29/04/2010

Read Along: Mini Book of Doilies



After 5 years apart, now I'm back in business. I made a zine about doilies on a used big brown envelope within two days. Here's the preview. If you might interested to buy or swap it with your zine, just let me know at the 'comments' section below. Erri of KontemplaCity, thank you for the spirit :)

cover

one,two

three,four

five,six

Tiny Masks Party at School

Few weeks ago, I got this rare opportunity to teach arts & crafts at kindergarten with Ms. Vantiani. It's been awhile since my last arts & crafts weekender class. We made a super fun mask party with the kids! Not to mention, we did it in a eco friendly school. They're using oil barrels that were cut in half as a locker, scrunched papers to make a christmas tree, cotton buds (oh relax, they're new, not the covered-with-ear-wax one) as skeleton and shoebox as mailbox (this is absolutely my favorite!).
See another post by Ms. Vantiani about this tiny masks party.



 











more pictures on my flickr

Kelir Festival 2010

This post from designbyvitarlenology really widen my morning-eyes. To all of you who interested in children book illustrations, teaching arts & crafts for kindergarten or kids in general or probably toy-maker or a kit maker. Umm, preferably a handmade one :)



p.s: Miss Vantiani, are you ready?

27/04/2010

Doilies on Sunny Monday

Mr. Black Pepper Crab, here's my doilies drawing since you made me numb on Saturday. I never thought you could do this to me. I took pictures of my new stuffs for Crafty Days #4 under 37.8 C heat. I thought it was the one who gave me this awful headache, but I was wrong.

doilies
(white gouache & acrylic paint on OPP paper, 2010)

I'm having this new brand for stuffs that my bestie and I made "mikisi curiosities etc." and it will be launched at Tobucil's Crafty Days #4:Play Your Magic Finger. Wait for the sneak peak at slora sauna on May 2010.

Songs on mood board:
Hypnotize - The White Stripes
I want to hold your little hand/If I can be so bold
And be your right hand man/'til your hands get old
And then when all the feeling's gone/Just decide if you want to keep holding on

22/04/2010

"Owl Are You, Matey?" Business Card Holder from Recycled Material

Since our last alliance (between the laces and I), I am more and more into working with fabrics. I tried a new book binding in accordion style (thanks to "How to Make Book"). Card container was made from used brown envelope. Still with the same technique as Miso Mucho Bowl: using acrylic paint to color the white lace. Wait until dry and glue it to cardboard. The owl design belongs to my magnificent friend Julian, then I copied it in bulk. Added few clear coats to preserve the lace and owls (you could opt for Krylon Paper Finishes Preserve It! Matte). 

This is the first time I worked with owl, I don't know, probably I related it with my recent habits to be awaken at 2 AM in daily basis. Then I called it my hybrid moment (haha, misfits it is).

this is how we make it tidy:ribbons

Side A

Side B

Inside the container

the card just fits in

21/04/2010

Mittwoch Macht Frei: Album Pertama "Cuma Khayalan" Oppie Andaresta

oppie

Hujatlah aku karena tidak mengagungkan Kartini di saat orang-orang mendadak memujanya hari ini. Aku besar di tahun 90-an, tak pernah kenal dekat siapa R.A. Kartini. Membaca dari buku tidak menjadikan aku dekat dengannya. Namun aku mengagumi Oppie Andaresta (d/h Ariesta), yang kehadirannya selalu kutunggu pada acara Nuansa Musik. Oppie di album pertama lengkap dengan boots Doc Marten warna ungu, celana overall dan topi mirip punya 4 Non Blondes (yang lagi ngetop-ngetopnya saat itu).

look at her boots

Cuma Khayalan, lagu yang sangat diandalkan di album pertama ini, tidak terlalu membekas di telingaku, tapi ada sebuah track yang sungguh mengena dari pertama aku dengar sampai hari ini. Judulnya "Cuma Karena Aku Perempuan" yang diciptakan oleh Bimbim dan Kaka Slank. Liriknya seperti ini:
"Beri aku sedikit kebebasan/ seperti yang didapatkan mereka/ jangan bedakan aku dengan mereka/ cuma karena aku perempuan/Oh mama, oh papa/ apa memang engkau perlu bukti/ tunggu ma...sabar pa/ waktu 'kan menjawab semua mimpiku/ hilangkan ragumu, hapus curigamu/ sementara banyak perempuan di rumah yang tertekan dibatasi pergaulannya/dan sekarang banyak perempuan di jalanan jadi korban keadaan"
Lagu Oppie ini selalu kunyanyikan dalam hati dan kadang keras-keras, hingga kini. Aku hanya berharap suatu saat orang tuaku mau mengerti dan bisa bangga terhadap semua pilihanku, termasuk pilihanku untuk serius di bidang seni rupa. Aku tidak mau dipandang lemah oleh mereka, oleh sebab itu aku amat keras terhadap diriku sendiri untuk mewujudkan mimpiku. Tak ada kata gagal, kecuali kita sendiri yang menghendakinya. 

Oppie adalah salah satu alasan kenapa aku suka sekali dengan Alanis Morissette dan rela menonton konsernya waktu dia mampir di Jakarta. Maaf Ibu Kartini, Alanis dan Oppie adalah wanita-wanita di telingaku yang bisa membuatku berdiri bangga menepuk dada.

inside the sleeve

19/04/2010

I Spent My Sunday at KumKum

[playing The Jiving Juniors & Duke Reid - I Love You]

Seperti "pulang ke rumah" rasanya kemarin, seharian berada di stand Tobucil pada acara KumKum, Museum Bank Mandiri. Dalam beberapa saat aku bisa menghafal beberapa barang di situ, sekaligus memperagakannya kepada pengunjung. Merajut, kegiatan yang sudah sedikit lama terbengkalai karena akhir-akhir ini aku banyak berkutat dengan kertas. Melihat antusiasme pembeli peralatan rajut dan perajut-perajut baru (cenderung kagetan dan impulsif, tapi dalam konteks positif lho ini) memilih benang dan jarum, membuatku semangat lagi untuk menyentuh jarum di rumah. Aku teringat ada project hoodie-ku yang belum selesai itu. "Abbhisekka" rajutku dulu adalah salah satu artikel di craftster.org, jarum knit lurus 6mm dan sebuah jarum crochet size 7/8.

Oh iya kemarin aku bawa daganganku dan pertama belum berani melapak, setelah Moelyana bilang "taro aja Din, gak apa-apa" aku malu-malu meletakkan barang tersebut dan kebeli juga. Hihihi terima kasih ya Moel.

Kelebihan dari acara ini adalah tempatnya yang luar biasa bagus, tamannya yang teduh, musiknya yang terasa pas dan konsep membawa sendiri semua peralatan transaksimu (dari botol minum, kotak makan, tas belanja, untungnya uang juga gak mesti bikin sendiri).

Selama di sana, aku banyak berbagi dengan Erri soal buku-buku dan ilustrasinya. Semua bukunya baguuuuuuuuuss sekali dengan printing sederhana, tapi dikemas dengan sangat profesional. Favoritku adalah This Stone Was A Person dan A Way (kalo yang A Way karena ini buku bergambar pertama yang seluruhnya menggunakan warna favoritku, seperti blog ini! Makanya aku ngotot banget pengen koleksi).

***

Feels like coming "home" as I went to the local hobbies and communities expo "Kumkum" at Museum Bank Mandiri last Sunday. I stayed at Tobucil's stand throughout the day, learned about few things they sold and practicing my selling skills like in the old days at the bookstore. Their enthusiasms to knitting yarns & needles remind me of my first exposure to knitting world. My first "abbhisekka" are an article from craftster.org, size 8 US straight knitting needle and a crochet needle size 7/8.

I brought my "Meet the Robins" along and sold something there. Yaaay! And I met this inspiring guy, Erri, again. Our first meeting was last year at Tobucil while he repaired his sandals and turned out making Hitler's moustache. He made many awesome books that you could peek here.

Since Kumkum's main idea is about green life, so you have to bring along all your shopping needs like water bottle or tumbler (they have water dispensers all over the building), lunch box and your own cuttleries for buying foods there and shopping bag (they prohibited all kinds of plastic containers).


P4173383

P4173384

P4173386

P4173387

P4173389

18/04/2010

Art of the Day- Day 1

Overflowing creativity this weekend. I created two new piece done in 5.4x3.9 inch old flyers. Still in love for classic shabby chic rose pattern.

AOTD-1

AOTD-2

KumKum is still on until today April 18, 2010. Meet you all there? :)

17/04/2010

Block Dot Block

gagakmawar

Oh damn you crow and roses, why it's never easy to put both of you together on my new piece? it looks crappy. boo. I love the background though, since it's my first drawing in pink and vintage roses.

15/04/2010

Dari Sebuah Surat yang 'Ku Tulis

hut's roof

(tulisan ini diambil dari emailku dan ini hanya fiksi, tidak diperlukan tanggapan serius)

"Aku baru baca Fukuyama-nya dan beginilah responku terhadap tulisan itu:

Oke, dari tulisannya mas Ibrahim Isa...Lama-lama semua orang mainan klenik nih ramal meramal, apalagi yang diramal ekonomi, yang mana lebih nggak pasti daripada sastra...Kurasa itu useless banget, lebih useless dari ramalan Nostradamus ehhehehe so what the f* lah ya dgn Fukuyama. Mana ketika bikin buku itu dia kayak bikin skripsi, nyontek draft orang...hehehehe
"Melaksanakan terus aktivitas-aktivitas ekonomi tanpa  memperhatikan kadaan sosial dan keadaan alam beserta lingkungannya. Sehingga akibatnya disini keuntungan perseorangan makin lama makin menjadi beban masyarakat dan alam disekelilingnya yang kesemuanya itu menyebabkan terjadinya penurunan kesejahteraan hidup."
Untuk kutipan yang ini aku SETUJU (ini aku baca respon dari tulisan itu lho). Di Jakarta, aku melihat tiap hari pasti ada pembangunan lot perkantoran atau tempat usaha baru, tapi siapa yang hendak menempati? Semakin banyak yang dibangun bukan berarti turut membangun harapan baru, yang ada banjir makin menjadi-jadi; kota hanya nyaman untuk dipandang ketika berjalan menunduk. Mengapa? Karena ketika kamu melihat ke atas, nggak ada langit, adanya atap gedung yang saingan. Kenapa menunduk? Karena sepanjang sudirman/thamrin sekarang pedestriannya bagus banget dan lebar-lebar, meskipun aku nggak ngerti kenapa dibikin dari bahan yang nggak bisa menyerap air, jadi kalo hujan agak licin. Lapangan pekerjaan tidak berjalan sepadan dengan gelimang kemewahan yang ditawarkan. Jadi...nggak akan pernah ada kata cukup, kecuali kita sendiri yang bilang "Enough is enough" atau mungkin Ya Basta! (aku nggak tau ini konteksnya betul atau salah untuk mengucapkan ini)

Bertahun-tahun kita selalu berkutat dengan kapitalisme x sosialisme atau kapitalisme = neoliberalisme. Kita ngomongin apa sih sebetulnya? Cara pemerintah seharusnya menjalankan perekonomian dan politik negarakah? atau cara kita hidup? 

Buatku saat ini, sudah nggak ada yang perlu dilawan kecuali diri kita sendiri. Semua kontrol ada di diri kita, mau sistem perekonomian seperti apa, rasanya kita manusia sudah diberi kemampuan untuk beradaptasi yang luar biasa. Kita yang bikin, kita yang jalanin, kenapa kita mau 'dijalanin'? Aku tidak berkata bahwa kita harus menjadi rebel dalam arti mentah, hanya kadang kita kerap kali menyalahkan orang lain, mencari kambing hitam. Kita sedikit melupakan diri sendiri, yang sebetulnya bisa jadi adalah sumber masalahnya. Ya seperti thesis terkutuk itu...hihihihi."

Miso Mucho Bowl: Laces, We're United!

misso mucho

I've been looking everywhere for my original Miso Mucho Bowl Series then finally found it under the stacks of papers. Did some experiments with lace from a friend's mother and gave the cream colored lace a bit blush with acrylic paints (I used Talen's Amsterdam 105 Titanium White & Marie's Acrylic 336 Rose). I set aside Elmer for this project and went along with UHU multipurpose glue.

14/04/2010

Mittwoch Macht Frei: Mini Stamps by Yellow Owl Workshop

Before it turns to Thursday, it'd be better for me to post this one sooner. Well, today the electricity went out. I liked it, since almost every we're wired and wound up with electronica et cetera. Oh yeah, miss Vantiani texted with a surprising news about some stamps on design*sponge, so I forwarded it to my best friend, Julian. Both said, "you have to see yourself, these stamps are REALLY GORGEOUS!" I told him to send it. Then I  peeked and had the same thought as theirs.

STAMPS are becoming my next big thing after BIRD. It begun with making my own rubber stamp, following Geninne's blog and read this Yellow Owl post on design*sponge. Yellow Owl Workshop also got this correspondence sets, blank cards, prints and absolutelt those adorable STAMPS. Different from other seller at etsy, they packed the stamps on a pouch. So smart, indeed!

(all photos via Yellow Owl Workshop)

After a big storm of inspirational images, today I made myself a "postcard" stamp for my postcard series. Hence, I don't have to print on both sides, which means saving more pennies ;) I only have to wait for 1,5 hour until the stamp's ready. Here's the deal:

stamp

stamp 2

stamps results

10/04/2010

Meet the Robins: New Series of Postcards & Keychains

What a productive Saturday Morning! 
With the power from a glass of iced coffee and rice porridge, I went to the printshop and met Ms.Vantiani there. We printed bunch of gorgeous knick knacks. Look at Ms. Vantiani's Juanita bookplate (I helped her with the layout and couldn't stop editing with Adobe Photoshop ever since), it looks reaaalllyyy goood! 
Now look at mine...New postcard series and keychains: "Meet the Robins", taken from my paintings (all watercolor on paper). Couldn't say more about it. Ecstatic.

Product details: 
- All "Red Robin" & "Blue Robin" postcards come in size: 10x15 cm (4x6 in.), printed in 250 grams white paper with aged look on the blank side.
- "Red Robin" & "Blue Robin" mirror keychain, size: 5,8 cm (2.3 in) diameter
- "Night Crawls Upon My Head" bottle opener keychain, size: 4,4 cm (2 in.) diameter

Oh, if you're doing nothing next weekend (April 17-18, 2010), I would really glad if we could meet at KumKum (Yuk Kumpul-Kumpul), Museum Bank Mandiri, Jakarta-Kota. More about Kumkum you could read at my previous blog post. These are for sale, if you want these curiosities right away, email me dindiepop[at]gmail.com

we love birds
Meet the Robins

ATC cards
ATCs

Red Robin
Red Robin

Blue Robin
Blue Robin

Night Crawl Upon My Head
Night Crawls Upon My Head

Red Robin Keychains

Blue Robin

keychain backs

08/04/2010

Mittwoch Macht Frei: Inspirational Reader's Digest Back Covers

Ooh....it's another belated Mittwochmachtfrei! I got so many things to catch up these days. In the middle of cleaning up the clutter on my room, I found stacks of cards from ex-boyfriend, wonderful postcards from my college years aaaanddd...these gorgeous Reader's Digest back covers. As long as I remember, I got it as a giveaway from a friend in a study group (looks like she got tons at home and didn't know what to do with it). I immediately went crazy.

New-found treasury always lead into serious illness: non stop eye-gleaming.

07/04/2010

How to Make Your Cool Blog Buttons

I spiced up my sidebar from plain text to robin's egg with adding background to sidebar title as shown right here:

aboutplain

It's not as hard as it looks, seriously. If you're into photoshop or any image editing program and own any Flickr or Photobucket account, then you are ready to go. Thanks for Blogbulk for the tutorial.

How-To's:
1) Prepare your image (mine came in size 180 x 60 px), then upload it to image hosting like Flickr or Photobucket.
2) Go to "Layout" on your Blogger Dashboard, then click the tab "Edit Html"
3) If you're using blogger template Minima, then all you got to do is find the 'sidebar' section on HTML editor like this one:

.sidebar h2 { 
background:url(yourimageURL)no-repeat; 
margin:0px; 
padding:0px 0.9em; 
line-height:60px; 
}
But if you're not using minima (like I do) you could just simply copy and paste my code right on 'sidebar' section. It will work out fine, relax. You could just simply adjust 'padding' and 'line-height' to suit your graphic. Since mine is 60 px on height, so it would be displayed best if I wrote '60px' on line height. I set the padding to '0.9em' so the sidebar title won't get too far to the left.
Remember, this code is for adding background to sidebar title only.
4) Click on "Preview" before you save your design
5) Click "Save Template" if you're sure that all the knick-knacks are placed properly.

Now you know how to add those cool blogs ephemeras :) 

06/04/2010

Postcard from Viet Nam

I found similarities between Sundanese and Thai. In Thai "náam" means water, as in toilet "hông náam" or in Sundanese "bade ka cai". I wonder what does "Nam" means in Viet Nam, for some people call it Viet Cong. 

Err...Foolish thought.

Well, I got a postcard from my sister, who's recently backpacking around South East Asia. She sent me this from the last city she visited. I believe she's in Thailand by now.

postcardvietnam
(I wonder, is that the killing tree on the background?)

postcardvietnam_0001

Another foolish thought: "did she send my hello to Bodhi?"