Update on Leximakes

Hello readers! 

First of all, I would like to say big fat THANK YOU. 

I have never in my wildest dreams thought that my blog would have received so many encouraging messages and e-mails from people all around the world. I initially started this blog with the aim of updating all my handy artwork in one place for me to look back, as well as share my love of crafting with the world. I am beyond happy when I receive a little e-mail from some of my readers asking for opinions which I would gladly give! No harm in sharing ideas!

I would like to apologize for not writing in as often as I'd like. Medical school has been hectic and I'm now heading on to 5th year. You'd think I've forgotten about arts? Heck no! It's in my blood.

For the past couple of months, I've been into water illustrations. I used to colour and paint back in my schooling days, and I've forgotten how much joy it used to bring me. I'll be writing a separate post on the kickstart of my water illustrating journey and beginner tools that I am currently using (and absolutely adore!)

Also, I have decided to stop making soaps for the time being because ingredients are difficult to come by, and I am an impatient bubble that needs her 'what-you-need' list when an idea suddenly strikes! Having said that, I'll still go green and purchase handmade soaps because my love for them just never ceases.


So what am I doing right now? 

Well, I am currently back in my hometown (Miri, Sarawak) for selectives and electives. I have a whooping 3 months 'break' from university! Yikes. I mean, in no way am I complaining but I'm the kind of person that HAS to be out and about, and I'd much prefer a break with a few intervals in between than a full-on 3 months off.

For my electives, I reckon I might as well use this time to sharpen whatever skills I have right now - painting. I'll be heading to c.studio next week to commence my first class with Chen. He seems to be a very welcoming and talented tutor, so I am looking forward to learn skills from him. Oil painting has always been an art that falls outside of my comfort zone but hey, new skills are the hardest in the beginning and I am up for a new challenge!

In the mean time, the idea of embroidery has come into mind (to be fair, it has always lingered somewhere in there from before) and given the ample time I am blessed with now, I might as well take up this challenge because if not now, then when?

And I will be updating (I promise this time!) my blog on my progress.

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Picture Tutorial: Crochet Daisy Squares

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Photo Tutorial: How to remove 'eaten' fabric from feed dogs

Hello beautiful people!

While I was playing around with my sewing machine, I noticed that the feed dogs seemed to love 'eating' my fabric and wouldn't let go! Sometimes if I'm lucky, I manage to pull it out if it's not deep enough but this is not good for your machine. I went online to search for ways on how to remove these fabric but the guides were either too long, or did not work for me. I decided to twinkle here and there and I noticed that there is a very very simple way of doing it, but it isn't exactly 'certified' if I have to put a word for it.

Here is a step-by-step photo tutorial, well because I personally prefer photo tutorials with straight-forward instructions on it. I hope this helped anyone out there with the same problem.

First off, don't panic.

Good.

Now follow the steps below. Please be patient with your machine and handle with love!

Comment below if this worked for you! I'd love to know if my tutorial helped and if it does, perhaps I'll post up more tutorial entries with loads of photos! 

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[Review] Brother JS1410 Sewing Machine

BROTHER JS1410 SEWING MACHINE

Hello there! I've recently been exploring the world of sewing and took quite some time to figure out which sewing machine to buy (was thinking of brands like Janome, Singer and even Juki). My final decision was Brother JS1410- all the basic stitches and important features are packed in this lightweight sewing machine, such as straight stitch, zigzag stitch, reverse stitching, free arm, LED light, blind hem stitch and a buttonhole maker (must have!). Also, I thought it was super cute and the blue color projected a very clean, finished look. 

Where did I buy BROTHER JS1410?

I bought this sewing machine from LAZADA MALAYSIA at RM448 (Ori price: RM548. Price on official Brother page: RM699) and I must admit, their delivery service was not as disappointing as I thought -took 3 days with GDex. I bought this during the Raya Sales, so I got a massive RM100 discount from that! 

First impression?

I like how surprisingly lightweight it is! Yet, it's still sturdy when I sew and doesn't move or vibrate, which is a big no no for me as the constant movement of the machine would definitely affect the finished product. I'm also very pleased with the simple deisgn of the sewing machine. Brother did a good job on that one! 

So let's start! I'll let the photo's do the talking, and will give a brief explanation.

 

Sewing Features

Stitch Number	14
Stitch Pattern Selection	Dial Selection
Stitch Width (Max)	5mm
Stitch Length Control	No
Buttonhole Sewing	4 Step
Number of Buttonholes	1
Feed Dog	6 point

General

Category	Mechanical (Electric)
Bobbin Type	Horizontal
Needle Threader	No
Thread Cutter	No thread cutter
Sewing Light	LED
Foot controller	Yes
Start Stop Button	No
Thread Tension Control	Manual
F.A.S.T Bobbin Winding System	No

Source: http://welcome.brother.com/my-en.html

I like how there's a step-by-step guide on how to wind a bobbin. Terrific for newbies like me.

Removable drawer to reveal the free arm hole, perfect for sewing cuffs, sleeves and bags! *squeals*

What's in the box? It's not only the sewing machine! You also get:

1) Buttonhole foot "A"

2) Zipper foot "I"

3) Zigzag foot "J"

4) 4 x Bobbins

5) 3 x Needles

6) Screwdriver

7) Foot Controller 

8) Instructional DVD

You can see a hole (buttonhole controller) in this photo. This is where the screwdriver should be slotted into. 

 I know, I was trying to figure out where and how do I use this thing too...

That's basically it.Oh and never forget to...

1) Check the authenticity to make sure what you're buying is the real deal. 

2) Certified with SIRIM (or any entrusted organization that certifies product safety and quality).

I hope my review helped some of you decide on a sewing machine! It was really hard for me because there really weren't a lot of reviews or videos about this machine. Leave me an email at alexiswong94@gmail.com if you're looking for some friendly advice, or just want to talk!  

*All photos are mine and edited by me. I was not in any way sponsored, so this is an unbiased and honest opinion. 

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Up next: Sewing

I apologize for being inactive the past months, just found time off exams. Now it's ME TIME!

I've wanted to venture into sewing for quite some time now, but figured that it'd be way too tedious and tiring. However, I would like to thank Tilly & The Buttons for inspiring me and telling me that sewing is not as daunting as I imagined. 

By reading some reviews regarding her book Love at First Stitch, my heart have definitely fell in love with the minimalistic and easy-going approach of the book. I'm very very new to the world of sewing and am so afraid to pick up a sewing guide book that has sewing jargons and incomprehensible sew-cabulary (yes I made up that word). Reviewers say it's so easy to understand and it's as if she is right there guiding you. YEAPS!

Not only that, the patterns inside are to-die-for-level-of-cuteness. 

Found out that in Malaysia, MPH and Kinokuniya sell her book for RM112.90. Yes, I will get my hands on it despite the slightly ridiculous pricing! 

I like to do my own personal preps and research before going into a potential hobby (particularly because it may just be a temporary, in the spur of the moment, kinda thing). Just as I started my crochet journey back in September 2013, I know it's gonna be tough in the beginning but so worth it in the end. Crocheting has brought so much joy and contentment into my draining medical life and I believe sewing will too. 

Next up, I'll talk about my minimal research on the must-have for every seamstress-- the sewing machine, as well as other essential sewing tools. 

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Rustic Soap Packaging

Today is the day my tofu soaps (made from fresh organic soymilk) have finally matured! As excited I was to use it, I was just as excited to package my soaps with a minimalist rustic  theme and give them away as lovely practical gifts.

This was the outcome of my packaging that came into mind as I went along. I basically used what I had on hand: baking paper, brown paper, a pair of paper scissors, glue and most importantly, creativity. 

 A lil' close up view of my soap packaging

This photo shows the sequence of the packaging: raw soap > baking paper > optional name of item > brown paper with added label

I crocheted these beautiful vintage doilies a while back and have found them to be particularly useful as coasters as well as props for photography :P 

For those who are wondering, you can get those cute free printables by clicking on the highlighted words. I printed then cut them out and pasted them as labels to my soap packaging. It really added a nice touch of color that I am definitely loving!

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[Review] Franch Coconut Herbal Hair Oil

Hello there! This is my first review for products I've used thus far. Currently, I'm using Franch Coconut Herbal Hair Oil to nourish my hair (because my hair seriously needs it!). I bought mine at AA pharmacy, one of my fav pharmacies where everything is so cheap and sells a wide range of products!

My hair type: FINE & OILY. In just a day after washing my hair, it gets coated with oil and looks really greasy. Definitely not the hair you'd want to present to the world to see! It also doesn't help that my hair is fine so when it gets oily, my hair appears so little- it's depressing, I know.

Most people would wonder why I'd even want to apply more OIL to my oily scalp? Believe it or not, specific kinds of oils can bring loads of wonderful benefits to our hair! For example, rosemary oil, jojoba oil and lavender oil. Although my hair is oily, that is only true for the parts near my scalp as my scalp is oily as well but the bottom parts of my hair are slightly frizzy and dare I admit, dry. 

:: Back to the review ::

Franch Coconut Herbal Hair Oil is enriched with Vetiver grass, Henna and Castor oil that will strengthen hair strand from root to tip, giving your hair volume and thickness you always desired. Its unique formulation helps restore hair growth, prevents breakage and hair loss and reverses the effects of hair thinning. 

:: Here comes the special part of this oil! ::

Franch Coconut Herbal Hair Oil formulation is a new and revolutionary 'pre-wash' scalp and hair treatment. This unique hair oil is specially formulated to absorb into the scalp within 20 minutes after application. After 20 minutes you may wash off with Franch Herbal Shampoo leaving your hair non-sticky and oil-free.

:: Ingredients ::

Coconut oil extract, lawsonia Inermis extract (henna extract), Vetiveria zizanioides extract, pure refines coconut oil, mineral oil, Cl color, fragrance, franch oil

So far I'm satisfied with this product and it does what it says. My hair doesn't break or fall out and feels well-conditioned. The best part is I seriously feel that my hair is getting thicker and more volumized. I had a friend who had long thick hair and her secret was applying coconut oil every morning and this worked for me too! I also like how mild the scent is. As this is a pre-wash hair oil, I do not need to worry about looking greasy as I just rub it into my scalp and hair, wait, then wash it out. Another trick is to apply a bit onto the ends of your hair to have a more lasting effect. 

PRICE: RM9.40 

RATINGS: 4.0/5.0

For more information and testimonials, please visit Franch World

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