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Singapore has opened up post-pandemic, so the shop is re-opened for business! Sorry for the long wait!

The World of Chinese Fountain Pens

Model 999: Twin Dragons Play with Pearl from Chinese fountain pen company Jinhao

From 龙笔世家金豪钢笔 Taobao shop

Fountain pens, a product of the West would seem at first glance to have little to do with Chinese culture. However, China has a huge domestic fountain pen market.

Chongyang Festival 重阳节 October 28

Chongyang Festival

Chongyang Festival or the Double Ninth Festival is held on the ninth day of the ninth month under the Chinese lunar calendar. It is traditional on this day to climb mountains and to celebrate by admiring chrysanthemums which bloom luxuriantly at this time of the year, drinking chrysanthemum wine and eating chrysanthemum cakes. It is also traditional to pay one's respects to the elders on this day.

More about this festival: Double Ninth Festival

Frost Descending 霜降 October 23

Frost Descends Painting

Frost Descending 霜降 is the 18th solar term under the Chinese lunar calender. It is the last solar term of autumn and marks the arrival of the first frost when temperatures rapidly fall.

There is a custom in China of eating persimmons which ripen and are at their best during this time of the year. This is suppose to nourish your body and be good for your health.

There were persimmons in the basket in the living room but unfortunately they were all eaten up so I cannot take photos. Here's one of my paintings instead.

 

Launch of inkjadestudio.com!

I have an Etsy shop as well but Etsy recently sent all shops that accept Paypal only an email demanding that we accept their "Etsy Payments" payment system  by the 17th May 2017 or have our shops suspended.

Sellers who are unable or refuse to comply are forced to leave Etsy. Like many, I am keeping my Etsy shop for the traffic but I have decided not to keep all my eggs in one basket.

Hence, this standalone website ! I look forward to uploading my personal portfolio of art and crafts :)

My Chinese Yixing Clay Tea Pet

I was drinking Chinese tea on Sunday and decided to film my tea pet spraying water. :) He's a tiny  pig made out of Yixing clay. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0blMH9TUfQ

"One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eyes"

I made a miniature felted rose under a glass dome! This is part two in my "Little Prince" series. The sickly sheep is here. If you remember the book, the rose demands that the little prince place her under a glass dome every night to protect her from drafts. rose2 rose3 rose1 rose4 I gave this to a close friend as a present :)

Handmade Shea Butter Hand Balm

I made an ointment for the first time! This was for my battered hands. Ingredients: beeswax, unrefined shea butter, grape seed and pomegranate seed oil, lavender and rosewood essential oils. I put too little beeswax and too much carrier oil so it ended being really soft.  Works well except for being rather greasy so I use it before bed. Will put more beeswax and less oil next time. I don't really like the smell of rosewood but am trying to use it up.

Spunky Eclectic Falkland in the "Autumn" Colorway

Last month's 4 oz. Falklands handpaint has finally been plied and finished! If you remember, it originally looked like this: Handpainted Braid Spinning in progress: April2016spinning This braid had a melange of colors and I tried to separate the main colors but there was some blending and muddiness because of the way it was dyed. I then chain-plied everything. This was my first attempt at chain-plying. autumn1 autumn2

Three-Ply Bluefaced Leicestershire Wool Humbug Mix

My first attempt at 3-ply. The end result looks grey but it's really a mix of light and dark wool. BFL is softer than the Romney and the Shetland I've been spinning earlier. BFL3ply Comparison with the 2-ply Shetland. As you can see, the three-ply is rounder and thicker. 2n3ply

"Draw Me a Sheep" Dessine-moi un mouton

sheep Needle-felted Sheep Bag Charm Well, I needle-felted one but I never needle-felted an animal before so I'm afraid this sheep looks a bit...sickly...perhaps. In honor of the famous scene from Le Petit Prince.