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Klas Ernflo

Love love love her drawings to bits. Her works speaks of her as a designer and illustrator. Minimalistic and downright sterile style. Her works are simple but I am attracted to the queerness of the things Klas illustrate.

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is it hard to be someone you are or someone you are not?
i dont know that answer for myself either. if i am who i am, i wouldnt be like this.

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Time Ticks...

So this is officially the last week of 2009. At first I thought this week is so unnecessary. Might as well skip to January! But I was thinking I need some time to write down some new year resolutions. I never did write anything for the past few years cause I don't think I am the type to follow lists.

But I might make this change for the coming 2010. It's a nice number, I  hope it'll be a nice year like 2009 too. It will mark 5 years of us being together. And marks me officially not a part timer and being a real Graphic Designer. I am loving my job and the design studio I am in. But I am really hoping my pay would be a little higher once I joined them full time.

Work aside, I asked Ayul, What's the highlight of 2009? And yeap, it's definitely Bali for both of us. This year is so eventful I am afraid the sweet memories would go away. Which reminds me I've to print out my family pics and compile in a nice album.

Lots of things to do and many dreams to achieve.....

But only one thing hope for is for my grandma to have a long life ahead. She is getting weak by the day and I am just not ready for her to go...Hmmm...

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I HATE FEELING STUCK AND BRAIN DEAD.

IHATE DESIGNERS' BLOCK. I need a walk. I need some dinner and I will think about it again tomorrow before I pass it to the client for approval..

URGGHH.. what's wrong with me? My creative juices running dry?.. THIS IS BAD.. 

Inspiration sites is one thing. I wanna do good work. I don't want to do cut and paste stuff. Am I expecting too much or thinking too little? Or still lacking that experience and creativity. I wanna be a student all over again.. hai..

.69

AWESOME AVATAR...

The movie was awesome in terms of graphic! But the storyline is a little too predictable and draggy. I enjoyed some parts of the story, like the cultural and historical aspects of the People. And how they have adapted some human civilisation before. 

But other than that, the story is fine. I was appreciating the graphics like ALL THE TIME! The colours are so rich and I just love how everything feels normal to watch. Unlike those SCI-FI crap or way too fantastical movies. I guess technology in 2000 and beyond made James Cameron 1995 ideas and concepts came to live. Kudos to him for that! How fascinating movies are these days. They just got tougher and tougher and way way beyond imaginable.. =)

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I'm BACK!!! And I am ssssllleeeeeeppppyyyy...

Oh gosh I really missed Bali. Awesome awesome time there. I didnt wanna come back. URGH!!!

I am so freaking sleepy at work. Seriously man. Work piling up but I just cant wait for the weekend. We're having Christmas dinner at Tanglin mall today and some livemusic + drinks afterwards. I think I'm just gonna scoot off after dinner since I won't be drinking.. BUT! I wanna listen to the live music!! BUT!! I also want to compile the Bali pics and load some up.. There's just too many after we compiled everything today.

I won't put everything up though.. haha. I wanna see the videos again!@ Especially the Kechak dance! =)

Hmmmm...

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I really love looking at posters...There are a couple of really great websites I go to when I feel stuck at work. Like when I have the designer's block. I tend to look at things to get my mind working..

NOTCOT

I like this one. Really random and the website design is something I would much like for my own portfolio website. Which I dont know will happen or not, cause I figure out that maybe keeping a blog folio would be easier to update and more user friendly for tech idiots like me...

Build

Really cool works man. Simple and clean...And a lot of their projects are really good quality.

AisleOne

Inspiring... Quite a few nice reads...  =)

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Goodness it's TOMORROW!

I am really forward tot his awesome trip we're going tomorrow! BALI is somewhere me and Ayul will go to unwind. Both my girlfriends are coming too. But they will arrive on Wednesday and leave on Sunday. But me and Ayul will leave next Tuesday!

=) Can't wait for all the adventures, entertainment and massages. It'll be whole load of fun stuff man... Trekking up Mt Batur, going to see Kechak Dance, eat seafood dinner at Jembaran Bay and all...

We didn't have any itinerary or plan anything. It will just be freeflow freedom of choices and decisions.. Hope we won't squabble a lot. Hahaha. We really need some quality time.. Been really busy months..

Bali... see you tomorrow...

.65

From New York

Some gifts from my colleague at work. Oh my! How do I concentrate at work with Taylor staring at me, oh wait, me keep staring at Taylor.. Haha.

I don't know if Ayul will be annoyed or pissed when we watch Twilight tomorrow. Probably he'll just leave the theatre cause I was making too much noise oggling at Taylor.. haha.

Hmm can't wait!!

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poster poster poster!

I thought I wanna experiment more with poster. I always like making things looking so rugged and dirty with clean type.

but there were restrictions as usual. nevertheless I like what I designed.. =)

been a really busy week. went BBQ chalet/dinner at Bibik's chalet at Sentosa. The Costa Sands chalet there was so much better cause the environment and surrounding was controlled. It is like a very expensive resort. And it is like a heaven for children. Arcade, swimming and lots more stuff.

Food was good and a lot! I can eat chicken all day! Haha. I am seriously excited for Bali next week but I am worried for nenek's health. I hope she would be fine in the next few days... I don't think I can go with an ease mind with her sick like that. Worst, i am afraid she would leave me while I am there. Insya'allah NOT!!! 

It's raining in the office area now, cold like crazy but I am dying to get out. Getting restless in my tiny little desk. Hmmm...

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Pondering...

My 76 year old aunt left the world yesterday. But she left lots of good memories for her 8 children I guess. Kakak, her eldest daughter could not fly home from Cairo cause of time constraint. But she witnessed everything via web cam. Thank god for hi-technology. Otherwise she would have to wait for a video file or something.

When I was at the graveyard for the burial, I was struck by so many thoughts, guilty thoughts especially when the guy was saying some prayers and reminding us about life and death, the world and the world 6 feet down below. I haven't been close to Him. I haven't been a good Muslim. And I am not even talking about being a great, obedient Muslim. I just want to be an average Muslim; one with strong faith and one who follows our beliefs. I want to change for the better but I don't know why I keep procrastinating the change. Life is short but I am still in my own world...

My mum always reminds me not to live for the world now but live for the world we will be in after we die. Whatever we do in this world will be accounted for the comfort of life after death. This is so true... I heard so many stories about life after death. What will happen as soon as your family members stepped 7 steps away from your grave, what will happen in that world before Qiamat..

All these questions and pondering in my head. I want answer badly but I don't know if I have the guts to hear them all... 

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Crazy Weekend!

I had the worst(best) weekend ever! Haha. The result of a crazy weekend is to have tired feet and buttcheeks. So the story goes like this... Ayul was asked to do a favour for his Sir. He was suppose to door delivery his Sir's wedding invitation cards. Well sounds fun cause he got to skip work that day. But the nightmare was about to begin...

He called me to join him and I agreed to help cause I wanna meet him cause I missed him. Besides I was sure he needs my GPS from my phone. So helpful Sarah and kind Ayul began their journey. By the time we hit Chua Chu Kang, we were so so so tired from god knows what. The traffic lights maybe? the going up and down maybe? Or just traveling islandwide?

We completed about 30 plus houses and couldnt move an inch to finish up Bukit Batok on Saturday. We were still determined to finish the rest on Sunday and catch New Moon though. Well Saturday was so tiring and we had breaks for drinks and ice cream and of course ciggies for Ayul. Thank god Bibik was at Ayul's place and she made supper for us.

Sunday was pretty smooth.. I know the GPS thing better and we were more organised but we worked at our own pace. We freaking pushed ourselves to really finish everything. We ALMOST got some stamps to post SOME VERY FAR AWAY AND SIGNIFICANT PLACES. haha. But we completed EVERYTHING!

I am so proud of us completing all 50+ houses on bike and foot. And I think this really tested our relationaship with each other. We screamed, yelled, argued and made stupid jokes and had some laughs. I love him more after this whole challenge. I think we know we can live with each other if we do get married. =)

I just love the way we try to take care of each other and how we try to motivate ourselves to stretch beyond what we thought we can never achieve. Hai.. what a weekend...

I love you Ayul..

PS: Oh! And we didnt get to catch New Moon sneak preview cause I had to be home early. But we had great dinner/supper at Simpang Bedok! The Kway Teow Goreng Pattaya was so awesome!!!! YUM!

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Leo's Cafe Bar

They requested for new icons; more illustrative ones. So I did some for them. The cheque's on the way to the office then I will carry on and prepare the final artworks of all the collaterals. And after the project get printed, I can take loads of pictures and surely include them in my folio! =))

I love this project from the start but the client is just so so so slow in decision makings and it stretched to a few months now.. Oh well it pays to be patient though...

.60

Portfolio Show

I was a little disappointed with the show cause the turn out wasn't that happening or great. I think my board sucks cause the works displayed was chosen by them and it is not what I wanted. I should have told them I want my FYP pictures in!

Anyway I saw a few talents and yea I feel that I have a long way to go. I need to improve on my skills and definitely my design-venture. I have lots to learn and experiment and explore. I will further enhance on my current works and give it more boost for my job hunt in case DPi cannot offer me a good pay when I end my contract there..

Oh well it was a good experience. I would be so shocked and really really surprised if someone actually contact me and want to hire me or something. haha!

.59

Butterflies everywhere...

I feel nervous for the opening of the Portfolio Show later. I dont know why. Is it cause it's been a long time since I talk about design, my design philosophies, methodology and what not. It's just been a long time I am doing any designy talking like that. 

I missed being around friends to critique and talk about our never ending projects and assignments. I just missed doing work on my laptop and then feel both excited and financially miserable printing my projects out. I just wished I played more when I was in school. Playing here means do more crazy thing and awesome designed stuff and all..

Urgh.. I am meeting Joanne later at City Hall at 445. Her parents will come 6 plus or 7 later. I guess I will bring my parents on last day of exhibition then, on the 27th. At least my dad will be at home and we could all drive and have an outing in the afternoon this friday..

.58

BERRY MUFFINS!!

I tried making some muffins over the weekend. I tasted the batter and it tastes good and sweet but after baking it, it doesn't taste as wow! It did rise though. The last muffin i made, the banana and choc muffin ones didnt rise as high but it tasted so gooooddd! Ayul loved it! =)

But this berry is not sweet enough according to mum but she is proud that it is healthy and sweet enough to be a muffin. She claims it's natural sweetness cause of the berries and stuff. Which is good... maybe I can try tweak a little of the recipe and try again!

Maybe the berries play a part too. I wanna get the wetter range of berries for the next round! so the colour will just oooze and spread into the muffin and everything will look yummylicious!

I wanna bake muffins like the ones above. mine looks like the one below.. definitely room for improvement!!

.57

Toothaches really suck.

I was just reading about wisdom teeth. They're sucha pest. Found a great blog on wisdom tooth info. Really insightful and detailed to the point that I feel nervous just thinking about making an appointment with the dentist. Ah this is hell.. I hope after the XRAY the dentist will tell me my teeth's gonna just come straight out and I don't have to go for surgery. It costs a lot of money to operate and the healing time is meticulous!

URGH!!!

What are wisdom teeth?

Wisdom teeth are the upper and lower third molars, located at the very back of the mouth. They are called wisdom teeth because usually they come in when a person is between 17 and 21 years or older—old enough to have gained some “wisdom.” Wisdom teeth that are healthy and properly positioned do not cause problems.

What causes problems with wisdom teeth?

Wisdom teeth may break partway through your gums, causing a flap of gum tissue to grow over them where food can become trapped and a gum infection can develop. Wisdom teeth can also come in crooked or facing the wrong direction. Or, if your jaw is not large enough to give them room, they may become impacted and unable to break through your gums. You may have trouble properly cleaning around wisdom teeth because they are so far in the back of your mouth and may be crowded.

What are the symptoms of wisdom tooth problems?

Wisdom teeth often cause no symptoms. Symptoms that may mean your wisdom teeth need to be removed include:

♥Pain or jaw stiffness near an impacted tooth.
♥Pain or irritation from a tooth coming in at an awkward angle and rubbing against your cheek, tongue, or top or bottom of the mouth.
♥An infected swelling in the flap of gum tissue that has formed on top of an impacted tooth that has partially broken through the gum.
♥Crowding of other teeth.
♥Tooth decay or gum disease if there’s not enough room to properly care for the wisdom tooth and surrounding teeth.
♥Most problems with wisdom teeth develop in people between the ages of 15 and 25. Few people older than 30 develop problems that require removal of their wisdom teeth.

How are problems with wisdom teeth diagnosed?

Your dentist will examine your teeth and gums for signs of a wisdom tooth coming through your gum or crowding other teeth. You will have X-rays to find out whether your wisdom teeth are causing problems now or are likely to cause problems in the future.

Wisdom tooth extraction

Before removing a wisdom tooth, your dentist will give you a localanesthetic (means got syringe) to numb the area where the tooth will be removed. A general anesthetic may be used, especially if several or all of your wisdom teeth will be removed at the same time. A general anesthetic prevents pain in the whole body and will make you groggy or cause you to sleep through the procedure. Your dentist will probably recommend that you don’t eat or drink after midnight on the night before surgery, so you are prepared for the anesthetic.

To remove the wisdom tooth, your dentist will open up the gum tissue over the tooth and take out any bone that is covering the tooth. He or she will separate the tissue connecting the tooth to the bone and then remove the tooth. Sometimes the dentist will cut the tooth into smaller pieces to make it easier to remove.

After the tooth is removed, you may need stitches. Some stitches dissolve over time and some have to be removed after a few days. Your dentist will tell you whether your stitches need to be removed. A folded cotton gauze pad placed over the wound will help stop the bleeding.

What To Expect After Surgery

In most cases, the recovery period lasts only a few days. Take painkillers as prescribed by your dentist or oral surgeon. The following tips will help speed your recovery.

♥Bite gently on the gauze pad periodically, and change pads as they become soaked with blood. Call your dentist or oral surgeon if you still have bleeding 24 hours after your surgery.
♥While your mouth is numb, be careful not to bite the inside of your cheek or lip, or your tongue.
♥Do not lie flat. This may prolong bleeding. Prop up your head with pillows.
♥Try using an ice pack on the outside of your cheek for the first 24 hours. You can use moist heat-such as a washcloth soaked in warm water and wrung out-for the following 2 or 3 days.
♥Relax after surgery. Physical activity may increase bleeding.
♥Eat soft foods, such as gelatin, pudding, or a thin soup. Gradually add solid foods to your diet as healing progresses.
♥Do not use a straw for the first few days. Sucking on a straw can loosen the blood clot and delay healing.
♥After the first day, gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water several times a day to reduce swelling and relieve pain.
♥Do not smoke for at least 24 hours after your surgery. The sucking motion can loosen the clot and delay healing. In addition, smoking decreases the blood supply and can bring germs and contaminants to the surgery area.
♥Avoid rubbing the area with your tongue or touching it with your fingers.
♥Continue to brush your teeth and tongue carefully.
♥Your dentist will remove the stitches after a few days, if needed.

Risks

After a wisdom tooth is removed, you may experience:

♥Pain and swelling in your gums and tooth socket where the tooth was removed.
♥Bleeding that won’t stop for about 24 hours.
♥Difficulty with or pain from opening your jaw (trismus).
♥Slow-healing gums.
♥Damage to existing dental work, such as crowns or bridges, or to roots of a nearby tooth.
♥A painful inflammation called dry socket, which happens if the protective blood clot is lost too soon.
♥Numbness in your mouth and lips after the local anesthetic wears off, due to injury or inflammation of nerves in the jaw.
♥Rare side effects, including:
♥Numbness in the mouth or lips that does not go away.1
♥A fractured jaw if the tooth was firmly attached to the jaw bone.
♥An opening into the sinus cavity when a wisdom tooth is removed from the upper jaw.

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1950s Vintage Feminine

So we're celebrating Aldy's and Yani's birthdays tomorrow! It's the November babies! They had a plan to dress up like Mad Men Series. Really 50s look. I wonder if I have anything in my wardrobe or house if i have anything that vintage looking!

My mum's got this bag but there's no sling! Sucha waste. Maybe I will just match this top I got at Danny's with a skirt and waist belt. That should do the trick. =) 

By the way, an hour before I logged off from work, Aldy shared these two websites with me. Awesome finds! Polyvore is some website where someone can mix and match fashion stuff and make a fashion graphic. Like those Trend Report Mood Board inspired by a celebrity or some brands. Really nice works from those fashionistas.

Stickers and Donuts is a blog by someone I think. All her posts are quite nice read. I have to catch up on GLEE and THE OFFICE!!! Maybe I should stream one Office episode now to buy some time... heeee...

.55

Portfolio Show for Young Designers

Singapore Design Festival invited me to join the Portfolio show. Will commence this 20th Nov but my exhibition is not until 24th!

=) So excited. Not showing real products but they are printing my folio in A3 size. Really huge book. I updated my folio and sent in 37 pages. Yey!

Heard from the agency that is handling this show, Jenny Ho, she said I'm one of those people who actually gave in proper format; all layout and title and nicely done. Yey! I can't wait to see the rest!! Hope this exhibition will open up some eyes and some good companies may wanna hire me as their designer! Keeping hopes high!

.54

My Kinda Void Deck

I know I am going to spoil some surprise. But I am going to be part of a 6-page feature in STRAIT TIMES!!! yey! =) I submitted some sketches for this project called 'Imagining Void Deck'. So we had to think about what future void decks would be like. What I wish my void deck to have.

I can't wait to see the feature this weekend! Anyway, only 5 selected designers will be featured. I must say I am pretty lucky =) Oh by the way the correspondent asked for a profile picture. I gave such a crappy one man! Taken in the office early in the morning. URGH!!! Look super sleepy la!

Ah whatever that is the least important. My work and publicity is more more and way important!!

.53

Invitation Card; Looks like Strawberry Shortcake!

A work I did for Melissa yesterday. Her husband and her are turning 40 this month. Congratulations!! =) Hmm my eye is swollen again, urgh! I hate that feeling. Feels like someone just punched me in the face and the fist is stuck there.

.52

Halloweeennnnnnnaaaaaananaaa

Well this is my first time celebrating Halloween and dressing up as someone/something. I am a pirate! Yey! and i did make a parrot after trying too find an inflatable one but to no avail..

Hmm very fun weekend last week. But a little soggy Saturday. I wish I stayed at Din's party longer. I saw the pictures and there were more people after I left. Emi, Pascale, Wani and some others were there. They played Indian poker and sang some songs I think. Hahah. perfect beach hang out activities.

Well I did have some fun playing some board games with Ezad and Ema too. Haha finally we did something that Saturday. Drove all the way to Downtown East only to be disappointed with uber long queue for bowling and late by minutes movie! 

Ahhh I need sleep. Been working on the Imagining Void Deck Project. Don't know if my submission would pass through. This is for Strait Times man!

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My First Label!

I love it when my project turns out to be a success! HEeeeee.. my first ever original printed project at DPi. And I managed to convince the client to foil two foil stamps, white and gold!

So each label is quite expensive and yeap...DPi made a lot of money. Receive quite a bunchful of compliments. Thank you yaw!!! =)

Oh yea one more label coming up and a series of F&B stuff. I cant wait for this label to be on the real bottle!!! =))) yey!!!

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Ants On a Log!

Initially I wanted to make ants on a log. Put in peanut butter in the slot and arrange some raisins on top. Viola! But I decided to put in egg mayo and chilli tuna so I can bring my leftover celery stick for today's lunch!

Extra egg mayo I made it into sandwich! I love my lunch! This helps when you are so freaking broke!!!

.49

Heeeeelllllooooooweeeen!

Hmm I am looking for ideas. Maybe I could borrow some props from Nis. She got some from her previous parties with the lucas film family. My friend actually gave us this link that shows Heidi Klum's Halloween Party!

Looks awesome!! Look at her. All blur but still gorgeous!!! Fuh!

.48

Julie & Julia

I wanna watch this! But I am so broke!! I read a little summary on this and I am already loving it! =) Maybe next week.. As part of Halloween celebration. Well not so relevant but it will ake me happy!

.47

My Sister's Keeper

Really tear jerking story. I cried like in most scenes that is obviously too sentimental. I was not sad at the fact that Katie( the leukemia sister) was going to die. But the tremendous effort the mum puts in ever since the day they found out about her illness just touched me so deep inside. The love they have for each other in the family. It's just so close it feels empty when just one person is missing. But I am glad they all could move on to a better life after Katie was gone. The mum (Cameron Diaz) could go back to living her deserved life as a very successful woman, mother and lawyer.

I love the montaged book Katie made for her mum and I know why she keeps looking at it before she goes away. She knew it was the most perfect gift for her mother before she is going away forever. The book was special. Personalised and very engaging. Overall, I enjoyed the movie! 

Kudos to both the author and director of the great story!

.46

Adorable things!!

The wooden shelf brackets are so nice! And the baby calendar is something I would like to do for my children in their first year of their life =)

.45

Simple + Pretty

I love this website! Really Nice things being blogged. In many categories. This website also included other cool nice finds! =) Something to keep me awake at work...

Simple + Pretty