Welcome to my studio...
in the exotic, beautiful country of Singapore!
A few tidbits about Singapore:
* Singapore is a city and a country. It is made up of one main island (slightly smaller than New York City) and 63 small islands (most are uninhabited).
* It is only 85 miles from the equator - this means every day is sunny and hot hot hot.... with temperatures around 85 degrees and humidity level around 85% every day, all day.
* Singapore is one of the safest, cleanest (you can be arrested for spitting, littering, or chewing gum!), and wealthiest countries in the world. But this also means it is one of the most expensive places to live.
* There are 4 official languages - English, Malay, Chinese (Mandarin), and Tamil (Indian). Most everyone speaks English... except my hairdresser : 0
Okay - enough about Singapore, let's get to what you came for...a tour of my studio.
Please come in...
This tour is a modified tour, as not much has changed in my studio from last year {other than it is a mess!}, so please visit here for the detailed tour from 2012.
I thought it might be fun to share the many treasures I have collected over the past year-and-a-half from my travels through Asia. I love to make jewelry and collages from my found objects. If you click on the pink text, it will take you to a full post with lots more gems I found in each respective country.
Before I get too far into this post, I want to mention that I am having a giveaway!! Lots of goodies, handpicked for one winner, from my stash of treasures I have collected in Asia. Just leave me a comment telling me your favorite colors and what crafts you dabble in, i.e. collage, scrap-booking, painting, jewelry making, sewing, knitting, or all of the above. And leave an email or blog where I can contact you. Open to anyone in the world!! I know it takes awhile to get through all the fascinating, creative blogs, so I will give a few weeks for visitors to leave a comment and I will pick a winner on July 31st.
Contest is now closed, click here to see who won!
I am crazy about stamps! I have drawers full of them and I keep the smaller ones in an old typesetting drawer (hung on the wall) that I found in Belgium.
I display all my Asian-themed stamps in one section for inspiration.
Here are a few new additions to my stamp family...
My prized possession, a batik cap (pronounced chop) for stamping images on fabric. I bought it at a flea market in Jakarta, Indonesia. I have wanted one for years. It is made of copper and is a piece of art itself. Caps were created in the mid 1800's to speed up the printing process that was being done by hand with tjanting tools.
Hand-carved stamps from India. Yes, I needed all 16 of them
Stamps from Myanmar (Burma)
If you can't tell... I love bins and boxes.
Boxes for all my new beads...
I am in love with the vintage hand-made fabric scraps from Asia. Most of my collection is from the Hill Tribes. If you click on the link, you can see the full post and all of the beautiful fabrics I have collected from each place.
I plan to use the fabrics in collages and jewelry... that is if I can stand to cut them : )
Vietnamese Hill Tribes - trip two
India
I hope to have this one framed as I have it laid out. There are three separate pieces of fabric along with a traditional necklace.
We have not traveled to Afghanistan. I bought this in Bangkok.
My favorite book of the moment - Textiles of South-East Asia by Angela Thompson: I highly recommend if you are interested in Asian Fabrics/textiles.
My favorite cabinet for paper - I collaged the drawers...
And I always find lots of great paper while traveling
An old book from Vietnam...
Paper from India...
Washi paper from Japan, given to me by a friend who lived there. She is moving and was cleaning house. Lucky me!
Money envelopes from Singapore. These envelopes are commonly given out during the Chinese New Year, at weddings, and birthdays and are considered to be very auspicious gifts. Traditionally they are red, but with modern times you can get all colors and characters.
Joss Paper - oh I love joss paper. Did you know it is burned on holidays and special occasions to honor those who have passed? I am careful never to use it on cards I give to Chinese friends.
I can't forget buttons & lace!
Very unusual glass buttons from Myanmar...
Vintage from China...
Lace from India...
And misc objects I knew would be perfect for some project!
Are you wondering what I actually create with all these treasures??
Not much as I am too busy traveling and collecting!!
Jewelry...
Tags & cards...
Collages...
And I still love to create using my French and vintage ephemera, mixing in a little asian twist. My art friends are encouraging me to go larger so these were my practice attemps.
(10x 10)
(12 x 16)
I spend a lot of time altering photos in PSE using my own photos and images from my postcard collection.
I recently won Somerset Place - Stampington's Blog Up Up and Away Ephemera Challenge for this one!
When I visit a blog, I like to visit the intro page, check out where the blogger lives, and see photos of them. So I am sharing a photo of me, a self-portrait of me in my living room.
Thank you very much for visiting my studio. Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win my giveaway. I also love comments so I can find and visit your creative space. I will be working my way though all of the beautiful blogs. It is so much fun to see how creative everyone is and how we all decorate our own space. And a BIG thanks to Karen Valentine @ My Desert Cottage for hosting this fun event again this year!
Click here to visit the full tour of my studio from last's year's party.
If you are interested in reading about my adventures through Asia, please visit my travel blog @ TheXtraSuitcase.com.
And for those who hung on to the end - I am sharing a very scary photo...
What my art room looks like when there are no guests!! As hard as I try to keep it clean, it looks like this after I finish a project. I think part of my problem is I never sit at my desk, I always end up on the floor. I have been like this my entire life.
Urggg what a mess! But I am guessing there are many of you out there who show a tidy, clean studio for this event... and your normal MO is like me (at least I am hoping I am not the only one out there). The hubby sweats when he has to go in for something and I never let him in the room unsupervised : ).
Admit it... your studio can look like this too - right?
Cheers - Cathy : )
Cathy, thank you for visiting my little studio. I enjoyed my tour of your studio and will be back for sure to see more. I love your Asian treasures and I hope you will enter me in your giveaway. I would love to win. I am a painter and also dabble in jewelry making since I paint on porcelain. Your studio looks so organized in the pictures (until I got to the bottom pic). Yes, whenever we actually have to work in there, it can get pretty messy. Have great day and happy blogging!
Posted by: Janet Greer | 07/13/2013 at 07:56 AM
Bonjour Cathy,
Not only your studio is beautiful and well organized but it is also full of treasuries. I like very much your collection fo suitcases and the information about papers and envelopes.
And yes, sometimes my tiny creative place is a mess.
Thank you very much for visiting me.
Hélène
Posted by: Encre et Couleurs - Hélène | 07/13/2013 at 08:33 AM
Thanks for showing what the studio can look like too...and mine does LOL. I sent you an email and am still snooping around here. Currently I am a paper crafter, however, I do a lot of different things and am exploring more and more altered art and mixed media. I have always sewn, so I love love all your intricate embroidered pieces. My Magpie eye fairly feasts on the antique buttons and bling too. Okay, time to wipe the drool off my chin and carry on....but, I will be back to see you. Keep smiling and creating
Posted by: fairyrocks | 07/13/2013 at 11:00 AM
Cathy, your textiles and findings are so special. What an experience to live in Singapore and travel that part of the world. I loved seeing your studio space, too. As for me, I dabble in anything I feel like, however, mostly sewing (human and 16" doll clothes) and I love making shadow boxes. My favorite color is periwinkle purple/blue. Thanks so much for sharing your exotic space! :-)
Posted by: Carmen | 07/13/2013 at 02:37 PM
Wow you are showing so many wonderful things, a fantastic studio, some really wonderful stamps, oh I would love to play with them and some wonderful art pieces, thanks for visit and sweet comment on my blog.
Anni
Posted by: Anni | 07/13/2013 at 03:46 PM
love the bright colours and organisation....your fabric pieces are gorgeous...you've certainly burnt up the miles with your travels...
Posted by: Bevlea | 07/13/2013 at 08:05 PM
I remember your room from last year! And mine's currently a mess. I think it's time to go through and clean out stuff that I'm not using. I didn't sign up for this year, and yet here I am going through everyone's blogs. I love Asian themed stuff and one of these days plan to make my own thangka (Indian) .... purple has been my favorite color forever but in the last year I am growing to like orange and red which is on the opposite side of the color wheel, go figure! Right now I'm doing mixed media painting, and art journaling.
Posted by: Leanne | 07/13/2013 at 09:44 PM
What a fantastic studio you have! It's fun seeing the different types of textiles and papers, which are all just beautiful! I think the last photo is what most of our studios look like after a project!
Posted by: Annette | 07/13/2013 at 11:18 PM
Hello Cathy - lovely to meet you here in your studio.
Thank you for sharing all of your wonderful treasures from Asia. I have a very soft place in my heart for old vintage pieces from places like India and Afghanistan and have a few which I collected in the '70s. Your pieces are so beautiful and being a fabric and fibre artist I can really appreciate these along with your beautiful pearls and coins.
I loved your collage pieces also.
Count me in please to win something from your studio and please come and enter yourself in my Giveaway too at my WBC
studio,
PS Did I say I loved that old book from Vietnam!
Hugs,
Suzy
Posted by: Suzy | 07/14/2013 at 12:50 AM
Wow! I remember your studio from last year and you sure have added so much! Your artwork is stunning and I am a big fan. I love all the color in your space and all of your treasures from your travels are incredible! Thanks for sharing your space again! Take care.
Posted by: StasaLynn | 07/14/2013 at 03:00 AM