Tag: life

I feel obliged to make a new year’s post, for some reason! Let’s start it off with a new year dolly photo: 😀

Parsimony's new year cheer

I didn’t attend the fireworks display or watch it on TV. I just sat back and listened to one of my Agatha Raisin audio books. That Agatha character really makes me laugh. I need to get my hands on the latest book, Hiss and Hers by MC Beaton.

This morning, I picked up my sister from the airport — she had been in Malaysia for the past three weeks. It’s nice to have someone in the house again. She brought back a few goodies for me, some of them were from Hong Kong too. One of them is the doll’s shoes (shown above). It smells like fresh leather. The other things included a set of lucky figures, the Fook Luk Sau, empty red envelopes for Chinese New Year and some Chinese doll clothes. Why I have an obsession with Chinese things right now, I don’t know.

I hope 2013 will be a good year. My goals were already listed in 13 Goals for 2013, and I think I’ll take them quite seriously. Oh, except for ‘going swimming once a month’. I doubt I will stick to it. My cozzie will just be unused. I will stick to the ‘no pets’ goal like glue. We probably won’t afford vet bills with my bad spending habits any how. 😀

 

A good friend of mine, Juanita Tortilla, tagged me for this award recently. I really enjoy writing up these things, it must be my next guilty pleasure. You also get to know me better, but I hope you like what you find out, and not run away screaming!

About the Liebster Blog Award: It’s an award that was reputedly started in Germany in order to give smaller bloggers recognition for their hard work. You receive this award from a fellow blogger that feels your blog is both worthy & important to them. The rules: Post 11 facts about yourself. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you and create 11 questions. Nominate 11 people to give this award to (with fewer than 200 followers) and link them in your post.

Eleven questions from Juanita Tortilla:
1. What are you looking forward to, in this new year?
I think it’s very obvious to those that know me, that is to start a new life in Zurich with Michael, I have the right visa this time! I’m looking forward to decorating the new apartment too.

2. What is the best gift someone can give you?
Something I admire or look at often, but never push myself to buy. I know that makes it very difficult for gift givers… I am also happy to get anything I don’t already have. 🙂

3. What did you aspire to be when you were younger?
I wanted so much to be an airline pilot. I just loved the thought of controlling those magical flying machines. But I only wanted to be a commercial airline pilot; I didn’t want to fly military jets or small propeller planes that always seem to crash when the weather gets bad.

4. What was your most dramatic hairstyle?
When layering goes wrong (too much layering), I would call that hairstyle dramatic because it’s ugly. Makes me look like I have a pumpkin for a head.

5. You have a free travel ticket. Where would you like to go and what will you do?
I’m afraid I’m not very adventurous… I would go somewhere I have not been to before, but they are places that every other traveller has been to. My main objective for travelling somewhere is usually for the shopping. 😛

6. How do spend your weekends?
In Australia, I would normally go to a shopping mall for a few hours, then spend the evenings doing some gardening with my sister. Some weekends, we would do absolutely nothing.

7. What do you see yourself doing in 5 years’ time?
I see myself maybe doing more jewellery designs in a dedicated home studio. Some will be available for sale. I would make more Blythe pull rings too, in more styles, although I can’t really do custom orders (not economical)…  and of course I’ll have a hearty collection of dolls, toys, bags and other things that take my fancy! 😀 No, I don’t see myself with kids.

8. How do you like to spend time with your friends?
I like going for a small meal or coffee, while we chat, then walk around the city and do some (window) shopping. A movie is fun, too.

9. Is your blog different from the rest? How so?
That’s difficult to answer, I don’t consider my blog to be anything special. I used to blog only about my crafts, but now I’m just going to blog about what ever takes my fancy. I’ll still post my work when I make something new.

10. In the parallel universe, who and what is your alter ego like?
I’d like to think my alter ego has everything I don’t, and is also better in personality! Or it could be the opposite, she could be the most evil person in that universe…. or perhaps I would be a man instead. 😀

11. Never say never. What did you say ‘never’ to but now find (or have found) yourself happily guilty of?
I said I would never pay the exorbitant prices for a used, broken and messed up Kenner Blythe doll. I thought they were so stupid, and who would pay so much for broken old plastic. Now I have one, with another on lay by — it’s my latest doll obsession. I always think of the time I posted on a forum in reply to someone’s question on whether to get a Kenner or a newer (but quite rare) release. I said, don’t go for the doll that could form a butt crack once you get it. Ha.

Eleven facts about myself:

  1. I don’t really play competitive games because I don’t like losing.
  2. I drink one cup of caramel latte every morning, unless I need to rush somewhere.
  3. I feel that animals without tails, or those that have stubby tails, are strange and not very cute.
  4. I form bonds with some inanimate objects and the thought of them being mistreated upsets me.
  5. Trees have souls. I often admire and pat my trees after I water and fertilise them.
  6. Classical orchestra and instrumentals for me, any day.
  7. Gambling is not a favourite past time. I can’t stand the thought of losing money in just a split second. If I do gamble, I only do so in tiny amounts and quit while I’m ahead. A $20 win makes me ecstatic already.
  8. The teeniest noises can stop me from falling asleep.
  9. I don’t follow trends — I wear or carry what I feel comfortable with.
  10. I can’t ever have a successful business because it gets boring after some time.
  11. I do like driving, but only on familiar roads.

Eleven questions I would like to ask you:

  1. What would you create or make, if you could make anything you wanted without issues?
  2. Which would you choose first and why: Owning your own house or spending all your earnings on travels?
  3. What is the most extreme sport you have ever done?
  4. What is the one thing you seriously want to do but have not tried yet?
  5. What do you collect?
  6. Who could you spend a whole week with without getting tired of him or her?
  7. What do you enjoy blogging about most?
  8. What is your favourite nail polish?
  9. If you could relive one part of your life, what would it be?
  10. Is being popular important to you? Be honest!
  11. What is your greatest pet-peeve?

My 11 nominees: I don’t think I really can list any one, and certainly not 11. I don’t know any person that would feel comfortable being tagged (because I mainly stalk blogs but I don’t interact much). So I think, everyone who sees my post and wants to play is welcome, even Juanita again because I think she’s cool!

I’m not changing locations or anything of that sort, but more like, changing what I post about. I have previously confined this blog to “work” and “craft” stories only, but I find that I’m not creating so many new items and designs these days. I go through some periods of not making anything for weeks. I would love to include general every day posts into this blog. I tried to post these everyday things on Flickr, but it just didn’t seem right either. I think, if I’m not comfortable posting them on Flickr, it means they belong here. How’s that? 😀
Oh, how I love talking to myself… I think that’s one thing a blog just seems perfect for.

Following my friend, Juanita’s example, I’ve decided to make my own list of goals. I don’t think I’ve ever set out any goals for the year that I’ve actually accomplished. I always just forget about them and my life changes halfway in between.. but I still like to make lists anyway, so here goes 😀

  1. Complete A1 German
  2. Head up to checkout counters to pay, not make Michael do it
  3. Set up jewellery work bench before April
  4. Make real jewellery for selling
  5. Make more Blythe pull rings and designs
  6. Refrain from having pets
  7. A meal a week
  8. Stop envying others
  9. Take more interesting photographs
  10. Have my own chilli, herb and salad garden (indoors)
  11. Take more care of my appearance so I won’t end up looking ugly in candid photos
  12. Go swimming once a month
  13. Do something new

I did not include the most obvious goal: Stop buying. That is because it’s unrealistic for me to stop shopping. I just love getting new things too much. New things, designer things, cool things — I just can’t stop and actually don’t want to. 😛

Most of these goals are very possible. I don’t like paying for things in Zurich, because I’m not confident enough to speak German, and I tend to freak out when I hear something I don’t understand. Making jewellery for selling. I can’t claim to be a jeweller unless I do this.

Pets. I want them, yet don’t want the additional worry when we have to travel or move. Cooking is something I don’t really enjoy, but I want to force myself to make a meal a week. They’re not going to be pretty meals, so I doubt I will blog them, ha. An indoor garden is something I am looking forward to.. would that be an appropriate goal then?

Hm, not sure about the swimming part. I dislike going to sports centres without a car. But who am I kidding, I don’t even do it now when I have a car. And last of all, do something new. I couldn’t think of anything else as a goal, so trying something new seemed like a good one.

Go ahead, make your own list  😀

I saw this post on my friend, Juanita’s blog, and decided to play too! The idea originally came from here.

Envy Seven things you lack and covet
Height
A voluptuous bosom
A classic beautiful face
Drawing and painting skills
Musical talent
Cooking skills
Be allergy-free

Sloth Seven things that you neglect to do
Keep in touch with people
Donating to charities
Be thankful
Clearing out old stuff
Backing up my important data
Go swimming
Learn German properly

Greed Seven worldly material desires
Owning a big home
A whole boatload of Kenner Blythes
Designer bags
Prestigious, powerful, but fuel-efficient car
A new-model DSLR
New mobile phone
Kiln

Pride Seven great things in your life
Husband
Loving family
No debt
Lots of material possessions
I “work” when I feel like it
Never hungry
Cherished childhood toys/relics

GluttonySeven guilty pleasures
Online shopping
Doll photography
Flickr
Daily caramel latte
Savoury snacks
Chocolate
TV shows/movies

Lust Seven things you love about love
Someone to confide in
Laughs
Support
Good company
Fun outings
I’m never fat or ugly
Someone to get rid of that insect

Wrath Seven things that make you angry 
Seeing forests/jungles cut away for needless development
Whaling
Inhumane treatment of animals
Religious pontification
Cigarette smoke and people who smoke because it’s “cool”
Singing and dancing competitions on TV
Bad grammar (“There’s two ways”, “Your welcome”, “His sitting over there”)

When I see how many days are left, it doesn’t seem so long. I always like seeing visible countdowns to something exciting that’s going to happen!

http://free.timeanddate.com/countdown/i3de0q8u/n152/cf12/cm0/cu4/ct5/cs0/ca0/co1/cr0/ss1/cac639/cpc637/pcfff/tc66c/fs100/szw320/szh135/tatI%20fly%20to%20Zurich%20in/tac417/tptTime%20since%20I%20flew%20to%20Zurich/tpc416/iso2013-01-20T16:45:00/bo2/pa10

Sixty-six days to go (this was when I made the countdown). The counter will also count upwards once the day arrives. I look forward to coming back here years from now, and then seeing how many days have passed since I was reunited with my other half. 🙂

Soon, I’ll be moving back to Zurich, this time for a longer period of time, and with a spouse. We’ll also be moving from the suburb Oerlikon, to Affoltern! Michael was successful with his flat application–he has the gift. Let me share some photos with you. Please excuse the quality though.

 

Screenshot from Google Maps. Our place is the ground floor apartment, with four windows facing the street. A pedestrian crossing is just outside the apartment, which is always convenient.

Living room. We’ll need good curtains. I’m excited about this place because it’s so much bigger than Michael’s current flat, and it has several advantages too! Like no balconies. I don’t spend time on them, so why have wasted space?

This would be another one of those advantages, my own washing machine and dryer!! This is the absolute holy grail of apartments, to me, that is. I disliked sharing washing machines and sticking to a schedule. I had to run up and down like a maniac to get all our week’s washing done. No more, no more… 🙂

Doppellavabo. Sweet. No fighting for space. I get the sink in the corner, so I can take my time! I dare say this will be our apartment for several years to come.

The only room that has windows that face the backyard. It’s on the small side, but we’ll use this as our bedroom. I can’t stand noises such as speech and music while I’m trying to sleep, so this room should be ok.

Backyard, and view of the building with other apartments. I shall never step into the yard, because of all the prying eyes.

This supermarket is just 3 minutes away, by foot. The bus stop is 2 minutes away, and train station 5 minutes. It’s a really great location, since we won’t have a car.

Well, thanks for joining me on this tour. When I finally get there, in January, I shall have some photos to share, and even more of my sacred crafting and hobby space. Yay!

Oh it’s been so many months since I’ve even talked about new items or sales. I can certainly say now, that I really do change interests quickly. But before I get carried away talking about that, I’ll write about what’s happened recently. I was away for 2 months in Switzerland, where I did some sightseeing and relaxing. No polymer clay whatsoever. Michael set up the oven as I had it last year, but I packed it away. We went on a long trip to Germany, and had a relaxed time in Zurich going to the movies and doing some shopping. I’ve been back in Melbourne for 2 weeks now, and I have not restarted my clay work. I took a friend around last week, so I had little time for it. But today I will need to get back on it… Oh how I dread it. 😛

My trip photos have been posted on my Flickr account, under the collection called “Life Saga”. Beware, I have taken up a doll-collector’s past time of taking photos with my dolls posing in pictures. If you feel it is weird, you can leave.

I think, sorry to say, that I am getting a bit frustrated with polymer clay. I’m still making for the consignment at Ballyhoo Art, but the “making” part does not excite me as it used to. It’s a bit sad to see this happen, but what can I do. I’m moving on. I also thought I wanted to do a full time diploma course in jewellery, but the full-time commitment isn’t in the cards right now. It would be quite stressful, restrict my ability to travel, and I don’t really want to be living in Melbourne for another 2 years, alone. Also, I will have to start my drive to class 2 hours before it begins, or else I could end up arriving late. Imagine doing that 4 times a week!! Public transport? Don’t count on it… It’ll take me the same time or even longer. Because of these circumstances, I’ve decided not to pursue the diploma (fees are also an issue, since I may not get a government supported place).

Just a minute ago, I signed up for the Intermediate Jewellery short course! Yes, it’s at the same far away place, but I can handle once-a-week classes. It was plenty of fun in the beginners course. These are all the updates for now… I really should start kneading that stiff, cold clay.