Denim Tote Bag

I always like denim. I like the indigo blue, its durability, versatility and resistance to stains. Denim can also be easily match with other colours and type of fabric and it never goes out of style!

My girl's school bag is rather heavy with all the textbooks, exercise books, activity books and stationery. A friend of mine suggested that I should 'distribute' the loads of the school bag to relief the stress on her shoulder. So I gave my girl a recycle bag to put her exercise books and activity books, leave only the textbooks and stationery in the school bag. It does help to relief the burden on her shoulder to a certain extent. However, the recycle bag is made of very thin material. The bottom of the bag started to tear after a few weeks of use. Then I thought may be I should made her a bag using a more durable material - denim. 

Here it is, a denim tote bag lined with sky blue polka dot fabric and a pocket in front. I made it slightly bigger to fit the art block paper. I suppose this bag should last her for many years to come :)  

Denim tote bag - front view

Back view

A pocket with lace & sweet strawberry embroidery patch

DIY Mail organizer

I like collecting stuff. It can be a bad thing, when one runs of space. My collection includes, fabric, ribbon, stamps and rubber stamps, wrapping papers, paper bags, boxes etc. Boxes are the one that taking up a lot of space. I have to throw them away when I really can't find place to keep them. Some may wonder why am I keeping those boxes. Well, I use it as storage for small items like socks, hanky, CDs etc. It can come in handy in gift wrapping too!

While I was cleaning up for Chinese New Year, I discovered this photo frame box which I have been keeping it for a while. It's made of sturdy cardboard. Ideal for storage. I have been wanting to try the DIY fabric box so this is it, a new project - beautifying.

The thing is, I forgot to take a picture of the photo frame box 'before' I spruced it up. I only have the 'after' picture to share. Here it is, I turned the photo frame box into a mail organizer. 

The next time I work on beautifying project, I will remind myself to take a picture first :) 

Photo frame box - after make-over

DIY mail organizer

Side view

New home for mail

Year of Snake - Gong Xi Fa Cai! 蛇年快乐！恭喜发财！

I have finally completed this year’s Chinese New Year gifts. However, due to time constraint, I have no time to blog about it until now. 

This time, I recycled the chocolate jar idea which I’ve used it for Christmas gift. I have replaced the bear and candy with basket/ Chinese basket of mandarin oranges, Yuanbao and Chinese New Year doll. Inside the jar, I put in chocolate with gold wrapper, which symbolizes wealth and prosperity. In short, the gift that I would like to present signifies joy (Red) and prosperous (Gold).

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish everyone best of luck, health and prosperity in the year of Snake!

经过一轮的赶工，今年的新春礼物终于出炉了。
这四种不同造型的罐子包括了代表大吉大利的年柑，以及将幸福，福气及吉祥如意送到你家的金童玉女。罐子内也都装满了让人吃了一整年都会甜甜蜜蜜的巧克力。
希望受到礼物的朋友们一整年都会过得甜甜蜜蜜，幸福美满，吉祥如意，蛇年行大运！

Basket of Mandarin oranges

Mandarin oranges in Mandarin basket

Little boy in Chinese New Year costume

Little girl in Chinese New Year costume

Happy and prosperous

Four different design

Handmade clay craft

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Ready to be delivered!

Chinese New Year Gifts Preparation 新春气氛酝酿中。。。

Chinese New Year is just around the corner. Apart from spring cleaning the house, I have been busy making Chinese New Year gifts. I know I should have started it earlier. I have earlier thought of some ideas on what to do for the gift but it's just that I have been procrastinating, waiting till the very last minute to do it :p

I have came up with four designs for the gifts. Here are some of the works in progress ...

to be continued..

农历新年的脚步越来越靠近了，大街小巷也开始出现了浓浓的新年气氛。
家家户户都在忙着办年货，将家里都妆扮得充满新春佳节的气氛。

对于我来说呢，除了大扫除及妆扮我们的温暖窝以外呢，以纸黏土制作的新年礼物也是我最新的力作。
先上几张照片，让大家先感受一下新年的氛围，随后就有完整的作品出现啦。。。。 

记得再回来看看喔。。。

Lovely Hair Clips 可爱的发夹

My girl has long hair. She loves to keep her hair long since she was a little girl. The thing is she has very thin hair when she was little and it took her a very long time to grow her hair long. She can finally tie her hair in a ponytail only at 6 years old! So she is very precious about her hair. Like all mothers, I love to dress up my girl. I didn't get the chance to make her hair when she was little as her hair was short. Well, it's never too late to do it now haha..

There are many nice and beautiful hair clips available at hair accessories shops. But they are not cheap. I searched through my collection of ribbons and I'm making my own hair clips! I made four french hair clips this time using the ribbons which can easily match my girl's clothes. She is very excited and can't wait to wear them :)

女儿从小就是很“男仔头”，不是说她的性格，而是她的头发啦。。。哈哈！
从她小的时候就很想帮她扮得美美的，奈何她的头发就是稀稀疏疏的，长不长。
所以多美的发夹都无用武之地啦。

终于等到她六岁时，头发终于可以帮她束成马尾了。
她很开心，因为头发终于留长了。
我也很开心，因为终于可以在女儿的头上大展身手了。:)

看看这些超可爱的作品，全都是利用我的私人珍藏做成的。。。
女儿迫不及待的别在头上，可以看出她真的很喜欢它们。

她开心，我也开心。
这就是一个母亲对孩子的期望，不是吗？

Four lovely french hair clips

Red and while stripe perfect for Chinese New Year

Pinky flower 

Sweet polka dot 

Cute chocolate brown 

New collection of hair clips

Mickey Mouse Drawstring Backpack

Both my son and my nephew love Mickey Mouse. They are both born in the year of Rat. Not sure if that is why their loves towards Mickey. :) 

I went for fabric shopping with my sister-in law the other day and I came across a Mickey Mouse print fabric.When I show it to my nephew, he was beaming with joy. I know I have to get it. The boys sure will like it. Not sure what to make for the boys yet at that time though. Then, a few weeks after that, I saw a children drawstring backpack picture in a Japanese craft magazine. Yes, this is it, I'm going to sew a drawstring backpack for the boys. There is no pattern included in the magazine, so I have to draw my own pattern. First, I took the measurement of my boy's upper body. I used it to determine the size of the backpack. Since the fabric background colour is red, I chose black as the matching colour for the backpack. The only problem is the string. I initially plan to use black colour cotton or nylon string. I've searched a few shops but couldn't find the right size/thickness of string that I wanted. If there is, they don't have black colour. :( A lady at the  last shop I stopped by recommended me to use mustard yellow instead. Oh yes, the mustard yellow actually matches red and bring out the colour of the backpack even better than black! Thanks to the lady, I have a perfect matching string with the backpack. :)

The boys can use it to keep their ang pow this Chinese New Year!

Front and back view of the backpack

Perfect match of the mustard yellow string with the red Mickey fabric

Polka dot for the inner lining of the backpack

Check out the Mickey Mouse button!

Cute Mickey Mouse drawstring backpack

 

Kitchen Window Curtains

Chinese New Year is around the corner. I'm sure all who celebrate it is busy spring cleaning the house, I'm no exception. Some households may buy a few new furniture and decoration for the house to welcome the lunar new year. Purchasing of new things, to Chinese, symbolizes a fresh start. 

Instead of buying new, I'm going to make it myself this year. First in the list, I want a new look for my kitchen, no budget for a big renovation, I will do it in a small scale. A nice curtain would definitely give a fresh look to the kitchen! Though red is the predominant colour used in Chinese New Year, as it symbolizes joy and prosperous, I go for blue for my kitchen window curtain. I like blue because it brings peace and calm. I always dream of a cottage country kitchen, though I can't have it entirely, I can have it partially and I'm happy :)  

Lovely zakka style curtains

Favourite spot in the kitchen