白丝木

Tote bags

2012-02-05T13:29:00.000+08:00

These bags were done faster than I thought! All thanks to the bulk of work I had to do that drove me into handmaking for some stress relief. Carving the alphabet rubber stamps took me about 5 days, and once I got my hands on the plain canvas totes I was ready to go!

Airing them after stamping the alphabets and Baisimu's logo.

And the end products...!

For the bf who's all the way across the globe right now.

For a friend with green fingers,

and a friend who's born to cook and bake.

I'm so happy to see that they all like what they got! Maybe when I have more time I'll list a few for customisation on etsy. But that wouldn't happen till June!

Take care everyone, and Happy Chinese New Year! Mine was awesome :)

Random updates

2012-01-03T15:54:00.001+08:00

Got to know about Postcrossing through a friend, which is about sending (and receiving) postcards to strangers somewhere in the world. I found it interesting but never really got down to writing one. And yesterday while packing my drawers I realised I have with me so many postcards that were taken from those advertising postcard stands! And I thought why not.

So that's 3 postcards written in one night! It is kind of fun and interesting, writing to someone you've never met. Someone from a different country, with cultures and living environment so different from yours.

I can't wait till my sent postcards are registered by the recipients so I can start receiving postcards from other strangers!

Made these for CNY! The bigger one for ang baos and
smaller one for cold hard cash. Bwahahaha.

And now a quick update on things I've been making. Holidays are the only times I get to expand my inventory. Work resumes next Monday and I'll be so consumed with assignments I won't have time for any form of handicraft! I'm in a very demanding industry, as much as I love it. And while I was in the shower yesterday inspiration came (it always does either when I'm in the shower or getting ready for bed) and there were a few more ideas for my bookmarks.

I'm also considering designing tote bags with hand carved rubber stamps, signed off with my signature red, "happiness" seal. Unfortunately those are time consuming projects and progress will be really slow from next week onward. So even if they turn out successful I believe they'll only be ready in about 6 months' time from now! I already have a few designs in mind for a few of my friends! Now to source for affordable plain tote bags (no time to sew them one by one!) and to start carving the 26 alphabets.

Perhaps some day I'll blog about my Taiwan trip this december. There are so many lovely places to share!

Till then! Oh and happy new year! May 2012 be a year of blessing, good health and happiness for all. :)

香煎大虾

2011-12-30T22:52:00.002+08:00

材料与调味料：

虾（~20只）
糖、盐、酱青

准备工作：

将虾的须子剪掉
把虾洗干净了再弄干
加入糖（2-3茶匙）和盐（1茶匙）腌
10 致 20 分钟后，将糖和盐洗掉，把虾弄干

烹煮过程：

起镬（把锅弄热），下油，再下蒜茸
慢慢加入一些虾（根据锅的大小决定数量），煎熟后再把它们捞上
重复以上的步骤，直到所有的虾都熟了
最后，将所有的虾再倒入锅里，下糖（1汤匙）与酱青（1汤匙）炒拌均匀
上菜！

Curry Chicken

2011-12-22T20:48:00.001+08:00

Another one of our family favourites, and easier to cook than it looks! It's important to use the right curry powder for this though. Most grandmothers (being super pro at cooking) would go to the wet market and pick their own lethal combination of curry powder, but for amateur cooks I think it's better to stick to those ready made ones! (For Singaporeans living in the east, my grandma gets her curry from Bedok 85 market, and the brand's 夫妻牌)

咖哩鸡 (when I was taking this grandma insisted I
put 3 chicken wings there coz 2 seems too 寒酸!)

材料与调味料:

鸡翅膀或鸡中翼（~15只）
Potato - 外婆会用荷兰种的（随意）
夫妻牌的咖哩粉（一包）
Fresh coconut milk（半包）
Carnation milk（2-3汤匙）
洋葱、香茅、糖

准备工作:

将马铃薯煮熟，削皮，再切块
鸡翅膀沸水（即用滚水轻烫）
洋葱切条，香茅拍扁

烹煮过程:

将洋葱与香茅放入锅里翻炒
加入鸡肉，再翻炒
倒入整包咖哩粉
加入滚水
加入半茶匙糖
慢火，煮个30分钟
鸡肉熟后便可加入半包的椰浆与大概3汤匙的Carnation milk
咖哩煮滚后，便可上菜！

Lala (clams)

2011-12-12T14:15:00.001+08:00

Shall just do a quick one before I fly off to taiwan for 5 days! As I still have some packing to do, I gotta write something short, and nothing's easier to cook than fresh lala! So here it is. A good dish to add if you are looking to cook something (really) simple!

新鲜的 Lala 壳是紧关着的，如果壳是打开的就是它已升天……

材料与调味料

Lala, about 1 kg for 4 to 5 people
蒜头、辣椒、盐

准备工作

把 lala 洗干净,浸泡在盐水内1-2hr
再洗干净

烹煮过程

在锅里(尽量用那种不那么容易刮花的锅), 加入蒜头、辣椒，炒拌。
把Lala倒入, 炒熟
注:

炒时, 如果觉得太干可加入少许滚水
Lala 熟了会自己开起来, 到时再将它们一个一个拣上来
另外, 乘汤的时候不要乘到下面的汤汁, 否则会有沙子

上菜!

下次轮到咖哩鸡登场! 不过这个要等到星期六之后了。Till then~!

虾面（汤）

2011-12-09T22:16:00.001+08:00

My grandma has always been cooking dry prawn mee (or hokkien mee) but one day I randomly told her that the soup prawn mee in my school is delicious, and she decided to cook it for me the next day!

Best prawn mee in the whole universe

材料与调味料

虾（半公斤）
猪骨或现成的鸡汤（半罐）
油面
豆芽
蒜头、冰糖、老抽

准备工作

在锅里下油、下蒜头，翻炒
加水，水滚后下虾
虾熟了后，捞起、剥壳
虾头收起来

烹煮过程

煮汤

下蒜头，炒几下
加入虾头，加水
加入猪骨或鸡汤
加冰糖、少许（一茶匙）老抽

烫面

在另外一个锅里，把水煮滚，将油面烫软
用另一锅水，将豆芽烫一烫

上菜！

将面条、虾、豆芽排好
加入热腾腾的虾汤
上菜!

鼓油鸡翼

2011-12-08T23:21:00.001+08:00

In my previous post I mentioned about sharing recipes I've collected by watching my grandma cook. This way they are forever stored online and I can also share it with my sisters who now have to cook for their own families. So here it is!

Let's begin with one of the main dishes for dinner tonight: 鼓油鸡翼！The all time favourite of our family. So sorry it's written in Chinese! My grandma teaches me in Cantonese and even so I sometimes have difficulty translating some terms into Chinese, much less write the recipe in English! Maybe someday after I've mastered the technical terms of all 3 languages I'll post all recipes in 3 different versions, haha.

今天晚餐的主角之一：鼓油鸡翼

材料与调味料

鸡翅膀
老抽
卤鸡汁
葱头、姜、麻油、冰糖、花雕酒、水

准备工作

将鸡肉放入沸水轻烫
葱头、姜切片

烹煮过程

将葱头、姜片炒一炒
把鸡翅放入，炒几下
加入老抽（亦称酱油）、加水
加入麻油、几粒冰糖、花雕酒少许，即以适量的卤鸡汁
焖煮，至鸡翅变熟
开动咯！

What I've been busy with

2011-12-08T18:34:00.001+08:00

So terribly sorry for the lack of updates! Main reason being work has started and I am no longer hand-making full time. Work has been crazy for the past 6 months, with 3 to 4 deadlines on an average week. I can't say I enjoy my work now, but this is only the training phase and I'm very hopeful that once this phase is over I'll start to enjoy what I'll be doing, since it's been my dream job since young.

My work is also why I haven't been making new stuffs for my etsy store, which is why I'm more than thankful for the occasional sales I've made for the past 6 months! Hopefully work will be less hectic from next year onwards (though it seems very unlikely) so I can afford more time for my shop.

Even so, I managed to do some rubber carving during some of my free time!

This was carved with the intention to stamp on my thank-you notes everytime there's a sale.
But I always forget to use it!

And a cupcake stamp for my handmade Christmas cards this december!

I got my supplies from etsy too! That place is truly a handmade haven. So far I've gotten my jewelry, felting, and rubber carving supplies from there!

I tried the rubber carving myself after looking up on these how-to videos on youtube, like the one above. But somehow my stamps aren't as clean as theirs! Maybe it gets better with more practice.

That's all for today! Next time I'll update with other stuffs I've been making. Oh, today when I was learning how to cook from my grandma I suddenly had this idea to upload all the recipes to this blog! Maybe from the next post onwards I'll add a "recipe" tag. This way my sisters (who are now married and have their own families) can refer to them too!

Really excited about this idea!

调味料全览

2011-12-01T14:09:00.000+08:00

Some things to share...

2011-06-15T20:41:00.003+08:00

Actually just two.

1) I've been busy felting these days and made these mushrooms! Look!!

Felting is so much fun! And I'm really glad to have bought back this singer cake tin from melbourne because it now houses all my lovely pastel coloured wool:

2) Loving the idarkroom app on iphone that makes my picture look magical. Haha. Technology makes it so easy to take pretty pictures these days!

I really have got too much hobbies. Now what should I do with the completed felt crafts? I don't intend to sell them on etsy because it doesn't really fit in with the overall style of my shop and there are already people making and selling these mushrooms on etsy. Maybe I'll just give them away :)

Ok make it 3) Have been to and back from melbourne and I absolutely love the weather, and oysters! I'll try to share the pictures someday after they're sorted out :)

of birds and little light blues

2011-05-27T13:41:00.003+08:00

I absolutely love this treasury I found myself to be in this morning! Such a lovely combination of the many different items on etsy! There is talent in both the making of items and the curating of a treasury like this.

Click to see and leave some nice comments!

Target reached!

2011-05-27T00:00:00.006+08:00

I finally have 120 items in my shop!

I was supposed to hit 120 by mid May, so this came a little late. But the target is reached, and it calls for a mini celebration! Yay!

Purchases are most definitely welcome though, I don't mind working harder to keep it at 120 if the number decreases from all the sales! Heh :D

Here's a new seal that I really like. Click to view!

Sneak peek!

2011-05-18T23:48:00.003+08:00

I've made a few buckets and multi-purpose purses with the new ribbons that reached me not too long ago! will be uploading them on etsy soon!

The one in the last picture is already up. Check it out!

***

原本应是无所事事的日子，竟比上学更忙碌。忙着上巴刹，忙着手工制作，忙着在午餐与晚餐之间喝咖啡吃点心，忙着看书，忙着喝茶，忙着学煮菜，忙着打扫房间，忙着拍拖。

虽然偶尔还是会想念上课时那种思维的活跃，老师的冷笑话，以及与好朋友朝夕相处的日子；但是现在，也很享受。

两种截然不同的快乐，却都是快乐。因为活在当下。

Sometimes,

2011-04-26T01:32:00.007+08:00

I fall in love with something instantly and just have to have it.

Like this measuring tape ribbon I got just a few days back in a small cafe. I couldn't wait to start making things with it, and the end product is what you see here - a mini bucket! And I liked the end result so much I thought, hey I could make a series of mini buckets with ribbons of different designs! So I searched on etsy and found these beautiful ones...

I can't wait to get my hands on them! And I'm so excited about this new project I just have to share it here. Even before I start to make the rest of the mini buckets!

Just one little problem though. Because they're so small (small enough to fit into a palm), I'm not quite sure what they can be used for apart from storing small stationaries and accessories. What other knick-knacks can go in there? If you have one of these what would you use it for? Please share because I would be interested to know! :) Also, is twelve dollars reasonable for this? I would really appreciate your honestly!

Here's another listing I've uploaded. In my previous post I wrote about being a full-time crafter in time to come. And the time is here! I'll try to list new items more regularly, and brainstorm new designs I can add to the shop! Meanwhile, I retook some photos for the older items, and hopefully they'll find someone lovely who appreciate them soon!

Check out this mini seal I made for fun. It is so small, I decided to just carve something simple and classic. I love the picture though it looks so dslr-ish and professionally taken! Hahaha ok getting too proud of myself. But really, I was using Canon ixy, my trusted digital camera of 3 years that I bought from Japan.

So far my days of being a full time crafter have been wonderful! I wake up in the morning, have breakfast and coffee and laze around watching tv, and get started on making things only after lunch. It's awesome.

So yes, please do drop by my online shop at www.baisimu.etsy.com more often! My target is to have 120 in my shop by mid May. See you!

I'll be a full time crafter!

2011-04-21T15:18:00.010+08:00

In a day's time.

Tomorrow is the submission of probably the final essay in my entire life, and as much as I am going to miss my uni life, I cannot wait for the period of idleness to begin!

Of course I'm not going to be completely idle. During this period of time I am going to catch up on all the things I've put on hold due to my final semester in school. There are loads of Chinese books piling up, (mostly books of 倪匡, a brilliant science fiction writer from Hongkong), piles of notes waiting to go into the recycling bin, and a messy bookshelf waiting to be sorted out! There are also painful resolutions, such as making it a point to work out twice a week. But most importantly, I'm going to make good use of this time to hand-make as much as I can. I miss sewing so so much.

I've bought quite a lot supplies online so I could expand my in-stocks, and I plan to have at least 120 items in my store by the end of May! I also intend to learn needle felting and bought this felting kit from Fairfolk on etsy.

I'll probably end up busier than when I was in school.

The thought of the freedom ahead makes me burst with excitement and bliss!

But meanwhile, I have about 2500 more words to go for this final essay. I'm going to miss school terribly, because it has been such a happy and memorable 4 years of my life. The friends I've made, the lectures I've attended, the professors who have been so extremely kind and nice to each and every one of us! And the things I've been learning have been so rewarding and inspiring, it's hard to leave it all behind, even if I know I'll eventually still do something that is Chinese related.

I am quite glad though, that the final paper of my uni life is on Chinese philosophy, something I've always loved. So I'll be going back to my essay for now. And the next time we meet, I'll be a full time crafter, no longer a student.

Till then!

Instagram.

2011-04-11T21:22:00.005+08:00

Ever since I got an iPhone I've been hooked onto this app called Instagram, where people take pictures and share them. You could like or comment on the pictures, and follow a person if you happen to like all of the pictures in there!

I signed up for an account in the name of Baisimu, but most of the pictures are snap shots of my daily personal activities, or beautiful things I see along the way, wherever I'm heading.

Here are a few of my personal favourites:

A close-up picture of my antique Singer sewing machine! I use it to make all the sewn crafts in baisimu, which are all very sturdy and lasting :)

It keeps raining these days over here in Singapore.

This particular picture was taken in Punggol, during a LRT ride. I always try to stand at the ends of the train, just to look out of the window.

Mr Bean is the bane of my life! This little 3D puzzle costs $4.20, and is pretty useless. But it's too cute I just have to bring it home! I picked the ice cream one because the Ice cream Mr Bean looks greedy.

I particularly like this one, that is taken without any filter. I was having black tea with ripe fruits with wx just this morning :)

And after lunch, we decided to have coffee and the nearest starbuckets. I was wearing just t-shirt and shorts, and figured a simple tote bag like this would be best to bring along.

Are you addicted to instagram as well? Let me know! Leave behind your username if you don't mind. Search for the username "Baisimu" to see mine!

If you don't use the app but would like to see my pictures online, here they are.

Enjoy :)

Filtered sunshine

2011-03-31T22:22:00.003+08:00

(Click here to view it!)

I have to share this beautiful treasury curated by RootsJewelry!

There's something about the brightness of the pictures she has chosen and the combination of the neutral colors that make the collection really appealing.

And it's always a joy to be featured in a treasury that looks good!

And these are my personal favourites:

The river birch journal.

and the hanging fruit basket.

Also, please don't forget to take a look at the all-time-favourite canvas bucket that was lucky enough to be featured!

Fabric buttons~!!

2011-03-29T23:21:00.011+08:00

Was experimenting around with these cute little things ever since my student told me about it in class! Before that I didn't even know it could be handmade...

It's really easy though! All you have to do is just to get the supplies, cut the fabric, and push it in. I used a fabric that was a little too thick the first time, and ended up with a sore hand!

And the boyfriend says it looks like dao sa pia! Hahaha it really does now that he's mentioned it!

Oh well... I'll try to make buttons hand printed in a different color the next time!

Meanwhile check out the lastest listing I've just posted on etsy. It's made from the fabrics I bought from Hongkong! I've been uploading some pictures from my hongkong trip this january on instagram and it made me realize how much I miss the place... I'm definitely going back someday!

Also, add me on instagram if you have an account there! I (try to) post very artistic shots apart from my handmade crafts and processes. You can find me by searching "Baisimu" !

Updated:

The boyfriend: "Oh, now i know what it really reminds me of..."

and.......

A custom request

2011-03-21T16:34:00.002+08:00

By my cousin who's getting it as a birthday present for a friend. I'm putting the pictures here since it won't go up on etsy, I can experiment with the photography!

Do you prefer this picture or the usual ones in my etsy shop? Let me know!

Sneak preview!

2011-03-01T00:12:00.002+08:00

Neutral Niceties

2011-02-27T23:26:00.005+08:00

I always get a pleasant surprise when I find out Baisimu's been featured in someone's treasury. Even more so if it appeals to me aesthetically! This one by FuturePrimitive definitely did :) I hope it'll make it to the fp!

And the lucky item that was featured...

Canvas coin purse in black!

(Click to view the listing)

Handmade envelops

2011-02-21T23:36:00.002+08:00

Today we decided to make envelops out of muji paper to store pictures of a gathering that would be distributed to 25 people.
The envelops were completed with a Chinese seal impression that says "happiness".

25 sets of muji with jute twin.

Love。

2011-02-19T16:14:00.003+08:00

Chinese seal, Love.

Love the colors in this! I just got an iphone from my sister recently and I can't get enough of all the fun things you could do with the photo-taking apps! This picture is taken from my etsy shop and edited using Instagram. Lovely, isn't it?

Some shots around the house

2011-02-19T15:44:00.003+08:00

若无闲事挂心头，
便是人间好时节。

虽然新年已经过了，但是我们家都懒得把装饰拿下来。不过新加坡一年四季都是春嘛，这样一直放着也很不错！

Of ice cream vendor and a barber by the street.

2011-02-14T19:03:00.005+08:00

Happy Valentine's day!

Today we decided to have a touristy day around Singapore.

Ice cream vendor at Bugis street selling cups of assorted flavoured ice cream at a dollar each!

An old fashioned barber shop spoted at Joo Chiat.

Parcels make my day.

2011-01-28T12:54:00.004+08:00

Quite some time ago I found this shop through the featured seller article and was so impressed by the work I just had to buy something! And I did.

And it arrived this week! It was a good buy, the corners are magnetic so your items are safe in there, and it is very well made, out of a read book and real pages. You could even carry it around with your wallet and phone in it!

It's amazing

2011-01-13T22:18:00.002+08:00

to see your own handmade item being featured on etsy's front page! Click to view the lovely treasury curated by Magalerie :)

Etsy How to: Packaging Bookmarks!

2010-12-12T23:00:00.009+08:00

Occasionally outside a cafe you'll find a rack full of postcards, with a few that happen to be really cute! I used to have the habit of collecting those, and as they pile up I've been thinking of ways to use them differently, so they can function as something else when not used as a random postcard while writing to a friend!

And as a handmade crafts seller, I always have to come up with practical and effective ways to package the items. So quite some time ago I came up with a method to package the bookmarks! And today while I was at it I thought I would take a few pictures and share the process here.

First you got to pick out the beautiful postcards! I usually try to choose those that match the colors of the particular bookmark.

And then I draw a line in the middle!

And cut it into half.

Punch two holes on top of the postcard,

And make a cut from the hole to the top of the postcard.

And the last step: Coil the bookmark around it, push it into a plastic bag and seal it!

I am very happy with the finished look! Plus the postcards will no longer be idling in my drawer :)

Random mumblings

2010-12-12T15:28:00.007+08:00

I recently just completed a custom order for a lovely buyer on etsy, who had a very good idea of what she wanted. The seal is carved in 篆书(Zhuan'shu) style, a kind of writing that was used during the Han and Qin dynasty about 2000 years ago.

Chinese characters never fail to fascinate me. And I'm so grateful that writings from so long ago can still be seen now.

***

Christmas's coming! And apart from the other gifts for exchanging, this year I bought cute funny little badges from Beanforest for my sisters and little cousins!

They arrived very quickly, especially during this busy period! I can't wait to give them away!

The footnotes badge is for myself. Actually, citation is one of the things i hate most about essay writing! But it's something I have to overcome, thus the badge to constantly remind me that I like them! I'll try to, at least.

***

To end on a completely random note, I was looking through the local shops on etsy and thought that was a nice representation of Baisimu, so I took a screen shot out of it!

Local talents :)

2010-11-28T20:01:00.004+08:00

I've recently joined the etsy teams to get to know more people in etsy, and the Singapore etsy team is one of the first few I've chosen to be a part of! It's nice to be in a community full of local talent, and it was a pleasant surprise to find out that I was featured in this beautiful treasury today!

Please click on the image to check out the wonderful items handmade by Singaporean crafters. :)

Winter's here,

2010-11-22T10:00:00.002+08:00

And everyone's starting to keep a look out for some great stocking stuffers! Things are definitely easier when someone has curated a lovely treasury for you to choose from... :)

Click to view this lovely treasury by Verozeta!

Thank you notes

2010-11-07T16:08:00.001+08:00

It's such a joy to receive a parcel that comes with a handwritten Thank you note! And a pretty little thank you note can really make my day. And I also love writing thank you notes to my buyers, and apart from the red chinese character 樂, I'm always sourcing for different cards and notes to write my message on.

And today when I passed by a shop full of cute, whimsical stuffs, I decided to stop by and take a look. It was full of sweet, pastel looking note pads and books! and look what I found to write my Thank you note on!

I bought 2 sets of this little note pads. The size is just right for a short Thank you message. I can't wait to include it in the next parcel I'm going to send out :)

Let me know what you think! :)

Monday is great...

2010-11-01T15:38:00.008+08:00

Because I've got no school! So the morning was spent at the market with gm, and a little shopping by myself. I bought a set of mini postcards, and on the way home I thought of a few ideas to do up the wall of my workspace! It was really quite random.

The pictures are lovely! I want to have a cup of coffee right away, out in the open under the morning sun, on a squarish little wooden table. And watch the people on the streets make their way to work.

And so this is how the wall of my work space now looks like. I made it by pasting little wooden cuboids on the wall using removable tapes, and impressed the "handmade" sign on them in brown ink. Then I used jute twine to connect the cuboids, and it is completed with the little postcards and wooden tags!

Ok I know the second row is a little ugly. It has a receipt from the post office and a to-do list. I thought since it's at my workspace I might as well make it useful!

Now i'm too busy admiring it to do work. :) Maybe it's coffee time!

Two types of traditional Chinese seals

2010-10-05T14:13:00.002+08:00

2010-09-19T21:30:00.002+08:00

I've come up with a new way for the packaging of these bookmarks by recycling the postcards that I used to collect! And I stayed up till 2am yesterday to select the nicer designs, cut them into halves and wrap them in plastic. It was so much fun!

wow.

2010-09-12T10:23:00.002+08:00

I woke up to 8 new sales today (and a couple of new conversations) and was wondering why! Usually on average it would be about one or two sales in a week, or nothing if I'm unlucky, but 8 overnight! That's a first!

So in one of the conversations, an interested buyer congratulated me on making the list! And I went to search around on etsy, and found out that I was featured in an Etsy blog post!

http://www.etsy.com/storque/spotlight/etsy-finds-eastern-horizons-10422/?ref=fp_blog_title

I'm so happy now! Off to packing and stuffs :) Bye!

front page of etsy!

2010-08-28T11:45:00.003+08:00

I'm so thrilled! the canvas bookmark got featured in this lovely treasury curated by glitzgliter and made it to the front page of etsy!

See the treasury here :)

those little wooden tags...

2010-08-23T19:22:00.003+08:00

I've finally stopped procrastinating and made those wooden tags into bookmarks! I've thought about earrings and all, ideas that people have suggested in the previous post. But at the moment they're not yet feasible with these wooden tags. So before they can be turned into wearable accessories, I'll have to source for more suitable materials first!

And I'm so glad to have found this supply seller on etsy! Her shop seems complete with everything you need to hand make jewelry with images! So I've purchased a few items and can't wait for them to reach me! So please keep a look out, I'm slowing increasing the range of products in my shop in the next few weeks! :)

Hand carved chinese seals and hand printed Crafts by Baisimu on etsy. Click to enter!

New handprinted wooden charms

2010-07-30T22:57:00.004+08:00

I've printed these wooden charms some time back and haven't got the time to turn them into bookmarks (Please view my other bookmarks here). On it is the old Chinese word for Books, and i think they'll be perfect for marking pages!

These tags are pretty small, only about as big as a thumb. Has anyone got any ideas what else i can make with them apart from the bookmarks? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Tales of the orient

2010-07-16T22:55:00.008+08:00

This amazingly delicate treasury is curated by Kate, a lovely seller who makes cards and badges! (view her cute and cheery shop here) and she was kind enough to include my handprinted bookmark!

Please view the treasury and say something nice if you like it too!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c3fe303f5eb8eefc3b86321/tales-of-the-orient?index=26

Thank you, kate! :)

And since we're on the topic of Asian stuffs, I guess i shall just add in a picture that i haven't had the chance to blog about: My lovely tea pot set!

It was bought in China last year, chosen by a friend of mine who loves tea and drinks it everyday. We painstaking brought it back together with a lot of books that caused our luggage to be severely overweight. But now, sitting by the door enjoying tea with my grandma is one of the best things in life. :)

竹。

2010-07-08T22:41:00.006+08:00

Did this in class today! wanted to try out something else besides chinese characters, so the previous week i did zodiac signs (pig and dragon) and today i did bamboo!

And just now while typing the title of this entry i realised the chinese word of "Bamboo" really does look like bamboo!

Perhaps I could make a set of note cards or gift tags using this seal. Wonder how they'll look like!

Have been very slow with etsy listing these days because I have started work in a school here. It'll only last for 3 weeks, but during this period of time i probably won't have time to make a lot of new stuffs. But i'll try to do it after school, and see how things go after the attachment!

My second treasury :)

2010-07-05T01:01:00.002+08:00

Click here to view it :)

love the etsy community :)

2010-07-01T16:26:00.006+08:00

I just got back from the post office, and got some good news to share!

Baisimu hasn't been featured in any treasuries before, but today i received 2 conversations informing me that I'm in their treasuries! Awesome!

Honey, is it grayscale or what? and...

Leave me a note

I am completely in love with both! First one has got a great color scheme, that gives off a melancholic yet peaceful vibe. And the second one has got such a cute theme, because I absolutely love writing and receiving letters!

Please visit the links and say some nice comments if you like them too!

Natalya and Efrat, thanks for making my day :)

Happy wednesday!

2010-06-30T17:28:00.007+08:00

I've gotten 25 likes on facebook few days back but there's a bug in facebook which wouldn't allow me to change the URL, but now it's been fixed and I finally have my own page! Yayy!

I think facebook is truly the easiest way to let people know about your latest updates. You could list a new item on etsy and it gets shown for only a few seconds, or blog about something that is very interesting but have no one to read about it. But if you post that on facebook, and you have about 816916382 followers, and imagine there are at least 10% who caught it on their newsfeed, then you'll get 8169163 views!

But i only have 29 people liking me on facebook so far, and 10% of it makes a grand total of 2.9 :(

So add me on facebook please! :)

Ok that's all about the facebook page thingy.

It's a very happy wednesday because I completed an alchemy order for a nice and friendly and patient customer today!

Here it is.

This is the first seal that required such detailed and intricate carving, that I had to be extra careful with it! The previous seals I made had only 1 or 2, maximum 3 characters on them. But this one has 4, and in 篆书 style! which definitely made it more challenging.

But one of the most important things i learnt from carving, would be that it doesn't have to be perfect. When i first started learning how to carve i was extremely careful! and at the end of it when my teacher saw it, he took it from me, deliberately carved out of line, and knocked off the corners of the stone!

The final look of the seal was so much better than when I tried to keep everything perfect.

这应该就叫做缺陷美吧。

Stationary Holder

2010-06-28T22:48:00.008+08:00

I'm so excited about this new product! It's a squarish bucket-like stationary holder! I love the color combination of this holder - the clean and raw look of canvas with the brown stripes of the fabric. It feels so muji and zen!

The top part is folded down which makes the depth of the holder adjustable. So I made it real short and use it to keep my bookmarks instead! It has the perfect height to go into my drawer :)

I will be making more of these to list on etsy!

And a new one is listed on Etsy today! (updated June 30)

I've created my first etsy treasury!

2010-06-27T22:19:00.002+08:00

Click here to view it!

Handsewn handbag

2010-06-27T20:05:00.007+08:00

Was experimenting with a new kind of bag besides tote, so I took out those fabric I got weeks ago from Joo chiat complex and started sewing!

The handle's made from a brown fabric bought from Arab street. I thought the fabrics at Joo Chiat complex were actually much cheaper! with better service too!

It's just big enough for a wallet, handphone, and other little items like keys. GM liked it so I gave this to her, and she could use it during her morning trips to the market! :)

Sharing :)

2010-06-25T01:06:00.003+08:00

Here's an amazing etsy shop i came across today.

Here's the link.

My etsy treasury

2010-06-20T00:07:00.003+08:00

I'm not quite sure how to make one there, so I'm posting it here instead!

Click to view the list :)

2010-06-19T12:53:00.006+08:00

I know this is really random, but i found this picture in my camera and decided that i shall blog about my bag! I love its simple design and the material it's made out of - canvas! It's also the reason why most of my sewn products are made of out canvas. I like that it is natural and raw.

Quite some time ago i bought that bag (its URL, in another colour) from a pretty little shop in taibei, and walking up the stairs you get to rest and have a cup of coffee:

It doesn't have a menu, everything's written on that blackboard there. And it's really homely over there with all the books lying around. Plus they have little plants everywhere! with wooden tables and sunlight streaming in through the glass window.

If I could run a cafe someday I imagine it would look like that.

Website: Booday

Address: No.18-1, Lane 25, Nanjing W. Rd., Taipei City 103, Taiwan.

New product!

2010-06-15T20:40:00.003+08:00

I made this passport holder out of canvas, and on the front is an impression of a seal that I've carved, which says "Good Citizen". I came across those 2 words on a card holder the other day, and D suggested using it for a passport holder. So here it is!

I'm still deciding on the price though, can't wait to list it on Etsy! :)

I love sunday mornings

2010-06-13T21:37:00.007+08:00

Made my first sale on etsy today! and it is a chinese seal with the word 'love' carved onto it. :) I can't wait for it to reach the buyer. The etsy community is so much fun! You get to post on forum, discuss about each other's shops and receive constructive comments about your own. Best of all you get to list your handmade items and sell them!

This blogshop will still be around though! Because some items are not worth it to list on etsy (there's a listing fee), so please do stick around! Especially during this month coz we're having a 50% storewide sale only for the items in www.baisimu.blogspot.com!

Went down to bras pasar today with D to source for materials at Art friend, because i'm experimenting with tote bags these days :) and we stopped by this little shop + cafe at the 3rd story. Cat Socrates. It sells books, note pads, photographs made into postcards, and so many other stuffs that you'll fall in love with! and they had a Polaroid exhibition today!

Oh by the way, since the main selling website will be over at www.baisimu.etsy.com, I've decided to turn this into a personal blog where I'll blog about my handicrafts. Like when I make my first sale, when I've successfully completed the very first tote bag which is good enough to be listed, etc etc... The items for sale which have originally been here will stay, so yes you can shop at this little blogshop! But just bear in mind that for new items and handicrafts of greater variety, you'll have to look over at Etsy :)

P008I - S$5.90

2010-06-04T17:15:00.001+08:00

P008G - S$5.90

2010-06-04T17:14:00.002+08:00

Stay here to shop :)

2010-06-01T23:54:00.000+08:00

For this month,

50% sale store wide!

and a few things to say...

(Click here to get to Baisimu's store at Etsy!)

Awesome exits - go ahead and check them out!

2010-05-18T20:57:00.004+08:00

Global:

http://www.muji.com/

http://www.leafcutterdesigns.com

http://haveaboodayshop.blogspot.com/

http://www.u-pick.cn/

Handmade Blogs:

http://haleyshandmades.com/wordpress

http://elephantine.typepad.com/
http://www.minieco.co.uk/
http://www.cailamade.com/
http://www.schnitzelandboo.com/

Singapore:
http://blog.casualpoet.com/
http://catsocrates.blogspot.com/
Handmade Blogs:

http://handsthatspeak.livejournal.com/

http://ilmare-atelier.blogspot.com/

http://qing2.tumblr.com/

http://thescarfer.net/blog/

http://www.hanamimode.blogspot.com/

http://sparklethots.com/blog/

http://www.aiclay.com/

http://www.katrinaalana.com/blog/

http://girlwitharadiomind.blogspot.com/

http://www.etincellecreativestudio.com/
http://www.grotesqa.net/
http://www.projectsbyjane.blogspot.com/
http://thecookiecutterblog.blogspot.com/
http://yenpaintings.blogspot.com/
http://inagakishop.blogspot.com/

Multi Purpose Pouch - S$7.90

2010-03-07T14:53:00.004+08:00

Larger than the usual purses, this multi purpose pouch is ideal for tissues, sanitary items, money and cards! I've also used a thicker yarn to make the pouch more sturdy, enabling it to withstand bulky items such as your cosmestic needs. If you're looking for something smaller than the usual cosmetic pouch, this is it!

P009A - S$5.90

2010-03-07T14:52:00.001+08:00

P011B - S$5.90

2010-03-07T14:51:00.003+08:00

P009B - S$5.90

2010-03-07T14:51:00.002+08:00

P012A - S$5.90

2010-03-07T14:50:00.001+08:00

P011A - S$5.90

2010-03-07T14:49:00.001+08:00

D001 - S$3.90 per set

2010-02-18T00:14:00.002+08:00

*Baisimu's Chopsticks Cover*Choose a set for yourself and bring them along when you're dining out :)
*The handmade covers are made by crocheting and they measure 2 by 17cm with the chopsticks in them.
*Every purchase comes with a pair of chopsticks. If you'd like to get the cover without them, kindly inform me while ordering and you'll get a 50 cents rebate!
*The codenames are directly below each picture.

D001H

* D001G
*

D001F

D001E

D001D

D001C

D001B

D001A

P008F - S$5.90

2010-02-06T12:51:00.000+08:00

Comments:
This pouch is a little bit smaller than the usual size,
suitable for smaller phones.

P010A - S$5.90

2010-02-06T12:50:00.001+08:00

Product Information

2010-02-06T12:15:00.007+08:00

**********************************************************************

View the pouches now :)

View the purses now :)

**********************************************************************

Terms and Conditions:

- These items are only available for local (Singaporean) buyers

- Prices stated exclude shipping fees.

- For normal mail, shipping is an additional $0.50.

- For registered mail, shipping is an additional $2.50.

Email baisimu@gmail.com to make an inquiry or purchase!

**********************************************************************

J005A - sold

2010-02-06T12:13:00.003+08:00

J004A - S$6.90

2010-02-06T12:12:00.002+08:00

J003B - S$6.90

2010-02-06T12:12:00.001+08:00

J002A - S$6.90

2010-02-06T12:11:00.002+08:00

J001C - S$6.90

2010-02-06T12:11:00.001+08:00

J003A - sold out

2010-02-06T12:10:00.000+08:00

J001B - S$6.90

2010-02-06T12:09:00.001+08:00

J001A - sold out

2010-02-06T12:08:00.000+08:00

P008J - sold out

2010-01-17T15:45:00.001+08:00

P003C - S$5.90

2010-01-03T21:02:00.002+08:00

C005 - S$5.20

2010-01-03T20:58:00.001+08:00

P008H - S$5.90

2010-01-02T22:24:00.003+08:00

P008D - sold out

2009-12-26T20:45:00.001+08:00

P008B - S$5.90

2009-12-26T20:44:00.004+08:00

P008C - sold out

2009-12-26T20:44:00.003+08:00

P008A - S$5.90

2009-12-26T20:42:00.002+08:00

C003A - S$4.20

2009-12-26T20:13:00.002+08:00

C002 - S$1.20ea

2009-11-15T17:40:00.002+08:00

Click for larger image!

C001 - S$1.20ea

2009-11-15T17:30:00.005+08:00

Click for a larger image!

P007C - S$5.90

2009-07-29T14:51:00.004+08:00

P007D - S$5.90

2009-07-29T14:51:00.003+08:00

P007A - S$5.90

2009-07-29T14:50:00.003+08:00

P005K - S$5.90

2009-05-01T22:40:00.004+08:00

P005I - sold out

2009-05-01T22:40:00.003+08:00

P005H

2009-05-01T22:39:00.000+08:00

P005G

2009-05-01T22:37:00.001+08:00

P006A - sold out

2009-04-30T23:29:00.002+08:00

P005C

2009-04-30T23:28:00.005+08:00

P006B - sold out

2009-04-30T23:28:00.004+08:00

P005B

2009-04-30T23:27:00.000+08:00

P005E

2009-04-30T23:23:00.002+08:00

P005D

2009-04-30T23:19:00.002+08:00

P005A

2009-04-30T23:18:00.000+08:00

P004C - sold out

2008-12-25T15:32:00.002+08:00