Saturday, February 20, 2010
Tradditional Thai Patterns on Fabrics.
One of my mission of taking a trip back to Thailand, besides visiting our families, is to grab Thai fabric as many as I can do, and bring back to my studio in NYC. I know I can make great stuffs out of this beautiful fabric.
In Thailand, we call this kind of fabric Pa-ly, which is another kind of Pa-Tunk or sarong fabric in English. It is a piece of soft and tight woven cotton fabric that is sewed, joined together into a big bag with no bottom for women to wear.
My lovely 99 year-old grandma, Pann, in her usual Pa-Ly and a cotton summer blouse in a hot day.
The patterns are tradition Thai motif most commonly seen in Thai art and crafts. In the past, this type of fabrics were more likely worn as a sarong by an elders - like my granny, but not any more.
Left : Pa-Patae Right : Pa-Ly
In my recent trip to Thailand, I'd seen a lot of this Pa-ly made into a modern design clothing like pants, skirts or use in decoration in some type, and I love it!....
Finally, this fabric get more respect rather than be categorized into just sarongs for elders. It is just a piece of very nice and soft cotton fabric that can be made into just about anything.
And that's why I made sure I have these beautiful fabric with precious pattern design in my studio.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Sweet Almond Lotion Bar.
My sweet almond lotion bar with a yummy scent of coconut and vanilla.
My skin has been screaming dry since day one I got back from Thailand to an icy street of New York City. I feel like having something to easily rub it on my skin, especially on rough and dry spots like a back of my hands, elbows, feet with no oozy-mess feeling of lotion or cream.
So, lotion bar is my choice. It is very easy to make, just an equal part of oil, bee wax and butters, melt together in microwave, (in my bar, I later added 2 tablets of vitamin E and a tiny dash of FO) stir well, pour into a mold, let it cool. When it hardens, it will pop off the mold.
I made one 1.50 oz. bar for myself just that I don't want to stock up on this kind of thing. Spring is just around the corner, this perfect palm-size bar will last me until then.
Now, I keep it within reach, rub it on only the spots that is needed, whenever I need it - truly a good stuff to keep close to my hands and get rid of the itchiness.
My skin has been screaming dry since day one I got back from Thailand to an icy street of New York City. I feel like having something to easily rub it on my skin, especially on rough and dry spots like a back of my hands, elbows, feet with no oozy-mess feeling of lotion or cream.
So, lotion bar is my choice. It is very easy to make, just an equal part of oil, bee wax and butters, melt together in microwave, (in my bar, I later added 2 tablets of vitamin E and a tiny dash of FO) stir well, pour into a mold, let it cool. When it hardens, it will pop off the mold.
I made one 1.50 oz. bar for myself just that I don't want to stock up on this kind of thing. Spring is just around the corner, this perfect palm-size bar will last me until then.
Now, I keep it within reach, rub it on only the spots that is needed, whenever I need it - truly a good stuff to keep close to my hands and get rid of the itchiness.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Oh-So Coconut shell.
Coconut shell soap tray with my handmade coconut lavender soaps.
During our last visit at Jatujak market, the biggest weekend market in Thailand, of our trip in Thailand, I saw a lot of coconut shell products there, from home furniture, lamps, handbags, buttons, tableware, kitchenware etc. all that can be made out of these versatile coconut shell, they were all there.
I remember the first time I saw the coconut shells made into something unseen-of was almost fifteen years ago. It was coconut shells made into woman evening bags and some forms of jewelry by my friend, Moo, who's then living on Koh Tao, a diving paradise island in the Gulf of Thailand.
He opened a small shop and sold his crafts to visitors there before moving to UK five years later. All of the stuffs in his shop were made out of coconut shells, which I think it is a brilliant idea to make a living on the island full of coconut trees.
But then he designed to move to UK with his British girlfriend and got married there. His craft shop was closed eventually. My memories of seeing coconut shells in another forms of products was faded too.
its legs look a bit awkward to me. They don't go with the beautiful textured petals.
I believe the coconut shell products have been around for quite sometime, only that I wasn't there to see them rise.
So in this trip, I was so excited to see these coconut shells made into different kinds of shapes and forms and, of course, functions all over Jatujak market. I think these hard shells are cool in their own ways. I wish I had the ability to take them all home if the airline allowed me to pack more than 50 lb a bag.
Well then, all I could grab was these cute coconut shell soap trays. I bought enough for my friends as a gift to go along with my handmade soaps.
Some products made out of coconut shells at Jatujak market in Thailand.
During our last visit at Jatujak market, the biggest weekend market in Thailand, of our trip in Thailand, I saw a lot of coconut shell products there, from home furniture, lamps, handbags, buttons, tableware, kitchenware etc. all that can be made out of these versatile coconut shell, they were all there.
I remember the first time I saw the coconut shells made into something unseen-of was almost fifteen years ago. It was coconut shells made into woman evening bags and some forms of jewelry by my friend, Moo, who's then living on Koh Tao, a diving paradise island in the Gulf of Thailand.
He opened a small shop and sold his crafts to visitors there before moving to UK five years later. All of the stuffs in his shop were made out of coconut shells, which I think it is a brilliant idea to make a living on the island full of coconut trees.
But then he designed to move to UK with his British girlfriend and got married there. His craft shop was closed eventually. My memories of seeing coconut shells in another forms of products was faded too.
its legs look a bit awkward to me. They don't go with the beautiful textured petals.
I believe the coconut shell products have been around for quite sometime, only that I wasn't there to see them rise.
So in this trip, I was so excited to see these coconut shells made into different kinds of shapes and forms and, of course, functions all over Jatujak market. I think these hard shells are cool in their own ways. I wish I had the ability to take them all home if the airline allowed me to pack more than 50 lb a bag.
Well then, all I could grab was these cute coconut shell soap trays. I bought enough for my friends as a gift to go along with my handmade soaps.
Some products made out of coconut shells at Jatujak market in Thailand.
Friday, February 5, 2010
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