hazelnuttini

cardboard foldouts

2012-02-11T12:33:00.001+08:00

Knocked off work on time in town one day (how rare) and rang up my favourite couple who didn't mind including me in their late night plans. Love 'em to bits!

Once again it was food and drinks, this time over research and a serious amount of brainstorming. The riverside is slowly becoming our afterhours hangout.

2012-02-10T21:10:00.001+08:00

Woke up to the warm welcome of morning wallpapered on my wardrobe today.

Made me smile.

electric blue

2012-02-09T14:09:00.000+08:00

my new favorite colour;

in one of those dress-and-boots days

2012-02-08T09:54:00.004+08:00

Exciting plans in the making, especially after getting acquainted with a new friend over ~~beer~~ tea.

Trying to catch my breath first now.
So much left to do before the launch of hansel's SS12 collection!

2012-02-03T00:25:00.002+08:00

hansel treasure print tee now at 20% off,

only at the hansel shop at Mandarin Gallery

favourite outfit of the mo', and it sure helps that it's uber comfy to be in too

hansel past seasons SALE!!!!!!!!!!

2012-02-01T02:02:00.000+08:00

Juan and i roughed it out at isetan unpacking and displaying the gazillion tonnes of sale stock, with valuable help from her intern thank goodness. But still, it was too much work for two/three and we ended up leaving after midnight.

GO CHECK OUT THE SALE FROM 1ST FEB AT ISETAN SCOTTS OHKAY (BECAUSE WE WORKED SO HARD AND JUAN REALLY SLASHED PRICES).

I'll post photos of what i've bought/am planning to buy if i have time. There are tonnes of designs and sizes, you'll definitely find at least a few items to love.
Unique original printed weekend dresses, classic wool coats lightweight enough for our weather, shift office dresses with conversation-starter details and flirty babydoll dresses in at least 15 variations. Prices are slashed from 70% to 90% if i'm not wrong. A $349 dress can be going for $49 now. SWEAR.
(hansel sale tip: check out the tags to find garments that are made of silk, extra value for money! I'm already tempted to buy this flower print silk halter dress in an uber large size just because, heh)

Share your joy with me if you've come away with lots of bargains too yea?:)

Zen-ing over a hugeass bowl of spinach soup and chinese tea now YUMS.
I really hope i can hear my alarm later in the morning.

lemon & mint

2012-01-31T09:26:00.000+08:00

Juan bought tea and i bought cookies for boss for chinese new year. She left it at the pantry area so we all get to have yummy tea breaks MUAHAHA.

eight hundred tags

2012-01-29T01:46:00.000+08:00

It's gonna be the start of a craaazy week!

exxxtra iguanas

2012-01-28T16:37:00.003+08:00

Arrived late and stuffed myself with humongous servings of chimichangas and burritos and calamari, feeling very satisfied with my Thursday afterwards.

It's amazing how much mental healing you can get from meeting two of your favourite people after a long week at work and just having really decent food and a good douse of jokes and laughter.

I think i should include a weekday dinner date in my schedule at least once a week to keep sane.

malacca

2012-01-28T13:57:00.002+08:00

The scorching heat and over-commercialized historical monumental sites had us beat a hasty retreat into a beautifully decorated shophouse where we had tasteless chicken rice balls and an overdose of soya sauce. I really do fall in love again everytime i see old wooden furniture, chipped walls and uneven stone steps. I'm pretty sure that when i get a place of my own, i'll have walls of uncovered bricks, bamboo mats, antique baskets and wooden frame mirrors.

Already wondering where the next short getaway will be!

sour cherry

2012-01-27T00:19:00.000+08:00

Lou hei substitute for reunion dinner.

My vote goes to tamago and sashimi anytime!

Hope everyone came away from the long weekend with happy tummies!

Tongue-in-Cheek

2012-01-21T14:34:00.001+08:00

Caught my reflection in the stairway's full-length mirror one morning and wondered if i was wearing such colourless outfits out too constantly. So in the spirit of the company's kooky image, i rummaged in my wardrobe and put on this twenty-cent acrylic brooch. Really puts a pop of fun in a monochromatic outfit huh!

stolen girlfriends club

2012-01-15T14:06:00.001+08:00

images asos.com

I know it's a little early to be making a birthday wishlist but i know i'd want to own a stolen girlfriends club print someday. Love all the pieces here but my favourites have got to be the side split maxi skirt and the one-shouldered flare dress in that beautiful textured grey concrete print. Now, if only my degree collection came close...

Am going to try making the adorable pair of layered shorts just because i can't afford them.

(Yet.)

black balloon

2012-01-15T13:49:00.000+08:00

So my first ever proper job as a design assistant has left me exhausted, up to my neck in datelines, and utterly --- happy. Not the kind of singing-smiling-happy, but a great sense of purpose and fulfilment kind of happy. Cheesy as it sounds, I should have known all along that i'll never find real happiness in love (at least not now), but in self improvement and achievement.

Of course, i'm receptive to the idea that some time down the road i might not be singing this bright, rainbow-coloured tune. After all, there's been too many grouses from my predecessors who've been brave enough to continue down the design route. Let's just hope i don't get jaded (too soon)!

First pay in, and i'll be getting a pair of track shoes to start my long-procrastinated jogging regime. I really can't let this fatigue get to me so easily.

cardboard

2012-01-07T23:00:00.000+08:00

I saved the best picture for last, didn't I?

Overdued Batam photos from last week, from our post-Christmas getaway where the boys went on 50% discount at the factory outlet shop if you squint hard enough.

Misty puffs of laughter

2012-01-07T00:18:00.001+08:00

Came back from Genting with a classic paperback and 4 bags of cookies. Already missing the cold and that feeling of not having a care in the world. And sorely regretting not having what would have been the most delicious cup of hot chocolate out there in the morning cold. (Mum says we have Starbucks in Singapore but i say it's a totally different thing to drink hot chocolate under the blistering heat back here.)

Not sure if we're physically rejuvenated and rested well enough, but we're definitely mentally ready for the challenges back here in the new year.

diehard fan of scrambled eggs

2012-01-02T18:47:00.001+08:00

The little sister has been feeding me silly for the first few meals of the year and i feel so blessed:)

say hello wave goodbye

2012-01-01T18:42:00.002+08:00

When you don't love someone anymore even after you've spent months trying, they say it's time to let go. And I did. Goodbye 2011, and for the many more goodbyes in 2012, I'll be fighting.

All I want for the new year is for the people I love to stay closer:)

lies.

2011-12-25T10:46:00.002+08:00

Three days ago, I found out that a person in my life isn't who I've conditioned myself to believe he is.

In my childhood, I've always longed for something more than what his sporadic presence could ever give, and i went to sleep every night praying that when i woke up he'd not be gone.

I'm not one to wallow in self-pity or resign to fate and so there won't be tears when the day comes to draw the line. There will be blame, but i'm going to push those harsh self-reproaching thoughts aside and concentrate on loving the one person i'd taken granted of for so long.

This christmas will be the last.

you're never too old to sit on santa!

2011-12-18T12:11:00.004+08:00

Very very heartwarming and hilarious to boot! I actually teared at the end:')

Here's some christmas cheer from spontaneous folks on the other side of the world!

(I had a good laugh at the bewildered expressions on the faces of the mall shoppers)

early christmas ringing at my door

2011-12-15T21:36:00.003+08:00

Surface to Air

See by Chloe

For those who feel the pain of being misunderstood on the need for more shoes, please say AYE. Mothers and boyfriends, you have the right to remain silent.

The only reason i'd wish for sunny weather now is to wear my new shoes out!

the heart gets heavier with each sunset

2011-12-12T21:51:00.003+08:00

Have you ever let something stay because you never had a reason to let go of it? What if it holds you back from the person you'd really like to be, from the life you really want to live, yet you are indebted to this hindrance? You're obliged to stay, and obliged to let it stay with you.

Have you ever tried to be nice to someone who did nasty things to you? I did, and i felt like a hypocrite towards myself. It's hard being nice when you genuinely are, and that it makes you so vulnerable to those witches who'd sneak up from behind you and shove you into their cauldron of, well, wickedness?

Sometimes you wish you can leave some people behind, but the memories and how your lives are already so entwined makes you sink to your knees in helplessness and the realisation that maybe, you're doomed to follow after the footsteps of those who've failed before you, afterall.

What if you were stuck in a situation where you had to force yourself to rekindle emotions, and dreams, that you'd already abandoned so long ago?

We all grow up a little everyday, and we'll never stop doing so. But what if i'm seeing things in a different light now? What if i have different goals in life? And that life is the big picture I'm starting to embrace?

Let go when you have to, because trapping someone (or something) with obligations will never give you the happiness you really need.

I want to be set free.

2011-12-11T12:04:00.003+08:00

hansel halter wrap dress

The perfect christmas dress for anyone who's any size bigger than me and has five hundred bucks to spare. Original hansel magic lamps and stars print on luscious midnight blue silk. Filzah says you'd feel like a princess the moment you put it on, but i say i'd like to be a wee bit fatter and taller to fit into the smallest size.

I shall let the model (and a camera) do justice to the dress.

You really can't not bask in the christmas mood when the DKNY Jeans office organizes a mini christmas party which involves a log cake and a hilarious game of gift exchange, and when the hansel shop has golden baubles hanging from the ceiling among the hand-drawn cardboard diamonds. Absolutely love the decorations in the hansel shop!

and so it rains everyday, the way i like it

2011-12-05T22:13:00.002+08:00

First day in the menswear team and i'm loving it so much i don't wanna leave already!

I exaggerate of course.

My old table looks so starkly white like the past 3 months never existed. No tasks for me today so i spent the day helping the womens denim designer out with her denim sketches. I really enjoy working for her because she's so easy going, down-to-earth and smiley-miley! It's so easy to approach her whenever i have any questions. Really appreciate working under a genuine, friendly superior.

On the same happy tune, I've got a job offer from the company i emailed a few weeks back, and it turned out that they had already been considering me! Pretty happy because i think it's a very very decent place to start as a fashion design assistant, which is a job title that's few and far between. My seniors have been asking me to look around but my mind is set and i'm hoping that my ignorance will not say "i told you so" later on.

I have a good feeling about this.

2011-12-04T14:02:00.005+08:00

PU leather

gaberdine lining

faux leather suede strip

Made this slouchy bag a couple of weeks back from scrap PU leather and other materials. I'm still trying to make useful things out of the bits and pieces, collected over the 3 years of fashion studies, lying around at home. Painstakingly cut out the fringe detail, yes.

Seems like I can never escape from the inner bohemian spirit in me. Love rustic, vintage/aged look accessories, and Jeffrey Campbell's modern take on the traditional fringe suede footwear common to the native americans made me fall in love.

Say hi to my uber cute fringe platforms!

Solestruck held a massive sale over the Black Friday weekend, just a week after my purchase. (Thank goodness my Fringe wasn't on sale or i'd have boycotted the site) They slashed prices madly and even offered 50% off sale prices on the last 2 days. I should have known better that their site would crash from the overwhelming traffic and it was very very frustrating trying to place orders.

For those of you who've missed it, maybe next year?

The Jeffrey Campbells were so cheap it was incredible. I'd considered the Suebee, Mary Roks (only SGD70!), Blush (been eyeing this for some time) and the flatforms. But i thought i should make use of the sale and get higher priced shoes from other brands. Cross your fingers for me that their size 5s will fit me like my JC's did!

If you've never heard of solestruck, go check it out! This is one company whose motto is very very successfully evident. No more ugly shoes!:)

2011-12-03T13:08:00.005+08:00

Heya, December!

Life is looking up! It's a cold rainy saturday night, and i'm huddled up on the couch in my leg warmers in front of the teevee with no work this weekend. Taking a much needed breather this month.

DKNY Jeans has extended my internship for another 3 weeks (which is perfect because i'd told them i'd only be available up till christmas) and i'm posted to the mens team, which means i'd be able to learn more. Pretty excited about my new desk and new tasks come monday. I guess now that things are falling into place, it's a blessing that i'd lost the design job with ACTUALLY when i signed myself up with DKNY. Sometimes you have to wait, or let things take their time to figure themselves out.

Have been spending my year end paychecks just like everyone else basking in the christmas spirit. It's ohkay because the new year will mean new paychecks!:)

2011-11-25T00:07:00.002+08:00

stolen shopping carts,

perfectly manicured gardens

还是要幸福

2011-11-20T00:12:00.004+08:00

不确定就别亲吻感情很容易毁了一个人

一个人若不够狠爱淡了不离不弃多残忍

你留下来的垃圾我一天一天总会丢完的

我甚至真心真意的祝福永恒在你的身上先发生

你还是要幸福你千万不要再招惹别人哭

所有错误从我这里落幕别跟着我铭心刻骨

你还是要幸福我才能确定我还得很清楚

确定自己再也不会占据你的篇幅

明天开始这一切都结束

还我钥匙的备份我觉得再见可以很单纯

我甚至真心真意的祝福永恒在你的身上先发生

你还是要幸福你千万不要再招惹别人哭

所有错误从我这里落幕别跟着我铭心刻骨

你还是要幸福我才能确定我还得很清楚

确定自己再也不会占据你的篇幅

明天开始这一切都结束

你还是要幸福你千万不要再招惹别人哭

所有错误从我这里落幕别跟着我铭心刻骨

你如果很幸福半夜的简讯我就无需回覆

因为你的悲喜已经有了容身之处我也能有最纯粹的孤独

最孤独的孤独

2011-11-19T23:47:00.003+08:00

Dinners with my favourite people and funny BBM threesome conversations keep me going these days. Days will get longer at the office with the workload piling in for our team. It's mildly frustrating that i still can't seem to hit the precision and speed of which i want to submit those technical illustrations.

The mist is clearing in my future, but my heart has moved on to someplace less zen, more troubled.

Satisfaction has become such a difficult state of mind to realise.

2011-11-18T01:10:00.001+08:00

there should be more hours in a day

i'm trying, really

race rats everyday

2011-11-11T22:48:00.002+08:00

Feeling like a zombie these days and it's funny because when i do the math,

i work approximately only 9 hours a day,

travel 2 hours a day,

sleep 7.5 hours a day

and still have 5.5 hours left for daily necessities like eating.

Technically i have time.

But why do i feel like I'm chasing so fervently after it everyday?

I think I'm suffering from ~~pre-mid-life~~ pre-quarter-life crisis/depression/jaded-ness.

all my colours

2011-11-09T20:42:00.000+08:00

zaazaa gave me this keychain and said "merry christmas", cracked me up!

oni-san and rosie have joined the cool side OFFICIALLY

face of a glutton:D

2011-11-08T00:03:00.003+08:00

yes another photo of my nails just because my weekend colleagues having been asking where i got them done

and because there's nothing as interesting as the shimmer of my nails this weekend

Running around with a terrible complexion, old lady's hair (thank you kandi for that description, i shall hate you for a day:<) and slouchy half-shit effort outfits.

Life is too much work.

Too much work to breathe.

Can't wait for december now.

Oh wells, looking forward to stuff i'd paid for last week to arrive this week!

cosmic weekend, babies!

2011-11-05T20:44:00.002+08:00

OPI suzi skis in the pyrenees suede

OPI blue my mind

CHANEL peridot

and umm, white acrylic paint

2011-10-29T21:52:00.002+08:00

Found this little gem of a camera bag at cat socrates today,

more than makes up for the boots i couldn't get.

tonal

2011-10-29T11:58:00.004+08:00

Subconsciously dressing in black everyday again to the office.

Decent lighting in the hansel shop makes good photos for no make-up days!

Handwork at the office (why is it that the companies always get me to sew my most hated sequins at my internships??? WHY?)

But making these leather paillettes are pretty cool i must say, although they took up pretty much the most of my morning just cutting them.

Oh and this took me the whole of the dinosaur age to do.

Another post tonight!

stacked

2011-10-26T12:05:00.002+08:00

Was wrapping the little sister's birthday presents yesterday night in front of the teevee. She's complained that i never get her anything for her birthdays in recent years. I have to sheepishly admit that it is true. Somehow when you grow older, the presents grow lesser and you kind of forget the joy of giving and receiving wrapped surprises.

So this year, it's 3 eco-friendly-wrapped packages for the 20 year old!

(They look more cheery in real life, blame the lighting)

Things for the week.

It's a public holiday and i'm at the shop and i'm hoping with all my might that the sun will go back behind the clouds and it'll rain again.

2011-10-24T23:40:00.001+08:00

goodbye monday

see you again next week

you suck.

2011-10-23T11:48:00.006+08:00

Too much online ~~window shopping~~ garment research at work and now i've even become a follower of the versatile halter dress.

Love the ones from hansel:

and ASOS:

Coupled with my current obsession over the deep luscious colour that is teal,

and a stay-at-home saturday,

and i now have a new party dress.

(With no party to go to)

poly matte satin (yes, punch me now)

Might wear this once (to dinner on the sister's birthday next week?) and then declare it a toile though. Teal might be my colour for now but polyester satin (matte or not) will never be my fabric. I know i know, contradicting, but hey no point letting 2 yards of decently new fabric go to waste right?

Might make a chiffon maxi version next week (if i've no work)!

Weekend working schedule is fickle like a bitch.

greg lauren

2011-10-22T11:27:00.003+08:00

on research mode on a saturday morning, how rare,

and well-awarded with a chance-upon this designer

recycled vintage army fabric (duffel bags, tents and tincloth) into deconstructed, raw-finished grungey jackets,

absolutely digging the vibe!

2011-10-20T23:17:00.002+08:00

outfit to work today;

i think i can live in slubby oversized tees 24/7

Lunch with the colleagues one afternoon saw them dissing organic food believers (me included). If you like chemicals in your veggies, i don't see why i can't prefer caterpillars in mine.

No need to turn noses up at people who prefer to hug trees and skip that slice of bacon.

We're not pretentious, at least not all of us are.

To each his own.

2011-10-19T09:07:00.001+08:00

feather bib necklace

feathers lying around at home, lace trim and skinny chain findings

my heart needs some light

2011-10-17T23:38:00.003+08:00

attempted bokeh photography from my window sill and with my scented tealight candles, making a terrible waxy mess on the floor afterwards.

feeling so monday

2011-10-17T09:24:00.001+08:00

monday has become a descriptive word

midweek silence

2011-10-12T22:17:00.004+08:00

The day when boss is not in

and i learnt that green is blue,

printing paper and watercolour still don't get along,

my necklace looks better on my work station than on me,

and my eco-planner has secretly become my confidante.

And then i'm trying to miss you.

i have a new ambition

2011-10-09T23:33:00.001+08:00

i want to be a red indian

when the novelty has fizzled out and you realise you've loved wrong

2011-10-08T19:51:00.001+08:00

I notice alot of things when I work here at the shop on weekends.

I notice that women who shop with their partners tend to put back the item they like when they get The Disapproving Head-shake. It's sad to watch because they've parked themselves into the claustrophobic role of The Obedient Wife.

I hope I never go there, if I ever change my mind to get married.

With people saying that there's gender equality and all in the family today, I still doubt that equality exists, cynical as i am.

One person changes, and the other struggles to retain that acceptance, that love, that brought them together in the first place.

I want more out of life, and gradually the people and things that don't inspire and motivate anymore me are slowly backing themselves out of my heart. My mind tells me to grab on to these treasures - at least they once were - but my heart does not listen.

Trying to will someone to be someone else, trying to retrieve lost feelings; these things require effort. And it gets tiring after awhile, when you know that this is not how things should be.

How nice if God had a man-making machine and there are buttons to press to customize your dream partner. Witty and funny, beep. Inspiring and motivating, beep. Independent and has a mind of his own, yes let's press that button too, beep. You can't imagine how many wishy washy and hen-pecked men there are now too. Oh and me being, well, me, let's add good english to the Perfect Man Concoction too.

Please God, deliver my dream man anytime this weekend in a handsome package of a very light whiff of cologne, clean toenails, and great clothes to go with a great fun personality.

Or actually, those in a best friend will suffice.

What if i've changed and we don't see eye to eye anymore?

What if when i say no, all i really want is for you to urge me to look elsewhere for a yes?

What if i can't find the beauty in you that used to fascinate me anymore?

What if you're becoming like me, someone I never wanted to be?

What if we're in a race and you never seem to run fast enough, fast enough to propel me to push myself even faster?

What if i'm moving on and you're the hindrance?

How do you love someone for a lifetime, much less for eternity?

2011-10-06T22:09:00.002+08:00

I'm almost halfway through my internship at DKNY and i'm sure i'll miss it when my last day comes. Work isn't the most fun nor the most stress-free in the women's wovens department but i'm glad for the opportunity because through my now permanently knotted eyebrows, (mild occasional) frustration and the never-ending emails, I've learnt alot about how a design team functions.

And that even with our degree, we're only barely scraping the ground in this industry. I wonder if i have the perseverance to dedicate 99% of my time to this field and crawl my way up (because vicole put it bluntly, working in this line means "giving up your life", giving up the freedom of off-days). Or maybe I'd end up like the majority of my predecessors and switch to a better-paying, less stressful job.

Anyway I'm unearthing my anal side again, don't know if that's a good thing.

Below image from my desk is for illustrative, symbolic purposes only, OCD yeah.

And for those who own a bottle of shatter nail polish, isn't it such convenience that it can be painted over chipped, week-old manicures and make it last a week more?

My nail colour of the week matches all my favourite rings!

Have also been trying to save money for once and feeling rather blue from all the things i've to restrict myself from spending on: that new pair of wedges, the home fragrance, that organic cotton maxi slip, more organic munchies and tea.

At least i've got tea from the little sister to curb my tea buying habit.

But it was game over when i deviated into a store after running an errand for work and came out with an McQ necklace. Blame it on my soft spot for tarnished, rustic jewellery.

Shall stay at home with my books of the mo' this weekend.

Being anti-social has its benefits: you get to save alot of money!

Sure hope the rain continues right through the night.

Love trudging to work in cold weather.

beautiful

2011-10-05T21:54:00.001+08:00

just gotta start loving ourselves that little more

hello october

2011-10-04T22:13:00.006+08:00

made a pink packet for the lovebirds' wedding

fat ones, short ones, skinny ones, tall ones

wish this came in a sticker, sooo adorable!

need i say more about why he's called fat?

actually came over to our table to attempt to get a second serving of fish!

traditional chinese toasting

YUUUUUUUUM SENG!

my sister the man-tou

denise dissecting the pork belly of which i didn't even bother to try haha

wish i have half the personality of this girl, so bubbly!

pretty pretty blushing bride, looking so radiant!

2011-09-30T21:36:00.002+08:00

there are so many people on the sidelines wanting to be in the running,

trying so hard to be one of them

but all they've managed to do is lose themselves

playing christian (kudos to magenta for the apt phrase),

playing the pseudo heiress

playing the know-it-all

what a sorry mess

well, thoughts on a friday night.

i've made it through one month, and i will survive the next two

it's not easy because everyday i see betrayal on that face

the audacity of how friendship was once cheated on

of how pretentious those words are

knife through my back no more

if today, what you want is the job

then take it

i ain't not fighting with jealousy,

with sore losers,

with people who bite off more than they can chew

and whose mouths are bigger than their talents

2011-09-29T21:10:00.002+08:00

tomorrow's friday and friday means less angst!

at least i have people to complain with (heehee)

no work for this weekend and so i'm gonna be away to relax, have fun and recharge

my insides feel like a jaded old nanny's now

bitchslap those fake angmoh accents off their faces

2011-09-28T22:00:00.005+08:00

"...you drives your car..."

"...i really adores..."

"...i did gave..."

"...we have fall short of..."

"...there are too many people involving."

people should quit using big words (read: anything longer than 8 letters) in their prose before they can even construct proper, grammatically correct sentences

possibly more annoying than prickly wool sweaters, mosquito bites on your soles or palms, and fake angmoh accents (yes the branded bag-toting, branded clothes-wearing, branded poop-pooing that are our beloved SPGs)

and for the singaporean record, the coins in your prada purses are called cents, not dimes

elitists now altogether, cue eye-roll

hahahaha

my sis makes a smashing serving of scrambled eggs

2011-09-28T21:03:00.003+08:00

Weekday nights always see me dozing off on my bed before i even take my shower. The work itself isn't tedious, but the amount of time spent in the office is wearing me out.

I wonder if people eat more when they're cooped in an air-conditioned room, because i sure do.

Bernice says my healthy snacks (with organic ingredients!) look like dog food but they agreed it tasted decent. It's an acquired taste; i love it, but it's too expensive to indulge in again. Wonder if the organic store has stocked up on my shortbread biscuits and new snacks.

2011-09-25T11:49:00.002+08:00

I'm here on a Sunday noon blogging from the very quiet shop.

WE'RE HIRING!

email your resume to hanselmg@ilovehansel.com

full time/part time weekdays

ready, get set

2011-09-23T23:25:00.002+08:00

i don't understand why even as i eat on budget and not buy any clothes at all, i still can't save up enough for that dream overlock machine

or that mannequin

or that pair of fringe wedges

or that well-deserved holiday

really really need a 4-digit income

working through the weekend!

(yes i am a workaholic)

come say hi to me at the hansel shop:)

2011-09-19T21:44:00.002+08:00

I'm the kind who plays nouvelle vague's dance with me on my mobile in the shower and boogie in front of the mirror because i'm too afraid to show how bad/good i am shaking my booty in front of others. Now you know:D

What's your secret indulgence?

black

2011-09-18T23:03:00.004+08:00

One of the garments on my list of i'd-rather-sew-than-spend-money-on, finally completed.

Considering selling this though, am not really a sleeveless shirt person.

polyester chiffon and voile, DIY daiso fabric buttons

in a manner of speaking

2011-09-18T00:08:00.004+08:00

Lately I've been stocking up on organic snacks, amidst trying to sleep by 12-ish and eating decently healthy meals at proper times. Am having my newly bought organic blueberry muesli with honey (i know i know it kinda defeats the purpose but i WILL get organic honey, if there's such a thing, soon) and kaffir lime malay tea. Funny how i've never heard of malay tea, being an avid tea drinker, so i had to buy a tin to try. Very very light taste, but really aromatic; beats lipton i'd say. The teas come in a variety of flavours which supposedly have different benefits but i usually trust my sense of smell when it comes to deciding!

monochromatic

2011-09-16T23:23:00.004+08:00

(i think rosie is secretly in love with me)

So Din Tai Fung was the episode after Hatched, where we discovered that jon's kulukulupongpongchai is a farce. Seriously oni-san, you thought you could get away with it?

Life is making me real tired. Shall blog properly after i get some decent rest.

saturday closing shift

2011-09-11T12:32:00.000+08:00

why i love working with em

rekindled love for all things vintage

2011-09-09T22:19:00.006+08:00

If half-decent grass grows in our country, I'd have been doing cartwheels all over the field. It was a lovely weekend evening spent on the grass watching kites and catching up.

I'd wanted to blog about work on the first day but my laptop fell into a coma and that was the end of my blogging enthusiasm about work.

So just a few pictures of garments i fell in love with (the rag and bone sheer parka is a genius; i would steal it if i ever get a chance to be alone with that rack again haha), my new nest-on-the-head hairstyle (which i've not had the guts to leave the house with) and my new cushion cover mummy sewed for me (i think it looks happier in my plush rabbit's arms than on my chair at work)!

maple syrup

2011-09-04T10:33:00.006+08:00

The sis told me i have no excuse to put off going to hatched because now that she works in the kitchen, i get to have a wee bit more bacon than usual. The Sleepover had good banana french toast and the salmon in Papilote satisfied my fish craving. Wasn't so crazy about Sir Benedict's poached eggs but i'm not going to complain about the extra bacon!

Pretty cosy place; i think we stayed there for almost 3 hours, listening to stories about how a random dude went up to oni-san and proclaimed him a wayyy better deejay than DJ INQUISITIVE. Had me in stitches, i swear.

DJ JON FTW.

hazelnut hot chocolate

2011-08-31T23:29:00.003+08:00

Ran up to grab a cuppa on the pretext of going to the money changer to break up the thousand dollar bill in the till box today. Wins my (now ex-) favourite hibiscus lemon tea from starbucks hands down.

Eases the quarterly (because mine's always late by 3 months) cramps and fends off the cold in the shop. For $6.50 a cup, this is my new occassional indulgence.

2011-08-31T14:47:00.001+08:00

some retards can't tell the difference between macarons and macaroons.

2011-08-30T00:24:00.002+08:00

Yes, this time i'm trying extra hard to grow out my fringe. For real.

but i don't love you no more

2011-08-28T12:57:00.002+08:00

Life's too short for break-ups and make-ups, for counting calories, for trust funds and money in the bank, for early nights. Life's too short to force love, to make enemies and to count your friends.

Life's too short to waste dreaming of living someone else's, or to live for someone else.

But we hug trees, tell bedtime stories and ink ourselves.

There's always time.

2011-08-25T23:59:00.003+08:00

Very powerful visual message.

(Click to zoom into each image)

copyright

2011-08-23T22:28:00.002+08:00

was googling if hazelnuttini has already been established as a well-known copyright name; wouldn't want to infringe anyone's rights

it's scary how many photos from my blog came up in the image search

wondering now if i should keep a private blog and another one for my to-be label

or should i use my own name as my label's?

too drunk to fuck

2011-08-22T23:07:00.010+08:00

All the days leading up to the Flyaway Donkey party on Sunday were filled with lots of glue-gunning of paper gems, stock packing and stock counting, putting up Jo's hand-drawn store decorations, cleaning up the shop, snacking (constantly hungry bellies!) and laughter amidst the tiredness. I remember dragging china man bags along the pristine Mandarin Gallery corridors too many times in those few days to attract raised eyebrows from the suited ~~snobs~~ salespeople from samsonite and armani.

We packed up all the SS11 stock, put up the new stock and revamped the store in one night! GIRL POWER and all.

and we're still here, after the sun has gone down

2011-08-16T22:56:00.005+08:00

Really happy to have alot of last minute hansel-days scheduled into my timetable this week. Would love to be busy; not exhausted i'm-going-to-faint busy but fulfilling i'm-not-wasting-any-moment-of-my-day busy. Brought my never-ending jacket to the shop to do stay-stitching and fix the ill-fitting sleeves (an inch shorter than i'd have liked). I can almost hear lionel and peck leng tsk-ing at my workmanship and fitting. What did i graduate with again?

Oh yes. Now maybe i should skip the convocation and go for another try at Year 3. I don't feel like a fashion design graduate. I still know nuts about ALOT of things.

Practice practice, absorb absorb!

And to add on to my newfound desire for a busy lifestyle, I'm embarking on one-day projects, where i attempt to sew something from scratch in a day. August has a few of those days left empty still, so maybe i could stay home and work some magic into my piles of fabric.

One man's thrash can be the same man's treasure. I'm gonna prove it!

P.S. Please leave titbits for me right under each post if you're here! Teehee:)

2011-08-14T00:22:00.003+08:00

days are spent at the hospital again, fervently wishing the beepings mean things are getting better, but yet not being able to do anything. one person's leaving a job (all for the better!) rolled into another getting one, and i might be holding down 3 jobs by september, so we're still ohkay i think

full-time work is starting all too soon, with pants appearing in my wardrobe, a garment type that was never a staple for me. trying to be mentally ready for a (desk-bound?) office job which will rob me of weekday facials, hanging out with the fluff, and more macaron-baking attempts. i hope i meet nice people or i'll be humming wake me up when september ends on repeat like a forlorn loser with only Illustrator for company.

hansel's new collection party's coming up and i'm scheduled in with the preparations. somehow feel like i'm not really appreciated for my long term service, or maybe i'm too anti-social for my own good.

feel like my moods are highly volatile these days, must be extended pms. but it's the silent type, the kind that just makes you feel all out-of-sorts and living in your own world. at least i'm not snapping at people or giving the boyfee a hard time. to think of it, i hardly give him much time now.

and i learnt that in reality, absence seldom makes the heart grow fonder

2011-08-13T12:44:00.000+08:00

je t'aime plus qu'hier moins que demain

2011-08-12T18:13:00.003+08:00

Life is starting to kickstart for me but right now, right here, i think words are not necessary.

Please get well soon and come home.

blackgreywhite

2011-08-11T22:44:00.001+08:00

today, i found out that my favourite colour

is grey

bitterheart

2011-08-11T00:17:00.007+08:00

The bitterness lingers even after it's all gone.

2011-08-09T14:44:00.006+08:00

HAPPY NATIONAL DAY FOLKS

The sis baked vanilla cupcakes topped with icing and the colourful, shaped confetti toppings i'd bought but not used. Yet. Was supposed to have a really good batch of matching red macarons (like how i'd envisioned them to be, at least) for the festive season but it was a complete flop. That summarizes my baking adventures so far with a 20% success rate.

I know i'm starting to sound like a teenager with a really bad crush, but i haven't all given up on baking macarons. I wanna be featured on Mactweets sometime; they've got really delicious-looking macaron photos from macaron-bakers.

I'm gonna hit the sewing machine today and FINISH UP THE TRENCHCOAT ONCE AND FOR ALL. Must transfer some of that passion for macaron baking to my sewing.

blue my mind

2011-08-08T02:14:00.004+08:00

I'm still mushing over macarons.

It's been only a couple of weeks since i first attempted to bake these pretty french morsels and i'm completely hooked on them now. My fourth attempt was the first edible batch so i'm pretty much elated. For someone who doesn't bake (baking pre-mix cupcakes for kiddos doesn't count) i think i'm making good progress. I think this will be the only thing i'll have so much passion and perseverance in baking. Doubt any other treat will come close.

But most of the time, it's disaster in the kitchen, with utterly grotesque UFOs emerging from the oven. Life's not all roses and butterflies.

Second try yielded cracked tops and turned rock-hard after cooling.

Third try lucky? NOT. My green batter turned brown in the oven and these darned things caved inwards when i got them out.

Managed to improve a little after a trip to Kinokuniya where i pored over the unwrapped books on macarons and learnt some tips! I'll share a few tips i read with those who'd like to try their hand at baking these delightful desserts!

macarons' greatest enemy is HUMIDITY

draw circles on the underside of the baking paper to get near-perfect rounds when piping!

macarons have a large comfort zone; so leave about 1-inch radius all around them each

let the macarons sit for at least half an hour before baking

slide the baking paper of baked macarons onto a baking tray filled with water so they don't stick when they cool

ohkay i'm still a noob so i'll leave you guys with these recipes and some mouth-watering images
(not owned by me!)

recycled paperback dreams

2011-08-06T12:19:00.003+08:00

Mum told me to make a planner instead of buying one and i did! Put all those random loose papers and cardboard to good use; recycle! And then preceeded to doodle my dream wardrobe in it, sticking post-its of stuff i'm gonna sew myself. Would really love to have a HUGE shelf of shoes!:)

noir; 72%

2011-08-06T10:41:00.002+08:00

For a self-taught macaron baker who has absolutely no cred in the kitchen, i think i am making good progress! This batch looks beautiful and i'm getting better with my makeshift piping bag teehee! Will improve the ganache (chocolate is SUCH an angsty ingredient, doesn't obey me at all!) and practice piping even more perfect circles the next time.

For now, it's back to my sewing machine. Hopefully i have other creations besides those from the kitchen to share, heh!

Italian Meringue

2011-08-04T00:42:00.008+08:00

Failed attempt at baking macarons, again, but still oh-too-pretty not to put them on doilies for a photo-moment! This time the batter rose properly but the tops cracked and i wasn't digging the ganache. Hate white chocolate. Oh wells, was fooled by name on the recipe of this macaron. Pistachio, white chocolate & honey macaron. Fancy, no? Lesson learnt. Will stick to dark chocolate next time.

Had fun though!:)

2011-08-03T22:27:00.000+08:00

i am going to miss hansel

2011-08-03T01:08:00.002+08:00

I know i should be uploading photos of the smashing fashion show i did at hard rock cafe last thursday night and sharing my sense of accomplishment and reflections here. One day procrastinated into another and it's been almost a good one week since the event. Facebook has been more active than it has ever been with photos and scribbles on walls and networking for future collaborations.

A few things i am certain of:

1. I will be collaborating with Mofeat, the video duo who did my promo video for me, in my upcoming resort collection
2. Yes, i will be coming up with a resort collection by the end of the year, not so much for anything else but to add to my own portfolio (neighbour and i with the same ambitious plans)

3. I've got compliments and enquiries on my garments, so i'm proud to say that i'm a commercial ready-to-wear designer (who's yet to sell anything though heh heh). At least i'm coming up with garments that people would actually love to own:)

4. DKNY wants me, well, at least as an intern for the next 3 months

5. I am starting to feel more sure of myself and my own abilities.

When i was in school, i never dared to do things (design and work my way) because i was afraid of failure, of criticism, of judgement. But now that reality is sinking in and things are shaking up, i realise that i must come out of my shell, of my naive little world. I cannot be the person i want to be if i continue this feeling of self-worthlessness when i hear/read/see people my age who are doing great things, fulfilling big dreams.

I want to be like that too, but in a Hazel way. Head up, girl, from now on because i'm great in my own little way:)

2011-07-29T02:08:00.001+08:00

Life is a blast.
I realize i have many friends.
SO GAN DONG:')

2011-07-27T19:06:00.003+08:00

Tomorrow's the big day and i'm sure i'll say, "This is probably the last fashion show i'll ever get to do", again. Life has a weird way of throwing your words back at you, for i said this exact same thing on the day of Audi.

Am glad that i have old friends paying to come down and lend their support, which inevitably also adds a good deal of pressure. Audi wasn't bad in a way that i only knew 4 people in the audience, so my reputation wasn't at stake. But it's super comforting to know that the best help i can get with this kind of events will be around, so THANK YOU NEIGHBOUR!

Nonetheless, I'm going to do what i can for the rest of today and tomorrow and give a good show.

I can't believe it's been 2 months since Audi and i didn't do much in between, only to be re-showing my 6 outfits.

italian love affair

2011-07-21T16:21:00.004+08:00

The sister made teatime tartlets today!

these days, they just disappear

2011-07-21T00:22:00.002+08:00

With my sister's talent in the kitchen and mine in decorating, meal times have become very much enjoyable to prepare, and eat.

Absolutely delicious wraps for lunch!

porcelain

2011-07-18T11:28:00.004+08:00

Happy monday morning everyone!:)

2011-07-10T14:40:00.006+08:00

Bakerzin and afternoon tea with mins.

IKEA lunch with sis.

Bought her animal-shaped pasta during one of my work-day breaks

Din Tai Fung with the boy.

Early dinner at Rocky Master another day.

Popped by the newly opened Sauce at the Esplanade with oni-san, sis-in-law & the boy one of nights we were in the area.

shirley temple was good, pina colada was terrible

Kiseki with neighbour and brainy the day before brainy flew home:(

Thank you neighbour for getting me my shamelessly requested souvenir of the adorable phone booth pencilcase (of which i have already and NEED to have another just because)and the surprise mascara. Surprise because i just ran out of mine and this has TWO SEPARATE brushes, one for volume the other for length. Superb. Haven't checked if they have it here in sg. If not i have to fly to London and buy one carton home.

2011-07-06T23:29:00.003+08:00

My zen of the mo' is blueberry tea from IKEA. Only a dollar odd for a bag of tea leaves, what a steal! And it helps me destress while i'm working out my logo on Illustrator. These fingers o' mine are rusty from all that bumming around in June doing absolutely nothing. July smells good, when dad gets well.

Dad's bypass operation is in about 12hours and we've got to be back at the hospital early tomorrow morning. Please help us pray for him, that the operation will be successful and that he'll have a speedy recovery.

deflated

2011-06-24T16:22:00.000+08:00

charlie brown cafe

2011-06-23T20:51:00.005+08:00

A little narcissistic photo to show that i'm happy and alive and still ever-hungry after the past 3 years of school.

Charlie Brown Cafe for light dinner before the RDI show.

Never thought Snoopy was this cute, and the chocolate in the crepe was delicious!

Angsty boy footed the bill (as usual) and said he told his dad he was meeting his "atas friend" when asked why he was dressed up (AKA not in berms and slippers). HAHAHA i'm atas, thank you.

2011-06-22T01:28:00.002+08:00

Love family steamboats at oni-san's place. Though it's usually just 4 of us with Fuzzy popping in late to start a second round, it's still very heartwarming to know that despite our busy schedules, we can all make time for each other.

2011-06-22T01:27:00.001+08:00

i can feel it in my toes...

queer

2011-06-19T23:01:00.002+08:00

Went to the library with the boy on the pretext of studying and actually picked up a couple of gender theory books to read while he studied for his test.

And today i kidnapped the most expensive toy of his to date, apart from the ray bans and audio-technica headphones and the modem-stick, his newly bought semi-pro! Heh, which explains the motivation to blog.

Oh and that's a new shirt i made for myself. Getting in the mid-year new clothes mood even when i'm utterly broke.

deep down, i'm afraid of being judged

2011-06-16T01:13:00.000+08:00

2011-06-15T00:01:00.003+08:00

I am a complete failure in the kitchen but my sis lives in it. Thought i'd show you guys some of her dishes. She's brilliant:)

2011-06-11T12:57:00.003+08:00

I'm drinking a second cup of The Tea That Made Neighbour Lose 4kg. No i'm not on a diet, (i've probably only been on a grand total of 3 in my life so far, and each lasting not more than 3minutes, yes thank you mummy for the awesome genes), but neighbour tells me it's detox tea, and i'm a sucker for bodily well-being remedies after turning the ripe old age of 22.

So if i shrivel up and die, tell the doctors it's the tea.

2011-06-11T09:30:00.002+08:00

You know, I've never really given much thought to human branding, or stereotyping, until i went to work yesterday and the other hansel girl on shift, one i've never had a chance to work with before because she's relatively new, told me i remind her of ginette chittick with my artsy vibe. It was funny because i've been taught by ginette and i'm nowhere near that really all-rounded hipster fashionista of a dee-jay. I think it was meant as a genuine compliment but when i got home that night, with my feet all sore from the craziness of the GSS at the shop, i wondered if one day, people will tell others that they remind them of me.

It's the summer holidays again, but this time I don't think my mid-year qualifies as a temporary holiday anymore. I'm itching to be rolling in some dough to pay off my debts (all that money borrowed to buy my fabric, pay the models, feed my midnight cravings etc) but I don't know where to look first. And sadly enough, the mid-year season also means shopping season and my bank account is bordering on a single digit. But i'm not moping around at home after window shopping at topshop and warehouse and the likes of high street brands; i'm putting that repaired sewing machine to good use.

Inspiration, abrupt end.

where the wild things are

2011-05-31T23:20:00.009+08:00

Finally dined at the cafe upstairs where so many of hansel's customers go to after making their purchases. The food wasn't as good as expected, but the ambience was not too far off the mark. The boy's sexy sunrise cocktail cost as much as my sweet morning breakfast. I wanna try the scandinavian the next time i go.

hazelnuttini

cardboard foldouts

electric blue

hansel past seasons SALE!!!!!!!!!!

lemon & mint

eight hundred tags

exxxtra iguanas

malacca

sour cherry

Tongue-in-Cheek

stolen girlfriends club

black balloon

cardboard

Misty puffs of laughter

diehard fan of scrambled eggs

say hello wave goodbye

lies.

you're never too old to sit on santa!

early christmas ringing at my door

the heart gets heavier with each sunset

and so it rains everyday, the way i like it

还 是 要 幸 福

race rats everyday

all my colours

cosmic weekend, babies!

tonal

stacked

greg lauren

my heart needs some light

feeling so monday

midweek silence

i have a new ambition

when the novelty has fizzled out and you realise you've loved wrong

beautiful

hello october

bitchslap those fake angmoh accents off their faces

my sis makes a smashing serving of scrambled eggs

ready, get set

black

in a manner of speaking

monochromatic

saturday closing shift

rekindled love for all things vintage

maple syrup

hazelnut hot chocolate

but i don't love you no more

copyright

too drunk to fuck

and we're still here, after the sun has gone down

blackgreywhite

bitterheart

blue my mind

recycled paperback dreams

noir; 72%

Italian Meringue

italian love affair

these days, they just disappear

porcelain

deflated

charlie brown cafe

queer

deep down, i'm afraid of being judged

where the wild things are

还是要幸福