DIY Valentine's Day Decor

From Kim, Blogging from Singapore 

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Just because you can't go out on Valentine's Day or your date forgot to book a restaurant doesn't mean that you will have to spend the rest of the night sulking. Light an aromatic candle, boil some water for tea and get those cookies from the jar. 

Whether you are alone by choice or if you want a simple time at home with your partner, make it more  exciting these few tips. Light a candle for a more romantic or relaxed mood. Turn off those bright lights and get those LED string lights instead. Turn on a dim lamp for additional lighting if the room is too dark. Decorate those candles with ribbons and if you have more time to prepare, stitch some lovely lace or a heart. The rest is all about you and your company.

Valentine's day isn't always just about you and your partner. I also had memorable and special times spent with my girl friends over cake and tea. We also have this exchange of gifts which is actually our Christmas gift giving that we put off on the month of February instead. Oh I miss them so dearly. If you're not the type who likes presents, a simple note or card will actually do. After all, Valentine's Day is more about the thoughts of love and friendship.

The Hand Bag

It's been a while since we last blogged but here we are! We've travelled and gone to places we've never been before but found ourselves still in love with colors and of course, bags. It's yultide season and we expect Christmas colors but if you are going to buy a gift that works for all seasons, a neutral-colored bag will definitely do.

Here we are featuring a grey bag which works in many ways. You can fold it and use it like a pouch, hang it like a messenger bag or just hang the strap around your arms like most of us normally want to carry it. The faux leather bag can work for either a day stroll or for that office girl look.

We definitely do not want to dismiss any colorful pouch from your wardrobe but if you think you have too much color, tone it down with a neutral-colored pouch such as this black bag with a chain strap. The bag has a silky feel which makes it elegant-looking and can work with a floral dress or even a little black dress for a girl's night out.

Check out our FB page for a few pieces that are in stock right now.

Boho Bead Necklace

From Kim, Blogging from Rainy Singapore 

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It has been raining here and the overcast skies tells me to stay indoors but that doesn't mean the weekend is doomed. Take out your beads and start crafting your necklace for your next activity under the sun!

This boho bead necklace is not your straightforward beaded necklace. Pick some of your favorite colored beads and don't be afraid to mix but keep the colors muted. Use a brass-colored chain to get that vintage look. It doesn't matter which color of the metal pins to use for the wood beads since silver pieces can add accent just like two-toned jewelries. 

 Boho Bead Necklace

Materials Needed:

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• colored wood beads
• metal pins
• metal chain
• pliers and cutter for wiring

DIY Wedding Invitation

Blogging from Sunny Cebu, Yen❤

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Wedding invitation is just as important as your wedding dress. It serves as a preview to your big day. It gives your guests an idea of what to expect on your wedding. A well-thought out invitation helps set the tone and mood for the event. You don't have to spend a lot of money. Squeeze out your creative juices, be resourceful and do it yourself.

Here's an invitation I made for the wedding of my sister's best friend.


Materials:

• specialty paper
• burgundy wrapper
• wooden pegs
• grosgrain ribbons
• double-sided tape
• scissors
• printer

Thou Shalt Not Eat The Cake Topper

Blogging from Rainy Cebu, Yen

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Cake toppers are so cute! For me, they're not for my tummy but for my eyes so I'd rather preserve them than eat them.

The Cupcake

An airtight glass jar is all that is needed. It protects the toppers from ants and prevents spoilage.

The Glass Jar

 
The jar that I have is too big for one so I decided to place two cake toppers.

Baby Smurf and ...

... Papa Smurf

I'll be adding more decorations soon. Keep posted!

The Smurfs in a Jar

Pattern-Inspired Charm

From Kim, Blogging from Sunny Singapore 

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If you don't believe in luck, think of charms as inspiration. Try to make one that is inspired from a pattern that you like. If you're not into wearing bracelets, you can make one for your friend and give it as a keepsake. You can never go wrong with anything with a touch of thoughtfulness and hardwork.

For this post, we've made a feminine charm that is inspired from a red and blue flower pattern that has been tuck in my pile of papers. Basic materials are listed below and shown in the photos as well.

Materials:

• Pattern or photo for inspiration
• Beads with colors and shades from the pattern. 
• Waxed cord with colors and shades from the pattern
• Metal findings for assembling bracelet: toggle lock, rings, pins, spring crimp cord ends, charms or spacer beads 
• Cutting, Flat and Round pliers for bending and cutting metal
• Scissors for cutting cord

Cut the strings into 11-inch lengths. The number of strings depends on how many colors you want to have in your bracelet. If you don't have a ruled guide, take an old bracelet and cut the string with a length that is 1.5 times longer than the old bracelet. The excess length is for knotting and crimping which you can see later.

Crimp one end of each string with the spring crimp ends. Knot them together in one big knot. After the big knot, make one more knot for each string but do not tighten. Set the strings aside.  

Prepare the charms for the bracelet. Insert a pin into each bead. Trim the pin if it is too long then bend the excess into a loop. Do this for every bead, metal charms and spacers. For this bracelet, we used flower-shaped metal beads.

Attach each bead to every loop on the string using a metal ring. Tighten the loops on the string. You can make as many loops as you want and place many beads in each loop. You may stop doing this when the bracelet is long enough for you. Think that the a bracelet lock can take up about half and inch.

At the end of your bracelet, make one more big knot. Trim excess length of the cords. Crimp each end with the spring crimps. 

Attach the ends of the cords to the toggle lock using metal rings. We use toggle locks since we find them fairly easy to use but you may use other types of lock if you wish.

Your pattern-inspired charm is now finished. Wear it anytime you like but remember that you can also make one as a gift it to a friend. :)

Thank You!

We thank you so much for helping us raise funds for Maven's Heart. The good news is that Maven's operation last July 25, 2012 has been successful. He's got a new beat to his heart and we look forward to watching him grow healthily. Our contribution to Maven's operation is nothing without you. Please visit his Facebook page for more details and to get updates:  http://www.facebook.com/MavensHeartFund

We've been off the radar due to the normal demands of work and everyday life but we don't have an excuse for not being inspired to craft. There are a thousand things in our crafty mind but for now a heart clip is simple remembrance of Maven's successful story. We hope to find more meaningful projects and we continue to believe in the power of optimism and unity.

Project: Heart Clip

From Kim, Blogging from Sunny Singapore 

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Collect all materials as shown in the photo. Complete list is also shown below.

• double-sided adhesive tape or fabric glue 
• needle
• pencil
• pink or red felt cloth
• pink cotton thread
• old cardboard
• scissors
• white or any light-colored crayon
• wooden clip
• waxed cord or any other natural-colored string (optional)
• head pin (optional)

Draw a heart on the cardboard using the pencil. Cut this out and use as a template. Trace the heart on the felt cloth using a white crayon. Any light crayon will do as long as the heart will be visible on the cloth. Cut the heart out.



Use a cotton string to make an x-stitch along the center of the heart. A light pink thread would look well over the pink or red felt heart. Secure the stitch at the back using a simple knot and cut away the excess thread. Stick the heart on the wooden clip using a double-sided adhesive tape or a fabric glue for more hold.



The heart clip can stand on its own but here's more ideas for you. Cut a waxed cord or any other natural-colored string (to complement the wooden clip) and pin both ends against a wooden wall/block. Use your fancy heart clip to remind yourself of your "to dos" or simply of Maven's heart. :)



Feel free to be more artistic. Use our ideas to inspire you to make more creative things.
We hope to blog more and find ways to make things more exciting. Ciao for now!