BlackIris Design

Yum Yum Friday: Japanese sweets - Goma Tamago Black Sesame Eggs and Mochi

2012-02-10T01:16:00.001-05:00

I've always liked Japanese Mochi, they are so delicious! Made with glutinous rice and often have red bean or sesame flavour fillings. I couldn't leave Japan without some! While looking for Mochi to bring home from Tokyo souvenir shop, we came across this strange looking dessert that looked like eggs. The sign said, # 1 seller so we decided to purchase a box.

Goma Tamago is a famous dessert snack made in Tokyo, it means black sesame egg. As usual, the packing for this snack is very pretty, each "egg" was individually warped and even came with a small little packet to help each egg to stay fresh. We couldn't find any English writing on the box so we really didn't know what to expect.

As you can see, the egg has a white chocolate outer layer and some generous amount of black colour sesame filling. It didn't disappoint, the egg tasted very much like Sesame as expected while the outer layer had a mild chocolate taste, I can also taste the cake like texture layer. Such an interesting combination.

Back to Mochi... I was a little disappointed with the box of Mochi we purchased. The picture on the packing looked really nice, showing 4 different flavours (black sesame, white sesame, green tea and something pink), however the taste was exactly the same for all 4 of them! There was a slight differences between the 2 sesame ones and the green and pink ones, but that is only because it was rolled with sesame! I've had much better Mochi in Toronto!

Since I like Mochi so much I think I am going to make some myself. I almost purchased a mochi cook book in HK but decided I should just look up some recipes online. After all, once you learned how to make the glutinous rice part, you can pretty much put any filling you want in there, kinda like baking cookies.

So I googled mochi recipe and found some videos, its interesting how each "housewife" has their own way of making mochi. Of course mochi originated from China and I like that version with coconut too, however I like the Japanese style even more! :D

Chinese style Mochi, Demonstrated by Old Chinese lady:

Korean style

Finally the Japanese version! I don't think I want to put strawberries in mine but the basic technique is there. btw, look at the well trained dog! :D

So there you have it, 3 ways of making mochi, the Korean and Japanese one seemed similar. I think I will eventually try all 3, I will blog about it and take lots of pictures for sure.

On another note, I have been too busy to write a Yum Yum post every week, I will try to blog as often as I can and when I do, the Yum Yum food posts will still be on Friday! You can also click on the menu tab on top to view my latest as well as previous food posts!

Have a good weekend

^*^I^*^

2012 Goals

2012-02-08T18:07:00.002-05:00

I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks 24 hours a day is just not enough time. It is good to have a solid plan, making better time management decisions. Having the physical strength to keep going/ staying awake is also very important. That is why I have made some plans for this year, for BlackIris as well as for myself. This might seem a little late since it is already February, however I feel like this year has just began for me because I was away in Jan and was in a lot of pain after the trip. I also thought the timing is right because my birthday is coming up :) It is a good time for a new start.

1st and the most important goal: Stay Healthy!
I have been exercising on and off last year but wasn't able to commit to it for more than 1 month at a time. This year I will try my best to commit to a 3 times a week exercise goal. Maybe when it is warmer I will take up jogging? I'm also going to try to eat more healthy diet (not that I don't already) but I think I can do even better (such as drinking 8 glass of water a day and maybe cut back on those starbucks drinks).

2nd goal: Focus
I have lots of ideas swimming in my head but sometimes I lack focus and don't know where one to start. I will try to focus and create a more cohesive identity. The more I think about it the more I see how each of my lines can flourish if I focus.

3rd goal: seek those who share the same passion
meet more people who share the same passion and excitement for Fashion / Culture / Art / Food and Cats as me :) I will force myself to attend more classes/ social events even when I feel comfortable being a home body.

As for BlackIris, do expect to see more this year: Sparkle, Bold, Dark and Cute.
Bridal line will launch in March and a few other collections in the following months. You can also expect to see some handbags! Yes, party perfect clutches to go with those statement jewellery! And in leather too!

I will also participate in more shows in 2012. Last year I participated in the Toronto Clothing show and it was a good learning experience. This year I would like to try different types of shows.

And hopefully, more collaboration projects with some creative souls :)

Thats all for now, wish me luck :P

Craft supplies in HK & Tokyo

2012-02-07T16:35:00.000-05:00

I meant to post this sooner but I have been swamped with work lately so I haven't had a chance to upload pictures. Craft supplies makes me so happy, and it is also my #1 spending category *_*. I always tell myself, I am using it for my business but really I think I have a bit of a supplies addiction :P So naturally, I did a bit of supplies shopping during my trip, and I wish I could spend more time looking things to bring home but I can only carry so much. I also wanted to test out the quality before I commit to buying in bulk. So, for now, I just have to make good use of what I got.

Hong Kong Supplies
First stop is the Beads and Gems street in Hong Kong. It is MTR accessible, located at Sham Shui Po, the exit is label Gem district so you won't have trouble finding it. When you get to the ground level you will see a street sign that directs you to the particular street where they sell lots of beads, semi precious gem stones, crystals as well as various sewing supplies. To be honest, I could spend a week there and I probably will still find something new. Even though the younger store owners can speak some English, it will be good to go with someone who can speak some Chinese (Cantonese is even better).

The stores are truly amazing in terms of how they maximize their display space. I saw walls and walls of beads, findings, chains and leather cords! Pretty much every single store was like that in that district! I felt like a kid in a candy store! Unfortunately I was too overwhelmed so I sort of forgot to take more pictures. It doesn't help that the store aisles were so tiny so I was concentrating on not knocking things over instead of snapping cool pictures.

This whole store was filled with rolls and rolls of leather straps, robes and they were from floor to ceiling and came in many different colours! probably almost any colour you can think of!

more leather...

The first time I went to the beads street was on a Sunday, I wasn't sure if they would be open but was really glad to find that some stores remain opened. Most stores accepts walk in retail as well as wholesale but I was told by a friend that one should bargain with them a little when buying bigger quantities because they will never give you the real price (most wholesale prices are not listed, so it is really up to the owner to name you a price).

*Shopping Tip: BRING CASH! Even if you don't know how to bargain, a good way of getting a small discount is telling them you are going to pay cash. Even though most stores probably accept credit cards, don't be surprise if they say cash only.

I went to store after store and thought I would go back to them later after doing my round, but that was a big mistake. You will never remember which store you went into because they all look the same! It is a good idea to drop down their name or get a business card and write down the exact items you are interested in from each store. I never had that problem when shopping for beads in Toronto because we have very limited supplies here. I didn't end up buying anything the first day but I did go back on a weekday to make some purchases.

The price range varies from store to store, some are a real bargain on its own even without out bargaining with the owners. Some things were sold by weight, which I found awesome! Other things like Semi Precious stones are more or less the same if you buy just retail quantity, similar to the stores owned by Asian ladies on Queen street when item is discounted. To my surprise, I also found their prices for crystals to be on the expensive side, perhaps because I have red hair so they automatically gave me the "Tourist Price"? *_*

In the end I left with some really cool chains, antique colour charms, some display neck forms as and some rhinestone components for my bridal line. I wish I could have bought more but I seriously felt sorry for my aunt because she accompanied me to all these places and when it comes to craft supplies, I tend to lose track of time.

I love these large caterpillar chains, they immediately reminded me of a spine :D

Couple years ago I designed some harnesses but since the selection in Toronto was so limited at the time, I couldn't find the right type of chain. I almost saw them out of sheet metal but was afraid it would be too heavy, not to mention it would be a lot of work to saw out all the details *_*, so you could imagine my excitement when I saw these chains, they are be perfect for it .

Spinal Harness work in progress (mix of gunmetal, brass and gold tones) This will be a double sided harness, the spine could be worn as a spine on your back or front as shown in picture. Still undecided, I might add some leather... hmm

Tokyo Supplies

Kiwa Craft Supplies
As you might have read, I was sick during my Tokyo trip so I didn't get to do much craft supplies shopping, but the stores I went to were pretty cool. In my previous post, I talked about Kiwa craft supplies store, they have various locations in Tokyo and the staffs were very friendly. Here are the supplies I picked up:

Swarovski crystals faceted cabochons and pretty bezel ring base. They were sort of expensive but I really like the details. I might just keep some for myself... I also picked up a book and few beading patterns, even though I can't read them they do have some pretty detailed picture instructions.

Here are some "sneaky pictures" of Kiwa store, note that photography isn't allowed there but I thought my readers might be interested in shopping there when they go to Japan :)

Over all I think the prices were higher than the usual craft supplies I purchased in Toronto but they do seem to have more colour metal options and the products seem to be more detail oriented and better quality. I am also amazed at their large variety of chains, the rhinestone ones are really pretty! I don't think I will be able to order off their website because it is mostly in Japanese and shipping is probably pretty expensive, but hopefully I will go back there again soon.

Tokyu Hands is another store that DIY lovers should check out. They have everything from model making, wood work, sewing, clay, leather, PMC, scrapbooking, stamps, resin cast, metal cast to your basic stuff like beading supplies and much more. If you are looking for special hobby tools, they probably will have it.

sewing supplies

sewing machine for leather sewing

tons of leather in all the colours you can think of

more leather and books on how to make things with leather

various studs you can use to embellish leather

stamps

more stamps and they have a lot more!

ink pads... they have all kinds of ink pads for any surfaces!

scrapbooking stuff

Because the store is multi levels and each level is huge, just be prepared that you will get really tired just from browsing. Each level is divided into different sections, again it will be smart to get a map and write down the things you need from each section. I went to Tokyu Hands twice during my trip but I still felt like I didn't spend enough time there!

*Remember, most stores in Japan close pretty early compare to North America, 8pm usually, some may open till 9pm in busy areas like Shibuya, but it is best to get there a little early and pay attention to their store hours just to make sure you have enough time to browse. Going there early in the morning is a good idea, there are less people and staffs are less busy.

I hope you enjoyed my craft supplies review, next time I will seek out more stores and take more pictures!

^*^I^*^

Tokyo Diary Day 6: Harajuku street, Kiwa craft store

2012-02-01T15:47:00.001-05:00

Last day in Japan. We decided to revisit Harajuku area because I didn't get to see much due to my sickness. I felt much better but still taking it easy on my stomach with a bread and cake only diet. This time, with some instructions, we walked instead of taking the train there. Our path was a little windy but we arrived there in about 15 mins as expected. it was still pretty early in the morning so not all shops were opened. We wandered into a ceramic shop and bought a miniature tea set as well as some plates for my display. I have been collection a lot of small props and plates this trip, and learned a few new display methods from the shops I've been to.

We continue to walk around Maniji Dori and eventually walked into one of the random department stores in the area. I am so glad we wandered into this particular department store because they had a lot of Lolita type clothing stores in the basement level. H.Naoto has a shop there as well. I tried on a few skirts and they looked cute but decided it would be hard for me to find an occasion to wear them in Toronto.

I'm not supposed to take pictures at these stores but here are some sneaky ones I took, you can see the style of clothing they offer.

Years ago I would have so bought that eye ball purse, I used to like getting things with eyeballs on it, after all, Iris is part of the eye...

We continue to walk around at the different levels of this department store and discovered a craft store! Kiwa is a craft store that sells mainly jewellery making supplies. The store was filled with crystals and all kinds of components. They had walls of pretty sparkling chains that made me drool! There were way too much stuff I want so I decided to take a break and go back later. We continued our journey to the jewellery shop next door which had some very interesting pieces and some very cool display ideas. After soaking all that visually stimulating images, we visited the store next to them which happened to be another Kiwa store! This one houses their cheaper lines of findings and components. However the quality is still much better than the stuff I've seen in HK or Toronto. They also had samples of creations by various artists made using their products. I left with a few things and decided to go back to their other store to pick up some bezel ring setting and crystals for the rings. They were a little pricy but all that sparkles made me want to take them home so badly :P

Again, some sneaky pictures to give you an idea of what Kiwa sells, even though pictures were not allowed, I feel like I was taking these pictures to show readers the awesome collections they have to offer, its really more like free publicity for them :P

Awesome deer display outside Kiwa store (there was a deer on their logo too)

Look at all the chains :D There were many walls of chains like these in different variety!

Some samples of what artists made with their products were shown through out the store to entice you to shop there

After my craft supply shopping we wandered back to Takeshita Dori, which we were at previously. We stopped by a cafe and had a quick lunch. I had a ham and cheese sandwich with sesame bread and Tomato soup which were surprisingly good. I think that was the most solid meal I've had in days. I decided I wanted to pick up more false lashes so we went back to the store where we got them on Sunday, the prices went up a little, which made me think that they have special sales on Sundays to attract people, next time I will make sure to go there on a Sunday again.

Suki outside Harajuku station

The famous entrace of Takeshita Street

Love this!!!

Many girls and young women in Tokyo wear short little skirts in the winter!

Lunch at the cafe

Later we walked to Harajuku Street where we accidentally found a H.Naoto store. I had to go in, H.Naoto was one of the brands I first saw on a Japanese magazine years ago. I've always liked their clothing, it is dark, gothic and artsy. I tried on a dress, unfortunately it was one size and was a little big on top :( It was a very pretty dress, even if I had no occasion to wear it to I was going to buy it if it had fit. me. We were getting tired so I didn't want to continue to look for something to purchase at the store, but next time I will go there again. (Somehow I wonder if I should have bought the dress) On the way back to the main street we stumbled upon the Hangry and Angry store, where my mom got me a small key chain from last year. Hangry and Angry are evil cat characters, a sub line of H.Naoto (this I found out after I came back), think blood and intestines and cats holding a chopper getting ready to kill :P In the end I bought another keychain, a girl cat in a dress. I've been collecting smaller items, I feel like if it were smaller I will have more space to collect more. When I got home I looked at the other keychain and was glad that I got a girl one because the other one was a boy cat, now I have a pair :)

suki and I outside the Hangry & Angry store

Hangry and Angry Store

Putumayo at Harajuku Street

H.Naoto at Harajuku Street

Wedding Box store, they have lots of pretty Kiminos

View from the bridge on the way to Cat street

Eventually we walked to Cat Street, which had no cats but a lot of small boutiques but we were too tired to look around, in the end we found our way back to the train track and walked towards our hotel. Harajuku really wasn't that far at all, our hotel really was in a good spot.

If you like shopping, Shibuya is a really good area to stay in Tokyo.

^*^I^*^

Tokyo Diary Day 5: Setagaya Boroichi Fair and Gotokuji temple

2012-01-31T22:12:00.001-05:00

I had some green tea cake for breakfast and it was good. After food we went to the Setagaya Boroichi fair (think street fair/ antique market), which happens only twice a year on January 15-16 and December 15-16. I was really looking forward to it because I wanted to get some Kimono scraps and maybe some cat stuff.

Green Tea and red bean cake for breakfast

After taking some time to figure out how to get there, we found our routes. From Shibuya we took a train to Sangenjaya station and transferred to a tram to Kamimachi stop. When we arrived at the station we asked for directions to the fair and it was very close by, the workers at the tram station were nice, and spoke some english. We were able to get directions from them easily. I also wrote down the name of the fair on paper to show them which helped. Next time I will just write down names of places just incase I need to ask for directions, even if they don't understand me there is a chance they can read it.

On the Tram

On the way to the fair

The fair was interesting, lots of people selling old stuff, some were antique some were just junk. There were new things being sold there too. I got some silk kimono scraps from this one stall and went back for more later. Not exactly sure what I'm going to do with it yet but that was something I wanted to get from the start.

old lady making pancake bun thing we ate

And a street fair is not complete unless you get some street food. We got some sort of pancake bun thing with vegetables inside, which we ate for dinner later on that day. I saw lots of cat stuff but only bought a few items, some post cards and a plate. We also passed by a stall selling wooden utensils, we bought some spreading knives, serving tongs and small forks, which we plan to use for dessert eating. Would have bought more stuff but we tried not to buy too much since we had to carry it with us to our next stop.

After the fair we went to Gotokuji, the famous lucky cat temple. It is 1 tram stop from Kamimachi, we got off at Miyanosaka. My mom went there last year and bought a big lucky cat for the shop. I wanted one smaller one that I can bring to craft shows with me. I also wanted to take Suki there so he can have a picture with the lucky cat :)

Kitty slippers, I got 2 pairs :D

more kitty stuff inside the store

On the way to Gotokuji we stopped by a store selling lots of cat items, the store owner remembered my mom and we bought some cat mugs, drinking glass and a bowl and some slippers, and of course all have cats on it!

People write down the wishes/ prayers and tie them to the tree

The temple did not disappoint, we went a little late but it was still bright enough to see the different buildings. The surrounding was clean and beautiful all the plants were well groomed. It was pretty quiet, not a lot of visitors, I guess because it was near closing time? We left with a lucky cat statue and a wooden lucky cat hanging decoration for Adam.

Suki meets Kami

Our last stop was at my mom's friend, Mr. Shimao's house, which happened to be pretty near the temple. They have a lovely home with fascinating collections of small objects. Their Cat Kami saw my suki and wanted to check him out. After quickly sniffing at him he realize this Suki was just a cardboard cut out. The cat sat on the floor by the heater and enjoyed his comfortable life as a well loved cat. That made me miss my Suki so much, only one more day in Japan and I will return home to see my kitty.

^*^I^*^

Kitty Tuesday: Various Cat items from my HK and Tokyo Trip

2012-01-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

Kitty Tuesday is back! This week I want to share with you some of the kitties I picked up from my trip to HK and Japan. There were many cute cat things, especially in Japan! They really love cats over there. I saw so many adorable cat stuff and actually saw people wearing kitty ears out in public, felt like I belong there!

First up is the a Kitty key chain my aunt gave me, and it looked very much like suki :) thank you aunt Peggy!

The head is moveable, as in you can turn it 360!

Some non traditional money pockets (traditionally in red), these have cats on it. They were all printed on shimmery paper!

And here is a kitty card /sign holder I picked up in Tokyo

One of my favourite things to collect is printed cards, here are various post cards and cards purchased from different locations in Tokyo

Picked up from Vendor at Setagaya Boroichi fair

Post cards from Tokyo Hands

Cards and stickers from Tokyo Hands

I also picked up some kitty jewellery, mugs and another maneki neko but I will share those with you some other time.

Hope you like the new cat items in my collection, more kitty stuff next week :)

^*^I^*^

Tokyo Diary Day 4: Harajuku Takeshita Dori

2012-01-30T12:13:00.002-05:00

Visited the Harajuku area today, I was told Sunday is the best day to go if I want to see people in interesting fashion. We took the train for 1 stop from Shibuya to Harajuku because I was not feeling 100% yet. My orginal plan was to walk there because it was only a 15 min walk from the hotel, not knowing exactly how to get there we decided the train was a safe choice.

View from the bridge at Harajuku station

As soon as we arrived at Harajuku, we realized the area was already packed! I wanted to go to the Meiji-Jingu Shrine but my mom was worried I might feel ill on the way there, we just took pictures at the gate instead, I would like to go there next time. After that we went to the Takeshita Dori, where lots of shops for young people were located. You can find all kinds of popular styles at these shops, most at affordable price. The street was full of people, some tourists but mostly local young people came out to shop.

I saw a really cute kitty skirt and tried it on, unfortunately it was a little too short for my liking. I did get a faux fur hat with bear ears though, it was such an emotional buy, probably because I felt cold that day. When I got home I realized I should have gotten the ear muffs instead, oh well, I will try to wear the hat on very cold days.

One of the very few costumes I saw

Entrance of Takashita Dori

I also purchased some false eye lashes! They looked very doll like (will post pictures in separate post), hopefully my eye lash application skill will improve and I can put these on easier. After walking around a little longer we decided to head back to the hotel. I was in no condition to be walking around, I felt drowsy and my stomach was still aching. We went back to the hotel and I had a nap, watched some game shows on tv and had bread for dinner.

^*^I^*^

Tokyo Diary Day 3: Jimbocho Book Town

2012-01-28T18:57:00.000-05:00

I woke up feeling a little congested, I had been traveling for 9 days and each day was eventful with lots of walking. I felt like I caught a cold. After breakfast I took some cold medicine and we went to Jimbocho (Jinbocho) book town, where many book stores selling both old and new books are located.

Jimbocho book town, where many books stores are located

Getting there was pretty easy, Shibuya station connects to multiple lines so we were able to get to our destination pretty easily. All we have to do is take the train to Jimbocho station. It was a really cold day, probably because it was windy. I didn't feel too well and had stomach pain. First store we went to was a children's book store, there we got a few cat related items, including some illustrated story books, flip book and some post cards. We went to a few more stores and at books Sanseido we purchased some more books (felt craft books for me). Shortly after that I felt like I should head back to the hotel and rest.

The walls of Jimbocho station was decorated with book graphics

Inside the subyway train, this is an older train, it even has a fan inside

After napping for a few hours we had a late lunch at a noodle house and bought some food for dinner, not sure if I ate too much of if something I ate didn't agree with my stomach. Long story short, I had stomach pain all night and eventually my dinner came back up *_* After that I felt better but I felt like my stomach was still weak. For the few days followed, no more yummy food. I ate bread every day :( I was seriously disappointed at my stomach because I didn't even get to try any Sushi or Izakaya!!!!

Another noodle meal, chicken and hard boiled egg

Pretty bento take out box, so colourful, too bad my stomach didn't like it :(

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Tokyo Diary Day 2: Shibuya 109 building and Purikura photo booths

2012-01-25T21:53:00.000-05:00

First morning we got up pretty early and was hungry for some food. Given our last experience we wanted to explore our options before we walk in a restaurant. However our stomach thought otherwise. We ended up going to McDonalds for breakfast, afterall we were very hungry and most places were not opened yet. At least we can point at the picture and know what to expect. The McDs in Tokyo was much cleaner and quieter than our usual North American ones. The servers were not over weight nor have bad skin (sorry for stereotype here), actually, they seemed to be pretty skinny like most people in Japan. Our McMuffins were ready pretty quickly but the hash brown took a little longer, they gave us a little number sign and later delivered the freshly deep fried potatoes to us upstairs where we sat. At home we rarely eat at McDs and I rarely make it there during breakfast time but I've had breakfast there before. I actually thought the McMuffin was better than the ones I've had in Canada, they were fresh! After our meal we decided to walk around Shibuya and get to know our area.

Our first stop was Food Show, an undergound market consist of many different food booths. The desserts there were so pretty they looked fake! There were many other delicious treats including ready made meals for people to take home. There was also a grocery store where fresh fish and produced were sold. Everything looked so neatly placed in perfect order. Everyone sounded very cheerful and polite.

grocery store looked so organized!

We also visited the famous loyal dog statue Hachiko, and Suki had his picture taken there too. located by the shibuya cross walk, it is a very popular meeting spot. For the whole time we were in Shibuya, it was never quiet, there were always people walking around.

Later on we walked over to the Shibuya 109 building, where there were many levels of fashion stores for girls and young woman. Each store had their own music going on, and sales people were very enthusiastic. Some of them looked so doll like I thought they were mannequins! Unfortunately I didn't find anything there, mostly because I was too lazy to take off my heavy jacket to try clothes on. Some girls commented on how cute my Suki cut out was. With the very little English they spoke, we were still able to communicate. I felt sorry for my mom walking around with me at such nosy places, I too felt it was too loud, maybe a sign that I'm getting old? :P The building mostly had women fashion but there were some guys clothes too, though mostly young people shop there. Photography wasn't allowed inside the building but here are some pictures I managed to snap discretely:

Girls like to buy these plastic parts to decorate their cellphone.

Phone plates with bling is very popular as well and of course there is a hello kitty store!

We took a break got some drinks at the vending machine outside and I accidentally discovered they sell hot drinks! I purchased a hot milk tea without knowing it was hot (which I actually preferred). They even had hot soup and red bean dessert soup! I wish vending machines in Toronto had that much variety!

After a quick lunch we eventually wandered into an arcade (Club Sega), where we took some picture at a Purikura photobooth. It was multi levels and had arcade games as well as the men heavy billiards and darts area. At Photo area, there was a big sign that said Women only. I wanted to try the photobooth ever since I read about it online. There are ones that automatically changes the size of your eyes to make them look bigger and doll like! Mom and I were trying to act goofy as instructed but the whole process went by too quickly with no english instructions at all, we pretty much guessed everything. The pictures turned out pretty funny, our eyes looked a little freaky too. I forgot to put suki beside us so he wasn't in the picture :( We didn't have time to take more, Next time! I will blog about purikura in the future in a separate post.

Eventually it got dark and we some how wandered back to our hotel area. Before that we passed by the Japanese 300 yen store called 3coins (sort of like a $3 store). The quality of goods were pretty good, I picked up a few display props and was surprised by the quality and price! If I were more confident about bringing ceramics home without breaking it I would have purchased more.

Further down the street was Tokyo Hands, a store I really wanted to go to. This 8 level building was huge inside, we pretty much stayed there until closing time. They sell everything from craft supplies to home products, pretty much anything you can think of. I didn't end up buying any craft supplies there by we went back to picked up some kitty cards the on morning of our flight. I was so amazed at all the packing supplies they have, everything was so pretty and in such good quality!

Tokyo Hands is located very close to Tobu hotel

See the machine on the right hand side? someone is trying to purchase food there.

We ate at a noodle bar at night, which we had to purchase tickets at a vending machine and give to the chef, a lot of small restaurants noodle bar type place has these machines. It was an interesting experience because there was no english writing, only pictures and japanese writing. We had to remember which picture goes with what name and match the writing to the buttons. After food we went back to the hotel and called it a day.

^*^I^*^

Tokyo Diary Day 1: Arrived in Tokyo, directions from airport to Shibuya Tobu hotel

2012-01-24T18:44:00.001-05:00

Arrived in Tokyo Narita Airport via ANA (All Nippon Airways). The service was good and seats were comfortable. During my flight, I watched a Japanese comedy about a young beer salesman- Japanese Salaryman Neo. I like the ANA airline more than Air Canada, the stewardess were friendly and the food was good.

baked salmon pasta and salad

beautiful view

Finding the way from the Narita Airport to Shibuya was not that difficult. We took the local train which was cheaper but had to transfer at Nippori.

Travel Tips: if you want to take the cheaper train to Shibuya, go down one level from the arrival area and buy tickets at the blue ticket booth, you can get a ticket including the trip to Nippori and the JR train to Shibuya in one, our ticket cost less than 1200 yen, much cheaper than the express train which is direct and takes only 1 hour but cost around 3000 yen. If you are worry about transfer, in a hurry or or have a lot of luggage, it is best to take the express.

Suki on the subway

The transfer was pretty smooth at Napporri station, the train platform was pretty easy to find. since it was a local train it took longer because they made more stops. There are announcements on the train but we could barely understand the train captain's english, good that they have led text display that shows each stops. The pre-recorded announcement on the JR train was much better and the display was clear too. It took almost 2 hours for us to get to Shibuya but we were in no hurry.

Finding our way out of Shibuya station took a while, must have took us 30mins to locate our hotel on the map. It was a little confusing because the map on my phone and other maps I've looked at on Google were different orientation than the map at the subway! I didn't expect that and was trying to match up the street names and landmark for a while. There were other travelers looking for their hotels too and we missed our hotel because we couldn't see that side of the map. When we found it we felt kinda dumb.

Eventually we found the right exit (Hachikō exit), but when we got to the street level we got confused again! It was already dark and we were at one of the busiest intersections in the world, the famous Shibuya cross walk which was an all way crossing intersection! It doesn't help that it was rush hour, there were SO MANY people and we weren't sure which street was the one we saw on the map. We dragged our luggages across the street and asked a few people on the way where the Parco department store was (a well known landmark near by), just to make sure we are going the right direction.

Tips: After you get our from the Hachiko exit, you will see a Starbucks across the street, the street on the right handside (facing you) is the street to Tobu hotel.

Eventually after pulling our luggage uphill for a bit, we arrived at the Shibuya Tobu Hotel, which actually was pretty close to the station and located on a main street. The clark at the front desk spoke english and the check-in process was very smooth and short. The hotel itself was alright, for the price we paid and the location, it was not bad at all.

The room was small as expected for Japanese hotel and the washroom was small too but was clean enough. My only complain was the lack of luggage rack and drawer storage. We had to leave our luggage on the floor with all our stuff still in it because there was no storage space for our clothes. There were some hangers and a small shelf above the hanging spot but that wasn't enough for 2 people.

There was a fridge in the room (nothing inside) so we were able to store some drinks and food in it to keep cool. The bed was alright, sheet was clean but the duvet cover had a few stains on it. There was heating in the room but I found it too warm and had opened the window at night, which actually cannot be fully opened, it was only a gap for some fresh air. There was construction next to our hotel but it didn't bother me too much because we were out during the day and we got up pretty early every morning.

Washroom was tiny but functional. The toilet will flush water as soon as you sit down, but you can press the stop button on the side, there are also butt washing functions which seems to be pretty popular in Japan. The seat was heated, a nice feature and the only feature I wish my toilet at home had :P Many public toilets I've encountered in Tokyo had flashing music option, people don't like others to hear their business.

After we settled down and took a little rest, we decided to go get some dinner. Not knowing the area too well we wandered into a random noodle shop. Once we walked in we realized they had no english menu or pictures inside the shop! Only Japanese writing written on the wall. My mom asked the chef what food the served and he showed her at their open concept kitchen, then pointed at the food another customer was eating. We decided to give it a try. It was the first time I had food that was a complete mystery to me.

open concept noodle restaurant

Hard boiled eggs seemed to be popular in noodle shops

Mystery noodle, I think the mystery meat is pork

The noodle shop was actually a famous one and had been there for generations. I find the soup a little salty but other than that it was an interesting experience.

After the meal we were pretty tired so we headed back to the hotel and went to bed. The location of the hotel is super, lots of shops and food places near by, just be prepared not all restaurants have english menus.

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Back from holiday

2012-01-24T01:59:00.000-05:00

It took me almost a week to reconnect with my online world, I have been living with limited internet access for the past 2 weeks because I was in HK and Tokyo. This trip was multi purpose, I visited family, researched about supplies and of course, I took a little holiday and soaked in the unique culture each city has to offer. A lot happened during my trip, lots of walking (ruined 2 pairs of boots!) and visiting people and places, at the end of each day I felt so exhausted so I did not have a chance to update.

Now that I am back I will be blogging about my discovery at the HK beads street and my daily adventure of the 6 short days in Tokyo. In the next little while you will see more blog posts and pictures, I won't post everything at once, but I have a lot to share with you.

For my fellow cat lovers, I also saw and bought a lots of kitty stuff! I will be reveling them on Kitty Tuesdays, which will be back starting next week.

Happy New Year to my Chinese readers! I leave you with a picture I took in HK.

Getting ready for the year of Dragon

Stay tuned!

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New site layout

2012-01-03T11:40:00.004-05:00

Have you visited my online shop lately? If not, check it out, you will find a new layout!

www.blackirisdesign.com

It actually has been up for over a month now but I didn't announce it on the blog so some of you may already have seen it. The new layout is designed with the end user shopping experience in mind. I made it more user friendly, easier to navigate to different parts of the site and sections. I also divided my jewellery into a few different main categories so it will be easier for visitors to find what they need.

Inventory is not completely up to date yet but I added a few things, more to be added soon. You may also noticed this new layout resembles my business cards, it makes more sense to create a cohesive look. I had wanted to change it for so long but redesigning the site was a task that requires a bit more time a planning so I didn't tackle it until I was sure of what direction I was going for.

I can finally say I am happy with it :) What do you think? Feedback is welcome :)

^*^I^*^http://blackirisdesign.com

Hello 2012

2012-01-03T11:08:00.000-05:00

My first post in 2012!!! Best wishes to everyone! I have been extremely busy the past couple weeks so I haven't been able to blog. Lots of work commitment as well as family gatherings. I hope you had a good christmas and spent some time with you love ones. :)

Christmas sweater was the theme this year, thanks Yvonne and Kathi for finding them. My sweater was a little big but had kitties on it, they know me well :) Adam actually looked good in is sweater, dont' know how that is possible :P it even had a few bells on it!

Christmas was interesting this year, I even learned how to knit! I was amazed how quickly I picked it up this time. The last time I attempted to knit was when I was around 8 and it seemed extremely difficult back then! I made a small bag for my camera, now it won't get more scratches from being in my purse :)

Not bad for a first project don't you think? :P I even accidentally made a pattern!

Adam was extremely thoughtful this year and got me surprise presents, which were not things on the list I gave him but things he thought I needed. I am now a proud owner of an iphone4s :D My old phone was a piece of crap, it freezes all the time gave me so much frustration. Not only does this new phone have a pretty good camera, we can facetime during my trip :)

I am also seriously impressed he remembered I wanted a Thing-A-Ma-Jig! For those who are thinking a Thing a what? It is a tool used for forming wire loops to create jewellery components. I was looking at it when I was in Michaels and mentioned it is a useful tool to have, he remembered it because it had a funny name! An impossible to remember name is actually easier to remember? Maybe that is smart marketing? Either way, I can't wait to try it out. I am really really really surprised that he was actually paying attention to me inside a craft store :P

Thing-A-Ma-Jig

Of course, the holiday doesn't seem complete unless I baked some cookies! Each year for a day I would get a little stressed because of the crazy cookie baking, and I never learn from my mistakes, being that I shouldn't take on that many types of cookies. This year I baked 5 kinds including Chocolate biscotti, cranberry almond biscotti, chi tea / earl grey tea / chocolate shortbread. I like variety, thats why I can't just bake one type. It has become sort of a tradition that I feel like people expected that there would be cookies. It is a good gift for any occasion and just about anyone, after all who doesn't like cookies? And they are made with love! If you are stuck with present ideas, try homemade cookies! :P

For New years even I decided to just stay home this year. Suki got his special new year dinner and ate it with no hesitation!

I baked my mom a blue berry flan for her bday, a little adjustment this time, which turned out to be the best flan I've made, looks pretty too too don't you you think?

Lastly, I have exciting news: I am going to be in HK and Tokyo in a few days! I will be visiting family as well as sourcing materials for future collections :D During the trip I will have limited internet access, and tons of meeting commitments, however if I get a chance I will blog, no promise though :P I have been doing some research for places to visit in Tokyo, some of the places I plan to visit include the Nippori fabric district, Tokyo Hands, Gotokuji Temple and of course Harajuku! I am also really looking forward to the Setagaya Boroichi Fair, which happens twice a year and will fall on one of the days I'm in town :D DIY is really big in Japan, therefore they have excellent craft supplies stores, some are multilevel stores! If you share the same craft crazy passion as me, you'll know how I feel about this hehe. I feel like I will be in craft supply heaven :D

I also have a little idea I am going to try to make happen during this trip, stay tuned and you will find out :P

Happy 2012 everyone!

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Recycling car parts into wearable fashion

2011-12-21T01:39:00.001-05:00

These days car companies are making short promo videos associating themselves with Arts and Designs, a gimmick to promote their cars, have you noticed this advertising trend? I saw a Volkswagen Art Heist video a while back that involves pop up art gallery on the street that features "art" people can take home, these Lexus videos kind of remind me of that.

You ask why I am featuring this on my blog? It has to do with fashion :P They created a mini series of videos about this fashion workshop featuring 4 designers with 4 different specialties (clothing, eyewear, jewellery and shoes). Their challenge is to use the parts from this Lexus CT Hybrid, which is supposed to be 90% recyclable, to create wearable fashion pieces. Even though I know this was made to sell the car, I still find their creative process interesting and the end results were surprisingly appealing and wearable. I love the idea of recycle/upcycle materials, just too bad this is a brand new car :P

What do you think of this type of promo videos? Does it make you want to buy their car or increase their "value" in anyway?

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Kitty Tuesday: Cat Christmas tree Ornament

2011-12-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

Its that time of the year again, and we are counting down to the last few days before Christmas. Suki seems to be unaware of the holiday season, everyday is pretty much the same to him. What he doesn't know is we got him special christmas food :D A wet food package (Wellness Healthy Indulgence - Turkey & Duck Recipe) I wonder if he will like it, I don't think he has had duck before but he sure loves turkey. We've tried many different brands before but we have been feeding him the same food for the past few years. All suki's food (dry and wet) are from Wellness, they are packed with protein and grain free, they cost a little more but for you cat's health its worth it. :)

Speaking of Christmas, here is a Cat Christmas tree Ornament in my collection. I'm not sure what it is made of but I feel like it is made of a light weight thin and almost glass like material. Yes this kitty is a little fat but thats what makes him cute :P He is also wearing a big heart charm on his gold chain necklace, like he is the king of hearts or something.

Doesn't Suki look good "wearing" the santa hat??? lol

Happy Holidays everyone.

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BlackIris in Auxiliary Magazine Dec/Jan 2011/2012

2011-12-19T22:13:00.000-05:00

BlackIris was featured in a fashion editorial in Auxiliary Magazine Dec/Jan 2011/2012. Stylist Tasha Farrington of Pretty Deadly Stylz did a kickass job styling the shoot. She paired my jewellery with creations from various designers (Plastik Wrap, With Love Lingerie and Wintergarden). The team also includes: Photographer Ema Suvajac, MUA Carrie Tibbs, Hairstylist Rachelle Gill and of course last but not least model Madaline Zanni who did great portraying both hard and soft looks.

Here is my favourite picture from the shoot featuring the Goddess of Forest Noir necklace

There are few more images, Click here to view the magazine.

Its so exciting seeing my creations in a magazine, I hope there will be more opportunities to come.

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Holiday Party Look - update your Little Black dress

2011-12-13T11:09:00.001-05:00

Holiday Party Look - update your Little Black dress by blackiris

Kitty Tuesday: Ceramic Cat sculptures by NotJustCats

2011-12-12T14:59:00.000-05:00

It is always nice to see fellow cat lovers making art inspired by their furry friends. Ceramic artist Christine Rademacher makes cute sculptures, which are available at her Etsy shop NotJustCats. The cartoon style cats are adorable, some even features funny captions that can put a smile on your face. Each kitty is hand sculpted and glazed to create unique characters. I like the shape of her cats, they are full bodied and some have big fluffy tails. Aside from cats, she also makes other animals like dogs, bears etc. Here are some sample pictures from her etsy page.

"Tail - Fullness" lol

Cats have attitude, I often feel like suki gives me the Talk to the Tail look.

What is a cat to do when there is a bird sitting on its tail?

And of course, a suki like cat :D

More kitties for you next week!

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Yum Yum Friday: Apple Cinnamon Blondie and fake blueberry products

2011-12-09T00:11:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago was the ArtBrownie exhibition opening, to celebrate the occasion, we decided it would be good to have some real eatable brownies. Since we got words a few artists were to bring some, we decided to make some blondies instead. If you don't know what blondies are, they are like brownies but without the chocolate, so it is lighter in colour hence the name blondie.

I found a recipe online from allrecipes.com, follow this link to view it.

All set and ready to be put in the oven

It was super easy to make and delicious too. Instead of 1 cup of white sugar, I used 3/4 cup of brown sugar. I think 1/2 cup would have been sweet enough too. The apple taste really came through, however the texture was more like a coffee cake instead of dense brownie. I'm not sure what happened, maybe I didn't do it right? Either way I would definitely make this again, brownie or coffee cake, it was easy to make and a crowd pleaser. I also want to try this with other fruits, pears or berries might be good?

Yummy!

Speaking of berries, somebody sent me a link on fake blueberry cereal, muffin mix and other products. Basically a lot products found in the grocery store claim to be blueberry but do actually contain any blue berries! They do however fake it with artificial colour and hydrogenated oils and liquid sugars.
See the Food Investigation video below:

Pretty scary stuff huh? I rarely buy blue berry flavour products anyways, prefer the fresh stuff. But if I ever buy blueberry products in the future, I will make sure to look at the box to see if it actually contain blue berries.

This also makes me wonder if blue berry muffins you get in coffee shops or in grocery store are made with real blue berries. I'm sure it is faster to produce them with muffin mix instead of making it from scratch.... *_*

Do you like to make your muffins from scratch or do you buy the quick mix?

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Kitty Tuesday: Cat videos

2011-12-06T09:04:00.000-05:00

Hello my lovelies, Kitty Tuesday is back :D Sometimes when I am bored I look up cat videos. This week I am going to share with you some cat related videos I found interesting.

Weird

Gordon Ramsay aint' got nothing on CatFace!

Totally adorable!

I took many videos of suki too, but my video editing skill is still lacking and I don't want to upload a crappy cat video, his very own youtube channel will have to wait :P but some day...he might just become the next youtube cat sensation hahahahaha

Do you take videos of you kitty too? If you have a video link, do share! :)

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Yum Yum Friday: Rock N' Peach Bliss Cheesecake from Recipe To the Riches

2011-12-02T01:00:00.000-05:00

I have always been a big fan of President's Choice products, I guess I am brand loyal because I often consider buying PC over other brands. Something about their products seem to speak to me. When I found out their products from the reality show Recipe To the Riches is out in the market, I had to try some! I don't know if I will end up trying all of them but I'm sure a couple of them will end up in my freezer.

"RECIPE TO RICHES is a new competitive reality series where each week, Canadian home cooks battle to have their original recipes become a President’s Choice product, win $25,000 and become eligible for a grand prize of $250,000."

Last week I purchased one of the winning products, from week 2, it is the Rock N' Peach Bliss Cheesecake by JACQUI KESELUK. Honestly the package of the product is what got my attention, I like the cute cartoon characters on these boxes! I was debating between the lemon pudding cake or this one, of course cheesecake is one of my faves so I decided to give this one a try.

Cute box!

For a frozen cheese cake this is pretty good. I don't usually like frozen cheesecake too much but I have to say I am impressed! I suggest you follow the longer defrost instruction and put it in the fridge over night instead of out in room temp for 2 hours. The first day I couldn't wait and had it out for the short defrost time but it wasn't long enough so some pieces were still a little frozen. The next day I was able to enjoy the cheesecake in its truer form.

It came with a plastic dome protector so the shrink wrap was not directly on the cheesecake.

There were plenty of reasons why I like this. First there was the caramelized brandied peaches, yum yum! It was light and not over powering. The cheese cake itself was light too and not chalky, which I really like. A pleasant surprise is the vanilla sponge cake, I wasn't expecting it, a nice twist on the crust and added good texture!

I hope they keep making this, I will definitely buy it again! I also want to try the winning icecream from week 6: Kulfi Karma ice cream by ROSY SOOBRATTEE, it is inspired by East Indian cuisine, can't wait to get my hands on it :P

Go try some!

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Fantasy Choker - Torn Fashion Editorial

2011-12-01T20:15:00.001-05:00

More fun stuff to share with you! I received some pictures from Photographer Olivia Ho from her fashion editorial workshop. I was contacted by stylist Kenisha P, asking to borrowing some of my jewellery for one of shoots, the themes (Torn), turns out I had just the piece she was looking for :) According to info provided by Kenisha, "Torn is about a women who finds herself in conflict between purity and mysterious religious bondage."

In a past entry, I showed you pictures of my fantasy choker and finally I got pictures of it being worn by a model! The resulting is quite stunning if I may say :P

There is nothing like seeing your creations on someone other than yourself, I am happy to finally see some of my jewellery in more professional photos :)

I feel like I am beginning to see some results from the projects I've been working so hard on for the last few months, giving me a boost of confidence and motivation to keep creating beautiful things.

If you are a fellow artist / designer, I hope you can sense my excitement and maybe get a boost of motivation from reading about my adventures. Good things will happen, you just need to work hard and keep trying :)

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Behind the Scenes - Mansion shoot with Veruca Cyn and Michael Zahra

2011-12-01T19:35:00.001-05:00

Its been a couple weeks since I last posted. Life has been super busy in Nov, and I am still battling a stubborn cold. I got so much to share with you and I promise I will be back on my regular weekly blog schedule :)

One of the projects I completed last month was a collaboration with my friend and fashion desginer Diana Phan (Veruca Cyn). Incorporating my jewellery with her clothing designs. The theme was a wonderland with a dark twist, something out of a fantasy world. I mixed in some of my existing designs and created several pieces that compliments her clothing.

This project is also her collaboration with photographer Michael Zahra, who has the most awesome secret studio!!! You can see it for yourself in my behind the scene photos:

Diana (Veruca) and Me

Some of my jewellery for the shoot

more jewellery

Model Alexandra getting make up done by Michelle

Diana (Veruca) gluing super long nails on Alexandra while she is getting her hair done by Jennifer

Getting powdered....

photographer Edwin and model Violet Love

and action

Michael working hard

The queen and her trusted solider

There are more photos but I didn't post everything here, you can view more photos here is you are interested.

I heard there are over 800 images from this shoot, I can't wait to see the final chosen pictures!!!

Thats all for now, hope you enjoyed my update.

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Kitty Tuesday: My Cat Art Brownies and Puss in Boots movie

2011-11-15T01:00:00.000-05:00

I've been working hard lately, I'm involved with several exciting projects, which I will share with you in the coming months. One of the projects I've been working on is for the exhibition titled The Toronto's Art Brownie shop. I will have a few Art Brownies in the show, here are my cat themed pieces, they will be available for purchase at INDEXG.

Brass nails on Wood

Curiosity

Stroll

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About Art Brownie:

"All works are in one standard format, each participating artist works on a mini canvas - a spruce wooden block measuring 2.5 inch square, 1.5 inch in height. We call the resulting art work Art Brownie, a small unique art piece."

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The show will be on at from 11/19/2011 - 12/18/2011
opening reception: Saturday, November 19, 2011 - 3-6 pm

Can't make it to the exhibition? The Art Brownie shop will continue to have a home at INDEXG, which means you can find my pieces there even after the show. For international collectors, their online shop will soon follow.

On another note, after waiting for a whole year, I finally saw the Puss in Boots movie over the weekend! It was very entertaining and a must see for cat lovers :D Not a dull moment and good movie all around, not just for kids but also adults. The rendering was quite nice, and of course, how can you resist those sad kitty eyes!!! If you haven't seen it yet go see it!!!!

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Yum Yum Friday: Cafe Uno at Distillery District

2011-11-11T00:00:00.000-05:00

Last week spent an afternoon with some friends at the Distillery district. It has been months since I last visited and I am happy to see some new shops. It was a very sunny day and we got there pretty early, the place got busier in the afternoon as people were there to do some gift shopping.

We stopped by Cafe Uno to have lunch. The interior was industrial meet bistro with plenty of seatings. I like the exposed bricks and chandelier.

Love the Chandelier!

There are plenty of food and drink options on their menu

I ordered Spinach Lasagna, and Mango Peach Italian Soda. The Lasagna was not bad, a pretty big portion, I'm glad I didn't order it with Salad. The food was homemade, not to greasy which I like. The Italian Soda was refreshing. I wish I had room to eat dessert but it was a pretty filling lunch. Next time I would like to try their pastry.

Diana and Sonia taking pictures of their food :P

Yummy goodies in pastry showcase

We also wandered into SOMA chocolate! It was in chocolate heaven! They had some pretty interesting chocolate I would like to try. I didn't get to take any pictures and was way too full to think about what kind of chocolate to purchase, but I sense that I will be making another trip back pretty soon :)

The day ends with a group shot of the 3 of us, I am still amazed that Diana managed to get us all in the frame with her super long arm!

have a good weekend!

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Kitty Tuesday: Crafting with Cat Hair book

2011-11-08T11:54:00.001-05:00

I was at Chapters book store the other day and saw this book by chance: Crafting with Cat Hair: Cute Handicrafts to Make with Your Cat. Believe it or not I actually thought about making things out of Suki's hair before I saw this book! We even have a jar of suki's hair rolled into balls, collected from us by brushing him. I didn't have much time to read the book since the store were closing, from what I saw, the instructions seemed easy to understand.

I think this idea is not for everyone, you might even think this is a bit gross, but I am sure a lot of cat owners love the idea of making felt out of their own kitty's fur too. :) Projects include: finger puppets, cat toys, tote bags and more, very eco friendly and your kitty will recognize his/her own scent!

You can view part of the book on the Amazon link here

The only question left is, what should I make with this jar of kitty fur???

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Fantasy Corset Choker

2011-11-03T12:48:00.000-04:00

I've been working hard all week finishing my latest project, a Fantasy Corset Choker! I've always wanted to make a corset chocker necklace with fabric but making it out of wire was something I didn't think would be possible until this year. I've been working with wire for couple years now and it is definitely one of my favourite materials to work with.

This choker is the biggest most complicated piece I've made so far, and I plan to create more fantasy looking pieces like this in the future. Its very fairy tale fantasy inspired and of course, with a dash of Victorian influence too. I am also going to work on a black version, it will dark and gothic :D

I made the "spines" with wire, and weave wires with fresh water pearls and crystals in between to create my own "fabric". The spines are like the boning you find in corsets, and the back is tied together with lace ribbon. This is not a necklace you can put on yourself, like traditional corset, you will need another person to help put you tie it.

It is hard to tell how it looks like without someone wearing, I promise there will be pictures with it on a model soon :)

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Kitty Tuesday: Halloween pumpkin cat trinket box

2011-11-01T10:57:00.001-04:00

Hope you all had a happy halloween last night. Even though halloween is over, I think posting a halloween related cat item today is still fitting. Here is a little jewellery trinket box from my collection, yes I bought it because it has a black and white face like suki :)

Love the glowing red eyes and sharp gold "fangs", made the kitty look more "scary" :P. It looks like it is made with brass and coated with resin, actually has good weight to it so it won't tip over.

The little pumpkin opens up, probably can hold some small rings and earrings. cute :)

I am often jealous of people who can dress up their cat, Suki will never let me put any thing on him, not even hats or bow. I think he is naturally already in a costume anyway, black mask and tuxedo, always ready for a masquerade party!

I shouldn't bother him when he is trying to sleep in a tiny box, look at that face, he is clearly annoyed :P

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Sugar Skull makeup and Ben Nye final Seal review

2011-10-31T19:25:00.000-04:00

Halloween came and gone, I am so looking forward to next year already. I like halloween more than Christmas or NewYearsEve celebration. Its just so much fun, I get to dress up and be a different character each year and see what others came up with too. This halloween I decided to go out as a Half Sugar Skull Lady, and I convince Adam to dress up as a Sugar Skull guy. I have no idea why I picked this costume, I came to conclusion quite quickly this year, maybe I just wanted to play with makeup. Sugar Skull is part of Mexican Day of the Dead tradition, you can read more about it here:
Calavera
Day of the Dead (Dia De Los Muertos)

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It is very easy to put together this costume, most of the makeup I already had in my makeup drawer.

Eye shadow: black, white, red, purple
Black Eye Liner
Elf Eye shadow primer
Mascara
False Eye lashes
Black liquid liner (for my cat eyes)
redish colour lipstick and lip pencil
Ben Nye Final Seal

Costume:
Easily found in your closet! We didn't wear traditional Mexican costume, instead we both wore black. I put a few flower hair clips in my hair (thats inspired by the Mexican hair flowers, think Frida Kahlo) and I made a pair of oversize skeleton earrings to complete the look.
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I really wanted to do some face painting but at the same time, I didn't want to use something thick and oily for my face. Instead of face paint, I used eye shadows and black eye liner for this look. The good thing about using eye shadow is that I already know my face won't have any problems with it. I used a matte white eye shadow as the base of my makeup, it gives you a more translucent look instead of a white clown makeup look. That is my preference, if you want a more opaque and bold look you probably want to use face paint instead. I also purchased a makeup finishing spray by Ben Nye called Final Seal and it works wonders!

Here is how I did my Sugar Skull makeup:

For the eyes, I used the elf eye shadow primer around the eye area so the eye shadow will stay put without creasing, that stuff is amazing, it is part of my regular makeup routine. I then drew a black circle around my eye starting from the brows, with a black eyeliner and filled it in with red and black eye shadow. I drew spiderweb, flower and vines to decorate the rest of my face. I also used some of the elf primer on my lip before I put white eye shadow on it to help it stay on. Then I drew stitches and applied false eyelashes on my eyes. On the other side of my face I just did regular makeup with a bit on colour on half my lips, I guess it looks a little pin up like. For Adam's makeup, he decided to do a full Sugar Skull. I helped him to draw some details but he did a good portion of it himself. See the video tutorial at the bottom for instructions, it is not my video but has easy to follow steps.

And now comes the important part. To finish it off, I sprayed the Ben Nye Final Seal on our faces, which was purchased specifically for sealing the makeup this year. It is made for stage performers to help their makeup stay put under all that spotlight, heat and sweat. I read number of good reviews on it and decided to give it a try. You can find it at theatrical makeup stores or online. I bought mine from Malabar in Toronto, the 1oz bottle, which is the smallest size, goes for $9+tax. A little tip, it gets really busy there around halloween because everyone is looking for costumes, go straight to the makeup counter and ask them instead of trying to look for it yourself.

So did the Ben Nye Final Seal past the test? I think it is worth it because our makeup stay put for the whole night and looked perfect even after all the dancing at the club! I can't even imagine how much of a mess we would look like if we didn't have that spray...probably black smudges all over! It does have some what of a minty smell, it smells like mouth wash, which isn't unpleasant and it goes away in few seconds. Remember to close your eyes when you spray and leave them closed for a little while so it won't sting your eyes since it does contain alcohol. To take it off, you don't need a special remover, any make up remover will work. Wash your face with warm water and soap after and your make up will come off no problem. We sprayed ourselves a dozen times just to make sure the makeup is sealed, it even sealed in the lipstick I had on! No makeup came off even after drinking from bottles and straws. I think the next test for this sealer would be under humid weather condition. When I test it out I will write a report on it again :)

Here is a pretty good video on Sugar Skull makeup tutorial. There are many more on youtube.

Hope you enjoyed my 2 cents on Sugar Skull Makeup :)

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Yum Yum Friday: Fin Izakaya & Jedd's Frozen Custard

2011-10-28T06:00:00.000-04:00

Yum Yum Friday is back, I've been very busy so I didn't get to post something last friday, to make up for it, today I will share with you my thoughts on 2 eateries in the Eglington area. :)

After watching a live broadcast of the Met Opera Anna Bolena for over 4 hours in the cinema, I was ready to sit down and eat a nice meal. There are lots of restaurants in the Eglington area but I really wanted to try Fin Izakaya that day. My friend Anwen, had been there before and she liked it so I was excited to find out how it is different than the only other Izakaya (Guu Izakaya) I've been to in Toronto.

Upon arrival we were greeted by the staffs with friendly welcomes, all of them would pause their work for a second and greet you at the same time with enthusiasm. This restaurant had plenty of seating and we got there early so we were able to get a table right away without reservation. The place filled up quick though so I encourage you to make a reservation ahead of time if you don't want to wait. The decor was pretty typical Japanese restaurant like, the music was interesting, think random pop songs in Japanese instrumental style!

Since we were at an Izakaya, we wanted to start our evening with a drink. Anwen got a Shooting Star cocktail and I got a drink called the Sun Flower which has peach liq, cointro, and oj. The drink was okay, I can't say I am a big fan of it though, something about it reminded me of medicine I took as a kid. They also served us some dried spaghetti snacks, which looked pretty, seemed a little crunchy and tasted a little like curry. We ordered a few dishes to share, my favourite is the Octopus Balls, they are my childhood favourite and never disappoint!

If you haven't been to an Izakaya before, the dishes there comes in small portions, kinda like tapas. Want to know more about Izakaya? read about it here!

Takoyaki Octopus Balls. So yummy!!!!! love it!

Oyster - I didn't eat them, but they looked fresh (from Vancouver). It seems to be a popular choice at the restaurant, both tables beside us ordered some. Anwen said they were good.

Duck Shichimi Yaki
This is basically roasted duck on a hot plate, when they brought it out it was sizzling! Anwen said this dish is usually good but the night we went it wasn't as good as expected, the duck was a little chewy, perhaps a little over cooked?

Tuna (forgot the name of it, it was off the paper menu, not the main menu)
I like this dish, its like a salad but raw tuna yummy. After all, you can't go wrong with fresh tuna.

Udon with pink cream sauce
If you like Japanese Western style food you might like this one. Its basically cream sauce on udon. I was a little disappointed to not see pink colour sauce but the "dancing" fish flakes made up for it. The combination is a little strange, it was okay but I think I prefer my udon with in traditional flavour.

My experience with Fin Izakaya was good. I would go back again if I'm in the area, though I still like Guu Izakaya more, both in atmosphere and food.

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After dinner we decided to grab some dessert. I remember reading about this place on Eglington that sales Frozen Custard. So we looked it up, sure enough it is in the area, well, it was maybe a 10 mins walk. Jedd's Frozen Custard not only sells frozen custard but also variety of pastry and drinks.

We both got a Frozen custard, since that's what brought us there. I got chocolate banana walnut and Anwen got chocolate flavour. It was not bad, but like other reviews I've read, it mostly tasted like icecream. Not that I mind, I like icecream, especially the nutty kind :) I guess it does taste smoother than regular icecream but still I can't really associate to custard. I guess don't expect some sort of innovative taste or texture as the name suggested. If you like icecream you'll probably like it.

The interior of the place was slick, clean but also cozy, its like a long narrow shop but had plenty of seating. I like the chandelier and the style of their menu, hand-drawn with chalk, the characters goes well with the space. Maybe I'll go back to try some of their pastry.

I'm sure if Suki saw this he would be looking at it with big eyes and stick his little tongue out too! He likes ice-cream just as much as me :P

Thats all for now, hope you like my post this week :)

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Kitty Tuesday: Pewter Vintage Kitty Head Earrings

2011-10-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

Last week my mom and I were looking at vintage stores on Ossington to pass time and I came home with a pair of cute kitty earrings! I wasn't really looking for anything in particular but then I spot them, in a cute little box and thought I need to have them :P The cat head part is probably made of Pewter, we are unsure how old it is, it is screw back style, which means no ear piercing needed. I don't think I'm going to use them as earrings though, maybe as a charm on a bracelet or convert it to a pin or something.

I like the "hair" texture, its almost woodgrain like!

Its always so much fun to discover cat items at random, that totally made my day :)

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Busy bee!

2011-10-24T12:29:00.001-04:00

It has been a crazy month! Between work, sickness and Passion for Fashion workshop, I barely have enough time to blog and I'm sad that I missed out on some gatherings and didn't attend anything LG Fashion week related stuff because of this nasty cold. Fortunately I felt well enough to go to the Zombie walk this year, as a spectator not participant. I took some pictures and videos which I will share with you in the next couple weeks. I actually have a few restaurant reviews I wanted to do post but first I have to write time. That is why there was no yumyum post last friday, but I promise there will be one this week!

I am currently working on something for an exhibition next month (non jewellery), and still have a few pieces of jewellery I need to create for a collaboration project. 24 hours a day just enough enough time!

Here is the clue...what could I be working on?

I guess you will just have to find out in a couple weeks! :)

Off to a good start this week, I am determined to not let my still lingering cold prevent me from being productive!

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Kitty Tuesday: Shebbo Design

2011-10-18T11:44:00.000-04:00

Its tuesday again cat lovers! Today I am going to share with you another Etsy find. These handpainted kitties from Shebbo Design are adorable! Sebnem paints custom personalize pet portraits on various objects: stones, dinner ware, fabric etc. They are not only pretty but functional. Aside from cats, she also paints other animals, if you are looking for a special gift for the animal lover in your life, you might find something in her etsy shop.

Here are some images of her cat items from her etsy shop:

handpainted stone ring

custom kitty mug

Stuffed Doll Ornament

Also check out her website: www.shebbodesign.com

I leave you with a picture of me from thanksgiving...and Yes my nekomimi comes out when you are not looking!

more meow meows next week!

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Yum Yum Friday: Big Daddy's Bourbon Street Bistro & Oyster Bar

2011-10-14T00:22:00.001-04:00

A couple days ago, my friend Diana and I wanted to try something different other than our usual restaurants, she said she wanted seafood so we decided to check out Big Daddy's Bourbon Street Bistro & Oyster Bar. We were there for late lunch, got there around 2pm and as expected the place wasn't busy. Since it is located near the financial district and entertainment district, 2pm is way past lunch hour for the business crowd and too early for the show dinner crowd, don't let it scare you if you walk in and there is barely customer.

The place was clean, decor was on the traditional side, not overly fancy but just right. My friend asked to be seated at the dinning room area but the bar side looked fine too. The atmosphere was cozy and music they played complemented the environment. The waiter was nice and friendly, didn't bother us too much during out time there but came around once in a while to check on us.

Big Daddy's is famous for its Oyster. I'm not really a huge Oyster fan but Diana wanted some so I gave it a try. From the little experience I've had with Oyster, it seemed fresh and I liked the selection of topping sauce they have. I never really care for Oyster, none of my Oyster experience was particularly memorable. I ordered a Jambalaya rice, which was actually more filling than it looked and the toast was surprisingly not chewy which I liked. I can't say it is the best I've had but tasted decent. Maybe it wasn't spicy enough? Diana ordered fish and chips, she said it didn't live up to her expectations, too much batter, not enough fish and not enough flavour. She did mention she really liked the Oyster though.

Overall I enjoyed the experience and would go back again and try something different. All the staff seemed friendly and service was good. The waiter also informed us they have special promotion price during certain hours and days. Perhaps I will go back on one of those days and give Oyster another try.

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Kitty Tuesday: Paper Cat Sculpture by Matthew Ross

2011-10-11T16:37:00.000-04:00

When I was a graphic design student in college, I remember making a pop up book out of paper. Each page was created with a different kind of paper and there was a requirement for some sort of pop up design. While the design of my book was very simple and my paper "sculpting" skill was so so, I've always admire people who can do cool things with paper.

The other day, I was looking for cat items on etsy and the work of Matthew Ross caught my eyes. Yes, once again there was a tuxedo cat that reminded me of suki, when I saw paper sculpture I had to check it out. The cats in his designs are animation like, reminded me a little of Disney's cats but with more character. He begin by drawing out his subject in shapes, then the paper was cut out, bend and curled to create the 3D effect. The cats are cute and have lively eyes, their facial expressions are well captured.

Here are some images of his work from his etsy shop:

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Yum Yum Friday: Jamie's Meals in Minutes my new favoutie cooking show

2011-10-07T11:20:00.003-04:00

Hello hello, its Friday again. I've been watching quite a bit of food network lately, and one show caught my attention in particular: Jamie's Meals in Minutes. By now, you all must have heard of chef Jamie Oliver, but incase you don't know him here is a little info:

"Restaurants and cooking are in Jamie Oliver’s blood, as his parents own and operate a successful pub/restaurant in Clavering, where he grew up. He attended Westminster Catering College at 16, where he completed his formal training. Jamie began a food revolution in Britain with Jamie’s School Dinners, prompting the British government to publicly commit to improving the quality of the country’s school meals. Jamie married his childhood sweetheart, Jools, in 2000. They live in London with daughters Poppy Honey and Daisy Boo." - foodnetwork

foodnetwork.ca

I love watching his cooking shows and Jamie's Meals in Minutes is by far my new favourite! Why? Because he shows you how to cook tasty meals with both fresh and prepared ingredients in very little bit of time. The show is about 30 mins, each time he makes about 3-4 dishes (starter, salad, main meal and maybe dessert) and they look super tasty. Time is luxury, not everyone can have that much time to cook often, though it doesn't mean they don't want a tasty meal.

He teaches you how to cook efficiently, cut down food prep time as well as cooking time. I love the idea of using some ready prepared items and mixing it with fresh ingredients to enhance the flavour. And if you've watched his shows before, he always use fresh herbs in his cooking.

Super-Fast Beef Hash, Jacket Potatoes, Goddess Salad, Lovely Butter Beans & Bacon

Image from Foodnetwork.ca

The concept is not a really new one, I've seen other 30 mins cooking shows before but no other looked to as tasty as this one. Maybe it is his lively passionate personality, or maybe his style of cooking, whatever it is I'm loving it. This show just seems more fresh and vibrant than others and it is easy to understand, not too many steps or ingredients involved. When I do try some of his recipes I will sure blog about it.

To see some of his recipes from this show, you can go to this link below:
http://www.foodnetwork.ca/ontv/shows/jamies-meals-in-minutes/show.html?titleid=270194

Also check out his official website, so much useful info there!

Have a great thanksgiving weekend :)

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Blackiris featured on Petite in the City

2011-10-07T01:46:00.000-04:00

A few weeks back I got an email from Lor from Petite in the City - a fashion and lifestyle blog, about mentioning BlackIris on her blog post on the Spring Clothing Show.

You the post here:

http://www.petiteinthecity.com/review/the-clothing-show-spring-2011/

Even though her blog is called Petite in the City, you don't have to be Petite to enjoy it. Lor blogs about everything from what she wears (look book), reviews of products, to her travel adventures. According to her blog, I am petite (because I'm under 5'4"). I like how she mentions the brand and the sizes she wears for each look, it gives you sort of a hint on how big the sizes run, especially if you plan on ordering things off the web.

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Kitty Tuesday: Mini Glass Lucky Cat

2011-10-04T13:25:00.000-04:00

Kitty Tuesday is back on, I took a one week break to get my studio back in order. At the beginning of this year, I blogged about the lucky cat my mom brought home from Japan. I actually have another mini lucky cat in my possession but I cannot remember who gave it to me or where it is from.

This little guy is so adorable, it is made of glass with hand painted details. I've seen a lot of lucky cats most of them are in solid white, black or even gold colour. A see through glass one is something different :)

Lucky Cat aka maneki neko is said to bring luck and prosperity to the owner. I just thought all cats raising a paw is super cute :P
You can see my other lucky cat and learn more about this history of Manekin Neko by clicking here

As for food lovers, Yum Yum Friday will be back this week as well.
hope you enjoyed my short cat post this week.

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Abandoned

2011-10-03T10:51:00.001-04:00

This morning I looked out my window and saw a pink sofa abandoned on the street. I often complained that people don't throw out interesting looking furniture in the city and finally I saw something different today. After seeing countless before and after pictures on sites like Design Sponge, I too wanted to work on one of those makeover projects, however even if this sofa didn't get rain on, I still wouldn't have picked it up. For one I got no space for it, secondly, there is no way I can reupholster it myself. I hope this pink sofa finds a new home and get a chance of a second life. Maybe some day, something smaller, like a side table, will be hanging out on the curb side near my place and I'll get to play :)

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Cashmere bathroom tissue couture dresses 2011 don't wear it on a rainy day

2011-10-02T22:58:00.000-04:00

It is hard think of what you can do with bathroom tissues other than their intended uses, let alone pretty couture style garments. A couple of days ago, while having breakfast, I saw these dresses on City Line. They are from the Cashmere Tissue Couture for Cure 2011 collection, which goal is raise awareness of breast cancer.

I've always been fascinated by wearable art created out of unusual materials, it seems like the technology available to designers has improved a lot over the years. We no longer only see tissues draping or bunching up to make a dress but also the advancement in fusing layers of tissue together to create more sculptural applications.

It is not the first time I've seen dresses made of bathroom tissues but they continue to wow me every year. I think the creations speaks for itself:

Carrie Hayes, Jason Matlo and L’Autre Couture (Images: Cashmere)

Most garments looked a little bridal gown like to me, probably because it is made with white tissue, and its length and details. There are more gowns and creations and I didn't post the photos here. You can view all dresses from this year and previous years by clicking here. They have pictures of every featured dress since 2004. You can really see the evolution in both construction and design.

It is hard to pick a favoutie, they all did such a good job on transforming the tissue. Aside from the garments, the whimsical laser cut butterflies jewellery by Rita Tesolin is also worth a mention.

I would really love to see these creations in person, maybe some day I will...

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BlackIris @ the clothing show fall 2011

2011-10-01T18:08:00.001-04:00

First day of October, I am finally feeling more back on track. For one, I finally unpacked my stuff from the clothing show, which happened last week.

First of all, I would like to express again how thankful and appreciative I am of Adam's help. I know this is not his cup of tea but he was patient and helpful. Since this is my second show, I have adjusted my display set up based on my experience from last time. There are still a lot to learn though, I think it was definitely a good research opportunity. Even though I think my display looked better than what I had for the spring show, I still think there are many things I could have done better.

We had a pretty crappy time at set up this time. It was raining very hard and we couldn't park our car as close to the entrance as we liked. Adam ended up getting soaked! Luckily we had a towel and there was a hand dryer in the washroom. By the time we just finished setting up, the doors were opened to the public.

This year I decided to try a new location, it wasn't in particular bad or good. I think this spot was easier to remember but maybe less traffic. It didn't help that the first two days there was a change room stuck right in front of half of my booth! Luckily the organizer saw that and decided to change the layout a little on the 3rd day.

This photo was taken on the 2nd day of the show, I had to re-adjust my booth the next morning because they made some changes with my location.

The 3rd day of the show, it was much more open and my booth wasn't blocked by someone's change room.

People love my enamel goodies, I wish I can price them lower but they took a lot of time to make. (I'm not even sure if I will make more of them) I rather know that they found a good home, someone who really love and appreciate it then to have it be treated like a mass produced item.

My bridal line is coming soon, I almost have enough designs to make it a collection.

Its not just about love but also the love for music.

I felt a little more awake and calm at this show and had time to to chat with some booth neighbours. I wish I looked around more and mingled more with my fellow vendors but I had to stay at my booth most of the time. Hopefully I will feel even more relaxed the next time as I adjust my strategy.

Will I join the clothing show again next year? I'm not sure yet so we'll see :)

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Lucky draw winner announcement

2011-10-01T11:28:00.000-04:00

Thank you all for dropping by at the BlackIris booth at the Clothing Show last week. Some of you entered my lucky draw and today is the announcement day.

And the lucky winner is.....

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Mona Fernbrook

Congratulations Mona, you have won a pair of The Amelia earrings. You will be contacted with prize pick up instructions.

Holiday season is approaching, I will be announcing the holiday inventory in the near future. Stay tuned for future giveaways and promotions.

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September Update

2011-09-30T17:20:00.000-04:00

You may have noticed there were no Kitty or YumYum post this week. That's because I have been catching up on some much needed rest, September has been the busiest month of the year. Things are slowly getting back to normal and I have tons of stuff to unpack and organize.

I did manage to upload some new items on my website from the 2011 Fall/Winter collection. I feel like the collection is not complete yet but I wanted to share with you the pieces I've made so far. When it is more ready I will be giving it a more proper and suitable name. You can view and purchase the items by clicking this link.

Also new to the website inventory is the latest batch of Sugar Rox rings.
They are priced at a lower range ($20-$33).

I've been doing a bit of thinking on the future of my blog, I think I might modify the current sections a little. Do expect some changes here in the next few weeks, I will be moving things around and adding new sections. Kitty and Yum Yum posts will be back on next week and I will also post some pictures of my booth at the Fall Clothing Show.

The month of October will be a month of cleaning and re-organizing for me. My studio is a mess and my closet needs some love as well. I feel like some deep cleaning can help me refocus on my projects.

So thats all for now, stay tuned for updates.

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Yum Yum Friday: Deviled Eggs with perfect hard boiled eggs

2011-09-23T22:25:00.000-04:00

Last week I made Deviled Eggs for the very first time. I discovered this appetizer one year at Adam's Mom's house, ever since, I look forward to them every Thanksgiving / Christmas. They are so addictive! I've never attempt to make my own until now, mostly because it is more of a party dish than something we could have for dinner. I thought it could be an easy potluck dish and I was right, it didn't take much time at all.

Our Simple Potluck dinner

I followed the recipe from Deviledeggs.com You can see a full recipe on their site. I changed the proportion of the seasoning a little, I suggest you follow theirs and adjust it to your liking when you do your taste test. * I also used mustard with seeds in it (what I had in the fridge) and it worked and provided some texture.

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First you will need to boil some eggs. To make the perfect hard boiled eggs, you need to put your eggs in while the water is cold, or else it may crack because of temperature change. Make sure you have enough water in the pot ( cover 1 or 2 inches above the eggs).

Add a little salt or vinegar in the water helps to keep it from cracking too. ( I added salt)

Bring it to a boil, then cover the saucepan and remove it from the heat. Put the pot on a cool stove and let it sit for 10-13 mins. Even though it has been removed from the heat, it will continue to cook in the covered pot.

When it is time, take one egg out, peel it and cut it in half to check if it is done. If it isn't, leave the eggs in for another couple mins. If it is done, take the rest of the eggs out, put it in some cool water to cool down.

To make Deviled Eggs, peel the eggs, make sure there is no shell stuck to it.

Once you have all the eggs peeled and ready, cut it in half and scoop out the egg yolks with a spoon, it should come out pretty easily.

Put all the egg yolks in a separate bowl, mash it with a fork or spoon.

Add mayo, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper and mix well.

Scoop the yolk mixture back into the eggs, sprinkle a little paprika and you are done!

Put it in the fridge, they are best when eaten cold. Super easy eh.

I hope you like this simple recipe. Just remember not to eat too many!

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Kitty Tuesday: Tuxedo Cat clock

2011-09-20T10:56:00.000-04:00

Quick post today, I am super busy this week. Long before I got Suki, I started collecting cat items, some just happened to look like him. I have no idea what the origin of this clock is, it has been in my possession for quite some time now. My guess is my parents got it for me during one of their trips.

A few years ago I found it in my kitty box again, totally forgot I even had it. Of course when I saw it, I thought of Suki, so it earned a spot on my wall. I call her Suki's aunt! Suki has no idea why I make him look at a clock, I wonder if he can tell this is a human interruption of his kind, maybe it looks nothing like a cat in his eyes.

Unfortunately part of it got a little rusty but thats part of the characteristic of metal art right? It makes it look more vintage. I think it is made of tin, or some sort of metal like iron.

More meow meows next week :)

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Yum Yum Friday: Asian Chicken Seaweed Salad

2011-09-16T12:52:00.000-04:00

Last week my mom made an Asian Chicken Seaweed Salad for a potluck dinner, it is super simple to make and doesn't take too much prep time. Everyone will be impressed with this simple salad, it not only looks pretty but it is packed with protein (chicken). A healthy filling salad with little calories.

Easy and delicious!

You will need 1 Roasted Chicken (ready made ones from the grocery store is fine). After separating the meat from the bones, you will have plenty of chicken for your salad. We didn't put in the wings and thighs.

1- 2 Cucumber - Julienne (cut into small sticks, not too small though because it will add a little crunch.

Premade pickled carrots and daikon radish - This is usually available at Asian Grocery stores like T&T. We have not made our own before but I imagine they used vinegar and sugar to pickle it.

Dried Seaweed - soaked it in water to rehydrate before using.

Sesame - A handful

To assemble the Salad, grab a handful of each ingredient and toss it in the big bowl alternately.Adding ingredients in layers makes it easier to mix. Once you put in all the ingredients, put in a little fish sauce, sesame, black pepper (hot sauce is optional but it will add punch of heat which is nice with the sweet and sour flavour), toss until they are well mixed. The main taste comes from the pickled vegetables (sweet and sour), if you don't think the salad is tasty enough, you can add some white wine vinegar and salt.

Other Options:

*If you do not have food allergies, add some chopped peanut on top, it will add even more texture and flavour.
** If you are vegetarian, try substituting the chicken with hard tofu.

Hope you enjoy this recipe.

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Blackiris Design booth #111 @ The Clothing Show Fall 2011

2011-09-16T10:44:00.002-04:00

The Clothing show 2011 fall edition is just a week away! Blackiris Design will be at Booth #111. There will be some new designs available at the show, including creations from my new collection, there will be lots of sparkles!

Looking for unique gifts? Why not some handmade jewellery for your family and friends, it is never too early to start your holiday shopping.

Hope to see you there :)

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2011-09-14T20:56:00.000-04:00

Its been a pretty crazy week, I am feeling sore and tired but is thankful that the exercise I've been doing in the morning is finally paying off :) I really feel more alive and energetic on the days I do exercise. I am still working on things for the clothing show.

Today I finally got my hands on a new camera :D I've been contemplating about getting one for a while now, was debating if I should get a point and shoot or a better more professional digital SLR. In the end I decided a point and shoot is what I need right now. I wanted something that is portable (can fit in my purse) and is good for macro photography, and once again I decided Canon would be the best choice.

There are lots of point and shoot cameras out there and Canon certainly makes some of the best ones. I was happy with my old Canon PowerShot Digital Elph SD540 until I started using it to take pictures of my jewellery. It is excellent under situation with lots of light but when it isn't most pictures turn out blurry and unusable because of my shaky hands. It took me too much time to edit and select good pictures out of all the crappy ones, and finally I realize it is slowing down my productivity. After doing some research, I decided to get the Canon PowerShot Elph300HS, based on good reviews and its portable size, I thought it is the best camera for my needs. I was meant to get it, there was a sale at Blacks.ca and I got my camera for only $250(tax included)! Since it isn't too expensive, I won't have to worry about breaking it.

I love how this camera is red, it matches my hair! Yes I'm such a goofball and took a picture of it because I was so excited :P

It only took 2 days to arrive and I was happy to find out it uses the same battery and memory card as my old camera :) I poped the old card and battery in and it worked instantly. After playing around with different fun filters, I turned the camera back on Auto mode and I could not believe pictures I took of my jewellery turned out so clear when it wasn't even bright outside anymore (late afternoon)! Previously there was no way I could have took those pictures, they would turn out blurry 99% of the time! There wasn't a digital macro function like my old camera but when its in Auto mode it auto focused and turned into macro mode.

This bracelet is from my fall collection. I took this picture under low light situation with no flash on and it turned out pretty good. Not bad for a point and shoot!

If you are looking to get a digital point and shoot camera, I would definitely recommend something from Canon. I also strongly encourage you to do some research and read some reviews before you get one. There isn't really a best camera out there but getting a camera that is good for your purpose can help to achieve better photo results. Some cameras are better for outdoor use while others still performs well under dim light situation. I will probably still get a digital SLR in the future but right now I am happy with my Canon.

Just a little over a week till the clothing show, I still need to get a few things done but I feel more relaxed than the spring show. Since I got an easy to use camera, I will be updating my website inventory pretty soon.

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Kitty Tuesday: Cat art dolls from Cart Before the Horse

2011-09-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

Its tuesday again, today I want to share with you more fab finds from etsy. I love these art dolls made Dylan & Jo from Cart Before the Horse. There is something very human about them, maybe its their eyes, maybe its their expression, I can't quite pin point it. I featured one of their cat dolls last year on my etsy treasury list and the list was featured on the front page! Since then I've been going back to their page once in a while to check out their new items. I'm still waiting for the perfect kitty that speaks to me, I feel like when I see it will know :)

Here are some of their lovely creations: (all pictures are from their etsy page)

Aside from cat art dolls, they also have a variety of other art dolls, be sure to check out their etsy store.

Also check out their blog for more info.

Hope you like my kitty post this week.

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YumYum Friday: Moon Cake

2011-09-09T23:10:00.000-04:00

The Mid Autumn festival is just around the corner, and that means it is Moon Cake time! My family is not big on celebrating holiday/ festivals but we like to eat so when it comes to Mid Autumn festival we always try to get some Moon Cakes. Even though we've tried different kinds, we are on the more traditional side, lotus seed and yolk is our favourite.

This is what we got this year:

"Typical mooncakes are round or rectangular pastries, measuring about 10 cm in diameter and 4–5 cm thick. A thick filling usually made from lotus seed paste is surrounded by a relatively thin (2–3 mm) crust and may contain yolks from salted duck eggs. Mooncakes are usually eaten in small wedges accompanied by Chinese tea. "

From wikipedia.

click here to learn more about moon cake

These days mooncake comes in many different ingredients and colours. Below are some that I think are interesting.

Colourful snow skin Mooncake (picture from Luxury-insider.com)
Also check out their article on mooncake, they have some descriptions on what the ingredients are.

Picture from (redcook.net)According to them, "in Shanghai Häagen-Dazs sells ice cream mooncakes with milk, dark or white chocolate shells, and Starbucks offers gift boxes of familiar coffee flavors such as hazelnut, chocolate, Baileys and chocolate hazelnut."

I really want this! why can't I get them in Canada?

I want to try coffee mooncake too!

There are some other interesting mooncakes on the Redcook article, they also have a recipe on

Snow-Skin Mooncake with Cherry Almond Filling so be sure to check them out.

I want more mooncake...numnumnumnum

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Kitty Tuesday: Bronze kitty dancing couple

2011-09-06T13:50:00.003-04:00

Whenever I go to the antique market I always keep my eyes open for things with cats on it. You never know what treasure you may find. This kitty couple statue is a gift from Adam, I think he got it from St. Lawrence market. I'm not sure what material it is made of, but I'm going to guess it is bronze. It has a beautiful patina to it and believe it or not, it is pretty heavy. I think it is not only a decorative statue but also a candle holder. The age of this object is unknown, though It doesn't look like something made recently.

A lovely dancing cat couple, even though they are cats they looked so in love :P

You can't see it in this picture but both of them have a delicate tail sticking out of their clothes. I like cats dressing up as people, and people dressing up as cats :D

The cat's top hat looks like it can hold a candle.

More meow meows next week.

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Yoko Furusho: Live in Barcelona

2011-09-05T17:16:00.002-04:00

The first time i saw Yoko's work was from the book The beautiful- illustrations for fashion and style. Something about the girls in her illustrations left an impression. I love watching artists "in action", this video documents Yoko doing some live painting on windows of shops in Barcelona.

see more of Yoko's work on her website:
www.yokofurusho.com

Enjoy :)

Yoko Furusho: Live in Barcelona from Peter Crosby on Vimeo.

YumYum Friday: Silicone flower muffin cups

2011-09-02T13:42:00.001-04:00

A couple weeks ago I picked up some new silicone muffin cups from Michaels. They are flower shaped, so cute! On the packaging it says "Fun-Cups!" by the company Wilton.

This morning I woke up and found freshly baked muffins in the kitchen, my mom made blue berry muffins :) They are so adorable I thought I should take a picture and share.

We've been using Silicone muffin cups for a few years now, and tried a few different brands. Some are definitely better than others. These are pretty good, among the best ones in our collection. When it comes to silicone muffin cups, quality matters, usually more expensive but worth it in the end. We've got some cheaper ones that doesn't peel off as easily as its supposed to and end up ruining our muffins. I also bought some from the dollar store in the past (surprisingly it wasn't as bad as I thought they would be), they worked okay but we only use them as back up because they are so thin you can't put much in it with out spilling the batter.

A variety of silicone baking cups we have, the light blue one is the not so good one, came in a package with some light pink ones, they are slightly translucent, not opaque like the other ones. The triangle one is another one of my favourites, came in purple and pink.

I am also a fan of the silicone cookie sheets. It can go in the oven as well as the freezer. It is also perfect for making chocolate decorations, drizzle melted chocolate on it and pop it right into the freezer, looks cool when its hardened.

Less paper waste, easy to peel reusable baking cups, love it :)

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Sugar Rox rings Fall 2011 Sneak Peek

2011-08-30T11:14:00.002-04:00

A little while back I mentioned I will be at the Fall Clothing show, happening in just a few weeks Sept 23, 24 and 25 at the Queen Elizabeth building Exhibition Place Toronto.

There will be some new creations available at the show :) I spent the last week making rings, and they are inspired by the Pantone 2011 Fall Fashion Colours.

Theses rings are a little smaller and less elaborate than the ones I made in the spring, but they are made with the same quality natural stone, crystals and fresh water pearls. No plastic or acrylic beads in my designs. They will be priced a little lower than their big sisters too. Some are pastel, sugar candy like while others have a more edgy metal look. They reflect the different sides of me :)

Here are some of the rings, for some reason the colour looks different here. Picture doesn't do them justice, they look prettier in person!

This week I will be working on some bracelets and eventually move on to some necklaces. More pictures to come!

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Kitty Tuesday: cute kitty hats by ScooterKnits

2011-08-30T10:06:00.001-04:00

If my Suki were to let me put hats on him, I would definitely try something from ScooterKnits. Sara knits cute accessories for cats! Her "model" also reminded me of a smaller version of suki, thats probably what got my attention in the first place :)

Pictures from ScooterKnits Etsy shop:

Halloween kitty! cute pumpkin!

Cat in a Hat!

And my Favourite, Reindeer kitty!

Check out her etsy shop and her blog.

More kitty next week :)

Cirque Du Soleil Totem Toronto

2011-08-27T12:01:00.000-04:00

Last week I saw the latest Cirque du Soleil touring show - Totem. Once again the tent was set up by the lake near Cherry Street. It was my 4th live Cirque show and 3rd I've seen in Toronto. I am a huge fan of their productions, everything about Cirque du Soleil is just amazing, costume, sets, music, and of course, the performance. Their music is among the most played on my list, it puts me in such a good mood even though I couldn't understand the lyrics most of the time. I also like to listen to it when I'm making jewellery :)

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From the Cirque du Soleil website:

"TOTEM traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations."

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Adam took this picture before we headed to the tent. I thought it might be a good idea since every time we try to take a picture at night the flash just makes everything bright and weird.

The usual blue and yellow tent, it is very roomy in there!

As we walked in, I immediately thought of the Sea. Our seats were pretty good, as usual I picked an aisle seat on the side. We were in the 3rd row, which puts as up close to all the action. I was able to see the performers' costumes clearly and even their facial expressions. However I think most seats in the house are good because the tent isn't that big and provides a pretty intimate setting. As we walked in, I saw a giant rock like object in the middle of the stage, and later revealed to be the turtle shell. I was really excited to see what the rest of the stage was like or how it evolves during the performance.

Pictures from Cirque du Soleil website:

This gives you a basic idea of how the stage looks like, without the giant turtle shell.

Another thing I was interested in finding out was what director Robert Lepage has brought to this show, he was the writer and director of this show. I've seen a few of his productions previously and was impressed with this stage design and art direction, he like his innovative creative approach. Of course, I was not disappointed, the multifunctional mechanic entrance reminded me little of the stage in Rheingold. I like how it was transformed into different things depending on the act. I also love the video projection they did on the stage, it really made you feel like there was real water on stage. Even though the stage looked simple, it offered a lot of flexibility which helped to tell the story. The story had a good flow to it, many small elements added together to create an overall diverse yet unified picture.

Here is the official promo video, don't watch it if you want to be completely surprised, I don't really think it will ruin your experience though, being there is a completely different experience. So much more excitement when you see it live :)

The costumes were amazing as usual, the neon/black light space man outfit was very vibrant, different and unexpected. When under normal lighting it has a different look, the pattern itself was also very circus like but not in a tacky way. The Tracker's hat was cool and I like the native costumes as well. Overall they were just as diverse as the show content itself.

Of course, the performance it self was great, there were some nail bitting moments too as most of the performers did their acts without any safety gears. Without spoiling the show too much, my favourite was the chinese girls on bamboo unicycle catching bowls and teapots. But really, everything was so impressive and captivating, there was not a dull moment.

This is the other truck photo background, featuring the young Amerindian dancer.

A little tip if you are going to see Totem in Toronto this summer. Bring a cardigan or a scarf because it gets cold inside the tent. If you drive, their parking is $20 at the site. We parked our car at a lot before we entered the show area and it was only $10, its very close to the venue, not even 5 mins walk. If you enter from Cherry street and you see someone waving at you to get into a the parking lot before you see the tent, get in so you don't have to turn around later. Also, you might want to use the washroom before you get there, they only have the portable toilets on site.

Sounds like a fun show doesn't it, now go see the it :P

*Have you seen a Cirque du Soleil show? If so, which show did you see and what did you think of it?

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Yum Yum Friday: Black chicken aka Silkie

2011-08-26T11:46:00.000-04:00

First, a little warning, even tough I tend to post about yummy delicious looking food, the following food is not for every one. I am blogging about this not because I think you should try it but because I want to share with you this interesting looking creature.

A few days ago my mother brought home a Black chicken from the Asian grocery store, yes Black chicken, like a regular chicken but with black skin. Since we eat chicken all the time, my mom bought the black chicken, she thinks there are probably less hormones than other regular chicken because of the smaller demand. All I know about the black chicken is that it is usually used for soup because it tends to be leaner than the regular chicken.

Growing up in an Asian household, it isn't something foreign to me, however it is not something we have in the house often. I've probably had it only a few times in my life. We did end up having it in a soup and used the meat for fried rice.

I didn't really look at the chicken till I thought it could make an interesting blog post, when I took it out of the fridge I think I got a little uncomfortable. I was not expecting the head to be still attached to it *_* It looked like a small animal, I took a few pictures and decided I should put it back and not look at it anymore. It reminded me of some sort of fantasy creature!

And it is truly a fantasy looking creature! I decided to google about this chicken and I was shocked when I found out how it looked like with feathers! The actual named of this chicken is Silkie because of its silk like soft feathers, it chinese name is wu gu ji , meaning black boned chicken. It looks a lot fluffier than regular chicken, actually kind of cute looking, like a small pet *_* Some has white feathers and others has black feathers, both have black skin, bones and grayish-black meat!

Below are some pictures from wikipedia. You can also learn more about this creature by clicking this link.

As I am writing this, the Silkie I ate has probably passed through my system and I didn't know about its fluffy feather till now. I am feeling a little guilty for eating it, probably because it looked kind of cute and maybe it reminded me of my cat *_*The name even sounds like Suki! But I do eat chicken all the time, does fluffier feather really makes that much differences? If I feel guilty for eating Silkie, maybe I should feel guilty for eating chicken too? Its best not over think it!

And just now, I was told that there are still 2 portions in the freezer, meaning there will be more Silkie for soup/ dinner at some point. What I do know is, every time see the black chicken, I will think of its fluffy feather, maybe even white fluffy feather, and I don't know if I can eat it again, however I am truly thankful for its sacrifice.

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Kitty Tuesday: Suki naps

2011-08-23T10:44:00.000-04:00

I am very busy this week, got a few design projects lined up and I'm getting ready for the next clothing show, so I'm going to take it easy this week and share with you some super adorable pictures of suki taking naps.

Suki sleeps a little like a bunny sometimes. Cats will only sleep with their belly exposed when they feel comfortable, relaxed and secure.

Super adorable!!!!

IM SLEEPIN, DOAN BOTHR ME! (lolcat speak)

btw, did you know there is a lolcat speak translator? You can type in anything and they will make it into lolcat speak for you.

check it out :D speaklolcat.com

Thats all for today, more meow soon!

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Yum Yum Friday: Christopher Elbow Artisanal chocolate

2011-08-19T16:15:00.002-04:00

Are you a chocolate lover? I am a huge chocolate freak, it is one of my guilty pleasures. I have a weak spot for dark chocolate, they are a little bitter but so rich and delicious. Today I would like to share with you some very yummy chocolate from Christopher Elbow. I meant to post about this a while back but forgot :P My awesome friend Carrie brought me some chocolate from San Francisco, they not only looked pretty but tasted great too.

It came in this neat little box with a pretty ribbon.

Top left: Rosemary, Top right: Venezuelan Spice, Bottom left: Elderflower, Bottom right: Passion Fruit.

My favourite one is the Venezuelan Spice, you can really taste the dark chocolate, it has a hint of bitterness, and a distinctive coco taste. You slowly feel the heat of the pepper spice becoming more apparent, kinda like its swirly pattern.

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"...Christopher's Artisan Chocolates have been featured across the nation, from magazines like Oprah, Food & Wine, Fine Cooking and InStyle to syndicated TV programs like Food Network's What Hot, What's Cool. His confectionery creations are available online and at discriminating retailers like CocoaBella Chocolates in San Francisco, Biagio Fine Chocolates in Washington D.C. and Trotters To Go In Chicago." (www.elbowchocolates.com)

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Here are some pictures of the products they offer (images from their website)

Look at all the pretty patterns!

I'm craving for some dark chocolate covered almonds!

Chocolate Coffee, kinda like a Cafe mocha?

Aside from regular box chocolate, they also have cool things like Chocolate cover nuts and chocolate coffee. Also check out their chocolate list, each one offers a unique flavor. Want to get some Christopher Elbow Chocolate? Click here for a list of retail locations, too bad Toronto isn't on the list :P

This post made my hungry for chocolate, I guess I better go get some :P

Enjoy the weekend!

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Kitty Tuesday: Jetoy kitty so adorable

2011-08-16T10:32:00.000-04:00

Some goodies just arrived the other day and I thought I would share it with you on this week's kitty tuesday post. I got a set of 3 pens made by the oh so awesome Korean Stationary company Jetoy.

I first encountered Jetoy during one of my kitty product searches, I was drawn to it because they had a character looked just like my Suki! When I looked at more products from the brand my mouth started watering, well not in a I want to eat cats way but more like OMG kittiesssssss!!! cutenessssss!!!! I WANTTTTTT!

Here are some pictures from their website:

They put their awesome kitty designs on a large variety of products (note book, pencil cases, cards, iphone cases, stickers, tshirts, bags etc) All I know is I want them all, their signature big marble eyes really makes me want to give them hugs. Unfortunately they do not have a physical store in Canada, though if they did I would probably try to get a part time job there .... and will probably spend my whole entire pay cheque and plus more on their products. They do have a store in HK, the next time I visit I will make sure I check it out and stock up on kitty stuff :D

For now, I indulge on my kitty obsession by shopping online at sites like Ebay. Though not everything in their product line is available, for example I really want the kitty mugs but I've never came across it on ebay, I guess I just have to save up for an Asia trip :P Some of their designs are based on classic fairy tale characters like Show White and Little Red Ridding hood, so adorable!

I hope you like this week's kitty post, just look at those eyes...
Check out Jetoy's site, their fantasy kitty products will make you go Awww .

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Into the fire - Etsuko Ichikawa

2011-08-12T20:13:00.001-04:00

I came across this video clip of artist Etsuko Ichikawa today, she does paintings with molten glass on paper. The results are very organic, kinda smokey / liquid like. Not to mention her studio looks amazing! I wish I can have a studio space like that some day :)

More info can be found at the Anthropologist, a branch site of the popular clothing brand Anthropologie. This site features works of inspiring individuals, sharing and celebrating the artmakers and their work. Also check out their other featured artists.

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Yum Yum Friday: I love Poutine

2011-08-12T11:34:00.004-04:00

I love Poutine, and I have never heard of it till I moved to Canada. I think it is something that is uniquely Canadian and once you've had your first poutine, you can't go back :P Originated in Quebec, it is a dish that can be found easily across Canada, from fast food places in the mall food court like New York Fries to speciality joints like Poutini's House of Poutine or Smokes's Poutinerie.

For those of you who are already know all about poutines (especially my Toronto readers), BlogTO has a list of the best poutine in Toronto, click on this link to view the post.

Here is the poutine I got from Poutini's House of Poutine. I got the large size for lunch, it was very filling and I wasn't even hungry for dinner that night! I think I will go with small next time.

A basic poutine includes Fries, fresh cheese curds and gravy. I have to admit when I first saw it, I thought it looked kinda messy and didn't think it was the most attractive looking food, however, don't let the look fool you, it is very delicious, especially when you are a cheese lover like me :) Some places spice it up by adding meat, beacon and even lobster in it, if you are ever in Canada try it!

Even though it seems easy, I have never made my own poutine before, I mean why would I when there is a poutine shop down the street? However if you want to try making your own, you can maybe give this recipe a try, it looks simple enough, let me know how it goes :)

Some people really like poutine, this guy sings about his love for poutine:

have a good weekend :)

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Crystal bracelet and necklace

2011-08-10T17:37:00.000-04:00

While I have been keeping up with my kitty and food blog post every week, I haven't been posting much on my jewellery designs. So today I thought I would post some pictures and give you a taste of what's to come in the new collection, coming out in September.

Yes, there will be lots of sparkles, and lots of crystals. More statement pieces and party jewellery.

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Green is not a creative colour :P

2011-08-10T13:56:00.000-04:00

Maybe this is your cup of tea, maybe not, but try to appreciate the mini set at least :P

Don't Hug Me I'm Scared from This Is It on Vimeo.

Kitty Tuesday: T.U.K. kitty shoes

2011-08-09T11:25:00.000-04:00

I am a proud cat lover and I'm not afraid to show it, that is why I absolutely love cat items I can wear. Over the years I came across few different styles of kitty shoes by T.U.K. They are super cute but I couldn't imagine myself wearing them because the shape of these shoes tend to be more wide and rounded, not really my style.

Here are some classic T.U.K. kitty Mary Jane style shoes available on their website, they come in variety of colour and materials.

One day while looking for the vampire heels (which finally arrived :D), I came across these kitty flats and got very excited :D I can't wait to get my hands on them!

They are cute but not too anime like so I feel like it will be easy to match with wardrobe, they are so very me :D

I like that the shape is simple and the little cat tail adds a nice touch. If you like these shoes, they are available on the Hottopic website.

While I was there I also found this very cute kitty headphones

I guess when you put them on it looks like you are wearing kitty ears? Black and pink nekomimi so adorable!! :D

well thats all for now more meow meow next week!

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Game of Thrones my favourite show

2011-08-05T11:23:00.000-04:00

If you haven't seen the show Game of Thrones already, I highly recommend it. After seeing a teaser on HBO, I waited for months for it to come out in April, when I finally saw an eps I knew I would be hooked! I just didn't expect it to be this good:P I'm not going to go into details but it is one of my favourite shows. I like all things fantasy, everything about this show makes me feel so very excited! I love the setting, tone and pretty much everything about it, it is visually stunning for a TV show.

So this morning I came across the visual effects/ making off footage of this show, now I have even more appreciation for it!

*SPOILER ALERT, there are scenes that you probably don't want to see until you've actually watched the show, I don't want to ruined your experience :P

I can't wait to see the new season!

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Yum Yum Friday: Lazy Baker Apple Pie

2011-08-05T09:54:00.000-04:00

Even though I like baking, I don't always have time to bake something from scratch. Aside from my lazy birthday cakes, I also make lazy apple pies. My mom and I decided to bake one because we had some old apples laying around, yes they are best when they are old! Of course we weren't lazy when it came to the filling, we did chop the apples by hand :P but we bought a frozen pie crust from the grocery store and that saved a lot of work and time.

To experiment we also put in 1/2 a pear and a peach, both were very ripped so we figure why not put it in the pie. Just remember to adjust your apple ratio or else you'll end up with too much pie filling, pie explosion is not a fun clean up.

The pie crust had a crack in it but meh, not that it will matter much when its baked. I poked some holes with a fork to make a pattern of vent holes.

30 mins later yummy yummy pie! :D okay not the best looking pie because we didn't care to make it look pretty but it was a very delicious pie indeed.

The filling was just the right consistency, not too runny but very moist.

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What you will need for the pie:

frozen pie crust x 2 (use 1 for top, 1 for bottom)
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp of flour
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp all spice or nutmeg
6 apples ( you can add other similar fruit for experiment, just make sure you adjust the apple ratio)

Instruction:

1) Mix everything together and put it on the pie crust.
2) Cover the bottom curst with the other pie crust. According to the instructions on the box, you are supposed to brush the edge with a little water before attaching them so it helps the to stick together. But read your pie crust box to see if you need to do that.
3) Put pie in the oven 375F for 30 mins, or until the top is golden brown.
4) Take it out and let it cool for 10 mins and devour! :D

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Hope you like my lazy apple pie, super easy to make, your friends and family will love it!

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Sketches

2011-08-03T14:02:00.000-04:00

Its been a while since I posted anything studio related so I thought I should share with you some of the new ideas I'm working on for the next collection. Not all of my creations started with a sketch but I when I have time I do like to put some of my ideas on paper.

You can expect to see some of these pieces come to life some time this year :) Hopefully sooner rather than later!

Stay tuned!

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Kitty Tuesday: Guardian Angel Cats

2011-08-02T20:15:00.001-04:00

This Tuesday I would like to share with you a pair of Guardian Angel cat ceramic sculptures I got on of my trips to my favourite store Homesense. It is made by a company called Blossom Bucket INC in 2006, designed by E.Smithson. One of them is holding a basket full of eggs (Keepers of the birds) while the other is holding some kittens (kitten keeper). Both have a peaceful face and warm smile.

More meow meows next week.
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Yum Yum Friday: Guinness Chocolate Cake

2011-07-29T11:33:00.000-04:00

A little while back, I came across a Guinness Chocolate cake recipe on Design Sponge and thought it would be the perfect bday cake to make for my dad. One of my childhood memories of him is this dark bitter tasting beer. I'm still not a big fan of it but I certainly don't mind using it in cooking or baking.

The above photo is not of my cake, it is a picture from Design Sponge by Katie Quinn Davies , who is an amazing food stylist/ photographer, and the creator of this recipe. My Guinness Chocolate looked nothing like hers :P I've gotta say the picture on Design Sponge got me really interested in making this cake. It was a very dark brown, almost black with contrasting cream cheese icing. Mine was sort of a regular chocolate cake colour and because of my lack of planning, I baked it with a wider pan and couldn't fit it on my cake stand!

For my experiment, I didn't follow her recipe to the exact. I cut out about half the sugar in the frosting and in the cake itself, I also used whole wheat all purpose flour (which was not my intention but I found out last minute that it is the only kind of all purpose flour I have at home). I also didn't make my whipped cream from scratch. It sounds like a pretty healthy cake!

I forgot to sift the coco power but it seems to have turned out okay, not sure if it would have made any difference.

I learned not to use a hand mixer when mixing this cake batter (because I was lazy) , it was not powerful enough so I ended up transferring it to my Kitchen Aid stand mixer, which did a good job.

I probably should have used an 8" pan instead of a 10" pan, I was a little worried at first because when I spread out the batter it was only about 1" tall, luckily it got taller in the oven :) I adjusted my baking time to 45mins instead but I probably could have came out even earlier because the cake probably would have been more moist. Adam said the cake looked like pumpernickel bread :P

Even though I made quite a few mistakes, the cake turned out pretty well, surprisingly people seemed to like it. It looked rich but wasn't too heavy, the frosting was just the right amount of sweetness, which I was soooOooo thankful about because I hate overly sweet frosting. After mixing the cream cheese and sugar with the stand mixer, I folded the pre-made whipped cream into the mixture.

The finished product :) I probably should have put it on a different colour plate.

Luckily the cake turned out taller than expected, I was seriously worried it would be a 1" tall cake!

So if you ask me if I would bake this again I would say yes, but I would like to make some small adjustments. I feel like this could be a popular healthy chocolate cake if I get it right, yes healthy I said! :D When I do come up with a better version I will share my tips with you again.

Give this recipe a try!

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Kitty Tuesday: Felt cats by Judy Johnson

2011-07-26T12:54:00.000-04:00

Etsy is a wonderful place because it connects buyers with artists/craft makers. One of my favourite things to browse is of course, CATS! I came across Judy Johnson's felt kitty a couple years ago. Even though I still haven't placed an order of my "felt suki" yet, it is for sure something I would like to have for my collection. I am mostly just indecisive about which picture to send her since I'm not sure which pose I want to see suki in :P

There are kitties ready for adoption in her etsy store and you can make custom order of a cats based on pictures you send her. Also visit her blog, where she shares her craft making adventure and latest projects.

Below are some of Judy's kitty creations, all pictures are from her blog and etsy page:

This one looks a little like suki, I guess if he were in a standing pose he would look similar to this, with more white fur of course.

Sleeping kitty, soooOOo cute!

Suki sleeps like this too sometimes.

The classic "I'm cute, I'm watching you" pose

Look at all these cute kitties!!!!!! <3 <3 <3

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For those of you who are not familiar with the technique of needle felting, here is some background info found on wikipedia:

"Needle felting is a popular fibre arts craft conducted without the use of water. Special barbed felting needles that are used in industrial felting machines are used by the artist as a sculpting tool. Using a single needle or a small group of needles (2-5) in a hand-held tool, these needles are used to sculpt the wool fibre. The barbs catch the scales on the fibre and push them through the layers of wool, tangling them and binding them together, much like the wet felting process. Fine details can be achieved using this technique, and it is popular for 2D and 3D felted work."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felt#Needle_Felt
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Be sure to visit Judy's etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/baycolonydesigns

and her Blog: http://baycolonydesigns.blogspot.com

http://baycolonydesigns.blogspot.com/

Thats all for this week's kitty tuesday, I hope you enjoy these adorable felted friends.

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Yum Yum Friday: Jelly Shot Test Kitchen

2011-07-22T14:19:00.000-04:00

I'm so very busy today so this week's post is going to be a short one. Months ago I came across this blog: Jelly Shot Test Kitchen, their photos of jelly shots looked extremely attractive, I'm sure they tasted just as delicious as they looked.

From their blog:
"WHAT IS A JELLY SHOT, ANYWAY?
Jelly Shots are classic cocktails translated into gelatin form, i.e. a grown-up version of the Jell-O Shot (sans Dixie cups, of course!).

The hallmarks of a Jelly Shot include: a flavor true to the cocktail inspiration and a free-spirited jiggly form that makes them a delight to devour."

I think they are perfect for party! Someday I would love to have my own jelly shot party :D

Below are some pictures of these yummy treats from their blog.

photo credit: all pictures are from http://jelly-shot-test-kitchen.blogspot.com, I do not own the copyright.

Their blog is updated often and they have a lot of yummy looking jelly shots pictures on it too, so check it out.

Want to make your own Jelly shots?

Jelly Shot Test Kitchen-The book is available at Amazon

Hope you enjoyed these colourful jelly shots!

More yumminess next week!

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shoes shoes shoes :D

2011-07-20T22:25:00.003-04:00

Like many female out there, I love shoes! A girl can never have too many pairs of shoes :D I don't think I am anywhere close to having a shoe addiction and I like to wear shoes that are comfortable. Once in a while I will come across shoes I really like, sometimes they are shoes I think I absolutely have to have. Luckily I am not a designer shoe whore and the things I like are very affordable.

Here are my 2 latest purchases, I wanted them so bad I had to order them for US! It is really hard to find Tuk or Iron Fist shoes I like in Toronto and if I do find it, they tend to be almost twice as expensive as their US prices.

Even though I don't own any (yet), I've always like Tuk shoes. I tried on a pair of their heels a month ago, they fit perfectly but I didn't like the graphics on it. I've been looking for the perfect pair of graphic shoes for months now and when I saw these shoes on LaCarmina, I wanted them so badly! Everything about it was so me! The vampire, the blood, the bleeding heart and of course the leopard print! It is also in my favourite colour combination, black and red! I looked everywhere but my size was sold out, then I came across Punk.com, which only ships to US. But I was determined to have these, so I got them shipped to Niagara Falls in US! That is close enough to Canada for pickup :D

Another shoe brand I've been eyeing is Iron Fist. Every time I walk by Hells Belles on Queen street, the shoes they have in the window display always get my attention. Unfortunately the heels I really like are usually 4+inches tall :( I just don't think I can ever wear them. I never found flats from iron fist I am interested until I found these. I love the grey/silver and black combo and the Mexican Skull design is awesome. Not to mention there are some subtle looking studs on it.

I can't wait to see them in person! I think I will get my hands on them in the next couple weeks, I'll post pictures again when they are in my possession...drools... :P

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Kitty Tuesday: wooden sitting cat

2011-07-19T20:40:00.002-04:00

Its tuesday again, that means more meows meows for you :)

I wasn't sure what to share with you this week so I looked around my house and this little guy caught my eyes. It is a wooden cat home decor item I got from Pier 1 imports years ago, he is about 8 inches tall. His arms and legs are moveable. You can sit him on a table or on top of a cabinet but I sat him on the edge of a book shelf so his legs can dangle. I remember suki was so interested when I first brought this cat home. He wanted to play with the wooden kitty legs. I guess suki likes to plays with anything that dangles. I suspected he was also a little jealous because I was playing with it and and gave him less attention.

He sits on the bookshelf, watching our every move...he is always watching...

When I ask him what he is looking at, he acts innocent and pretends like he doesn't know what I'm talking about...

More kitties next week :)

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Yum Yum Friday: Pistachio Raspberry Mousse Cake by Senses

2011-07-15T00:48:00.002-04:00

A few days ago we had a potluck dinner at our house, my parents' friend brought over a Pistachio Raspberry Mousse cake for dessert (made by Senses).

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What Senses says about their cakes (from their website):
"Our desserts are delicious works of art made from the highest quality ingredients. Every day, our world-class pastry chef, Bruno Feldeisen and his team carefully handcraft an assortment of scrumptious cakes, pastries and desserts. The decadent cakes and pastries are prepared in traditional French style with no artificial flavours or preservatives and are finished using innovative presentations."

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The packing was pretty too, the cake was came in a tall cake box and tied with thick black ribbon (like a present), forgot to take a picture so you just have to take my word for it :P

I love dessert, especially pretty looking ones :)
The mint green colour was refreshing, completed with white chocolate swirls.

The cake was light with delicate taste, the green mousse tasted like Pistachio. in the centre was a layer of sponge cake in Raspberry flavor. The Raspberry was not only a good contrast in colour by also in taste! I'm glad it was a think layer of sponge cake instead of Raspberry mousse, it was a nice touch in texture.

The side was decorated with white chocolate "slabs" with finely chopped pistachio

Yummy looking slice of cake don't you think?

Before I finish the cake I realized the raspberry layer happened to be the same colour as my nail polish!

It is also the same colour as my hair, I think this is one of my favourite shades of red, vibrant with a pink undertone :)

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Thats all for this week's Yum Yum Friday, if you are looking for quality dessert, give Senses a try, their bakery location: 318 Wellington Street West Toronto.

More yumminess next week :)

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Alice in Wonderland Ballet Toronto

2011-07-15T00:47:00.001-04:00

Couple of weekends ago, my friend Diana and I saw the Alice in Wonderland Ballet at Four Seasons Centre. I also blogged about my excitement on this previous entry. We were really lucky and got some awesome seats! The ballet was in Toronto for limited time and it was a sold out show. I was really excited because it has been a long time since I last went to a ballet.

Alice in Wonderland program

I was happy to see quite a few parents brought their daughters, they dressed them in cute dresses too. That reminded me a lot of how mom used to take me to shows and ballets. I remember I thought all the dancers were princesses because they were all wearing pretty clothes. I took some ballet lessons when I was little but was never serious about it, I also remember my mom got me a white ballet tutu dress from Paris, which I have no idea where it is now *_*

Photo from National Ballet of Canada website: Lauren Cuthbertson of The Royal Ballet in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Photo by Johann Persson

***SPOILER ALERT, don't continue reading unless you don't mind :)

The ballet itself was amazing! I knew it would be cool and have heard good things about it but it still exceeded my expectation. The set was well done, with well made giant 3d props and clever projection screens, creating an interesting illusion & perspective. There was animation projected on a thin screen for set changes, combined with puppet and dancers, making it all flow seamlessly. I also like their portrayal of Cheshire cat, he really appeared to be floating in thin air and Mad Hatter tap dances!

And of course the costume was nice. At some point some dancers came out through the entrance and danced up the aisle, we had aisle seats so we were able to see them and their costume upclose! The tutus was made with many layers of light weight sheer fabric, they really looked like flowers, which was their character.

The kitchen scene was cool but probably little disturbing for young children, there were some really cool props including a pig chair. Other costumes were beautiful too, Alice herself had on a couple purple dresses, which was playful and flowy. The Queen was rolled out in a large red dress (wood?), which made her looked larger than other characters but later on she "stepped out" of this dress and appeared in a smaller/ more to scale dress. I thought the styling was well done and the dancers were very expressive with their facial expressions (good acting too).

A big axe swung down at the end of first Act, during intermission it stayed on display.

Since it was a full length ballet, it is hard to keep the audience focus for the whole time. Overall it was pretty captivating but some of the pair ballet with Alice and Jack seemed a little lengthy and repetitive. Perhaps it was needed in order to full explain the story. There was a good balance of beauty, grace and humor in this production, which made it so enjoyable even if you were not into ballet.

Can you spot me? :P

There are now number of clips on youtube of this ballet, including some behind the scene ones too. However, if the production come back to Toronto or to your city, go see it! I highly recommend it because it is soooooooo worth it! Seeing it in person is different than on screen but I'm waiting for the DVD to come out so I can watch it over and over again :D

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Album design for a very talented guitarist

2011-07-13T16:14:00.000-04:00

I love getting mails, more things are arriving since the end of the postal strike. I was excited to finally see the CD package I designed beginning of the year for Jon Mendle, a very talented guitarist from San Francisco. Of course, I was excited to hear the music on the cd too, it was even more beautiful than I anticipated. I like listening to it when I'm working on my jewellery :) His debut Album "L'Infidele." is available at In a Circle Records.

I was happy to find out I get to design a classical album that isn't just a picture of a musician with an instrument in front of a plain background + text. Jon wanted something that has a "rustic feel within a modern context" and provided me some photos by Matthew Washburn to work with. I played around with the colours, made some adjustments and was able to come up with something I think has sort of a serene yet magical feel to it.

A more modern approach to classical album cover

Keeping the inside pretty simple, easy to read text with a calming background colour

Jon plays an awesome instrument, the 11 string Archguitar

Tray design

Back cover

Here is a clip of him performing "Largo" by Adam Falckenhagen

You can see Jon in action on his youtube channel and learn more about him on his website

Enjoy!

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Kitty Tuesday: kitty baking set and kitty ears ring

2011-07-12T11:23:00.004-04:00

I can't believe it is Tuesday again, seems like just a couple days ago I blogged about my suki painting. I've been bad lately, there are just too many cute kitties I couldn't resist! Yesterday I was at Blue Banana with a friend and well you guess right, I brought more kitty stuff home.

I saw this cute little tin box and and had to take it home. It is just too cute and also reminded me a bit of my character "Biscuit". Cats and Baking, 2 of my favourites!

And yes, the kitty on the tin looks a little like my suki so that sealed the deal. This cat looks pretty innocent though, my suki has a much naughtier face and will probably never let me put a red bow on him! :P I just noticed, the girl's arm looks a little odd *_*

Everything just looked so cute in this little tin box

This is what comes in the tin: a wooden spoon, wooden rolling pin, cupcake paper cups, recipe card, metal cookie cutter, candles with holders, cookie stamp and icing set.

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This reminds me, years ago I bought a Miso Pretty kitty reusable shopping bag by the same illustrator Fiona Hewitt, I love the products from her brand Wu & Wu. Her illustrations reminded me a lot of traditional Asian drawings, I thought she was Asian until I went to her website, and now I understand where her influences came from.

This is a picture of the bag I found online, you might not be able to see it, but the girl is holding a siamese cat, and there are other kitties on the side too. The other side of the bag, there is a girl with red hair holding a white bunny. The whole bag is very Me lol I only used it a couple times since I don't want to make it dirty.

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Another item I picked up yesterday was a brass kitty ears ring. I've seen this ring online so many times but never bought it since I didn't know if it would fit in person or if it is made of poor quality material. While at Blue Banana, my friend Cecilia showed me this ring she thought that was very me and indeed it was. There was an antique silver colour one too but we both ended up getting the brass colour one.

The back view of kitty ears ring

Front view of the kitty ring, well I call it front because it is front facing. I like to wear it facing towards myself so I can see the cuteness all the time! I thought it looks good with my sugar rox too :D

Well thats all for this week's kitty tuesday. more meow meows next week :)

Yum Yum Friday: Lunch at The Queen and Beaver Public House

2011-07-08T09:48:00.007-04:00

Yay, its friday again, well time seem to fly by these days, I can't believe it is the weekend again. Since it is Friday I'm going to talk about food... I meant to blog about this restaurant/pub a while back but never got around to do it. The name itself is quite interesting : The Queen and Beaver Public House. It is located 2 Blocks north of Dundas Street Subway between Yonge Street and Bay Street, very close to Eaton Centre.

Photo from Queenandbeaverpub.ca

Upon arrival, we saw a sign that told us to go upstairs, there was a dining area on the ground floor but wasn't open for lunch that day. We walked pass a china cabinet and up the stairs we go, I felt like I was walking into someone's house. When we got upstairs it was a totoally different space, it was like a cosy sitting room. There were comfy looking couches and soccer related photos on the wall. Of course there were also objects that reflected its British heritage. Since it was nice day out, we decided to sit at their outdoor patio instead.

I love love love the logo on their napkin!!!

I've never been to a place that servers classic traditional british food, the only thing British I can think of was Fish and Chips and thats exactly what I had planned to ordered. However I decided to be a little more adventurous and try something different. I saw Fish Pie on the menu and cannot imagine how fish can be in a pie, so I asked the waitress and she informed me that it is something like a shepherds pie with sea food. Well sea food with mashed potatoes on top sounds good to me so I give it a go. My friend ordered a Roast Beef Sandwich with fresh potato crisp. In case you are wondering, yes, crisp= chips and chips= fries :D

The Fish Pie came with a side of green peas, I mixed it in my pie which gave it some more texture. The pie itself was pretty creamy and filling too, though it was a little fishy, adding a little pepper helps. It is an interesting combination, tasted like nothing I've tasted before, but I still prefer my fish grilled.

Anwen's Roast Beef sandwich came in a pretty plate :)

Unfortunately we were in a hurry to catch a movie so we didn't have time to try their desserts, I think next time I definitely would like to try dessert or maybe their fish and chips! If you are interested in trying some British food in Toronto, give this place a try, the food is fresh and waitress is friendly.

More food next friday! I added a Follow button on the top right corner of my blog, follow me :)

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Kitty Tuesday: Sweet Tooth

2011-07-05T11:39:00.001-04:00

I love my kitty Suki, he has many names: sukimoto, kiki, mooki, sucky, coco puff and the list goes on. We adopted him about 4 years ago from the Toronto Humane Society, ever since he has been a part of our family. He is not only entertaining, but also serves as a great source of inspiration for my work.

Today I want to share with with you this painting I made of him a few years ago.

Sweet Tooth

The original is acrylic painting on wood, about 4"x4.5" . A limited edition (30) of this print (5.5" x7") is available at Goodedition.com for only $30 and (17" x 22") $200.

Just like me, he loves to eat and he probably dreams about food too. Every time I call him over he would think I might have food for him, of course I am very good at not feeding him all the time and I make sure he runs for his treats. We feed him the best grain free wet and dry food, but he probably just wants a big bowl of milk. Sorry buddy, that isn't going to happen :P

This guy is so spoiled, he has 5 beds but still prefers these random paper boxes we get from the grocery store. He also gets daily massages, what a life!

More kitty next week!

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