Chicktweets

Chick Lit a.k.a. What I've been up to: Art for Grabs Malaysia Day Report

2011-09-19T05:44:00.000-07:00

It's abominable of me not to have uploaded pictures and updated the blog on the Chicktweets Buchs+Kunst (no, it's not a lesbian orgy) Fest before the recent Art for Grabs bazaar held at the Annexe Gallery this last weekend. However, between fulfilling my last few Ramadhan Chicktreat orders, painting, and updating the Facebook page was enough to fill up all my time.Well, that and there are two chicky-monkeys hogging the computer playing Facebook games as well...

Didn't get a chance to take a pic before Bonjour Tristesse was sold

Basically, I decided to take on a literary theme with the chick art, and worked on creating iconic covers or interpretations of the 2-D chick that would best represent some of the best-loved book titles of our time. Hence Buchs (books) and Kunst (art); it's German by the way.

I worked on two different styles in acrylic. Mini 4" x 4" canvas blocks representing characters from books and 8" x 12" vintage-esque book covers inspired by the classic Penguin book cover. I also represented covers from different decades, and mimicked how they evolved.

I didn't expect that I would completely be sold out at Art for Grabs, but I did! And have a few commissions to boot.

Zoe also produced 8 issues of her first ever Zoe Zine, and sold more than half of what we printed. I'm so proud of her I could pop an eyeball!

Penguin-inspired Book Covers (8" x 12")

This shot of "Animal Farm" was taken before it was finished.
It basically looks more like the Jeeves cover in terms
of book details.

4" x 4" Book Blocks

Coolest chick ever: Stieg Larsson's "The Girl
With The Dragon Tattoo"

He lived on heroin and ice cream for weeks
on end: Irvine Welsh's "Trainspotting"

He lived to capture the great Big White:
Herman Melville's "Moby Dick"

Love always comes with strings attached:
Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina"

He had the biggest mother who ever lived and brought
home the prized pineapple from previously
unexplored lands: Jeannette Winterson's
"Sexing the Cherry"

She often walked into the sea at night, and once,
for a change, she tried pills: Sylvia Plath's
"The Bell Jar"

She lured her lover to his death at an Indian
jewellers' where he'd just bought her a
large pink diamond ring: Eileen Chang's
"Lust: Caution"

Eccentric, brilliant, madman. Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle's "Sherlock Holmes"

He and his three 'droogs' would hang out at
The Korova Milkbar for milk plus plus
just before a bit of the old 'ultraviolence':
Anthony Burgess's "Clockwork Orange"

She loved gardening way too much (see how
she's a bit soiled?): D.H. Lawrence's
"Lady Chatterley's Lover"

Deviating a little from mainstream literature, this is
a throwback to the pulpy trash fiction covers of the 60's.
"Naked Lust" actually exists as a title, as does the tagline,
but I embellished the rest and chose to have the
chick dressed in a towel instead...

Apart from the title, this one's just me having a bit
of fun! 9.5" x 12"

Back to business: a set of two H.G. Wells books
done in perspective 12" x 12"

As above, so below. Also 12" x 12"

The Framed 1st-Page Series:

Before I buy any book, I always read the first page and if it doesn't get me, I don't buy it. These four are framed, but I shot them naked:

Anais Nin's "Delta of Venus"

Bram Stoker's "Dracula"

Richard Adams' Watership Down"

Thomas Hardy's "Tess of the D'urbervilles" and the
provocative strawberry incident

I also rewarded myself by buying some art. In many ways, Art for Grabs was a steal for art lovers, and I stole one off my good friend, Jerome Kugan.

Jerome Kugan's "Firefox"

I'm finally picking up the courage to set up my own Etsy store... Will report more in due course...

kisses

2011-08-07T18:30:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Here's a look at some of the finished jars. The three chicks, (including voluntary child labourers, Zoe and Mia --which explains some endearing missed stitches on the cross-stitch samplers) have been busy sewing and baking for your pleasure!

I'm also introducing a Sampler Jar, due to popular request, and it kind of makes sense. Why not experience all four flavours at once? RM22 only.
For flavours and prices please click here, or scroll down to previous post...

This brings multi-tasking to a whole new level, but it was all her idea. Watch out, boys of the new generation!

chick hugs = chugs!

Ramadhan Chicktreats

2011-08-03T04:30:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

I've just managed to put together the pictures and prices of the cookies; it's been rather busy with lots of sampler jars going out and orders already coming in...

Yummy Yummy Maple: Apricots, cranberries, golden sultanas, walnuts, pine nuts, oatmeal, maple syrup

YUMMY YUMMY MAPLE

Yummy Yummy Maple, as christened by little Mia, began as a home project. I couldn't find cookies at the supermarket that had everything I wanted in a packed little cookie, so I threw all the ingredients together and voila: a wholesome cookie with the tangy taste of fruit and the rich crunch of walnuts and pine nuts, imbued with the warm flavour of maple syrup and the comfort of oatmeal.

All cookies come in a reusable glass jar with a cross-stitch sampler and gift-dressed for sharing with others...

Small jar (about 40 pcs): RM40
Large jar (about 70 pcs): RM62

TO VIEW SAMPLES OF GIFT JARS CLICK HERE

Luxury chocolate chip cookies with dark, milk and white chocolate chips and crunchy almonds

CHIP LUXE

There's nothing "chiplak" about these chocolate chip cookies. I use Ghirardhelli chocolate chips where possible and at the very least, Hershey's or Nestle... (depending on availability). Luxurious dark, milk and white chocolate morsels with a sneak crunch of almond...

Gift jars:

Small jar: RM38
Large jar: RM60

Ipoh White Coffee with dark and white chocolate

IPOH MARLEY

I love my Ipoh White coffee and I hope you do too. This is a simple mocha cookie: the rich taste of Ipoh White Coffee, complemented with the taste of dark chocolate and smoothened out with creamy white chocolate morsels...

Gift jars:
Small jar: RM35
Large jar: RM58

Dates, apricots, cream cheese and toffee bits

DATE WITH DESTINY

Chicktweets is chuffed to have invented this cookie! A rich, soft cookie with the strong flavour of Mozzafati dates blended with cream cheese, with fresh date morsels, dried apricots, oozing with English toffee bits. If you like the sticky date toffee pudding at Alexis, you'll love this one.

Gift jars:
Small jar: RM42
Large jar: RM65

Other things to note about Chicktreats:

No more than 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar is used in every batch of 60 cookies
No scrimping on the quality and quantity of ingredients
Apart from the oven, no electric appliances are used in making these cookies; they're all lovingly handmade
I prefer not to use plastics, but if you wish to buy some cookies for private consumption, I can work something out with a discount for you
Chicktweets needs a 7-14 day turnaround, and this may increase subjectively according to orders, so get your order in as soon as you can...
I'm working on getting pick-up and tasting centres in central locations in the Klang Valley - will let you know...

Pics of gift jars and info on sampler jars coming in the next one! If you'd like to get in touch, SMS: 012 204 2328 or email me at: chicktweets@gmail.com.

chick kisses...

Chicktweets Is Back with Ramadhan Chicktreats

2011-07-29T23:16:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've had time to do the things that I love and thanks to voluntary unemployment, I've decided to combine the two things I've been doing to restore balance in my life (read: cure
depression) -- baking and sewing -- and turn it into a productive project.

Friends and family were commenting on how much they like my cookies,

so, today, I found myself writing these words on the FB page I created:

"Chicktweets introduces Ramadhan Chicktreats -- Homebaked cookies made with a lot of love. No scrimping on quality or quantity of ingredients. Comes in a re-usable glass jar decorated with kitschy cross-stitch sampler. Ideal for gifts that are a little bit different this Ramadhan season... Pickup in a central location. 7-14 day turnaround time.

chicktweets@gmail.com ♥ ♥ ♥"

It's strange how enthusiastic I sound. I guess being a depressed martha stewart has its rewards?

For more information, you can also view the Facebook page I created:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chicktreats-by-Chicktweets/125534067539446

The four flavours available are:

Yummy Yummy Maple (Mia named this one) : oatmeal cookies with apricots, cranberries, sultanas, walnuts, pine nuts and maple syrup
Chip Luxe: There's nothing 'chiplak" about my chocolate chip cookies. Pure luxury with white, dark and milk chocolate chips
Ipoh Marley: Ipoh white coffee, white chocolate and Hershey's semi-sweet chocolate chips
Date with Destiny: dates, apricots, cream cheese, white chocolate chunks and lemon zest

Here are some pictures to share with you. I made some sampler jars to distribute today. Zoe designed the mini menu-cards...

chick love

Chicktweets at Between The Lines

2009-07-23T19:50:00.000-07:00

We had a great turnout last night at Between The Lines - great music, great dips, great company as usual. There was a lot of art that I wanted to buy from my fellow exhibitors... I'm very very tempted. Got a freebie from one of the artists, Dill Malik - an exclusive, signed and never-before-seen sketch from her moleskine (similar to her exhibits which she's selling at 200 bucks a pop) - I'm thrilled!

Here it is (have to ask her what it's called...)

A little bit about what Sidney and I worked on. We chose to work with pick-up lines. So I googled corny pick-up lines and chose some of the worst lines to use, then we discussed the scenarios and he went off to paint the landscapes. Of course, what inspired him took a turn away from the mundane and I was surprised and challenged at the same time to make them work conceptually - but I enjoyed it thoroughly.

This one is called FART, 20" x 20", Acrylic on canvas, RM550 - SOLD YESTERDAY!

CONDO 18" x 30" Acrylic on Canvas, RM700

Condo was meant to portray the cheap pick-up lines that politicians throw at us to convince us that we need something we don't.

JINGLE BELL 30" x 40" Acrylic on Canvas, RM1,200 - SOLD YESTERDAY!

This one is about the working girls who say they want to love you but really don't, and don't really have a choice... I really love what my brother did with the shophouses and the impressionist lighting...

This pic is not great, taken with my itty-bitty phone...

This pic is a higher resolution but isn't really representative of the colours because of the spotlights at the gallery.

THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO CAME OR WILL COME TO THE SHOW! Between the Lines is on at the Annexe Gallery from now till August 2, 11am - 8pm.

bisous

Cheep Sex at the Annexe!

2009-07-20T02:55:00.000-07:00

(art by Dill Malik)

Chicktweets is chuffed to be participating in a group exhibition at the Annexe Gallery entitled Between The Lines. So much of the truth is hidden in life that the only way to find out is to look between the lines... As the rules involve working with lines, Chicktweets, working with the very talented brother, Sidney, will show some pieces revolving around the theme of Cheep Sex, cheep politics, cheep pick-up lines.

Come! We're Cheep!

Between The Lines - Art Exhibition
The Annexe Gallery
Central Market Kuala Lumpur
23 July - 2 August, 2009
11am - 8pm

Opening reception Thursday 23 July at 8pm.

Love to all!
p/s may upload some preview pics...

ART FOR GRABS, ANNEXE GALLERY IN MAY

2009-07-20T02:15:00.000-07:00

Art for Grabs was a blast - Chick Art sold out again and Chick Bling almost did too! Hello again blogosphere!

Craftweek 2

2009-04-25T20:17:00.000-07:00

This week at Seows, we continued with the crafting... things need to step up a fair bit as Art For Grabs is two weeks near... Seows continued with her florette corsarges and I worked on some charm necklaces. Mia came to do some artsy stuff, but just basically drove us nuts with her 4-year old fidgeting...

Charm clusters to be tagged on to beaded necklaces...

Stray silk from Seow's corsarges...

More next week...

Craft Day...

2009-04-18T04:15:00.000-07:00

My best friend Seows and I have decided to encourage each other to find time in our busy schedules to craft. So we've declared Saturday - Craft Day...

We're also working towards the upcoming Art for Grabs at the Annexe Gallery, happening May 9th and 10th... And so far we have nothing ready to sell... so... anyway, here's what we worked on today.

Seows worked on these... Thai Silk florette corsages which can be converted into hair ornaments...

I found a little vintage-looking frame so I decided to paint a chick portrait...

I think I'm going to call her Harriet, after Seows' cat... She wears a special hair ornament with peacock feathers, but because i didn't bring my camera to Seows, and had to use my itsy bitsy phone cam, you can't really see the detail. I'm obsessed with peacock, guinea and other fowl feathers in hair ornaments at the moment...

Then Seows' gave me some quilt fabric to line the picture frame with... We couldn't decide which looked quirkier and more special... But I think we're leaning towards the red print... Which one do you like?

Songbird

2009-03-26T19:39:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture I did for a friend's birthday... I'm now working on some cameo portraits... I'm kind of torn between keeping a more pop approach such as in this painting or go realistic - and I do like the vintage poster elements as well - it's just that I'm still building the skills to make those really work... Hmm...

Chick Bling

2009-03-24T23:20:00.000-07:00

Chicktweets is in the process of introducing Chick Bling - adornments for style-savvy thinking chicks and chickettes with a penchant for the fun and silly. I've just completed experimenting with polymer clay to create a range of pendants, bracelets and rings with Victoriana influences (cameos and stuff) and on the other extreme playing with themes of organic matter and planetary shapes.

Sounds very impressive - but I realise I've a long way to go... I've been testing the durability of the stuff I'm making. The rings haven't been very promising, but the pebble charms are doing much better... I'm also thinking of complementing the clay stuff with leather, precious metals and semi-precious stones... But the whole idea is to create thoughtful bling with a green message, and utilising stuff that doesn't chip at the earth's resources too much (think Blood Diamond), which people will not frown at given the current socio-economic climate.

Please tell me what you think!

Chicktoria - a range of Victorian-inspired looks I'm trying out...

Flip Pendants

These pendants flip to reveal another chick on the other side.

More chicktweets in the next...

Pretty, chicky treats

2009-03-24T06:47:00.000-07:00

I like treats. In fact, I love 'em and Chicktweets is all about treats. Treats to put in your home, treats to wear, treats to eat... I first started out wanting to paint birds to fill my empty walls. Then I got involved in this little art bazaar called ART FOR GRABS, run by The Annexe Gallery in Kuala Lumpur, and people bought all my paintings. I played around with acrylic on canvas and tried a pop art approach, and also took inspiration from some vintage posters. So far I'm having fun!

Some of my early works...
Set Them Free

Birds of a Feather

Bird on the Dancefloor

Some from my vintage collection...
Paris Match

La Parisienne

Smoking Chick

Absinthe 1

Absinthe 2

Chicks Rule

more to come!