Special Announcement!
Registration for KBCC #16 - ScrapBooking is CLOSED. There has been an overwhelming response & the session on 25th July is already FULLY BOOKED. If u are still keen, feel free to email Betsy (bicsie@gmail.com) to indicate your interest. Once there's enough enquiries, we will have another session of ScrapBooking in 1 or 2 month's time :) Thank u all for your enthusiasm in crafting! :)
Meet Funky Knitter - Chenyen
"Hi Betsy, Can't believe I've completed a cardigan! Thanks so much for the guidance along the way. Instructions are clear & it's pleasant chatting with you every lesson :)" - Chenyen, 7th July 2009
Catching Up on Orders
Past 2 weeks have been just catching up on orders & preparing for monthly MAAD. Just realized that I have been taking photos of all the orders I made, but have failed to post them all up here on my blog :P "Then take for what???" A Knotty Fan asked me this morning :P hehe... here are only some of the orders that I've been making for the past 2 weeks... :)
Knotty Booties & Beanie Set have been our Knotty Fans' all-time-favourite. The 1st is for a baby shower gift, the 2nd is just to add on to a lucky little princess' wardrobe... :)
This pair is definitely a cutie, customized with a ringing bell... :)
Some coasters...
Cardholders...
Shawl...
This is the most bizarre orders I've ever had so far! Di of Parentlink (a Doula* based in Singapore) first requested for a knitted uterus (Nope, u did not read wrongly nor misunderstood me... it was indeed a uterus that Di had asked me to knit! But forgot to take photo of my knitted uterus :( *boohoo*) last month, then she ordered placenta with umbilical cord! These are all props for her classes. Check out her website :)
*A Doula is a person, usually a woman, who is professionally trained to assist a woman during childbirth and who may provide support to the family after the baby is born.
Well now, I'm preparing for this weekend's Singapore Arts Street & working on a knitted sculpture, which I hope to submit to a small sculpture show :) Will keep u posted if I do get in to the show! Wish me luck ;P
Another Introductory Funky Knit @MAAD
Yesterday 4 newbie joined our Funky Knit Journey. Read about their 1st knitting experience below...
"Dear Betsy, knitting really need 2 hands & brain to work together... this is tough... however, I'm glad & happy because your patient guidance throughout the workshop had helped me complete my hp pouch. I love it!! Thanks!" - Han, 5th July 2009
"Dear Betsy, thanks for your warm welcome! I really enjoyed it a lot! Thanks for your guidance, I love my handphone pouch! & I want to learn more!!! Cya!" - Iris, 5th July 2009
"Why everyone starts with 'Dear Betsy'? Anyway... Dear Betsy, I didn't expect knitting to be easy to learn. This way of learning is definitely better than YouTube & books. Simply because they cannot 'undo' mistakes, but you can! I won't mind learning a little more about knitting. Now, I'm feeling inspired to make big things with this simple technique you taught me!" - ShuaiXun, 5th July 2009
"Hello! eh... knitting is much easier than crochet lor! ... Thank you for teaching me!" - Peiling, 5th July 2009
KBCC #15 - WaterColour
Yesterday we tried our hands at watercolour. Lyn is so nice to agree to show us how. Everyone had fun "playing" with watercolour.
Check out our masterpieces! We sure got some hidden talent among us! :D
Our yummy delicacies sure are another high-light of KBCC! Yesterday we had Mee Soto (Malay chicken noodle soup) & Begadeh (fried potato cake), which were very well-received, especially the Begadeh. In fact, it was wiped out in 15min! :P For the past few sessions, since we shifted back to Knotty Bicsie Studio, our refreshments have been lovingly prepared by a few Malay ladies, all home-made traditionally. From now on, by popular demand, I'll also be including our menu on our KBCC monthly rendezvous :P So stay tuned.... :)
KBCC #16 - Scrap-booking
Date: 25th July 2009 (Saturday)
Time: 3.30-6pm
Things to bring: photo(s), scrap materials, scissors, glue, other knit-knacks
Menu: To be confirmed
Registration: S$10/pax, includes materials & refreshments
Pls RSVP by 20th July 2009 (Monday)
Parent-Child Angel Clay Workshop
Last Saturday (21st June 2009), I conducted a Angel Clay Workshop @I Love Children. It was a parent-child workshop, which aims to promote parent-child bonding & moral education through crafting.
I am very encouraged to the see the overwhelming response! We had a full class of 15 pairs of parent-child! I was told by the organizer that there were more enquiring about the workshop, unfortunately we were already fully booked. Well, maybe next time then :)
Once again, Knotty Staff Azreen (in pink cardigan) was a great help, both parents & kids LOVE her million $$$ smile!!! :)))
All parents & kids were very engaged in playing with the angel clay. As usual, the kids just LOVE mixing their colour clay since it's so therapeutic to pinch the soft clay among our fingers. Parents were also enthusiastically creating animals & creatures with their little Princes & Princesses. Everyone made at least 2animals/creatures & 1lovely cake for Father's Day. We had a fruitful & fun-filled morning! Yay! :D
Original Miniature Knitted Art
Finally! Yesterday, Edward & I delivered the 210pcs of customized Miniature Knitted Art to The Arts House for Southeast Community Development Council's Appointment Ceremony this evening. They are for all the Guests of Honour, including our Ministers & Members of the Parliament, office-holders & their family members.
This series of 210pcs of Miniature Knitted Art is specially commissioned to represent South East CDC, & each piece is unique. The organically dynamic circular forms in the background represent the diversified community, which is being led by South East CDC (represented by the knitted foreground) in creating a vibrant society. The labyrinth of colours signifies the bond among a closely-knitted community.
Each piece is 4x4inches big, painstakingly hand-painted with acrylic paint on a laminated wood block, hand-knitted & hand-crochet with acrylic & cotton yarns. Since every piece is unique, they are all number coded. This set is Miniature Knitted Art #001-100/210. All done between 16th-31st May 2009.
This set is Miniature Knitted Art #101-210/210. The first 20pcs are done between 25th-31st May 2009, while the rest are done between 1st-19th June 2009. Proud owners of my knitted artwork, if u are reading this, have you found your very own piece yet?? :)
The toughest thing about this project is time management. This is because for most of the time I can only focus on my production at night after all my classes, & during weekdays, my last class ends only after 9.30pm. This means I had to work very late into the night. In fact, almost everyday for the past 2-3weeks, I've been working till 3-4am! @_@ Finally had my first solid 8hr of beauty sleep in June last night! ;P *YAWN*
Happy Birthday, Daryne!!!
Last Saturday was Princess Daryne's 3rd Birthday & Knotty Bicsie is truly honoured to be part of the celebration! Mummy Lynn engaged us to conduct PomPom Party as part of the evening's fun & colourful program. We had so much fun with the kids, we forgot to take pictures of the children's proud monster creations! Everyone had at least 1 new fluffy friend to bring home with (yes, many kept coming back for more!), how nice! :)
It was a cosy party of about 10kids & some 10-15 parents. We stayed for about 2hours so the kids can come as & when they feel like making a PomPom Monster with us. We truly appreciate parents who worked on the PomPom Monster together with their kids. It's always nice seeing parent & child working together :) Special thanks to Nancy who patiently guided her 3-year-old son, Samuel, through to make 3 PomPom Monsters!
Nancy, I hope your hand is ok! It was really nice chatting with you that evening. Samuel is truly a very charming boy. I'm sure you're a very proud Mom! :)
Lynn, Thank you so much for having us! It was indeed a very well thought-out party. LOVE the cheerful balloons & candy floss making machine! All in line with your "Strawberry Shortcake" theme. Edward & I had a wonderful evening :)
Edward, you are always my greatest Knotty helper. So thankful u were there to help the kids along. As always, never could have done it without you! :)
Knotty Super Models!
Check out these adorable babies! Appreciate all these wonderful shots taken by Mums & Dads & thank u so much for sharing these "kodak moments" with other Knotty Fans!
Happy Wedding Anniversary! :)
Today is my wedding anniversary & hubby surprises me with this beautifully cheerful bouquet of flowers delivered to our home!
"Dar Dar, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for everything. Thank u for being so tolerant of my nonsense all these years, thank u for being so unconditionally supportive & encouraging of my willful venture in Knotty Bicsie, most of all, thank u for loving me! Today we celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. I'm sure there'll be many more loving years to come. I'm very grateful for & will treasure our marriage. I want to grow old with you!"
- Your loving wife :)
12th June 2009
2nd Introductory Crochet Craze Workshop @MAAD
By popular requests, I did another Introductory Crochet Craze Workshop @MAAD last Sunday. This time, it was full house with 5 Crochet Craze newbies! Check out their beautiful virgin project - knotty mobile phone pouch! :)
"Betsy is a patient teacher & for a beginner like me who has no experience in crochet, I feel very accomplished when I completed my mobile phone pouch. Although I made lots of mistakes, she was willing to guide me along in correcting me. I have certainly learnt a lot during these 2 hours. Thank you, Betsy!" - Evelyn, 7th June 2009
"Thanks, Betsy! I have a wonderful afternoon learning the crochet technique from you. Your instructions are clear & you are patient. Hope to have the chance to learn more from you. Cheers!" - Ellen, 7th June 2009
"Haha back again for a second mini-workshop with Betsy!! Because she is such an attentive teacher. :) Finished a cute pouch under 2hrs! Crochet is amazingly faster than knitting indeed. haha, good for more 'instant-gratification' projects :)" - Amy, 7th June 2009
Special Announcement!!!
From now on, simply gather your family & friends to form a group of 3-5people & you can email me (betsy@knottybicsie.com.sg) to request for your very own Introductory Funky Knit &/or Crochet Craze Workshop! Workshop details as follows:
Introductory Funky Knit / Introductory Crochet Craze - mobile phone or coin pouch
Available Dates: 1st Sunday of every month (eg. 6th July, 2nd August, 6th September, etc)
Time: 11am-1pm
Venue: MAAD @red dot design museum (28 Maxwell Road)
Fees: S$20.00/student, INCLUDES all materials
Note: Strictly by appointment only! Pls book your slot at least 1week in advance to prevent disappointment. Minimum 3students to start a class.
Knotty Bicsie in Young Parents
Check out the latest issue of Young Parents. We are being featured on the booties page under Young Parents Baby! Yay! :) Thank you so much, Young Parents! :)
Mo-Gu Says "Hi"
Remember "Mo-Gu" created for Amy's boyfriend? Well, Amy's good friend visited Amy's bf in London & took this photo. How cute! :D Wow, I've never been to London but my creations have! & to other parts of the world too. Quite an amazing feeling! & I'm truly grateful!
KBCC #14 - ButtonArt
Last Saturday was time for our monthly crafting rendezvous again! As usual, we had yet another jolly good time :) This time round, our craft is inspired by talented crafter I met on www.flickr.com Trust me, this ButtonArt is actually harder than it looks. P8 Accessories & Button Art, Thanx for sharing your brilliant ideas!
Well, I must say our 1st attempt at ButtonArt is not too bad la, even though a few of us "cheat" by constructing our ButtonArt on a felt :P We all struggled a bit at the beginning, then we had our usual "makan" (means eat in Malay) session before we persevere on & created these beautiful pieces. :)
I'm sure many of u still remember EeWei, who migrated to Edmonton? Well, she truly is 1 crazy crafting enthusiast! She's been trying so hard to continue to be part of KBCC, we finally found a solution! I will inform her of our craft in advance, so she can make 1 & mail it to me before our monthly KBCC. Then 1 lucky winner each month will get to swop his/her craft with EeWei. Here's our very 1st lucky winner, Richard!
EeWei, won't tell u which is Richard's masterpiece yet, so u'll get a surprise when I mail it over to you! :)
There was another special guest at our KBCC last Saturday. ShuaiXun brought his precious little ball-joint-doll. She is so photogenic indeed! No wonder people are so crazy about these "bjd"!
For our next KBCC, we will be changing out timing to 3.30-6pm instead. This is because some members had to rush from work & other commitment to KBCC, so we decided to push back the timing from now on. Details of June's KBCC:
KBCC #15 - Water Colour
Date: 27th June 2009 (Sat)
Time: 3.30-6pm
Things to bring: Please bring along paint brushes if u have, & a piece of rag.
Registration: S$10.00/person, includes painting materials & light refreshments.
Pls R.S.V.P. by 22nd June (Mon) to confirm your attendance. Thank you!
Goodbye, Gong-Gong...
May ended in a cruel way. The sudden passing of my grandpa shook everyone with grief. Nasty experience over my grandma's funeral some 25years ago made my mum, Uncles & Aunties decide on a simple affair to mourn over grandpa. The quiet & peaceful funeral was indeed most appropriate. We spent lotsa time talking about the good old days when grandma & grandpa were still around. I have many fond memories of my childhood when I had to spend my weekends at grandpa & grandma's. I always looked forward to Grandpa's perfect brew of kopi-o & half-boiled eggs... I remember how naughty grandpa used to trick me into believing that his favourite dish from grandma's cooking was actually dog meat, just so that he can have it all to himself... I remember how grandpa & I share the same passion for big chunky watches & rings... This is our way of saying goodbye...
GongGong, I miss you so much... tell Wai-Po that I miss her everyday too...
Meet Needle Felter - Jo Lin
"A very enjoyable class, with a very patient & friendly Betsy teaching me Felting. It's simply a fun & interesting craft! thank U Betsy!" - Jo Lin, 22nd May 2009
Many Things Lining Up Till July
For the 1st time, we had a surprise birthday party for a good friend, Deborah, last Sunday. I did what I do best for her birthday present - I crochet a trendy scarf for her. Looks fantastic on her, don't you think? :)
May has given me 2 weekends of good break with Edward, but also marks the start of a long list of things to do all the way till July at least...
Well, on top of my usual small orders & classes, my biggest headache now is this corporate deal with South East Community Development Council. They've ordered 210pcs of my Miniature Knitted Art. My target is to paint at least 20pcs per day for the next 11days, then I'll start wriggling my fingers for the knitted/crochet portion. As much as I truly think I'm the first & only one doing this type of artwork, I don't have the confidence to daringly declare that yet :P I have been surfing the net to see if there's any others doing this, well, good news is I don't seem to have found anyone else yet :) Unlike mine, which I incorporate knitting/crochet with acrylic painting, others are all fully knitted/crochet. Hehe... so am I really the pioneer in this??? I sure hope so! :D
Other things that I'll be busy with for the next 2 months are corporate workshops. I'll be doing 2 or 3 Art & Craft Workshops for kids below 12years old, & 2 Funky Knit Workshops for Hwa Chong Institute (College). I'm really thrilled about the Funky Knit Workshop @Hwa Chong Institute. It is always Knotty Bicsie's mission & vision to popularize knitting/crochet as a therapeutic life-long hobby, & also to make crafting a modern way of life for everyone. What better way to do this than to start with the young? :) I'm engaging 2 of my young Funky Knitters to be my assistant instructors for this workshop in July. I'm so looking forward to the day when the stereotypical image of old granny knitting in her rocking chair is to be replaced with trendy youngsters wriggling their fingers while chilling out! :D
Much Ado About Nothing
Last weekend turns out to be a really enjoyable one. We celebrated Adrian's birthday over "Much Ado About Nothing" @Fort Canning Park. All thanx to our dear friend, Michael Corbidge (who's 1 of the main casts), we got our tix at 20% discount! & most gratefully, we got a sumptuous picnic spread! Yum!
The stage setting is simply beautiful! I love the pool & Edward loves the wooden frames. Gorgeous! It was a FULL HOUSE that night.
Bought Adrian's birthday cake from tcc. Cocoa Cointreau is so yummy! Definitely will go for the cake again! Chenyee, the other Adrian, Deborah, Edward & I shared to buy a BIG BOXFUL OF YARNS for Adrian. Yes, Adrian knits alot too! In fact, some of you might even own Adrian's creations! ;) Actually, he's been knitting some pretty rose brooches, bags & "ginger-bread-man dolls" for Knotty Bicsie. So now u know who are, proud owner of Adrian's masterpieces ;)
Since it was still exam period, I only had a morning class on Sunday the following day, so Edward & I decided to go check out "Da Vinci - The Genius" Exhibition @Science Centre. Well, it was interesting, but I think it was more interesting to Edward, then it was to me, since I knew more about Da Vinci than him :) can see those aero-dynamic inventions really excite him a lot :)
It sure has been a long long time since Edward & I can can spend quality weekend times together like last 2 weekends. To think that I'm running a home-based cottage business, yet so little time with my loved ones. I really can't imagine how much quality family time normal working couples have! This is kinda scary & sad :(
New Booties Range Available for Grab!
Yay! Check out this new range of 28 designs available online now! More coming your way in the next 2 months. Look out for some good bargains too!
Also coming your way by July 2009, our very own online yarn & supply shop!!! Will sure keep everyone posted once it's up! :)
Meet Funky Knitter, Christie
"Hi Betsy,Thanks for teaching me the knitting skills, which is Greek to me when I first approached you. You are definitelya very patient person as teaching me is not easy due to the fact that I am not a crafty person and I am very impatient... Moreover, you are not selfish to impart me the knitting skills. Really appreciated the effort you have put in to teach me and I have my first and one of its kind knitted handphone pouch. Looking forward to start my next project soon!!!" - Christie Lim, 13th May 2009
Meet Knotty Super Model - Baby Chloe!
Baby Chloe's mum customized this pretty cardigan & a match beret for her wardrobe to Genting! Iyo, what a lucky little princess! Well, with a pretty smile like Chloe, no wonder Mummy's so inspired to keep shopping for her. I think Baby Chloe has a much BIGGER wardrobe than I do! :P In fact, as of now, Princess Chloe is already a proud owner of 4pairs of Knotty Baby Booties, 8 Knotty Beanies & Beret, 1 Knotty Cardigan, & still counting...
Knotty Bicsie is so lucky to have found so many wonderful Knotty Fans! Thank you, my dear!
Creative, Innovative, Resourceful & Enterprising People
Had a surprise birthday party for a lovely young lady, Cindy, last Saturday after MAAD. Met her @MAAD in 2006 X'mas. Pretty, sweet, chirpy, friendly - this is my friend, Cindy. Like many others, I never knew silver jewellery can be hand-crafted (especially not in Singapore, I thought), until I met Cindy! Check out Cindy's little nook, Purple Lush.
Everyone handmade something for Cindy & I knitted this vest in her favourite colour - PURPLE! (I know, I know, this is lilac. Both belongs to same family right?? :P) Really glad it fits her perfectly too! ;) Happy Birthday, Cindy!
These few weeks have been a little quiet than usual @our crafting studio 'coz it's exam period. Students need to focus on preparing for exams, & parents need to stay home to coach & monitor their kids doing revision at home. Hence, I end up having a surprisingly leisure Saturday afternoon off! hehe... :P Well, I was suppose to stay home to rush a few outstanding orders, since I did not knit/crochet for 2 days after I went to see a Chinese "sinsei" for my painful right wrist :( But hubby decided to bring me out on a HOT date instead! :P
We started our excursion with a visit to Ed's favourite Sunday hide-out, which he calls "Woodlands Airbase". He put up an "airshow" for me, flying his P40, a birthday gift I got for him last year. By the way, he affectionately name it "Bicsie" because it was painted by me too! :D Read more about Ed's hobby here.
After that, we drove around some farms near our place, & then we decided to stop for an ice-cream @this roving "Mama-Shop" in a van. We strolled around the park while enjoying our ice-cream & to our pleasant surprise, we caught two very interesting sight. First of all, we saw a family actually cooking lotsa "bah-zhang" (rice dumpling) at a bbq-pit! & it sure look like those are for sale! haha... Didn't dare take any photo of this family since we were too near & we definitely had no intention to buy any from them! :P
Just beside this enterprising family, a HUGE crowd gather, all looking towards the sea in anticipation. As we follow their gaze, this is what we saw!
Apparently a few men had come back in a sampan full of FISH! & they are going for $3/kg! Iyo... people can be so resourceful & business-minded! Honestly, I doubt this is legal, but maybe if fishing there is legal, well, I suppose these people are just trying their luck?? :P Either way, Edward & I had a very interesting afternoon & it's been awhile since our last weekend outing together :) So it was real nice... :)))
Ed decided he wanted to go somewhere by the beach to have dinner, so we head towards Bottle Tree Restaurant along Sembawang Beach. Yes, all these very cool, Singapore's hidden treasures, are all VERY NEAR our Admiralty Drive studio. Are you jealous??? hehe... :P
We ordered this very interesting dish - Lychee Prawn Balls. As the name suggests, it's simply lychee+prawns, deep fried till golden brown in patter, & the taste is heavenly! Yummy! We were even inspired to try it at home someday... yes, someday... :P
Even though I injured my wrist & had been unwell for the whole week, I must say I'm absolutely enjoying my weekend! I know few of you (u know who u are) reading this must be wondering if I've forgotten all about your orders :P Hehe... Don't worry la! I'm definitely working on them & you are definitely getting your parcels next week, as promised :)
Oh, to ALL MOTHERS, especially my Mum AiChoo, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!
ps: Mum, don't forget our hot date on Monday ;) I love you!
NEW!!! Needle Felting Workshop
Knotty Bicsie is adding this new craft to our list of workshops available at our Crafting Studio. It's so fun & easy, even kids can enjoy themselves in this 2-3hr workshop (depending on group size)! :) Check out these adorable wooly friends created by Xavier (10 years old) & Xaviera (9 years old)! :)))
First Ever Introductory Crochet Craze Workshop @MAAD
Last Sunday @MAAD I was kept extremely busy throughout the day with 4 New Crochet Craze & a few other Funky Knitters who came by in the afternoon for a knit-out (& chit-chat) session. :P
Meet Elaine, a fellow vendor @MAAD who stole some time away from her stall to come learn a new skill :P
"Betsy is a practical & realistic instructor, she does not promise you the sky about what you can do with basic crochet skill. Hence, with my existing craft knowledge, I am able to gauge how far I can go, how good I want to be for future projects. However, I felt that 2hrs is not enough for for a first-time crochet enthusiast to finish up a handphone pouch (on our own). But it is a very good introductory lesson to get a taste of what hard work is all about. I had fun during her workshop, which explore the cor-ordination between fingers of 2 hands, unknowingly increase unnecessary stitches, and with a lot of help from Betsy, I am a proud owner of a iPod cover. :P
Thanks for the workshop, I would continue to practice my crochet skill next MAAD." - Elaine, 5th May 2009
Jeslyn, who has been fascinated by some amazing Amigurumi pictures she saw from our blogs, came to try her hands on crochet as well.
"The workshop is very basic, just nice for someone like me who has never touched yarn before & who has no experience in crochet or knitting. It's good for me to learn & get the feel, & for me to see if my interest is there.
The duration is just nice, but probably need a few more lesson to complete a (proper) project for beginner (1st-timer like myself).
Thanx for the patience & guidance!" -Jeslyn, 3rd May 2009
Amanda & Pauline, a pair of cheerful & enthusiastic cousins, rushed down from their yoga class to try crochet for the first time too.
"Had a fun time learning the single crochet stitch. Would love to learn more from you in future! Thanks, Betsy!" -Amanda Yong, 3rd May 2009
"It's been an enjoyable & relaxing 2-hr crochet learning experience with Betsy, who's been patient with a beginner like me. Thanks a lot, betsy! :)" -Pauline Huang, 3rd May 2009
Knitted Gift for a Creative Friend
Now all of you get to see Fashion Designer, Rayson Tan's handsome face :P Knitted a vest in his lucky colour for his birthday. Really glad it fit him perfectly! :)
Quirky Bowties
Remember my collaboration with fashion label, L'ile aux Ashby? Well, our bowties are being featured in Style Magazine! Yay! Thanx & congrats, Rayson!
Knotty Bicsie Goes MAAD
It's the 1st weekend of the month again & Knotty Bicsie is going MAAD again! :)
KBCC #13 - Easter Swop & Needle Felting
For the 1st time, KBCC finally shifts back to "home-based" - Knotty Bicsie Studio! We had a good turn up & even a special guest who was virtually with us for the 1st 15min.
Ee Wei, we all miss u A LOT! All your fabulous crafting buddies wish you were back from chilly Edmonton to sunny Singapore for all KBCC sessions! It was real sweet of you to sms to say hi to everyone. :)
Last Saturday we did Needle Felting. A few of our crafters never even heard about this before last Saturday! So I would say everyone did something new & literally had fun (& stress ;P) poking away...
Special thanx to a GREAT FRIEND, Ayako, who volunteered to be my assistant that day. Peiling & ShuaiXun were indeed in good hands. Arigato, Ayako! :)
Something that we've all been waiting for since last month - Easter Swop! I made this cute little Easter Bunny Sling Bag for my partner, Peiling. Well, I noticed she was making a rabbit plush for our previous KBCC & guess that she likes rabbit. So I'm sure she'll love this gift :)
In return, my partner, Moses, made a pretty "Easter Humpty Dumpty" that even smells sweet! To make EVERYONE jealous, Yuliana & Richard both made an extra gift for me as well! So many presents, felt like X'mas! Thanx, Moses, Yuliana & Richard! Haha... :D
Meet Funky Knitter, Roz
"Betsy, you've been GREAT! Never could I imagine that I can actually knit something but you really have guided me through the whole process very, very patiently. I first came to you in Dec 2008 to knit a present for my special other but somewhere along the way, some personal problems cropped up & I decided to stop knitting. You've been very encouraging & it was thanks to you that I decided to pick up knitting again (with GUSTO this time!) and knit a winter scarf.
Lessons at your home studio are, in a sense, relaxing and therapeutic. It's like going to a gal friend's place to chit chat over balls of yarn to do knitting! To me, you are not just a teacher but also a friend. So, yes, my FIRST knitting mission is already complete and the best part is?
I'm not stopping here. Mission No 2 is already on the wayyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Betsy!!!!!!!!!!!!"
- Roz Rusli, 24th April 2009
More Booties Order
These are for 1 true HUGE Knotty Fan who keeps coming back for more!Verlin, thanx for ALWAYS making my day! Also, thanx for all your special requests. The designs are all BEAUTIFUL! I had lotsa fun making them :)
Exciting 2009!
2009 turns out to be busy busy for Knotty Bicsie. Besides our usual bazaars, workshops & online sales, there have been quite a handful of very interesting collaborations with various groups of people. In fact, collaboration schedule are lined up all the way till October already! Sure looking forward to each & every one of them! To start off, I'm sure you remember Fashion Designer, Rayson Tan? Remember our quirky bow tie project? Well, I sure had lotsa fun playing with colours for this collaboration. ;) Currently I'm working with a fashion student, Jadie, on her final year runway show. I'm working on an Avant-garde knitwear for one of her male models. How exciting! Look out for more updates in June ;) There are few other collaborations, which I'll only "brag" about after I get some nice photos to show here :P hehe...
Well, besides these "new ventures", YOU, my dear Knotty Fans, never fail to make my day with fun requests & very kind compliments :) Following are few that I've been working on for the past 2 weeks.
ps: Jullie, Thanx for your help! :)
First Crochet Workshop @MAAD!
For the 1st time, I'm conducting introductory crochet workshop @MAAD! Cosy small group per session only. So hurry & email betsy@knottybicsie.com.sg to register now! :)
SMILE, & the world SMILES :)))
Just wanna share the following article I came across in Martha Stewart's "Living" magazine...
"Happiness is contagious, according to researchers James H. Fowler of the University of Califonia - San Diego & Nicholas A. Christakis of Harvard Medical School. Best of all, it spreads far. Fowler describes their recent research & its implications.
How do you "catch" happiness?
Happiness, like flu, spreads through social networks. If your friends are happy, you're more likely to be happy. When something good happens to someone, the resulting happiness radiates outward like ripples on a pond. We traced the effect out to three degrees of separation - not just friends of a friend but their friends, as well. That means even strangers influence your happiness.
Should we cultivate happy friends?
The more generous thing to do is cultivate your own happiness. Now that I know my mood affects not just my wife but her friends & their friends, & not just my son but his friends & beyond, I listen to some of my favourite songs on the way home from work to boost my mood. We're all connected in ways we never imagined before."
- Reported by Petra Guglielmetti & Peter Jaret
I always believe we can be & should be committed to be a happy person for ourselves & everyone around us, especially our love ones, who mean so much to us. How about you? Are you ready to join me today? Why not start with a SMILE... :)
KBCC #12 - Plushies Party
KBCC's 1st Anniversary on 28th March was a hit! It was so crowded, Moses, Ed & I have to give up our seats & chance to make our own plushies! :P Moses, thank you so so much for helping in the teaching!
We started our session with some "flashback", going through past KBCC photos & activities... O boy, sure brought back lotsa fond memories. The funniest gotta be the time when we braved the rain & continue our crafting at Botanical Garden! Haha... must've created a scene!
Then the session at Hougang Central Mall in conjunction with the Singapore Arts Street was indeed colourful & fun.
One of the most therapeutic session gotta be our painting session! This was also the month when Jullie gave birth to Little Prince Joel :)
Then came KBCC #12 - Plushies Party when everyone successfully created the cutest monster we can imagine! A few KBCC crafters were even awed by the fact that they can actually sew! haha... Well done, KBCC!!!
I'm sure there'll be many more cheerful kodak moments to add on to our KBCC album...
28th March 2009 KBCC turns ONE @Pauseability, time to say farewell to Pauseability... Moses, thank you so much for your hospitality & tolerance to our messy "craft-crumps" :P Pauseability had been a cosy home for KBCC for the past year. Thank you so much! We will miss Pauseabilty....
From April onwards, KBCC will shift to my home studio @Admiralty Drive. With the passion & enthusiasm of all KBCC Crafters, I'm sure KBCC will go a long long way... I always feel I'm very lucky to have all these wonderfully happy & generous crafters as part of KBCC, making KBCC such a vibrant & brilliant month "rendezvous" for all! ;)
Here's what 1 KBCC crafter wrote to me:
"Dear Betsy, I want to thank you for organizing KBCC... I enjoy the sessions & the people very much... ... I have been to a few such gathering before, but never find it comfortable with people there until I went to KBCC, I meet with friendly people... who want to share their knowledge, I feel so welcome... ... I like KBCC, it's family oriented :D... ..." - Yuliana Tjioe, 30th March 2009
As most of you know, KBCC is run based on the principle of "not-for-profit", & our goal is to make crafting a modern way of life for everyone. With each participants paying a mere $10/session, we provide all materials for the new craft we are learning, & we even try to throw in some delicacy for every session. (Tell u a little "secret", we are always strangely hungry after we complete our craft! haha...) So if you enjoy handicraft, have been unknowingly drawn to our blog, what are you waiting for?? Send an email to Betsy (bicsie@gmail.com) now & be part of the KBCC Family! Cya at our next session!
Amazing Things a Herd of Sheep Can Do! (or can they really??)
I wonder if this is really totally possible?? Especially the 1st one on a moving sheep?? Nonetheless, it's still an enjoyable clip, so enjoy... :)
S$12 SALE!!!
To show my appreciation to all my Knotty Fans for your wonderful support, we are having 2 very special STOREWIDE S$12 SALE in April!
Knotty Treasures for grab includes:
Baby Booties (materials: assorted acrylic & cotton yarns), usual price $20-25
Knotty Happy Sling Bag, usual price $15-18
Magic Mushrooms, usual price $15
Knotty Charms, usual price $15/pair
Paume 100% Organic Cotton Yarn, usual price $15.80/2balls
PomPom Kit Set, usual price $18/set
etc.
(While stock last)
Exclusively at:
MAAD (red dot design Museum: 28 Maxwell Road)
4th & 5th April (Sat & Sun), 11am-6pm
Pauseability (Blk 125, Toa Payoh Lor 1, #01-541)
11th & 12th April (Sat & Sun), 2-9pm
KBCC is ONE!!!
Time flies... it's been a year since we started KBCC (Knotty Bicsie Crafting Club)! When I 1st started, I gave myself 6months to "play & have fun" :P who knows, before I knew it, this Saturday, 28th March, we are celebrating KBCC's 1st Anniversary! All friends @KBCC, this would never be possible without your support & crafting enthusiasm. Let's keep crafting & I'm looking forward to our 2nd Anniversary, 3rd, 4th, 10th, & many more! :)Date: 28th March 2009, Saturday
Time: 2-5pm
Venue: Pauseability (Blk 125, Toa Payoh, Lor 1, #01-541)
Activity: Fun with Plush! Let's create our very own imaginary friends with felt & fabrics.
Things to bring: Basic felt & fibre fill will be provided. Please bring along your own sewing kit & scraps of fabrics.
Registration: $10.00/pax, pls RSVP by 25th March (Wed) to bicsie@gmail.com
Cya! :)
Baby Yuxin in Some Knotty Wear
Isn't she adorable? The booties are definitely too big for her now, but I'm sure she'll grow into it in no time! She's just turned 2months, time flies! Happy growing, Baby Yuxin!ps: Spencer, u 2 definitely made from the same "mooncake mould"! She looks exactly liek u when u were a baby! :D
Princess Chloe Went Genting
Knotty Bicsie is so happy to be keeping Princess Chloe accompany throughout her 1st overseas trip! It was brr... brr... brr... cold up there, but we always cuddle warmly together :D
Farewell, My Fabulous Crafty Friend!
Dear EeWei,
Thank you so much for being such a loyal Knotty Fan & helpful friend! I'm so glad u found Knotty Bicsie & brought our little works-of-heart into your sunny kindergarten classroom. Thank u so much for your enthusiasm in helping me with the various workshops that Knotty Bicsie's been conducting. The most heart-warming of all, I'm so honoured that you & your mum are knitting together, working on little projects prior to your shifting to a new homeland.
EeWei, I know we will be intouch. Remember your promise to check out the art markets over there, then maybe one day I can make a business trip there & we can share a stall or something?? I'm sure it'll be great fun!
EeWei, we will all miss you very much! I'm sure my knitted beret & scarf will keep u very warm in cold cold Canada... Love ya....
BEWARE! Imitations & Impostor of Betsy Toh (Knotty Bicsie) in Market!!!
(This is gonna be a long one. Please bear with me & read on, as it is VERY IMPORTANT!)
It has recently come to my attention that there has been someone going round claiming to be "Betsy Toh from Knotty Bicsie", while selling his/her own hand-crochet baby booties. I have also found out that all the other designs he/she claims to have, are also in fact other overseas crafters' designs! All of us have already wrote in to warn him/her of the violation of copyrights in her act, & we will all be taking legal actions against this impostor if this continues.
To safeguard, YOU, my wonderful knotty fans, from being cheated, hehe.... :P I am now gonna highlight the features of Knotty Bicsie, so you can be an expert in identifying the authentic Knotty Bicsie! ;) (haha... sound as if we are some branded goods like LV, Gucci, Prada... hor? :P) Well, I'm sure many of you are already excellent in doing this la!
1) Knotty Bicsie
The only name we have is "Knotty Bicsie" (pronounced as "Knotty Big-Sea"). & being a very kiasu person, I always make sure ALL my profile/userid/account/etc... on the internet are "knottybicsie" & are all linked back to this blog or our official website www.knottybicsie.com.sg & our 3 recognized email addresses are:
betsy@knottybicsie.com.sg
bicsie@bigfoot.com
bicsie@gmail.com
2) Good Quality Yarns
Since 2008, only tip top quality baby & cotton yarns are used in our baby booties. Our Funky Knitters & Crochet Craze are big fans of these yarns themselves when making wearables for themselves or their love ones. These yarns are also available at our Knotty Bicsie Crafting Studio.
3) Splendid Workmanship :P
Each pair of Baby Booties are painstakingly & affectionately made to guaranty neat & almost perfect workmanship & finishing. Our Knotty Baby Booties are all uniquely handmade by ME (Betsy Toh) & my Mum (Mdm Quek Ai Choo), who is my inspiring teacher in knitting & crochet. Thank you, Mum! :)
4) Beautiful Range of Matching Buttons
We have a HUGE range of gorgeous buttons. I know MANY of you notice that because many of you have bought some buttons from me already. I hope u are having lotsa fun with the colourful buttons! ;) Most of my buttons are supplied by Sintek-Link, my granduncle's company, which is a local distributor of buttons, zippers, velcro, laces, ribbons, etc.
5) Our Yummy Gift Packaging
Most of you never fails to go "gar-gar" over my gift box, which is also designed by me & my printer friend, Thomas of Pica Digital. Exciting news to all: the boxes are finishing soon, so I'll be meeting up with Thomas again & we'll be revamping our box! Will keep everyone posted once our new box is launched. Look out for my good news in the next few weeks to come... :)
So you see, identifying an authentic Knotty Bicsie isn't difficult at all, right? :) So now, you can brag about being not just a Knotty fan, but also an expert in recognizing the REAL Knotty Bicsie!!! :)
Finally, I'd also like to take this opportunity to introduce to you the official Knotty Family! As our knotty studio gets busier, some of you may find some other faces behind the Knotty Bicsie booth/stall at bazaars & fairs. Here are some faces, which some of you may have come across...
This is cheery Azreen. I'm sure many of you have seen her before, some have even interacted with her more than once, I'm sure. She's so sweet & adorable, isn't she? She's a great help to me. I'm so lucky to have found her :) Thanx, Azreen!
This is sweet Sharis. She interviewed me once for her project, & she's the one who introduced Azreen to me. She's also been a great help at the Fashion Bazzar @Plaza Singapura last X'mas period. Thanx, Sharis!
This is wonderful Del. She's a strong & loving mother, who's very trustworthy too. Thank u, Del, for being such a great help last X'mas too!
This is my sis-in-law, Lina. She's been the BEST sis-in-law to help me with all the webby back-end stuff. Thank u so so so very much, Snoopy Fan! ;)
Here's my dad, Mr Richard Toh, & my hubby, Edward. They've been WORLD CLASS ICHIBAN chauffeurs & cheer leaders of Knotty Bicsie. Thanx, boys! ;D
This is the most important person behind Knotty Bicse - my MUM, Mdm Quek Ai Choo! ;D Not only is she my extra pair of hands, more importantly, she's my inspiring teacher. Without her, there would never have been Knotty Bicsie. I love you, Mum! :)
Last but not least, this is ME!!! I'm Betsy Toh, Founder & Creative Director of Knotty Bicsie! :) Yes, yes, yes, the talkative one who can't live without coffee, mushrooms, elephants & Atro Boy! Seriously. Hahaha.... :D
So you've met the official Knotty Family, all at once! Well, I'm writing this entry with mixed feelings. On one hand, I feel flattered that Knotty Bicsie is good enough for people to wanna "imitate" & "fake", but on the other hand, it saddens me to know that there are people out there with a skill in handicraft, but choose to do things the easy way out & in such scrupulous manner :( I have always mentally prepared myself to come across "copycats" (in terms of designs) since day 1 of Knotty Bicsie, but never have I ever imagined that someone would actually go to the extend of trying to "steal" my Fans away from me by pretending to me! O my! It upsets me even more to find out that this same person not only "steal" from me, but also from other creative sellers around the world! One of the overseas seller even wrote to me saying, "... I'm FURIOUS! This site originates from Singapore,... & I recently sold 1 pattern to a Singaporean..."!!! Imagine the impact... Now even Singapore's reputation is at stake! :(
Well, I simply cannot understand the mindset of such people. Copying from artists, designers & crafters may be a fast & easy method to start, but isn't this very short-sighted? The fact that they can find good & sellable designs shows their resourcefulness. Why can't they use the time to work on their own designs & branding? I also research on other creative sellers, but this is to keep myself updated on what's already available in the market so I can keep improving my designs & stay trendy. I also make friends with many of these creative sellers internationally, & I'm really glad that we share the same sentiments in building our friendship upon sharing ideas, exchanging contacts & occasionally whining about our common problems :P This way, we grow together & become better crafters too.
Knotty Bicsie has met many new people along the way. Occasionally I come across nasty people like this time. However, I must say most of the time for the past 2.5years, I've met many fantastic people whom I've learnt a lot from. Fellow crafters made me truly embrace the joy that crafting can bring to anyone. hence Knotty Bicsie's motto "Crafting - a modern way of life for EVERYONE!" :) Knotty Fans who never fails to make my day when they go "O, so cute!", "OMG! So pretty!", "I'd love to be on your mailing list!", or simply the fact that you just can't stop smiling while you look at my creations! :) To all these beautiful friends, THANK YOU! Knotty Bicsie will strive on & we promise to bring you little surprises every now & then! Stay tuned.... :)
Scarf It Up @MAAD!
Fresh out of the oven only this week! Check them out at our stall @MAAD tmr & Sunday!(Special thanx to Mamasan, Shannon, for the thoughtful surprise last X'mas!)
Also launching our cute little baby beanies! Only few pieces available. Do come early to avoid disappointment! :)
Bowties Ready for Launch!
Finally they are ready for launch this weekend @selected boutiques! Cool, right? ;)(ps: the model is Rayson Tan of Lil'e aux Ashby himeself :))
Lovingly Knitted Gifts for The Little Ones
This project is so simple, I completed each of these sweet Baby Kimono Wrap Top within 2days, on top of my daily routine! It's an extremely easy knitting project for any beginner. I modified the design a little by crocheting the trimmings & adding colours. Free pattern is from The Lion Brand Yarn Website. They are now part of Princess Yuxin & Prince Joel's growing wardrobe :)
Collaboration with Designers
I always enjoy collaborations, especially with creative people & people in other specialization. This time, I'm collaborating with fashion (accessories) designer, Rayson Tan, to launch a hand-crochet bow-tie series for his label, L'ile aux Ashby. It's been really fun! Now we hope we have a "sell out" for the launch! Ganbatte ne! ;Dps: Didn't bother to take nice photo shot. hehe... :P Check out www.lileauxashby.blogspot.com for really nice looking shot taken by Rayson :)
Meet Funky Knitter - Ava
Ava got to be the most hardworking Funky Knitter so far! She comes in for 4hrs every Sunday & still work on her own at home! Lucky boyfriend who gets to wear her "virgin project". Fits him perfectly! This pullover is knitted with 100% bamboo yarn, so it's good for Singapore too. Everyone's very happy, YAY!!! :D Boyfriend is too shy to show his face, hence this strange-looking photo. Haha... :D
"Dear Betsy,
Learning from u so far has been fantastic. Although I have not had many lessons, u gave me a feeling that we are close friends who's lost touch and "found" each other again. haha...
A very patience tutor. Learnt alot from you. Alot of thanks.
Actually I don't know what else to say lei... Good lo... Thumbs up... Hehe.. Erm, in short, lots of thanks and keep up the good work.
If not for the shortage of yarn, I can really finish e sweater and give it to my boyfriend on Christmas. U really surprised me as i didn't think I can really do it in such a short time.
Thank you!" - Ava, 10th Feb 2009
Ava is now working on a new project. This time she's crocheting a pretty scarf for herself. Looking at her progress, I'm sure I'll be ready to show off her project here in 2weeks' time! Do look out for it! :)
Wonderful World
Nothing about knitting, crochet, nor crafting... but the most angelic voice singing one of my favourite songs. I can listen to Connie Talbot sing all day... You must also hear her sing "Over the Rainbow". Made me cry... her voice really touched my heart... Can't believe she's barely 8 this year! In fact, I think she was only 6 when this was recorded! Incredible! Really hope this innocent superstar will continue to shine & glow like an angel...
This other clip melted my heart away. I'm sure you remember this talented little blind Korean girl who visited Singapore 1 or 2 years back? Enjoy...
This other clip melted my heart away. I'm sure you remember this talented little blind Korean girl who visited Singapore 1 or 2 years back? Enjoy...
Sunny Knotty Booties for Little Prince Joel
Made these extra tiny pair of booties, only 9.5cm in length, & they fit baby Joel Perfectly! Yay! I'm working on another little surprise for Baby Joel, almost completed. More than enough time for Joel's 1st month celebration next Sunday. I'm sure he'll look very handsome in it! I will post up the photo soon... :)
Wonderful Evening FreeForming
On 5th Feb 2009 (Thu), Knotty Bicsie had a guest STAR at our studio. FreeForm Textile Artist & Teacher, Prudence Mapstone, happen to be in Singapore for 3 days & agreed to conduct an Introductory workshop for our Funky Knitters & Crochet Craze. When she 1st arrived at our studio, I can't wait, but immediately whipped out my "Never Too Many Handbags" & asked for Prudence's autograph!
We were so lucky to have the master of FreeForm come teach us the principles & some techniques in FreeForming. Prudence is a very sweet & patient teacher. Her warm & vibrant smile, and encouraging words, makes twitching our clumsy fingers at FreeForming so much easier! Even Ava, who picked up crochet only 5days ago managed to come up with something cool!
By the end of the workshop, we were all so surprised by the chaotic, yet almost harmonious creations from our hands!
Check out our work of art!
This is my little "scrumble", as Prudence call it :) Might develop it into my submission for the "Yolo - Keep the Dream Alive" Art Competition. I'm so looking forward to see how it will turn out :)
A happy group photo before we call it a day...
Dear Prudence, Thank you so much for so generously teaching your tricks & sharing your experiences with us. I know you had an early flight the next morning, I hop u did not get back to your hotel to late after we ended at almost 10.30pm! Will keep you posted on our Freeforming progress definitely. Till we meet again, happy freeforming! :)
Introductory to FreeForm Knitting/Crochet Workshop
Master of FreeForm Knitting/Crochet, Prudence Mapstone, is coming to town this February! Knotty Bicsie is collaborating with Prudence to have a very special workshop on Introductory to FreeForm Knitting/Crochet for you!
Introductory FreeForm Knitting/Crochet Workshop by Prudence Mapstone
Date: 5th Feb 2009 (Thursday)
Time: 7-10pm
Venue: Admiralty Drive (nearest MRT: Sembawang). Full address details will be given upon registration.
Fees: S$50.00, excluding materials*
Registration: email bicsie@gmail.com to register. Confirmation upon FULL PAYMENT via inter-bank transfer*
*Email bicsie@gmail.com for full details.
Limited seats & 1-day only. So register now!
Hand-Crochet Gift for a Special Friend
Ayako has been a wonderful friend, who has inspired & helped Ed & I in many ways with her special gift. Always wanted to give her something really unique to show how much we treasure her friendship. Then one day, this sudden urge to knit/crochet a blouse for Ayako came so strong, I immediately started my new crochet project. Being very petite means her clothes are so fast to make :P I was so motivated, I actually complete this sweet top in less than 48hrs! The colour is so her, I knew she'd love it! Will try to get a photo of her wearing it & show it to all of you here soon :)
The BEST X'mas Present to YOU!
A friend sent me this amazing video. I think this is the most beautiful & best X'mas present I can think of for anyone! So this is from me to you, my friends! So let's all start validating & smiling today!
Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Merry Christmas!
What a Merry Merry Christmas!
Remember the 4 lovely Knotty Staffs I introduced earlier this month? Well, it's finally time to meet these friendly ladies in person! Come on down to X'mas Fashion Fair @Dhoby Ghaut (just outside Plaza Singapura Star Bucks) now! The fair runs from now till 28th Dec, open daily from 12noon-10pm. On days when crowd lingers on, our hardworking elves will surely stay on till past midnite!
Since these diligent Knotty Staffs are helping me @Dhoby Ghaut, where is Betsy then? Well, I'm "stuck" in my home studio either teaching knitting/crochet, or rushing out new products to replenish for everyday's sales @Dhoby Ghaut lo! But if you really really miss Betsy so much, you can catch me everyday between 11.30am-12noon @Dhoby Ghaut, or 6pm-12midnite this Fri & Sat @Clarke Quay (in front of "Clinic").
Christmas has been busy busy busy since I started Knotty Bicsie. Tiring, but fun & fulfilling. 2008's been an eventful year for both Knotty Bicsie & me personally:
3) Hokkaido Trip,
5) Knotty Tea Party,
7) my O Level Art students achieving 100% distinctions,
8) on Sunday Times,
9) on Radio 100.3,
11) starting of our supply shop,
12) & now the Knotty Bicsie family has grown with 4 new wonderful helpers!
Wow! Exactly 12 happy occasions &/or breakthrough to celebrate over the 12days of X'mas! I'm counting my blessings everyday & am truly grateful for all that I have. Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year, filled with love, joy & celebrations. what better way to end a year & to welcome a brand new year of new adventures & surprises...
Merry Christmas, Everyone! :)
Busy Busy X'mas Fairs Season
Knotty Bicsie will be at Clarke Quay the following days:
12th Dec 2008, Fri
13th Dec 2008, Sat
19th Dec 2008, Fri
20th Dec 2008, Sat
from 6pm-12midnight.
Do drop by to say hi! :)
While I am not @MAAD...
I did not go to MAAD last weekend because it's Edward's Birthday yesterday (7Dec). Heard that sales was good for many people. Too bad for Knotty Bicsie, I guess, but definitely NOT too bad for Betsy! Since I had a jolly good time with Edward & our family :)
On Saturday, Edward & I found this idyllic massage place @D'Kranji Farm Resort. Treated him to a relaxing 60min session, which includes foot scrub, leg massage, plus head, neck & shoulder massage. Honestly, we were so relaxed, we were somewhat rather sleepy after the session :P Then before going to the Pameran Poskad '08 Opening, some of us from Pauseability met up fora quick, but nice dinner at Olio Dome @Dempsey Place. That night, both of us slept very soundly... aarrr......... :)
Finally, it's Sunday, Edward's Birthday! Woke up early to make him Abalone & Chicken Mee Suah. Yummy...! :P After breakfast, when he left home for Airward Runway, the show began! Rei delivered the intricately customized cake over. Boy, I was so thrilled when I saw the cake! Isn't it gorgeous! Mum & Dad also came over to make this very special surprise delivery to Airward Runway for our Birthday Boy. Everyone was impressed with the beautifully constructed "Zero" on Ed's cake. Thanx, Rei!
After lunch, we played tourists & went to the Singapore Flyer for the very 1st time! hehe... It was Ed's mum's treat. Yippee! :D It was really nice to see Ed's mum so happy & excited. We took many many MANY photos (at least 35 shots) @Singapore Flyer alone! haha.... Very touristy indeed! lol.... Well, not that there's lotsa excitement there, but rather, it was a very nice family outing. :) If only Ed's Dad could come too... everything would be perfect...
Had a discussion with Ed last night. Wondering if I should still put so much energy on running bazaars, since our knitting/crochet workshops are picking up. Well, since I've already gotten a small group of Knotty Staff, maybe I should gradually hand the bazaar hopping task to them, so they can be Knotty Bicsie's ambassadors, while I can concentrate on our crafting studio. Now the real test for my Knotty Staff is the X'mas Fashion Fair @Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station. If they can be independent & dependable, then Knotty Bicsie will be all set to fly in 2009! Ganbatte ne! ;)
Knotty Bicsie is Growing... What a Great Way to Start the Long Weekend!
I had a very fun Friday yesterday...
To start the day, Crochet Craze, Mimi, finally reached the assembly stage of her very 1st Amigurumi project. Can see she was very excited. When we were finally done, we were both very thrilled by how cute the little fella turns out! Kawaii ne!
"Hi! Betsy, thanks alot for agreeing to teach me desipte my deafness. Also appericate yr patience to write notes to explain during our crochet class. It is enjoyable to crochet, even though it was not easy at start! :P Yr blog 's very well written and lots of nice photos.. I wish I can blog like u but my grammer's not good. :( U might like to take a look at my website at http://www.micrafts.webs.com I love to try every crafts which interests me greatly...also I enjoy creating with my hands..:) Have a blessed xmas in advance!" - Mimi, 6th Dec 2008
Then Jullie came over with her freshly baked apple crumble to catch up with Dewi, who's completed her 2nd pair of baby booties. Jullie's apple crumble is sooo.... yummy, we all got so distracted from our crochet session! We even went out for coffee later in the afternoon! haha...
Finally, the day I've been waiting for... Knotty Staff Training! As you know I've been trying to get part-time sales promoters, so here they are: Del, Sharis, Azree & Ee Wei. We had a ladies nite till almost 10pm! We started the session with a little knitting, which everyone agreed it to be extremely therapeutic, especially after a long day... Then of course, I showed the ladies how the stall is usually set up, we exchanged some ideas & these wonderful Knotty Staff sure gave me lotsa great suggestions & new ideas! O, we even had role-play for everyone to practice how to promote Knotty Bicsie! hehe... our staff training very pro, right?? Dun pray pray ar! lol.... :P
Del, Sharis, Azree & EeWei, thank you so much for the fun time we had last nite. Special thanks to EeWei, who's always so supportive & helpful! You're truly an amazing Knotty Fan! Let's make Knotty Bicsie SOLD OUT everyday at the fair! Yay! ;D
Pameran Poskad '08
I had fun making this postcard to be exhibited together with other 200+ artists from around the world. The exhibition is opening this Saturday. All postcards on display are for sale. Do join us. Who knows? You might be able to own a postcard by someone famous at a very affordable price! Knotty Bicsie's artist # is 028, under Pauseability.
KBCC #08: Drink Can Fun!
It was a cosy & relaxed afternoon @Pauseability last Saturday. Michelle & Isabelle came in a little late, but just in time before we made too much progress in our drink can weaving project. 
After some squeaking, twisting, twitching, coiling... Wala! Check out our drink-can-bloom!
Then we decided to arrange them into a sculpture... Then came the idea of using them as our X'mas decoration for December's KBCC! Details as follows:
KBCC #09 - Rolling X'mas Party!
Date: 27th Dec 2008, Satyrday
Time: 2-5pm
Venue: Pauseability (Blk 125, Toa Payoh Lor 1, #01-541)
Synopsis:
Teacher EeWei will be showing us how to recycle plain rolls into beautiful work of art. Inspired by Yuken Teruya. Of course, not to forget our X'mas Cards Exchange! We've all decided to each make at least 1 ATC (Artist Trading Cards of size 2.5x3.5inches) on X'mas theme, which we will then trade among ourselves @KBCC.
So pls remember to bring rolls, scissors & cutters, completed X'mas ATC(s).
Registration: S$10.00/participant
RSVP: Pls RSVP by 22nd Dec 2008 (Monday)
Cya Next Year, Mee Suah...
Time flies... Today is the last day of Mee Suah Exhibition @The Arts House. But you know what? A group of knitting/crochet enthusiasts & I are already planning for next year's Mee Suah Party! So don't you worry, there'll surely be even more yummy treats to your senses coming your way next year! Look out for more colourful & playful Mee Suah in 2009! :D
For those who missed Mee Suah 2008, GOOD NEWS!!! Part of Mee Suah (only the FreeForm Knitted Art pieces) is travelling to Barang Barang (Central) for the month of December 2008, then to Barang Barang (SPC, Paya Lebar) for the month of Jan 2009. So you still got 2months to catch Mee Suah ;) Or you may also click here to view a VR video of Mee Suah @The Arts House. Courtesy of "Clair de Lune Photography".
Cool Knitted Animation
Totally admire this work! This must be the MOST amount of knitting for a single piece of work!!! Special thanks to Moses of Pauseability for sharing it with me.
Live Interview on Radio 100.3
Yesterday was a fun fun FUN day! Ed & I made a trip to SPH where we had our live interview with DJ Wilson. It was the second time I've been in a recording room. It is totally different from the 1st time many many years ago when i was a kid! I remember how a typical recording studio is a solemn black box, very intimidating & stressful. But Wilson's studio is the exact opposite: cheerful & vibrant. The cosy environment really helped us feel more relaxed during the interview... :)
Actually before getting to the recording studio, Ed & I decided to get touristy & started snapping away... :P
This is me just outside SPH gate. See 100.3? :D
Then we see this HUGE side just outside the Podium & we just couldn't resist! :P
Wilson brought us up to the waiting area of 100.3 office to wait while he finish off some work prior to the live broadcast. Waited for 25min.... with nothing much to do, we decided to play with our camera again. hehe...
I have a recording of the whole interview, still trying to figure out which part of it to put on this blog... also trying to figure out how to do it with my iMovie. :)
Special Thanks to DJ Wilson for making yet another tiny little childhood dream of mine come true! You know what I mean. ;)
Ed & I felt a great sense of satisfaction & felicity yesterday. Never did we imagine that my seemingly crazy decision 2years ago, plus my willful & stubborn perseverance to run Knotty Bicsie have brought us so far & to so many places... We've been featured in magazines, Straits Times, made business trip to the kingdom of kawaii craft, Tokyo, been on TV with Pauseability, done my solo exhibition, now live interview on radio! Wow! I can never imagine such exciting journey if I had stayed on in my previous job. Tough route, but definitely adventurous & full of surprises, very fulfilling... I'm very grateful for all these colourful stories in this new chapter of my life, & I thank all of you who make these delightful stories possible!
Knotty Bicsie LIVE on Radio100.3!
Hello, listeners of Radio100.3!
If this is your first time here, I'm sure you'll be "stuck" here for awhile! :P When you're ready to start shopping & enjoy your special 100.3 discounts, click here to our online shop.
Remember to key in the special code given by Betsy on air to enjoy the special promotions.
For workshops enquiry, pls key in the special code under "Other Requests".
Special note to Knotty Fans:
I know Knotty Bangle Bags been "SOLD OUT" for a long long time.... X'mas is round the corner & big orders for bangle bags are beginning to flow in. So pls pls pls bear with me just for a little while more... New bangle bag designs will be up on my online shop for grab in 2weeks' time, once I deliver few big orders next week.
So do check back www.knottybicsie.com.sg at the end of November to shop till you drop! ;D
Felicity
This piece is called Felicity because it has all my favourite citrus colours. I almost can smell all the wonderful citrus fruits as I was completing it, & this sensation made me very happy throughout...
A little side track from my work... :P Those of you who came to Mee Suah Opening, if you like my goodie bag & Knotty Pom Charms, well, they were all lovingly prepared by my inspiring teacher, my Mom! Thanx, Mummy! :)
O, for those of you naughty Knotty Fans who have yet to activate your Knotty Fan Cards, please do so now le. No more discount for you then you know! :P hehe... no la, I'm in the process of consolidating my Fan Club systematically so I can give more special deals to you, my Knotty Fans mah! So please help me by activating your cards, ok? Thank you!
Passion
This is the very 1st FreeForm Knitted Art I did last year. It was a breakthrough for me indeed. When Ed asked me one day last year why I wasn't doing any painting after I quit my job, I started to wonder myself too...? So I went online I typed "knitted art" on my google search. I was amazed & totally inspired by what I found! I am most inspired by Prudence Mapstone & Jenny Dowde's intriguing work of art. Since knitting/crochet & painting are all extremely therapeutic for me, I decided to combine these 2 skills I have & came up with my own version of FreeForm Knitted Art, which I'm sure is visually stimulating to all viewers. I like how they leaves room for my viewers' imagination, while it is a very child-like play of colours & texture for me as the maker.
Possession?... Awakening!
This piece of work has a very special significance to me. When I was at a cross-road 2years ago, when I sought refugee back at my Mom's home for a week, I knitted this small baby blouse. Despite it being my very first project, I surprisingly completed it within 4days, shocking my Mom even more! It almost felt as though i was possessed by the "God of Knit"! Or i should say I was BLESSED by the "God of Knit" for all was clear to me by the time this little virgin project was completed. I knew very clearly then, which direction I should proceed on into the next phase of my life. So here I am, for Knotty Bicsie, I knit knit knit...All beautiful photographs courtesy of "Clair de Lune Photography".
Mee Suah Opening
Finally, steamy hot Mee Suah was served to all last Saturday! It sure was a hit, with about 100 guests crowding the small Arts House Foyer! It was very overwhelming for me indeed. Thank you all for sharing my joy of my 1st solo exhibition! My photographer is in the process of consolidating the photos of last Saturday. Will post them up here once they are ready. meanwhile, here's some shots of my colourful mee suah for al to enjoy....
I'll be posting up my exhibits over this month. Do check back regularly to see my work. Better yet, drop by The Arts House Foyer (1 Old Parliament Lane) from now till 24th Nov, 11am-8pm to see & experience Mee Suah for yourself!
All beautiful photographs courtesy of "Clair de Lune Photography". Thank you!
Steaming Hot & Yummy Mee Suah
Last week had been extremely nerve-wrecking & fingers-cramping. It was a mad rush, trying to finish up my work & also preparing for other nitty gritty things like tagging & framing. Luckily Jeff (my frame guy) has been superbly efficient & helpful in agreeing to help me do so many last minute job :P Thanx, Jeff!
When we reached the Arts House Foyer last Friday, the Technicians were busy tearing down the previous artist's exhibits of 10 big posters. When all the posters were down, I couldn't help but felt an overwhelming rush of excitement & stress, coz suddenly the Foyer is so bare & HUGE!!! Now I'm worried my tiny work will be totally swallowed up by the space!
So we quickly got down to work... I did a few quick sketches to show the helpful Technicians where I want which specific artwork. We also discussed about the general setting & layout before we get down to serious work... Thank goodness all was smooth & well. I also have to securely tack all my little creations down to the pedestals so Mary & Sheila can have a peace in mind, & not have to continuously re-arrange my stuff. Guess what? My worry could not have been proven more relevant! There was an "earthquake" on Sunday, when the whole pedestal, which my Knotty Ele friends are resting on, was knocked over by a clumsy passerby & my whole work fell onto the marble floor with a BIG BOOM! Well, good news is that it's proven how shock-proof my works are! Iyo... sure hope this is a 1-off bizarre accident!
The space is indeed too big for my petite work, & there isn't much wall space to hang my paintings, so I had to plan for new things to work on the layout. Returned on Saturday again to put up more stuff. Luckily I still got 1more week before official opening to work on the space. Ganbatte ne!
Jiahui, my sis's boyfriend, came over to help me take some shots of the products. Will need them for Knotty Bicsie's official website. He LOVES photography & he's a great photographer, you'll see! ;)
Now I would say Mee Suah is 90% ready to be served! Left 1more floor piece, which hopefully will be a surprise for everyone...
It's a finally count down....
Special thanks to Von, the Creative Director of The Arts House, who's conceptualized & realized this 1-year project to showcase selected designers of the Shop. This solo exhibition is indeed a dream come true for me & I believe many other designers too! Thank you so much, Von! You go gal! ;D
A Little Peep @Mee Suah Cooking...
Came across this rather hilarious artwork by Freddie Robin, in response to the post-9/11 ban on knitting needles in airplane.
Well, in case u start wondering if my fingers are still knitting/crocheting Mee Suah, or just clicking in front of my Mac, I decided to start letting u take small peeps at my work-in-progress...
This one came when I wished upon a star...
This little guy is so my style, partially made with my favourite yarn...
This little guy is sort of a break-through for me in terms of colours. rarely see blue & black in my creations, let alone a combination of both!
Somehow this little fella took me a long time to make...
This came after a special customized order by a friend, Koon.
More work in progress...
This one, or rather this series is the toughest - my FreeForm Wall pieces. Still struggling with 2 of them. Hopefully can finish in time to send for framing next Monday...
okie doo... hopefully I can steal some time to update at least 1 more time next week, before the final setting up on Friday. If not, You'll hear from me after next Saturday then. Tata for now... Ganbatte ne!
Last Knit? NEVER!!!
Came across another super cool video on Youtube :P Definitely can relate very well to it, especially now when Mee Suah is drawing near each day! Knitting can be THIS ADDICTIVE indeed! & I think I can never stop knitting! ;D
Knotty Phant for Jet
Knotty Phant found new home.... I'm sure Jet will take very good care of her... :)
Solo Exhibition in November
As many of you know, my fingers have not stopped wriggling this whole month, knitting & crocheting for my solo exhibition in Nov. O my! this is only 2weeks away! & Amidst all these frantic knitting/crochet, Funky Knitters & Crochet Craze never stop trooping down to my crafting studio. Argh!!! Really mixed feelings: On one hand happy that more people are joining in our knitting/crochet journey; On the other hand, I'm desperately in need of more quality time for me to CREATE. Life's so stressful now!!! ARGH!!!
Came across this very cool video on Youtube :P Hope this is as entertaining to you as it is inspiring to me :) Enjoy!
Knotty Bicsie is TWO!!!
Last Saturday (11th Oct), many wonderful Knotty Fans trod to our home studio @Admiralty Drive to celebrate Knotty Bicsie's 2nd Birthday. It was a fun-filled & joyous occasion! I hung our HUGE sign board at my door that day. (Shh.... Don't tell, coz it's illegal! :P) Well, just for that 3hrs la! hehe... This is the sign board we (Edward, Mum & me) had made for our very 1st bazaar @MAAD 2yrs ago! I carried this sign board with me everywhere I went during the 1st year, until I got my very own packaging customized by Pica Digital last year.
Check out some of our Knotty Fans' shoes parked around my shoe rack. Some Knotty Fans were late coz of the sudden & heavy, but short pour. The rain could not dampen our spirits though...
Many more Knotty Fans came along eventually, & it was a rare, busy & noisy scene at our otherwise cosy & idyllic crafting studio. :D I'm flattered & really happy that some Knotty Fans who came for the time fell in love with our studio at 1st sight!
Edward brilliantly set up a little kids corner to keep the little ones entertained, so the young-at-hearts can enjoy themselves at ease too. Edward & Ee Wei were our "Honorary Nanny" for the day. See how the kids were sooo... well-behaved in their hands! :D
Knotty Fans were also thrilled by how we've incorporated our product display into our home studio deco. This "Magic Mushroom Tree" is one of the hot favourite :) So everyone had a good shopping spree too :P
Dad bought a lovely cake, which brighten up our Knotty Tea Party even more! I took this opportunity to introduce some very important & diligent "elves" behind Knotty Bicsie: Mum, Dad, Edward, Lina, Jullie, Ee Wei, Adrian & all my dear Knotty Fans, Knotty Bicsie can never make it without your love & support. Thank you very much! :)
This is the first time Knotty Bicsie is celebrating our Anniversary @our home studio, & it is a HUGE success! I'm so looking forward to even more exciting events & anniversary celebrations in years to come. I sure hope everyone will still be with Knotty Bicsie, together with many more new Knotty Fans! Happy Birthday to Knotty Bicsie!!! Yay...!!!
Knotty Tea Party
We had so much fun today! I feel so blessed with so many friends to celebrate Knotty Bicsie's 2nd Birthday with me! Thank you all for making me feel so loved :D here's a peek at the fun we had. More updates coming your way next week... So do check back next Wednesday! ;)
Funky Knit @MAAD Last Weekend
8 new Funky Knitters joined in the charming knitting journey this time. If not for the loud jamming @MAAD, the sessions were much cozier this time, with 1-4 Funky Knitters in each session.
The morning group was the luckiest, since the rockers had not arrived yet! :P We chit-chatted as we knit, it was really relaxing & fun :) Audrey apparently met me during my 1st MAAD session 2years ago! She's so in love with my bags & name card, she's been regularly checking out my blog ever since! Wow, what a loyal fan! This time she's here with her Mum, Helen, to learn to knit for the 1st time. Their classmate, Shian is a regular at MAAD. So will definitely be seeing one another around @MAAD again :)
"Really enjoyed the workshop! Big thanks to Betsy for your patience with a clumsy first-timer ;)" - Shian, 4th Oct 2008
"Thanks for your patience. The workshop was a good introductory experience to knitting for me & was quite enjoyable. Happy 2nd Anniversary to Knotty Bicsie!" - Audrey, 4th Oct 2008
Meijun was introduced by her friend, Liling, who attended our previous Funky Knit Workshop @MAAD. Tingbee was supposed to knit with Meijun, unfortunately she caught a very bad flu over the weekend & had to miss the session. :( Tingbee, hope you are feeling much better now.
"It was an enriching experience. Really enjoyed it. Betsy is a very patient teacher, able to troubleshoot any problems that I caused during the knitting process. Thanks Betsy for the 2+++hours of lesson." - Meijun, 4th Oct 2008
It's been a long long time since I last met up with Rayson. Rayson decided to "visit" my stall @MAAD to pick up knitting, & then we can go to a friend's house-warming in the evening together.
Knitting has been so stereotyped to be an activity done by OLD GRANNIES IN ROCKING CHAIRS, it can be so hilarious sometimes! I can't help but notice some Knotty Fans' surprise look when they 1st see me in person! iyo.... hehe.... Actually it is said that crochet & knitting were first started by MEN! In fact, soldiers during the 1st world war even knitted their own socks! See how my hubby, Edward, is now able to be my assistant instructor in knitting too? I'm so proud of him! :)
Edward also helped me coached Sherry & Huimin, who came in for the last session of the day. Sherry bought a amigurumi kit set & wanted to learn to crochet. But since we are only doing knitting, Sherry was game enough to bring a friend, Huimin, to learn to knit anyway.
"It's tiring!! Haha... but quite fun too. Hope I won't forget the steps to knit. The teacher is a very nice & chatty lady. Thanks for helping (me to) knit coz my eyes were really tired :)" - Huimin, 4th Oct 2008
"Hi Betsy, Thanks for being patient & clear in your instructions :) I'm sure I'll be back for more lessons @your cozy (& quiet) place:)" - Sherry, 4th Oct 2008
On Sunday, Mandy brought her 13-year-old daughter, Megan, to MAAD & asked to learn to knit. Since I was free, I sat down with Megan to knit as well...
"Hey Betsy, at first I thought knitting was going to be confusing. But you guided me through & so I managed to complete my handphone pouch. Thanks!" - Megan, 5th Oct 2008
Yay.... Another tiring, but fun & fruitful weekend. I'm now busy preparing for my upcoming solo exhibition @The Arts House, 1-24 Nov...
...but first, still gotta prepare for our Knotty Tea Party this Sat! Many invited Knotty Fans will be coming. I'm sure it'll be fun! Look out for photos of our 2nd Anniversary Celebrations - Knotty Tea Party next week! Tata! :D
KBCC #07: Print-Making
September seems a busy busy month for everyone. We had a smaller group @KBCC #07. It was still fun & exciting, nevertheless :) We had our hands on 1 of our favourite childhood Art&Craft activity - Print-making!
First, we made use of the stripped texture of the corrugated boards to make prints, which turns out a little messy :P but sure was a good warm-up for all.
Then Jullie led us in making our potato-stamp, which turns out to be easier & our prints turned out much better this time! Yay...! :)
We also took the opportunity to celebrate Moses' birthday, which falls on 28th September.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY once again, Moses! Hope you had a jolly good time last Sunday!
Knotty Bicsie's 2nd Birthday Celebration @MAAD This Weekend!!!
Come join us for a weekend of fun & party! There'll be items on sale & *hopefully* some new products (still rushing :P)! Seats are filling up for our Funky Knit Workshop. Sign up TODAY to avoid disappointment! :) Email: bicsie@gmail.com
4th & 5th Oct (Sat & Sun)
11am-7pm
@MAAD (red dot design museum)
Catching Up with Work
I know I haven't been updating my blog this week plus. Been trying to get back into momentum after my fabulous trip to Hokkaido & Tokyo with hubby :P Plus, after the Sunday Lifestyle article released on 7th Sep, there's been lotsa email enquiries & orders coming in even while I'm away... Not complaining, but very grateful. Just wish I have more hours a day & more energy in myself, if only I'm Duracell Bunny or the "Never-Say-Die" Energizer! :P
Last week proved to be quite constructive actually. Besides my usual workshops, I've cleared some orders as well. One VERY BUSY Funky Knitter who often "missed" her classes finally completed her scarf after almost 6weeks! Yay! Congratulations, Xuanhong!
In response to the Sunday Lifestyle article, I also managed to get a few new students, including a British lady, Anne, who came for a special Q&A session, customized for her to help complete a few baby booties she's knitting for her grandchild. How lovely! :)
There're really MANY BABIES coming to this world lately! Check out some customized orders, which I've just mailed out last week!
Well, now I'm busy preparing for this Saturday's KBCC, during which we'll be exploring simple print-making with found objects & potatoes! I'm sure it'll be fun! I'm so lookingforward to it! Dear KBCC Crafters, see ya soon! ;D
We Are TWO!!!
How time flies! Knotty Bicsie is celebrating our 2nd Birthday in 3weeks' time!!! To celebrate Knotty Bicsie's Anniversary, we have a series of popular activities lined up for all!
A) Introductory to Funky Knit Workshop (mobile phone pouch)
Date: 4th Oct 2008 (Sat)
Venue: MAAD (red dot design museum: 28 Maxwell Road)
Available Time Slots: 11am-1pm, 2-4pm, or 5-7pm
Registration: S$20.00/person, materials INCLUDED
B) PomPom Party (kids above 8 years old are welcome!)
Date: 5th Oct 2008 (Sun)
Venue: MAAD (red dot design museum: 28 Maxwell Road)
Available Time Slots: 11am-12noon, 1-2pm, 3-4pm, or 5-6pm
Registration: S$10.00/person, materials INCLUDED
C) "I'm the BIGGEST Knotty Fan!" Contest
Take a beautiful picture of yourself with any Knotty Bicsie product (including your workshop sessions with Betsy), add a little creative caption to show what a HUGE Knotty Fan you are, & email to bicsie@gmail.com by 31st October 2008 (Fri), Singapore Time 2359hr.
Prizes:
1st - Funky Knit Workshop (1 Scarf), worth S$180.00
2nd - Beginner Special (Funky Knit or Crochet Craze) 1 hp pouch, worth S$75.00
3rd - S$50.00 Voucher, redeemable at any online purchase or workshop registration
Terms & Conditions:
- Image with caption must be submitted in JPEG format in a resolution of 150dpi.
- All email entries must include participant's FULL NAME, CONTACT NUMBER, EMAIL ADDRESS, MAILING ADDRESS & a 50-100WORD Birthday Wish for Knotty Bicsie.
- Closing Date: 31st October 2008 (Fri), Singapore Time 2359hr.
- Winners will be announced on www.knottybicsie.com & www.knottybicsie.blogspot.com by 3rd November 2008 (Mon).
- All entries will be property of Knotty Bicsie, & Knotty Bicsie reserves the right to use all submitted images & comments in any Knotty Bicsie publicity materials.
- Knotty Bicsie's decision is final.
- Knotty Bicsie reserves the right to make any changes to all details stated here without any prior notification.
"Mo Gu"
Managed to rush out this little gal for Amy before my trip. Isn't she adorable??? I almost can't bear to part with her!O, I'm going Japan again!!! This time going with my hubby, mainly for leisure la. Going to Hokkaido 1st, then stopping over at Tokyo for another 3 days. Besides Disneyland, Kiddy Land, Kinokuniya & shopping, DEFINITELY going back to those knitting shops that were closed the last time! Yay...!!! This is so... exciting! We're leaving tmr nite (4Sep) & will be back on 12Sep (Fri).
For general enquiries & orders, pls email me at bicsie@gmail.com & I'll get back to you asap after I come back to town. For any urgent matters/orders, pls email lina@knottybicsie.com.sg & we'll try to get back to you asap.
O, GOOD NEWS!!! Do look out for this Sunday's Straits Time Life! Knotty Bicsie is being featured in an article on craft business! Yay..! Iya, but seems like all of you gonna get the 1st hand look at the article way before me, since I'll be in Hokkaido then :P
Okie doo... Funky Knitters & Crochet Craze, remember to keep those fingers wriggling & keep knitting/crochet while I'm away! ;P Happy crafting, Everyone!!! :D
KBCC #06 - Handmade Paper Journal
It's the time of the month again! KBCC had yet another very fun afternoon @Pauseability last Saturday! This time, Teacher EeWei taught us how to make handmade paper journal. It felt like cooking lesson at some point! haha... we all had fun :D
See how Teacher EeWei is sternly checking on everyone, making sure we are using our toothbrush properly? Nobody dared to mess around. Everyone was diligently brushing our paper in full concentration...
Next, we had an extremely therapeutic paper-tearing session. Ivan was violently & aggressively shredding the paper to ventilate, while Jullie was almost into meditation mode! :P Check out how Rita dressed to match our colourful scrap paper! :P
After cutting up the ingredients, Teacher EeWei showed us how to mesh them all up with a blender to make into paper pulp. Cooking time! We all got a little weary when we saw smoke coming out of the blender after awhile! Luckily Engineer Jullie was there to rectify the problem! Otherwise we'll all be poisoned by the rubber burning smell & the smoke from the burning incense paper outside Moses' shop! :P
Finally, our "Soup of the Day"! hehe....
Next, we learnt how to sift for gold to make our pretty handmade paper. Everyone had a shot, except baby Isabelle, our Little Princess @KBCC, who was obviously shocked by the look of our chocolate fondue! haha... :D
Now it's time to leave out our paper pulp to dry, while we work on our journal with some ready made paper Teacher EeWei had prepared in advance. Everyone was working intensely on our own journal. We can't wait to have our very own journal made...
Yay...!!!! Finally!!! Check out the fruits of our labour! Aren't they all amazing? Cool, ya? Everyone agreed that we probably won't buy any notebook ever again after last Saturday! Coz it's so easy to make & we can even decorate it just the way we like it! Wow!
Thank you so much, Teacher EeWei!
ps: Here's wishing all teachers in the world a very happy Happy Teachers' Day! :D
Meet KBCC Enthusiast - Laura
"Thank you for your patience and your cheerful personality which have helped made my crafting process enjoyable. It's also great that your explanations are clear and precise. As you know I love to show-off my handiwork even though it may not be perfrect. I just did that today and I feel so Shiok!!!!! Thanks dear." - Laura, 31st August 2008
Customized Order from Wei Shien
These are 5 cardholders Wei Shien has asked me to make for her friends. Sure hope they will like it as much as I do! In fact, I made one for myself too! ;P
Meet Crochet Craze - Shireen
"Thanks for the patience and clear instructions given. And also for the cosy studio for the lessons. It helped to make Ginger possible... YEH..." - Shireen, 25th August
I'm the BIGGEST Knotty Fan!
"When i first got the kit to make these fluffy creations, i thought they looked like some ninja weapons when fully open. Hence the inspiration behind this photo. :) I really love making my poms poms and i make them everywhere when i get some time to sit down - be it on the mrt or waiting for a friend. Personally, my favourite part of making these little balls of fluff is when i get to slice into the yarn and see it spread into a ball of nice poof!" - Ee Wei, 15th August 2008
"There's so much creativity and vibes going on wiring up these knots of love! I never owned a pair of knitted shoes before and my son's just so fortunate to have his first pair of knitted shoes from his auntie as a gift! Hopefully, i can also learn this wonderful skill from bicsie and create more naughty shoes! A proud owner of knotty bicsie!" - Angelia, 13th August 2008
"I like the colour combination of your products. The prices of the products are just right and they are of good quality... Also, you are very efficient in sending the goods to us as soon as possible!" - ChenYen, 8th August 2008
Booties for my Footie Contest
Remember the "Bootie for my Footie" Contest organized by Junior & U, which Knotty Bicsie is sponsoring the prizes? Well, the results are out! Here are some of the very pretty entries submitted by the very creative Mummies out there.
And these are the pretty booties that the winners have received! Sure hope they will keep those little footies warm & clean :)
I'm the BIGGEST Knotty Fan!
GOOD NEWS!!!
"I'm the BIGGEST Knotty Fan!" Competition
To show my appreciation to all my Knotty Fans, Knotty Bicsie is giving away special prizes this month! Take a beautiful photo of yourself with any Knotty Bicsie product, add a little creative caption to show what a proud owner of Knotty Bicsie creation(s) you are, & email to bicsie@gmail.com by next Friday, 15th August 2008, Singapore time 2359hr.
Prizes:
- A pair of tickets to Fireworks Carnival on 23rd August 2008 for the BEST ENTRY
- $10-voucher
Our Crafting Studio
Our Crafting Studio is getting crowded these days! Check out our busy Funky Knitters & Crochet Craze! This is how our studio looks like almost everyday! As recent as a month ago, we have workshops EVERYDAY, from Mon-Sun! Then a few sweet students asked me, "Then when's your off-day? You mean you don't have a rest day??" Hmm... then it struck me that I SHOULD declare at least 1 off-day for myself! :P So now, Monday is my official off-day, but from crafting studio only la :P I usually use Monday to update this blog (like what I'm doing now), do some paper work, plus some house chores. My mum usually comes by every Monday to hang out too. So we'll spend a day together, sometimes knitting/crocheting in my studio, sometimes out shopping :)Many students have told me that they are envious of my life, or rather lifestyle now, doing what I like in my home environment & making a living at the same time :) well, I must agree I feel very grateful for this blissful life indeed. I truly appreciate all the TLC (tender love & care) given by my hubby & family, & also the generous support given by my wonderful, enthusiastic Knotty Fans like yourself! Thank you all, you made this ideal lifestyle possible for me! :D
Meet Funky Knitter - Seline
"When i first learn knitting from Betsy in the MAAD, I knew it was different. Compare to the other places that you learn, it's a remarkable experience. Betsy is very attentive and patient. She not only teaches you the basic and right method of it, she also explains every details that you are unsure of, & she also always makes sure that we have no problem in our project. Knitting in Betsy's home studio is also another amazing experience. A comfortable and soothing place for knitting. Check out her baby booties, & your heart will definitely melt when you see them!
Betsy, thank you for teaching me the techniques, it was a great knowing you for the one month. If I could stay, I will definitely learn more. See ya again when I'm back... keep in contact!!!! muack muack..." - Seline, 2nd August 2008
Meet Knotty Fan - Sarina & Keiflie
Mummy Sarina LOVES our Knotty Baby Booties sooo... much, she keeps coming back for more! Lucky Little Prince Keiflie, at only 4months old, is already a proud owner of 4pairs of our limited edition Knotty Baby Booties!
Here's what Mummy Sarina says about our Knotty Bicsie Baby Booties...
"The first time I set eyes on the unique booties, I went crazy coz there were many beautiful ones especially for baby girls!!! That's the reason why I bought the Mary Jane despite the pearl button!! (Told myself: well the colour is bold...so ok for boys what!! hehehe).
Anyway, many complimented them and asked where I got them. When I told my frens and relatives that I got them from internet, they thought I got it from overseas!!! However, I proudly told them, it's a local brand and has forwarded your site to them.:))
Thanks Betsy for making my baby look nice, cute and different!! Will be in touch soon for my customised orderssss." - Sarina, 30th July 2008
Here's what Mummy Sarina says about our Knotty Bicsie Baby Booties..."The first time I set eyes on the unique booties, I went crazy coz there were many beautiful ones especially for baby girls!!! That's the reason why I bought the Mary Jane despite the pearl button!! (Told myself: well the colour is bold...so ok for boys what!! hehehe).
Anyway, many complimented them and asked where I got them. When I told my frens and relatives that I got them from internet, they thought I got it from overseas!!! However, I proudly told them, it's a local brand and has forwarded your site to them.:))
Thanks Betsy for making my baby look nice, cute and different!! Will be in touch soon for my customised orderssss." - Sarina, 30th July 2008
Long Awaited KBCC Friendship Swap!
Finally it was time to do our KBCC Friendship Swap! Everyone was eager to give & also receive their handmade gifts to & from their respective partners. & o boy, we were all sooo.... thrilled by the amazing work of Art & Craft created by each & every KBCC member! I must say I was REALLY VERY IMPRESSED by the high standards of work created! The gifts were all so wonderful, Jullie & I were so jealous & regretted not being part of the swap this time! :(
Before the swap began, we had a little "visit back into memory lane" & had a good time talking about the joyous moments at previous KBCC sessions. Time flies.... KBCC is already 5 months old! Really grateful to all the support given by our enthusiastic KBCC members. I'm now secretly looking forward to celebrating KBCC's 1st Birthday with everyone! :P
Now, it's showtime! Check out our incredible handmade gifts!
*Warning! Following content may make you drool &/or hiss with jealousy! ^@^
Our Origami Guru, Kelvin, made a special Magic Cube (sorry, forgot the proper term :P), which can be transformed into a bouquet of ROSE for lucky Deborah....
Ee Wei made a really PRETTY journal from scratch for Ariana! Including the binding, cover, backing, paper, everything from scratch! We were sooo... fascinated, especially by her handmade paper. Now by popular demand, Ee Wei will be teaching all of us how to make our own handmade paper journal at our next KBCC!!! Yay!!! Sign up for our next KBCC (bicsie@bigfoot.com) on 30th August (Sat), 2-5pm @Pauseability now! Limited seats only! :)
What a coincidence. Great minds think alike. Ariana made a crystal angel hp charm for Shireen, while Shireen made one for her partner, Valerie, too! So we had 2 happy angels at KBCC last Saturday!
Our Peranakan Master, Richard, made the most beautiful mini beaded clogs for Moses. These beauties were hand-painted & beaded by this amazing uncle! Even the tangs-studio-look-alike box is intricately handmade by Richard! Everyone was sooo.... envious by then, we were all screaming out our birthdays to everyone!
Our origami enthusiast, Rita, made these cute little sail boats in a magic box for Kelvin. How appropriate!
MCC Laura (don't ask what MCC stands for, it's our little secret code only for KBCC. Join KBCC to find out lo! hehe...) took up "Crochet Craze - Amigurumi" with me, especially to make this adorable owl for Richard. This little guy made everyone smile :)
Mastermind behind Pauseability, Moses, made his signature handmade journal for Adrian. He even made a little drawstring bag for the journal. I'm sure Adrian will love it!
Edward made a beautiful Merry-go-Round fro Ee Wei. This magical toy is just so EeWei! We could see EeWei's beautiful eyes lit up with excitement when she saw what Edward whipped out from a box! How nice... Well, as usual, Edward prefers to hide behind the camera lens. Edward, thanx for taking all these unforgettable shots @KBCC!
Finally, even though Adrian & Jasmine were not able to make it to KBCC last Saturday, they made special arrangements to make sure their partners will not go home disappointed & empty-handed. How sweet & thoughtful :)
So Rita got her handmade card & shark (special request by Rita) from Jasmine,
& Laura got her BIG flower brooch hand-knitted by Adrian. Everyone agreed that the brooch is sooo... Laura!
Well, well, so glad everyone went home happy & satisfied. Everyone agreed that it was fun & therapeutic while making their special gifts. The fact that it was for someone specific, made it even more meaningful & exciting. Crafting is indeed a modern way of life for everyone!
More Customized Orders This Month
These 2 Knotty Eles are especially for YingChern. 2 others are for Yumin & LiSha. Not only have these gals been wonderful Funky Knitters, they have been a great help @Hougang Central Hub Singapore Arts Street too! They are coming over for lunch next Tuesday, I'm gonna make pasta for them. Yay! I'm sure it'll be fun!
This Coral Lee is for Yumin.
Sundae is for LiSha.
This is a customized bag for EeLing. It is actually a bigger version of my Evening Bag Moulein Rouge. Just mailed it out to her yesterday. She should get it by today, or latest by tomorrow la. :) Sure hope she likes it as much as I do :)
Our VERY SPECIAL GUEST Today!
Check out our very special guest at Knotty Bicsie Crafting Studio today - Princess Sarah! Our Little Princess was in her sweet dreamland as Mummy Florence & Aunty Jennifer were wriggling their fingers at their 1st crochet project. Guess what? Princess Sarah woke up & gave us a BIG SMILE just when our lesson ended! Cya at our studio again soon... :)
Meet Crochet Craze - Han
"Hi Betsy, I LOVE my new hp pouch!! Thank you for your patience & guidance. You're a wonderful teacher..Class was enjoyable & relaxing in your cosy studio. Will be looking forward to learning more projects from you.
p/s: Crochet can be addictive." - Han, 21st July 2008
Customized Baby-&-Mum Set
Ling See loves our customization so much, she keeps asking for more! ;P This one's for a cat-loving Mum. Think the elegant cat looks pretty on this fuzzy bag? ;)Ling See, thank you for loving Knotty Bicsie so much!
Origami Party @Pauseability by Rita
We had a very fun afternoon at Pauseability. Look at the TALL stack of boxes Edward & I went home with! Haha...!
Meet Funky Knitter - Ohan
Meet our record-holder - Ohan! Our "kai xin guo", Ohan, not only made everyone @Knotty Bicsie Crafting Studio laugh A LOT, she broke the record of completing her very 1st knitted project (scarf) in just 11days! Wow! Congrats, Ohan!
"I had a great time learning knitting with Ms Toh (Betsy). Initially it was a lil complicated, but after her careful guidance, I got the hang of it in just one lesson. It was actually pretty easy & I had loads of fun in her warm & cosy studio!
Ms Toh (Betsy) is a wonderful teacher with great amt of patience, & picking up knitting skills frm her is just as easy as abc. I had a great sense of satisfaction upon completing my scarf & it is definitely worth every ounce of my sweat & time! Now I have developed an interest in knitting & I will be coming back for more!"
- Ohan, 20th July 2008
Meet Funky Knitter - Li Sha
"Knitting proved to be easier and much much more fun than i thought with Betsy! The beautifully decorated studio and soft background music created the perfect relaxed atmosphere for knitting. Betsy further contributed to the comfortable mood by chit chatting with us! Knitting itself is also really relaxing and therapeutic. It not only calms you down but also trains your patience and perserverance (especially if you are knitting a looooong scarf). I can't believe how addicted to knitting I became! So a word of warning to wannabe knitters: Be careful. Once you start, you can't stop! hee. :)" - Li Sha, 6th July 2008
Meet Funky Knitter - Amy
"Learning knitting from Betsy was truly enjoyable! Having such a warm, friendly, approachable and encouraging teacher makes overcoming the initial intimidating learning curve a less frustrating experience. And once i got the hang of knitting, subsequent sessions for project completion were equally a joy to attend, as knitting while chatting with Betsy or basking in the company of other funky knitters students really breaks the stereotype of knitting as being monotonous and granny-like!! lol. In fact, the time it took to complete my scarf seems shorter than it is, and it certainly makes my holidays so much more fulfilling :)A big THANK YOU to Betsy for helping me adequately grasp the foundations of this addictive craft, giving me confidence to try out other individual projects for more practice! (i'm almost done with the back of my sweather yay! :p) And when i'm ready to learn how to tackle more complicated patterns and projects, i'll definitely be back for more! XD
Watch this space! hahahh... :)" - Amy, 12th July 2008
2 Special Customized Orders
This very lovely Mother-&-BabyGirl Set is specially customized for Ling See's friend, whose baby Amber is expected to see the world on 1st August. I couldn't stop admiring the set after I completed it! Wish I could see baby Amber & Mummy's happy face when they receive their gift! Ling See, you think U can take a picture of them with their pressie & email to me please? Thank you!
This pair of new friends found their home at Mei Hwa's. Piggy was pretty easy, but MooMoo was a real challenge! All the effort & hard work was definitely worthwhile. Don't u think they are simply adorable??? Personally, I especially like the way MooMoo turns out. I'm so proud of myself! heehee... :P
Meet More Funky Knitters
Last weekend at MAAD my products took a "background" position since I was running Funky Knit Workshop. Nevertheless, my Magic Mushroom was selling like hotcakes! I made 12pcs & now I'm only left with 2! Time to make more! yippee..! Knotty Fans, thank you for loving my Magic Mushrooms! ;)
Funky Knit @MAAD over the weekend was a hit! There were so many new Funky Knitters, I hardly even got time for lunch! Looking at all the beautiful mobile phone pouches made by these 1st-time knitters, all the hard work was really worthwhile. Moreover, we all had fun!Here's what some of the Funky Knitters have to say about their virgin knitting experience...
"I think the funky knitter is quite a useful introduction for those who had never tried knitting before. It teaches the fundamental needed to pick up this form of crafting but without being too technical. Its also rather affordable at $10 and we get to bring home a self-knitting handphone pouch, together with the knowledge to make more pouches. Overall, an interesting workshop and worth recommendation." - Ho Man, 20th July 2008
"Dear Betsy... i luv my new hp pouch. was apprehensive & afraid that knitting was difficult to pick up but your introductory lesson & patient coaching with tips along the way made the 2 hour session much fun ! i can't wait to knit myself a scarf for my trip to japan end sept. and if i ever get good enough, knit some more for my friends as xmas gifts ! i will check out your website soon & embark on my next project. i am glad i bought the pom pom set coz now i can make myself a pom pom bag for lunch :)" - Corine, 10th July 2008
"Dear Betsy, I enjoyed my very 1st knitting class with your heartfelt teaching to complete this pc of project. Thank you for your patience and guidiance to the end..... Believe I will set myself to the next knitting class journey soon." - Kate, 10th July 2008
"Dear Betsy, You were a great teacher! I had alot of fun, and I love the pouch! Would love to learn more from you if i've the chance." - Jilline, 8th July 2008
"Hi Betsy, Firstly, thank you so much for passing some knowledge of doing a therapeutic hobby to me. And guess what, i'm definitely addicted to knitting!! haha.. im looking forward to do more knitting projects especially bags and sweater. Your session was really helpful. You gave me full attention and help till i get the right way of knitting. And most importantly, you let me understand every details of the knitting process rather than just jumping in to knit and complete the project. That is the most important factor. And i thank you for that. It will let me understand more about the knitting process. In short, you did a very good job teaching me. And of course i will see you again. Thank you again. meanwhile take care." - Nur, 8th July 2008
"Dear Betsy, thank you for... your time and patience on Sat. I had tremendous fun working with you and look forward to picking up knitting proper some time soon. I'll definitely arrange it with you once I work out the details with sis. Have a great day!" - Jackie, 9th July 2008
"Hi Betsy. It was a very interesting experience, my first time at knitting. You were very patient with beginners like us and I was really glad that at the end of the course, I was able to complete the handphone pouch and be able to bring something home. Definitely considering to sign up and embark on other projects. Thanks!" - Zhenzhu, 9th July 2008
Today, yet another new Funky Knitter joins the club. Ohan, my super adorable Art Student from last year, decided to pick up knitting before she leaves America for studies. Her crazy, chirpy personality made Amy & I laughed sooo... much! I'm sure we'll have more whacky times together, since she's got a scarf to complete! ;D
Friendship
Despite the help, support & TLC given by my doting family, starting & running Knotty Bicsie can be quite demanding & lonely at times. Whenever we are at bazaars & fairs, we always need fellow vendors' help & support too. I must say I'm very lucky to have met many amazing like-minders through Knotty Bicsie. Here are 2 such beautiful people, Ayako (Something Magickal) & Cindy (Purple Lush).
Ayako's abstract painting has this somewhat sweet & cute, yet mystical lure to them, just like the artist herself. My favourite is her intuitive drawing, which has become an annual ritual for me to help me put things into perspective. Thanx, Ayako!
Cindy's handcrafted silver is dainty & beautiful, just like the designer herself. She's made a special letter "B" pendant with lemon quartz especially for me. Isn't it pretty? Thanx, Cindy!
All artists, designers & crafters, let's all hang in there for a more vibrant & colourful art scene in Singapore! :)
KBCC #04 - PomPom Party
Time really flies... We just had our 4th KBCC @Hougang Central Hub. Found out I'm not the only one who find this part of our sunny island totally alien :P
Disappointed that we only had 1/2 strength since 2 members were not feeling well & others were caught up at work. :( Nevertheless, the rest of us still had loads of fun!
First of all, we had a "secret mission" for KBCC members to be journalists of the day & we'll be sharing about the Singapore Arts Street @Hougang Central Hub during our KBCC #05 - Swop in July. here's a peek at some exciting treasures our KBCC roving photographers had found!
PomPom Party was so fun! Everyone lets his/her own imagination run wild & created all sorts of things with the pompoms! Check out Richard's rambutans, Peng Cheng's hair-tie, EeWei's porcupine, Shireen's mini bic, Laura's bag charm, Rita's baby blue poms... Haha... it was such a laugh seeing this fluffy creations bouncing off our tiny table! :D
PomPom Party was so fun! Everyone lets his/her own imagination run wild & created all sorts of things with the pompoms! Check out Richard's rambutans, Peng Cheng's hair-tie, EeWei's porcupine, Shireen's mini bic, Laura's bag charm, Rita's baby blue poms... Haha... it was such a laugh seeing this fluffy creations bouncing off our tiny table! :D
Meet Funky Knitter - Yumin
"Knitting class couldn't be easier with a fun-loving teacher like Betsy!! (: The nature of such craft really trains one's patience, concentration (nvr miss a stitch!) and eyesight. But the relaxing atmosphere of the studio and the small chit-chats we gals have with Betsy just makes it all the more enjoyable. TO BETSY: THANKS FOR BEING SUCH A WONDERFUL, PATIENT, FUNNY, SWEET-NATURED TEACHER!!! I'm already addicted to making scarves. Ha I even used it to calm myself down before my driving test, for real! (: one day when I'm back from the states, I'll learn crocheting from you! KEEP IN TOUCH, K?! LOVE YOU LOADS!! (:"- Yumin, 26th June 2008
Singapore Arts Street @Hougang Central Hub
It was another hot & busy weekend for Knotty Bicsie on 21st & 22nd June. Our workshop table was packed with family, kids, & all those young at hearts! It was amazing watching those eyes literally lit up when they see how these fluffy pompoms magically appear before their eyes!
Kids @Kids Performing are fabulous! They put up a real funky & energetic performance! Way to go, kids! & of course, they drop by after their show to make their own little pompom friends too :)
There were many activities perfect for a family outing. Check out the VERY young vendors just beside us. Even my little cousin, GuanRu, couldn't resist joining in the fun with finger printing & painting. :)
There was also a on-the-spot painting competition. I was shy to participate, but I did my little piece with my little neighbours :) Not bad ya? ;D
Dad follows my blog & we realized we NEVER have a picture of him with or at Knotty Bicsie at all! Finally! Here's the 1st with Edward! Say cheese, Daddy!
Liling made my day by delivering my customized Knotty Bicsie shoes! I was sooo... thrilled when I got my new shoes! They were PERFECT! Thanx a million, Liling! ;D
We will be at Hougang Central Hub again this weekend (28th & 29th June, Sat & Sun) from 11am-6pm. Do come by & say hi! KBCC (Knotty Bicsie Crafting Club) will be meeting there too on Sat 2-5pm. Cya! ;)
Some New Funky Knitters
Been procrastinating this for too long... here's a glimpse at a few Funky Knitters @Knotty Bicsie Crafting Studio. Who says knitting is for old grannies in rocking chairs??? Check out these young & trendy fashion wear our Funky Knitters has come up with!
Robert, my very 1st male student. I'm really proud of him! Guess what? He completed this beautiful scarf in just 2weeks!
Then Robert introduced his friend, Sanny, who later brought 2 other friends, Fiona & Evantia, along. They fall in love with knitting & will be back for more after they their exam in August!
Yumin & YingChern visited my stall @MAAD, fell madly in love with my creations & signed up for classes with me immediately! Then Lisha joined in as well. Determined to beat Robert in completing their scarf within 2weeks, Lisha did it in 3weeks, while Yumin did it in less than 4! YingChern, we are waiting for you... :D
(ps: Yumin & YingChern, sorry about this strange blue hue to your photos. Must be my blue window :P)
These enthusaistic funky knitters really make my day. They make knitting & crafting even more fun.
Funky Knitters, thank you for adding so much passion & laughters into Knotty Bicsie Crafting Studio!
Young's Surprise Birthday Party
Happy Birthday, Young!
Hope "Serenity" adds soothing colours to your lovely home.
Laz, LOVE the HUGE Elephant Ears you got for your wife! It was so.... HUGE! :D
A Hot & Humid Weekend @Clarke Quay with Singapore Arts Street
It was definitely a hot, Hot, HOT weekend! We were at Clarke Quay Central from 11am-8pm on Sat & 11am-6pm on Sun. It was tough, but fun. Lotsa chatting, lotsa laughters, & definitely lotsa PERSPIRATION! :P
Check out this Magic Mushroom Ayako has ordered from me. Truly Something Magickal!
2 young talents sat beside me last weekend. Love the shoes! Asked Ling to customize a special pair of Knotty Bicsie Shoes for me. Can't wait to see my new "work shoes"!
Been awhile since I see the RingMaster, Ian's work in action at bazaar. These are his early works, which he's done during his school days. Aren't they cool?
Lynn, who loves crafting, tried her hands with polymer clay. Very intricate wo
rkmanship with Mathilda. Pretty!
On Sunday after we "sweat-it-out" @Clarke quay, rushed to a very good friend's surprise birthday, which her hubby had arranged. Gave a special FreeForm piece as birthdya present. Will post the picture up after she email to me :)
Happy Birthday, Young!
Proud Sponsor for Booties for My Footie Contest!
Knotty Bicsie is the proud sponsor for "Booties for My Footie Contest" organized by Junior&U, June issue. Pick up a copy of Junior&U today & who knows? You might be one of the 10 lucky winners of this very cheerful & colourful contest!
KBCC #03 - Food Art
KBCC went to Botanical Garden yesterday. Yes, it was a wet wet WET day... :( However, I must say KBCC is very blessed with a bunch of extremely enthusiastic supportors! With our passion in craft, we went ahead with whatever we could. We refused to let the sulky rain dampen our spirits. In fact, we had quite an adventure salvaging our yummy craftwork in the rain!
What a scene we made when we readily flash out our colourful brollies to stubbornly complete our Food Art! It was so hilarious a few of us just decided to whip out our cameras to capture this candid moment! haha... o boy, I bet this is one picnic all of us will remember for a long time!
Wow! Look at KBCC Crafters' beautiful work of art! & it's yummy too! ;)
ppp
Special Note to All KBCC Crafters who braved the rain with me yesterday...
Really appreciate u all for being such great sports! You were all so encouraging & this really motivates me to wanna keep doing a better job each month! Honestly, when I 1st started KBCC, I had no idea at all how far it'll go... But now, after 3 months of exciting crafting adventure, I must say I'm truly moved & motivated by the passion & enthusiasm shown by KBCC Crafters! KBCC, THANK YOU! Let's make crafting a modern way of life for everyone!
Some Special Orders & New Packaging
There have been a few customized orders lately, really adorable! :)
Look! These 2 are specially customized for Tpah. Really glad she loves them! I'm sure they'll look fantastic on her Little Princess :)
Smurf is flying off to UK. Just in time to keep those little feet warm :)
Improving from some Knotty Fans' wonderful feedback, check out our new packaging for Registered Mail. Edward likes it, I love it, I sure hope Knotty Fans are pleased to receive it too! :)
Originally Illustrated Postcard from Tokyo
Remember Rokuhisa-san I met outside Shimokitazawa Station during my Tokyo trip? Well, he sent me a little postcard he has illustrated specially for me! How sweet!Rokuhisa-san, Arigato Gosaimasu! Kawaii...!!!
A Busy Long & Crafty Vesak Day Weekend
It was a long weekend due to the Monday holiday. Knotty Bicsie was kept very busy by all the events that were in place due to this holiday...
1st of all, Sweet Citrus went to UK! be sure to keep the baby princess warm! :)
Bazaar @Clarke Quay is back! This time by a new event company. Big Grin Organics (Chewy) tried Clarke Quay for the 1st time. We all had fun :)
Knotty Bicsie's good friend, Pauseability, celebrates his 1st Birthday on 17th May! We had a yummy Popiah Party!
Since it was holiday on Monday, Jullie, Michelle & Ee Wei came over to my house for a crafting party! Jullie just came back from a fruitful Bangkok trip & brought back many goodies. We all learnt tatting from Jullie. Check out my 1st attempt at tatting! Not bad, ya? :P
Finally a group of gals, waiting to start University in a few months' time start their 1st knitting lesson yesterday! There were lotsa laughter.
Into the World of Machines
I had a very interesting experience on Tuesday when I visited the JIAM 2008 Exhibition @Expo. It is an international exhibition organized by a Japanese organization, showcasing textile & fabrics related machineries. It is held in Singapore for the 1st time. I'm lucky my granduncle's company participated in this mega exhibition, so I was invited to the show :) This was a whole new experience for me! I saw many huge machineries, which I don't even know what they are used for until the vendors gave a demo!
It was nice to come across a traditional manual way of making buttons :) They were giving away FREE buttons. Yay... who doesn't like free gifts? hehe... :P
Those Knotty Fans out there who LOVE my buttons, well, check out my sponsor & supplier - Sintek-Link! Yup, my granduncle's company. They now also distribute these very popular studs from Korea. The machine he's showcasing is the heat-press machine by his business partner - Hashima. Check out the company logo above Mickey Mouse. It's made by my VERY YOUNG UNCLE (only about 18yrs old!), Yixiong. I promised him I'll "feature his work"! :P
I chanced upon this exhibitor, Masayuki-san, showcasing sewing machines, who live in Yokohama. Knowing I just visited Yokohama, Osambashi, a few weeks ago, we started chatting about sewing & craft. This lady, Masayo-san, impressed me with her sewing-machine skill.
See how factory steam-iron a shirt in seconds! I felt like a kid in Science Centre! I was trying so hard to hide my excitement, in case I'm so obviously a "mountain turtle" there!
I vividly remember my jaw literally dropped when I saw this incredible machine. Not only can it do embroidery in minutes, it can even stitch strings of sequins & lace onto the design!!! O boy, how clever! & you know what? Since it's machine-made, the stitches are all "perfectly uniform"! iyo.... I'm still very overwhelmed! & of course these machines don't come cheap. I overhead a vendor quoting a potential buyer S$2million for the above embroidery machine! *I think my jaw dropped again*
2 sewing machine companies have very good & effective marketing strategies. They organize fashion design competitions & sponsor their machines to leading fashion academy in Japan. The effect, beautiful trendy fashion showing off the capabilities of their sewing machines, & of course, making these young aspiring fashion designers their loyal fans.
It was a strange feeling watching what these steel giants are capable of doing. I almost realize then why many people cannot understand handicraft & hence unappreciative of crafters' effort! Yes, it's scary, but this is real. Actually I'm most awed & amazed by the "handicraft" of these mega giants. The heroes behind these unbelievable inventions are truly incredible! They are definitely very creative individuals too!
Billy Goes Australia
Yay...! Billy is making his way to Western Australia today! Billy is all set to dance with Baby Eric!
Betsy's Crafty Adventure to Japan - Part III
Previous 2 days' exhibition visits had been truly enriching. Then it was time to finally go looking for knitting & yarn shops in Tokyo. Found a few shops on the internet, tried emailing them before my trip, but only 1 replied. Found out from my Japanese friends that apparently English mails tend to go into their SPAM folder :(
After Earth Day Tokyo the day before, I actually checked out Azabujyuban, where supposedly a knitting cafe carrying organic cotton yarn is operating. To my great disappointment, when I reached the address, it was a shop selling children's clothes instead! & I found out from the lady boss that they have taken over the shop for about 10months already! Argh!!! :(
20th April 2008 - Knitting Shop Hunt
Unbeatened, I decided to start my hunt with a knitting shop within Shinjuku itself. As I was asking my way around, I realized one thing. The Japanese may have produced amazing craftwork & craftbooks, but the locals (at least those at Tokyo) don't seem to be that into craft afterall! Well, maybe except for beads, which is really popular now. Just like how accessories shops are very popular in Singapore now. No one, not even the vendors at Bead Art Show & Earth Day Tokyo, knew where I can find knitting shop in Tokyo! Well, I surely seems to be the one having the most information about knitting shop then!
My 3rd disappointment when I finally found Okadaya in a back alley near Kabuki Cho... They are closed on Sundays! Argh!!! Not willing to give up just as yet, I stopped by a Udon restaurant for a quick lunch before I headed to my next stop - Shimokitazawa.
I was almost devastated when I saw this bright yellow, cute gate tightly shut before my eyes!!! Also closed on Sundays!!! How I wished I'd done more research! I would have started my trip with shop hunting then the 2 exhibitions! :(
I refused to let these disappointments spoil the whole trip, so I decided to go slow & just let whatever came my way surprise me... I was lucky afterall.... Just 5min away, i saw this very interesting shop (in fact, I wasn't even sure if it was a shop!). Even though it was not open, the sign made me giggle: "Obaachan Chi" (House of Granny). Hehe... I asked a salesgirl at the shop opposite, in our broken languages, I figured out that it was a mini gallery! Anyone can rent the space to showcase & sell their stuff. It need not be Art though. Sometimes there are also people selling their 2nd hand items there as well. How interesting!
As I walked around this cosy neighbourhood, I notice even more hidden treasures! The shops here are all very nicely decorated & their stuffs are beautiful! There are lotsa vintage shops here. Zakka trend is indeed the "in" thing now in Tokyo. The shops are so full of individual personality & style. Well, for those who know me, you know I am so not a shopping person! Yet, it sure was a great shopping experience for me at Shimokitazawa!
Here I saw a shop just like our InQbox. The things here are mostly handmade items by students & put on consignment. Must be where InQbox got their similar idea. Things are cheaper here, but no offence to anyone, honestly, nothing very unique, look just like what we see at our local "InQbox" shops.
After shopping for almost 3hrs (yes, u read it right, 3hrs! Quite a record for me indeed!), I decided to head back to my hotel & start packing for my departure the next day. Who knows, another surprise was awaiting me just outside Shimokitazawa Station! Another interesting Street Artist, Noboru-san, has been doing his weekly live drawing there for the whole of April in preparation for his exhibition in May. Noboru-san is an Art student. His friend, Rokuhisa-san, was there to give moral support. We chatted, almost lost in translation :P, exchanged emails & I headed back to my hotel as the sun was beginning to set... What an eventful trip...
Tokyo, I will be back! :)
Betsy's Crafty Adventure to Japan - Part II
Day trip to Yokohama was eye-opening. Besides beads, there were other interesting experiences, including this encounter with a group of old friends who gather ever Sunday to do some life drawing. They do pencil sketching, pen drawing & sometimes water colour too.
Even on my way back to my hotel the night before, something really kawaiii caught my attention. Wasn't sure if it was made of real flowers or fabricated flowers initially. Had to touch it to know for certain that they are made from fabricated flowers :P Kawaii ne!
19th April 2008 - Earth Day Tokyo
Totally looking forward to this day... I have been so hoping to meet Kitta-san in person! Remember this "Jian3 Dan1 Jiu4 Shi4 Mei3 - Kuai4 Le4 Chu1 Zou3" on Channel U? www.poeticlifejourney.blogspot.com Kitta-san & family were featured when Peifen introduced Brown's Fields in Tokyo. I managed to get intouch with her via email, through a Japanese friend. Kitta-san told me about Earth Day Tokyo.
I was told by the vendors over there that Earth Day Tokyo happens 3times a year - April, September & December. Well, April being the international Earth Day, it is the biggest fair of the year, with over 200+ stalls!!! I was sooo.... overwhelmed!
Was planning to take an overview 1st, then narrow down to a few stalls to return to. However, the fair was so huge & all the stalls look so tempting, I simply couldn't help but started chatting vendors up with my broken Japanese almost immediately! :P
Hiromi-san, Director of Yuga told me that these baby clothes are dyed using natural dye process. The most interesting of all, is the deep purplish blue created from kyanite (natural semi-precious stone)! They call it the "Healing Dye". How cool!
This is Secco Shop, a Swedish Company. Check out these recycled accessories. Familiarly amusing :) The zipper flower brooch is real pretty too!
Mami-san, founder of Italist, has an interesting life story that inspires her. This now very trendy & novel convertable groccery bag idea has in fact been around for the longest time! Mami-san's Grandma made one for herself (the black one) & has been using it for 40 over years! Now Mami-san adds new colours & taste to give it a facelift :) "Italist", according to Mami-san, means "one who lives naturally" in Jamaican English. Something new...
Maeda-san is the President of Made-in-Earth, which is the pioneer company in manufacturing Japanese Organic Cotton. He was conducting a workshop on traditional way of spinning cotton yarn from cotton plant. It is a very simple concept, but to master it, it definitely requires lotsa practice, just like crochet! :P
Came across this sweet lady, Yoshimi, who imports Thai knit/crochet wares into Japan. She introduces me to her friend, Shoichi-san, who imports natural hemp from Nepal. Very beautiful hemps! I bought 3 different colours from him :)
Finally found Kitta-san & her family! We were both so thrilled to see each other! I spoke to people from Brown's Field too! So happy to see "familiar" faces in a foreign land... :)
Look at Kitta-san's hands. These blue stains are from the blue dye that she has just done for her exhibition this week. Imagine how her hands "change colours" seasonally with each different natural colour she dyes onto the fabrics. :) I LOVE this purple dress! Kitta-san's husband, Sawa, is a musician. He's made his own album of 6songs. I bought a copy fr
him, & I got his autograph! :P My favourite song is "Arigato".
Even though it was the 1st time we met in person, both of us felt kinda sad when we had to say goodbye. We promised each other to stay intouch. Afterall, I think we can somewhat relate with each other on how we are following our dreams & beliefs. Life can be simple & beautiful. :)
There were of course other very interesting stalls at Earth Day Tokyo. Let's just say I spent almost 6hours there, yet I did not really see everything! :P
On my way back, just outside Harajuku Station, I came across this very interesting Street Artist. He does cartoon portrait & you pay what you want between 1000-2000yen. Isn't he adorable? So cool, smoking a cigarette, yet everything he draws are so cutely round, & he's even wearing polka dots! He made me smile. :)
[Part III - to be continued...]
Betsy's Crafty Adventure to Japan - Part I
I'm back!!! It sure was an eye-opening experience filled with much excitement & wonderful memories! In my travelogue, I'll just focus on my crafty experience. Hopefully it'll be as inspiring to you as it was a fruitful learning experience for me... :)
17th April 2008 - Changi Airport
It has been at least 6years since I last travelled alone. No wonder Mom & Da
d, & especially Edward, were so worried :P Journey to Tokyo, was somewhat smooth despite th
e rain & long walk to my hotel in Shinjuku. Decided to just stay in hotel to pl
an for my Yokohama trip the next day.
18th April 2008 - Yokohama
It was only a 35min train ride to Yokohama. Noticed a group of ladies who seems to be walking to same direction as me, so I tried starting a conversation with them. In my broken Japanese & their broken English, they were surprised to learn that a Singaporean had travelled all the way especially for the exhibition! I'm also surprised when they went, "Singapore! Ah... lotsa jewelleries!" Hmm...
When we finally reached the Osambashi Hall, it was an exciting
sight! It was a hall about 1/2 the size of a typical hall at Singapore Expo, & it was filled with stalls showcasing beads, semi-precious stones, & other handmade jewellery items. It is a pity that Sandra can't make it to Bead Art Show with her Unique Paper Earring. She'll be the only one showcasing this trade!
I was totally mesmerized by Crystal Flower's intricate beaded accessories! Incorporating bead-crochet & bead-tatting, this non-speaking beading instructor creates the most feminine & dainty jewelleries.
Atelier La Mer is run by Lirica, who incorporates the most beautiful wire work with semi-precious stones.
Akiko, owner of Bead-It!, carries a wide range of bead art kit sets. She made these beautiful accessories herself too! I got 1set for my friend, Deborah, who's into beading. Will try to get a photo of Deborah's complete work & post it up here. So Deborah, we're all waiting... :P
Check this out! How cute & delicate! these are all created with the tiny seed beads! the Little Red Ridding Hood is probably only about 1inch tall! Sandra, I know you'll love this!
These amazingly beautiful work of art reminds me of coral reefs! This famous Japanese Bead Artists uses seed beads, shells, pearls, semi-precious stones in her creations. Simply mesmerizing!
Don't you just love Naomi & Mie's display? Makes every shot potentially good for a magazine coverage! :)
After immersing myself amongst all these intriguing Bead Art, I decided to take a walk to a nearby tourist spot (recommended by my guide book) - Chuka-gai (Chinatown). O well, what was I expecting right??? "Chinatown", "tourist spot"- of course lotsa Chinese merchandize! Hehe... so had a late lunch (yes, Chinese Szechuan food! :P) & shopped around. Surprise, Surprise... I found this very exciting & exotic shop that I love! Amina's Collection has many branches all over Japan, even in Hokkaido. This rustic bohemian style is apparently very popular in Japan now. Ironically, all their products are from Nepal, India, Thailand, Cambodia, & Mynmar! :P
Hmm... I think I should plan for a trip to Nepal soon. The last time I visited was about 1o years ago! I'm sure it'll be a fruitful treasure hunting experience...
[Part II - to be continued...]