We are officially back online!

After what seems like a million years, I'm back to creating for florspace. Looking back at all my creations at flickr made me really miss creating things, letting my imagination run wild!

Its been about 5 years in the corporate world before my other half got a position here in Brisbane, Australia. We moved last year and its been a great ride, settling in and exploring this great new place! We just pretty much got the wheels running with oils now so I pretty much can't wait to get back to sewing! Cutting up some gorgeous Japanese canvas for the much requested cube wallets is really making my heart sing! I well and truly miss this a lot!

I'm changing from a Singer to a Janome workhorse and she's a real trooper! More quality sewing and hopefully amazing things a-coming! Meanwhile, go shopping, coz we never sleep!

A major shift.... life story

Hello everyone. Time certainly flies. The last post was nearly 4 years ago. Ridiculous amount of days has passed since I last sat for hours at the sewing machine churning out yummy handmade purses and bags. (actual time - 6 years ago) To say I miss those days is a terrible understatement. How is everyone been holding up? Its strange but it almost feels like a lifetime ago. I've always wanted to write but the motivation eludes me.

What have I been doing you ask? Climbing the corporate ladder.

I lived and breathed florspace for 4 years and have had truly amazing time. I'll always remember those days fondly. In real life, I was also doing a business / finance degree during that time. When I graduated, I thought, maybe its time to live like an adult. I also wanted to prove that I could attain an accountant title. That was when I halted florspace. It wasn't as easy as you have a degree, you're automatically an accountant. I started out at a major corporation as something like an assistant executive manning data entry and running payments. I met a whole bunch of amazing people, learnt a lot about the corporate world and yes, its cruel, but I had the privilege of amazing seniors and bosses who were nice to me. I was lucky. But the department had to wind up so I moved on. This time, I got a job as a payable accountant at another large IT company. Almost there, I thought. The environment was very very tough. I worked very long hours but had opportunities to travel and train. I loved it but it was literally killing me. I switched again to a smaller setup, where I was finally an Accountant. Nothing else. I oversaw operations from the ground, set up new systems and trained people. Loved it. I was where I wanted to be in 5 years. I had the name cards to prove it.

I wasn't happy. My hair was turning white and thinning so quickly, I was deathly afraid of dying it so frequently. I had bad skin; pimples popped up daily to say hello. I was angry, angry at anyone and anything. My parents felt I was being a jerk. I could pay for a lot. Fancy dinners, brunches at hip places, expensive coffee, vacations and above all, my terrible addiction of ridiculously expensive bags. They weren't IT bags to me, they represented the quality and the scent of leather I had no time nor patience to produce. I didn't just go for the A Wang, Proenza Schouler, Chloe or Mulberry, I had a preference for Chanel and Hermes. (Sorry Vuitton, but you disappointed me a number of times, I stopped believing in you.) I picked up a Fuchsia Michael Kors tote at some outlet in San Francisco during a company training trip, used it to death and threw it around on the ground, much to my colleague's horror. I had a wardrobe of heels and dresses like they were my uniform. I mainly wore cardigans and a fit/flare type dress. On days I had to look professional, it was a slim figure hugging black dress with heels. I click-clacked my way around the CBD, convincing myself I belonged there. I spent after hours mulling over work and online shopping. Or gym. Yes, those expensive gym memberships. Ok I won't rant on that since they did help me get a wee bit leaner and healthier. But all that goes down the drain when I got home and sat down in front of my computer, binge watch american TV and ate potato chips. That was a secret shame. My weight would steadily climb once I got lazy to actually go to the gym. I made myself happy by buying something or hitting a new cafe / cupcake joint. Oh I had no idea my life was spiralling. You might read this and tell me, what are you complaining about? That's normal, that's life. That was what everyone was telling me. You gotta work, gotta pace yourself or you'll burnout. But how does one pace oneself? If you're tasked to do something, you do it. In return, I got badly thinning hair, bad skin, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and I got fat.

Early December 2015, other half, now my fiance, got a job at a university in Brisbane, Australia. I remembered he had a very early skype interview. I had to go to work. Mom and Dad was free that day so we went out for breakfast and they drove me to work. I love being in the backseat of my parents car. Happiest days of my childhood. Fiance called me and say, "I got the job. Let's go to Brisbane. Its time to change". That was a major turning point. It wasn't easy for him to get a job in this day and age. He had been trying for a number of years to get a permanent position and we were living apart, for a total of 9 years actually. He went back to Singapore last July and thank god he didn't have to stay long. He does not like the place. Even though I was happy to have him around, I was still exasperated and angry most of the time as I was still working and having to deal with difficulties. I think he knew he had to get us out.

My Christmas present last year was a copy of his contract from the University. It suddenly felt real. We were going to move. We had a vacation to Hong Kong planned for mid January (amazing trip!) so after we came back, within a week, he packed up, shipped the boxes and he was gone as they wanted him there asap. I was left with a bit of gaping hole. He left the decision on whether to move, or when to move over, to me. I gave it a bit of thought and started packing. I promised my aging parents I would call often and visit yearly. I gave notice to work, had a good replacement, an lovely send off. With more packing, throwing and donating, I was clear to ship. I booked the tickets and by mid-May, I was in Brisbane.

I'm not unfamiliar with living in Australia. I spent 3.5 years in Sydney. I loved Sydney. But when I came here, fiance told me, you're gonna feel like someone took all of Sydney, dumped it into a bag and poured it all out like a child. He wasn't wrong. Queensland is much larger piece than Sydney. Even the city feels more spreaded out. Girl friend told me, we need to drive here. But I've decided to save on the transport since we're not heading out every day. Public transport here is rather expensive, same with rent and utilities. We're lucky to be slightly higher up in an apartment building with amazing views of sunrise and sunsets, but we can't avoid the flies and occasional cockroach. Eww. Oh well. We're lucky the city mall is 15 mins away and the museums are also a hop and skip away. Its been rather fun so far. Fiance says I've got less to be mad about now, save for the bills. 

I've been receiving convos / emails over the years about whether I'll be making more of a wallet or bag and I just want to give a shout out to you amazing people. You make me wanna come back! So I guess the big question is will florspace be up soon? Well, the short answer is yes, the long answer is well....not-so-soon. I want to research on better designs and trials before rolling anything out. You know me. I want the quality before quantity. Not to mention the postage costs here seems much higher than back in Singapore. We'll see.

So yeah, that was my story. To be continued with more observations and quirks of Brissy.
Stay safe and happy.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone and have a fabulous year ahead! XOXO

Marine dress

Before I start, Happy Diwali to my lovely friends. Today's festival of light marks a new year, and even more fabulous one for all you people ahead.

Inspired by the super cute purple dress by Crissi (next post below), I decided to finally do my own little official dress. I'd never did a proper cut out dress. It was always taking the easy way out, attaching some fabric to a stretchy material for the boob part. I thought I should grow up and embark on the real stuff. So, no pattern in mind or hand, I drew out a simple tank for the top, double layered the inside and out so I'll get nice flat seams. The secret is to snip the curve areas. The bottom is no secret, just a long rectangle. 2 rows of 1 inch wide elastic holds the center part together.

I'm partial towards marine styles, so 2 rows of white grosgrain ribbon trims the bottom. ;+) Love how it turned out, fits great. No zipper coz it can be pulled over. Easy. 7 hours of easy, that is. Now I wanna make some more. Certainly more rewarding than buying one off the shelves.

I leave you with a lovely song.

about Crissi Cochrane

discovered this amazing & adorable indie singer songwriter, who also incidentally makes really cute dresses! (thats how i found her anyways, i was trawling for craftyness.) Her Drive all night vid is right above. Hit play, you'll fall in love with her sweet voice and how calm her music makes you feel. :+) find her deets at www.crissicochrane.com

Love her Battenburg And Berries Dress. vintage chic, no?

just thought i'd share. 

Hello Shorty!

Hello blog world! long time..... almost a year to be exact. time flies when you're consumed by the corporate world. yes, unfortunately to feed myself independently i needed to do the unthinkable. so now i'm some accountant slaving away her life for pennies. life is generally not as miserable - i surround myself with books and crafts, secretly sewing pieces of clothing whenever the weekends come along. this particular weekend is rather fruitful. i had been thinking of making summer shorts for a while and i couldn't find a pair for a decent price in the stores, so i thought, heck, i'll make one. so here's a tiny tute to share my tiny joy.

Hello Shorty!

Bit more girly than expected. not necessarily a bad thing! It looks like boudoir short, but its really a lot wearable in real life. change the fabric / embellishments to create a different look.

You'll need your fav shorts for this project, if you don't have a pattern already. its rather easy to make a pattern and very useful for simple adjustments for future projects.

You'll also need paper for your patter, ruler, pencil, chalk, scissors, thread, sewing machine, embellishments & of course fabric for your short. depending on size, i recommend about 1.5 yards/meters for safety. you'll also need a bit of time. I took about 6 hours, with the pattern, decisions and embellishments. some amount of coffee recommended. ;+)

1) Pattern.

Fold your fav short in half to get both the front and back pattern. i recommend a non-stretchy short if you're using a non-stretchy fabric. the pattern is generally a rectangular piece with an extended piece at the bottom so there's like a curve "L" at the side. See snapshort for elaboration. the front piece ussually has a shorter L, the back has an extended L at the crotch, to make room for my um, ahem, ample bottom. :P i.e., the larger the bum, the longer the L has to extend out. i left more space at the side seams for luck and i kinda wanted to have the bottom leg part to be slightly wider.

2) Sew the crotch area. Front side to back side.

 

 3) Sew the side seams. Repeat for other leg.

4) Flip one piece inside out and place it in the other pant leg. line them together and sew the inseam. this will ensure a smooth curve around your crotch area.

5) Flip it inside out and you have your basic shorts! All you have to do is finish up the top and bottom.

6) I stitched around the seam to ensure the seams are strong enough to withstand machine washing.

7) Waistband. 

Cut a length of fabric, long enough to go round the top with a bit to spare for the seam and wide enough to fold over. Pin it along the top of the short, good sides together, and sew around the top, leaving a space for your elastic to run through.

8) Insert elastic.

Cut a length of 1 inch elastic (it can be wider, just adjust the width of the waistband to accommodate the elastic.) comfy enough to go round your low waist area, cut and insert it into the waistband of the short. pull it through, join the ends of the elastic together by sewing a zigzag stitch along. adjust the elastic until it fits in nicely then sew the opening.

9) Pockets

Feel free to skip this step if you don't need them. i personally adore them to store objects i often lose. or they're perfect for your hands. ;+) think about the size, make sure it fits your palm, how big and deep you want them to be, mine was about 5.5 inches all round. also think about where you want them. try your shorts on and figure that out.

10) Round edge

I like to use bowls and plates for the perfect curve. ;+)

11) Chalk the edges.

12) Sew the edges leaving about 2 inches space to turn the pockets out. Cut the edges for a smooth finish. iron the pockets and sew them on your shorts. embellish them if you like. i used ribbons and vintage lace for a girly touch.

 

13) Hem / sew bottom leg portions and you're done! finished short is the one on top. ;+)

It looks soooooo cute on i might make a couple more. the bottom leg part is a bit wide so i might take it in a bit next round. i'll need a grey linen slightly longer one for work. we'll see.

hope you guys like it and enjoy short-ing! :D taaaa!

5th Anniversary SALE! - belated...but awesome! :D

When life gives us lemons, we make Pellegrino.....

Sorry its belated guys....but Its time to sit back and let the fingers do the clicking! Its the 5th Anniversary SALE time!

SALE starts this Tuesday night (GMT +8)!
For 2 weeks ONLY! (ends on my birthday, 21st Sept. :+))

Absolutely 30% off everything instore!
(even sale items! woo-hoo!)

SHOP AWAY already! :D

----------------------------------------------------
Anniversary SALE Conditions:
1) Reserved, pre-orders, customs, additional requests not included in the sale.
2) Sale section items are included! :D
3) Payment is expected immediately at the time of order for international paying by paypal.
4) Local customers can pay by paypal using your credit card.
----------------------------------------------------


Note that every single purse that goes into the shoppe is all painstakingly made by hand so no sale-time rejects ever!

The MidiZ Wristlets

The MidiZ Wristlets are here! These handy dandy purses are a smidgen bigger then the MiniZs, created to portray the print in its own right, each one is unique, like a art print that you can take with you, create conversations with people, connect with the world!

Holds your tiny essentials, with a divider inside, it'll be easier to locate stuff.

Watch out for them in our shoppe! :D

the long break... my apologies!

shot of the national day celebrations - Marina floating platform from my office at Raffles Place.

Hi guys! i'm terribly terribly sorry for the long disappearance. there were a lot going on and i had to take some time to figure things out a bit. i've received quite a number of convos and emails about my disappearance so i thought i'd better sort things out. this blog post is long overdue! (the "long" here is so underrated. LOL)

First of all, my sincerest apologies to all my ardent fans and lovely people who contacted me and i've not gotten back to. i will, promise! no words can possibly describe how thankful i am for the existence of you guys! seriously, you wonderful peeps motivated me to come back despite all the commitments. i'm dying to sew again, which i haven't for ever so long. i'm dreaming of the machine needles going up and down fresh fabrics. i know its time to start again, even if its small & slow.

Ok, i should recount already! my 2nd degree with RMIT (bachelor biz, accountancy) ended in december and i made a 2 month trip to see DH in Sydney before i had to start on work. then a little trip during the chinese new year to north east china with my parents since i haven't travelled with them in forever! it was so cold (neg 30C) but so beautiful. i had Jay Chou's music with me so it was pure magic. LOL. then its work, thanks so my lovely headhunter who was just waiting for me to jump back on the rat race. it was tough initially, loads of crap to clear and tons to learn. thank heavens it was a good trip, met some wonderful people with a decent boss. so its been alright so far. yes, i'm back to an office job. it somehow feels different...maybe i've learnt and grown a little, it feels like i've a better grip on things without having to spend ridiculous hours in the office like in my past jobs, before completely resenting the whole thing and quitting in the end. i hope this one will last me a while. i've also surprised DH with a short trip to Sydney during our 14th anniversary. Boss asked me to go. LOL DH has also made a trip here (snoring on the couch as i type. shhh) to singapore for my convocation on tuesday. he's gonna stick around til early october so i've got some company for a while. both our birthdays fall in sept, so we'll get to celebrate that since we haven't done so in years! :O its a little nuts, but i've also decided to continue with the last 5 papers of acca (chartered accountants qualification) so i may someday be an accountant. just for the sake of it. DH also urged me to make a plaque (was typing plague! :O) out of my degree so i can hang it in some office someday. i thought i'd hang it on the wall of a pretty country-like room surrounded with amazing fabrics, trinkets and trims, and of course sewing machines! LOL

so yeah....story of my life. short version. please don't feel ignored. i can't do custom orders for now due to my schedule (work, gym, classes, dh...) but i will try my best to come up with cute purses sporadically!

please do visit my little shop sometime!
we will have the long overdue FIFTH ANNIVERSARY SALE very soon!

SECRET:
(psst, if you're reading this & is hankering for something from our store, contact me for 50% off on anything in store!!! BUT, you'll have to tell me which is your favorite pic from any of the 3 links above in this post AND something you'll like to see in florspace's store in future. Go SHOP! :D)

Edit: Thanks for coming by, you amazing bunch of fs fans! thanks so much for keeping my little dream of creating purses alive! watch out for the sale a-comin' soon! :D

Black Friday Weekend SALE!

Its that time of the year again! Thanksgiving turkeys & families + the Black Friday Weekend SALE @ florspace!

Time to pick up stuff for everyone! Our Mini purses makes PERFECT stocking stuffers as our lovely customers say!

Pssst......Loads of special totes in store! Never a better time to pamper that special someone, you!

STARTS Nov 26th 2010
Our cut-off for guaranteed christmas delivery worldwide is 6th of Dec.

Black Friday-Weekend Sale Conditions:
1)Reserved, preorders, customs not included in the sale
2) Sale items are not included (are already on sale! ;+)
3) Florspace Home items not included BUT can be shipped together. Wait for a revised paypal invoice, SG wait for revised email notice for direct deposit.
4) Payment is expected immediately at the time of order for international paying by paypal.
5) Payment is expected within a day for local orders, ie, payment has to be received in our bank account within a day after information is emailed to you.
6) No further discounts applied.
7) While stocks last.
8) Conditions are subject to necessary changes.
9) Violations of rules mean sale will be cancelled. Sorry!


You get free extra yummy goodies in with every order! Because we love you guys for your wonderful support!

Tell your friends, shop in your pjs with a mug of hot choco. What could be better?
THE Black Friday-Weekend Sale only @ florspace!

And HAPPY HAPPY thanksgiving everyone! Have a safe & wonderful holiday you wonderful people!
Loads of HUGS & Kisses!
from the florspace factory!

NO SHIPPING 14-21 NOV

Hey peeps!

Just wanna swing by to say we've given a little break to our amazing helpful elves.

So NO SHIPPING from 14-21 November 2010. Just a week!

And then when the come back, you know what's gonna happen!!!

......... tum tum dummmm......The BLACK FRIDAY WEEKEND SALE! :D


Can you wait til then?! LOL

Out of Town notice

Note that I will be out of town til early January to visit my other half who's stuck here for work & research. sigh. So no custom orders for now. And we've got our amazingly helpful elves to ship your goodies to you, but please do allow 3-5 business days for them to pack, coordinate and ship everything out to you guys properly.

Shop early for Christmas! We've got tons of quality purses in our sale section! These are the same great quality you expect from a florspace creation, never seconds!

Changing times...

We're in the midst of changing our ever famous MiniZs for the better! We've received some emails regarding the issue of us using grosgrain ribbons for the D-ring tab and sometimes the ribbon frays despite the reinforcements. So we've listened and we're switching the ribbons for 4 layered cottons or canvas for the D-ring tabs, so they'll last a long long time! It'll be perfect for using it with a swing strap and attaching your keys. The best news? Our be-ribboned MiniZs are on sale for $5! They're all made with care and reinforced of course! But if you need a super strong tab, go for the fabric ones! They won't budge even when we play tug of war with it! LOL Yup, thats all part of our quality test runs!



So check out the whole bunch of them landed in store! With several new prints as well! In limited numbers, so shop early for Christmas! And, if you need 10 or more, contact us for a better price of retail! :D

Check them out!

Blog Exclusive! Fuchsia Kitty Pouch MiniZ Cube Wallet SET - SOLD

We're having a blog exclusive! When I set eyes on this print, I had to have it! The color's so hot, chic and the modish arrangement of the block alphabets and Miss Kitty sealed the deal! They had only a tiny amount left, so I bagged the bunch! We didn't have enough time to do up a tote yet, so here's a set of 3 that would make you smile when you open your tote & really brighten up your day!



First we have the ubiquitous Cube Wallet with Japan import noir snap buttons, white zipper inside and a matching hot pink canvas inside, sewn twice around so it'll last a long long time!



Then the large pouch to store your cosmetics & things for on the go, roomy and mod hot inside! 7" by 4.5" by 2.5" large.



And of course, we've included our ever famous MiniZ purse, for your metro cards and smaller items that always gets lost in our totes! Canvas inside too!



And a strong interfaced strap with elegant spring clasp to hold everything together! Feel free to use them apart too! ;+)

email for info if you'll like them! - florspace1@gmail.com

Update - SOLD!

MiniZs ON SALE!

Shop early for Christmas! We're putting up a whole bunch of awesome quality purses on SALE for $5 ONLY!

Go grab yourselves & your loved ones cute & functional MiniZs! :D

Shop now!

Fall into Linen...2 more!

As winter approaches, we start to mellow out a little too! We've got 2 more of those awesome natural linen theme that we all love so much! The one up there is Travelling Dreams which is quite personal for me as I love the anticipation of going somewhere, exploring new places, seeing new people and finding out a fresh perspective on life. This classy, slightly grown up little tote would be perfect for a day of shopping and lunch with the girls! Its a great conversation starter too! :+)



This is the last of the Teddies at the carnival! Don't miss it if you heart this print! I believe this combination is one of a kind as we're out of these cute handles. I love the playful nature of the teddies having fun at the fair! This tote would be so great for a yummy mommy! :+)

Check them all out instore!

Teddy Bear Land

This is the second of our Le Marais flap purse. I couldn't find much prints that look absolutely fantastic to me, except the classic dots and this really cute teddy carnival! This version is slightly bigger, 14" by 7.5", perfect for the yummy mommy that needs a few more things in her daily essentials. We absolutely love for picturesque the front flap is! The tiny teddies are all having a fabulous time at the carnival, its so much fun just to watch them!



We figured that pockets are absolutely essential, hence a classy curvaceous one behind and a patch one inside, with a cute brown hedgehog on it too! Paired with heavy interfacing & canvas inside, its one hard working purse, not just cute! ;+)



The long strap would be perfect as a convertible purse to be worn as the occasion calls for! Double it up like in the picture for a classy chic city shoulder purse, wear it end to end for a weekend messenger & remove it completely as a maxi clutch!

Don't miss this one of kind cute purse! Go See!

Le Marais Flap purse

Can't believe I made this about a month back! It started as one of those bouts of uncontrollable lusts for the Chanel 2.55 which I have a crush on for like forever now. I think it started back when I was in high school and my grown up cousins had big time jobs and could afford the black flap purses with gold chains and trims for those dinners they went to. I thought I'd do the same when I grew up. But somehow the prices when north and my sensibility caused some serious balking. I adore the couture styles and its amazing how a little bit of thought and creativity, out pops my own little version of the 2.55! Not as luxurious and expensive, its still one amazing creation I hold in my hand. 4 years later and I still surprise myself! We name it after Le Marais, a district in Paris.



I decided to give the old pre-quilted fabric a little try out. It works beautiful, albeit tricky at first but it really does look pretty good in the end. And you guys know how picky I am. :P I paired this purse with thicker interfacing inside on the black cotton. A little concave on the flap & a nifty silver turnlock later, I hold in my hand, my own flap purse. Convertible actually, from a clutch, to a city-chic shoulder bag, to a messenger to keep those hands free for shopping or for your kiddo. How cool is that? Fits your daily essentials, just enough to look fabulous.

I have one myself and this one's for you. Just the one, so don't miss it for the world!

Fall into Linen Collection ... The Brownies!

Whats fall without the creams and chocolates? Our little addition to the Fall into Linen Collection. Check them out instore!

Rising Sun - The City Hobo

We had this amazing print for a while now. I love that it combines traditional Japanese prints in a modish way. I never got an inspiration for a purse coz it was so beautiful by itself, any design didn't seem good enough. Moreover, the fabric was a little delicate. Just yesterday, I flipped through my fabric box and found this again. I had wanted to do a hobo and suddenly everything clicked, and Rising Sun was born in an afternoon!

Since the print is a little thinner than our usual cottons, with a little bit of interfacing and a marine grade canvas top and inside, its now ready to be a hard-working tote!

Traditional Japan in a chic, modish, city twist. Do you like? ;+)