Artists' Great Garage Sale 2012

I am very excited to be part of this art exhibition and to be amongst other very talented creative people.
Here is a sneak peak of what I am currently working on for this special event...
they are still work in progress....

 

  

See you there at the Opening!! :)

Elaine

Katy on canvas

So... I was doing some drawings & paintings today... and after I was half way through one of them.... it dawned on me that this pretty lady looks like Katy Perry! What do you think, huh?

She's not finished yet folks... she was inspired by one of my crystal necklaces I have made earlier last year which i would use to complete this little piece! I might call her "Katy" :)

Prepared for 2012 exhibition ;)

 Following up on my last blog:
http://www.giftedmoments.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/getting-ready-for-exhibition.html
here it is - my finished painting of the "Tree Of Life"(the For Sale version). My last Tree of Life painting if you remembered, I blogged about last year was not for sale :) http://www.giftedmoments.blogspot.com.au/2011/12/following-on-from-my-blog-my-love-birds.html

Rotary Garden City Art Exhibition showcases Western Australian talents. This year the exhibition starts next week -Monday 23rd July right through till Saturday 28th July 2012.
Come over & check out original artworks if you are around the area!
Garden City Shopping Centre
Booragoon, WA
Exhibition will be held at the west side of Garden City, near the Post office entrance, during shopping hours.
On the last day i.e. Saturday, art pieces will be taken down early. I suggest to be there before 3pm or you might miss out on looking / grabbing some good art.
All paintings are for SALE!!  Enjoy the exhibition!

Getting ready for exhibition

It's the time of the year again that Rotary Garden City Art Exhibition showcases local Western Australian talents. This year the exhibition starts next week -Monday 23rd July right through till Saturday 28th July 2012.
Come over & check out original artworks if you are around the area!
Garden City Shopping Centre
Booragoon, WA
Exhibition will be held at the west side of Garden City, near the Post office entrance,
during shopping hours. On the last day i.e. Saturday, art pieces will be taken down early. I suggest to be there before 3pm or you might miss out on looking / grabbing some good art.
All paintings are for SALE!!

I am getting ready to put in one of my paintings this year. Here are 'the making' photos which I have done a few days back.

 I will post my finished painting in my next blog.. so stay tuned folks :)

Swarovski Bling Bling!!

I thought I'd show you some creations I have been experimenting on. These are 3 rings, 1 hair piece and 1 pendant which I have created using swarovski crystals and ebony clay. All were my first attempt ( in a craft group workshop) except the pendant which was my 2nd (done at home)  :)

Next few attempts can only get better  ... :)

Open for 2012!

Gifted Moments online store is NOW OFFICIALLY OPEN for 2012 with lots of new stuff !

Also I am now in the Western Australia Street Team!
Check it out!

and have FUN shopping!

Elaine

My favourite things..

Some of my favourite things in life...

Happy with my HAPPY :)

I thought I'd give you a sneak peak on some of my creations going on Gifted Moments online store soon in March...

Old New Toy

I bought this sewing machine for oh about nearly 8 years now & hardly touched it!
Then one fine day like a few months back I brought it out to sew a few bits & pieces.
And now some sofa covers...
My late Grandma would be so proud of me I reckon.
I think I'm beginning to really like my old new toy!
To more sewing adventures...

Chinese New Year Superstitions

Since it is still Chinese New Year (* info for my non-Chinese friends: CNY goes on for 15days), I thought I'd blog about my experiences.
I am however not brought up to embrace the Chinese superstitions and culture for all it's glory, so my experiences are not of a typical Chinese girl.... but more like a Chinese looking girl with a hint of Chinese culture & a lot of Western influences (heck, Sesame Street was one of my 1st nannies!!) !

As far back as my brain can remember; when I was a child ( back in my birth country- Malaysia, days before Chinese New Year, grandma would be frantically cleaning the house up mainly because on the 1st day of Chinese New Year, it was considered bad luck to sweep or clean or throw away garbage as that would mean throwing away Good Luck! Mom (depending if she was working out-stationed or not would also help clean the house). Mom & aunties would gather to make New Year cookies & prepare for the Reunion dinner on the Eve of Chinese New Year (all family members were suppose to be back for the dinner)!
I also vaguely remembered that for the 1st 3 days - no emptying out garbage!
On the 1st day is the day to visit the elders & wish them Happy New Year!
I remember visiting other family members / rellies to wish Happy New Year, & we would get 'Ang Pows' i.e. red packets /envelopes containing money from married couples.
So in other words, children & singles get to receive "Ang Pows", while parents and married couples give them out!
On the 2nd till the 15th day of CNY, we visited other rellies & friends and get more "Ang Pows".
and also of course eat New Year cookies.
We also brought mandarins when visiting & suppose to exchange them with whom ever we visited. And VERY IMPORTANT to give them in even numbers like: 2 or 4 or 6.Since I have been living in Australia for quite a number of years, I have forgotten of those even numbers & accidentally gave 1 mandarin to my in-laws which did not go down too well I must say! Thank God I have been forgiven for my UN-Chineseness! and re-learnt that quickly :)

Here are some other Superstitions during the CNY period, I've found today on the net, some of which I have not heard of (mainly because I'm not Cantonese; thank Goodness I'm not - no offence to the Cantonese folks...)

Here is a roundup of the superstitions surrounding the Chinese New Year:

1. No Cleaning - The household has to be thoroughly cleaned before the New Year's day because it is believed that cleaning sweeps away bad luck from the last year. However, all cleaning equipment should be put away before the New Year's Eve so that good luck is not swept away. Even though sweeping is allowed after the first day of a New Year, the garbage and dust shouldn't be carried through the front door, as it may result in death or estrangement of a family member.

2. No Ghost Stories - According to Chinese beliefs, what happens on the New Year's Eve sets a precedent for the rest of the year. Foul language and unlucky words are a taboo on the first day of the New Year. Since ghost stories essentially involve mentions of death, children as well as elders are not allowed to tell stories related to spirits, zombies or the undead.

3. No Washing Hair - Though you are encouraged to get a hair-cut on the first day, you're not supposed to wash your hair to ensure that good luck is not washed away.

4. No Books - Book stores remain closed on the New Year's Eve as buying books is not allowed. The reason stems from the fact that "book" is a homonym for "lose" in Cantonese. However, apparently, there is no restriction on reading.

5. No Shoes - Shoe shopping is restricted on the first day because "shoes" is a homonym for "rough" in Cantonese.

6. No Crying - Crying is also a strict no-no on New Year's Eve which is why children are spared from spanking or punishments on the first day.

7. No Sitting in Bedroom - It is unlucky to meet anyone in their bedroom on the New Year's Eve, which is the reason why everyone, including infants, elderly and even those who are sick, are made to dress up and sit in the living room.

8. No Sharp Objects - Handling sharp objects is considered bad omen on the first day of the New Year, as they may "cut off" good fortune. It is recommended to put away knives and scissors the previous day.

9. Red is Good - Bright red clothes, decorations and ornaments are highly recommended for the Chinese New Year. Children receive money in red paper envelopes from parents who wish them a healthy and happy New Year. Red paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of "good fortune" or "happiness," are used to decorate the household.

10. Songbirds are Good - The first person you meet on the New Year's eve holds great significance on how lucky you would be throughout the year. It is considered lucky to see or hear songbirds, red-colored birds or swallows on New Year's Eve.

article taken from:

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/285398/20120121/chinese-new-year-2012-top-10-superstitions.htm

images taken from: penangpassion.com; parenthots.com

And so...

And so... Christmas 2011 is over;


New Year 2012 celebrations are over;


Chinese New Year 2012 has began & still going on...


welcoming the Year of The Water Dragon... Here's to a Happy & Prosperous New Year!!

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