WIND IN THE WILLOWS

I've been sick for a while now and can't get anything done so I'm catching more sleep and watching the 80s adaptation of 'The Wind in the Willows'. Absolutely adore this animated version as I did when small, and am collecting the DVD releases as well. The book was written by Kenneth Grahame, published in 1908. The animation was produced by Cosgrove Hall and wonderfully executed. I like the quaintness, slow-paced, the intros with the nature illustration, the voice-acting and how English it is. It's my favourite TV show! Mole used to be my fave character as a kid but now I like Toad best although he is annoying; David Jason does superb voice acting, besides.. he's Count Duckula!

Yesterday I caught this episode on Youtube which I haven't watched before. It's resonates with me now because Mole is dreadfully sick (for a moment I worried for him lol) Enjoy! Part 1 and part 2.

4 GIRLY ACEOS

The theme for these batch is 'Small Accessories', I'm selling them on Ebay to draw customers into Etsy. Hopefully they sell, because I've set the starting bid at half of what I'm offering on Etsy. If they don't, then they'll be appearing in my etsy shop! My right hand has been cramping up lately (what a bummer!) so I shall steer clear from holding a pen too much, but I am learning to get used to using my left for use on the computer.

Star Maiden in Orange

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Retro in Stripes

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Retro in Polka Dots

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Flapper in Blue

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2nd AWARD & CLOUDS

I'd like to thank Anna from Half an Acre for this award! Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoy my ramblings! Anyone who wants to recommend any good blogs please feel free to create your own nominations so we can check them out!

The rules are to nominate 6 others and save the image, post it and let the nominees know.  I shall pick:

- Nuvonova
- Tizzalicious
- Sugarberry
- The Mum and the Rose
- Craft Yourself Rich
- Erin Peterson Art

Go check them out!

Also on a side note I've got a habit of snapping sunset clouds so here are two: first one is trafficlight clouds and the second looks like a brew of golden beer... they are taken a few minutes of each other.

  

ANOTHER PACKAGING

I don't know what else to blog about so here is my newly minted packaging for my floral brooches to add some professionalism to my goods. The floral designs are recycled from my old vectors (finally able to use them!) and printed with inkjet printer on matt coated paper. The baggies I bought from a packaging store nearby my home. I think it's worth the time and money to package an item since many sellers are already preparing for Christmas season. Are any of you guys preparing for Christmas as well? I'm totally not, lol.

PIG BISCUITS AND THE MOON

Here are the Pig in Basket biscuits (Zhu Zai Bing) for the moon cake festival/ mid-autumn festival, which I was talking about in my Mooncake packaging post. You know where they got their name! They are made with leftover dough from the mooncake skins. The plastic basket is also very kitsch. I use them to store receipts lol.

The biscuits are in the shape of a flat pig. This one here isn't too clearly molded and crumbly but you get the idea! They're sweetbreads and slightly chewy if well done. I'm not sure why the chinese decided to use pig motifs (maybe pigging out on mooncakes lol) but I do know that in the olden days hunters used baskets to trap and kill pigs; and any woman caught having adultery or commiting fornication was drowned in a human sized pig basket in the river! 

Anyhow enough of killings, during this Mooncake Festival where the moon is beautifully full (look out for it on 15 Sept) and kids play with paper lanterns (we also call it the Lantern Festival), people tend to get sentimental. I think alot of people start to think of this song by the late Teresa Teng 'The Moon Represents My Heart'. It's a love ballad. I hope you enjoy it, it is such a touching song! She sings like a nightingale and looks gorgeous.

Teresa Teng died from an asthma attack while holidaying in Thailand in 1995 at the age of 42. This was a rude shock for many people because she is extremely popular, I remember watching her funeral tribute on tv for the whole day after she died. Unfortunately she had ill health for most of the latter part of her career. She is also popular in Japan and released many Japanese songs.

Lyrics Translation with help from Sinosplice:

You ask how deeply I love you
How great my love is
My affection is real
My love is true
The moon represents my heart

You ask how deeply I love you
How great my love is
My affection doesn't waver
My love doesn't change
The moon represents my heart

So soft was the kiss
That has moved my heart
Such a deep affection
Makes me long for you now

You ask how deeply I love you
How great my love is
Consider this
and look above
The moon represents my heart.

(Repeat 3)

(Repeat 4)

ART & ARTISTS -NIKLAUS STOECKLIN

Niklaus Stoecklin (1896-1982), Swiss

I'm going to start regularly featuring eye candy on my blog for you and me to be inspired. Niklaus Stoecklin is famous for his poster design. I Iove his commercial posters, they still look remarkably modern and popish.

Weber Menziken Cigars

Bi-Oro, 1941

Bell (turkey), 1955

CUTE FOOD - TUTU KUEH

These pretty little babies are called Tu Tu Kueh (or Kuih Tutu) and I got them from the night bazaar again. They are made of rice flour and mine here came in sweet coconut or peanut filling, and then rapidly steamed to cook the flour. It's ready in a few minutes. Bite-sized lightweight snacks and so tasty. Oh yes that green thing underneath is a pandan leaf (pandanus amaryllifolius) which gives a sugary sweet fragrance as well. I love the pandan leaves, for one important reason they prevent horrible cockroaches. Got some knotted leaves in my kitchen cabinet for that purpose! And this is best eaten steaming-hot just as they give it to you because once it has cooled their skin becomes alittle stiff and I like it hot and spongy. Talking about food makes me hungry!

PINS SET - ANIMAL HAT KIDS

Finally my latest pins set are here! Original characters by me, the lineart is done in my sketchbook then I coloured it in photoshop. My fave is Cat Burglar. They are all 1" in size and are pressed by the awesome Minepress.

Available in my Etsy shop: Animal Hat Kids Pins

Other pins designs are available as well.

My packaging is low-tech, they are pinned on a piece of fabric I never got to use and the paper on top is my inkjet printer on canon coated paper then sprayed with fixative.

OKONOMIYAKI & JAPANESE FOOD FEATURES

Well, the night bazaar (pasar malam)'s back just below my apartment  in a relatively short span of time. What else to look forward to but... food! 

Featured here is a quarter-eaten Okonomi-yaki, also known as Japanese pizza though it tastes nor looks like one. Sorry I can't help myself before taking a photo! It is one of my food addictions with senbei rice crackers and takoyaki balls.

This being a local bazaar, it is not as authentic, more like a poor-man's version but it'll do. I love to let it sit for a while and see the bonito flakes dance. They wriggle from moisture and heat (I think) and are quite fun to watch. It's a mixture of chopped cabbage and a batter with 2 neatly placed prawns, an egg cracked on top of the cabbage mixture and pan-fried neatly. Drizzle with japanese mayonaise and okonomiyaki sauce on top with the bonito flakes... yum!

Here are some Etsy finds based on japanese food:

Japan Sushi Cigar Box by toetagz

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Genmai Cha & Dessert Gift Set by SouthamptonCreations

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Japanese Curry Rice Pincushion by lookability

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Japanese Chips Bag Purse by multibeavo

(haha I love Calbee)

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LOVE-BLOG AWARD

I am honoured to be bestowed by Rosebud Collection with: 

Oh thank you thank you dear Rosebud! I started out not expecting anyone to read my blabs but it's nice to know there are visitors coming in occasionally to peek. Please visit Rosebud's blog 'The Mum and the Rose'. Yay! This award will prompt me to continue blogging my many off-topics lol.

If you are currently stalking and have a blog, don't feel shy just leave me a comment for a link exchange!

I'm just going to randomly select blogs on my blogroll and actually I was going to tag everyone on my blogroll but I'll stick to the rules and tag those that haven't won any awards (yet), so here's a nice little chance for more people to visit & comment on them. Sometimes I may read but not comment but if I do leave my mark often enough, you know I am addicted to your journals! If possible, do place the logo on the side of your blog bar so everyone knows =)

Me tag:

-  Groovy Crafts

-  Tokyo Bunnie

-  Art by MAR

-  BobbityBoo

-  Half an Acre

-  Joey's Dream Garden

-  Magic Bean Buyer

-  Paper Girl Productions

Ok so here are the rules:
1. The winner can put the logo on his/her blog;
2. Link the person you received your award from;
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs;
4. Put links of those blogs on yours; and
5. Leave a message on the blogs that you’ve nominated