Books from London

I'm bad when it comes to buying books. Not that I'm bad at the buying but that I tend to have less restraint. I simply reason that one can never read enough and that books are good. Are you like that too?

This trip to London was no exception. I bought quite a few books and magazines, especially those that were harder to find in Singapore. Here are a few. You'll see my buying was slant towards illustration related books this time. I can't wait to dive into them!

Yes, I do like children's books as well.

[Tokyo] - Daikanyama T-Site

So in my last post, you had an idea of where I went in Daikanyama. What you didn’t know was, I spent the bulk of my time in T-site. T-site houses several cafes/restaurants, the coolest pet-grooming shop I’ve ever seen, a Leica shop and Tsutaya. 

Pet area

The Tsutaya in T-site is AMAZING. I spent like 5 hours there (get how fantastic it is now?). You are free to browse books and magazines, sit down on a comfy chair, listen/loan CDs and LPs (!). 

There’s a beautiful chill out cafe within Tsutaya which we chose to rest out tired legs.

T ordering our drinks and dessert from an iPad. Yep, that’s how they do it.

I LOVE the concept and design of T-site!

[Melbourne] Zines

I really buy into the idea of zines. Independently published and without any regulations, it is total freedom of expression. Often zines production are driven by passion, not profit. Zines have not taken Singapore by storm (sadly) and I still get blank looks when I mention zines but that hasn’t stopped me from publishing two issues :) 

Imagine my delight when I walked into a little shop filled entirely with zines in Melbourne. Yes, there aren’t other products. Just zines. Upon stepping in and although I have yet to take a look at anything, I decided that I will not walk out empty-handed. It is about supporting fellow zinesters :). The 3 walls of the space was lined with zines. Excitedly, I decided on which side to start feasting my eyes at. It was such a joy seeing zines of all genres! Many of them were true to the “underground” and cheaply produced spirit of zines-- photocopy, staple. Voila!

I felt inspired just being there. 

Terroir No. 2

A little while ago, an opportunity came by to collaborate and I am so proud to share with you the final product. 

Terroir magazine is a bespoke bi-annual magazine that seeks to showcase Singaporean perspectives on travel and what various places meant to us. I learnt about Terroir during the launch of its first issue and was smitten by it! I LOVE the beautiful paper, each sheet carefully hand bound. On its pages were gorgeous images, dreamily transporting me to other places in the world.

Terroir has recently launched issue 2 and I am thrilled to have contributed to a writing and some photos from my time in Japan. Thanks for letting me a part of this, Ben!

Read more over here. Terroir is available for sale here on a print on demand basis.

Book Feature - I Heart Stationery

Hello there, I’ve a piece of news to share and I’m pretty thrilled about it! Cookie Cutter is featured in a book! It’s a new book, “I Heart Stationery” by the lovely Charlotte Rivers. 

Despite the dominance of digital technology, the old-school way of communicating via handwritten letter/card is still adored by many (raise your hands!). In her book, Charlotte showcases the works of designers around the world who employ different artisan processes in their making of stationery. Yours truly is humbled with an entry, featuring these notecards I made by hand stitching on paper.

My sweet friend, Sarah, spotted the book in the store last week and tweeted me a picture. That got me all excited and I nabbed myself a copy over the weekend. If you, like me, have a weakness for paper goods and beautiful designs, you will LOVE this book! Think an indoor Saturday afternoon, a cup of tea, the couch, and this book! It is so inspiring to see all the great work that is being done (eye candy!) and to learn about the many methods and materials people employ in making stationery. 

Thank you, Charlotte for letting me be a part of your wonderful book!

You can purchase a copy of the book online here. Alternatively, I bought mine from Kinokuniya.

[Feature] - Hummingbird in Spoonful

Are you a reader of Spoonful zine? If you like the idea of sitting down with a cup of tea, block off the hustle and bustle of life, enjoy a short inspiring read that at the end leaves you with a smile, you need to get your hands on a copy of Spoonful!

Issue 6 of this publication is fresh out of the oven and the theme for this issue is ‘hummingbird’. I’m delighted to have made a hummingbird wall hanging mobile specially for this issue! You will find a picture of it in the Objects of Affection section, together with the awesome creations of other talented folks (thanks, Anthea, for having me!). My hummingbird wall hanging mobile is currently listed it in my Etsy shop here. 

Buy your copy of Spoonful or subscribe to it over here!

[Top 2 images: Spoonful]

Run of Mill (issue 2)!

So, here’s issue 2 of my comic zine, Run of the Mill! I’m thrilled to say that even though I only recently posted it in my Etsy shop, I’ve already sold a couple of copies! I also had fun decorating the envelopes I packed them in with my MT tapes :)

Like the first issue, this zine is based on my real life experiences. It is light-hearted and seeks to bring out the humour in our everyday lives. This is explored through the theme of “running” in issue 2. The pages are filled with cute drawings and I hope they’ll bring a smile to your lips. Run of the Mill (issue 2) is available here.  

Posts on my recent Japan trip coming right up!

[Bangkok] - Vanilla Cafe

There was a little path leading me inwards. I stepped onto it feeling like I was in a little park but unsure of what to expect ahead. What soon unfolded before me had my heart skipping a beat. Nestled among lush greenery was a cool bookshop specialising in art and design.

Next to it was a cafe that charmed my socks off with its gorgeous interior. With its bookshelf of manga collection and a foosball table on the first level, I almost thought I was in someone’s living space.

Yes, you heard me right. This is in Bangkok!