Magazine clips

I was going through my blog thinking of what to write in my next post and realised that I've not made any entry on works being published in the magazines. I did make a few (subjective really) shout outs of my magazine clips on my facebook wall and Made by Rozi Rahman fanpage. 

I'm honoured and grateful that my work has been chosen to grace the pages of 2 digital camera magazines and 1 women magazine. Hang on a minute! So, what has photography got to do with my needlework? Well, my needlework has led me to blogging and blogging has led me to wanting to take better pictures for my posts and that has led me to take up photography. Not so much of turning into a professional photographer (duh! it ain't easy you know!) but just being able to take nice pictures.

Anyway, back to the topic, my first appearance was the May 2012 issue of Digital Camera magazine. My hot air balloons trio came out in the HotSHOTS column, at #10. It was my maiden attempt to submit my photography work to a publication. The shot was taken in March during Putrajaya Hot Air Balloon festival. I first submitted it to pixoto.com and it got the #10 best of the day award (10 seems to be the lucky number here), top 10% of the week award and subsequently top 10% of the month award (for the month of March 2012). 

Oh! I recalled my entry about my excitement getting my first pixoto award here. 

May was the month that I received an email from Malaysian Women's Weekly magazine asking for HiRes picture of my chalk banner. I was in Hong Kong when I received the email. The deadline given was a day before I was due back to homeground. I thought I missed out on a good exposure stunt. I came back home and forgot about it only to get a reminder the following week repeating the request. Opportunities do knock twice! So, I jumped on it and the did a short write up on my blog and products in May 2012 issue. Thank you, thank you, thank you Malaysian Women's Weekly for singling me out of hundreds if not thousands of local craft blogs out there. 

I did my chicken dance, and felt on top of the world! My heart swelled with pride to see my name in bold prints along with the names of other websites that I used to browse in my early years of blogging. How cool is that? The feeling is just indescribable. 

My third magazine appearance was in August 2012 issue of Aperture; another digital camera magazine.  WooHoo!!!!! Another chicken dance moment. 

This shot was shared on my wall by a fellow picture taker in a photography group I belong to. I didn't realized about this until he mentioned it to me. Even then, I thought he was pulling my leg; hence, the need for proof. (Don't mind the picture quality)

The next day, I made a quick dash to my local bookshop after sending Arwen to her playgroup session and get me a copy of the magazine.

Typo on the shutter speed

The prize

This will mark the first time I've ever won anything from my photography hobby. While my sewing and crafting hobby is now a self financing and income generating hobby, (They even pay for my camera and lens and what have you) I still have a long way to go with photography. Yet, it's not really the monetary rewards that I'm after. Money, after all is not an end itself but serve as a means to an end. These recognitions serve as pleasant highlights in my journey in the world of sewing, crafting and photography. With that, I'm signing off and wishing you a great weekend ahead. 

Cosmo bag with Corduroy and many more

I’m recovering from a cough and fever this week, just in time to finish another Cosmo Bag. This bag is made with dark blue corduroy. I love the contrast against the pink handles. I’ve used my new labels for the first time on this bag. Here’s one on one of the side pockets.

My coughs is a relapse from my first bout about two weeks ago. It must be the weather. I was getting better then I had a case of food poisoning and I guess the vomiting might have aggravated the throat. It got infected and I had a mild fever to go along with that.  I saw the doctor last Wednesday and took some antibiotics and on my way to recovery :)

Here are a few things that I’ve not updated since the last post. I’m blessed to have families and friends who support my small enterprise. Here’s a bucket bag commissioned by my aunt. 

Here’s a couple of pillows commissioned by a friend who loves cats. These pillows have been long overdue. Though her request was simple, I didn’t want to just make pillows and pillow covers for her and inspiration took a while in coming. I got idea from Spotlight, Singapore catalogue and added ricracs and buttons for embellishements. Once in a while, working on a plain canvas and having the freedom to decorate it, is refreshing :) Thank you for the opportunity to harness my creativity :) That is also a blessing of its own.

I also made a few more chalk cloth party banners. Loving this.

Another overdue project: A pair of tea towels for another dear friend and a staunch supporter. I managed to present this to her over a lunch date which she generously footed the bill. On top of that, she even has a little token for my Arwen, a lipgloss for my diva little girl.

A twill tape to hang the tea towels.

Just before I got ill, I managed to bind off a simple knitted bodice for Arwen made from a yarn Azrai bought from Spotlight, Singapore in his recent trip there. I stumbled into applied i-cord finishing for the edges in youtube and wanted to try it myself. I thought it was a great idea and love the finishing too. I extended the applied i-cord into straps for the bodice. I’ve paired the bodice with Tanya Whelan’s fabric which I won from Zura Lovemelot’s giveaway a few years ago. It’s half a yard and just enough to make the skirt for this number.

I made the back narrower than the front. I saw this in one of my summer knit pattern books and it’s called racer back. A great idea to keep the straps from falling/slipping over the shoulder. I hate that.
Notice the M&M or Smarties necklace Arwen is modeling? It’s one of our finds in GM Klang. We went there to to check the place out.

White party shoes to make up the look. It’s like ballerina slippers doesn’t it and Arwen with her hair up like that does look like a little ballerina :)

I received my labels from Insang Pari. All 1000 wonderful pieces of them. I made them half fold with printing on both sides and seams on the top so it’s considered top fold? Head on over to Insang Pari if you’re interested to make your labels too.

A wonderful gift from a fabric lover to another :) Thank you Dr. Zeti :) I wonder what I can turn this into...

Last weekend, there was a get together at a friend’s shop in Alam Damai. We get to meet the gentlemen in our so-called ladies only group. The get-together was fun as usual with lots of laughter and food. The icing on the cake was the little souvenir; a pretty stork shaped scissors. Thank you Azmir and Azmin :) Thank you Nani and the gang for being a wonderful host for the gathering. Thank you for all the ladies for your friendship and your sharing of knowledge. You’ve enriched my life with your friendship and kept my sanity in check.