Friday, January 29, 2010

See You Tomorrow!


Don't forget to bring your own shopping bags, lots of cash (cause there are no ATMs within close proximity) & some fun loving friends too! ;)

More info here.

Paper Monarchs




These delicate Monarch butterflies were handmade by paper artist, Daniel Sean Murphy. Don't they look so lifelike? And Mr Murphy actually handpainted 350 of these lovelies! I'm in awe.

Via Happiness Is.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Mimpi ♥ Chic POP



As I'm about to head out the door in a frenzy to get ready for this Saturday, I took this off Chic Pop's FB event page! :P

Hi guys! I hope you're all ready to spend some money cos the 1st Chic POP: Street Market by Tongue In Chic for Year 2010 is here! Its time again to have a fun day out with all the shopping, freebies, food, drinks, music and a whole lot of pampering! We'll have:

* Ice cream by Lecka Lecka
* Manicures
* Tarot card reading/ Chakra reading
* Makeover booths by Clinique
* Massages by Pure Energy Spa
* and learn about the power of digits with Visiber.

Here's the list of vendors that will be coming aboard this time around:-

An Old Flame/ ThatGirlCynthia
AvantGoD / Calvin Cheong
Baci Boutique
Brollies
Bunny Noo
CathyKatie
Chic Charity
Deoldies
Dirty Pretty Things
Grazioso
Hometoomuch/ Ring Apartment
i-love-ewe
ILoveSnackFood
Itsy Beadsy
Kooky Thing
Lah Lah Land
Lush Serendipity
Melinda Looi
Mimpi Murni (that's me!)
My Favouritees
Past & Present
Phat Culture
Quirky Brown Cow
Soak Republic
The Aura Gems
The Click Shop
The Eff Bombs
The Shoplifters
The Survival Store
Things Eye Made
Tongue in Chic Picks
Trendy Confessions
Unitenderblush
UsUsUs Clothing
VaVaVoom Fashion
Wheel Love

So don't miss out on all the fun & we'll see you this Saturday! More info below:

Date: Saturday, January 30, 2010
Time: 12:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: TTDI Plaza, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, KL


 Here's a little sneak peek of what I'll have available along with plenty of other brand new designs

So don't miss out on one of KL's most anticipated bazaar. See you real soon lovelies! xoxo

Tea Sub


Being a huge tea drinker, I'm loving this kitschy tea infusion thingamajig! Doesn't it remind you of the song "Yellow Submarine" by The Beatles? Dubbed the Tea Sub & designed by Ototo, I have a feeling this wll sell really well once the movie comes out.

Via Black*Eiffel.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

DIY Braided Rug



I have tonnes of fabric remnants & when I saw this braided rug tutorial I knew it would be the perfect solution to use them up! The color combo on Moda Bake Shop's version is just so sweet & pretty that I can't wait to get started.

Via Free People.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Flowers


Picture from A Creative Mint

I know I've said it before but I just love floral arrangements that look lush & a little wild. These pictures have got me inspired to go get some flowers at my fave florist in Bangsar which I haven't done in a loooong time. Can't wait to see what my florist has in store!


Picture from Spagat

Via Decor8.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Babushka Flash Drive


If you ever find yourself in a stump & you don't know what to get me as a present, I'd like it to be known that I'll never say no to a Babushka Flash Drive from Delight. Just sayin' ;)

Via Benign Objects.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Honeymoon Envy


 Ok. I now have serious honeymoon envy. Not that I'm going on a honeymoon anytime soon but man, this couple really have it made! Here's the background taken off 100LayerCake:

"Emily and Stefan met in Ohio while Stefan was an MBA exchange student at Emily’s university. After graduation, Stefan had to return to Germany. Boo! So they did the Trans-Atlantic long distance thing for 2 whole years. Very impressive. After they finished their studies, they got married and have literally been traveling on and off ever since (from their home base in Munich). 35 countries and counting… the most awesome perpetual honeymoon ever."

Now, don't tell me you're not jealous! More about this (lucky) globe trotting couple over at their blog Servus Muchen.

Via 100LayerCake.



Psst! If you're a frequent traveler you might want to download & print out this extended travel packing list done by Emily. It covers everything & anything you could ever think of for your traveling needs.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Lim Heng Swee

I was checking out the artists' profiles for the Threadless + Griffin iPhone cases I just blogged about earlier & noticed that one of the designers is from Malaysia! How Malaysia Boleh huh? Lim Heng Swee has had 16 designs printed on tees by Threadless to date as well as an iPhone case! Very cool.

I took a gander at all of his printed designs & I must say that I love all of them! Here are a few of my favorites that I hope will be reprinted someday soon (they're all sold out!)...




Threadless + Griffin


Threadless + Griffin = one awesome case! from Threadless.com on Vimeo.



My fave tshirt company, Threadless, has paired up with Griffin Technology to come up with some iPhone cases with artwork from the Threadless community! So far there are only 5 designs available but I'm eying this little number below. I think it's perfect for my iPhone... plus there's a hint of pink! Nice.


Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Su Blackwell



Remember the video from earlier on? Well, Su Blackwell was one of the artists featured on the show. I did a little link clicking & boy, am I happy I did! Just check out her amazing paper-cut book sculptures! These images just solidified my love for all things paper cutting.

 


Via Threadbanger.

Paper Cutting Art On Decor It Yourself



What do you get when you combine two (of many) of my favorite elements, paper cutting & Threadbanger? A really awesome DIY video, that's what! I've been lusting after that Tord Boontje lamp that Meg features in the video too. Oh, and I love the advanced paper cutting art she features towards the end. Might just check them out & share it with you here in a bit ;)

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Enchanted Dolls



My jaw just hit the floor when I saw these Enchanted Dolls. These porcelain dolls are all ball jointed making their poses very life life and are all completely handmade by Marina Bychkova from their silk hair right down to their Swarovski crystal beaded costumes! I love their little dreamy eyed faces & the characters Ms Bychkova creates. I wish I could get my hands on one of these dolls but the $1,985 CND pricetag (for a nude doll with no customization) has got this girl only dreaming.

Via Yellow Goat.




Monday, January 18, 2010

Dream



Just a little reminder to dream courtesy of a talented teen photographer Frenchie Allen. Happy Monday folks!


Via Design Is Mine.

Friday, January 15, 2010

A Plea For Help

For those of you who regularly visit this little ol' abode of mine on the www would know, I always try to keep it happy-clappy here. However, there comes a time when certain things can not be ignored. I am on a few animal welfare mailing list & today I received quite a number of emails uncovering MORE appalling conditions of the Klang Municipal Dog Pound. In the past I have refrained posting anything upsetting because like I said, I wanted to keep this space a positive one so please forgive me as I'm about to rock your boat if you are not already aware of this particular situation. I'll let the pictures do the talking...


Pitiful suffering




The dogs are kept in overcrowded pens with the little food provided splashed all over the floor. Most of the dogs will not get to eat & will eventually starve.



These poor pups are too scared to even move & are most probably bullied.



A mother dog protecting her babies. This photo really had me crying.



Some the dogs that were taken in are obviously someone's pet. This guy in the front even had a collar on! The dog catchers are paid an incentive which has resulted in them going out to catch dogs at all times of the day. Apparently their favorite time is about 6 or 6 pm when pet owners come back from work & release their dogs to ease themselves. Sneaky buggers!




This is the man responsible for the carnage. Shame on him!

More pictures & info at Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better. I urge you to click on the link to get a better idea of what sort of cruelty our government is getting away with. It is truly appalling & we really need to do something about it. Apparently
the Klang Municipal Council’s dog catching unit is going on a rampage as the dog catchers have been given incentives for every dog caught which has resulted in them going out to catch dogs at all times of the day regardless if they are strays or someone's pet! What if it was your dog caught & put through this hell?

And so, if you are appalled as I am, please forward this to all your animal-loving friends & heck, to anyone you know who has a heart to alert them of this atrocity being propagated by the government that WE  the rakyat have chosen. Remember, only WE the rakyat can give them a swift kick in the ass for being such numbnuts!

Please, from the goodness of your heart, email the government reps & bodies below with this email prepared by Ms Davina Goh to voice out your concern (or in my case, anger!). Remember now folks, all you have to do is click on the link above, copy + paste the email & send it to the email addresses below (
The emails are that of the Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, the state executive councillors, Klang Municipal Council officials as well as the Klang MP Charles Santiago). Let's flood their inboxes & make them sit up & take notice!



DIY Containers


Who here loves Martha Stewart? Yeah, me too! If you love crafting, chances are you heart Martha big time. I just can't over her (& her team's) craftiness & amazing resourcefulness. What would I give to be able to join their team just for day....

Anyways, spotted this simple tutorial for turning those bamboo steamers (which you can get at your local grocery store - well, at least here in Ampang you can) into a smart container for your desktop supplies. Now, I'm not sure I'd try to use a wood-burning tool to create the labels but I love the thought of turning something as unsuspecting as a steamer into something totally useful & utilitarian. Plus point: as it's made with fast-growing bamboo it's eco-friendly too! Love it.

Via CRAFT.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Origami Club



Origami Club is officially my new favourite site on the world wide web. They have a massive collection of origami tutorials that range from easy to complicated & there's even an animation of the tutorial to help you understand the folds! In case you or the kiddies in your life have never done origami before, now is the perfect time to give it a go. Have fun folding!

Via Design*Sponge.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Everything Style



I love the vintage inspired fashion shots on Everything Style Blog. After you've feasted your eyes on all the eye candy on the blog, skip on over to the blogger's eBay shop Lullie Vintage Clothing & before you know it, you'll be adding stuff into your shopping cart.

Via Creature Comforts.







Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Bukit Tabur Hike

Warning: long post ahead!

Last Saturday the boyfriend asked me out of the blue, "hey, you wanna go hiking at Bukit Tabur with the buddies tomorrow?" Being an adventurous person (although quite unfit as am also a certified couch potato), I said yes without much thought & preparation even though I didn't even know where Bukit Tabur was much less ever hiked before (turns out it's in Melawati which is where I went to primary school!). I've done some trekking so I thought it couldn't be much different, right? Wrong. Folks, if you've never gone on a proper hike before (I don't consider going up 8 flights of stairs hiking anymore) please for the love of God don't start with Bukit Tabur like I did! I am very proud of myself for having conquered the hike but after doing a bit more research past my first cursory Google search on the night of the hike, I wouldn't have done it without building up my stamina & experience. I mean seriously, would you do it after reading an article titled Ill Fated Hill?

Luckily I went with a few experienced hikers so I was in relatively good hands although the rugged terrain really put a strain on my soft, pampered & grossly unprepared body. Needless to say, I was at the back of the pack & the nails on my two big toes are turning an interesting shade of purple from wearing too-tight shoes on the hike (I wore my scuba booties because I read on one site that rubber shoes like my booties have excellent grip which would be perfect for rock climbing. Dumb move).

Now don't get me wrong. Parts of the hike were highly enjoyable & the views were spectacular but you need to be prepared for the rugged terrain of sharp rock formations, very steep & unforgiving climbs & drops, balancing on thin ridges & some rock climbing with a potential 30m - 100m fall. If you have a fear of heights, you can just forget it altogether.

Here are some pictures from our hike...


We started out quite late at 8:20am so the mist was beginning to clear up over the Klang Gates Dam. This shot was taken at our first proper pit stop.




A spot of relatively easy rock climbing. Cheh wah! Now I can action lah :P



The view of the Klang Gate Dam a little higher up & proof that my boyfriend can actually smile!



Trying to be the Tugu Negara at our last pit stop before reaching the peak. You can see that I'm burning under the sun as my sun block wore off about an hour ago.



Only known as the Second Rope on the trail, this is the steepest climb with no visible place for you to land and if you slip or let go of the rope, the fall is 100m down. Roger here makes it look so easy. Do not be fooled.



I'm laughing at something my boyfriend was saying to me as he took this shot while I climb up this approximately 20m high rock formation although I really should've been concentrating on my footing! Oh, and you see that back pack I'm wearing? I've had it for over 10 years now & it's been all over the world with me. That's EastPak for you folks.

More pictures here over at my Flickr account.



Now one hike up Bukit Tabur does not make me an expert so I highly recommend you read all of these sites that I'm linking below before you attempt it.

The Crystal Ridge
is an excellent blog that documents everything you need to know about Bukit Tabur is a must read! They even have a Facebook group that I just joined.


Ill Fated Hill
on The Star Online


Hiking at Bukit Tabur
on BackPacking Malaysia


Klang Gates Quartz Ridge
on Nature Escapes


Bukit Tabur hiking and back alive to blog about it!
An entertaining blogpost I wished I read before going on the hike so that I would have had a more realistic picture of the hike.

Google Map


If you're determined to go on the Bukit Tabur hike after reading all the posts above, please say hi to two very special dogs that you'll meet up on the hike for me. I personally spent some time with the brown female dog known to some as Ah Wong (but christened Toughie by Roger) as she followed me up till the First Rope after I gave her some water & she was excellent company when I was
separated from my group for awhile. I also gave her my nasi lemak as I waited for my turn on the rope & the next time I go, I'm bringing some proper dog food (although I think she enjoyed the sambal). The other black & white dog I saw at the foot of Bukit Tabur but I'm sure is just as tame & sweet as Toughie.



What's so special about these dogs you ask? Well folks, they can hike, trek, jump rocks & have been known to alert hikers of snakes! Amazing I tell ya. So remember k? Be kind to them as you should be towards all animals. And bring some dog food while you're at it!

All in all, I really enjoyed challenging myself on Bukit Tabur. Would I do it again? Definitely! But first, I'm going to jog more often & try some other tamer hikes before I tempt fate again. Right now, I'm going to book myself a nice massage session & then later see the doctor about my darn purple toenails (read the second paragraph above).


Happy trails folks!


P/S: I wanted to add that the hikers I met on Bukit Tabur were super friendly & extremely helpful. The trail was packed with people on Sunday & from what I've read that is usually the case on weekends. Do give way to those coming down the trail & if you're tired make sure you give way to others to overtake you too. Oh and don't forget to say hi or smile to your fellow adventurer :)

Graham & Green



I have to admit that I have a thing for quirky chotskies & these vases by Graham & Green are right up my alley especially the birds. As my buddy Farhan would put it, "it's SO Mimpi!"

Via Oh Joy!

Monday, January 11, 2010

DIY New Year's Garland



It's still not too late to celebrate the new year ya' know so I'm so going to whip this simple felt garland from Purl Bee for the next celebration at our place (we're planning a little something soon). I love the bright colors & how it bubbly fun it looks plus the best part is that it's totally reusable & definitely not your typical party decoration. Now where did I stash my invisible thread...

Friday, January 8, 2010

3 Decades + 1 Million Toothpicks

 

Scott Weaver started in fourth grade, laying toothpick after toothpick for this (somewhat interpretive) model of San Francisco’s downtown. After more than three decades of gluing and stacking, his display is complete—and completely amazing at that.

Via ReadyMade & dornob. Don't forget to check out the video interview on dornod too!