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. 

Bazaar # 9: Supplies Surprise! 6 Bazaar

A quick shout out for my next bazaar appearance. It’s a supplies bazaar this time. I’ll be de-stashing my designer cotton at RM33 per meter!!!!! Only during the bazaar. These are some of the stash from Micheal Miller’s Sanctuary collection.

I also have 2 yards of chalk cloth available at RM75.00 per yard (36” x 47”). I’ve made chalk mats and chalk cloth party banners with these. (see here)

Jumbo ric-racs at RM2.50 per meter and a meter bundle of 8 colours @ RM18.00 only. 

I’ve got hold of some Fabric Mod Podge too. Only 5 bottles available at RM30.00 for 8oz bottle.

I have the Classic Mod Podge too (yellow label) but only the 4oz one at RM15.00.

I’ll be rummaging my things tonight to see what else I can bring to the bazaar. They say "one crafter’s junk is another’s treasure”... I wonder what other treasures I’ll be taking home with me from the bazaar... Cringe to think how am I ever going to fit all my stuff in my over-stuffed sewing room...

Shout Out: Bazaar #8 - Fuyoh Art Bazaar 4

If you’ve been following my updates on my bazaar appearance, you’d be wondering where’s bazaar #7. I kinda missed out on that. It was last month at Subang Parade (3 June 2012). Nothing much to report. Business was a bit slow that day. Had to do a solo act as my partner couldn’t make it. Survived the long hours, yada, yada, yada.  Lets move on to my shout out, shall we?

This Sunday, 24 June 2012, I’ll be at Publika for Fuyoh Art Bazaar #4. The theme is traditional so I’ll be coming in my traditional costume. Nothing fancy, baju kurung for me :) unless I decide to be adventurous and comes in a sari? who knows? *wink*

Don’t miss my booth. It’ll be at #66, my lucky number this round :)

What’s new? My last four pieces of Ipad cosies knitted in Colourscape Chunky by Kaffe Fasset. I like the mouthful description, don’t you? They’re my last four as I’ve run out of my Colourscape Chunky stash, after almost 2 years keeping them in my knitting yarn stash. I’m glad they’ve received a good response as Ipad cosies after I first premier them at Markets@JayaOne (Read about it here). 

I’ve also have a fresh shipment of Jumbo Ric-Racs which just arrived after 1 month! They’ll be retailing at RM2.50 per meter and a 8 meter bundle at RM18.00 (a discount of 10%). They’re made of polyester and suitable as embellishment on dresses (low heat iron possible) as well as for scrapbooking, or other crafts. I have 8 colours. Come and see how yummy they are :)

It measures approximately 5/8” from peak to peak:

Compare between the jumbo ric-rac and the normal ric-rac commonly found:

Anything else? I’m trying to perform miracles and R&D new chalk cloth party banner.... Nothing is cut, my sewing machine is cold... What am I doing here?!!!!!!  See you tomorrow folks!!!!

Addition (as at 3.30pm, Saturday 23 June 2012)

Instead of doing another entry, I’m just adding on the new stuff I’m going to bring to FAB:

Reusable Chalk Cloth Party Banner ver.2.0

Fresh from the sewing machine.

They measure approximately 7” width and 10” height.

I’ll be selling them loosely ie per pieces:

1-4 pieces = RM10.00 each piece
5 pieces onwards = RM8.00 each piece

It comes with the cotton rope (12” for every banner piece).

So come and visit my booth and string up your own party banner!

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.

Tutorial: Chalk Mat ver 1.1

I’m preparing some items for sale for my upcoming bazaar and made these today. They are chalk mat ver 1.1. The ver 1.0 is finished with bias tape on the edges. It’s nice but it gets dirty from the chalk dust. So the newer version, I took out the bias tape. Here’s the how to:

 Materials:
Oil cloth or laminated cotton measuring 13”x 16”
A scrap piece approximately 5” x 6” for the chalk pocket
Chalk cloth measuring 12” x 15”
Ribbon. I cut mine about 20” long

This is my machine setting:

Take the scrap piece for the pocket. Fold about 1/2” in and stitch. I used a zigzag stitch with the above setting.

Here’s how it looks like when finished.

The right side:

Fold the pocket piece into two and stich along the bottom of the piece (opposite the zigzag stitch made earlier)

Like this:

Turn right side out and keep it aside for later.

Lay the oilcloth right side down. Layer the chalk mat wrong sides together like this. You will have about 1/2” allowance as the oil cloth is larger than the chalk mat.

Fold in the long sides like this:

And stitch. You can you straight stitch. I used zigzag stitch. Repeat the process on the other long side.

Fold in the corner like this and pin in place:

Slip in the pocket about 1.5” to 2” from the bottom and pin in place. Stitch. Repeat on the opposite side.

Turn the chalk cloth on the right side. Mark the centre of the short side. Place the ribbon in the centre and stitch.

I went over it 3 times.

I finished the ribbon ends with fray check. Alternatively you can heat set it.

 
Stick a couple of chalks inside the pocket and TADAAA! you got yourself a chalk mat.

I hope the instructions are clear enough. Good luck and have fun with your chalk mats :)