My MAAD 11.11.11 Post-Mortem

Hello everyone,

How did your 11.11.11 go? Did you do anything special or just let it go by like any other day? Here's how my day went....Be prepared. It's very detailed and long. Do you have a glass of wine or vodka or whatever you need to get thru' my long post?

11.11.11
6:00am    woke up (very reluctantly)
6:30am    checked gmail for notification of Etsy sale - no sale
6:45am    walked girl to train station. debated whether to go jogging - laziness won
7:00am    breakfast of honey pancakes (it was a little burnt)
7:25am    checked hair in mirror - decided against washing
7:30am    watched Project Accessories

Have you guys watched this show? It looked like a very low-budget version of Project Runway. And why do most of the contestants look like serial killers? The female Tim Gunn looks like a madam at a russian brothel. The Heidi-wanna-be looks like a human form of Iman (previous host of Project Runway Canada)

You know what I think after watching Project Accessories? I need to learn how to make a necklace, a ring, a bracelet, an arm cuff, a head band, a belt and shoes! Because these contestants - they know how to make everything.

8:00am    arrival of garbage disposal truck triggered sneezing fits
8:25am    did some laundry. might have said some f-words
8:30am    updated facebook
8:45am    googled for cure for urticaria - none found
9:00am    finished up some hand sewing
9:30am    checked out pathetic stock
10:00am   made sign for $11 zip pouches
10:10am   checked out a winged skeleton pendant/necklace on Etsy.
10:12am   checked out a dragonfly/mermaid brooch on eBay - would have preferred it as a pendant
10:58am   received SOS to wake mandy up.
11:11am   started packing (11:11am feels same as 11:10am)
11:15am   woke son

12:00pm   had leftovers for lunch
12:45pm   finished up packing
1:00pm     called Mandy to wake her up for maad
1:15pm     watched Big Bang Theory
2:00pm     left with son and luggage to get taxi - we got lucky but the bastard went the long way!
2:40pm     reached red dot museum - ran into Shannon (red dot mamasan), she helped me with the  luggage for a few metres before giving up.

2:45pm     queued up to enter museum

 3:25pm     met chewy from elephantislove! believe it or not, i had "met" her thru my blog. i don't remember how it started but suddenly i was reading her blog. Maybe it has something to do with her being from Singapore! i suggested she sells at maad on her visit back and here she is.

3:35pm     collected my table which is a suitcase, my charged lamp and a clothes rack. searched for son as I had misplaced him.

3:40pm    selected my spot which is my usual spot and it's right next to chewy! check out my new ikea lamp

3:41pm    Chewy's table

4.26pm    My first sale! Mandy snagged TWO 11.11.11 zip pouches

5:20pm    Photo taking session with Chewy. My head is 3 times hers! This, I'm blaming on my ancestors.

5:27pm    My 3rd 11.11.11 zip pouch went to Janet. Love her outfit!

5:47pm    My 4th 11.11.11 zip pouch went to Fiona. See how she's wearing my iPhone zip pouch round her neck? She has also bought my sexy zippy wristlet ePattern and I'm waiting to see her finished product.

7:10pm    Spotted my sis, Elaine. My son sold her the MoMo Odyssey zip pouch.

I had really wanted to take the opportunity to give my son the chance to man my table without any help from me. It could mean fewer sales for me but I was willing to trade that for a learning experience. It took a bit of prodding from me and a lot of time, he was so engrossed in his games, he totally neglected the customers. But in the end, he made a total of 8 sales! Very impressive.

9:36pm    Wendy came and snagged the nautical red/white crescent bag. The linen bag she's carrying? That's my bag too! I love to see my customers carrying my bag. It's so awesome.

10:24pm    sold my 5th 11.11.11 zip pouch to this lady - i forgot to ask for her name. she's a repeat customer so i better remember her. she snagged 3 items this round. love her already.

my total sales? it was pretty good - not fantastic but i'm very happy with it.

12:00am    goodbye maad. hello home. so i thought.

12.11.11

12midnight to 1am

Me and son lugged our luggage and hunted for a taxi. At first, there weren't any taxis with the Green Light on. We walked further away from red dot museum. Was it a mistake? Lots of people were walking with us. At some point, I decided it would be silly to keep walking and hoping.

Then we came to a road where there were lots of taxis with Green Light on. We were so happy and so were the groups of people with us. And the stupidest thing happened. NONE of the freaking taxis would stop. They just zoomed past us and after a while, I realised that the taxis were just going round and round, not picking up passengers. I could recognise some of the taxis. Yes, WTF! I asked a woman next to me and she was just as puzzled. Later, a Caucasian walked past me and he said the taxis weren't going to stop at all. It dawned on me the taxis were waiting to be booked. Apparently, the 50% midnight surcharge wasn't enough for the buggers. There ought to be a law against taxis not picking up passengers, Mr Transport Minister! Like caning or something.

My strategy then was to get to somewhere I could identify so I could hopefully get a booking for a taxi. So we walked once more. The streets were really deserted save for us, the walkers. It was like a scene from Walking Dead and the taxis were the humans running away from us.

Me and son broke away from the group. I saw from a distance a structure that looked like a taxi stand. I felt I would have better luck there. At the taxi stand there was a location code so I called for a taxi but of course everyone else was trying to call for a taxi as well. After a long wait, I managed to get to a human who transferred me to a machine which said my booking was being processed and to HANG UP. Wow. So we waited. Everyone else at the taxi stand seem to be doing the same thing as me.

Suddenly out of the blue, a taxi pulled in and the driver poked his head out and asked if anyone was going to the west as he was ending his shift. I couldn't believe it when no one else was going west. Although I was at the back of the queue, I doved forward (I felt like I FLEW forward) and told the driver where I lived. He said YES even though I lived in the North-west.

The first question he asked me: How long have you waited?
One freaking hour.

Then he said that with barely any traffic, he could have me home in 20 minutes. Mr Lim, you're a superman. We were home in 18 minutes. On the way home, I called to cancel my taxi booking but the operator insisted there was no need to cancel as I hadn't even got a taxi yet!

Good nite people.

Spot the elevens

Hey folks,

It's a been a while since my last post and you must be wondering if I'm dead or alive. No? I'm still here. I've just gotten over a tiny attack of migraine. It's all good now. My brain is a little confused tho'. This morning I thought it was Thursday. Then I found out it's really Wednesday. Joy! Technically I've gained one day. Woo hoo!

I'm wishing the rainy season will end soon. Rainy season means I get the sneezy nose and sometimes itchy skin. Plus, my laundry doesn't dry properly. Every year I get the urge to buy a dryer and then I don't. I don't really know how to fit a dryer into the laundry area as there's no room. Just wishful thinking. It's also a losing battle for me trying to get my next ePattern up. When I am ready to do some photography, it's hopelessly grey. Today the sun came out and I was out! Who knew living in Singapore you would have to wait for days for the sun? In a couple of months, I'm pretty sure I'll be sweating every day and wishing the sun would take a break.

Want to hear some updates about the sales of my ePattern? Since I launched my sexy zippy wristlet last Thursday, I've sold a grand total of (drum roll) 6 copies. Yep, literally 1 a day. Oh....wait. Don't look so sad. It's a success story! Did I not make that clear? I think 6 copies in 6 days is pretty good. Sure, if you compare it to say a more established pattern maker, 6 copies is pretty pathetic, but it's not to me. Yay!

Want more updates? Remember in this post, I alerted you to the numerous drowning at Bedok Reservoir in Singapore? It is now confirmed that Bedok Reservoir is indeed a serial killer. A sixth body was found on Saturday. The body was fished out shortly before a blessing of the souls was conducted by the Inter-Religious Organisation at the reservoir. Psst...I think their timing was off. The organisation in charge of Bedok Reservoir has currently engaged a security agency to patrol the reservoir. Hopefully, these men will catch the reservoir red-handed and chain it up or something to put an end to all the drowning.

You guys want to play a game with me? First some backstory. Over the weekend, I was asked if I would do anything special for this Friday's MAAD which falls on 11.11.11. Without thinking it through, I gallantly said I would sell 11 zip pouches for $11 each. Right away, I started making 2 and it was quite a breeze. I didn't want the zip pouches to be any ole print. So I decided I would use either stamping or embroidery to embellish them. Kind of make them a little special. Then it occurred to me that I would actually have to make another 9 zip pouches.

Here's the game. I basically played around with the date 11.11.11. See if you can spot the 3 elevens. Some are pretty obvious. No prizes for getting it correct. Just for your own satisfaction.
Here we go....

At first I went really literal.

This one is pretty obvious.

I was thinking of going Matrix the movie route and do running stitches of elevens. Then I thought of the amount of work involved.... so I settled.

Still a little literal but sweet right?

Starting to run out of ideas. Houses to the rescue!

I'm not shy to steal from my own databank. Remember my first tulip?

I LOVE little girls with balloons. You may have noticed I'm trying to hide my elevens. See, I kinda had a seizure thinking what would happen if no one bought these zip pouches on 11.11.11? Would be pretty hard to sell them on say, 12th November.

I think I hid the elevens pretty well here.

Yep, reworked the flowers but this time, less literal.

I had a sudden inspiration - the 3 amigos. I was giggling as I made this.

This reflects my state of mind when I made it. Just. 2. More!

Even the houses were grumpy!

Did you play along?

Here's your reward. I'll let you take a peek at my lining! It's been a while since the last peek.

I'm exhausted. So I'll see you when I see you. If you are in Singapore this Friday, pop by red dot design museum to celebrate 11.11.11. Details below.

Maad Pyjamas
11.11.11 Friday
5pm to midnight

@ red dot design museum
28 Maxwell Road, red dot Traffic, Ground Floor
Singapore

Projects By Jane's 11.11.11 Special

11 stamped and embroidered zip pouches will be sold at $11 each
Any unsold ones will  be bumped off either thru' Etsy or other craft markets.

p.s. I'm linking up here: Tea Rose Home, Skip To My Lou Ninth Street Notions

Sexy Zippy Wristlet

Hi folks,

I'm very happy to report that I've finally completed producing my latest ePattern. Please say hello to my sexy zippy wristlet. It is now available for sale at my Etsy shop: projectsbyjane.

When I first started out making my first few zip pouches years ago, I really struggled with installing the zipper. I think I would have given up if it weren't for my stubborn nature. And also, I really enjoyed the challenge. I've come a long way since my first zip pouch but I've never forgotten my initial struggles with the zipper.

Initially, producing a zip pouch ePattern was not high on my list of ePatterns. I felt that there were more than enough tutorials, many free, in the net which could teach anyone how to make a simple zip pouch. One day, I was talking to one of my testers and she expressed interest in learning to make my curved zippy wristlet. You could say I was really just waiting for someone to ask for this pattern. And really, that was how this ePattern came about.

I don't know if this ePattern will be well-received. My first ePattern - the perfect-size reversible lunchtime pouch is the most successful to date. My second ePattern - the iPhone zip pouch has fewer sales. It is expected as not everyone owns an iPhone. Perhaps I should have used the word gadget instead.

When I made this sexy zippy wristlet ePattern, I wasn't so concerned about the profitability of it. Instead I focused on finding a way for beginners to learn to overcome their fear of zippers and learn to make a simple zippered pouch without tears. And of course, it doesn't hurt if the zip pouch looks sexy too. So this tutorial was done using an all-purpose presser foot. I threw the zipper foot right out the window. Really, a lot of problems one faces with a zipper when making a pouch lie with the zipper foot.

Once again, this ePattern took way too long to produce. I still haven't figured out how to be fast. The bad weather didn't help. I'm so grateful to my tester who's so fabulous and generous.

Lastly, if you have an Etsy account, do me a big favour and go to my Etsy shop projectsbyjane and heart my new ePattern. Thank you and good nite.

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