SINGAPORE GARDEN FESTIVAL 2008

Singapore Garden Festival 2008 held at the Suntec City Convention Hall from 25 Jul - 1 Aug. I went there with my mom and ended up with 4 pots of orchids and 1 pot of serracenia (carnivorous plant). Tickets were so much cheaper than the previous festival (which I attended too), and it was half-priced on weekdays! Besides the giant installations, there were also entries for the ikebana competition and inter-school ikebana with a recycling theme,  and lots of retail and exhibition booths.

More pictures here in my ALBUM.

Grasshopper mascot at the lobby.

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Hydrangeas

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I like the giraffes.

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Giant cage with orchids

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Chinese village inspired, there was a fake pond even.

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Marilyn Monroe plant mosiac

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Mao Tse Tung lawn art

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Shiny installation from ceiling to floor.

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Undersea illusion with water ceiling and bubbles. My ex-company's submission. 1st prize in the category.

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Jungle setting with misting & lots of giant nepenthes pitcher plants

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Papua New Guinea's orchid installation, 1st prize in the category.

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Australia's submission with a beach theme.

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ICY CRIMSON ACEO

My latest ACEO called Icy Crimson, made with brown pen and markers. Not much story behind it, just that I felt like drawing blades. It is available for sale here: Icy Crimson

I've been lurking around and checking out other people's awesome art & designs and wonder when I will ever reach that standard. It's such a bugger when you don't make any marked improvements after drawing for so long! So much things to do, so little time, so many distractions! Alright, I'll quit complaining now =P Ever feel that way? 

STOP # 7 ACEO

A retro twist after seeing the Sesame street psychedelia videos (in the previous post)! Also "Stop # 7" means "Train Stop #7". Available in my Etsy shop here: Stop Number 7
The title came about while my itunes played this instrumental:

It also is my favourite scene in the Studio Ghibli's film 'Spirited Away'. So surreal! Oh yes she stops at train station number 6 (Swamp), so mine's number 7. You guys have to watch this film (academy award winning) even if you dislike anime, because this is not really the anime-anime that may get very annoying sometimes (too much exaggeration and noise).

AUSTERE CATS

I messed up abit on this ACEO card but it came out alright in the end!

It is available in my Etsy shop here:  Austere Polka-Dot Cat

Also remember the newborn kitties in my May post here: Let Sleeping Cats Lie? They're grown up now and sooooo cute!

This is Pluto.

Pluto and a yawning Squeek.

Squeek sucks fingers after just weaned off... doesn't do it now.

Squeek more grown and sleek! Still can't tell the difference between her and Yoshi.

This is Yoshi who likes watching TV on the monitor. They all watch tv really. 

Yoshi sleeps exactly like his owner!

Yoshi looks exactly like his uncle Fuman. That is Fuman's toy he's playing with: a bell inside a gashapon case. With Jojo the dog.

Pluto in his playpen. Amazing how a used box can be fun for him.

Ambushing behind the flaps. We still see him though!

SICK OF SEEING LOW PRICES

I've decided to up my prices on my original ACEOs to what they are worth, well or at least more that what I was offering previously. I spend more than 5 hours illustrating each card, sometimes days on end getting the sketch right and not counting my materials and ideas they are easily worth $80 each. But of course I can't bring myself to increase that drastically for now, so a small step first. Hate earning 20 cents an hour, and much more without sales it goes to show low prices doesn't necessary mean more sales!

Even the minimum wage here in Singapore is S$3.50, that is US$2.59. It's not a hobby anymore (started as one though!). That is all. I encourage any crafters or artists who are seriously underselling their works to consider pricing in your time, materials, skill and time to market it. Oh and the fees (Paypal, ebay, etsy etc)..  Don't lose money on selling ;)