an assortment of quickies

1. all delayed VIFF cards owed for the past 2 months will be mailed out tomorrow. that's a whopping huge lot of envelopes to be sent out.... yikes! apologies for the delay, some problems cropped up when our new (and now ex.) part-time administrative assistant deleted some previous order records... amongst a few other screw-ups... sorry! singapore customers should receive their cards in these few days. international customers should get theirs in about 9 days.

2. don't forget to take note of the non-shipping dates! we are not kidding! we don't wish to have to deal with email/online drama when we return....

3. all important (as deemed by us of course) emails warranting a reply will be done within these few days. we're still late in replying all emails, so please bear with us as we try our best to rush through everything this crazy period.....

4. i'm allergic to irresponsible people. please stay away from me if you are. you should jolly well know yourself, otherwise, i would suggest you getting a reality check. over-promising and under/not-delivering stinks. the world is getting filled with over-inflated-self-confident people who are nothing but trouble, if not to themselves, to people who have to deal with them. i should know, i got fucked up 4 freaking times in just 3 months. bloody ridiculous. ppppffftttttt....... what ever happenned to being considerate, truthful, humble and modest????

5. big tall strong healthy educated-looking men wearing good stuff, watch out for me. if you take the train, sit there, and yakkity yak on your expensive phone, with frail-looking elderly peeps carrying heavy stuff standing right smack in front of you (which means you don't even have to look far to spot them), and hanging on to the pole for their dear lives, and you look up at them, and continue yakkity-yakking, shaking your big strong healthy feet clothed in big expensive leather shoes, in a couldn't-care-less--cuz-it's-my-right-to-rest-my-strong-muscles, i suggest you not be a stingy prick, get your own damn car or take a cab. our public transport can do better with lesser people like you. if you let me catch you doing the above, i will make sure you leave your seat, uncomfortably. yes. i will. i just did. yesterday. to a 6-feet strapping man in his early 30s. i also do not let off aunties and smelly young school kids in school uniforms who hog the front doors of the train. so silly 'kiasu' aunties and stinky self-centered kids, watch out for me too. if you still think otherwise, i'll say it again - literacy, class, and $$$ has no direct corelation with civic-mindedness and civil courtesy.

i should get a public service award, no? ha.

my bday pressie trip has been delayed to fri evening... thanks to slave-worker b and friends. ain't it so good to be your own boss?? ha. sorry, i didn't mean to gloat... :/ take care peeps... do tune in to my flickr for more updates later~ xoxo!

i'm behind schedule!!!

everything is behind schedule!! arrgghhhhh!!!! and i'm suppose to enjoy my week since friday is my 'special' day? it ain't working out so good, lana!!!!! sobs... :( i've to rush rush rush so that i can rush off on thurs evening to party (heee!) and then so that i can rush back and then rush off again for my sept trip! crazy!!!!!!!?!?! you can so totally tell that i'm on an adrenaline rush..... :p

anyhooo.... my weekend spa getaway celebration, and then thrift store shopping and vintage wares hunting... here i comee!!!! woooww!!! i'm excited! not only will i most probably be going to the renegade craft fair in chicago, this time in collaboration with the do-division street fair, with live music, booze, food, and indie shopping!, but also because i will most probably also be meeting therese in brooklyn, author of the softies book, that is already out!!! double wooooww!! *big cheshire kitty grin* if you can't get it at borders or kinokuniya yet, try amazon (you can get it at a discount only there!), peeps! crazy b, mao, and mummee already bought 5 books each to give away. ha! *big dada hugssss for your support and love!*














okay. enough of the shameless self-promo.
i also purchased talented aimee ray's new book! doodle-stitching of dreamfollow! it hasn't arrived yet, but i'm sure it'll be as good as the cover looks! i love her hand-stitch embroidery and illustrations! maybe you could purchase both these books and save a little on shipping eh? heh ;p

so, after my open invite to all nice (yes, you have to be nice and i have to like you first :p) handmade/indie designers/crafters/artists who hawk their wares online, to send in their promos for me to include in all my out-going orders, i have gotten 8 packages so far, (of course you can still send them to me if you haven't and would like to), and the one i'm most impressed with has to be from dear ruth, talent and creator of sparkle thots (check out her pretty creations!)! look at her awesome scented promo cards!

and she even so graciously prepared a gift for all lof fairies and elves!!!! 9 pretty pairs of earrings! gosh. thanks again, ruth! they came just in time, as i'll be able to give them to my sewers :) we are all speechless with your kindness - in all my 3 years of promo swaps or just accepting promo send-ins, i've never gotten a gift for this before! you rock. i really hope you get to stay home with your kid! ;)

hmmm... what else did i miss.... i know it has been pretty much work and littleoddforest news for quite some time now... see! i've been trying to keep it professional. yeah.... pfffftttt......

oh oh! i've been trying hard to take MORE photos (without me inside of course, what with my slight disdain for taking photographs of myself...bleh..) and some random ones i've taken include the crazy group of kids from nanyang polytechnic and their foreign exchange classmate all the way from germany! who asked me to be their mentor for their entrepreneurship project. it has been my honor sweeties!! :) and thanks for your treat! i have never had 'students' treat me, a working adult before, so it felt a little strange. ha. you really didn't have to thank me, i didn't do much at all i think, ha ;p hope you'll all be getting kick-ass results!!















oooh, and thanks for the lunch treat at 'littleoddforest-ty???' wacha, babe! it was really nice. i still owe you for the pretty fabrics!!! :D i'm really touched that you've joined the group of dada-friends who see fabrics and is reminded of me.... yikes....... maybe we shall go supplies shopping overseas some time ;)






















oh yes, that reminds me, please try not to give me fabrics as pressies anymore (of course i will never refuse them if you do!! haha).... because.... i miss getting OTHER kinds of pressies ever since sewing and fabrics overtook my life!!!.... i hope you get that hint!!! haha! thank gawd b did. he got me a 10x zoom digital camera as 'part 1' of my pressie!!!!! muaks! *a b hugs for my dearie b*


















oooh, and how can i forget???? DUPER hugs and thanks for coming to fashbash!!! we did awesome there, with the fabulous crowd, who were for sure not there to gawk (as with most other 'bazaars' here in singapore) but were there to spend $$$$! yay! :D well, fabulous crowd might not do it justice. we were all literally rubbing asses the whole time. how fun. the awkward glances, smiles, and funny words exchanged whilst the other party is stuck halfway in the aisle, and your butts are kissing each other longer than welcomed. LOL! well, mostly moi, since i had to stand at the side.... anyways... thank you mr. pinky and ms. ls sour prune for the help! and also to the missy bosses of killerheels - mykillerheels.com (check out their super sweet trinkets and accessories!)! and also huge thanks to angelia of mea culpa and her gang who did such a kick-ass job of organising and promoting fashbash! and not forgetting i got to meet the creator behind chalinn, ai lin! who made me go "hmmmm!" when i spotted her from a distance in her snotty crowned bird tanktop, and i was wondering who that was! ha! she was so sweet, my hunger must be showing on my face, because she left, and then came back again with a snickers bar. thanks for making me last till 6pm *hugs* oohh! and also not forgetting to thank lof's dearest loyal-est, sweetest customers!!!!! you came, you bought, you went home, logged online, emailed me and some even bought more! and those who even took the time and trouble to drop me an email to say sorry (????) for not going????? dear gawd. how sweet can anyone get??? you have to be in santa's list this year-end ;)

i love you all. amidst the work, BIG pile of crap that comes along with it, the wacko busy-ness, joy, tears, sarcasm, screaming and laughter. i still love it all. i got to meet so many nice peeps, make new friends, know who my true friends are (doing your own business somehow never fails to separate those who will stick by your through it all from those who won't..... sadly.) it has been a very eventful and fulfilling 3 years for us at forestprints and littleoddforest. and more to come!!! xoxoxo!!

have a great week, ya all!

For the love of dancing, vintage of course!

One of my great loves is dancing, particularly "vintage" dancing! I thought I would share this WONDERFUL video with you of a group of people dancing the Lindy Hop/Jitterbug. How I would love to be able to do this! I am so happy to see people keeping this great art alive and obviously really having a hell of time!

customer email

Feedback Type : About that item

Name : Rachel
Email : Tham
Time of Msg: 8/19/2007 2:37:38 PM

I''m interested in a particular bag but just a step too late in placing order. Currently the item is sold out.. *sobz sobz* wouild like to know if sold out items will return.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

hi Rachel! you didn't leave us your email address! if in case you are reading this~
we'll need to know which 'sold out' item you're referring to, and then we can let you know if it will be re-stocked or not, and if yes, when it will be. thanks for your email!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

we had a fantabulous time at fashbash! but more of that later okie dokie?
we're now working hard on replying all emails this whole week, so please bear with us!! thanks tons!!
xoxo!

Bountiful Temple Wedding Photos

Jenalee and Scott have to be the most chill wedding couple we have worked with. They were so relaxed during the wedding day shoot it made everything so easy. They had a whole paparazzi of family also taking pics and kids who were happy to be in any photo, and also tried to sneak into some shots : ) Adorable! The whole wedding party was definitely enjoying their time there in the sunshine. It was way fun, plus we shot at my favorite temple for weddings pictures, Bountiful! ;) Good choice you two! Congratulations Jen and Scott!

Blog award and the little hog...

I am really pleased to have been given the Nice Matters Award by Sandra . Thank you Sandra, it was so nice of you to think of me.

Started by Bella-Enchanted, the award is to be "awarded to those that are just nice people , good blog friends and those that inspire good feelings and inspiration! Those that care about others that are there to lend support or those that are just a positive influence in our blogging world".

Dont you think its funny how such a modern technological "intrument" such as the internet has brought together people who have "old-fashioned" values, enjoy being good to one another and sharing their thoughts, feelings and ideas? In a world where so many people feel the need to be tough and self-centered I find it wonderful to know that there are so many kind, compassionate and talented people out there!

Ok, enough of my podium speaking for the moment. I sent out a quick newsletter a couple weeks ago to customers just to let them know that new items had been listed on the website. Included in the email was a photo of a visitor we had in our garden; a tiny baby hedghog. There is no doubt that the photo is GORGEOUS and I received many emails telling me so. I thought I might share with you the story of this little fella.



If you are extremely fragile/sensitive or about to eat a meal, you may not want to continue reading.

Paul spotted this little guy in the garden around tea time. We were not sure if we should take him away from where he was in case his mom was looking for him so we put out a little box with some food and water and left him over night. The next morning we went to check on him and he was very unwell and no parents were around so we brought him up to the house. He had a nasty little gash in his side and there were baby maggots in it! YUCK! Paul used some old tweasers and removed all these creatures. As disgusting as they are, the maggots may have been helpful in clearing out bacteria. We fed him some dog food and gave him water and he seemed to improve dramatically. He began walking all around and seemed very interested in things. We put him in a box with a little blanket so he could hide if he wanted to.



Our dog had an ear infection so we had to go to the vets that day, we decided to take the "little hog" with us so they could look him over and give him to the Wiltshire wildlife group until he was big enough to be released. After the vet was done with our dog, we asked the nurse to check on the little hogs condition for us so we could leave him knowing all was well. The nurse informed us that they gave him an aneasthetic so they could check him over and he died from it.



Paul and I both felt and thought the same thing. Why would a vet give an extremely young creature who had just begun to recover from a wound and whatever else, an aneasthetic? I am not an expert in these matters but Ive seen enough of these animal programs to know that for a tiny animal in good health let alone not so good, it is very risky to "put them under". We both felt angry that we had even taken him there and wished we had kept him home with us where he was doing well and seemed to be recovering beautifully. Of course Georgia fell in love with him as soon as she saw him and when she asked us how he was after she got home from school we had to lie to her about the whole thing!

Isnt he just beautiful. Dont forget to click on the photos yo enlarge them for a better view!

Engagement Photos in Sundance Resort Utah

Sundance, Sundance, Sundance. It really is a great place for an engagement photography session, I love mountains! We had so much fun shooting their engagement. Steve brought his so very cute dog (I'm jealous) which will soon be adopting Rachael (double jealous). I keep mentioning what a small world it is, but I'll have to do it again. As we were shooting they both mentioned how they love Sundance, but have been busy with such and such and going to Switzerland (triple jealous) to visit since Rachael's mission. Rachael actually served in the same area as a dear friend of mine. Even in Switzerland it's a small world! We wish you both the best and hope you don't get too busy to enjoy the little things, like a walk around Sundance. ;) We'll see Rachael soon at her bridals session and then it's off to the wedding at North Hampton House in American Fork Utah.

Click images to enlarge

Family Photos at Sundance Resort Utah

Family portrait session with the cutest baby!!! Such big brown eyes! Will has known Kathy way back when his sister and Kathy were high school friends, and still are. Their family was so playful and baby Sparks had an adorably cute crawl! We were lucky to catch them for a photography session in between coming from Texas to Utah to Hawaii, both to visit family. Hope you have fun in Hawaii! Hey maybe next time you can take us with you to do the Family photos there! ;)

Click images to enlarge

3=three=twee!!!

forestprints design, our officially registered business, is TWEE!!!
on 8th August, 2007 to be exact :D

it was very very bad of me to have forgotten about it, very kindly reminded by mao, b, and mandy!
things are just so crazy busy, too many things going on, and the juggling of too many aspects of running the label and business, and designing, and crafting, and pr-ing and researching, setting up and managing the home-cottage workshop in the philippines... has left me no time to zen out and reflect on what i've been doing, have and have not accomplished, for the past wonderfully exciting twee years. if i've changed in some/many ways, no thanks to the "craftiness" (in the evil sense) of this real business world, my love for saying "twee" sure hasn't.... hahaha

maybe i shall have the time to muse over the ups and downs for the past years, of graduating, slaving, quitting slavery, then becoming a slave to my ownself, and enjoying the small little fruits of slaving labor.... later, at least when i have to force myself to slow down and have a relaxed enough mind to plan out our ever important itinerary for the not very short trip, b is depending on me for it, ha, so much for holiday pressure.

thanks for all the well wishes people!! for all your love and support!!! nothing would have been possible without you all, because i'm really no sales-person, you all did the spreading of word-of-mouth for me, the praises, the love, and all...... i may not be good at expressing my gratefulness in person, but please know i am beyond grateful. i would give each and every one of you real hugs, i'm a touchy feely person, but i know many who are averse to touching, so if i have never given you a tight-dada-squeezy, please ask me for it. (for those of you who don't have a long personal relationship with moi, my pet-name is dada ;p)

champagne for later, i've to have a clear mind, still in the midst of drafting out an important contract.... fun.....

*hugs and kisses!*

lof loves....

all of you who have emailed, blogged about, or sms-ed me super kind and nice comments about what we do here in this little odd forest! i'm forever grateful.... we all are! sometimes my helpers get alittle bogged down by customers and work and sewing etc., but they tell me their moods perk up whenever they hear or read about people appreciating all that's been done... (^____^)

the following are awesome peeps in the wonderfully big world wide web, who have been showering littleoddforest with their continuing support, i won't have been able to continue doing more of what i love to do without you all!

the bag lady
the ladies behind the bag lady obviously like us alot! eeppp!
they have featured littleoddforest goods not once, not twice, but 5 times this year!!! *hugsss!*
http://www.thebaglady.tv/2007/07/i_love_the_love.html
http://www.thebaglady.tv/2007/07/organise_your_h_1.html
http://www.thebaglady.tv/2007/06/get_festival_re.html
http://www.thebaglady.tv/2007/04/little_mushroom.html
http://www.thebaglady.tv/2007/03/skirt_wristlet.html

cuteable
only cute stuff featured here in the land of cuteable! i bet she is not just a super nice person but a cutey one too! lof goods have been featured 3 times since last year! *hugss*
http://cuteable.com/cuteable-finds-17/533
http://cuteable.com/stumpie-seat/385
http://cuteable.com/an-odd-little-forest/18

scoot on down to our press & praise page to see all our other latest reviews!

and this has been super delayed... but better late than never!
amy, founder of the rockin' remakeables, recently sent me an awesome fungi treasure stash from her trip to japan! jealous, yes? *pokey pokey* hee..... thanks again babe! i'll make sure to put them to good use ;) the mushroom stamp is used religiously on a few lucky order packages everyday by elsie


and now, i leave you with some new soon-to-be-listed additions from littleoddforest's latest collection - petit leaf straplets!

remember, there will be no stock updates in our website for the whole month of sept as the entire littleoddforest crew takes a break! so shop now if you need something to reach you in sept! will update you all with the specific dates as the time draws near. Or if you're in singapore, you can catch us at fashbash, although the stuff i'm bringing will mostly be different from those in the shoppe.

okie doks, i'm off to the pool... to cure my migraine....

xoxoxo

fashbash

and yes. it's official. littleoddforest will be at fashbash!! woohoo!!
this would be our 2nd and final "outing" this year!
so if you miss us yet again this time round, then that's it for now, folks!
we're so right smacked in front, you'd have to at least have cataract to not see us. ha

so what can you expect at our booth?
(don't stop breathing as you read on)
# a range of selected items from our current new collection!
# selected designs, remnant odd-sizes, product samples and prototypes, at up to 50% off their listed retail prices!
# 20% discount if you spend above $200 on lof goods!
# one of you lucky ones will have the opportunity to win a one-of-a-kind lof's Love-Owl Key-Ring Purse as part of fashbash's lucky draw prizes!
# first 300 or so to arrive at fashbash will have a cute little lof goodie in their fashbash swag bags!

if this is not good enough, there will be loads of other fabulous finds such as tskye and dustbunny vintage at fashbash - visit their website and sign up for their email newsletter to find out more!
we'll see ya there! weeee!

check-list

conquered
1. bandit plush couple

2. custom messenger bag
3. spangelina's special felt picture wedding gift for her hubby-to-be














4. custom forest seedlings tote
5. custom hungry monster pouch
6. 1 brand new silkscreen print design (part of brand new collection)
7. making sure becky got seriously tanned(lobsterfied) and wasted before heading back to montreal
8. denna! cheers to a wonderful working relationship!
9. paying income tax (was seriously few hours away from dateline..)
10. new design for a new line of merchandise! (secret. for now. part of brand new collection)
11. bulk order of plushies collection (so stop bugging me to get a manicure, lana. dammit)
12. plush you exhibition
13. harry potter and the deathly hallows
14. paprika (awesome!!) and the simpsons movie (
15. my united mileage points! woohoo! not even stepped foot in the u.s. yet but i can already smell japan? sweet.
16. last minute nyc hotel change. (i'm eternally grateful to you, mao!!!!!!!!!)
17. a gazillion email replies

yonder hills....
1. 2nd brand new silkscreen design (part of brand new collection)
2. other remaining parts of brand new collection (yes. we get it.)
3. 4 yet-to-have-started custom orders... october yo. october. patience is a virtue.
4. high res product photos for mag feature
5. get people who owe littleoddforest alot of $$$ to pay up. shitty.
6. find out what happenned to the 22 missing items at pluck. shitty.
7. teaching application (i don't know what to think of it)
8. dealing with ipos
9. get new investments finalised (thank goodness we sold off in time)
10. prepare trip schedule. i'm b's official tourguide. how nice.
11. 6 birthday presents
12. hire new sewers (headache)
13. finalise new wholesale supplies account (wooppee! getting supplies at retail prices is seriously dumb)
14. look for new embroidery machine
15. look for new space
16. fashbash
17. another bazillion emails to reply (headache)

did you notice??? 17 down, and 17 more to go!!!! totally unplanned. kewl.

we love technology

you know how draggy email liaises can get often times? well.... it has been occurring far too much than desired for the past 2 months or so.... bad. it didn't help that too much has been going on in my life recently.

replied to the other parties involved in various email i had kinda lost count along the way the number of "i'll try!" "why not?" "maybe!" "okay!" "i'd love to!" i'veliaisons..... mostly littleoddforest work related.... which means.... commitments.... promises.... which means.... i HAVE TO do it even if it means i DIE. hah, okay that's exaggeration. but you get the drift. i had put waaayyyyy tooooo mucchhhhh "food" on my platter..... and if only it was just food, i could just put it away, albeit with more than a tinge of guilt, thinking of people suffering from hunger elsewhere, or as i usually do, push it to the unfortunate person eating with moi. but i couldn't live with myself if i had to push away chances of doing up special projects, or fun and cool custom orders i'd love so much to do (super important, as 99% of the time i'll nicely decline requests that i'm not into...) or even just simply because i like that person or for some silly reason blah blah blah..... i can be such an enthusiastic work globbler..... pppfftttt....

so, unknowingly, in just these couple of months, i said yes to more than 9 varying custom requests. and the screwy thing about email is, sometimes, somehow, we'll either not have the chance to reply asap, or just kinda felt that we needed that extra time to take to reply, or for whatever other million and one reasons etc.

and so the dragginess of emailing to and fro goes on..... and then, as funny things occur in this world, every single one of peeps (well, except 2) replied with their confirmation around the same time. just a few days apart. sheesh. thanks ya all. i had SOME weeks to complete MANY requests... fun.

ha okay okay, granted i still had fun and enjoyed every part of doing up all of the special requests!! cross my heart. and plus it's not like they were done for free.... i got paid. so what's there not to love?? ;p

i hope everyone was and will be (for those enroute or still not started on.....bleurghh) delighted with their custom orders! they'd better... ha..

now, if only i could push myself to go on and conquer those ninety bazillion other emails that elsie, my part-time customer service slave, can't help me with....*cry*

Creative recycling.....

A couple weeks ago I was wondering what I could do with some jars I was planning to recycle. I decided to make garden lanterns (hanging candle holders) from them. I did 3 of them and I thought they came out so pretty that I asked my neighbors to save me their jars and I made more. The hardest part is the wire handle. It looks easy but that bit is really tricky and hard on the hands. Luckily Paul helped me with that part! The "lanterns" or candle holders look beautiful hung on tree branches, sat around on the garden table or hung on those iron "crooks" that you can buy at most garden centers and DIY shops. If you like them, there are still some available on our website or if you have some spare time, you can try making some yourself!

I also thought that if you were planning a country style or "shabby" vintage wedding, these would be great hung "en masse".



I have been working on a new style of them which I will try to take photos of tomorrow providing it isn't raining!

If you want to try to make one yourself, please wear thick gloves when it comes to the wire part. It is very easy to break the glass while trying to wrap the wire around the jar! Dont forget to use a clear drying sealant of some sort to add protection to the image and the fabric.

Good luck!

bah!

stop fucking testing our website's system. it is fucking getting on our nerves. especially mine. i'm too fucking busy right now. and we know when you are testing our system. stop fucking placing fake bank transfer orders. it registers in our database. a gazillion times. and depending on how you screw our system, we even get system emails. like a bazillion fucking times. so stop fucking testing it or keep going back to view an order that has long already been cancelled and then keep bookmarking that fucking page and gawd knows what else you do with it. gawd dammit. i'm not in the mood to apologise for my language. so there.