Evan Half Moon Coin Pouch

Took a while didn't it, for me to finally launch a marbled leather goods collection?

Evan // pronounced [ih-van]. Named after a friend who got me started on leather: Evangeline.

I've been meaning to get into leather since more than a year back now, but had no idea where to get materials nor tools from.
Prayed about it and seemingly out of nowhere, Evan just "magically" showed up in my life.

She was first introduced to me as a client, who was planning on a carnival themed wedding and wanted someone to illustrate live portraits of her guests.
While talking and getting to know her better, she revealed she's a really crafty soul and had currently picked up on leatherwork too.
She showed me all the pieces she had made on her Instagram & I just couldn't believe it.
Naturally, I jumped in with questions of suppliers and tried to get the low down on the how tos.

Evan was so nice about it and shared all her contacts with me, even lent me her tools and a small instruction book on how to hand sew leather — said she was heading off to Hong Kong for a trip and I could fiddle around with it in the meantime.
She even helped buy me my own leather tool starter kit!
I don't think I know another person more generous than she.

Our client relationship morphed into a friendship of course (almost instantaneously actually).
Naturally, I think it's only fitting and right to name my debut leather goods collection after her.

Evan Half Moon coin pouches are fully hand made by me, from its cutting, marbling to its stitching.

I love how each one is unique and absolutely impossible to replicate.

Find them here!

Golden Hour

There was quite a sunset, couple days back. It bathed the entire flat in the most brilliant of golds. In fact, it bathed everything out of the flat too in gold.
The trees, the streets, the people, the vehicles, the everything. No other colour existed that evening. 

Got up to embroidering more couples' portraits. 

I'm not exactly sure what it is either but there's something about this medium that highly appeals to me.

As I've mentioned, I'm very thankful for May. There's finally some down time where I could work on my personal projects.
Can't say I've completed all that I had on my list (the list is ever growing), but I have definitely caught up with now that work has picked up again. 

Two items on that list are these new dresses:

Shapes Dress

&
Eyes On Me Dress

Expect them up on my etsy soon.

Embroidery

Started embroidery and I can't believe how much I love it!
Been exposed to cross stitching when I was a kid, but it really got me when I could illustrate with a needle and thread.

It started when my husband went away for a week to Fiji to do the Lord's work, that I thought to make him a hurrah-you're-home!-cum-wedding-anniversary gift.
Who would have thought I'd get hooked?

After doing one of us, I made another portrait for a couple of our friends, Paul & Philana, back in Perth!

Joined a workshop conducted by a mate of mine, Teresa, and made another super quick couple portrait for my friend, Evan, as it just so happened to be her birthday that day!

Addicted. It's just too much fun.

If you want a custom couple portrait of your own or for a loved one, hit me up at my shop  ♥

FREEESHIPPINGGG

Valentine's and Lunar New Year's gotten to me.
Enjoy free shipping all through this week till the 18th!
Just type in coupon code of "FREEESHIPPINGGG" upon checkout to enjoy it!

YEE-HAW!

Cat Scarf

I had this textile idea for a while. 

It was first actualised on my couch covers. You might remember them.

On realising it on articles of clothing, I figured, a scarf would be best. 

And with all these rainy days we're having, what could be better?

With a 37" x 37" piece of silk voile, I roll-hemmed the edges before painting the borders with turquoise fabric paint.

 

Next, cat faces go on with a block printing technique I usually work with.

Some yellow diamonds follow after

Fine details are left to the end

Tea-stained later, to lend a quiet vintage tone

Then, voila!

We gots cat scarf.

With that, 2 new things are added to the shop today!

Go to see more of them!
And, isn't Lights silly with her tongue stuck out like this?

http://www.etsy.com/shop/graciechai

Missus, mind you

You guys, sorry about the 2 months hiatus! 

2012 was pretty crazy for us. Lots of unexpectedness and our journey of getting married was arduous,
but thank God for His wonderful grace and compassion on us.

We FINALLY got hitched on 29th December! Coincidentally, that's my birthday too :D

And just like that, suddenly minus all dramas, we've been easily married for a week odd now.

As promised, my shop is now back up!
And as an added bonus, we would love for you to celebrate all the wonderfulness God has blessed us with, with this special discount code:

Just type in BLESSED2013 to enjoy a 20% discount during check out!
Discount will be running throughout the entire month of January :)

8 days late but nevertheless Happy New Year,  my dear kittens! xx

Disappearing act

I am sorry I've been MIA on here.

I'm just absolutely swamped!

God has been good to me.

Amazingly good.

I'm thinking of putting my shop on hiatus come mid of next month, so I can actually sit down and be serious about wedding preparation!
Poor Jian, he must think I'm not keen on marrying him.

And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; 
the unclean shall not pass over it. 

It shall belong to those who walk on the way; 
even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. 

No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; 
they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. 

And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; 
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; 
they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Fox Dress

Up on Etsy :)

In sober anticipation

Decided to re-visit a previous design of my fox print. 

You might remember this from months ago:

Prints were too small and way too laborious for orders. Not in my favourite cut either.
So I up-ed the size of my little foxy faces and went with a sky blue fabric, rather than a cobalt for a lighter / breezier feel.

I normally start my designs by coming up with swatches.

If I like what I see, I go on ahead and start cutting up my dress patterns. 

If not, I go back to the drawing board to do more  shaving & fine-tuning to my stamps.

I also pre-wash my fabric, as colours stay on better with that.

Compared to all the other dresses I've made for sale, this one really is labour-intensive. 

Every detail to the fox (it's general face, ears, vest, eyes, nose), is individually hand-printed on.

This is a dress that definitely does not happen with a snap of a finger.

But, hand-printing (though not in a rush of things) can be very enjoyable, and very therapeutic. 

Plus, the end result of your sweatshop labour totally pays off.

Once my prints are finished, I let it air-dry and seal off with a hot iron after.

Now, is the part where I wiggle my fingers in glee:

I turn my canvas into a dress!

Someone once thanked me for making wearable art. That statement to me, is still just - wow. Absolutely floored.
I mostly make my clothes for me. I would never think for anybody else to like them too! 

In appreciation of God, who's put me in this position & thank you everyone for your support. 

It's been quite unbelievable where I am today. 

Fox dress will be up on Etsy once my issue with Paypal resolves ♡

Sk8er Boy

Apologies for the terrible lack of updates. Been so busy with various commitments that it's only today,  I've finally gotten hold of all the orders I was owing.

Hung out with Jian earlier this afternoon. Convinced him to model for me. Turns out, he's so easy/fun to shoot. Plus, it's too cute seeing him skate again.
Singapore made him lose his laid back Aussie-ness. Skating lights some sort of fire in his eyes.

& to add to the list of getting on top of things: Galaxy shirt's now up in the shop! :D

Metagalatica, Void of this Age

Been a pretty hectic month of April. Since picking up a new full-time job, I've never been busier.

Did fall rather ill in the week, dizzy spells and leaky nostrils, but all that's behind me and now I'm better.

Worked on a few more things this week:

Cosmic Space Shoes for women 

Cosmic Space Shoes for men 

In fulfilling the request for more male-oriented products -
We'll be having galaxy shirts now!

Etsy soon.

Packaging

Finished up an order for a galaxy dress tonight:

Along with a pair of gold multi-faceted earrings:

 

Felt like I haven't put in much effort in my past packages and so, decided to act.

 

I've also churned up some home-made stickers to act as seals:

 

& tomorrow, they all go to post! 

Which, is my favourite bit :) 

It's a strange feeling. My work getting to go to different parts of the world I've never been.

It's almost a moral crime. Sounds silly, but I'm a little bit jealous of these packages for their travels.