Ginger's Second Jab

Has Anyone Seen Ginger Fine Art Print by janeheller

Before the update, I can't help but find the need to share this. Stacey from CreaShines found this adorable print on Etsy, and I couldn't help but fave it right on the spot! This is so cute, I bet Ginger looked like this when she's a wee kitten. ;u;

Yesterday I took Ginger to the vet for her second mange jab. It was a busy day for the clinic yesterday, lots of sick doggies. >.< I had to wait over an hour for her jab due to a dog's urgent surgery. But all is good, I hang a bit, adored people's pets and learned some new things from the lady behind the counter. :)

Ginger in her carrier waiting for her turn. At one point she actually fallen asleep in there, lol. It was raining a lot recently so please excuse her messy look, she got a bit wet yesterday.

Despite the long wait, her jab only took a couple minutes and she was done! She cooperated with minimal struggles and obediently went back into the carrier after. :) However, the vet did expressed his concern that Ginger did not gain any weight despite abundance of feeding, (she is only 2kg!!) I guess I'll give it another week to see if there will be improvement next week. If there aren't, I'm going to ask him to check for other issues. :(

The crusts on her ears and face had pretty much fallen off now.

She has a better appetite, her eyes are looking bigger and brighter, and she just generally look healthier. :) Before this her eyes were always cloudy and she couldn't open them all the way due to the crusts on her face. She is very affectionate too, and likes to rub the top of her head against my legs when I'm preparing her food.

However, this morning when I went out to feed her, I noticed that she seems a little unbalanced. Although active, she almost fell over like she was drunk or something, a few times too. It looked like her back legs weren't very strong. Then later in the afternoon she looked ill and didn't want to eat. (although in the end she did when I added some fresh canned food) I hope this is just a side effect of the Ivermectin jab the vet gave her yesterday. :( She also has flu, keep sneezing, probably from being in the rain the other day. My porch is very prone to floods, and during a heavy rain a couple days ago, about an inch of water went into the carrier. My mom lifted - cat and carrier, up onto a shoe rack. But the cloth inside was wet, and for some reason Ginger stayed stubbornly inside. Now the carrier is settled on top of a few large bricks to elevate it a little.

Ice Resin outcome

Belated post. So... I mentioned before that I recently bought ICE resin to play with, and here are the results! :D

I experimented with 4 pendants, and only this one turned out good, the other 3 all failed lol. There is a tiny bubble, but you can barely see it in the picture. :)

Doming is pretty good too. Granted these settings are not exactly deep, but good enough for me. Will try adding one more drop the next time to see if can dome further.

And here are the failed ones. This one I didn't apply enough sealant on the paper so the resin seeped into the paper around the edges. If you look closely you can see the edges have uneven dark spots. Also noted are large bubbles. I guess when I saw the paper darken from the resin, I didn't really cared if there were bubbles or not. One of the other failed ones had exactly the same mistakes as this.

Lesson #1. Apply 2-3 layers of sealant AFTER sticking the paper to the pendant setting.

Fail #2. Too greedy lol. I keep adding more and more resin to the pendant, until it totally spilled, hahaha.

The end result of the spillage is pretty interesting though, as it retained the spilled shape. However, I have no idea what to do with this.

Lesson #2. Don't be too greedy with the resin. Lol.

I followed a bunch of video tutorials on how to use ICE resin, but I find this particular step-by-step photo tutorial from Beaducation to be pretty useful as well. Just that instead of pouring the resin straight from the cup, I use the stick instead to dribble onto the pendant setting.

I am going to attempt to make more resin pendants this weekend, woohoo! Wish me luck!! :D

Around The World - Greece

When people think about Greece, they are reminded of Ancient Greek. Where grand temples were built to worship the Greek Gods, and the rich mythology that surrounds them. The modern Greece however, is no longer the same. In fact, I only knew while doing research for this article, that the country's current official name is Hellenic Republic. Weird how things changed huh?

Just Call Me Goddess Fine Art Print by reflectionsoflight

The Ancient Greek however, was also famed for their works of art. The grand temples and the detailed statues are still studied by students in art schools. (specifically in History of Art classes) So what about modern Greece? Are there still wonderful artists? The answer is... Yes. :)

I am sooooo in LOVE with this shop! Psyboom, or can also be known as La Boom! Makes beautiful and incredibly creative paper goods. Aside from paper, she also uses a large variety of different things like lace and wood. Tatiana, the owner, makes the most amazing shadowboxes. When the light is lit it up, you would see a different scene, a surprise! Which is really nifty and just... plain genius! I can't help myself and just bought something from her shop, can't wait for it to arrive!

I am a sucker for people that are great at drawing lines, maybe because I think I am good at it as well. ;) (narcissist much?) Anna Ruby King is one of those shops. I mean, she even has a coloring book! I love the rich and intricate lines she use in her little creatures, it just screams of her own personal style. For some reason, I love that cicada pin!

Minimalism at it's best, InQueue is a fairly new shop, but booming with potential! Even the name is simple and memorable. :) Aside from the good ole printed cards, she also makes stitched cards like the one with red thread above. Simple, but beautiful. I would totally frame some of these up to hang on the wall!

Kupkup, such a simple and memorable name, plus most importantly, incredibly cute! Which matches their handmade wares perfectly. Utilizing various types of fabrics, she makes the cutest accessories, pincushions and various works of art. It was actually quite difficult for me to just pick 4 items to be included in the picture collage because... I want to feature them all!! I love that kupkup land scenery! :D

Selling a large variety of wooden decoupage boxes and supplies, Greek Art is quite the shop to browse. From what I can see, I think most of his boxes are laser cut and designed to fit together nicely, which gives it a very DIY-look. I think if you ask nicely, maybe he will even leave the items unassembled so you can have the thrill to put it together yourself, if you are like me. ;) Aside from beautifully intricate boxes, he also sells candle holders and some jewelry supply, like the heart shaped pendant above, which is great for needlecraft. :)

Me and Marietta of Blue Room Pottery belongs to the same awesome treasury team - Team Awesome. ;) And that was how I found her on Etsy. Her bright and colorful pottery instantly caught my eye, especially the candle holders. Can you imagine how your room would look like in the dark with a candle lit inside? Maybe I should get one for myself one day, but I want a tray on top to burn aromatherapy oil or soy wax candles!

There is a very ethereal quality to stephmel's photos, I would even say that they are a bit ghostly. But that is the beauty of photography isn't it? To evoke emotions. One can only imagine how she captures these beautiful images, especially the Painting My Dreams photo above. To capture the right moment, the get the right composition. I really salute great photographers like her. :)

Last but not least, something cute. :) ZooZ Jewelry makes super cute animal pendants and earrings, all made with sterling silver with their own designs and moud. How cute are those little whales? And the weather studs. They even made a shark look incredibly cute! You should definitely check them out for more cute jewelry, they have owls, deers, cats, even dinosaurs!

Weekly Word Picks - Wheel

I have a colorful one this week, we're going back to one of the basics in design class - color wheel! This week's word was chosen by Melissa of MyBluePeacock, and her word is...

WHEEL

Color Wheel Print Framed in Walnut by brooklynwood

For the complete Treasury, please follow this link : Back to Basics - Color Wheel

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

This week's word was chosen by Melissa from MyBluePeacock.

26 years of failed attempts, and those that stuck

I saw this on Danielle's blog - The merriweather council, the other day, and I just had to borrow it. I used to be active on livejournal and did a lot of those memes, lol. I guess it's difficult to kick the habit.

It's my birthday today, woohoo! :D And in this 26 years that I live on this earth, I tried out a lot of things. Some stuck, some didn't. And I just thought it would be interesting to list them down as a self-analysis or something. First off...

Those that did not stick...

Piano

Yes, I took piano lessons when I was 7 years old. Only for a year though, until my lovely teacher moved overseas to further her studies. After that I was assigned this shitty teacher that just tells me to practice by myself and was always away from the room. I remember that I was always looking out the door, trying to look for her for some help with a score, but could never find her.

Guitar

Tried when I was in my teenage years, when guitar seems like the 'cool' thing to do back then. Had a kick ass black guitar, but never practiced. Eventually gave the guitar away, lol.

Track Racing

I was a representative for 100m dash, just because our team doesn't have enough participants. (I don't remember why I signed up) I got 3rd place, out of 4 contestants... at least I wasn't last?

Basketball

I can't even throw the ball into the hoop!

Cosplay

I did a total of 2 characters in general, lol, just because it was the 'in' thing to do during that period of my life. But cosplay is just not the thing for me. I don't find the thrill that most cosplayers do and I am camera shy, plus it costs a lot of money to make the costumes! I much prefer spending those money getting a nice camera to take photos of cosplayers.

One of my favorite during Comic Fiesta 2009!

Comic Drawing

For a long time in my teenage years, I actually wanted to become a comic artist when I grew up. It was one of the motivation that kept me drawing. Until I actually worked on finishing a comic series myself, then only I knew that how little comic artists are paid for their time and effort, and that I will never get rich from being a comic artist. However, sometimes I still try though... (keyword = try)

Teaser of a comic book me and my friends published late last year

Web Design

I would rather die first than do this full time! And no freelance either unless you are paying me in body parts.

Gaming

Love gaming, I was semi-hardcore back in the days of vanilla WoW. (when World of Warcraft haven't had any expansions yet) I wish I could be a gamer and still earn money, still do. But realized that I'm just not good enough at it. :( However, I still do try and allocate some time at least once a week to play games. Playing Bioshock 2 now. :) Quitted WoW a while back, although lately had been contemplating going back... noooo....

Logo I designed for the Etsy Malaysia Team

Logo Design

I love logo designs! And still do! I used to be active on Logo Tournament and pump out logo designs on a daily basis, won a few competitions on there too! But since I started my Etsy shop I never had time for logo designs anymore. :( I sometimes do wonder if I should start a graphic/logo design shop on Etsy though...

Those that stuck, and I'm good at.

"The Puppeteer", based on Nietzsche's philosophies. I wrote a whole damn essay for this artwork!

Drawing

All the years I practiced drawing since I am a wee kid paid off. :) I believe that being able to draw helped me a great deal in my personal development, in graphic design, motion design, logo design, branding, color study, with my crafts and creativity etc etc. Although lately I haven't been drawing a lot, but I do feel the itch sometimes, hehe. Will post new works when I'm done. :)

Writing

Even if I am not awesome at my writing, I do believe that I am decent at it. :)

Photography

I admit I'm not awesome at photography, but hey, give me a chance to learn alright? ;)

So that's it, that's all I could think of! :D Sometimes I do wish that I have more time to do all the things above, but alas, I guess I have to give up something to gain more.

Ginger the Stray Cat

Wow, a lot had happened today. @_@ The prospect of buying a new house AND taking care of a stray cat for the first time. :) This orange cat had been living on my street for a few years, it always hung around my neighbor's place because they always fed it. Then lately, I realized her ears were crusty.

I have never had a cat before, so I have zero knowledge on what in the world this is. But it looks rather painful and I just had this sudden urge to help it. So I did some researching and asking online, and found out this is mange.

Huey from Nottypooch, who is a great friend of mine and also passionate about helping animals, recommended me to Dr Chan's My Animal Care blog to seek for help. She is such a nice lady, and agreed to sponsor the cat's medical bill and help me care for the cat as best as she can. So after borrowing Dr Chan's cat carrier in the morning, I managed to catch the cat later in the afternoon. Then it is to the vet she goes~

The cat at the vet, preparing for the mange shot. Poor thing is all skin and bones, very malnourished.

She is a very friendly cat, and the vet said that she might have been an abandoned pet since she isn't behaving like a stray. Poor thing. :(

The cat's face. She isn't the cutest I know.

I named the cat Ginger, and am only temporarily fostering her until she completely heals and finds a good owner. Ginger seems to had taken a liking to the cat carrier, so I put some old t-shirts in there to make it comfier for her. My mom hates cats, and she doesn't allow Ginger to enter our house, so she will have to live in my porch for now. This is also the reason why I can't or had never had a cat, even if I wanted to. :(

My Birthday Wishlist 2011

Since it is my birthday next week, I thought I should share some of my favorites in my wish list, hoping that someone would get them for me. ;) *winkwink hinthint* All these items are the ones I wanted since forever, and do intend to acquire eventually... one day... far far away...

Elegant Blue Filigree Locket from MStevenson Designs

In love with this locket...

The Sweettart Lost and Found Button Bracelet by dditta

I don't have a button bracelet yet!

Vanilla Dreams Leggings by SockBox

Aren't those leggings just dreamy?

Medium DSLR Gray Wool Tweed Camera Bag by mariforssell

To replace my fugly camera bag that came with the camera. :(

Yellow Sugar Candy Bunny by beanipet

I wanted a pillow from her since forever!

Plotting Chickens 8 Inches Embroidery Art by ThreeRedApples

For my future wall of hoop collection. I already have 1 item there!

Been Around Antique Black Faux Leather Suitcase from robinseggbleunest

I love suitcases!!

Moose Ugly Christmas Sweater T-shirt by Vardagen

No, not the t-shirt. I want a boyfriend like him please!! XD

Around The World - Singapore

Now that we had gone halfway around the world, time to come back to somewhere closer to home.

Singapore Skyline Fine Art Print by HelenIles

When Singapore is mentioned, the few things that popped right into my mind were... tiny apartments, posh, modern buildings, clean streets, and the banning of bubble gum. :P But what I didn't know is that crafters in this modern country actually makes some ridiculously adorable items!!

I found Pastel Petals ages ago, back when I just started, and I still really admire her work up until now. :) She doesn't have a huge collection, but her stuff is just so girly, shabby chic and pretty that you will just fall in love. The way she photograph her items, the overall color tones, I would still say that her shop is still one of the most cohesive out there. There is a lot to learn from her. :)

More shabby chic-ness! Viola Mahr is a shop I found when I am researching for this article, and I am now a hopeless fan! She is doing really well for a shop that started in the third quarter last year, and it's not difficult to see why. The amount of detail, the colors, the pretty laces and the simple ideas, it is just so easy to glee all over her cards! Plus they are pretty affordable too, perfect to get as gifts for loved ones! :)

Omg I can't believe my eyes when I saw this shop! How can something so pretty and detailed be something so tiny? I daresay that Miniature Patisserie is probably one of the best dollhouse miniature crafters that I had seen so far. And the way she photographs them make them look so convincingly real. Just... simply amazing!

Raine Style Home makes some really cute, modern and chic home decors. I especially love the little pop-up details like the flowers on the deer's horns and the hearts on the trees. Sometimes it is little details like these that really make one's product unique, standing out from the crowd. If you're looking for some new home decor items, definitely check her out as she has tons more items that would fit any home! :)

Bright, colorful and cute, I find that Little Odd Forest is quite the delight to browse through. (they have a very large collection too!) Love love love her forest/tree-themed items, like the stump cushion and In the Woods tote above. (though they have a tree trunk tote that I really like as well) They also make a large variety of other products, like tank tops, bibs and coasters. You should definitely check out their shop to see their rich and quirky collections. :)

Speaking of cute and quirky, kushkush is nothing short of that. Using felt, she makes a lot of cute accessories and home decor items. I particularly love her animals, especially that whale magnet! (ah, my weakness to whales) And I mean, how can one not smile when they see the bacon and egg wrist pouch? :)

Jewelry is one of the biggest categories on Etsy, but once in a while we do bump into unique jewelry and accessories shops. I do believe that shupg might be one of them. :) I laughed when I saw the "Don't mess with the Photographer" brooch above, and can think of a few friends to get it for as a gift. And although weird at first sight, I do find that the sign language pieces are pretty cute and meaningful. :) She makes a variety of different items using different materials and styles too, do check her out! Plus she is donating 50% of all her proceeds to help Japan as of now, so what are you waiting for?

I also found SixAstray via one of my Weekly Word Picks post, and remembered her from her Harry Potter pieces. Love the ideas, plus the delicate and intricacy of the details is just astounding! Although I am not a hardcore fan of the Harry Potter series (however, I do like Goblet of Fire and all the books before it) I love the world concept! I do want to go to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park in Florida some day, and ideally, I would wear one of SixAstray's pieces when I do. Too bad she doesn't seem to sell the Hedwig necklace anymore, that was my favorite.

Weekly Word Picks - Funky

I actually kind of like today's picks. :) Discovered some new and neat shops. All thanks to Judy from jemsbyjbandcompany, a lovely lady in the same treasury team as I do. Her word of choice for me this week is...

FUNKY

Retro Funky Organic Cotton Navy T-shirt by mmhm

For the complete Treasury, please follow this link : Funky Blue

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

This week's word was chosen by Judy from jemsbyjbandcompany.

Ice Resin!

I got new toys to play with! :D Decided that I should learn something new. Will experiment on it and post about the results in a future post. Can't wait!!

Inspirational Friday - Japan Relief

If you had not heard about it yet, roughly 24 hours ago a particularly powerful aftershock with the magnitude of 7.1 shook the coast of Japan again. Although death toll was at a minimum, several buildings collapsed, further hurting the already fragile country. Japan needs us more than ever now.

So today's Inspirational Friday post I will be featuring items on Etsy that will have portion or all of the proceeds going to Japan's Earthquake Relief Fund.

Rain Giclee Print by akikokart

Sakura Necklace and Earrings set by iluxo

Cat and Flag print by meemsicle

Round Drawstring Bag - Igasuri Kimono Pattern by SiamSquare

Matsushima T-shirt by Uzura

Love Heals Japan Giclee Print by planetmomeko

Luxury "Burdock Root Soap" by Tokyo Factory

Mending Broken Hearts Letterpress Card by newleafletterpress

Red Polka Skirt by noahandlilah

White Birch Candle Holders by virtualdesignlab

And perhaps the most inspiring (at the same time really sad) act of all, the most memorable item that had been sold to raise funds for Japan, is Akira Yamaoka's guitar that he used to compose -all- of the Silent Hill songs. It fetched for a whopping $4450! A small price for a piece of gaming history. I love the Silent Hill series, and Akira Yamaoka is my idol. It's kind of sad to see it go, as this cements the fact that Akira will no longer compose anymore music for the Silent Hill series. :(

Please do not forget that I am doing my part to help as well. This little bracelet is still up for sale in my shop! 100% of the proceeds will be going to Global Giving.