Altered Alchemy

timeless ...

2012-02-02T15:30:00.002+08:00

“I have Loved you for a Thousand Years …

And I will Love you for a Thousand more”

this song sung by Christina Perry is not only beautiful and haunting, it has the power to transport one to a different place and time where love is Forever … Eternal. and age-old love stories are written in books that are stained with the elements of time, but never forgotten.

inspired by this thought and vision, i made TIMELESS ...

the intense surge of different emotions i felt during the creative process was ... one of a kind. i am SO in love with this piece ... so in love.

this piece took me many hours to construct as each page was lovingly burned by incense and fashioned in a way that the burned hole in the middle of the page tapers towards a blood red heart. i have also included little features like miniature music notes, miniature love letters and miniature dictionary excerpts in between the stained blank pages.

here is what i call 'the Progression' towards the core ...

i have however, left many untainted and unfilled pages behind this heart for the love stories of the next Thousand years.

i wonder who would write in them ...

juggling

2012-01-26T22:21:00.000+08:00

of late i have been feeling a little tired. after rushing out so many commissions in such a short time and then prepping for Chinese New Year, it really did take a toll on me... more mentally than anything else actually. made me think that perhaps i should stop taking commissions for a bit and just go back to making some ... well, thingamajigs ... or, whatever-i-wanted-to-make-without-any-sort-of-expectations.

taking the 2 weeks or so break during this CNY, gave me a window to kinda mess around. the results were a couple of necklaces and 2 pairs of earrings which you saw a couple of posts ago. also, after 2 frantic days of CNY, i was able to create this chunky cuff, which i really enjoyed making ... which also made me think ... yea ... i want to just make whatever.

this piece i named "I AM" ... even stamped the letter "i" on the key (if you can see it) ... guess that says it all ... i want to find back the 'artist' in me.

not that my commission pieces are not me ... they definitely are. but they also come with a lot of expectations. tho like Louise of Bibliographica reminded me, sometimes commissions can spark new ideas, which i totally agree. my Palm Size Quidditch Handbook would never have materialized if it was not for a client asking if i could make a Harry Potter inspired journal for her after seeing my HP inspired book necklaces. tho it took me a long time to come up with the design, but in the end, i was delighted with the result. it then morphed into this little baby below.

this little baby must be one of my cutest design :) it even got about 22,000 hits on tumblr... YAY!!!

let's face it, we have bills to pay and commissions do just that ... which i am so grateful for honestly. if i stop doing made-to-orders and commissions, who is gonna pay my bills? that's the dilemma. so the question is ... how do you juggle? any advise?

..............

p/s ... thank you for all the Chinese New Year wishes!! :) another year older ... and hopefully a little wiser ;)

Gong Xi Fa Chai !!!

2012-01-21T18:42:00.003+08:00

that's the Mandarin way of saying ...

Happy Chinese New Year!!

here's little Maia wishing all who celebrate this Lunar festival, a happy and prosperous Dragon year with much abundance, good health, shining luck and delightful dreams come true :)

why ... is it 2012 already?

2012-01-16T00:51:00.000+08:00

the beginning of 2012 felt like a whirlwind to me ... it still feels like one! Llara started "big girl school" this year and i now have to drive her to and fro school. no longer just hoping into the lift from our condo to the kindie on the 2nd floor ... that, was pretty neat! now i have one more day job added to my resume ... driver + bodyguard! you cannot believe how normally-docile-little-parents can turn into lean-mean-maniacal-driving-machines during dropoffs and pickups at school!! it's totally crazy i can tell you!

amidst all the happenings, i was still able to complete 12 commissions in 2 weeks (pats oneself on the shoulder) ... i am still amazed at what deadlines can do to you!! ((O_O)) this week tho ... i allowed myself to just chill, let myself wander and create whatever that came to mind ...

i took out Barry's stash, and again, the copper half capsule-like rod caught my attention. it was quite perfect to begin with, but i thought i wanted to ruffle it up just a bit, and then use it as some sort of time capsule or vessel. and this was the result of it ...

i coffee stained a piece of linen and then imprinted a mail stamp using archival black ink and then ironed over it on high heat to set. it's now permanent and would not wash off :) whoot!! you learn a new trick every day! i really rather liked how it turned out ... :)

i liked the mail stamp thingy so much that i made another necklace with the same technique. i think you can see it better on this one :)

these necklaces reminded me of old love letters ... those that were written beautifully and extravagantly, and in impeccable handwriting ... in a time when letters began with "My dearest darling" instead of "yo!" or "hiya!"

it's been a long time since i made earrings, cos i never have the right box for earrings!! anyway i made a pair, with little books hanging off of them :) will think of the box later when it sells ;)

before i go, let me just show you how 1st day of school looked like ...

Don't the amount of parents frighten you? ((O_O))

and that's my baby girl getting ready for "big girl school" :)

Featured!

2011-12-31T01:41:00.000+08:00

I am delighted to announce that 4 pieces of my work have been featured on Ontologica - A Journal of Art and Thought, in their Winter Issue 2011!! and one other piece also made it to the cover of this biannual online magazine :)

Happy New Year to all my blogging friends and may the coming year bring to you lots of Joy, good Health, great Abundance and buckets full of Inspiration!

old, new, borrowed, blue

2011-12-25T18:10:00.000+08:00

first up ... wishing all my blogging friends a Very Merry Christmas!! some of you are just about starting Christmas day and some are probably doing Christmas dinner already. how amazing that technology has made it possible for people all over the globe with 12,18, 24 hours difference in time, to share Christmas day like we were neighbours :)

today's a slightly lazy Christmas day for me as i am unfortunately down with a flu, but i just couldn't bear being in bed for the rest of the day. so i thot perhaps i should write something for Inspiration Avenue's Challenge theme set by Priti Lisa ... "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue" ... what a lovely theme!

this necklace i made at the beginning of last week, tho not solely for this challenge but fits perfectly, i thought.

“Starting with Forever” combines the likely with the unlikely, the light and the dark … it amalgamates the fragile and beautiful with the lethal. All of these elements coexist to strengthen each other’s energies, so that they may stand the test of … Eternity. Not unlike the love between a mortal and an immortal.

something old ... an old salvage gear, an old watch face, an old tablecloth and an old metal spike.

something new ... let's see, the beige linen, the brass findings and the book are all new ... but knowing me, new things become old pretty quickly with the help of some coffee and paint :)

something borrowed ... the name of this piece "Starting with Forever" is borrowed ... a phrase from a book/movie ... do you have an idea which one? ;) bet you do ...

something blue ... the overriding color of this piece is blue, and neutral of course. tho i did wanted to make it pink in the beginning, but becos of the paradoxes that reside within this piece, i thought blue would be a better color for binding together the "thought" behind this, and the "creation".

pink would have been too ... cliche.

my DIY light box

2011-12-15T22:55:00.000+08:00

today i decided that it was time to DIY a slightly more "permanent" light box :)

Step 1 :
~ construct the Ikea Antonius frame that you bought today ... turn it upside down
~ cut to size this transparent board (dunno what it's called) and fit into Ikea Antonius like a tunnel

Step 2 :
~ tie light source to one Antonius tray and slip tray in upside down

Step 3 :
~ check if the light works
~ *CLICK* ... and we have Light!!

Step 4 :
~ add whatever paper you have and line the sides of the tunnel
~ also add whatever else you want as decor

Step 5 :
put your artistic creation amongst the decor and *SNAP*

Step 6 :
dump the image into GIMP and Voila!! MAGIC!!

COST :
Ikea Antonius frame : RM 35
Ikea Antonius wire basket : RM 15
transparent board : RM 14
light source : nothing, becos it was from an old disintegrated lamp

TOTAL : RM 64 (approximately USD 22)

and i am HAPPY!!!!! :)

a Secret Garden ...

2011-12-13T18:16:00.001+08:00

have you ever had the feeling of being thrown back in time when you catch a glimpse of something? like visions whizzing pass in your mind's eye like a movie montage? i get that all the time when i see old things. i do love the feeling of traveling back in time if only in my mind's eye ... the feeling is all at once exhilarating, filled with mystery, nostalgic and romantic ... what a combination! but a combination that makes my heart race!

an old key ... i wonder which door it opened and what stories will unlock. an old watch face ... who wore it? was it a romantic gift from a loved one? if these artifacts could talk, what would they whisper in my ear ...

a square coin! King George VI, the present Queen of England's father. i didn't realize that this coin exists in my country from way back. i wonder how life was like in 1939 ... in those days, men still courted the ladies, open doors for them, have tea on porches and steal kisses :) they would still go down on one knee to ask for a hand in marriage ... and they dressed, properly :)

music ... when i close my eyes, i see a theatre filled with musicians of old ... but whilst the music played on stage, what intrigues are happening backstage. love, lust, romance, triangle, jealousy, murder ... life is a stage.

i dunno when i fell in love with books. i just know that i've loved them all my life. and now, i'm making them. old books with stained pages ... what stories and adventures lie within, what worlds are described, what secrets could be uncovered.

an assemblage of sorts, some inspired, some real. whilst making this, i traveled back in time to worlds unknown. tho i am glad it's all only in my head and whatever happened there was exactly how i wanted it to happen :)

i can tell you the ending ... i didn't get stabbed for one ((O_O)), and i even got the man ")

and tis ... is my little Garden of Secrets ...

i wonder if my little Secret Garden would qualify for the Projects with Depth in Simon Says Stamp and Show ...

to the Women of (English) Literature

2011-12-04T16:35:00.001+08:00

over the week, i suddenly remembered my mom had a very old piece of crocheted table cloth with a huge gash in it, that i feared she most probably would have already thrown it away. but i asked her anyway, and told her if she still had it, i wanted it. she gave me her signature frown (mom will never understand why she has a junk collector for a daughter) and the next day turned up with not one, but 3 pieces of beautiful old crocheted table cloth for me to repurpose!! YAY!!

as Christmas commissions are tailing off, i manage to once again play :) took out all the stash i have plus my mom's tablecloth, now coffee stained ;) ... i made a necklace.

originally, the chain on the necklace was slightly different. i had initially used a 5 piece rutilated rondelle instead of the copper plate and the phrase.

but when i looked at it as a whole, it felt 'weight-less'. yes, it was feminine as i meant it to be, but there was no strength in this lady. she looked as if she could disintegrate anytime! and i think women are one of the strongest creatures on this planet, so this feeling just didn't sit well with me. the energy was wrong. could we retain our ability to be feminine and also be strong? definitely.

during the 19th century women were supposed to grow up, get married to a rich man and try to live happily ever after. one woman defied this social norm, and it was her strength within that allowed her to defy all odds and achieve her dream as a novelist. and altho Jane Austen never married ... she's made a mark in the history of literature and paved the way for many future female novelists.

coming back to the necklace, i needed to find its 'strength'. at this point, Barry's half rounded copper plate literally jumped out at me (onto my lap). i looked at it, and nothing can be more perfect for the crowning glory of this piece! i have not had the opportunity to use any of Barry's metals. perhaps unconsciously, i was hoarding on to them. but this time, there was no doubt ... this was it! isn't it amazing how one little change to the necklace can make such a great difference to the energy of the piece? now it has femininity AND strength.

so here's to all the Women of (English) Literature who defied all odds to become what the are. CHEERS!!

before i go, here's to another female writer ... can you guess who? she hails from Gloucestershire, England ...

i bet this could have been the first ever handbook on Quidditch that Hogwarts had, and it should now be sitting in the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library ;)

for more English Literature inspired creations please visit Inspiration Avenue :)

aged beauty

2011-11-27T03:04:00.001+08:00

some of you might know that i belong to a team called Inspiration Avenue, altho i haven't been active in the team for a long time now ... since i had health issues when i was pregnant with baby Maia. but 2 weeks ago, Shel sent me a message via facebook and asked if i wanted to host one of their coming weekly challenges. i said yes :) so this week at Inspiration Avenue, my challenge was themed Aged Beauty. so me isn't it? the "aged" part especially ;)

now being the host, of course i had to come up with something to show tomorrow (Sunday noon is usually the deadline). in fact, i have not just 1, but 3 to show! HAH! tho i haven't decided which one i'm gonna put up there, i'll decide tomorrow when i'm done collecting and showing everyone else's entries :)

i'll start with, well ... Aged Beauty, a mixed media bracelet with all sorts of nick nacks ...

this bracelet has everything i love ... a mini handmade book, old key, words and miniature music notes on coffee stained paper then resin-ed, clock gear, a clay heart made by me, some aged fibers and lace, rustic stones like tourmaline, jasper, petrified wood and a huge garnet in the rough. there is even an old square Malaysian coin from the days of King George VI!! (Malaysia was once ruled by England).

the second piece is called Eternal Rhapsody ... and you know why ...

well, it's inspired by old fashioned romance and courtship personified and embraced so well by Edward Cullen :) ahhh ... yes, i watched Breaking Dawn, and now my brains are mushed up SO BAD ... i can't even walk properly from too much swooning! i am definitely in danger of OCD ... Obsessive Cullen Disorder ...!!

this third piece is a commission :) my sweet client wanted a frozen charlotte on the cover ... so i made one that "resembled" a vintage frozen charlotte's head with apoxy clay, crackled and then aged it.

True ... symbolizes a bond between 2 friends that is growing from strength to strength thru time ... a friendship that is lasting, sincere, honest and true.

if you have the time ... do hop over to Inspiration Avenue after 12noon tomorrow and feast your eyes upon the lovely entries of Aged Beauty :)

twilight ballet

2011-11-12T17:19:00.001+08:00

i often tell my frens, depending on the time of the year, i'm a Witch, an Elf, a Narnian Queen or a Vampire. so if you think about it ... i'm actually shapeshifter. i shape shift according to what's on the blockbuster ;) and now it's time to shape shift once again. it's time to turn into an Immortal :) call me Ms Cullen ;)

ok ok ... i am shameless i know! but my kids are too young to know that their mommy is shamelessly a Twi-fan. (and a Potter fan, and a Narnia fan and an elf living in Middle Earth) ... so i'm safe!

being a Fantasy genre fan, i am anxiously anticipating the premier of Breaking Dawn 1, which will be on the 18th Nov. i probably won't get to catch it on premier night unless the cosmic energy is smiling upon me, but i am trying very hard to bribe my MIL to come babysit baby Maia so i can sneak off to watch Breaking Dawn the week after premier :)

and of course, whenever there's Fantasy amidst, the Muse wants to play. inspired by 3 main storylines that attract me in the Twilight Saga, i have come up with a series of 3 wearable book necklaces. Here's the Twilight Pas De Trois (Pas de Trois is a term i learned in Ballet ... it's a dance by 3 people)

each of these pieces is a personal interpretation of the 3 storylines using the symbol of the Heart as the underlying theme.

I Do symbolizes the point in time where Bella and Edward give their self(s) to each other. the wedding is the confirmation of Bella’s willingness to give up her mortality to the man she loves. the wedding also marks the point where Edward in actuality gives up his comfortable and solitary life to a shared existence, for better or for worse. he knows that this path would not be an easy one for it may cost his and his family’s existences, but is still willing to take the risks for the mortal he loves.

Choose Me symbolizes the constant pain and struggle of Jacob Black. a wolf trapped and bound in a man, not of his choosing but of his heritage. his heart trapped and bound, at his own choosing when he chose to love a person who cannot reciprocate, yet he is willing and would even sacrifice his life for her. raw and rustic, yet true and righteous is this man-wolf.

The Royal Coven is a manifestation of extravagance, royalty, opulence and indulgence. it is regal but cold, it is ornate yet stylish. but mostly, it is passionate, yet … there is no compassion, as symbolized by the dagger striking straight into the Heart. the large rough Garnet nugget also depicts this coven's carnal blood-lust. it is the embodiment of the Volturi.

there you go! my twi pieces :) now off to bribe the MIL ;)

today and forever ...

2011-11-11T15:23:00.001+08:00

I, Winnie Luthien Thye take you, Jason Chong, as my always-and-forever soulmate. The love you have given me unconditionally has reached into my heart and taken me captive. I have known no other love like yours and I joyously re-pledge myself to you, as I did 9 years ago. I will share with you all the good and all the bad of life. I will rejoice in your strengths and encourage you and love you in spite of your weaknesses. I will love you the rest of my life, because it is my choice to do so. This is the covenant I make with you ... for as long as we both shall live ...

just books

2011-10-19T17:48:00.006+08:00

today seems like a good day to write. the baby is fast asleep and my table is clean ... CLEAN!! but my house is still in a mess ... UGH! it's amazing how little time i have now, that i have to consciously "make time" for this and for that. that reminds me ... i need to make time for gym. i haven't lost my preggie fat AT ALL!! that is BAD!! well, i better not complain too much, at least i have time to make art, even if i have to use sleep time for that :)

and yes ... i have been making lots of it. books mainly. big and small. wearable and not.

these two are "newly out from the oven" ...

i guess i dun have to tell you where the inspiration for the Son of Numenor came from :) but if you want to know ... here are some small prints for you ...

… It is said that the descendents of Numenor possess the gift of longevity. It was bestowed upon them by the Valar, the Elder Elves who live in the Ancient West. By the Grace of the Valar, the line of Elros was also given the privilege as the race who would rule the Kingdom of Men. However, in time, the Numenoreans became arrogant and desired immortality, so they called for a rebellion against the Valar. That action led to the downfall of Numenor and the King of Men were exiled to Middle Earth. As time passed, the race of the Kings faded into legend … or so it was thought. There is however, a last surviving royal bloodline of Numenor. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, who would in time ascend to his rightful place on throne of the White City of Gondor …

the Book of the Brotherhood is something like my Book of Celts, only the motif is a Celtic Cross, my newest illustration made into a rubber stamp. i am so pleased with it!! this design seem to sell quite well ... as i was uploading this image, a message popped into my email and told me that someone from Australia bought it :) YAY!!!

the next three were commissions ...

Tales from Faraway is another favourite design of many :) i love this too ... maybe i'm was an explorer in my previous life ...

Dream Keeper is a little darker ... it was inspired by the client's love for skulls, hearts and quirky dark Gothicism (if that's a word) :) the papers in this one is artist quality 160gsm white paper.

ooo ... Book of Massacres ... a huge book measuring 16.5 x 12.5 inches ... not something that i would normally create but it was a fantastic challenge and lots of fun! albeit creepy at times! my client wanted a sketch book inspired by his favourite band. i had to tell Llara that is was chocolate-strawberry sauce when she asked what's that dripping out of the clock :) so as not to creep her out :) dunno if she believed me tho ...

those were the big dudes ... and here are some little ones :)

i am quite certain that books are my calling now ... they give me so much contentment!!

the baby is still asleep!! yippee!!! off to make some more :)

happy birthday sweet Maia Fae ...

2011-10-06T23:43:00.002+08:00

my little preemie turns 1 !

baby Maia was born on the 6th Oct 2010 and today, she turns 1 :) we didn't make a big deal out of it becos somehow, we felt that it was a time for reflections, bonding, family, love and being truly thankful for our little fighter, our little miracle. for those of you who have been following this blog for some time, you would know that baby Maia was born premature at 29 weeks and when i was 8 cm dilated they still couldn't find a ventilator for her.
anyhow ... that's past and today is a joyous day :)

we decided to do something rather meaningful for all of us ... we took Maia back to the NICU to visit the nurses and the doctors who took care of her for the first 52 days of her life, the ones who nursed her back to health. and we brought DOUGHNUTS for everyone!

they were absolutely delighted to see her!

took turns to cuddle her ... of course she enjoyed all the attention :)

in the evening, we went for a quiet family dinner and then bought a cake home to celebrate.

daddy, mommy, big sista Llara, grandma and birthday girl

traditional red packet for good luck (and some pocket money ;)

this is the first time she's tasting cake and cream :)

and guess who is sitting silently in the corner gobbling up the cake?

it was a great day filled with love and a lot of joy for everyone. we feel so blessed to have our girls in our lives ... they complete us ...

happy birthday baby Maia ... Mommy and Daddy love you so much!!

where to begin ...

2011-09-18T03:46:00.006+08:00

wow ... i just realized that my last post was on the 25th August. that's nearly a month ago!! what have i been doing? where to begin?

well, to start off, poor baby Maia was down with a bad bad cough and hence was in a bad bad mood becos she can't breath properly, can't sleep and won't eat. *sigh* but that's OVER!! she's fine now and has returned to her happy cheeky self :)

i was supposed to start on a commission on 2 big big books but couldn't becos my raw materials have been delayed! UGH!! but i did managed to go on to other commissions ... so that's great. now i only have half the time i'm supposed to have on the big big books, and that is not so great :(

in between commissions, i sneaked to town and did some shopping. i also made some other things ... just to relax the mind and allow it to wander. what did i buy? ... oooo ... some really amazing turquoise beads!! huge ones, high quality, tri color and mouth wateringly beautiful!! i also acquired some old brass amulets from this guy from Nepal! and this is what i made with my acquisitions ^_^

isn't the turquoise bead just amazing?!! i had to couple it with one of my little books and i really LOVE the effect! and this piece was aptly named Ode to Opulence :)

inspired by some of the myths that the Nepal guy told me of his homeland, i was feeling all spiritual these few days ... as a result, Tantra was created. 'course it needed a turquoise bead too ;)

”each one of us is a union of all universal energy. Everything that we need in order to be complete is within us right at this very moment. It is simply a matter of being able to recognize it. This is the tantric approach”
~ Lama Thubten Yeshe ~

continuing on my spiritual path, this next piece was inspired by the continuous cycle of life, a Buddhist belief ... Samsara. this necklace has a beautiful piece of Picasso Jasper, some rare rutilated quartz rondelles, and an amulet depicting some sort of karmic cycle.

Samsara means “to flow”. Our consciousness is continuous, our selves die but is reincarnated into a similar or a different form. The universal cycle is a continuous karmic flow …

and so these were from this week's wanderings ... tho just before Maia fell ill, i also made 2 other pieces which i did not get to blog about. of course during that time, the inspirations were ever so different ... as you will see ...

isn't it wonderful how unpredictable the muse is?

which of these pieces talk to you, i wonder ... and i'm curious, how are you usually inspired?

of travel, time and pulse ...

2011-08-25T19:15:00.008+08:00

how fast time flies ... it's approaching the end of August already and autumn is on the way. i still remember blogworld a-buzz with the excitement of the approach of spring like it was yesterday!! i haven't been very good with blogging i must admit ... excuses? plenty! but i needed any extra time i could wrangle to make things.

i've finally completed a long delayed commission for a lady who approached me in spring ;) she wanted a journal. she is about to embark upon a journey of a lifetime, traveling the world (how COOL!!) and she wanted a place to keep her memories. she gave me some specifications, things she liked like hearts, wings, keys, warm colors, old maps ... and a date that is of significance to her. here is what i came up with ...

this is Journey

i loved how it turned out ... esp the heart with the little copper wings. gives me the feeling of freedom and a heart taking flight! and that date of significance, is etched in aged brass and embedded into a brass vintage name plate. i hope she likes it :)

this week's challenge theme at Simon Says Stamp and Show is "Travel" ... and i think this journal fits perfectly, so i'm gonna go ahead and submit it :)

another commission came in from another lady residing in the UAE a couple of weeks ago. this time, she wanted a piece of jewelry as a remembrance of the people she loved and lost. she liked one of my previous designs called Facets, a necklace that you can wear many ways. but she wanted to include a key on the minute book and the phrase Memento Mori ... WOW!! i didn't know what the phrase meant until i googled it, and it was powerful ... it's a Latin phrase and it means 'Remember Your Mortality'

i was so touched by her story that i was inspired (probably not the best word to use ... can you be inspired by pain or sadness?) to make another piece. i came up with this mini book necklace called Time Turner

"Have you ever wanted to right a wrong, to do things differently or to tell a passed one that you love him ... Have you ever wanted to turn back time"

that, was the idea behind Time Turner. notice that the burnt clock on the cover has it's number going backwards? it symbolizes the turning back of time ...

she loved them both and took them. i hope these pieces would bring to her peace and healing in time to come. i felt really honored to be entrusted with her story and hope that my little contribution has helped her is some way.

to wrap up this post, i want to share something really exciting! i am SO thrilled becos this is my first time :)

i was chosen to be amongst the 100 contributing artists in this new mixed media book by Seth Apter. WOOHOO!!!

i'm not allowed to show you the piece that's gonna be in that book, but here is a sneak peek of the cover :) it will be out March 2012!!

i am SO SO SO THRILLED!!

if you like to visit the author of this book Seth ... here is the link to The Altered Page

what's on my table

2011-08-18T01:28:00.005+08:00

UTTER MESS!!!

trying to complete my commissions!! and who said she was uncomfortable with commissions? see that little black paper? yup ... eat my shoes ... that's just one side ...

fortunately this time, most of them are "made to order" commissions, so not too bad ... just reproducing my own designs :) see them little books? my Harry Potter series ... many MANY of them ... so moi is actually VERY happy :)

wish i had a larger space tho ... my hammering area is as big as that hammering block

usually i have tea ... but today i had chocolate ... well, it's Milo, our favourite chocolate drink :) need a refill ...

empty jam jars put to good use ... need to change that water tho ... and my airplant is still ALIVE!! miracle!

well ... at least i got this little heart done ... well ... half done ...

just thought i'll let you guys know that i am still here eventho i haven't been visiting ... hope everyone is well :) ... will see you guys soon :) xoxoxo

guess what ...

2011-08-09T02:34:00.008+08:00

came in the mail today!!

OMG!! metal goodies!!

Barry is a sculptor who lives in Australia. he lives with Fiona on this absurdly beautiful place, on top of a hill, on what looks like acres and acres of land. Barry and Fiona make art, they collect art too. the first time i met Barry was when he bought one of my handmade journals and a pair of book earrings for Fiona. of course that time i didn't know that a MAJOR sculptor had bought my art ... UGH!! when i knew, i told my hubby and actually went red!

now Barry and Fiona collect art ... MEGA art from real artists!! and that acres and acres of land i was talking about? is filled with art ... sculptures!! i was floored when Barry took us on a virtual tour around his home on his blog ... it was like an art gallery!!

Barry and Fiona owns a bank ... a "rust" bank :) if i were nearer, i would be part of their fixture. they also own a junk yard filled with recycle metal that Barry works with. he collects beaten up metal stuff that no one wants, and beats them up even more to create something like this ...

yes ... and that's the view from his house ...

so lets get back to the subject of what came in the mail today ...

raw, unpolished metal goodies and ...

cut, polished and even form-folded pieces from Barry to ME! lil ole ME!! YAY!!!

now ... i am going to just touch and feel them for a bit (honestly, the polished metals feel so very nice!!) before i start thinking what i can use them for.

thank you so VERY VERY much Barry!! for sending me these wonderful wonderful stuff to play with :)

if you haven't visited Barry yet, please go ... www.rustnstuff.blogspot.com

and if you live anywhere near Maleny ... this couple is having a studio open day on the 20th and 27th August weekends :) wished i could be there ...

to sum up a very happy me day :)

i am on The Pulse - Style File @ the Altered Page

happy happy happy ^,^

Hogwarts Quartet

2011-07-31T21:57:00.011+08:00

my fren Barry @ Rustnstuff called it "HP deprivation therapy" and i think it is the perfect phrase to explain my state of existence! i promise this is gonna be the last Harry Potter post i'm going to put up. whilst i continue with my HP deprivation therapy ... i will no longer subject you guys to this torture anymore ... O_o

in the past week, i have made more little books in tribute to this well loved saga. first i made 3, and they were all sold out within 2 hours of listing. not only that, i have received quite a number of commissions to reproduce ... the books i mean. and that's what i've been doing. last night, i made a 4th design ... and did a photo shoot on the Hogwarts Quartet this evening.

and just a little peek over the top ... coffee stained pages which still smells quite lovely!

let me just briefly introduce them :

you have all seen this before ... Wingardium Leviosa. this is what i call "the Revisited" version

i suppose, this spell must have the deepest impression on me. Hermione Granger cast this spell to perfection in the HP 1.

Mischief Managed ... comes from the Marauders Map, a magic map created by Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail and Prongs with the sole purpose of ... well, up to no good.

whilst the other books are reproducible with some variance... this one is not becos i only have 2 pieces of that antique crest. so i guess only 2 people in the world will have it. which is a shame really, becos i love this design.

Expecto Patronum ... must be one of my favourite spells! an extremely strong spell to cast away those dreaded Dementors that suck the life out of you if you happen to cross them.

and the last design ... Quidditch, a famous Wizarding sports not unlike football to Europe or basketball to America, only, this sport is played flying on broomsticks!!

and so you have it ... the Hogwarts Quartet. i hope those of you who need HP deprivation therapy will find solace here.

and since the theme challenge @ Simon Says Stamp & Show this week is "Anything Goes" ... i shall try and make it for the 12 midnight submission dateline tonight with this post :) so hop over there and have a look at all the beautiful entries that have already gone in ...

buried treasure - Thailand revisited

2011-07-28T21:53:00.008+08:00

this week at The Altered Page, Seth has re-introduced an interesting and fun blog event called Buried Treasure. we are encouraged to dig up an old blog post and re-post it again on our blogs ... what a fun way to give an old post another chance in the light!

so here is my Buried Treasure - my trip to Thailand and the amazing art that Thai people make!!

yes! i'm back :) i had a pretty amazing work trip to bangkok. amidst the "work" i manage to eat a lot (courtesy of a fabulous host who we met there :), see a couple of places, do a tinzy winzy bit of shopping and capture some amazing pictures :))

temples ... were pretty amazing ... their beauty is awe-inspiring!

wat po ("wat" meaning temple) - this is a temple that has both thai and chinese influences. this is also where the local masseurs come to learn their craft, as the temple houses one of the oldest massage center and school.

wat po is glorious under the sun!

thai design and architecture is a work of art.

chinese giant deity stands as guardian to the doors.

just look at the intricate architecture!

ok ... that's me trying to be creative with the camera :p ... taken from beneath a bonsai tree.

the massage school & center

sunset temple - located just by the chao praya river, a lovely place for evening walks.

sunset temple @ sunset :)

one of the walls of the temple

sunset temple in night light ... simply magical!

food! glorious food!

our host fed us really well!!

local arts & crafts ... the thai people are amazingly creative!
(all the photos in this section were taken by my other half ... i was too busy looking at stuff!)

these i love :)) and they were inexpensive!

whimsical paintings

@ jak to jat weekend market

chopsticks with an attitude :)

handmade earrings.

monks and deities - i dunno what these figurines are made off, but they look amazingly real!

antiques anyone?

steampunk awesomeness!

recycle art

handcarved wooden buddhas

all in all ... this was quite an amazing trip, tho i wish i had more time to do shopping :) definitely will go back to Bangkok real soon. afterall, it's only a 2-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur :)

entries are still open til Saturday. if you want to participate in Buried Treasure, please go visit Seth at The Altered Page and leave him a message :)

of Potter & wings, books & music

2011-07-24T21:21:00.007+08:00

Harry Potter ... what can i say, but ... WAARGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! it's over!!! *sob sob sob* 10 years of my life dedicated to Hogwarts and this is the end! i will miss it so very much.

yes ... besides being a Middle Earth Elf ... i am also a Witch, a Vampire and a Narnian, depending on the time of the year :)

to mark the end of a fantastic and magical 10 year saga, in my little own way, i made a little piece of jewelry dedicated to Hogwarts and all those loyal to it.

Wingardium Leviosa ~ for those of you who are not familiar with Hogwarts' spells, this is a spell for levitation. say the incantation "Wingardium Leviosa", and make anything from a feather to Aunty Marge levitate :)

a mini handmade book to wear round the neck, and perhaps also serve as a place for the wearer to pen in some useful everyday spells on its ...

156 coffee stained writable pages :)

spot also the Deathly Hallow symbol on the 2nd shorter necklace? both, part of the same piece, or if you choose to, detach the shorter necklace and wear it on it's own.

and since Wingardium Leviosa has everything to do with wings and aerial movement ... i think it will be fitting to submit this piece in for Inspiration Avenue's challenge this week, themed Wings

and now for a quick peek at some other pieces i've been making over the week.

fascinated by MaireDodd's resin paper components for a long time now, i finally got a chance to use the ice resin that have been standing there mournfully looking at me for the past 6 months. i tried out resin paper.

2 pairs of earrings i made out of miniature music notes on coffee stained paper and then ... resin-ed.

interesting ... aren't they not? the music notes are 2-ply, back and front. and they feel as if they've been laminated. only, more beautiful.

another mini handmade book, which has already been sold ... is a silver version of the last one i made. this one i called Bohemian Rhapsody ... and yes, the music theme and resin paper continue to be present here.

i am quite loving these long book "double" necklaces ... am definitely inclined to make more :)

of neutrals and browns

2011-07-13T17:38:00.008+08:00

i haven't been really productive in the past 2 weeks. i was thinking a lot. i received several commissions and i am always nervous about commissions! i do tend to think a lot on commissions ... how i would want to design the piece so that it reflects the person who has commissioned it. i think that is the most difficult and time consuming part ... waiting and waiting for that "click" in the head which means "woohoo!! you can start making it!". sometimes the "click" NEVER comes!!!

but in the midst of commission-thinking i did manage to make a couple of things ... i had to actually. just to switch channels, so that the brains don't get stuck in oblivion.

Nimloth of Eressea ~ i think from the name you must already know that this one doesn't belong in our world :)

the story behind this handmade journal goes like this ...

It is believed that the day when the White Tree shall flourish once again, will be the time of the return of the King. The White Tree of Gondor is the last survival of the Nimloth tree that grew in the island of Tol Eressea. It was a gift by the Valar to the Men of Numenor. The tree’s fate closely mirrors the fate of men. The fall of Numenor saw the burning of the Nimloth tree … but all was not lost because Isildur managed to smuggle a seed back to Middle Earth, where he planted in the courtyard of the White City.

On top of this metal pedestal, sits a rustic piece of veined milky white Picasso Jasper, symbolizing the single surviving seed of the White Tree rescued by Isildur.

Surrounding the seed pedestal, fully hand-sculpted using epoxy clay, are tendril-like roots forming a protective wall round the seedling. These roots lay dormant but not dead, awaiting patiently for the return of the King, to once again spring to life.

the veins took me a whole night to sculpt! and i wasn't even sure that they will come out nice, or how i would treat them afterwards ... tho i am really happy with the final results. i love how stonelike the off-white acrylics and aging made it.

i've always been a blue and green person. i love all shades of blues and greens, but even more so ... i love it when the color is undecidable ... it's blue but it's green, it's not really green neither is it blue :) HAH!

however, lately ... i have been drawn to neutrals and browns. well ... by neutrals, i mean off whites in shades of grey, green and fawn. and brown as in old world brown ... and it probably includes all the brass wires i torched which turned a grey brown. so so gorgeous!

which brings me to another book i made ... this time a wearable one which i called Boho Opulence.

i have been browsing thru some beautiful bohemian fashion/lifestyle photos in tumblr lately, so i thought i might want to make something "boho" with tattered fibers, antique looking beads, leather, coffee stained pages, and a dash of opulence ;) and the fact that, i've always romanticize of living a life of a traveling bohemian artist (tho not too keen on the "in poverty" part) when i was younger. who knows ... when the kids are all grown up, i might just do that ;)

right, before i wrap ... there is a blog challenge themed "brown" at Kristin's Twinkle Twinkle and i will be submitting this piece for the challenge. do hop over there if you have anything "brown" this week!

so ... what is your "current" favourite color/s? does your favourite color change over time?

the Pulse

2011-07-03T15:38:00.005+08:00

this weekend marks the beginning of the 5th edition of The Pulse, a yearly event held by Seth Apter @ The Altered Page.

in Seth's words ... The Pulse is

The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of individuals. More than 130 artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented in a series of online posts.

the event proper began this weekend with 3 consecutive postings at The Altered Page, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. thereafter, there will be continuous postings every Sunday of the week right up till the heart of 2012 :) i have been invited to be part of this fantastic coming-together-of-artists-from-all-over-the-world event and am truly honored to be included :)

see you guys at Seth's place ... go visit :) postings are already up!!

P/S ... leave a comment on one of the three weekend posts this week and stand a chance to win the "The Pulse - The Zine" :)

of fantasy voyages and seafarers

2011-06-27T15:54:00.009+08:00

since i dug out my LOTR dvds i haven't been able to stop watching them. i think i must have gone thru them at least 3 times now in extended version. well, maybe i should tell you the truth .. i have this habit of just letting the dvds play on the laptop whilst i create. some people like music as company ... i like visuals and the sound of dialogue ... weird right? i can actually recite many excerpts of movie dialogues becos of this habit, sometimes i even secretly pretend i am one of the characters! humans think i am weird but my elven friends love me for that ^,^

what do you like as companion when you create? just curious ... is anyone out there like me?

this week, it was all about Earendil the Seafarer. Earendil was the father to Elros the first King of Men (in Middle Earth of course) and Elrond the last Elf to leave Middle Earth. yup, Elros and Elrond are brothers. only, one chose to be human (blessed with longevity) and the other chose to be elven ('cursed' with immortality). their father Earendil was a great seafarer and the first man to sail to Valinor to seek the help of the Valar to save Middle Earth from the first attacks of Sauron, who was called Morgoth at that time ... as you can see, i was rather absorbed by this story and thus, 2 elven-inspired-seafaring creations were born ...

first, a necklace called Star of Earendil

i admit my creations are not normally rich and ornately complicated like this, but this time, it fitted. i also tried combining copper and brass, which i don't normally do as well. and truly, it didn't feel "glaring?" in this case ... as i thought combining strong yellow and strong orange would be.

i wanted to give the piece an ornate compass feel so i inserted a "needle" thru the stone. this was handformed out of copper wire and i used epoxy clay as its arrowhead. this piece turned out rather huge, but would look great as a piece for cosplay or costumery.

i further explored the seafaring and ornate compass concept in a journal aptly named, Book of Earendil
as you can see ... the compass motif is here too, this time with a brass needle. i am really quite stoked with this compass thingy :)

i am also able to use the copper washers that Renate gifted me :) i've been dying to use them but have been afraid to try copper. now ... i think they look perfect here ^.^

whoot!!! i just LOVE what i do :) and i don't care if people think i'm weird :p

there and back again ... a hobbit's tale ...

2011-06-20T01:43:00.006+08:00

i'm sorry if you clicked into this post becos of the title ... cos this post had got nothing at all to do with the title except that the person writing this post has been doing a LOTRs marathon so the line stuck :) but you know what ... she was punished for being cheeky becos as she was writing this, she visualized your faces as you read this, she laughed and choked on her isotonic drink, and spat a whole lot of it out onto her keyboard and laptop screen :(

sorry ... me BAD!!

all i wanted to do was to share some happenings in the past week ... well for one, the family has recovered from the bout of Cosackie virus attack. my poor little girls had ulcers in their throats and couldn't eat, thank goodness it's GONE!!! GONE!!! and i'm fattening them up again :)

received a package that i was looking forward to ... a litter of leaves that i won from a giveaway on Barry's blog ' Rustnstuff ' ... sooooooooooo happy that they arrived and my goodness!! the leaves are amazing! handbeaten from old anodised aluminium canisters and trays, the details and folds on them are as close to the real thing as metal can be! thank you Barry!!!

they are now sitting in my cabinet of crystal cluster collection and looks perfect there! please click on Barry's link and visit this wonderful sculptor ... his works are truly amazing!

this week my brains have gone a bit mushy, and i finally ran out of jewelry ideas ... fortunately i have my LOTRs DVD set and i have my books to fall back on. by books i mean my handmade journals ... so i decided to revisit a journal design that i personally love very much and made a second copy.

Book of Celts (revisited)

the celtic heart is my own design made into a rubber stamp. amazing how easy it is now to make art ... i mean, years ago, the artist would have to paint or at least transfer the image onto each piece of art he makes. now ... you just have to come out with the artwork, go to the rubber stampers' and get him to make it into a rubber stamp for you! technology has become the artist!

Journal 1969

i just love the distress look! someone asked me what technique (in art) i simply cannot do without ... my immediate answer was "aging". this is the second book i made ... i bought the Apoxie Sculpt some time ago, but haven't had a chance to make something out of it, so i thought ... hmmm ... a gothic heart ... YES! :) the wings are actually raw brass ... i put them on the stove and turned them real dark! what beauties!! complements the vintage key so very well! i love this book ... tho i had a real hard time photographing it. some things are just harder to photograph well!

hope you had a real nice weekend and oh!! Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful dads out there!! :) you are loved!!