Hello everyone, it's good to be able to write my blog again. It has been almost 1 year since my last post (My last post was on 15 January 2012). Big apologies. I had been busy during the entire 2012. So here are the recaps on what i have been doing last year.
PART 1
At early year of 2012, me and hubby decided to open a small cafe in Indonesia, located at CitraRaya, Tangerang, not in Jakarta my hometown. To get there, you must drive through highway around 1-2 hours (1 hour if no traffic). Far far away rite? I know.
Why we open in that far far away location? Why not found one closer to home? That's what my friends keep asking me. The answer is we did tried to find a place closer to home, let say: Pluit, Muara Karang, Taman Palem (very close to my mom's home) and even at shopping malls. However, the rental fees were high as mountain. It was crazy expensive and we can't afford it.
My in-laws owned a 2 floor shophouse (In Indonesia we called it Ruko), but the location is at CitraRaya. So after long consideration, long talk, many long talk actually, they allowed us to borrowed the shophouse to open a cafe. YES !!!
Then the adventure begins. We made plans to do the renovations, designing the cafe layout, choosing the wall color, the furnitures color, light shades color, menu templates and layouts, setting the prices, getting all information for the suppliers. Really can cause you headache and frustration. We did a lot of research on the internet. We went to different markets to compared the prices. We tried almost all the cafes around Taman Palem in order to get the inspirations.
The most fun parts were the hunting for furnitures and kitchen appliances. We went to places which sell kitchen appliances and equipments in wholesales and bulks. We went to Pasar Senen - Many stalls sell kitchen appliances like pans, pots, gas cookers, other utensils for cooking, eating wares. You can find a lot there from traditional, unique to modern wares. However, you need to bargain until your throat sored. Pasar kenari is where we bought half the lighting wares and electrical wares. You can find LED light rope in 5-10 meters, single or multiple colors. Priced in every stalls may vary. Again, you need to bargain. Last was Toko Tiga, where you can buy plastic wares in bulks with cheaper price. Those plastic cups for bubble tea drinks plus the half round tops, bubble drink's straws, styrofoam boxes, groceries plastics, plastics sauces with clips were there. All though we felt very tired, hot, not mentioned the traffic jammed, we had a lot of fun. You know that i will go everywhere with my hubby.
Some Photos taken from our Cafe.
Now, fast forward to June, the soft opening of our cafe. We had chose the name "Dapoer Vanilla" Vanilla came from both of our names: iVAN+cecILLA. Dapoer means kitchen. So combined together the meaning is Ivan + Cecillia's Kitchen. The menus are mainly foods from countries we travelled before like Malaysia and Thailand. And we take Singapore Laksa to be our main menu. From Thailand we have Tom Yum Goong & Pandan Chicken. From Malaysia we have Cereal Prawn/Chicken & Salted Egg Prawn/Chicken. Not forgetting some menus from Indonesia which i grew up eating: Bistik Ayam Tempoe Doloe & Ayam Goreang Saus Mentega. For drinks we have many varieties: MiloSaurus, Milkshakes, Bubble drinks with many flavors, Floats. Deserts we have our special Pancake with Ice Cream & Ropang (Roti Panggang). And many more.
For the concept of our cafe, we keep it simple and cozy. We used yellow lights plus jazzy musics to create cozy and homey feeling. You can enjoy and relax while eating or drinking from our menus. Also lots of magazines to browse while waiting.
I was having a blast while running the cafe. It was like a dream come true for both of us. I will never forget the experiences.
PART 2
In 2012, i got chances to practice my makeup skills. Wow, i was so happy, too happy and did not expected. I got calls for makeup services during November and December for wedding, pre-wedding photos and D&D. Unfortunately i did not took many photos of my clients, only some of them. Hey, and one of them was my best friend from Jakarta, Yanni. She was willing to be my guinea pig (thank u by the way).
Okay, let us talk about the photos. First i have couples from Surabaya. They flew all the way to Singapore to get pre-wedding photo shoots. That week, Singapore always raining. Sometimes drizzling, sometimes heavy rain followed by big wind. I hoped they got good shots and i'm still waiting for the results.
Second here, i have Ms Josephine See (Now should be Mrs). Her wedding will held on 20 December 2012 (Nice date by the way: 20-12-2012) at Guilin Restaurant at Bukit Batok. 3 Weeks before her wedding, i gave her free wedding makeup and hairdo trial. She requested for very simple makeup and hairdo (Simple is better and nicer). I used champagne eyeshadow color, pink blush and pink lipstick on her. For the hair i do the simple updo by curling each hair section after that twisting the section then pinned them with bobby pins. Lots and lots bobby pins and hairspray needed for this look. She looked amazing. Thank you Josephine. Oh by the way, i also still waiting for her wedding dinner photos.
The third was my dear friend from Jakarta, Yanni. She came to Singapore to attended her relative's wedding. After received info that she will coming, i quickly offering my service to her. In return she will have to agree to become my guinea pig (Ho Ho Ho. Evil laugh). Of course, i will not draw clown face at her or even joker face. Ha ha ha, instead i drew cat-eyed looked using purple eye pencil, gold eyeshadow, pink blush and pink lipstick. Since her hair already in curled condition, i only put lots of curling mousse then twisting each hair section using my finger. And she was ready to party. Almost forgot, i made special pair of earring for her, but i did not got the chance to took the pictures. It made from purple crystals then attached into bronze ear plates.
PART 3
I have a new hobby that can complement my crafting skills, draw cartoon animal. It all started when i want to make a tote bag from calico fabric that i bought from Bangkok. It just plain and blank natural color calico. Then i browsed tote bags collection on Etsy and found many cute drawing totes. From there i started to do some researched on how to transfer the image onto fabric, is it water resistant, can be wash by machine or simply hand wash, how long does the ink can last.
Hubby mentioned about screen printing instead of machine printing to cut cost since i am not going to do a mass-production yet. But, the screen printing's tool, equipments, the paints all are expensive in Singapore. I looked over to Art Friend, the price were not up to my budget. So not going to do that (Maybe later. In some other time, i definitely will try screen printing).
One day i stumbled across 1 website from France. The artist hand drawn her tote bags using fabric markers. The designs are cute, unique and one of a kind. Then after doing research and browse any websites related to fabric markers, drawings, look at many designs from Etsy, i made up my mind that i will learn how to draw.
I borrowed this book from library: Cartoon Cute Animals: How to Draw the Most Irresistible Creatures on the Planet by Christopher Hart. Then started to practice. The book very easy to learn and understand. It contains many information and step by step guides. From my upper pictures, the 2 dogs and 1 raccoon are my imitation from Christopher hart's book. My original drawing were: Baby T-Rex, BoChap Bird, Happy Turtle and Flying Birdie. Honestly, i still need a lot of practice before i draw to a fabric. By the way, you can search many great tutorials and step by steps guide through internet.
PART 4
Hubby asked me to make pencil organiser for his drawing pencils. I made using denim fabric, cut into 2 rectangles, sew in the elastics to put all his pencils, total 6 pencils. To prevent the elastic become wrinkle, i put smaller size of plastic canvas between the 2 denim. You can buy plastic canvas at knitting section in every craft store. I bought mine from Art Friend.
My drawing tote bags so far only 2 pieces: the colorful hearts tote, the stenciled 2 birds. For the colorful hearts, i used Fabric Fun Pastel Due Sticks from Pentel. The textured similar to crayons. The colors were brights and easy to apply. To secure the color, just iron using hot temperature to settled the dye. The stenciled birds, i used Giotto Decor textile fabric marker all in black. Same as Pentel, to setlled the color, you need to iron using hot temperature.
I also sewed wooden handled mini tote using big flower printed fabric with magnetic closure. That was my first time sewed wooden handled and magnetic closure, still need lots of practices (disappointed), but my friends told me the color really pops!
Lastly, i participated in Nee Soon East CC's Flea Market.
PART 5
Okay that all my 2012 year round up. I am going to post new tutorial: Fabric Button Earrings.
Let's Make Them.
