World Elephant Day August 12!

Via

Friends, August 12 is World Elephant Day!


If you have even a tiny speck of affection for these gentle pachyderms, please help do one of following:


1. Spread the word about World Elephant Day, to increase awareness. A little action goes a long way. Someone might give a little donation, a teacher might introduce it into his / her class some time next week. You never know. Share the link on your Facebook status, tweet about it. Share it on your blog. Just start talking!

2. Don't buy souvenirs made of endangered animal parts. World Elephant Day is by extension bringing awareness and attention to illegal wildlife trade. Why anyone would want an antelope horn or tiger paw eludes me. Go to WWF to find something you can be passionate about. It don't have to be elephants!

3. Buy green products. Like this Elephant Poo Paper!

4. Support the African Elephant Programme. For most of us, the gift of money is the simplest way of showing your support.

5. Here is one more way to help! To show my support, 50% of my sales on Etsy in the month of August will go towards the African Elephant Programme. If you have been thinking about getting something from my Etsy shop, or want a customized item, here is one more reason to buy now!


Disclaimer: I do not look to profit from option #5! I'm just showing my support through this, it's not a shameless plug! :p

Busy Busy week!

Hello world!

Thank you for your kind and encouraging comments from the last post.

I thought I would be updating the blog more with J away.

It seems I thought wrong. I must be doing a great job keeping myself busy.

I've been working on an Etsy order, making a cute set of 6 placemats for a customer. They're turning out to be so pretty, I hope she likes them as much as I do!






Cooking and gardening take up the majority of my time (who would've thought!), and giving the house a deep cleaning while J is away is a good way to while the time away too!

I love that the house stays nice and neat while I'm away at work. Hah!

Anyhoo, I know this has taken so long, but I have yet to give away the turquoise necklace from my last giveaway because the winner didn't contact me (for a long long time!) so I picked another winner and guess what?

Miss KYLA! 

I will be emailing you soon for your mailing address.

You're the new owner of Oksana's beautiful necklace!!! 

Woot!

xoxo

Found: A Nautical Affair

Via

Now that it's summer, I'm longing to hit the lake!

And I actually sat down and created a mood board for it too! Phew! It was time consuming but super fun! Here are my picks from my favorite sites!



:: Swimsuit :: Bib necklace :: Heels :: Maxi Dress :: Tote Bag :: Ring:: 




I love stripes, the color palette red, white and blue. So one weekend I whipped these up!


Here and here




Have a wonderful week ahead! There's time yet, to plan for a nautical weekend!

Crafting: Appliques and facings

Now I told you I bought a bunch of patterns off Etsy!

The J-man has been waiting for me to make him something. He complains that I make gifts for everyone and forgets him. So he requested for me to make him something with the Chicago Bears emblem on it. Because he loves to cook, i decided to make him an apron.


We discussed the details, and he decided he wanted it simple, with just the signature "C" with orange pockets in the front. And then we took a trip to Hancock Fabrics together for him to pick out his blue and orange fabrics. This was exciting for me because I got the chance to show him around my crafting 'turf'. He could never understand why I loved to make trips to the fabric store, but after his own experience, he was pretty impressed. :)

Once the fabrics were chosen, he left me to work, but i had to occasionally bother him with fittings.



Now i know i'm probably infringing copyrights. I got the letter "C" printed off the internet for a template. BUT i figured this is for personal use, and it's not like they have Bears' aprons for sale. So i traced the letter onto the orange fabric and some sturdy interfacing, edgestitched the layers together and zigzag stitched the letter to the apron. Really proud of this because it looks real profesh!


I doubled the layers of the apron body to hide the applique stitches on the back. And for the first time, i find out about facings. So yes, i think i know ALL about interfacings. But facings? What?

According to Wikipedia, facing is fabric applied to a garment edge, on the inside.

I had to google and youtube all about sewing facings! Thank gawd for the internet. You can learn almost anything online these days. This site was very useful to help me visualize the instructions.

And this video is AWESOME! It explains the use of facings, how to pick the right facings, and how to sew a facing from start to finish!!!




So yes, the apron is complete with bright orange facings on the inside, down the sides.
Here he is, testing out the end product with some outdoor stir frying. But I think he loves it. :)

What's in a name?

Via



Via


Via

This thought came to me as I was typing out letters to doctors at work. Some of these doctors have the strangest names ever! Well, not exactly strange, but enough to make me pause and smile.

There's one that I typed out: Dr. Hunkele.

Mmmm...would you look at that Hunk-a-hunk-a-le-le.

or something more superhero for you:

By day, he is Peter Porter, but by night he is DOCTOR JUSTIS!

Just last night, the J-man jokingly told me that we should name our future son
"Ernest Tyberius Septum Russell"

Go figure...

Crafting: Vintage Clutch Paper Patterns

So I gathered up courage to attempt a paper pattern for an envelope clutch just to see how to improve on my own take-a-wild-stab version.




I bought this pattern off Etsy and attempted this simplest version of the 4 designs.

*takes a deep breath*



Here goes nothing:




This is what I did different from my usual non-pattern attempts:

1) I added a dart to the base, which I had a feeling was to give the base a foldline so you can flatten it? Although, I'm not sure if my dart was done right.

2) I topstitched ALL the edges to give clutch a sturdier look and feel!

3) The flap was an external piece of fabric that was sewn to the body of the bag. My previous clutches were made from just one piece of fabric, folded into 3 sections (really easy!)

4) I added side panels to give depth to the clutch








As a result...




Ta-daaaa!

A free-standing sturdy looking piece of work!

If I were any awesome-r, I could have made the stripes on the fabric align. But this was a trial run, and I'm so in love with the Thai silk fabric that I'm going to have to keep it for myself!

It took me awhile to understand the instructions in the pattern and to familiarise myself with the symbols on the illustrations, but now I've gained a little more confidence to maybe attempt the other 3 designs and definitely hoard MORE patterns!

Any words of advice from seasoned pattern users?

And don't forget the ElephantisLove giveaway ends tonight 11:59PM EST! I will pick a winner via random.org

Shared on Make Something Mondays Linkup!

Giveaway: ElephantisLove is ONE!!!

Via



ElephantisLove is ONE!

I cannot believe how time flies! Only one year ago, I took the plunge and started my very own Etsy store. It has been a whirlwind of adventures, and I'm very grateful for all the experiences I've had and friends I've made.


Looking back, here are a few worthy mentions of the year gone by:

1. My sewing skills have improved drastically. As always, practice makes perfect. I'm not quite anywhere near perfect, but I am proud of my progress!

2. Deviated from making the usual bags and tried out a few different things that I would never have thought I was capable of. Most notably, I picked up embroidery and made quilts.

3. Participated in craft fairs and watched with joy when people actually came forward to buy the things I made! Definitely very encouraging!

4. Started a blog (well, technically I continued blogging but renamed it ElephantisLove) and found some talented and crafty friends on the blogosphere who share my joy of crafting. Special shout out to Ashley of The Feisty Redhead, Jordan of Trailer Gypsy, Jamie of Love in Everything, Jane of Projects by Jane and more! It was such a great pleasure meeting friends from all over!


As a special token of thanks,


there will be a 10% discount on all items in ElephantisLove + FREE SHIPPING in the month of April. Use Coupon Code ANNVSRY1ST for discount, and I will also refund listed shipping costs!

And I have also made a lavender sachet to giveaway to one special reader! Lots of hand sewing involved in this one, but it comes packed with some sweet smelling goodness! You can hang it up in your closet, place it in your linen drawers or even by your pillow for a good night's rest!






To participate,

You HAVE to be a follower of ElephantisLove on Blogger. Click on the button in the sidebar on the right that says "Join this site!" and then leave a comment below with your email address.


For additional entries:

1. Leave a comment below to tell me about your favorite item in my Etsy store.
2. Like ElephantisLove on Facebook
3. Tweet about this giveaway. Copy and paste this "Win a lovely handsewn giveaway! ElephantisLove turns ONE! http://bit.ly/HqfvHN @punkychewster"

Leave a comment for each when you're done to get an additional entry for the giveaway!


Giveaway will close April 22nd 11:59PM EST, and open to international readers too! Thank you for your support and I hope to create more new items for the Etsy store in my second year!!!

Happy Easter everybody!

Crafting: Spring inspiration

It can only be spring.

How else would I explain how all my recent crafts are in decked out in happy splashes of rainbow colors?




My newest quilt




Play tote for little girls



Geometric appliques



I love the warmer weather already!
What does spring inspire in you?

To-do or not to-do : What's your Motivation

via


Dear friends,

I received an email from a few days back, in relation to the previous post. Melanie is a contributor to the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance blog, and was inspired to write an article after reading my bucket list entry below. While I do not profess to know much about mesothelioma cancer, I agree with what she has written.

I am an extreme list-maker. I make lists about lists. But it is my way of organizing my life, and to help me make sense of it. I certainly see how a list can be a source of motivation; you cannot know the amount of satisfaction I derive just by crossing out things on my daily to-do lists. And I'm pretty sure all of you out there are list-makers in your own little way, regardless of reasons.

But I digress.

One of Melanie's aims, is no doubt, to spread the word about Mesothelioma cancer. There are links at the end of this post for you to read up more about it if you are interested. Although it is uncommon (the cause of it is from exposure to asbestos), I always believe knowledge and awareness is the key. There is definitely no harm in more knowledge, because you never know when it might come in handy. Also, personal motivation applies to just about anyone. I believe everyone can take a little something out of this. So, with that in mind, I am sharing this with you, my friends.


------------------------------------



Journal Writing as Personal Inspiration

For many people, writing a personal journal is a way to explore their thoughts and feelings about their daily activities or simply a way to keep track of past memorable events that have occurred within their life. However, a journal can also be a place to write about your dreams, ambitions or goals for your future as well. If you watched the move, “The Bucket List,” you have an idea of what can be accomplished if you allow yourself to dream into the future.



Your Personal Bucket List


Your personal journal is a great place to come up with your own personal bucket list. This does not need to be a list you share with anyone else, so it can be as silly, elaborate or simple as you like. A personal bucket list is a list of things that you want to accomplish. You can make your list of things you want to achieve within in the next year, the next five years or over the entire course of your life. It does not really matter what those things are, as long as you write them down and they have meaning to you.

Writing down your personal bucket list is important because somehow psychologically, writing something down gives weight and importance to your aspirations. As humans, we value what we write down; writing down your bucket list also gives you the ability to go back and look at it from time to time for inspiration. You may decide that you want to add things to your list as your life changes. You may also have a profound sense of satisfaction as you cross things off your list because you have accomplished them. In fact, accomplishing one thing on your bucket list may inspire you to add related things to accomplish in the future.



The Need to Look Forward


Writing down your personal bucket list can serve many purposes. For many people, it is a place they can turn to when they get frustrated with life. It gives them something to look forward to and think about for the future. If one of the things on your bucket list is to see Venice and ride in a gondola, when you get frustrated or depressed, you can mentally visit Venice in your mind and think of the things you need to do to make your dream trip a reality.

Having a list of things to accomplish can also be a wonderful motivator to actually accomplish those things. This can be especially true if you are looking for things to keep you motivated to keep moving forward. There are times in life when it is simply hard to keep going. For instance, if you are facing a challenging illness like mesothelioma or you have lost a spouse or someone you love, it can be tempting to just sit down and give up. But if you have a list of things you want to accomplish, then it gives you a reason to keep going and moving forward. Even if your prognosis seems grim, you can write down hopes for the future to give you drive to keep moving on to defeat your illness and live a happy life.

------------------------------------


Melanie has provided a link to the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog and if you wish to learn more about it, please leave a comment or contact me so I may put you through to her. Thanks for reading!

On the grapevine...

Our carrots are all harvested. This is the lot.
I feel sad that we've been growing them for so long only to be devoured in ONE sitting.



We shared some with our dragons...



who by the way, is shedding. Verne is, at least.



Then I got busy crafting again, so there're new items in the Etsy! Whoo! This one is my favorite so far!


And i've finally learnt how to play "Dream a Little Dream of Me" on the guitar! Still practising and nursing swollen fingers.


Enjoy your weekend and be productive!

2011 in Review

What a year! 2011 just flew by in the blink of an eye.

Just like most of you, I made my list of 2011 Resolutions. Now let's see how I fared. Somewhere along the line i think i forgot i ever made any (eeps.)

1. Live simple.

Still learning to curb my wants and differentiate them from my needs. But the simple things in life gives me a greater satisfaction. Like spending time with family, going for walks in the parks, sitting at my sewing machine and creating!

2. Budget all spending.

It's not hard to do when you don't have too much to work with, especially now that we're on our own. With more bills and expenses to figure out, every dollar, every penny makes a difference.

3. Eat fresh. Eat healthy.

J and I were doing great when we were living with his parents. We had the garden going, we were eating lots of fresh garden produce everyday. Now that we've moved, we need to start a new plot all over. The good news is, we bought some more seeds and we're getting ready for spring. We're definitely keeping this resolution going strong.

4. Sun salutations every morning;

Bah.

5. A full Ashtanga workout at least twice a week.

*mumbles*

6. Swear less, be patient more.

This is one resolution i forgot was actually there, but I'm not ashamed to say I have been subconsciously working on. The reason, i think, ties in with my last resolution.

7. Love J everyday like it is the last.

Even though we've been together for the last 5 years, I'm constantly surprised by how much we're still in love with each other. J makes little gestures in our everyday lives that make me appreciate him, and want to be a better person for him.

All in all, 5 out of 7 is not too bad!



And then there were things big and small worth a little mention.


J and I became our own little experts at mushroom foraging.


We started our own little garden, watching things grow and appreciating Mother Nature for her bounty, learning to live off the land.


I started my Etsy shop!


And took part in not one, but TWO craft fairs!


I visited my friends in Houston and went to my first rodeo!


And visited the ancient Mayan ruins in Mexico.


Finally, we moved into a place of our own,


and got another addition to our little Russell family!



In this year, I hope to continue last year's resolutions, putting an emphasis on simplicity, creativity, compassion and discipline.

Here's wishing all my dearest family and friends a great year ahead!

The necessary evil of Online shopping!

Especially if there's free shipping! Woot!

I was shopping for the J-man's Xmas presents (check!) when my itchy fingers skimmed over these websites:



Urban Outfitters

where I got us some new sheets.



J got the Amazon Prime this year and got me an iron. So here's the latest additions to the craft room:



And then i went on Etsy and found two cute vintage Coats & Clark embroidery magazines. Can you believe they used to be only 29cents each?



And i just got my groove on into making this year's Christmas presents, so busy busy times ahead!!

How's your holiday shopping getting along?

Post Mortem: Some more craft fair fun!

Well, this really isn't a post mortem per se.

I just wanted to thank my family and friends for coming down to support me. The craft fair this time around was less stress more fun! Especially when loved ones pop by to show their support and to say hi!

On the second day of my arrival in Singapore, i was busy getting ready for the night fair. I got my little 'poster' printed out so at least my booth will have a name. (as seen in picture above)


The fair organizers provided a suitcase, a stand and a lamp together with the booth rental.


This is my cousin, who incidentally was at the fair too, selling his snowflake mobile as part of his assignment for his design class. Photo on the right, courtesy of MAAD


My lovely sister, who taught me an invaluable lesson on selling and making sales. I left the selling to her that night, and she was constantly surrounded by interested patrons. Just check out my almost empty suitcase by the end of the night! Yay!!


And my dearest mother, my ever constant pillar of support. I love you mommy!


Not forgetting, the very important Jane of Projects by Jane. Without her, I wouldn't have found out about and subsequently forgotten to apply to the fair. I'm glad to have met you Jane! You're such a soft spoken lady, i would never have thought you are that powerhouse behind your creative business! Thank you for all your help!


Here is a picture the photog at MAAD took of me trying to sell an item to a friend. I wonder if my sister was rating my selling skills... Photo courtesy of MAAD

I had a great time that night, meeting other creative individuals, some of which are regular bloggers. I came back to NC without any of my old stock. What I had leftover from the fair, I gave away as gifts. This is a good chance for me to restock and create new items for my Etsy. I'd like to focus a little more on embroidery, add more details to my bags/pouches, as well as try out new designs. *excited*

Meanwhile, the holiday season is approaching. Before I even make stuff for Etsy, I gotta catch up on making gifts for family and friends!

Happy holidays ahead, friends!