Handmade Teddy Bear & Bunny 手作泰迪熊及班尼兔

I was told there is a new hangout place in Penang Island called the Straits Quay and they run a weekend market selling all sort of stuff on every Saturday and Sunday. I am a zakka maniac (or some people would call it junk maniac :p), for sure I have to visit this place!

So during my last trip to Penang, I managed to visit Straits Quay weekend market. It turned out to be quite a disappointment as there were not many stalls at the weekend market. Nevertheless, I came across a stall selling handmade (fabric) teddy bear and bunny. Lots of different sizes and patterns of teddy bears and bunnies! All very lovely! They also sell DIY kits for people who would love to make their own teddy bears or bunnies. I couldn't resist and bought two DIY kits, a medium size teddy bear and a small size bunny.The pack came with all the accessories and tools you need to complete the bear or bunny; buttons, fabric, threads, needle, except the fiber fill. The lady who was manning the stall explained to me step-by-step how to make the bear and bunny and she even showed me how to sew the bear/bunny's nose and mouth beautifully.

Honestly, the instructions in the kits aren't very clear. But luckily, the lady at the stall explained the steps quite clearly so I managed to complete the teddy bear and bunny based on my memory (I started the project few weeks after I bought the kits, thank goodness that my memory didn't fail me haha). 

Here is the teddy bear and bunny which my children bring to sleep very night. :)

身为杂货迷，我一直都很留意那儿有所谓的周末市场或是跳蚤市场，以便我可以在那儿寻找一些小玩意，淘淘宝。。。：）
檳岛的 Straits Quay 是我最近去过的周末市场。老实说，对它是有一些小失望。因为档口没有我想象的多及特别。不过还是有一个吸引到我的啦，开始淘宝行动啦。。。。。
这是一个卖布娃娃的小档，摆放了很多不同造型的泰迪熊及班尼兔等等。好可爱呀！！！
我儿子看了也一直吵着要买，可见它们是多么的招人喜欢呀！结果我就买了泰迪熊及班尼兔各一个，不过是 DIY 包的。每个包内都提供了所需的物品以及最重要的制作步骤。
在美女档主细心的讲解制作步骤后，一切都变得简单了。
看，这就是每晚陪着我孩子睡觉的泰迪熊及班尼兔啦！！！

Best Friend Forever - Teddy & Bunny

More Christmas Gifts 圣诞礼物陆续有来

I'm making more Christmas/New Year gifts! This time I'm making teddy bear memo clip. Teddy bear is my favourite clay figurine and the easiest for me to make. 

My problem this time is how to wrap the gift. At first I thought of using plastic sheet but it is not presentable. Then, I tried to make my own gift bag using saa paper which I bought from Bangkok during my last trip there. It turned out to be better than the plastic sheet but still not perfect. As I was running out of time, I have no choice but to use the saa paper bag to wrap the gift.

A friend is back from Singapore for a holiday and we had a gathering yesterday afternoon. I managed to finish the teddy bear memo clip, wrapped it, just in time for the gathering. I'm glad that all my friends like their gifts very much :).

又一批圣诞礼物出来见人了！
泰迪熊是我最拿手及最喜欢的造型。就让泰迪熊造型的便条纸夹成为今天的主角吧。
“有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎”。有朋友从国外回来度假，约了我们一帮朋友聚聚，这批礼物刚好就可以充当圣诞礼物了。
由于一直找不到适合的包装，结果这批礼物真的是在最后一分钟才赶出来见人，还好还来得及送出。：） 不过看到朋友们惊讶的神情，以及纷纷表示很喜欢这份惊喜，实在是让我小小的虚荣了一番。哈哈！！！

Colourful Teddy Bear with Gifts

Sweet Pinky Teddy Bear

Humble Grey Teddy Bear

Truthful Yellowish-Brown Teddy Bear

Cute Blue Teddy Bear Memo Clip

Brown Teddy Bear in Santa Hat

Hopeful Polar Bear

Purple Teddy Bear in Green Scarf

Gift Wrapped in Saa paper

Merry Christmas!

Cutlery case

I'm a big supporter for green living. I constantly remind myself to be environmentally conscious in everything I do.

One of the things we can do to help the environment is to cut down the use of plastic plates and cutlery. Most caterers and some eatery place, for ease of convenient, will provide plastic forks and spoons. This is very bad for the environment as most of these plastic ware are not recyclable. One option is to bring your own non-disposable cutlery from home and not use the plastic stuff. 

It's kind of troublesome to store your cutlery if you want to bring them out. I have gotten the idea from one of a craft magazine, to sew your own cutlery case. This is what I've made to store my cutlery. 

It is good to keep a set in office or your handbag. It will come in handy when you eat out or pack your food to eat in the office!

Fabric Cutlery Case

Home for Cutlery Set

Checked Design with Lovely Ribbon

Chocolate Jar 饼干糖果罐

Since I left the office world to become a stay-at-home-mum, I have more time to spend on crafting. I mostly make for my children or gave to relatives and friends as gifts. One of my favourite crafts is resin clay or paper clay. It is amazing that a piece of clay can be molded into whatever shapes you want!

Today, I'm meeting a friend for lunch. An old friend from my previous workplace. I want to make something for her as a New Year gift. After a long thought, I came out with this - a chocolate jar bear. I hope she will like it. It can be used as a cookies jar too!

手作，是我从小就很喜欢的东西。自走出象牙塔，踏入职场以来，我就一直希望能够回归家庭，以及可以拥有自己的私人空间做我一直都很迷恋的手作。
现在终于梦想成真了，看着一块块的纸黏土在我手上慢慢的变成各式各样的造型，心里的满足感并非笔墨所能够形容的。
今天去赴了一个前同事的午餐约会， 也将新鲜出炉的新年礼物交给她。希望她吃了罐里的巧克力糖后，一整年都会甜甜蜜蜜，顺顺利利。

Cuddly Teddy Bear with Lollipop

Teddy Bear Chocolate Jar

Notebook 记事本

2012 is almost coming to an end. I think it's time to make a new notebook for the new year. Going through my fabric collection, picked up a few matching fabrics and by afternoon my new collection of notebook is almost done (yet to sew the elastic band to hold the notepads). I have made five big ones and five smaller ones. :)

新年的脚步越来越近了，又是到了准备新的记事本的时候了。
每年到了这个时候，都会到书局去寻找合适的记事本。
不过，今年就来个不同的吧！
利用油棕树所制成的簿子，是我的第一选择；再包上我搜罗回来的布料，这就是在市面上买不到的，独一无二，与众不同的记事本啦！！！

Get ready for back to school 准备开学咯。。。。

I bought this beautiful princess print fabric online some time ago, thinking of making something for my girl. After 'consulting' my girl, I've decided to make a pencil case and a water tumbler case for her for her new school year 2013.

Flipping through my craft books collection and I found the pattern I like and the one with instructions that I can follow hahah..After much measuring, cutting, ironing, sewing, mending.. tarra..here is the output. The pencil case turned out to be a little bit too small that I wanted it to be. Put a remark on my craft book on this to remind myself not to repeat the same mistake the next time. The water tumble case, on the other hand, turned out to be too big, but that's not a big problem, I can still mend it by cutting off the extra fabric. Lesson learned, always measure a little extra, good to have allowance for error :) . 

十二月就要接近尾声了，也意味着学校年终假期就将结束，又是准备开学咯。
对于布料一直都有一种莫名的喜欢，出外逛街或旅行都好，只要看到喜欢的，合眼缘的，都会将之搜罗回家。所以家里都堆积了不少不同质地，不同设计的布料。
女儿从小就很喜欢迪士尼公主系列的故事，手上的这款灰姑娘的布料正好可以用来缝制些上学用品给她。
参考了书上的建议及尺寸，女儿在新学年的铅笔盒及水壶袋终于出来见人了。
从这次的制作中也学到了一些道理，尽信书不如无书，书本只能够让我们参考，作任何决定前都必须自己去衡量及思考。就有如这铅笔盒般，如果完全根据书上的建议的话，就会出现太小的情况，而水壶袋则会太大。
当然大会好过小，因为就算是有任何地方出现问题的话，还有一些可供修改的空间嘛。

Princess Water Tumbler Case

Princess Pencil Case

Princess Pencil Case (Inside)

Mission accomplished 任务完成

After three days of hard work :), I've completed 21 photo frames! I must say I'm quite satisfied with my work haha..

I was having trouble sticking those clay items onto the photo frame. I've tried Uhu, craft white glue, I've even tried the construction adhesive but all doesn't do a good job in sticking the clay items to the wooden photo frame. My problem solved when I found this 'quick dry' glue at the hardware store. Yeay, now I've all the Christmas gifts done, ready to be packed and delivered to my friend. 

哈哈！！！经过3天3夜的努力，今年第一批的圣诞礼物终于出炉了。
21个纯白色的相框，黏上利用色彩丰富的纸黏土做成的小玩意，顿时就犹如灰姑娘变成公主一般的艳光四射。
说起将小玩意黏上相框，还真是被折腾了一番。
一开始用的胶水，无法有效地将小玩意很稳固的黏在相框上，试了几种不同的胶水，包括了万能胶等等都不行。还好最后给我找到一种在台湾称为“快干”的胶水，我买的这瓶叫“速干胶”。
真的是很快干又很稳固，但是如果一不小心给它黏到手，就要自己保重了，呵呵！！！
“速干胶”到手了，也意味着圣诞礼物也可以出炉咯。。。。。。。。。。。

Lazy Afternoon

Humpty Dumpty

Under the Sea

Sweets

Little Red Ridding Hood

Puppy Love

Choo-Choo Train

Robot Boy

 

 

 



Christmas gifts in the making 圣诞礼物准备中。。。

I was asked to make Christmas gifts. What an exciting assignment! I love crafting. After some thought, I've decided to make or rather to decorate photo frame using paper clay. I choose photo frame because everyone needs one :) and it is a good way to display sweet memories.

I have came up with several patterns, got my inspiration mostly from children's books :p . Here are the little clay items that I've made which yet to be put up onto the photo frame.

圣诞的脚步越来越近，又是准备圣诞礼物的时候了。

相信家家户户都会有至少一个相框吧。相框除了可以展示照片以外，更是展示甜美回忆的最佳平台。今年的圣诞礼物就利用相框配上纸黏土吧。

开工咯。。。。。。。