Origami Crunch Time

When I get a project that is not from work (thus no daily cut off time), I often go overboard to complete it. I would disappear into my own world & working away till it's way past sleep time. 
But hey, that's what you might do too when you are passionate about something, right?

Here are some of the photos depicting the process of fusing the origami concept into a garment...

Prototype

 

 

 

Prototype on mini mannequin.

 Life-size experiment in paper. Tedious part of this design has begun.

The crunch time started when I began hand stitching my garment design after one mini prototype & one life-size experiment.Stay tune for the next report regarding the final outcome of the garment. For some unforeseen reasons, it morphed!

Dolphin & Dandelion

Coloured with graphic markers

I met up with a friend whom I have not met for more than 10 years.

Over an extended lunch, he and his fiancee shared with me their testimonies including a prophesy they once received. It was a good inspiring session. The next day, I decided to illustrate for them the prophecy that means so much to them in a pictorial form.

Van Gogh wannabe?

Here are some of the design exercises done during the fashion course...

Produced colour palettes to match the samples given.

Task : Paint a fruit with secondary colours.

Copied designs from magazines

Practised sketching fashion designs... this was totally random & impromptu.

 Monochrome painting of Van Gogh according the original sample on the left. 

Not bad eh for someone who for two decades didn't like painting because she finds it difficult to control the brush?

These exercises brought back some good ol' memories of my first year in Interior Design.





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Restless Creative Juice

After all the Olympics & Paralympics hype subsided, and the moving of home had taken place. I began to think, "What next?"

I would usually like to think I want to be a lazy couch potato & just watch the tv whole day long. But I realized one consistency of me getting restless after 30 minutes or less sitting in front of the tv, knowing there are nothing waiting for me to work on after I am done watching the tv.  I need to do something more fulfilling. I need to be occupied with work or projects to get my brain juice working & to push my creativity further. 

I know I could make cards & join online challenges like I used to (actually I can't wait to resume) but I realized some things in life can wait while I acquire more skills.

So long story short, I took a short 5-week fashion course, had a go with the industrial sewing machine and designed a garment. 

The course required individuals to choose a theme to their design collection. And one garment to be completed by the end of the course. Some of the themes chosen by others were animal print, lace, punk, leather, army print, red carpet, egyptian, african & etc. Guess what theme have I chosen?

(Pic by Crafts 4 Camp)

Origami! A paper folding concept. Don't you think it would be interesting to wear/own a Origami garment? ^_^ I am already excited thinking about all the possibilities!

The garment will also be submitted as a competition entry, so I will be doing a presentation to 4 panel judges in December. Results shall be out by early 2013. If my design wins, it will be displayed/modeled in Stratford's Westfield, London. Fingers crossed.

Nomadic Londoner

It's time to move home again. I have been told that Londoners are prone to moving a lot. But moving for a person with too much stuff...  like me, is big hassle. The process of packing, dismantling, cleaning up, getting movers, handing over & etc is tedious. Meh.

Nevertheless, it is well with my soul and I know that God is moving us to an even better place each time.

During this busy month,  I managed to make a very quick trip to Nottingham.

  

My mister rushed off to catch his NF football team playing in a match while I went to discover the town & played with my camera.

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The Sporting Spirit

On 12th August, the Olympics 2012 finally came to its closing ceremony and I witnessed it at Stratford Park with some folks from church. We watched it live from large screens while chillaxing with snacks on our picnic mats. We enjoyed seeing the proud athletes during the parade & we even danced and sang along when the concert began.

The spirit of sports & competition continues into September. And I was not ready to return to blogland. I managed to grab two tickets for J & I to visit the Olympic Park on 5th September during the Paralympic games. 

While we were in the Olympic Park, we visited these :
Coca Cola interactive theme house
CGI touristy photo shot spots
Biggest McD in the world
Interactive game kiosks
Live band corner

During these exciting times, I moved home again. Oh, how I dreaded the packing stress & mess. Nonetheless, it all went well. We believe God moves us to a better place each time. All glory to Him.





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Guten Tag, The Olympics Fever Is Still On

On the first week of August, my husband & I had a holiday in Berlin, Germany. Individually, we were looking forward to this trip. He was excited about the Beach Boys concert...

... while I was thrilled to be in Europe again.
We stuffed our faces with cheap good gelatos & bratwursts.

We met up with my girlfriend & her boyfriend too. With them, we played a table tennis tournament, ate more scrumptious german food and travelled the graffitied streets.

 

 

 We even watched the Badminton Men Finals featuring Malaysia vs China in my friend's cozy apartment.It was a good game.

On 12th August, I joined a bunch of friends at the Stratford Park to watch the Closing of Olympics London 2012.

Through the Olympics period, we watched many live games on TV. 

 

There were so much hype around London, the Olympic Park and around my area. What a fabulous place to be - the right place at the right time. Conveniently ticking one thing off my bucket list for living in the Olympics host city - once in a lifetime experience.

Memorable July

July & August were packed months.

So much was happening in UK that I decided I must not miss experiencing all these free activities before they become one of  UK's best moments in the British History.

My Big Dance performance finally took place on 14th July at Trafalgar Square. It was a new experience dancing at this famous square and be filmed by the local tv station, Channel 4.

Red dot, one of Olympics Colours. Looks like a Japanese flag, no?

Live from Channel 4.

Taking a plunge at the centre of the Trafalgar Square.

This was how massive the Big Dance event was.

Yep, all done. We want to do it all over again!

Days leading up to the Olympics, the Torch Relay events were everywhere... 

...well not all at once but one place at a time of course. :) On 21st July, I witnessed one within my home ground, literally a stone throw away. When the torch bearer came running to the meeting point, 

I was just 5 metres away behind him when he stopped and posed for quick photos & the passing of the flame to next torch bearer. So surreal that I was standing so near & watching it live!

On 27th July, I organised a Thai dinner with some friends to celebrate the Opening Ceremony of Olympics 2012. The restaurant was the one nearest to the Olympics main stadium. 

Flew above us & heading towards stadium.

The Thai restaurant.

My mister & I after the first major barrier. Look at the crowd behind us that haven't gained access.

Atmosphere in the restaurant was warm & jolly that night.

We could see so much going on the site besides whatever that was not shown on the restaurant's big tv - international reporters, performers coming out for a bite, delegates & etc. 

One of the best parts was when we caught the fireworks towards the finale outside the restaurant. We were so near the stadium site that we felt the tremour & the heat of the fireworks. It was so awesome! Again, it felt so surreal.

After the opening ceremony was over at around midnight, the first people to leave the site were those in the restaurants & pubs. 

Then, followed by throngs from the main stadium itself. Everyone made a bee line for the tube & bus stations... but not me. I was fortunate enough to be staying nearby within walking distance. Some of my friends got home 3am that night.


Ah, Olympics 2012 rock!





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