thank you all for entering!

I can't believe that Skyejuice is already one years old! *dabs a tear with my kerchief* It was exactly at this day last year that I started my Etsy shop on a whim. And with 133 sales under my belt from something that I totally did not prepare beforehand for... I think I did pretty alright. :)

So to celebrate the special occasion, I am offering 30% off all purchases for one day only!! :D Just use the code 1YEAR30OFF during check out. Offer ends March 11th, 10pm PST. And on top of that, here is a giveaway to win $30 gift certificate to spend in my shop as well. :)

--[ HOW TO ENTER ]--

1. MANDATORY - Visit my Etsy shop and tell me what is your favorite item by leaving a comment in this post! Please leave an e-mail address too so that I know how to contact you if you win. :)

2. OPTIONAL (x1) - Like me on Facebook, and leave your name in my comments.

3. OPTIONAL (x1) - Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.

4. OPTIONAL (x1) - Favorite my shop and add me to your circle. (must do both) Leave your Etsy username in the comments.

5. OPTIONAL (x1) - Twit about this giveaway on Twitter, then come back here and post the link in the comments.

6. OPTIONAL (x1) - Share this giveaway on your Facebook (please refer to tiny button at bottom of post) and tell me in the comments that you did.

7. OPTIONAL (x1) - Blog about this giveaway on your blog. Please also remember to come back here and leave a link in the comments section.

Please leave separate comments for all! 1 comment = 1 entry.

--[ ESSENTIAL INFORMATION ]--

1. The giveaway will run from now until March 18th, 2011 - 11:59pm PST.

2. The giveaway is open to everyone worldwide.

3. The winner will be picked randomly using Random.org generator.

4. I will contact the winner when it is chosen. The winner have 48 hours to claim their prize, or else a new winner will be chosen. If you did not or forgot to leave an e-mail in your comments, please be sure check back after 18th to see if you win or not, and shoot me an e-mail at kyonpichi@gmail.com within 48 hours as well. SO REMEMBER TO LEAVE ME AN E-MAIL ADDRESS SO I COULD CONTACT YOU!!

Have fun and good luck! :)

Around The World - Chicago

Chicago Skyline by jtphotos

This week let's do Chicago for our 3rd major city in US. :) Why you ask? I happen to stumble upon the List of United State Cities by population on wikipedia, and Chicago was 3rd on the list, lol. Admittedly, if I am going according to that list, I should do Los Angeles next, but eh... I did San Francisco last week and I don't feel like doing two cities in the same state again so soon.

Speaking of Chicago, tall skyscrapers and beautiful night views come into mind. I actually did an artwork with Chicago's night view in the background without really realizing it was a photo of Chicago I'm referencing, lol. So... what kind of crafters can I find in such a modern city? :)

In a modern big city such as Chicago, you will need modern and unique accessories. And Heron Adornment is your best place to go. Her subjects however, are a bit of an oddity and not for the faint of heart. ;) Tentacle rings, anatomically correct heart pendants, and even worm rings! But I must admit though, I admire the intricacy of her handiwork, especially the tentacle rings, just beautiful. So if you are looking for a statement jewelry piece that is a great conversation starter, look no further!

If oddities are not your taste, perhaps this would be an interesting choice? Jane E Roberti makes some very intricate and interesting mixed media jewelry pieces. Inspired by nature, her hand sawn and pierced silhouette pieces are made interesting layered with wood and other material. I commend their handiwork, must be a lot of work carving those intricate designs! I love that Grasses pendant.

Aside from the muted tones of metal and wood, there are some more colorful creations from crafters in Chicago too, and Urban Legend is one of them! I love her shop's tagline - Please don't eat the jewelry, which is a fair warning because all her jewelry pieces look like candy strung together! I just love looking at her pieces, so fun and colorful, and you know I like color. :)

I had been admiring Mojospastyle's shop for a while now, they just have such lovely and girly charm to their photos. (such gorgeous ladies!) Their knitted and crocheted accessories also look really pretty and eye catching, especially those flower hats, I just adore them! Too bad Malaysia's weather would be too icky for them. :(

Ever since I joined Etsy, I started to realize how popular silhouette pieces are, and Silhouette Blue was one of the very first shops I encountered. There is a certain charm to her simple yet attractive stationery pieces, I especially love the 4-ever card with the initials carved into the tree, I imagine that to be a very lovely and cute wedding invitation.

Had you ever seen bags made from seatbelts?? Of everything that can be upcycled, I never imagine seatbelt could be used! A la mode makes a slew of interesting and upcycled products, including but not limited to seatbelt bags, hardware rings and also iPad and netbook sleeves made from neoprene. (used to make diving suits) Ah the unlimited possibilities of repurposed materials.

Weekly Word Picks - Monday

Hello again, it is another Monday and I must admit, it surprises me a little that only now someone suggested this word. And that is...

MONDAY

Of course, I probably found all the people that forgot to change the Cyber Monday tags, but eh... a rule is a rule. :)

Sunny Skies Ahead Necklace by soradesigns

For the complete Treasury, please follow this link : Monday

So what should next week's word be? Suggest by posting in the comments below!

This week's word was chosen by Melysa from Carbrinice Art.

Inspirational Friday - Innovative Bookshelves

I can't get enough of bookshelves! The more I look, the more interesting bookshelves I find! So to continue on from next week, here are this week's bookshelves that doesn't look like bookshelves on first glance. :)

Fractured Fairy Tales Display Wall

Made from repurposed cabinets and drawers, this wall display/bookshelf is just epic. Love the retro colors too!

T.Shelf system origami bookshelf from J1studios

These origami-like bookshelf and table just looks so trippy!

Broken bookshelf

This is just pure awesome. Would be a trip to see it on the wall everytime :D

Pipe Corner Shelf by Dirtybils

This is just genius and innovative. :D Who would've thought? Although granted the books will probably risk falling, but it still looks pretty wicked.

Revolving Bookcase from PB teen

What a gorgeous, gorgeous bookcase! I want one for my room!!

Around The World - San Francisco

Golden Gate Bridge by SeaLilyStudio

Since I mentioned I am going to San Francisco in an earlier post, I shall do none other than San Francisco this time. Rich with culture and art, some claim that San Francisco might be one of the most inspirational city to be in. So it goes without saying that there are tonnes of wonderful artisans in this beautiful city.

It was a difficult pick, since there are just too many wonderful shops from San Francisco! I had to eliminate quite a few beautiful shops to finally settle with these 8.

My friends in San Francisco are mostly illustrators, so I feel appropriate to start this off with one. :) I just absolutely love KiriMothDesigns. The gorgeous Art Noveau style, the subjects, the clean lines and soothing colors, is there anything to not love? I also love her mouse series too, too adorable :D

If you prefer something with a bit more adult taste, you should try out Charmaine Olivia. Her illustrations of the female form exudes an air of femme fatale. I was immediately drawn in by her Fox Masque illustration, just so sexy and enigmatic. Her silhouette art and her occasional whimsical illustrations (such as the deer with gym socks illustration above) are very interesting too.

Not your traditional illustration, deav's were not drawn, but carved on wood. I actually first saw his work in photos of Renegade Craft Fair in San Francisco, it was nice to find him on Etsy too. :) I wouldn't mind a piece of his art for my wall, especially the power pole above. :)

From art to artistic jewelry. These organic earrings from Sanfranblissco are just simply elaborate and amazing. The beautiful curves and carvings all compliment each other wonderfully, I love the almost tribal-like feel to their work. If you are looking for statement pieces, you don't need to look further. :)

I always have a certain higher respect for jewelers that are excellent metal workers and hand sculpt their own casts for their jewelry. These rose and flower rings from jennykim are amazingly detailed and simply breathtaking. Even if I am not a keen ring wearer myself normally, but I lust for that poppy ring there on the upper right corner. I would wear it everyday!

From artistic jewelry to... scientific jewelry? These nerdy jewelry pieces are made by Raven Hanna from Molecularmuse. You like caffeine and science? They have pieces based on the caffeine molecule. You like chocolate instead? They have that too. :) Fully equipped with some fun scientific facts on the molecules in their individual descriptions.

If you prefer jewelry with a simpler and modern design, you should check Lauren Ramirez out. Simple and minimalistic, her jewelry had a grungy chic feel to it. I find the horseshoe cuff bracelet to be amazingly simple and creative, and I love that eye ring as well, reminds me Lord of the Ring for some reason... hmm. If only the stone is a citrine or red garnet. :)

Yorktownroad makes some of the most beautiful bags and totes I have ever seen. The bright colors, the design, and I am so into that pleated texture she has in her bags. The craftsmanship is just exquisite! Makes me want to touch and feel them~

Maybe I will, when I get to San Francisco. I just can't wait for June to come!! Although at the same time... I am afraid that it might come too fast, yikes!