Home Entertainment System

I haven't had the time or space to entertain for quite some time. Finally, I found a window of opportunity to just do it. It was so much fun.

I invited the girls over for a clothing swap and brunch. At first I was a bit apprehensive about how I was going to cook all that food and make the place look nice for my esteemed guests, especially because I overslept, but things all turned out quite well. The day before, I went to the Farmers' Market to pick up a few bunches of flowers to make an arrangement. It turns out there was enough for two. Usually the flowers are the center of attention while the greenery serve as a backdrop, but I decided to turn the tables this time. This is the arrangement that graced the dining table (it was later moved to accomodate more hungry guests):





Quite a bit of French Lavender was left, so I stuffed them into a round vase and put that on the coffee table.

The cooking went off without a hitch, but it did take some conscious planning. I started with the chili first because it needed to slow-cook. After the chili-cooking was underway, I primped, snapped a few shots of the flowers, and washed some dishes associated with the chili cookoff. As it got closer to the scheduled start time, I started cooking sausages and applewood smoked bacon. While the meaty stuff cooked, I beat some eggs together and scrambled them. Everything came out piping hot by the time the guests were ready to eat.





My friends brought over corn muffins, croissants, strawberries, a dip for snacking a bit later on, and champagne for mimosas. After we ate, we played dressup. It was really fun! Having a successful event alleviated my anxieties about entertaining in general. I'm already looking forward to hosting another get-together, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Blinging in the New Year

As I'm wired from consuming too much of a stimulant following a night of imbibing a depressant (caffeine and ethanol, respectively), I figured that I should take a moment of wakefulness to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I hope that you had a great time celebrating and enjoyed a bit of respite afterwards.

I started 2009 with a few changes and tackled a few challenges, in addition to the usual year-opening commitment to living healthier, be more productive, and make more prudent choices. I spurred myself to do a few things that have long been on my to-do list. After months of not having time to visit the hair salon, I decided to try out a different haircut instead of playing it safe with what worked in the past. And after having amassed lots of fabric for projects that were planned but fizzled due to lack of time, I finally got around to making pillow cases for a couple of large cushions. It was a good sewing night tonight, since I finally got a better hang of adjusting the tension of the sewing machine and managed to gain a better understanding of how to make better button holes. I still need more fabric to make one more pillow case, but this is at least a good start. I certainly hope to improve my sewing skills this year, perhaps culminating in more sophisticated clothing projects.

As for my first outfit during the first normal business hours of 2009, I decided to take the plunge and work with a type of fabric that I wouldn't have chosen on my own under normal circumstances. When I shopped for Christmas gifts during J. Crew's online sale, I needed one more item to qualify for free shipping. I came across a gold lame shirt, which would have brought me just over the line to qualify for the shipping. Since it was on sale, and I saw potential as a layering piece worn open, I decided to buy it and see what I can really do with it. Since I wore a fairly standard party top for the New Year's Eve party, I decided to wear the shirt today to add a festive touch to a casual shopping/culinary sampling trip with a visiting friend. It's a very different kind of bling, and certainly not the easiest to work with, but I look forward to exploring more options.




[Outfit: Saint Grace hooded shirt, J. Crew gold lame shirt, Issac Mizrahi for Target cardigan, Marc by Marc Jacobs glittery bow ring, Goldsign jeans, Givenchy shoes, BCBG bag.]

Last Minute Gift Ideas

[Edited because I used the word "thought" way too many times.]

I never thought I'd place myself in this position, but I haven't completely finished my gift shopping yet. That's what happens when I have to hunt down the bacon, drag it home, and fry it too. I'll be out the door soon to complete my mission.

There are plenty of heavy discounts in the retail sector as the stores try to court last minute shoppers, especially the stores slated to get the ax. The discounted items can be fairly eclectic, and I really like the idea of putting gift sets together--instead of spending money on just one thing, which may look dinky, the same amount of dollars can be stretched into something more. I am not kidding about this--this year, $40 got me a nice combination of things for 10 or 11 different people, which is a fraction of people I got gifts for, but every bit of savings helps. On top of that, a good amount of non-perishable deals can be kept for other gifting occasions later in the year.

-Fragrant candles with shiny caps look way more expensive than they are. Sometime last year, I picked some up for $3-$5. In fact, they look great enough that I am completely comfortable with giving just that one thing as a gift.

-Bath and body products are always useful, and they can easily be paired with other things for a themed set, like towels and candles and slippers for a luxe spa set.

-Some may say that gift cards show a lack of thought, but I've always been an advocate of them--the recipient can get whatever he or she wants. However, the downside is that the person will know just how much you've spent. It shouldn't matter, but in reality, sometimes it does to some people or their family members, especially when everyone are at the same gathering. I usually get around that dilemma by pairing it with something inexpensive but complementary, like popcorn and candy with a movie gift card.

-CDs and DVDs require some understanding of the recipient's tastes, but I think it would work out just fine even if there isn't enough time to do homework. Since it's free for the recipient, he or she can experience something that he or she wouldn't have picked out for his- or herself. Who knows? You just might open that person's eyes to something new and exciting.

-Make-your-own gift baskets much less expensive than the pre-packed variety. It also shows that you've given it some consideration and effort. This is probably the ultimate last-minute gift--places like CVS and Walgreen's are typically open even on the holidays, so you can literally wait until the 11th hour (though I'd advise against it) and still be hailed as that sweet and caring person you really are, but just didn't have time to express.

-Mani/pedi set. You can get a set of $1 nail polish of all different colors, and maybe throw in a nail file and some foot cream. Yet another last-last minute gift that can be put together by heading to your local 24-hour drugstore.

-Lastly, something as simple as a thoughtful handwritten note or a handmade work of art can mean more than any gift on the market. A jar of origami cranes or stars is colorful and very affordable. Once I made a bunch of origami cranes, in fairly large sizes, and used them as cards on which I wrote my thanks to each individual recipient; it was very well received and proudly displayed by the recipients, even by those I did not expect to find it moving. At the end of the day, even the ol' cynical me truly believe that it's the thought that counts.

Happy Holidays, everyone. I hope you will enjoy this season wherever you are and with whomever you keep company.

Fabric Contented

What good does a good deal on fabric do if I don't make use of said fabric? Last week I sat down and got through a few projects that I've always wanted to pursue.

My primary purpose for buying a sewing machine was to hem pants. However, since my machine did not come with a blind hem foot, that project had to be put on hold for quite some time. It was a while before I managed to procure one from a sewing products store in the Garment District of Downtown LA. Then more time elapsed before I found time to actually sew. The sewing process took a very long time, since I haven't done this before. In the end, I had a pair of wearable pants, which was good. The job isn't perfect, but since the pants are black, no one can tell. The next pair of pants will come out looking better for it.

Once I got started, I couldn't stop sewing. I decided to make 2 pouches--one for holding some sewing notions, and the other for holding some personal effects in my purse. I drew my pattern on an Arts insert in the newspaper, since the paper is nice and thick (and recycling is good and free). Then it was time to cut the fabric, which wasn't hard--a light, stiff cotton lining and a canvas fabric for the outside.

The fabric was easy to cut, but sewing them was a struggle. I had a hard time getting the tension right (and I'm not sure I ever completely succeeded). I did the sewing notions bag first, since it won't be seen in public. I made a few mistakes here and there, so the bag ended up smaller then I had planned. And for some reason, I just couldn't get a button hole done. I gave up on it, since I don't really need an enclosure for this bag.

I moved on to the bag that would see daylight. Unfortunately, I sewed in such a way that the wrong side of the lining was turned outward. At least the print still shows, but I could see that the project was not going to go well. To my surprise, sewing the rest of the bag was not quite so bad. However, the button hole came back to haunt me again. I believe that the thread I used was just too thick, since the machine jammed again, and again, and again, even though I got the settings right. In the end, I cheated and created my button hole with a zigzag stitch instead of using the buttonhole foot and function. It ain't pretty, but it got the job done.


My sewing binge ended after I finished my chiffon scarf. When I first bought this fabric, I knew that I wanted to make a scarf out of it. I also knew that hemming the edges of the delicate chiffon material was going to be a challenge. The blind hem foot made things easier, though the corners were still a struggle. The feeding dogs kept on eating the corners. Still, a scarf is a scarf is a scarf. I'll just consider the slightly-frayed corners as a "special feature for a handmade look." I love the print, and I like wearing it with a "tough" outfit--the light chiffon softens the look just so.

[BCBG green sleeveless top, Joie denim moto jacket, my own scarf, Miss Sixty pants (which I just hemmed), black and white plaid Nikes]

Total cost of materials: less than a dollar. Struggling and cursing and finally getting a finished product and a great learning experience: priceless.

A couple of cycles

Most people I know tend to be pretty conscientious about recycling, so they'll appreciate my giddiness when this happened: I was pretty much jumping for joy when my apartment building finally had recycling bins, and again when my office building started to do that as well.

Not long ago, I decided to make used paper useful for another round before it heads to the recycling bin. One thing I use a lot of is notepads. I write all the time, be it notes of a hearing, or my wild and crazy ideas for motions (or opposing them), and a record of my time spent doing various things. Yup, in my line of work, time is worth a lot of money. Unfortunately, office supplies also cost a lot of money. I read a newspaper article a few weeks ago that the recent across-the-board price hikes have engulfed office supplies. The price of paper clips have apparently jumped 50% compared to a year ago. I can imagine how painful this must be for small businesses that require the use of lots of office supplies.

I learned a pretty neat and how-did-I-not-think-of-that simple trick from my former secretary. She used to cut used paper in half and staple it for her own notepads. That's such a great idea--much paper can be saved, and fresh notepads can be conserved for times when those premarked lines are actually needed. This idea isn't quite as innovative (or pretty) as this, but a little savings here and there will matter a lot.

All cut from the same oily cloth

Here's the 6th gripe about oil prices--too many things depend on oil. Including fabrics. That's right, fabric.

I finally got to hit the FIDM Scholarship Store this weekend, the first time in what seems like months. I had really wanted to get some of the quilted fabrics so that I can make padded cases for some electronics, as a lot of the fabric there was quite cheap ($1 a yard!!!). I also wanted to load up on cute prints and pretty colors to work with as I learn how to sew.

To my great dismay, the price has gone up to $2 per yard. Apparently this happened about a month ago, when the gas prices lifted off for the outer limits. Some of the cost increase is attributable to transportation, but another factor may seem unexpected--some of the fabrics actually depend on the oil as an ingredient. This is not surprising, given that a lot of what we wear are made of synthetic polymers that are generated from petroleum products. To be sure, $2/yard is still a terrific price for fabric, but when the price has literally doubled, it does feel a bit painful--instead of spending $20 like I had planned, I ended up spending about $40. I wonder when the price of oil starts to impact the price of fashion. The Forever 21's, H&M's, and Charlotte Russe's might not be so affordable anymore.

The pretty prints do offer a little consolation. The scallop-print fabric may become a dress someday. And I don't know what's with me and green--I have a couple of shades here. The emerald green fabric was very much in demand, so I had to grab a few yards before they disappeared.

Reaping what I sewed

Sure, this thing took hours to finish, and it's not perfect, but I can say I made it. I dare say it's not bad for a first made-from-scratch sewing project:

I've been saving bags full of old clothes, scraps of fabric, ribbons, buttons, and lace trims long before I knew what to do with them. One of those items is a brown velveteen shirt that I no longer wear. I love the luxurious feel and rich chocolate brown color, and I've always known that I wanted to make something out of it. Unfortunately, the edges of this soft, stretchy fabric often got eaten by the teeth that fed fabric forward as I sewed, thereby jamming the machine quite a bit. And let's not even get into the stupid things I did with the buttonhole foot and the process of sewing the button hole (or, for that matter, my uneven attempts to finish the edges with fancy stitches in lieu of the overlock foot or serger that I don't have). Given the difficulties of working with a stretchy fabric, I'm pretty proud of my end product.

Right before I made this, I repaired a top that I purchased from the thrift store a while ago, but haven't worn because of a busted zipper. The zipper foot really works wonders in seconds. I can see that this sewing machine is a wise investment already.

And the day before that, I struggled with threading the machine, particularly the bobbin. I overtightened the bobbin tension screwed and cracked a side of it, but the screw is still in one piece and is doing its job. Hopefully I won't kill the machine too soon (the bits and pieces of the fabric eaten by the machine has probably already caused indigestion problems).

Next time, I'll go back to mastering the basics using some less-complicated fabrics. It's a frustrating and long learning process, but I think it'll be worth it.

Courtside View

This is what happens when St. Patrick's Day falls on a court date:

I was busy running around all day yesterday, and it didn't hit me until pretty late at night that I have to cover a hearing on St. Patricks's Day. I don't want to hear myself say "ow" all day, but the green clothes I have don't really go with a suit. (In retrospect, I do have a dress shirt with pink and green stripes, but if I figured that out sooner, I wouldn't have this much fun.)

So I whipped something up in a pinch (pun not entirely unintended), and it works out just fine. I would have much rather worn this:


...which normally would have added a fun yet work-appropriate touch to office outfits, but when I have to be in court, I usually err on the side of conservatism.

This brings me to the topic of how to stay individual in a world of suits. I try to bring a little color into the mix, but I don't want to venture out too far. There's a time and place to go buck wild with color, but full-on-suit time is not one of them. Yes, suits are serious. When I'm in one, I'm very cognizant that I'm representing something greater than myself. I certainly don't want to develop a reputation for the wrong thing.

Jewelry is great for adding a dash of discrete individuality. I'm not much of a thin-chain-and-pendant kind of person, preferring instead something more substantial. You can't go wrong with pearls--they're classic, but they can also be reworked into a "not your mother's pearls" design. That's exactly what I decided to do. I call it my "Patricia" necklace since it was made especially for St. Patty's Day, and also because it has a patrician "establishment" look to it.

I've also become an avid wearer of rings, particularly the modern, simple, yet standout kinds. Ever since I got one simple green amber ring, which I love, I've been shopping on Etsy for more. I finally set my sights on the Ox Rox rings from Rural Abandon. When I saw that the seller had a bright sterling silver Rox ring, I thought that it'd be good to mix them up:

I absolutely love them. They're very, very cool in that suble, understated way. They also came packaged in a pretty box and tied with a pretty ribbon; if I hadn't been so excited in putting the rings on right away, I would have gotten a picture of the lovely packaging. And if I wasn't already wearing that necklace, I would worn the whole stack of rings to court today. Oh well, the next court date is just around the corner.

[Edited: I've put up a close-up of the individual rings. The squarish-shapes are organic and a bit more unusual. Since they're so thin individually, I think I can even wear them as pendants on a chain. I don't have pierced ears, but I think thin rings such as these can be converted to awesome earrings as well if for some inexplicable reason you don't want to wear rings much anymore. I'm all for maximizing their potential.]

Happily Scrappy

I decided to spend the last days of "freedom" doing lots of crafting, celebrating my newfound employment with friends, and doing more work to spruce up the pictures in my store. Remember how I got some photo props from the Big Lots cookware department? Well, I'm still working on perfecting the technique of taking pics off a stainless steel surface. Not quite there yet, but it does produce a cool futuristic look:

The cooling rack has actually been indispensible. I use it to prop up the cookie sheet, and I'd hook earrings on the overhanging part of the cooling rack. So much for using the cooling rack for its intended purpose. Oh well...not like I'm going to be baking cookies any time soon. It's so incredibly hot these days!

Still, the cookie sheet alone is not going to be enough to bridge the gap between the black leather and stark white backgrounds. I wanted a neutral-colored surface like wood. I have a mahogany-colored bench (courtesy of Target), but the surface is too narrow for jewelry photography. Oddly enough, Ikea solved my problem, and not in the way you'd expect.

When I went to Ikea about a month ago, the end of season clearance was on. Lots of things were marked down to a ridiculously low price. I hit the cookware section, hoping to find some interesting (and cheap) thingamabob to serve as a photography surface. Didn't find anything. In fact, I didn't find anything of interest until I was about to leave. I noticed some colorful plastic plant pots for sale for 25 cents each, and they were of a pretty good size. Once I saw them, I thought they'd be good storage receptacles for knicknacks, so I got 3 of them (2 blue and one green). Recently I started using them in a different way than I've earmarked--they work very well as small waste buckets. I'd use one to catch snippets of wire as I'm making jewelry.

Then, as usual, my last stop was the as-is department. They sell the craziest things sometimes, ranging from floor boards to sofa covers to drawer fronts. I wasn't surprised that drawer fronts and sofa covers weren't flying off the shelves; after all, unless you have the exact same model of the sofa or storage units AND you were in need of a cover or a drawer front (what are the odds of that?), they're practically useless.

Or are they?

The big hunk of a drawer front was exactly what I needed--it was small enough that I can carry it around and big enough for me to put large necklaces on. I could even use the piece of wood as a work surface if I wanted to. The best part is that I was only out $2.

It really is the perfect surface to bridge the gap between black and white. The color is neutral, and the surface reflects light the way my black portfolio pictures do--just the cohesion I needed.

Imagination saves us money. Who would have thunk that? It does pay to be a dreamer sometimes.

Front page treasury (again)

I was pretty stoked when the Treasury I created was picked for the Etsy front page this morning! Unlike last time, when I missed my own item being featured, I caught it this time.


The theme I used was 2047, inspired by "2046," the movie I got with my LexisNexis points (yay for free DVD's!). It's a good arthouse flick for those so inclined, but it's definitely not something to watch when your parents or children are in the same room with you...

When my friends and I were watching the movie, we were ooohing and ahhhing at the clothes and shoes the women wore. The setting was Hong Kong in the 1960's, so the wardrobe was a mix of East and West. Notwithstanding what *some* of the characters did for a living (or maybe because of it...I don' t know), they looked glamourous. I'm typically not into the beehive hairdo, but when combined with a form-fitting cheongsam or swingy dress and heels, it works. You can take a look at some of the pics here.

While the 1960's wardrobe had me drooling, my inspiration for the treasury came from the futuristic scenes. Wong Kar Wai's idea of the future is apparently very colorful--much more preferrable than the sterile, colorless minimalism that other sci-fi movies feed off of. The colors are combined with the typical metallic surfaces, which reflect the colors stunningly. I like metallic--if you recall, I took a chance on that silver cropped jacket, and I have a metallic green bag from Target. The green bag made its appearance when I took it with me on the wine trip, and I can't wait to do more with the metallic jacket soon.

I've been on a futuristic kick lately. I made these, but alas, I can't wear them. There are just some things clip-ons can't do.

Which movies inspire your style?

Upcycling: The Reveal

I was going to hold off until next week, but I guess it too easy to guess...or did my pun of a title give it away?

It looks easy to cut out the shapes, but it really isn't. When you cut out parts that are very close to each other, the whole section can cave in. Judging by the number of holes there are, you can tell how many failed attempts it took to get things right.



The last picture shows the pebbled side where I got the shapes of the Mitosis earrings. If things go my way next time, more parts of the jug will be used and less wasted. The only part I don't use is the bottom, since it can be a bit dirty. The top portions are pretty clean.

Upcycling: Project 2

Bernie took a stab at what the main ingredient is, but at this time, I will neither confirm nor deny. For those of you who want to keep playing the guessing game, avoid looking at the comments until next week, OK? No peeking!

Here's project number 2. They're going up on my shop soon. You guys get to have a first sneak peek--don't you feel special?

I love the pebbled texture. I call this set of mix-and-match earrings "Mitosis." I know, they look like sunny-side-up eggs, but that's sort of the point.

Next week I'll show a picture of the material's source. It's a lot harder to work with than you think.

Upcycling: Milking materials beyond the last drop

The things I do the procrastinate...tomorrow I have a 6-hour simulated exam. Tonight I still have to do a 1-hour simulated essay. I swear I can't remember anything right now. I'm probably going to flunk tomorrow's exam, but I won't let it happen when it comes to the real thing.

When I started making jewelry, one of the things I thought about was recycling materials such as soda cans. I wanted to use the aluminum to make spirals, but pretty soon I scrapped that idea. For one, the edges are probably too sharp. It is not my intention to leave anyone with cuts on the face, or worse yet, become a modern-day Van Gogh. Also, after I took Trademark and Copyright classes, I realized how much of a problem it could be. If I were to make them, I won't be able to sell them. I'd rather not be sued, thank you very much.

Still, the idea of "upcycling" remains intriguing. It's a good way to conserve resources, and a cheap way of getting starting materials. A couple of nights ago, I really wanted to worm my way out of studying Contracts. A crafty lightbulb went off in my head, and I got to work with my Xacto knife well into the night.

I made quite a few things. Since I'm pretty busy nowadays, I decided to stretch this project out over the next few posts. Take a guess at what I made this out of:

I love it, and I've been wearing it for a couple of days. Before I assembled it, I showed the pieces to 2 people. One guessed right away because there were two different textures, while the other could not. In a couple of days, I'll show another project I did with the exact same type of materials.

The answer will be revealed sometime next week. The material, that is--the method remains proprietary ;-)

Tooth and Nail (nail optional)

My Xacto knife had been busy lately. Last time I recycled scraps of cuttings and turned them into cards. This time I made a graduation present with them.

How's that relevant to Hot Off the Sales Rack? Let's rewind a little bit.

As a bargain hound, I do pretty well with buying things I need. Most of the time I use it right away, but sometimes they just sit around because I don't have time to do anything with them. Over time, these neglected goods cease to be a bargain if they remain unused. I've recognized this as one of my weaknesses, and I deal with it accordingly. I keep track of what's not being used so that a) I remember I have them in the first place and not go out to buy more, and b) sometimes they come in handy in an "emergency"--not the life-or-death kind, but the gifting kind. Sometimes you just couldn't figure out what to buy for a particular person, or you didn't have time to get one and it's too late, or you just plain forgotten about it.

Let me make one thing clear: I don't mean pawning off unused items as cheapy, inappropriate gifts. Ever heard horror stories like how Uncle Fred gave Anna a bottle of shampoo and her mom got some ethylene glycol (and oh, a bonus funnel!) as presents, because shampoo was the only thing left at his house and the gas station was the only place open late on Christmas Eve? Well, truth really is stranger than fiction--these things have actually happened before. You don't want to be forever remembered as the donor of the worst. gift. ever. If what you have is nice and a natural choice for a gift, then go ahead. But if what you have on hand is something too commonplace, either put it aside completely or think of it as a starting material for a thoughtful gift.

If you ever need a gift in a pinch, be resourceful. Look around and see if you have some other new, unused materials that you can use to create something special. You can put together a gift set of sorts, provided that you package things nicely and there's a unified theme (deodorant and olive oil don't mix, folks). If nothing else, you can make it a pseudo-gag gift: "What? We've been friends for all these years and all I get is a pack of socks? Oh wait--what's this envelop stuck to the back? 'Just thought you might need some laundry money to go with it.'" I haven't tried this myself, but it's something I thought up.

If you're crafty, you can make something out of the materials you've scrounged. Here's a project that you can use to make a gift or for your own home decorating pleasures. There's no need to be super crafty--just a little willingness to cut and paste is enough.

In law, there's one too many three-part test for the constitutionality of one thing or another. I may be sick of memorizing them, but I've got to admit, having that mentality saved my butt last week. My friend was about to graduate from dental school. I've been looking around for presents (ranging from tooth-themed goods to art for the office), but since I became too wrapped up with my own graduation and my bar review course started almost right away, it became too late for me to order the gift. I had no time to go shopping, and even if I went, I wouldn't know what to shop for. Then came yet another 1am inspiration. Why don't I make some original art for his office? I would have bought some anyway, but a more personalized version would be better.

So I set out to make this 3-panel tribute to dental health:

(Sorry for the dark pictures--I was still getting used to my new camera, and what appeared on the LCD screen was much brighter than the picture actually was.)

Days before the graduation, it became clear that I'd have to make something; store-bought things just won't do. I've been on a "Big Leafiness" cutting streak, so I wanted to do something along those lines, though I didn't know what exactly I was going to do. So, I looked around the house a bit. I bought these Ikea frames a few years ago for a decoration project. I used 3 of the frames and intended to use the rest, but I just never got around to it. Obviously, I'm not going to give a set of picture frames as a gift on such a special occasion. They became a starting material. After having these two key components--the vinyl and the frames--ideas really started rolling in. At 1am, I finally decided to do a teeth-themed set of cut-outs. It took me about half an hour to cut everything. Most people probably don't have vinyl around, but they do have paper and fabric scraps. You can use those in lieu of vinyl.

I knew that I wanted to paste them onto cardstock, but white was too stark, and all the other cardstock I had were either too bright or too dark. I wanted something with a creamy yellowish base. The next day, I went to two different stores in search of cardstock or thick paper--no luck at Big Lots, and even worse luck at CVS. CVS is obviously not the destination for paper goods, but it was getting late and I had few other options. Sure enough, CVS didn't have the cardstock I wanted--things were either too cheapy or expensive, and not in the right color either. As I was about to leave, it suddenly hit me--manila folders were perfect. Not only do they have the right stiffness, but they have the right color (the picture of the middle panel is the best reflection of the color). It was exactly what I needed, and only a fraction of the price of fancy paper.

So there you are--the only ingredients required for the project are frames, manila folders, anything you can use to make a silhouette, a pen (if you want to draw/write on the folder), and an active imagination. Simple, right?

After I was done, I put it in a box, wrapped it up with some Ikea (Christmas) wrapping paper and topped off with a toothy card from Less Than Three Designs. The card was the only thing I could make up my mind on early enough.

This is just one example of how common items can be assembled into a thoughtful gift. I'm sure there are many more out there, and as always, feel free to share yours!

(Nerdy legal epilogue: oh my gosh, I just realized that this post was pretty much written in an IRAC format. Have I been doing it all along? How screwed up is this?!?)

Of Rocks, Papers, and Scissors

I've been playing with rocks for quite a while now--not throw them at houses or anything, mind you, but string them on wires to create jewelry. Having seen what all the wonderful things people make on Etsy, I decided to try my hand at making cards while shopping at Big Lots right before final exams.

It all came together out of the blue. I was in the stationary aisles to pick up some papers and cardstock that I use to package my orders. While I picked up the ones I usually I found some very colorful cardstock, which I assume have no takers because of their bright colors. Being me, of course I had to go for the bright colors. I figured that it's strong enough to use as packaging materials. At $3 a pack of a couple hundred, it's cheaper than the cardstock I've been buying, so I figured I can give it a try.

Right behind me, I found some $1 stamps. And I saw some metallic gel ink pens, too. That's when the lightbulb went off. Dark and metallic inks would be perfect on brightly-colored cardstock. There were no ink pads for the stamps, so I figured I can go to an office supply store and get one. The nearest Office Max happened to be right next to a Target, and like Odysseus' men drawn to the Sirens' song, I walked into aptly-named Target first. Normally my wallet would fall prey to the Scylla and Charybdis known as the shoe and clothing clearance sections, but this time it didn't. Instead, my money was well-spent on some cheap ink pads. I got black, silver, and gold for a dollar each.

I got home that night and had my way with the stamps and pens. I think I'm gonna start making my own cards for birthdays and such:

Argggh...the blue metallic ink just doesn't photograph very well. Red is too intense for the camera.

I made a few others that didn't make it to Picture Time--they are no longer in my possession. At first I thought about selling a few sets on Etsy since they are so cute, but the fear of getting sued for copyright infringement (technically this is a derivative work) nixed that. Instead, I decided send my creations off to a few customers as gifts (including the lovely Bernie of Magic Realist).

Every time I'm done with a Big Leafiness necklace, I'd save the bigger leftover scraps and see what I can do with them. I've made some small cutouts with the scraps, but I didn't know what to do with them, so I saved them in an envelop. Lightbulb #2 went off. Here's what I did with them:


Now this is probably something I can sell without fear of getting slapped with a complaint. I love the feather cutout and I'm so glad that I can put it to good use.

My cards can use lots of improvement, that's for sure. In the meantime, I might turn to other free alternatives. Jess of How About Orange has generously put up a birthday card and envelop she designed for those days when you're in a hurry to go to a party and, darn, forgot that birthday card. You can find them here. I wish I have a color printer to take advantage of that, but I'm gonna have to wait until after the Bar to be able to afford one.

Death of a Camera

Remember how I was hoping that my camera would last until graduation day? Well, it didn't. It was fine before, but when I busted out my camera before the ceremony, it wasn't working. I tried the usual tricks, but I couldn't coax it into submission. Unfortunately, I missed a lot of picture-taking opportunities with my school friends, but I managed to grab my sister's camera before we had to take our seats.

I'm gonna keep the little guy just because a) I'm too lazy to take it to a toxic waste recycling facility at the moment, b) we had a good 5 years together, and c) it takes some awesome psychadelic pics, like these:

I have no idea what this is a picture of. A stack of papers, I think?

Another shot of the same thing after turning the camera on/off:

I tried the camera again today, since usually things go back to normal after a while. As you can see in the picture directly above, there's something rotten in the state of Denmark. You can't even tell what this is a picture of (it's supposed to be my desk).

This shot of the living room lamp (on a table) is sorta neat, along with the blinds as a backdrop:

With any death, we also celebrate the life that was. I got my Canon PowerShot A60 camera 5 year ago for around $140, including shipping. For a budget camera, it did a lot of stuff and took great pictures. There were plenty of functions with which I could develop more advanced photography skills. Once I learned to use the manual settings on my camera, I never went back to point and shoot again.

When I opened shop, I wanted to do more than snap pictures of my products. I wanted the pics to be artwork in of themselves. As an elegy to cheap cameras, I present to you some of my favorite pics taken with the recently departed (that is, when it worked as it should):

Fortunately, there is a happy ending. Talk about the cavalry to the rescue--my dear friends got me a new Canon Powershot as a graduation present! I absolutely love it to bits, especially the manual focus function, and I'm so grateful that I have such great friends.