Headbands I made

I've just realised that I would be leaving for the airport in exactly one week! This is incredibly exciting.

I made the headband using the tutorial that I posted here. It worked quite well, and it didn't take very long to make. However, I did find that:

1.) Cutting 4 inches is cutting too much off. I didn't even cut 3, and it fits quite tight. [I worked with half a metre to start with].

2.) The headband needs to be ironed, as the glue makes it pretty wobbly.

3.) The satin gets wet really easily, so don't wear it if you have wet hair like I did.

4.) It looked quite cute! Especially with my curled hair!

I especially chose a ribbon that was ready-folded on the inside, so it would be stronger. But this also made gluing the elastic easier because I just had to tuck in and glue it :)

p.s.: I curled my hair with Remington Straightini, and I have to say, it's an amazing product. My friend curled my hair with her tongs and since my hair is poker straight, the curls fell out in half an hour. My Remingtonised waves and curls, however, lasted for almost two days. With the length and the colour, I dare say my hair looked like a longer version of this!

Ariel and Jasmine

I found the most wonderful Disney tutorial book on how to draw their princesses! It contains detailed information on how to draw Cinderella, Snow White, Aurora, Ariel, Jasmine, Belle, and Tinkerbell!

My most favourite Disney princesses are Ariel and Jasmine. This was my very first attempt - not counting the attempts to do both these princesses when I was nine - to draw them Disney style.

I'm very happy with my Ariel, but I think Jasmine's eyes should have been wider and her lips fuller and smiling.

The book is called "How to draw Disney Princesses", and it's available on Scribd.

DIYs

Hi hi! How's DIY month going? Missed any? Not to worry, here they are:

- Headbands

- 3D Origami Stars

- Lanvin-Inspired Bracelet

- Ruffled Corsage Pin

- Easy Corsage Brooch

There's some more comin' your way ... I'm sitting down to make my headbands right now, and hopefully I will also be able to put up the tutorial on the rosette brooch!

Toodles, and have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! I think I'll have an individual post on that though ... :)

Hair and headbands

I've decided that I want to grow out my hair. It's never been very much longer than my shoulders, simply because I've always found it easier to work with in the mornings. I believe that I've been inspired by Bonnie Wright's Ginny Weasley in the newest Harry Potter movie.

But my hair is at a stage right now where it's just below my shoulders, and doesn't look good in a ponytail. This is where headbands come to rescue! ;D

I especially like this olive lace headband:

I got cream lace [I couldn't find olive green :( ], a brown satin ribbon that is absolutely gorgeous, and some elastic. These make two completely different headbands [or is it hairbands?!]. I got 1m of the cream lace, which is more than enough, and can make two headbands, and 1/2m of the brown satin, which is just about enough. Phew. [cream lace = 0.60c, brown satin = 0.70c, and 2m of elastic = $1.50. Sweet!]

I looked at a couple of blogs and websites, and this is a good guide that I came across at eHOW:

1. Measure the ribbon around your head where you'll be wearing the headband.

2. Mark this length on the ribbon.

3. Cut the ribbon about 4 inches shorter than the marked length.

4. Apply a solution to avoid fraying at the ends [they recommend Fray Check]. {Lightly burning the ends with a candle also works - we used to do this for school all the time}

5. Stitch the end of the ribbon to a piece of elastic. {I'm going to glue it with my super glue - simply because it's extremely strong ... and I can't sew to save my life ;) }

6. Overlap the elastic and the ribbon about 1/2 inch.

7. Check if the headband fits okay.

8. Sew [or if you're like me, glue] the other end of the ribbon to the elastic.

9. Voila! Headband success!

Another - albeit a teensy bit complex - tutorial here. Let me know how it goes!!

Origami Stars

Hope you're having a wonderful holiday break. I certainly am. Devouring lots of chocolate in the form of Lindt choccy balls [picture here], Nutella, and Chex [my usual breakfast cereal is however Cheerios]. Drinking lots of Coca-Cola. Playing lots of Bubble Struggle. Reading The Midnight Twins. Straightening my hair with my brand new Remington. Taking part in heaps of giveaways. Getting ready for that overseas trip. Mmm.

Anyway, here's a tutorial that I found on how to do 3D Origami stars! Don't forget to click on it to view it better!

p.s.: Okay, yeah, today's the 24th but I'd saved this post as a draft on the 22nd ... :D

The year the Gypsies came

Again, a little off-topic, to introduce another book that I really like. The year the Gypsies came, by Linzi Glass. I first read it about three/four years ago [it was recommended to me by a librarian, and I have to say, she had an excellent choice], and haven't gone back to it again, but I took it out of the library the other day ... I won't review it, as it's been a long time since I read it, but I will type out the blurb for you ...

This is the cover version of the one that I'm reading [the writing is in metallic bronze and the cracks underneath (to represent the cracks in Emily's family) aren't as visible]:

They came to us that spring and cast a spell over us, and they changed our lives forever.

Emily Iris looks forward to the times her parents welcome house guests to their family's unhappy home on the edge of Johannesburg. For a while, for as long as the visitors are there, her mother and father will put their quarrels aside and be like a real family.

In the spring of 1966, a family of wanderers—an Australian couple and their two boys—comes to stay. But the arrival of these 'gypsies' starts a chain of events that will shatter Emily's hopes of a happy family life and change them all forever ...

--

And of course I'd like any book that has a character named Emily Iris! Such a beautiful name!

Book cover from the Linghams Booksellers website and (c) Linzi Glass

DIY Lanvin-Inspired Bracelet

So, I don't know if anyone's reading this blog [lol], but ... here's an excellent DIY if you know the ABCs of sewing!

Also check out her Anthropologie Inspired Bracelet.

Photo (c) Tricia at Oh So Crafty

Kaboodle

Look at these creative vases! More such items at Kaboodle.

p.s.: My camera is being psycho again. Kunal and Aparna think this is funny.

Rosette Brooch

Guess who's almost finished making a rosette brooch, quite similar to the picture in the post below? Guess who's also writing a tutorial for it? Guess who met Santa today?

[Yes, me!]

Rosette

Attempting to do a tutorial on a brooch inspired by this [as seen on Trinny and Susannah's website]!

Can't find the glue and the cardboard. Trust something to get lost in my room. >:(

HBP Live Screening!!!

Ohhh I can't believe I'm missing the live screening! However I'm watching the movie at the same time as the screening [we're at the first potions lesson scene at the moment]. 

Anyhow, if you're missing out on it too, read Mugglenet twitter updates here! Thank you, Mugglenet, for letting us know what's happening in the chat! Thank you!!

Latest tweet: Will Dan be using Twitter any time soon? "I can safely say no." Says "I would just be inundated."

Toodles!

Image (c) Warner Bros and the Harry Potter gang :)

I made some tags

Hi! Following that post from yesterday, I whipped up some luggage tags. I think they're cute. I like red the best, and mum likes green the best. Hm. 

I want to post these as downloadable items for you, but I don't know how to do it - any ideas, smarties? :)

Any more ideas for tags?

Win this!: Headband

Yes, lovely, isn't it?! Enter the giveaway if you want! Original Etsy shop here.

PS: Don't forget to enter the Footzy Roll giveaway too, they look too beautiful to not enter!!

Photo from House of Tesla.

Luggage Tags

Gran and I are going overseas soon. In a little over three weeks. After almost five years. I'm too excited about this. I love flying in aeroplanes ... there's just something so special about them! I know what movies we'll be watching, what we'll be eating, what seats we're thinking of ... haha! Call me crazy ...

I'm also designing our luggage tags. I was Googling some, and look at these totally adorable ones! So inspiring!

 I think mine will be based on these, anyway ... I'll print them out on heavy paperstock [I'm thinking 300gsm], laminate them, punch a hole through them, and ribbon them! Totally personalised! And, we can also have them as keepsakes for later on ... :)

I've been drawing more Disney princesses ... I'm debating as to whether I should post them up here!

Have you seen any cute luggage tags? Please let me know!!

Currently chomping on: Lindt Lindor Chocolate Balls [milk and dark]. Best. Chocolate. Ever. Period.

My Snow White

Not too bad for a first attempt, right?

From this ..

To this. :)

I haven't finished it yet of course ... and I'm not terribly happy with the hands or her smile. As always, to see it big, click on the pictures :)

Have an amazing day!!

Draw Snow White

A very nice and helpful tutorial over at Disney: How to draw Snow White.

I've started doing mine half an hour ago, and I'm still going at it! Hopefully I'll upload some pics later tonight!

Click here to go directly to the activities page. [Click on 'Crafts' and then on 'How to draw Snow White']

Currently listening to: Through the Kaleidoscope by Steven Cravis. Click here to hear it on youtube. It's a very soothing piece of piano music.

Snow White image (c) Disney :)

Eatin' Spinach

We all love today's Google logo, don't we?!

Smiggle

Ever fascinated by a Smiggle store? I was today. I think that currently they only have stores in Australia and New Zealand, but they do have an online shop. And now they're opening at a mall near me. Yeay!

Basically, Smiggle is a fusion of a.) cute and funky, and b.) stationery.

[I have just realised that I'm typing this without my glasses and my vision is kind of going foggy, so excuse me while I go get my glasses..]

Okay, I'm back and the glasses are on.

This is what I got from Smiggle today [they're actually my initials, but they could also stand for 'Graphic Bee'. Awesome!]:

I would love to own one of those pencil cases! How unique are they?!:

Glue and markers:

Duck-shaped rubber bands! Bendy pencils! Bone-shaped paperclips! Oh my!

 Take a peek at their wide and amazing range of stationery.

All images are from the Smiggle website, except for my badges :)

Ruffled Corsage Pin

You would like to make this, yes? I would, too .. such a shame that I'm horrible at stitching and sewing - I need to find an easier way to make it. In the meantime, enjoy its tutorial here.

Image from My Mama Made It.

Ribbons ...

I seem to be addicted to ribbons.

 I seem to be collecting ribbons.

Mmm.


I love ribbons.

Brooches and Shopping Losts

Quite a strange title, no? Not to worry, you'll find out about it in a minute ...

So, first up, this is me wearing the corsage brooch I made. I was wearing dark blue jeans, a grey t-shirt with a black vest - quite a neutral outfit, if you ask me. The brooch just livened it all up.

Next, is a lovely blog find. Shopping Losts. Wherein you turn in shopping lists that you have found, and in exchange they "turn it into something to be treasured".

ps: I Am Sam. I watched. I cried. I loved it. I think everyone should watch it ... 

Tutorial - easy corsage brooch

My first-ever tutorial! Don't forget to click on the images to see them better!

Yup, these are the flowers that I bought the other day at Spotlight. If you want an extra challenge, you can of course make them yourself. [I'm also going to be doing a tutorial on making a brooch from scratch :) ]

Oh, and I'd tied a knot to the stem just to make sure the petals didn't come undone.

To make it extra sturdy, I cut a cardboard circle, chalked a bigger sized circle on a piece of black fabric, and stuck the fabric on the cardboard. 

Snip the flower stem, stick the base that you just made, and attach a brooch pin with strong glue. Leave the brooch to dry! Mine is still drying. :)

And voila! Super cute corsage brooches!!

D. I. Y

Hiya, it looks as if I'll be posting up some DIYs this month! I'll be making pins with these cuties soon:

And a very easy corsage brooch tutorial is getting ready to post as I type! And I'm thinking some book tutorials [which I had promised ages ago! Sorry!!], as well as a bit of origami ...

:)

Aww guys, look at what Kunal drew for my blog! I have nice purple hair, no?

Fred Flare

Take a look at the amazingly wacky gift items over at Fred Flare! Totally loving those bandages and umbrellas!

Have you been entering this months 'Bright Side Project' giveaways? They have some sweet giveaways every single day of the week.

This past week ...

Hi! Firstly, I hope that you've been having a wonderful time in the week that I'd disappeared, and that you're sitting warm and cosy in front of your computer, reading this ...

Some exciting things happened to me this past week:

- I got the marks for all my assessments. And can I just say, they were [are?] a lovely lovely end to my first year as a Graphic Design student.

- I got some really cutesy ribbon roses. In dusky pink. To make corsage brooches.

- I organised my ribbons and accessories. [I know. I think that's exciting.]

- I visited Spotlight, and fell in love with the store! One whole aisle of jewellery bits and bobs! Half an aisle of pure Martha-ness! Ahhh!

On a randomer note:

- I ate two more packs of bubble gum and way too much junk food.

- I finally gave mum her birthday present(s). More on that later!

- I got addicted to Bauns. Which is a super cool Orisinal game. So basically I wasted a whole lot of time playing it, when I could be doing something productive ...

- Overall, I had a very nice break.

What have you been doing this week?

p.s.: I've been trying to upload a pic with this post, but it's just not working ... grrr.

The Crimson Thread

A little off-topic ... but if you like Rumpelstiltskin, I would highly recommend you to read The Crimson Thread written by Suzanne Weyn [it is a part of the Once upon a Time series]. It is a retelling, set in the 1800s. It's very cleverly written, and is an amazing read.

Here is what the blurb reads:

The year is 1880, and Bertie, having just arrived in New York with her family, is grateful to be given work as a seamstress in the home of textile tycoon J. P. Wellington. When the Wellington family fortune is threatened, Bertie's father boasts that Bertie will save the business, that she is so skillful she can "practically spin straw into gold."

Amazingly, in the course of one night, Bertie creates exquisite gowns—with the help of Ray Stalls, a man from her tenement who uses an old spinning wheel to create dresses that are woven with crimson thread and look as though they are spun with real gold. Indebted to Ray, Bertie asks how she can repay him. When Ray asks for her firstborn child, Bertie agrees, never dreaming that he is serious ...

---

So yeah, that's the blurb, it is seriously a very good read, with so many twists and turns, you never know what to expect!

Success!

Mark this date.

In my twenty years, today is the day I have succeeded in blowing at least one decent bubble out of my bubblegum.

That is big news. Because I had sort of given up on it, seeing that I just couldn't do it. I mean, whenever I tried, I either [accidentally] spat the gum out, or it just didn't make bubbles. Maybe it didn't like me. Either way, I ended up embarrassing myself >.<

I wish, that someday, my bubble would be just as magnificent as the one in the picture.

Back to my assessment now. Keep chompin' on those gums! :D

p.s.: By the way, it was Hubba Bubba Outrageous Original.

Lovely image from Esanda.com

More randomness

What started off as a quiet blog has gone a bit random [and I love it the way it is! Thanks heaps to my co-authors, Helen and Kunal!] ... and I'm talking about my other blog, A Photo A Day!

In short: We take photos, and we tell you the story behind them!

Please take a visit!

Thanks muchly. Toodles for now! ^.^

Of brooches and washing machines ...

I made a corsage brooch.

I proudly showed it to my grandma.

I grinned and put it in the pocket of my favourite purple hoodie. [Why oh why did I do that?!]

I chucked the hoodie in the washing machine.

And I got an awesome-smelling scrunched up brooch as a result.

Thank goodness it's not that scrunched up. Thank goodness the cardboard didn't disintegrate [I'd've cried if it had]. Thank goodness I hadn't yet attached the pin to it [which means it's not a brooch brooch as of now, but, oh well, it's getting there! :P]!

A close-up of my broochie [which is not technically a broochie].

About that awesome glass bulb. Mum got it from Smith & Caugheys for $1!! And about those ribbons. I got them for 20c and they're actually used as hair bands. I got 10 colours! :D

Exhibition ...

Firstly, I am so, so sorry that I haven't been updating my blog ... I had my assignments, then I just got a bit slack. Sorry!

I went to the university final-year Graphic Design exhibition yesterday. To think, my work will be up there in two years ... :O

Anyway, there was some eye candy. [Which I'm not posting here, simply because it's not my own work, and it doesn't feel right to upload someone else's work without their permission].

And then there was some real candy. Peppermint balls [which I'm eating now] and lollies! And some L&P and wine!

Daily Prophet!

Ooh, look who was in the Daily Prophet today! ^.^ Me, myself, and I!!

Ohh ... about the awkward gesture ... I *think* that I was in the process of removing my glasses ... oopsies!

Do you want to be in the Daily Prophet, too? Click here. Make your own, then print it off, or send it to a friend! Random fun during the holidays. >.<

p.s.: Golly, looks like I'm obsessed with cutsie emoticons! :O [I blame Facebook!! >:( ]

Awesomeness Part Four

[Awesomeness Parts One, Two, and Three]

Yea, this coin chair is pretty cool, huh? I'm thinking it'd be quite uncomfortable though ... :/

New Uses ... Old Things ...

I don't know how, or when, but I came across this amazing article on MSN on how to use 50 old items in a fantastically new way.

Some of the uses include:

- An old tomato ketchup bottle for pouring batter for pancakes:

- A cassette holder [remember those?!] for your earphones:

- Popcorn instead of foam peanuts:

- Easter egg cases for storing snacks:

- ... and colour swatches as place cards:

p.s.: I didn't know my iMac could do this: ßø®e∂. If you're wondering how I did that, it's option+alphabets

Halloween!

Happy Halloween! What're you dressing up as? Are you going trick-or-treating? Made any gross-looking food? Read Goosebumps?

If I were to answer all of my questions, I'd say no, no, no, and no [but I wish I could say yes to all of them ...].

I've got some Halloweeny links [I know, I should've posted them way earlier, but ... you can always save them for next year ;) ] for you:

- This takes you to the most amazing Halloween recipe list. Make Eerie Eyeballs, Creepy Witches' Fingers, Brittle Meringue Bones, and much much more! There's some good safety tips on the site as well.

- Make some very cool Mummy heads. Click here.

- Pumpkin carving ideas, costume ideas, decoration ideas, and recipe ideas from Martha Stewart.

I have to fly off on my broom now, but I'll see if I can come in later and post more Halloweeny stuff!

Sushi Ice Cream!

Ooo, I'm not sure if you get Sooshi Ice Cream where you're from, but here's a link so you can make your own! And, as Ruthie suggested, it would be perfect for parties!

Sooshi Ice Cream

If you're living in NZ, you must've seen that delish-looking-sushi-inspired little dollop of ice cream walled with fruit rolls and topped off with a fruit filling [you get 'em at NZ Natural]. Mm, and they are delicious!

And for $1, it's quite a bargain, isn't it?! Well, here's more! Sooshi currently has a buy one, get one free thing going on, so why not whip to the website and get your mates a treat?

Click here for the Sooshi website.

No, haven't the faintest as to where that lovely image of Sooshi Ice Cream is from ... of course I don't mean to violate copyright!

Egg Sculptures

Beautiful laser-cut egg sculptures that I've been meaning to upload for ages! Here they are, finally!