Monday 27 February 2012

Sweets and other random bits

I am so unhappy that a post i just drafted and kept to post another day just disappeared! And it was a fully drafted blog post too. I'm sorry today will just be a post on random material stuff i took a while ago.

Remember my brief infatuation with making sweets out of clay a while ago? Well, it was very brief. This was what i managed to messily produce before  lost all interest in it.

My first macaroon..kinda sloppy and messy.


I was trying to get piping just right and hence the millions of trial and error effort. My cream concoction was too diluted that day.


I found better success though with cookie cutter shapes.These 'cookies' were used as gift tag embellishments. 


That was the end of my infatuation and i found NO more time to do any of these small cute craft projects.

The face masks below are from my brothers gf whose sister just returned from a Taiwan honeymoon. Loving all these masks though i have yet to try the one's which cover the neck and have a ear hole to keep the mask in place and also purportedly to have a 'lifting' effect.


I love how all these Taiwanese products have celebrity endorsers on the box.


OMG this post is really random now. The last 2 pictures are of my random Daiso buys. I can't not buy anything when i go in!! The picture below is of a hair fragrance. I know WTF right? But it works really really well! It gets rid of whatever smoke/oil smell from your hair and leaves it rather light and soft too! All for RM5!


These two are a bit of a mis-buy for me. Spectace holder that you can hang up. But if you wish to just dump it in your bag, too bad cos it has no closure! The spectacles will just slip out! The beads were for another craft project of mine which never really materialized!


Sigh, i spend all my time at work, and hitting the books. How much i retain is another matter and problem all together.. I'm so busy i even missed the Oscars this year! Sigh! After the exam i must take revenge!Haha..

Okay not so random post next time!

Saturday 25 February 2012

Japanese Mags and mooks

Here's a preview of the Japanese magazines coming soon or have already reached our shores.

Sweet April 2012 with Jill Stuart tote bag, out in Japan 12th March.


 Spring April with Milkfed quilted tote, out in Japan 23rd February.


Liniere April with Niemes coin pouch, out February 20th.


InRed April, out 7th March wiht a Veinica make up pouch.


Mooks out in Japan currently (too many to name but here are two of that might garner more interest).

Tsumori Chisato mook with beach bag.


Liberty Print Spring Summer 2012 mook with tote bag.


The lack of words is testament to how bored i am with the run of the mill 'freebies' with Japanese magazines. Someone please release something other than bags and pouches soon!

Monday 20 February 2012

Japanese magazines in Kinokuniya

I am currently sweating it out at a itinerary packed intensive course, with less time to sleep> watching TV is out of the question and my pre-recorded 'The Voice' sitting in my phone is currently left idle, for the sake of updating this post, cos if i don't do it soon, it will be so obsolete.

Here are the magazines and mooks section of Kinokuniya seen currently.

Coach Chinese Mooks at the Chinese section. Still some available though terribly depleted since it first came into stock.


The Malaysian Magazine Jessica comes with a free Asience tube of conditioner in a fairly good size.


The Japanese magazines available currently, including the Non-no magazine with the Snidel watch.


Vivi!! No need gifts for it to be sold.


Okay the rest of the pictures are self explanatory so no captions needed.



A candle-making kit mook!


Some of the mooks still available.




So many issues of Scawaii still on the shelves.



I am happy to report i had an unexpected find from the trip to Kinokuniya. Remember my obsession with detachable collars? Well, i found a November issue of ViVi which was previously sold out back on the shelves.Only one copy was miraculously displayed on the shelves (perhaps due to a cancelled reservation) and i quickly snapped it up since it was a magazine that i actually regretted not buying. I'll put some pictures up next post.

It's back to the books now!

Sunday 19 February 2012

A trip to KLCC

As it was a Friday, and everyone was rushing to get out of KL, my usual weekly migration to Slim River, presented me with a 4 hour layover at KL Sentral before the next available train. As luck would have it, KLCC is just a 4 stop train ride away, all in air conditioned comfort.

I love taking pictures of stuff in shopping centres *materialisticmax*, and hence this utterly silly and frivolous post on what i saw there. Since i saw too many things that i wanted to take pictures of, i handily divided it into 2 parts, just in case you got bored half way.

As you probably would have noticed, the latest Uniqlo x Snoopy collection is out at a budget friendly RM39.90 per piece, at the expense of perhaps quality. The material is not 100% cotton, and it looks like the type that goes all furry after a few washes. It was however comfortable to wear. You can see the men's Snoopy range here.

A piece from the female range that looked cute, but was too see-through *conservative*.


Next up was obviously Kinokuniya, the one and only store in Malaysia (please don't close down like Borders and Harris Bookstore in Singapore)

What i love about the bookstore is the Japanese magazines obviously (more about that next post), as well as the cute craft supplies only the Japanese can think of. Here are some pretty cute miniature seals (which to me are 3D stickers) you can use for scrapbooking or making your own card.

Sorry for the out of focus picture. I was trying to be discreet.


It doesn't come cheap though. The one below was around RM15.


There were so many to choose from i wanted to buy it, but have no use for it besides admiring it's beauty!


Sorry, my phone focused on the background instead of the foreground which was actually stamps of a biscuit and croissant.


Over to the Japanese books section. I used to focus only on the magazines till i realized there was a treasure trove of really nifty craft books. A tiny book like that costs RM100, yet it's such a niche product that i'm sure crafters would not mind splurging on. The book on the top left with the doodle on it. Take note.The book on the bottom left is actually a box set on creating your own stamps. And have you seen how expensive stamps are?


The book with the doodle, was just that,. A book of doodles, giving inspiration on what to doodle, and how to doodle.


This was another book on doodling. Pretty silly you might say, but flipping through the book you realize how it can be applied to everyday crafts. For example, a few doodles can decorate cards, jam labels, and obviously scrapbooks and diaries. For the less inspired, the books provide an inspiration. I wonder if there are such sites online though.


Behold more tiny, pretty books with interesting covers.


The picture above are of picture books which depict exactly what it says on the cover. There are whole picture books on french confectioneries, french villages, London villages..


And the books of pictures in peoples homes and shops around the world. Obviously only cute,clean and immaculate homes/shops were photographed. Who doesn't have a fixation with all things pretty and wonderful?

If i had my way i would have bought all the books by now!

Next post: All the Japanese magazines and mooks.

Saturday 18 February 2012

LeSportSac 2012 Mook

The latest LeSportSac mook is coming out in March and even though it is one of the hottest mooks overseas, the response in Malaysia is good but never as good as what i hear overseas. Even if you're late getting to the store there will always be a few mooks left over.

I particularly liked the 2nd LeSportSac mook with the multi case which i find very useful and simillar to their normal line. The mook from last year, though cute, i hardly used at all! I find it cumbersome to use and have other more user friendly eco-bags.

Anyhow the mook for 2012, might be a miss for me for one simple reason. It's too small!


Will anyone take me seriously if i walk along the streets in this? Judging from the picture, it's even too small as a hand carry! The added heart shaped bag charm is a good touch though.

Plus has anyone noticed that the price of the Japanese magazines and mooks have risen quite a bit. When i first started buying, the mags were normally around RM30-40 while the mooks were arounf RM50-60. Now though the magazines are priced at RM 40-50 while the mook prices have risen to RM70-80! And that's after the 20% discount for most new mooks! I might as well buy an original LeSportSac tote on sale (past season but better quality).

I don't know I'm pretty ambivalent sbout this, what say you?

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair

Yup, i'm late but i've started an anti-aging regime. And what better regime to start but the very much raved about Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair. It was between the Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex and the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate. In the end due to the promotions and freebies displayed at the Estee Lauder promotion booth, i decided to just get that.

Here's what i got for RM330.


Yes, i am a sucker for freebies.


A miracle lotion? So far it makes my skin look brighter the next morning, but no visible anti-aging yet. My frown lines are as deep as ever.. Hmmm... maybe because I'm frowning more in my sleep. I'll let you know how good it is after I've given it more use since I've just gotten it.


I'm loving the shiny understated packaging. Too bad it's made of hard plastic and not glass.


Apparently if i don't want all the freebies, the Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex (phew..) is still RM330 for a bottle of 50ml. So always make sure you get your freebies! The freebies vary from one place to another. In JB Holiday Plaza Parkson's they had the cleanser as one of the freebies.

I'll do a review after i find out how good this really is.

Friday 10 February 2012

H&M Malaysia to open by Autumn 2012

It's starting to be a general rule that what Singapore gets, Malaysia follows soon after. With the huge success of H&M in Singapore, Swedish fashion powerhouse H&M reported that they will indeed open it's first store in Malaysia based on their financial report released on January 26th.

Which is of course great, since H&M have been producing the most sought after collaboration pieces in recent years.

Where will the store be located? Well, it's anyone's guess at the moment but the criteria they had cited, is somewhere with high foot traffic and high visibility with 10,000 to 30,00 square foot of space for their new store.

Word has it they might take over Tang's in Pavillion. However that remains still a rumour. I popped by Pavillion, and Tang's was having a massive clearance sale which either means they a renovating(unlikely) or moving out.Which makes perfect sense for H&M to come and shift right in!

However, i'm hoping there will not be overnight lines at every new collaboration, cos i want to get a piece without lining up, though i have a naging suspicion the kiasu Malaysian with us will directly mimic out neighbours down south.

Whatever the situation may be, H&M we welcome you with open arm!

Some of H&M's previous collaborators include:


Viktor and Rolf for H&M, Roberto Cavalli for H&M, Sonya Rykiel for H&M, Jimmy Choo for H&M,Karl Lagerfeld for H&M, Lanvin for H&M and the recent Versace for H&M.

At current, H&M has a Davide Becham bodywear collection and an upcoming Marni at H&M collection.


Here are some of the pieces from their latest normal line.


Things are looking good for our retail industry but not so much for my pocket!

Monday 6 February 2012

DIY projects:Weekend craft projects to try out

I have been gawking. Seriously and literally gawking at crafts. If you are a craftgawker you would know what i mean. After a long 2 day break, i find myself with 2 more days off, and a 3/2 days working  week ahead (2 cos i might take Friday off since its my birthday).Hence, i find myself attracted once again to creative craft projects. While i have no time nor the supplies needed at the moment to carry these projects out, since i am committed to a good 4 months of continuous mugging (i must pass exam!), i thought maybe some of my creative readers might be interested. Plus it might be a good Valentine gift project!

Even if you're too lazy to try these out, they are great to look at.

So here i present to you, my favourite craftgawker ideas for now. All linked to full step by step tutorials. You are welcome.

Make your own 

1)Homemade tea soap


Link is here.

Pros:
1.Once you get all the necessary ingredients, you can make these all the time and you don't ever have to buy small gifts/soaps anymore.
2. They are just too cute and who doesn't love tea? i mean just look at cha-time.
3.Can potentially be a wedding favour which is easy to package.

Cons:
1.There are quite a lot of ingredients to prepare.

2) Glitter flats


Link is here.

Pros: They are so bling!
Cons: Your house will be a  glitter mess!With Malaysian prices of shoes it might be easier to just buy one already glittered for you.

3) Homemade mosquito repellent


Link is here.

Pros: We could always use mosquito repellent here.
Cons: Does it work for Asian mosquitoes specifically aedes mosquito? Plus who has vodka readily available at home? XO maybe..

4) Dried moss terrarium centerpiece


Link is here.

Pros: It's pretty!
Cons: Where to find dried moss here?

5) Prettify your google wallpaper


 Link is here.

Pros: It's pretty!
Cons: Too lazy and whats wrong with plain google?

6) Egg-cellent egg-citing love notes


Link is here.
Pros: Too cute!
Cons: Poor baby chick.

7) LOVE Canvas


Link is here.

Pros: Gorgeous statement piece for your loved one!
Cons: Might not be good for those who can't paint in a straight line and oh, there are canvases to be bought. Can you also imagine the dust after a month?

8) A ring out of a coin


Link is here.
Pros: Gimicky!
Cons: Ouch, sounds like a lot of hard work.

9) Wallet from plastic bags

 
 Link is here.

Pros: Erm, good for those in need of a wallet?
Cons: Who wants a plastic bag wallet?

10) Another Moss Terarium (I know i'm infatuated with the stuff!)


Link is here.
Pros: A live keepsake from a holiday.
Cons: In Malaysia we never get moss that cute! Unless you stay in Cameron Highlands that is. Maybe i should just make use of all the sunlight and plant real plants.. ugh but i don't want to have to water it everyday!

And that my dear friends are some of the things that can keep you busily creative these long holidays. Let me know if you do manage to make some of these lovely projects happen!

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