What’s your working music? I’m usually a classical music and jazz person but I find I work really well with Lady Gaga especially when I’m doing something visual like photo-editing or mucking about on my Etsy shop. However, when I’m writing,  I’d prefer quieter, unsung music like bossa nova. Words, I often find, do not work well with words. I need all my concentration and prowess to form words. I keep my distractions at the minimal and that helps me to focus a lot better.

When I was in Sweden, I was part of a fabulous Etsy group called European Street Team (EST). It was the very first team I’d joined and it was full of friendly people. I met so many lovely people and one of the shops I took noticed of was Miss Babacilu. Her style is so soft and feminine, dreamy and romantic – it’s like the jewellery version of my photos! So, without further ado, I’ll like to introduce the very talented, and gorgeous Ioana, the creator of Miss Babacilu.

I’m Ioana, the miss behind Miss Babacilu. Based in Bucharest, Romania, Miss Babacilu is a brand of costume jewelry with a touch of preciousness, elegance, romance and delicacy.

I’m a self-taught bead and wire wraper, jewelry designer and blogger. I tried lots things (photography, for instance) and my mind always thought about creative things. I graduated Political Science and I’m curently studying for my MA, though in a subject that has nothing to do with this, but has a lot to do with the world, as I like to say.

But let me tell you more about Miss B. She’s somehow me, or a great part of myself and my imagination. She is an elegant young lady, sipping tea in late mornings and afternoons from her fantastical hand-painted china sets. She is a charming presence, a good-mannered young lady and a romantic. You will always find her with a book in her hand or dreaming about glamorous fabrics, lace and ruffles, flowers and all the amazing things that nature and life itself gave us.

Miss B has evolved from my passion for fashion, jewelry, manners and protocol and of course tea. It’s also the result of my urge of making things with my hands, following the paths inspiration made me drew on tissues and papers. I’m happy to be able to design and actually make accessories that stand for elegance, strength, delicacy and femininity.

You can see more of Miss B’s beautiful work here:

// Shop // Other Shop// Facebook // Twitter //

Firstly, I like to apologize to the dear sweet Keri for this really late Etsy feature. The last couple of weeks was just a little crazy and then I’d spent the whole of Friday, Saturday & Sunday at MMI (which was pretty darn fantastic!). It’s been so long since I’ve done a food post too, so yes, I’m well-aware that I’m behind things and I really need to get my act together.

I love having the back pass into someone’s life and see how they work; what they do; and who they are. One of my reasons why I have started featuring (especially, new) Etsy sellers on this blog is because I like to help them get some extra exposure. Most people know how challenging it can be to start a new business, and on Etsy it’s no different. There are so many talented artists working to get their foot in the door and I know how it feels as a fellow seller. I’ve met so many fantastic people already and they have been incredible generous with me. Perhaps, this is my way of paying back that kindness by paying it forward.

So, let’s begin with a peep into another artist’s world. Today we have Keri, the creator and imagineer, of Color Work Studio.

Hi! My Name is Keri Gressell. I am a wife, mom, artist, & photographer living in Northeast Pa. My shop has been on Etsy since the end of January. I have had the pleasure of working with many talented people, such as Mable Tan, who has so kindly given me this opportunity to take you into my studio! 

I work at home in a large area, which contains my art studio, office, storage, and wall space for my personal gallery in preparation for exhibits.  In addition to photography & painting seascapes, I paint candles, clay pots, & make jewelry from seashells I collect & paint. To get the real effect of my studio, picture paint, brushes, photos, & paper strewn chaotically on all work surfaces, add two cats, a big latte, & you’re there!

My love for the ocean & NYC (combined with years of photos, ever growing) and being situated relatively close to both has enabled me to share these very diverse moments with others. From the city to the beach, I hope you too can feel the peace & beauty of the sea, as well as the culture, excitement, & everyday moments that take place, even in New York City! Thank you for allowing me to share this with you!

Do take the time to visit Keri’s shop and Facebook fanpage!

// Shop // Facebook //

]]> http://www.mabletan.com/2011/11/colorworkstudio/feed/ 6 http://www.mabletan.com/2011/11/colorworkstudio/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HappeeMonkee/~3/zoVdIE6UOoc/ http://www.mabletan.com/2011/11/etsy-feature-misala-handmade/#comments Wed, 16 Nov 2011 11:38:14 +0000 Mable Tan http://www.mabletan.com/?p=1406

I have been so busy with so many things I have not been able to blog about food. And for this I have to apologize. I reckon it must be the holiday buzz. With Christmas just a little more than a month away (I know!), all of us on Etsy are hurrying off to get stuff done in time for the Christmas shopping. Which is also why I feel an importance to support the Etsy community. I know for a fact that we are all trying our best especially at this time of the year. We are Santa’s little helpers. Forget elves in green suits, we are the modern day toy makers – or if you prefer the ‘adult version’.

Meet Michelle, creator & extraordinaire of Misala Handmade. She is, no doubt, very good with her hands because she makes the cutest (on-the-scale-of-10-they-are-12), most adorable money bags. I absolutely adore her shop. Let’s have Michelle tell us about herself….

Hi! I am Michelle from Misala Handmade. I was originally from Hong Kong, but moved to Dubai to follow my husband and his job. The move had given me the time to think about what I really likes to do and explore my creative side, and that’s how Misala Handmade was born!

I love using kisslock purse frames in my creations and giving them life with kawaii, cute and colorful styles. Every once in a while I would stop and be amazed at what I have created – I could not have imagined that I would be making so many of these cute, beautiful things with my own hands if I had not started doing this!

It’s been almost a year since I started my Etsy shop, and it was such a rewarding experience! I made a lot of new friends, met some amazing talented people and interacted with sweet lovely customers from around the world, and I would love to keep doing this until I am too old to pick up the needle!

Be sure to visit Michelle’s Etsy shop, Facebook & Twitter!

*  Shop * Facebook * Twitter

Happee Monkee supports another Etsy seller for the week. Today we feature jewellery designer, Maria, creative mind behind the shop DesignByThyll. Not only does Maria lives in Sweden (which I think is the best place in the world), she’s got a gorgeous personality and a lot of fun to work with. Maria’s shop is currently offering FREE SHIPPING around the world. Great time to save some money and do some Christmas shopping.

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I’ve been a creative person for as long as I can remember. Crafting has always been a big part of my life! I call myself a multi-crafter, and by that I mean that I love to create within a lot of different styles. I do jewelry mostly, but also painting, drawing, sewing, knitting, crochet, clay, scrapbooking etc. You name it! 

When I create jewelry, I’m inspired by a lot of things, so I can’t really tell something specific. It can be almost anything! I often doodle down my ideas in my crafting note book so that I won´t forget some new idea that popped up in my head. 

Be sure to visit Maria’s shop & Facebook!

*  Shop * Facebook *

I love catalogues. I used to collect them as a kid for all the pretty, glossy photos but eventually have to give it up because it took too much space.

Thank goodness for the Internet! You can read the NY Times on line, read the latest Marie Claire from my iPad (which I’m still manifesting, so it’s on it’s way!) and best of all, view catalogues from a screen – totally paperless and, no doubt, very environmentally friendly.

I am so in love with Lovely Clusters’ Fall/Winter 2011/12 Catalogue! Everything is beautifully curated and grouped together. It’s such a beauty to look at! As a bonus, some of my photographs are featured in the catalogue. Hooray!

It is such an honour to be featured alongside very talented and skilled artists from all over the world. It’s inspiring to look at, and it makes me appreciate the beauty that surrounds us all.

Thank you Lovely Cluster for this amazing opportunity! Do drop by their wonderful blog and if you’re on Pinterest, you can follow them here >> Lovely Cluster Pinterest. Have a great weekend everybody and see you next week!

xoxo,
Mabs

Ever since becoming a seller on Etsy, I’ve discovered so many new friends who are awesomely talented. All the skills and products you see on Etsy are just amazing and I would like to share them with you. Today, we have the French-born designer behind blog/shop Etincelle Creative Studio, Marie, to give you a snippet about herself, her family and her shop.

Hi, I’m Marie and I’m a mother of two catching up on her passion for pretty delicate things that sparkle and shine (Etincelle means “sparkle” in French). Currently based in Singapore, I’m carefully sourcing my materials during my travels in Asia and beyond.

The label features beautifully decorated bags and accessories. Colours and prints are harmoniously mixed and matched to create colourful and unique designs with a distinct transcultural twist. The handmade embroideries using sequins and beads are enhancing bags, jewellery pieces and dresses. The label also features the Mini-Me dolls – my very own pretty version of the Russian dolls – great as room decoration (if beaded), or as a fun play companion (non-beaded version).

An aspiring prop stylist and photographer, I have also recently started planning children’s birthday parties and is a regular contributor of Bloesem Blog, a blog dedicated to design, handmade, vintage and travelling. My purpose is to to create designs that inspire, amuse and delight and have fun in the process.

Be sure to visit Marie’s shop, blog, Facebook & Twitter!

 Blog * Shop * Facebook * Twitter

So, Miss B. is on a three-week gluten-free diet. But before I go on, I digress by saying, the blender blew up. There was a really loud POP! and the only way I knew it wasn’t the bacon fat sizzling was the gradual smoke snaking from the blender. I hope my FIL isn’t too attached to it.

As I was saying, Miss B. is on a gluten-free diet and I thought it’d be easier if everyone went on the same diet. Mainly, because I am way too lazy to cook two separate meals, and really, gluten-free is the easiest thing to cater for. Next to vegetarian. Give me vegan or dairy-free, I’ll probably throw in the towel.

The first thing I did was to type into Google, ‘What is gluten-free?‘ Easy. It’s basically, what I think is, an Asian diet – more rice, no wheat. Fundamentally, the same. Then I find out that there are LOTS of things that contains wheat. Bread, cookies, pizza, pasta, flour…. So, last week, our shopping list got a little longer (and a little more expensive).

I have to say, though, that I’m enjoying this challenge very much. So far I’ve made steak with sweet potato chips; zucchini, pumpkin and feta fritata; Thai style pork mince & rice noodle stir-fry; and paella. I’ve even improvised with a gluten-free ginger cake recipe which is super yummy. This gluten-free thing has lead me to find new recipes that I wouldn’t have tried otherwise.

Anyway, got to share this one – it’s definitely a thumbs up – easy, tasty and ready to eat within an hour. What’s not to love?

Ricotta & Rocket Gnocchi in Tomato Sauce & Bacon
(adapted from Coles Gluten-Free Recipes)

Ingredients:

Gnocchi:

• 750 g fresh ricotta cheese
• 1 cup rocket, chopped
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese finely, grated
• 1 cup gluten free flour, sifted
• 3 large eggs
• extra sifted gluten free flour (coating)
• a pinch of salt and ground black pepper

Sauce:

• 10 black olives, pitted
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 cup of rocket leaves
• 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 3 rashes of bacon, sliced (Note: Omit bacon for a vegetarian version)
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Mix ricotta, rocket, Parmesan cheese, eggs and flour together with ½ teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper.
2. Once everything is well combined, scoop a ball of gnocchi mixture – around a tablespoon size – and roll into oval shapes and place on a large plate dusted with a little more flour to prevent sticking.
3. Cook a few at a time in a large pan of boiling water for 2 minutes, or until they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon.
4. For sauce, throw garlic cloves, canned tomatoes, olives and rocket leaves into a blender. Blend well. (At this point, I don’t recommend the blender to blow up)
5. Heat olive oil in a medium pan, fry bacon until brown and then, add sauce.
6. Simmer sauce for 10 minutes or until thickened. Season and gently toss with gnocchi.
7. Serve with a sprinkle of parsley and Parmesan cheese.

One of the things I’d discovered in Italy was that great food is often made with very few ingredients. The fresher, obviously, the better and less was, in fact, enough. In this recipe there are four main ingredients – cherry tomatoes, bacon, mushroom and garlic. Cherry tomatoes to sweeten the sauce, bacon to add saltiness, mushroom for an added meatiness to the dish and garlic to bind all of it together with its spellbinding aroma. A bit of herb helps too, just to lift the flavours a little – and either coriander or basil does the trick.

Spaghetti with Bacon & Cherry Tomato ( serves 4 )
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Ingredients:

• 500g cherry tomatoes, halved (you can mix and match the variety to get the best of flavours)
• 5 slices of bacon, cut into 1cm slices
• 6 fresh mushrooms, sliced thickly (of any sorts, admittedly, I’m a little of a mushroom fanatic)
• 4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 small chilli, de-seeded, sliced (optional)
• a knob of butter
• 200g spaghetti, cooked in salted water
• 1 tablespoon of chopped herbs e.g. basil or coriander

Method:

1. Heat a frying pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Fry bacon until brown and crispy, set aside.
2. Reserve one tablespoon of bacon oil in the pan, then add cherry tomatoes. Cook over medium-high heat for 4 – 5 minutes.
3. Add mushrooms, chilli, butter and garlic. Cook for another 4-5 minutes or until mushrooms are cooked.
4. At the last minute, add the fried bacon. Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Toss well with cooked spaghetti, sprinkle fresh herbs and serve immediately.

Hooray! I get to use my new swanky Svenskt Tenn place mat. I have been in love with Svenskt Tenn since I interviewed them for an article back in 2008. Everything is so marvelously stylish at Svenskt Tenn and, of course, as all brilliant things do, they come with a generous price tag. I have come to terms that quality and style are occasionally worth investing in. Gone are those uni days where only the cheapest are thrown into the basket. Yes, live beneath our means and have a practical budget but, once in a while, let’s spoil ourselves with a little beauty.  Aren’t we worth that? Of course, we are!

This is my first attempt at making cannelloni, which means it was a little fiddly to stuff. At first, I’d used a disposable piping bag and that was… just ridiculously messy. So I resorted to using a small teaspoon and some gentle prodding with a finger and that worked pretty well. The recipe is really easy and I reckon you can also use the same ricotta stuffing for a vegetarian lasagna. I bet it’ll taste just as yum.

I was going to make my own ricotta after spying a recipe in this month’s Donna Hay but I wasn’t feeling particularly ambitious today. That’s for next time! On my to-cook list is pumpkin and ricotta ravioli so perhaps, I shall attempt it then.

Eggplant & Mushroom Cannelloni ( serves 6-8 )
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Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized eggplant, cut into small cubes
• 6 – 7 Swiss Brown mushrooms, cut into small cubes
• 200g baby spinach leaves, rinsed
• 350g  low-fat ricotta
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 600g pasta sauce
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 50g butter, cubed
• 200g instant oven-ready cannelloni tubes
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Heat up the olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add eggplant, mushrooms and butter. Cook for 4 – 5 minutes over medium heat or until eggplant and mushrooms are fairly soft.
2. Add spinach and ground nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper. Cook until spinach leaves have wilted. Set aside to cool.
3. In a big mixing bowl, combine eggplant-mushroom mixture with ricotta and egg. Crumble the ricotta with your fingers.
4. Using a small teaspoon, slowly fill the cannelloni tubes. Make sure the whole tube is filled with ricotta mix.
5. In a pan, heat the pasta sauce (Alternatively, you can use canned tomatoes. Purée the tomatoes, add fresh basil and season well with salt and pepper) until boiling. Remove from heat.
6. Preheat the oven at 200°C. Ladle half the sauce in a dish and then place a layer of the filled cannelloni tubes. Pour the remaining sauce over the cannelloni and sprinkle grated cheese. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until the pasta is cooked.

Hullo Hullo!

Did you miss me? It has been awfully quiet around here hasn’t it? So much has happened in this two months. Our belated honeymoon in Italy was so amazing. I was in Italy! I still can’t get my mind around it. We ate so much pasta, pizza, and drank bottles of Lambrusco (admittedly, not the finest wine but after a hot day of wandering, it is simply, the best). Our tour began in Venice and we made our way by train to Bologna, Parma, Cinque Terre, Pisa (just to see, you guess it, the Leaning Tower), Florence and finally Rome.

After Florence and Rome, we really felt a little burned out (in the literal sense too! It was the height of summer). In the hindsight, we should have done the busier cities first and finished up with calmer towns like Bologna. But we’ll know better the next time. We are definitely returning so we can explore more of the Tuscany countryside, and eat more rustic Italian food. YUM!

We’re finally back in Melbourne and everyone’s asking me how does it feel to be back. Hrmm… it’s a mixed feeling. It’s definitely good to be in one place for now. We were travelling so much in Europe it felt a little unsettling at times (but I really can’t complain). I’m a home girl and I like doing things at home, baking, cooking, blogging, so having a home business makes a lot of sense to me. At the same time, I miss seeing all these amazing places and meeting interesting people, tasting all those foreign delicacies that I could only dream about years ago. I am immensely grateful and fortunate to have had that opportunity!

Right now, I’m putting a lot of attention to Etsy and business is picking up! The other day we were featured in A Place For Twiggs, the features here if you like a good read over morning tea. There are lots more good things coming our way and we’ll let you know when that happens. I don’t know why I’ve started using ‘we’ when I talk about my Etsy shop. I guess I think of Happee Monkee as a person. A very happy and creative person. And we’re all good friends.

In regards to food… it’s taking a long time for me to get the momentum. I’ve started baking the other day – an rhubarb & apple chocolate tart with a touch of rosewater essence. It was a Donna Hay recipe and it was excellent! But I just couldn’t muster the energy to take food shots. I’m so sorry! I will eventually get there but at the mean time, please be patient with me. I will start food blogging this month and that’s a promise!

Have a great weekend folks! It’s a beautiful cool spring day in Melbourne now and I’m sending some sunny thoughts to those who are in the autumny areas!

XOXO,
Mable