Our Wonderful Trip in Hokkaido - 2013 (DAY 2 - 19 June)

Our coach journey took us 3 hours to reach the town of Noboribetsu Onsen.  Our first stop was Jigokudani or the Hell Valley.  There are displays of hot steam vents, sulfurous streams and other volcanic activities. It is a main source of Noboribetsu's hot spring waters.   

The area is a wide, shallow crater that is yellow and green with sulfur and other elements that bubble to the surface. There a stream, pools and geysers and areas where the steam rises out of the ground in massive clouds. In areas there is bubbling noise, or hissing or a rattling popping noise, a lot like when a sauce pan is on a heavy rolling boil and the lid rattles.The entire smells like sulfur or rotten eggs. 

We had Lunch at Kani kotann – Crab Palace.

Our lunch we proceeded to Noboribetsu Marine Park - is a modern style marine park.  We managed to catch the 2pm penguin parade show.  

A Nixe Castle which modelled after an existing ancient Danish castle was found there. It features a magnificient aquarium where marine life. 6 Bird's Eye Aquarium tailor-made with extra height, put in fish in such fish display stands, and allow her customers to watch fish from the top.

 We gathered at about 4pm and then went ahead to Lake Toya, which is part of the Shikotsu-Toyo National Park.  The lake features a quartet of floating islands and the biggest of them is the Nakajima Island.

We ended the 2nd day with a natural hot foot spa (ashiyu) near our hotel. 

Our Wonderful Trip in Hokkaido - 2013 (DAY 1 - 18 June)

We reached Haneda Airport @ 5.30am after 6 1/2 hours flight from Singapore.  From there, we boarded a domestic flght to Hakodate Airport around 6.45am.  We reached Hakodate at 8.30am.

Our coach captain, Mr Takashima, greeted us at the airport and drove us firstly to Asa-ichi Market, a local seafood market. 

It is really an eye opener for my family... the boys are extremely excited to see different kinds of sea food that are sold in the market here. 

Our next stop was Goryokaku in Mtotomachi.  Goryokaku  was designed in 1855 by Takeda Hisabur. The fort, built by Tokugawa Shogunate, was shaped like a five-pointed star. 

This allowed for greater numbers of gun emplacements on its walls than a traditional Japanese fortress, and reduced the number of blind spots where a cannon could not fire.


Then our coach captain drove us to the Trappistine Convent or known as the Lady of the Angels' Convent.  The convent was built and founded in 1898 by eight nuns from the convent of Ubexy, France.

We were welcomed by St Michael and then Mother Mary which stood just at the entrance of the convent. 

The red-brick contemplative convent was built in a solemn combination of Gothic and Romanesque styles reminiscent of old European castles.  I love the surrounding as it is very peaceful and makes me feel as if I am near heaven. 

Next we visited the Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward.  The hall standing on a hill commanding a panoramic view of Hakodate Bay.  It is a two-story wooden structure with beautiful contrast of blue-grey walls and yellow window frames. It is built in colonial style where large windows and balconies are arranged symmetrically to the right and left of the front porch.

Our second last stop was Old Hakodate Meijikan Post Office. This red-brick building was initiaily built as Hakodate Post Office in 1911.  

However it is now a shopping mall where an array of glasswares, music boxes, display of bears are housed.

After dinner, we headed to Mount Hakodate by coach.  It was windy and cold.  However it was still early and it is not dark yet.  We enjoyed a breath-taking and bird’s eye view of the fan-shaped town area between the Tsugaru Strait and Hakodate Bay.  

We returned to our hotel tired and yet happy.....get ready for Day 2.....

Hello I'm Back from Hokkaido, Japan

It had been rather a stressful time at work for the past few weeks... getting in and out of meetings, having to prepare documentations after each  meeting... Not to mention, the haze in the air (from the forest fire from Indonesia) has made the weather here very unbearable and extremely humid...  at that moment, I somehow felt that I should get of Singapore to somewhere where fresh air is abundant and a slow and to experience a quiet country-style lifestyle....off to Hokkaido we went ... I did not stop clicking away with my camera.... everything there is so unique and extremely clean.  

I did not bring along my sewing kits while holidaying there, hence you don't get to see much of my work in my blog...anyway... 

I didn't do lots of shopping tho' but these are the most satisfying things I've purchased in Sapporo are:

but sadly, i have to bid farewell to this beautiful place and return to reality....to home and to work.... although  I miss sewing but I am not ready to pick up the needle as yet... think I am having some jet lag...it is a little strange tho'...probably my mind is still holidaying in Hokkaido... ha ha ... I've yet to complete the mission of unpacking my four large luggages.  I've to load all the photos in my computer... seems like an endless thing to do....

I shall be updating you on some of the beautiful photos I've taken during my trip... stay tune...

Shabby Chic Decorative Hanging Heart with a Bear 3

This pretty hanging heart is made from a piece of bright pink fabric. A little bear wearing a light yellow ribbon and a matching button is appliquéd on it, making this decorative heart very chic and a pretty cottage-style decoration.  The heart is approximately 17cm at the widest part of the heart.

It looks great all around the home – hanging from windows, door handle or nestled in any little nook.  It will also make a pretty gift for someone, or just a perfect little treat for you to indulge in.

Shabby Chic Decorative Heart with a little bear (Model No, HHKitty2) is available for sale

Price SGD8

Support Handmade

It’s so difficult for me to resist making more of these shabby chic tilda hearts (inspired by Norwegian Tone Finnanger).  They are simply addictive and inviting to make and they really look so good as decorative items around the house.  Well I even got some hanging in my kitchen as well :)  However the hardest part in making them is not the sewing part but getting the right kind of fabric.  Thanks to our students here in the Fashion Programme, I managed to get hold of some beautiful fabric at very good price.  I also visited spotlight recently to satisfy my hunger for more beautiful fabric.  Stacking all the collection together has given me the inspiration to create more craft work...more patterns, more colours....I simply cannot stop myself from pulling each and every fabric out from the pile just simply to admire the beauty in every print in each fabric....but but but the next harder thing comes the time to produce them...i have to confess that the men at home are not really encouraging as they see the craft work I made very too feminine to their liking.. Oh how I hope they would come to their right sense to just take a little effort to see the hidden beauty behind every handmade craft around the house.

Anyway I have decided to create more crafts despite the negative pressure because I really love craft and it is part of my passion to make them.  I believe many handmade artists and crafters need your support too....Do support us...Support Handmade Arts & Crafts 

Shabby Chic Decorative Hanging Heart with a Kitty 3 - A handmade Gift for a Loving Friend

I always feel very delighted to give away my handmade crafts to friends.  Besides the fact that they are unique and personal, these handmade gifts represent the thoughtfulness behind the idea and the time and effort plus love spent on them.  I know that friends who received them would love an cherish the gift far longer than any store-bought presents :)

Here it is... This little tilda heart with a kitty is specially crafted and sewed for my friend, Mary.  

Shabby Chic Decorative Hanging Heart with a Kitty 2

This pretty hanging heart is made from a piece of country style blue checker fabric. A snobbish kitty wearing a purple pokka dot ribbon and a matching button is appliquéd on it making this decorative heart very chic and a pretty cottage-style decoration.  The heart is approximately 17cm at the widest part of the heart.

It looks great all around the home – hanging from windows, door handle or nestled in any little nook.  It will also make a pretty gift for someone, or just a perfect little treat for you to indulge in.

Shabby Chic Decorative Heart with a snobbish kitty (Model No, HHKitty2) is available for sale

Price SGD8

Shabby Chic Decorative Hanging Heart with a Bear 2

This pretty hanging heart is made from a piece of white fabric dotted with little blue flower. A cheeky bear (he just loves to pretend to be a cat)  wearing a ruffle ribbon and a matching button is appliquéd on it making this decorative heart very chic and a pretty cottage-style decoration.  The heart is approximately 17cm at the widest part of the heart.

It looks great all around the home – hanging from windows, door handle or nestled in any little nook.  It will also make a pretty gift for someone, or just a perfect little treat for you to indulge in.

Shabby Chic Decorative Heart with a cheeky bear (Model No, HHBear2) is available for sale

Price SGD8

Kopi Siew Dai.....what is this? A "hand-made" local coffee

In Singapore, there is always a Kopi (aka Coffee) that will suit each and every kopi lovers.... In fact, you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to local kopi....simply because there is always different styles of 'hand-made" kopi specially to suit different taste buds.  Brewing this customised kopi is such a common activity which one could witness almost in any part of the day in a local kopitiam (coffee-shop)......such a vibrant plus array & unique kopi... Is definitely a must-try and must-have if you happen to drop by Singapore.  Just before you order your cup of kopi, you may want to study the types of kopi that best suits you:

a cat with an attitude....

one of my colleagues was asking me if I can sew a kitty with an attitude...hmm i remembered seeing a little kitty with such attitude and here it is... someone said he looked eerie...some said he looked great with the "wei!! don't you dare take my fish and I will finish you!!" attitude.... ha ha... so funny... i just couldn't stop laughing at this little darling wearing a pomelo skin helmet......

another new book - Hanging Hearts by Rachael Rowe

Just couldn't resist myself from another book...hanging hearts by Rachael Rowe....It is on its way to me....

Shabby Chic Decorative Hanging Heart with a Bear 1

This pretty hanging heart is made from a piece of off-white stars  fabric. A happy bear  wearing a ruffle ribbon and a matching button is appliquéd on it making this decorative heart very chic and a pretty cottage-style decoration.  The heart is approximately 17cm at the widest part of the heart.

It looks great all around the home – hanging from windows, door handle or nestled in any little nook.  It will also make a pretty gift for someone, or just a perfect little treat for you to indulge in.

Shabby Chic Decorative Heart with Bear (Model No. HHBear1) is available for sale

Price SGD8

Shabby Chic Decorative Hanging Heart with a Kitty 1

This pretty hanging heart is made from a piece of horizontal blue & black striped fabric. A happy kitty  wearing a ruffle ribbon and a matching button is appliquéd on it making this decorative heart very chic and a pretty cottage-style decoration.  The heart is approximately 17cm at the widest part of the heart.

It looks great all around the home – hanging from windows, door handle or nestled in any little nook.  It will also make a pretty gift for someone, or just a perfect little treat for you to indulge in.

Shabby Chic Decorative Heart with Kitty (Model No. HHKitty1) is available for sale

Price SGD8