Friday, July 31, 2009

have a berry good time!


Amélie would like to be your friend
Originally uploaded by Snowfern

I made berries, and some icecream cones....here's Amélie with her favourite snack ^ ^

let me put up more pictures....





the tables i bought from minibuilder who is a fellow etsy team mate in teamMIDS are gorgeous!



i know, i don't take good pictures, i'm trying!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

i'm in a treasury!



i'm in a treasury!
Originally uploaded by Snowfern



i'm in a treasury!

wooot! ok no big deal cos it's not FP....but so what? haha!

baahar is a regular chatter and i sometimes pop into chats when i can't sleep, we were discussing how difficult it is to snag one (i've never been able to make one it's always full grrr) and i recall saying something about even if i made it on a treasury i doubt anyone would notice cos my stuff's so small and i've got terrible pics....

then i woke up to this! and next to PetitPlat too! woohoo! you see those birdies??? there's more to the treasury but my monitor settings are small i can't capture everything maybe i shld go fiddle with my monitor settings or summat....OH CRAP i just did and it's at max settings :(


oh forgot to add the link to it, please send it some love!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=73340

almost a hundred hearts on Etsy!


almost there!
Originally uploaded by Snowfern

thanks to my team mates, CDHM and flickr, i'm almost at 100 hearts! admittedly, i have been chatting quite a little too cos i can't seem to sleep lately, and yesterday was strange, had a few hearts but don't know where the exposure was from (perhaps cos i put up new items?)

it's hard for me to figure out the nuts and bolts of Etsy selling, the past few days i've had pretty consistent sales, which is good considering how bad i've been lately. i blew all my paypal credits on ebay :O and not even supplies! (which have been what i've been spending what i earned on)

so...NO MORE SPENDING UNTIL AFTER STGCC! i wanna go this year so badly since i missed last year...please KEEP ME AWAY FROM EVILBAY!

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Cupcake Casings and Muffins....and my first Shabby Chic Tray!


are muffins cupcakes?
Originally uploaded by Snowfern

so. since Paris Miniatures posted up their cupcake casings, I'd been sorely reminded of my failed casings a month back (will post pics of those once i find them, doubt i chucked them i hardly chuck anything :X) so with renewed vengeance and clenched jaws, i present you....


....my not so perfect cupcake casings. BUT! i think they look pretty good!




there's also a shabby chic tray available! i'm really fond of this one i'm keeping one for myself, maybe make a few more this week if there's any interest...otherwise i really hope to get back to work on my roombox :D i bought a whole buncha stuff recently, am waiting for them to arrive! my paypal is empty :X bf offered his, but it's kinda hollow sounding too > <


all available on my etsy. do take a look and tell me what you think!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

4th anniversary pressie!


4th anniversary pressie!
Originally uploaded by Snowfern

ok so i often forget about our anniversary, and today he went down to simlim specially to pick up this present for me...omg just thinking about it is making me tear up again...

i didn't even get him anything! we pretty much celebrate our r/s as and when we can, why just pick the one day a year, right? but this has GOT to be one of the awesomest gifts he's ever given me!! *touched*

Thank you L <3 <3 <3!

*sniffs*

Monday, July 27, 2009

strawberry cupcakes prep board, and another tutorial!


strawberry cupcakes prep board
Originally uploaded by Snowfern

i've made another prep board. :) the previous one (and my first) sold the day after i put it up on my etsy and my customer has received it! so i feel a little more comfortable making prep boards now..... and here's my next offering!


it is now available here on my etsy store :)

annnndd the roses tutorial!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

which is your fave toy?


which is your fave toy?
Originally uploaded by Snowfern

for a commission :) i messed up the etch a sketches, the blue one actually had a flower drawn onto the back of the screen but you can't see it :(

my fave has got to be both the mr potato head and the jack in the box! what about you? :D

jack in the box measures 9mm, from base to top of lid. not closeable, but jack is removeable :D


Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Keep the duckies away!


duckies swarm
Originally uploaded by Snowfern

i can't seem to keep away -from- the duckies! been getting requests for them but putting it aside till after the contest (already submitted!) and finally, here are the new duckies :)

they're up for sale on my etsy!

Rose Tutorial this sunday!


quarterscale toys
Originally uploaded by Snowfern

just a reminder, i'll be uhh....instructing? hehe this coming Sunday on CDHM.org's forum, 1:12th scale roses for cakes!

so remember to register and turn up for it if you're interested :)

ok, so the picture isn't related, but this is part of a commission to fill up a quarterscale toy box. i toyed around (haha) with some pastel colours and felt that it wasn't vibrant enough at such a tiny scale (somehow brighter colours seem to work better at smaller scales, or is it just me?) so i opted to stick with primary colours for the 'theme'.

the colourful balls were the toughest to make IMO. it's hard to get a perfectly spherical shape by hand, and at such a scale it's a nightmare. after much fiddling i got the balls somewhat right, not perfectly spherical but IMO they look like the blow up beach balloons that i used to play with decades ago! hee hee the stacking rings are my fave, more because you can actually take them off the stand ^ ^

the colourful blocks were a nightmare to make. at first i tried to shape some into cubes, and gave that up real quick since it just seemed ridiculous trying to achieve what only machines can. so i baked some clay first and cut them into shapes i wanted. which is also another nightmare at that size. 1.5mm wide, the cubes are at least stackable, but i must point out that they would be rather wobbly stacks LOL!

ok that's it for tonight. the duckies are all baked and ready to be photographed and put up on my etsy i have had quite a few requests for those but i'd been busy...now my hands are all cramped up from the mini work today so i might have to take a break tomorrow.

g'nite all :)

Sunday, July 19, 2009

all packed up


all packed up
Originally uploaded by Snowfern

and ready to go! i'm so pleased, a previous customer has returned and bought a whole bunch more!

to think before i checked my mail, i was griping to bf that it'd probably be junk mail LOL! i've made up the boxes that weren't pictured, and thrown in a few more goodies! hope she likes them!

an update on dad:

he had 2 of his teeth pulled today :( poor bloke doesn't have much left in his mouth LOL otherwise, he was fine enough to go for his usual saturday afternoon walk to the library....:)

thanks for the well wishes everyone, i really appreciate it, i was quite down and reading the comments cheered me up loads! ^ ^ *warm fuzzy feelings*

Saturday, July 18, 2009

dad took a nose dive today....


all goldfish
Originally uploaded by Snowfern

ok so i didn't know what pic to use, i don't want a pictureless post!

just got back from a long night at the hospital A&E. dad got two stitches on his upper lip.

he taking his usual evening jog, and due to some renovation work going on, he hadn't noticed a cable laid across the pedestrian pathway and tripped...momentum and gravity kicked in and he earned himself a split lip. and a few other scrapes. might lose 2 of his teeth too, we'll see tomorrow after he returns from the dentist.

i, of course, made jokes about how he should tell his colleagues how much worse the -other- guy looked....ehhehe. dad kept his spirits up throughout the night, joked with nurses and doctors. the nice thing was both brothers came down to see him and middle bro gave us a ride home.

stitches should be out next friday. dad's usually very active, the past year he's lost almost 15kgs (this after he was told he had diabetes) through proper diet management and a rigid exercise regime consisting of weights and evening jogs. so this little interruption will of course not stop that feisty 62 (soon to be 63 in august!) old man!

my heart ached and i kept back tears the whole journey to the hospital. for years he's been the one accompanying me on my all-too-frequent hospital trips, and now that the roles are reversed, i know how helpless he must have felt every single time.

love you, dad. keep that upper lip dry!

Friday, July 17, 2009

goldfish crackers again!


goldfish compare
Originally uploaded by Snowfern

i put some up for sale on my etsy, but those are the 'normal' ones...these, i haven't made the packaging yet but they should be ready by..next week at the rate i'm working LOL

on a sadder note, I LOST MY DIME! *cries* that shiny dime i use in pictures is LOST! i hope i haven't accidentally tossed it out when i was packing my table yesterday....sigh...i guess i'll have to make do with a penny :(

spare a dime, anyone?

edit: I FOUND MY BELOVED DIME! :P

14000 views on my Flickr!


14000 views
Originally uploaded by Snowfern

yay~ first off, i like the number 7 and all multiples of it, especially the even ones! i don't know why, have always been this particular about numbers since i was a child! and i'm not sure if anyone notices, but whenever i make stuff, i try to make them in batches of 7 (time and material permitting), or price them in multiples of 7, or...ok nevermind... :P

so when i happened to look at the number of views i got on Flickr, i was pleasantly surprised to see such a nice even number! i seldom look at it, last i looked it was at 10k+ and i was all grumpy thinking "why did i miss the nice number to screencap"....

well, i got my doll mostly done for the contest, but it's late and i'm tired of squinting. can't wait for the deadline to be over, that way i can concentrate on other stuff, like the toybox commission and maybe even setting up a proper website! links and all! i haven't even completed the PREVIOUS checklist hrrrmph.

oh oh, and my vanilla raspberry cupcake prep board sold! i think the day after i put it up on etsy! and on the same day my brother bought a blackberry, so his N95 is now mine, all mine MWA HA Ha! i've already configured the wifi, so i can surf the net before i sleep too hee hee hee

ok, time to get some much needed rest. so many things to do, so little time and energy :(

Monday, July 13, 2009

Introducing: Madam Ang


I popped by Madam Ang's a few weeks ago, this is her current WIP. Pictured are sausages, abalone, pork belly and prawns, 'simmered' in a dark soy sauce broth.

a whole steamboat buffet! pretty typical CNY reunion dinner fare here in Singapore.

roasted suckling pig for special festive occasions like an elder's 80th birthday, a chinese wedding dinner or birth of a child.

peking duck! with chopped spring onions and hoi sin (oyster) sauce.
and my favourite of all her items, the Nonya Kueh display! these little cakes are often made with glutinous rice flour and coconut milk, you should try some if you visit Singapore!

Madam Ang was too shy to be photographed but she took out her favourite displays and asked if I could showcase the more typical local fare, we were both aware that majority of her caucasian customers are more keen on the bakery items but those are not her specialties! I concurred and happily snapped away at all her latest mini works!

Most of her items are of 1:8th or 1:10th scale, which I believe is more popular in European countries like Germany (can someone kindly verify this?) and made mostly of air dry clay. She also holds classes on how to create such beautiful local delicacies found in Singapore.

Since Yahoo closed their blogs, Madam Ang no longer has an online showcase, but I have already recommended Blogger to her, let's hope we see her presence online again soon!

You can view some of her previous works here:

http://theminifoodblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/fruits-veggies-ang-soh-kheng.html

If you're in Singapore, you can find her at the following address:

Sunshine Plaza
91 Bencoolen Street
#01-75
Singapore 189652
(Closed :( )

But! You can now keep in touch with her on her facebook page!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/%E6%B4%AA%E8%BF%B7%E4%BD%A0%E4%B8%96%E7%95%8C-Madam-Ang-Miniature-World/189437881112662

email: mdmang@yahoo.com

Raspberry Vanilla Cupcakes Prep Board


Raspberry Vanilla Cupcakes Prep Board
Originally uploaded by Snowfern

my very first prep board!

i think i like it :)

now available on my etsy store! everything handmade by me except for the stainless steel spoon and the tiny ceramic bowl holding the raspberries....the mixing bowl holding the frosting is made out of epoxy resin!

doggy cupcakes, and a whiny entry


fresh batch
Originally uploaded by Snowfern

and some older designs but made to be put up for sale on etsy :)

i got an ear infection, my left ear feels blocked and i haven't been able to 'clear' it so i've been given a course of antibiotics and the usual lozenges/cough mixture combo for my red throat :(

results of the blood test were...overall -ok- but i am showing signs of developing diabetes and i have a raised cholesterol level. sigh. the docs had already warned me that it would happen given my strong family history and my prolonged acute/chronic hypertension since 15, so it seems the inevitable has arrived.

BUT! i think it could be the durian i had on the night before the blood test. results were pretty borderline high, so i have to return in 2 weeks for a proper glucose somethingother test. coupled with this horrible flu/ear infection, i'm feeling rather crappy.

and no reply from that customer :(

what a crappy start to the week. at least i have already ordered the nozzles i'd been coveting for so long, so in a few weeks i'll have a new toy to play with YAY! time for meds.

/rant off

Sunday, July 12, 2009

More animal cupcakes, and frustrations


fresh from the oven
Originally uploaded by Snowfern

i'm awaiting response on these cupcakes, i think my customer has been too busy lately to reply :( i hope that's the case!

that aside, i ran around singapore trying in vain to purchase a PME 42C rope tip. on CDHM.org, some members have recommended we use these tips to make the wonderful meringues, however it seems it is not available here :(

and guess what, when i tried to purchase online, they quoted me a shipping cost of almost USD$42!!! i nearly fainted. i don't mind that they need me to verify and validate my address, but USD$42 for 2 tiny icing tips???? that cost USD$10? the hair on the back of my head prickles just thinking about it.

i've already mailed them and hope that their shipping calculator is faulty....i really am unable to afford paying that much for a 'want' and not a 'need' :( :(

is anyone out there willing to help me purchase these on my behalf?

*sighs heavily*

ok anyway. got a new batch of cupcakes in the oven, and will be making more tomorrow, i'm thinking if she doesn't respond by monday i will have to reject the order and list them up on etsy which kind of upsets me since i spent alot of time working on this request :(

*sighs even heavier*

g'nite :( let's hope i can get some sleep....

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

animal cupcakes!


animal cupcakes
Originally uploaded by Snowfern

a repeat customer requested some frog cupcakes for her daughter, and asked if i made any other animals...seeing as how i've never made animal cupcakes before these were certainly a challenge! and we all know how i love challenges :E

of course, these are the better bunch, i experimented with some before i was satisfied, even so i think there's plenty of room for improvement...but i'll leave that to tomorrow i need to do so many things!!

checklist time!

1) finish up tutorial for CDHM
2) send out 2 packages
3) sand and paint the furniture i made
4) make more cupcakes!
5) work on contest entry....i've completed the cake one, just need to finish up the doll.....i don't feel very motivated though :(
6) blog about visit to madam ang's for minifoodblog :D (this should actually be no. 2 on the checklist, but i forgot :X)
7) blog about teammids (i forgot too :X :X :X)
8) replace the links i stupidly forgot to save when i reset the layout for this blog. sigh.


ok! hectic day ahead i better get my energy levels up! nite all!