Sewn Natural
Loving these handmade toys and messenger bags by Sewn Natural. All so sweet and pretty!
Archive for February 2010
A look back at 2009
A look back at some jots taken last year. Which ones did you miss?
Keeping a book open with a twistable wire
Diaper holder from Decole
How cute is this abode for nappies or other wee garments!
I have to hand it to the gifted folks at Decole.
On closer look, doesn’t it resemble a tissue box cover with a roof + side pockets?
Fish oil and polystyrene
On Tuesday’s news on TV was a report that a couple in Taiwan was shocked to discover that their fish oil supplement could melt styrofoam. Then viewers were shown a patch of defaced foam. However the report didn’t offer conclusive details for this phenomenon.
And since I’m taking fish oil supplement (from Blackmore), I MUST see for myself if mine does the same thing or not! But before anything else I got online hoping to find some clarification, and I realised that this piece of news isn’t new. Many people were also puzzled by this and had already been posting their questions on the web since a few years ago.
One website explains that the majority of fish oils sold today are not natural triglycerides (TGs), but are made up of concentrates of ethyl esters (EEs), which are unnaturally derived by reacting free fatty acids with ethanol (eww!). The site suggested that a simple way to test if a fish oil is in TG or EE form is to put the oil in a polystyrene cup. EE fish oil will eat through in just a few minutes and then a significant leakage can be seen after 10 minutes. Natural TG fish oil may show leakage in very small amounts after 2-3 hours.
In my own experiment, the sides and bottom of the cup began to feel oily after about 3 hours. But no fierce meltdown.
As to why fish oil leaks through polystyrene, this and this helped to offer some explanation.
A chic boutique
That boutique would be go-Monkey. Love the functional and stylish carriers and clothings.
Sweet origami hearts
To be honest, I was never keen on folding origami hearts (or roses for that matter) for a fairly long time because it was hard to accept the way they look — I find them too edgy and not very loving. But that’s all in the past, my perception has changed (I’m so glad). I have embraced their looks and I will admire them as they are.
I’ve been on a folding spree over the new year break, particularly enjoying making heart after heart, starting with:
1. Origami heart ring
The ring design is by Hiroshi Kumasaka [熊坂浩氏]. I use a 7.5cm/2.95″ square to make a size 5 ring. As a rough guide add 2.5cm to the circumference (of the finger) to determine the length of the paper. Say, if the finger circumference is 6cm, the paper size should be about 8.5cm.
Make bigger rings to use as napkin ring, bangle, scroll tie, bottle tag, etc.
1. Use a square and divide it into one-eighth.
2. Fold in half vertically.
3. Unfold. Fold towards the 2/8 crease. Crease.
4. Turn over.
5. Fold 2 triangles to meet the vertical centre.
6. Fold the peak behind as shown.
7. Lift up the flap.
8. Flatten to a triangle. Repeat on other side.
9. Bring the edge marked “A” to align with vertical centre.
10. Crease.
11. Repeat on other side.
12. Fold down a tiny bit on both peaks.
13. Fold up the remaining 1/8 folds, one on another.
14. Turn over.
15. Bend and slip the left band into the right (or vice versa).
16-17. Slip the end into the nearest slot.
My preference is to hide those 2 flappy peaks (from step 12) inwards.
2. 2-sided heart
Totally in love with this heart by Matthew Gardiner which looks identical both front and back. You got try it to believe!
Notes:
Crease well. Bring up the sides to meet in the centre, which should result in a square base. Then fold down the base in half for the heart to show up.
3. Easy heart
Followed this tutorial which uses a piece of triangle paper (i.e. half a square).
4. Change of heart
Designed by Kathleen Weller for a dollar bill. Features kite-like folds in the middle to hold a coin. Truly brilliant.
1. Paper length should be >2x longer than its breath.
2. Fold a triangle at both ends. Crease well.
3. Unfold.
4. Repeat step 2 on opposite sides.
5. Unfold. Identify A and B.
6. Push in the triangles A and B.
7. Let them contact in the middle.
8. Press the top triangle down.
9. Repeat on other end.
10. Fold up a triangle. Crease.
11. Open up the triangle from step 10.
12. Flatten to become a square.
13. On the square, fold in 2 smaller triangles.
14. Open up the triangles and flatten as shown.
15. Repeat steps 10 to 14 on the other three sides.
16. Carefully fold in half. Crease.
17-18. Open up. Lift up the right section.
19. Bring it to align right next to the left section.
20. Lift up the right section again.
21. Fold in corner triangles.
22. Bring the right section back down.
23. Fold a portion behind.
24. Turn over.
25-26. Fold in the sides. Turn over.
Other hearts to heart:
Simple heart using dollar bill/rectangle paper
Single heart with front pocket
Page marker cum 4-leaf clover leaf
Lover’s ring by Franics Ow (demo)
Pull-apart card
Gallery of hearts based on designs by Francis Ow
plus
Amazing hearts with either a crane, boat, plane, house, lips, diary and much more!!
How to divide paper into one-eighth
Dividing into 8 equal sections is essential for folding the origami Kawasaki rose and the Hiroshi Kumasaka heart ring.
1. Use a square or rectangle of any size.
2. Fold it in half. Crease.
3. Unfold.
4. Fold the ends to the half mark. Crease.
5. Unfold.
6. Fold in both ends to quarter mark. Crease.
7. Unfold.
8. Bring top to the quarter mark on the bottom half. Crease.
9. Unfold. Arrow points to a new crease.
10. Repeat step 8 on the bottom.
11. Unfold.
Spring in bloom
It was past 11pm. I was in a looong but promising queue at a checkout in a supermarket (which opens all day all year round). I had a long Sunday and grocery shopping had to be pushed to the end of the day.
What drew my attention while waiting in line (other than the less sodium chili sauce) were these lanterns sweetly decorating the store for the coming Chinese New Year.
These aren’t the best shots really. They look must sweeter in person.
