Last decorated Christmas glassine bag of the year - happy holidays!

 

Presenting my last decorated Christmas glassine bag of the year! Keep it really simple and minimal with some glitter tape, fussy-cut ornaments (from wrapping paper) and two cute stickers!:)

Thank you for stopping by my blog in 2022. Hope you find time to enjoy the last week of 2022 doing the things you enjoy in the company of the people you love. Happy holidays friends! See you in 2023!:)

*festive music plays in the background*

Tuesday's desk- One eye angle, four ways

 

As I reflect on 2022, I realised that I spent most of it trying to "perfect" what I've learnt through repeated practice. One of the things I've enjoyed the most was my almost daily eye drawing practice. Even though it got boring at times, I kept practising, tweaking little things to see if the eye drawing looks a little better.

These 3 drawings were from my first sketchbook, tackling one eye angle. 

And the 4th one is from my new sketchbook.

I think I've definitely grown more confident in my strokes and colour blending. What do you think?

Make Stuff Monday - a Christmas signage!

 

Today's Make Stuff Monday is a Christmas signage! :)

I started with this metal base which was part of a mooncake box packaging.

Added the Christmas bits and bobs. And finished with a misting of gold shimmer. :)

P/s: Are you ready for Christmas???? *dramatic music plays in the background*

Saturday night dinner for 10

 

Hello friends! Haven't shared my family cooking adventures in a while. Here is what I made for last week's Saturday night dinner for 10.

I went with pan-fried pork loin, honey garlic chicken and stir-fried mixed veggies.

I had so much fun putting this layout together...especially the cute elements. *winks*

I used a well-used Kraft packaging as the mat for my photos and embellishments.

And I found google eyes in my stash....so I had to use them. :)

Workspace Wednesday - this week's decorated glassine Christmas bag

 

Happy happy Wednesday friends! Yes, I'm feeling all festive with my red nails this week. :) Found some fussy-cut Santas when I took out the Christmas decor from the storeroom ....so here is Santa on this week's decorated glassine Christmas bag! 

Eye drawing on a Tuesday

 

So this gal has dropped the ball on the daily eye sketch in her bid to finish up some stuff before the end of 2022...*excuses* But she started again today. And here is her eye drawing on a Tuesday...*high fives all around*

Hope you are doing better in your "need-to-finish-by-2022" list than me. *winks*

Make Stuff Monday - decorating my creative space with Christmas projects I've made over the years

Happy happy Monday friends! Things have been busy in this last month of the year but I managed to pull out my Christmas stuff from the storeroom *woohoo...applause all around*...and put everything on display. 

These are the creative Christmas projects I've made over the years that I never gifted to anyone. :) I decided to use them to add a little festive flair to my creative space. :)

What about you? Do you decorate your creative space for the holidays?

 

A sweet treat for me

 

Hello friends! Today I just wanted to share what I bought for myself in the November sales. Some lovely toiletries from L'Occitane. :) The almond shower oil is my fave but it's really pricey (for a shower gel) so I have refrained from buying for months. 

And I have always bought refill packs. But this time I got them in the original containers because they recently started a refill fountain in stores and only accept their own containers (which I now have!). I only paid for the two full-sized items. The rest were the "free" gifts along with a voucher off for the next purchase. Pretty sweet deal. *happy music plays in the background*

So far L'Occitane is the only company in Singapore that accepts beauty/skincare empties from any brands as part of their recycling efforts which is why I buy from them. :)

What about you? Do you also buy from companies/corporations with a strong environmental stance?

Yep, I used a music stamp for this one

 

I have to admit that this year's Christmas projects have been hard...as I'm down to my very last bits of Christmas stash. The projects I've enjoyed the most are those featuring cute Santa. The vintage Santas are just not doing anything for me. *LOL*

But I'll be using them up! This one was looking a little too plain so I actually inked up a music stamp for the background before adding the sticker sentiment and finishing with (what else?) gold mist! *winks*

And there you have it...this week's Christmas glassine bag project. :)

Tuesday's Workspace - more eye drawings from the sketchbook

 

I've really been having a lot of fun with this second mini sketchbook of eye drawings. And I'm giving myself a little more grace to explore and play. :)

I was struggling a bit when I first re-started on the eye sketches, having spent most of the past year obsessed with watercolour flowers.

But I'm trying to warm up as I get back to doing portraiture again. Because of all the added responsibilities at home with caregiving and "parenting" duties, I had been doing really "simple" creative projects....that are less time-consuming. 

Now that I am managing my time a little better, I want to get back to painting portraits on canvas again. *upbeat music plays in the background*

A family fave - French custard tart

 

This year I've been working on perfecting some family faves. Like the French custard tart.:)

Apparently, the Yams really love it. Especially nephew #1. He would have 1 slice before he leaves for school and then raids the refrigerator the moment he gets home to have another. *LOL*

It is not difficult to make but requites a lot of patience. *winks*

The pastry cream needs to rest at room temperature than refrigerated overnight for best results. The pastry needs to be made, rested, rolled, rested, par-baked with beads, then without beads, cooled then baked with custard. The baked tart needs to cool to room temperature before having a 12 hour overnight chill in the fridge but you can slice the tart and eat it.

I like using a Pâte Sucrée base with some almond grounds for texture. It works well for the long bake in the oven. 

Just lots of fussy-cut bits, stickers and washi tape. :)

A vintage-inspired Christmas glassine bag

 

Okay, there is nothing really Christmassy about this decorated glassine bag except for the "Merry Christmas" sentiment. But I've had this in my stash for years and was never inspired to use it.

Until now.*winks* I kept things simple by adding a piece of patterned paper, two different washi tapes, a doily and a ribbon tab.

And finished off with my current obsession - the rediscovered gold mist. 

I'm calling it a vintage-inspired Christmas glassine bag. :)

Throwback Wednesday - what I ate in Hanoi

 

Hello friends! Just found these food photos from 2 Wednesdays ago when I was in Hanoi. So many of my old fave haunts have closed permanently since my last trip back in 2019. 

So it was time to find new eating places. Tried this Vietnamese fusion place called Runam for lunch where I could sample local faves with a twist.

Like this Vietnamese egg coffee with pandan flavour.

And Vietnamese udon in thick crab soup with soft-shell crab and mushrooms. If you have ever tried Vietnamese pho, you would know that the Vietnamese make amazing broth. This was really good.

Of course the gal had to order dessert....coconut ice-cream and jackfruit, gooseberry jam and dried coconut. Very interesting textures in a not-too-sweet dessert. :)

What interesting foods have you tried lately?

Tuesday's Workspace - the first eye drawing in my new sketchbook

 

I finished up my previous sketchbook of eye drawings last week (woohoo!) and after a few days of no eye sketches, it felt really really weird. So I started another sketchbook of eye drawings! *LOL*

Meet the first eye drawing in the new sketchbook!:)

Make Stuff Monday - Let's start Christmas projects 2022!

 

Well friends, I finally took the box of Christmas stash out of storage....so let's start Christmas projects 2022! :)

First up, a decorated glassine bag with fussy-cut banner bits from wrapping paper!

Wait, wait...what's that? Is that Santa from Christmas projects 2020? Yes it is. Found a random Santa in my stash! His head was truncated but you know we do a good cover job here. *LOL*

I finished off with gold mist and it looks really festive! :)

P/s: Have you started on your Christmas projects yet?