2012

Two Thousand and Twelve.
Happy NEW YEAR 2012
All the best wishes.
I am tired and shall be going to zzzz land.
Enjoy your count down and see in 2012.
Be happy, be safe.

Seasons Greetings and Sparklies

Before you go off for the long weekend and holidays, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all regular readers and followers of my blog as well as readers who just happen to stumble upon my site a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Thank you for your friendship, loyalty, commentaries, encouragements, patient, inspirations and supports all these years.
Here is the last batches of wire wrapped sparkly crystal rings and fruity rings for the year.
Hope it will bring you lots of sparks during the celebrations.

These three pictures of the Sparkly Rings above were taken with Samsung G2 (8MP) phone camera - inspired by Heather in her post here. Being kiasu, I tried it out this morning and they turned up quite good.

No color editing was done except for cropping and inserting the logo.

Happy Holidays! :)

Fruits and Weekends Gateaway

Here's an off wire jewelry ramble.
Some pictures taken last two weekends during our outings to Serian, Hot Spring and Serikin Market.
I have posted about Serikin Market several times here, here, here and here, about Hot Spring here and maybe several other posts but I don't think I have ever posted anything on Serian, a small town (population about 90k+), an hour drive from the city.
Serian is famous for its durians.
That is why you will be greeted by this Giant Durian as you enter the town.

As usual, our favorite place to visit is the market.
At the time of our arrival, late morning, the whole town was really busy.
Lots of people around especially at the market and shops around it.
It was a Sunday and most likely people were doing their early Christmas shopping.
Can't tell as I've only visited this town on a Sunday, so it may be the usual crowd on a weekend :)....

Here are the highlights of the trip, mostly taken at the market.

Fruits everywhere...rambutans (the hairy one, top left), mangostene, durians and guavas.

All kind of vegetables as well. Ops! the one at top left is not vegetable, its breadfruit, top right is Terung Dayak (sour brinjal) while bottom left is buah petai (petai beans).
Bottom right are the many types of shrimp paste (belacan).

This one is an interesting fruit - buah tarap.
Looks a bit like jackfruit and buah cempedak, they should be cousins...hehehe....
I didn't know there are two types of buah tarap.
The hairy and non-hairy :)
Something new for me.
Which one do you prefer?

Feels like having all of them.
Colorful kuih-muih (pastries, cakes, cookies, biscuits, etc. etc.)

Handcrafted colorful baskets from colorful binders or packing straps.
Used to be made from rattan and other natural resources but these are scarce and hard to find due to forest clearing. Sad! Sad!
Next we had our lunch at a nearby eatery (forgot the name...).

Not to be missed is this fat and juicy sayur midin...a wild forest fern, grow mostly in disturbed swampy forest. We had other dishes but I stopped taking picture after this midin, as I am too busy eating :)
After lunch, off to the river. These are some of the pictures taken along the way.

Hill paddy planted by the locals.
Very common view along the roads in Sarawak.

The region is quite mountainous with winding roads like this.

Pepper vines, planted by the locals on small plot of land. Another common view.
Don't be surprise if the pepper you are having is from here. Sarawak pepper is world renowned :)

Swamp or wet paddy, planted on low lying area, unlike hill paddy.

The kids having fun at the back of the pickup - just for a short distance.

Finally, the river.....nice clear water but its kind of neglected since our last visit.

Tall bushes on the way down...Argh! Geli!

Getting ready with the net....

Here's the catches....Borneo Sucker and a tiny crab.

We were at Pasar Serikin yesterday. Not much to say about Pasar Serikin (as I have posted about it several times). I think this are the more interesting parts of the trip.....

Large Geckos for sale at RM50 each.

Pitcher plant!

......with sticky rice cooked in it :) Yummy!

Look, with sambal belacan (shrimp paste).
Henry loves it!

Next will be a fruit related ring post....

An Email that Made my Day

Just sharing an email that I received this morning from Tina.
She is so kind to let me post it here.
Thanks Tina!

Let me tell you, I take my hat off and salute you.  This is a fabulous, artistic, and beautiful tutorial (Tina is referring to the Twice Around the World (TAW) Bracelet Tutorial).  Not to mention that is not hard as long as one follows your very clear instructions and pictures.  It also and leaves room for other projects using the same link.

You are great.  I will be doing it tomorrow because I believe this project deserves to be done in silver and/or gold filled wire. with round gem beads.  At the moment I ran out of the last one.

I love your tutorials and will appreciate if you keep me posted for any new one that may come out. 

My Artfire Studio SALE is still on till the 20th Dec.
25% off all tutorials including this TAW Bracelet Tutorial.

3 Wire Wrap Rings and Something for Myself

WIREBLISS ARTFIRE SALE is STILL ON TILL 20th DECEMBER 2011 (Yeah! I fixed the date)
**************
Now proceed with inspirations!
Got to post this before I proceed with other things.
Yeah! Hope I am not boring you with these rings :)
Two Adjustable Wire Wrap Beaded Ring, a fruity ring and something for myself.
The tutorial for this Adjustable Ring is currently at $3.75 (Was $5.00)
Check it out at my Artfire Studio.

Here's something for myself.
Remember the Peace Pendant from NanoStyle?
Look what I've done to it. It has got lots of friends.
Attached it to a long chain and I can put on and take off anytime in a second.
Going to add some lively colors to it later on.
For now, I will enjoy the "dull" color ;)