Kimia by Melda Ahmad

Melda Ahmad is a familiar face at Bijou Bazaar. We often see her sitting quietly helping her sister with sales, but we never knew she write songs + sings beautifully.

We were pleasantly surprised to listen to her song recently. 'Kimia' or chemistry is a love song about two people sharing a chemistry + ended up together in the end. We just love the innocence in her voice. Listening to the tune made us somewhat nostalgic about our youthful years.

Oh well, hope it's all sunshine + rainbows where you're at this weekend. If everything's well, we're off to Seremban, a town south of Kuala Lumpur, this weekend for our alumna school visit. A walk down memory lane with the girlfriends, looking forward to that.

Oh ... oh ... to Baby + Mr A who first met at Bijou Bazaar, sitting by the pool, Happy 2nd Anniversary you two! :o)

xoxo

Poketo 100% Upcycled Bags

Poketo has just launched a new collaboration with environmentally-awesome Korean nonprofit design brand Eco Party Mearry, and we're loving the result.

Meet 'Joe' the recycled suit tote, named after Joe Poketo's dad. It is a 100% recycled tote with neatly stitched leather handles, also created from recycled leather couches. There's only one piece of Joe in the world + it is sold.

We're not surprised + super excited to see this latest offering by Poketo. Borrowing one of your dad’s suits might make you look like a square, but turning it into a tote bag is just ironic enough to be incredibly cool.

Who wouldn't want to own one of Poketo's one of a kind, limited edition uber crazy rad recycled suit tote, carefully hand-tailored to give men’s suits their second chance at life + are sure to make statement right? This one of a kind tote will definitely get some attention, especially from cute hipster chicks who are into saving the planet and stuff. ;o)

It was only last week, Poketo launched the collaboration + most of recycled suit tote retailed online were sold.

Dexter, the loveable and fashionable nerd is sold too. Check the rest of their mates out at Poketo.

x

Stalked: Evangelione's Handmade

Peeps who's been following Bijou Bazaar blog from earlier on would have noticed our infatuation with homegrown + handmade. We have been stalking quite a number of Malaysian crafters on the Blogger network + we feel like sharing one with you. It's always a pleasure to watch the stride they make in growing their crafts + how their work mature.

Yup! Just the one we're sharing this week, a crafter who's work we really, really love. But we might change our mind + share more stalked talents here. We'll see... ;o)

Evangelione's Handmade first caught our attention at 'Arts for Grab' circa 2008. If you frequent the Annexe's arts + craft market or 'Pipit Wonderful Market', you would be familiar with Evangelione's rather exquisite + poetic work.

Wait!

Before you blokes go rolling your eyes + conclude that the only reason we were attracted to Evangelione's Handmade was because the work are girly + cute, let us tell you, it's more than that. Mind you, the writer has never owned a doll in her life, though that might change shortly. ;op

Evangelione's Handmade dabbles with crafts like card making ...

... dollhouse miniatures ...

... and a few other crafts but it was her handmade dolls which spoke to us. Like Mr Bunny below, there's this lingering tired sadness about him, while his other friends carry different emotions.

Curious, we spoke to Tako, the Johor Bahru based lass behind the brand to know Evangelione's Handmade better.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hello^^ I'm Yeo Mei Ying but my friends call me Tako. I am currently a full time crafter and I work from home. I love all things beautiful, I love colours, I love so many things but I love crafting the most. I am quite a shy person and I am not very good at communicating, I have a weird habit of not picking up phone calls, I know it is bad but I just can't help it. I can't hold a good conversation with people whom I just met. Oh, I am bad tempered too. =.=

BB: all that that you've described says you are a creative + passionate person but we found you rather pleasant over the email, just aced a form of communication there. ;o)

2. Tell us more about Evangelione + your creation.

I started to use Evangelione as my email since almost ten years ago, it was just a name I use on forums and so on, and then I started to blog, so I used it as my blog name as well til now and it became my brand name. My work are mostly dolls, accessories and dollhouse miniature, I have a doll name Audrey, who is the little girl who lives inside me, she tells my secret, she speaks for me. I believe every girl does too, have a little girl living inside you, the real you, or the girl you wanted to be.

3. What has been the most exciting part/thing to happen since setting Evangelione?

I have to say it's the people I met. I met so many wonderful people who have been supporting me all the way, friends or crafts friends who are with me whenever, in whatever situation, I am very grateful for having them around.

4. Apart from creating those lovely dolls, what do you do?

Actually I love everything about crafts, I like to try everything. Apart from making dolls, I am also fond of dollhouse miniatures, as a matter of fact, I started Evangelione with dollhouse miniatures, then I went into doll making. Besides crafting, I love collecting beautiful things too.

5. What first made you want to become a crafter? What prompted you to start?

Crafts has always been a important thing in my life, I love create things, and I think it is in my blood, I just have to do it! No matter what! >_<

6. Name your top 5 books, movies, musics + website.

books: The little star dweller by Yoshitomo Nara, "Kawaii Tezukuri Zakka 1000 No Shugei", Design of Designe by Kenya Hara, Paumes.

movies: I seldom watch movie, but anything with lots of beautiful details and great scene inspire me.

musics: Angus and Julia Stone, Chen Qi Zhen, Kimya Dawson, Solanin soundtrack, Band of Horses

website: Paumes . Nunu's House . Hello Sandwich . Handmade Craft . Etsy

7. How do you promote your work?

I try to get my work to be seen and not over do it at the same time, I believe work that is made with the heart and love will promote itself, so you don't really have to do much if you put effort on the work. But I do show my work on Flickr, Facebook and my own blog, I'm also lucky enough get feature on several beautiful blogs (like Bijou!), these really helped.

BB: awh ... that's nice of you :o) but like you pointed out, work which speaks with an authentic voice draws people, we were drawn to feature you in our blog.

8. In 10 years time, where would you want to be?

Perhaps I can still do what I love to do and keep crafting, I am not a person with a big ego, I just want to live a simple life and keep on crafting!

BB: thanks very much Tako for making time answering our questions. Keep on crafting ya? :o)

Folks, do support Tako at Evangelione's Handmade (and if you want to see Evangelione's Handmade at our installments, shout so!)

xoxo

A Smokey Room - Eliza Doolittle

Yeah! We know, we've gone a tad bit too musical of late. Meet our Tuesday tune, it's blaring through the laptop the whole morning yo!

Have one awesome Tuesday y'all! :o)

xoxo

Take It Easy, San Francisco - Emily Wells

Our little Sunday tune, while watching the kittens play with the squirrels.

xoxo

You and Your Heart by Jack Johnson

The video for Jack's new single "You and Your Heart" has debuted yesterday on VH1.com. It was directed by Jack, and shot in Hawaii.

Have a good day ahead! :o)

Tank Chair by Pharrell Williams

Booh!

How did your Wednesday go?

We hope it's all sunshine + rainbows at your end. :o)

Last night, we were real busy surfing the net when a piece of furniture sent our imagination wild.

Tadaa!!!

Meet Tank Chair by Pharrell Williams

OK, OK, we get ...

... true, without a person sitting on the chair, they look awkward. Aesthetically, they are vulgar, but they actually represent hip-hop perfectly. Don't you think? We love them anyway for the fact that they have a nice bit of fun about them.

It'd be awesome to have in the office ...

"Get out of my way fellow workers, my chair is secretly a TANKER!"

"OK people, we have to battle to get the job done ... rev up your machine!"

No?

Pharrell Williams doesn't believe that there should be any boundaries to creativity, now the super producer + big time rapper is designing furniture.

You are what you think!

Hmmmm ... Pharrell looks good sitting on them chairs, we'll have another picture of him ... and the chair. ;op

Bonne nuit a tous!

"Never Forget You" by The NOISEttes

We feel like letting you into a secret ... we've been stalking Shingai Shoniwa of The NOISEttes over the net, most part of 2009 because we have a style crush on her. If there’s one girl who fearlessly struts out looking like an absolute fashion powerhouse, we reckon it is she.

No?

Happy Tuesday! :o)

In Memoriam: Ruby Ahmad

I was having a chat with Rizal of Emmet Garage Sales recently, when I realised we have been pretty quiet on the pop up bazaar front. He said he was excitedly waiting for the next Bijou Bazaar installment, when Bijou Bazaar went quiet. I gave him some lame excuse but not the real why.

Rizal's passion + belief in his idea as well as others like him was the reason why Bijou Bazaar came to life. One thing the experience had taught me was to tell the difference between people who have that fire in their stomachs + those who see ideas primarily to get rich, preferring them who ask, 'How can I make this idea a success?' rather than 'How do I make a fortune?' I've always believed that you need to find the convergence between your passion + what people would want first, the money will come. It's always hard work first, there's no short cut to it. And things aren't always as straight forward as when you are drawing salary from a company.

In building Bijou Bazaar, I had made my sacrifices. This had include me missing my brother's wedding, I tried to attend but the event partner called me back to the venue. Bijou peeps who were at the event would remember me wearing a kebaya that weekend. I went missing from my close friends + family radar too. The journey was full of challenges + learning exeriences, at times it got to me.

After having lunch with an old blog friend, Agus, who started building his carwash business about the same time I started Bijou Bazaar, I realised I was not alone; he made similar sacrifices.

Perhaps, people I met pre-Bijou Bazaar played a strong influence on how it was moulded + the decisions I made.

Hence, the similarity?





Recently, my aunt passed away.

Since, I have been revisiting past friendships, embarking on new ones + spending time with my family, neglecting Bijou peeps ...

*whispers "I'm sorry!"*

:o|

The last Facebook wall comment I received from my late aunt Wan Bi, Ruby Ahmad to many, was an urge to "Go for it!" An expression peculiar to her. Even the brief description on her blog simply says: “I’m a ‘go for it!’ kind of person."

The news of her sudden passing took me by surprise, at first it seemed like a bad joke.

During our last few coffee sessions together, she was always imparting wisdoms + I was only happy to listen. To me the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

Her funeral was proof of the person that she was. Friends + family all gathered to bid her farewell with quiet pride. Even in her passing, Wan Bi was busy imparting lessons about what is to be valued, about what matters ... a life of service.

While remembering a person of such stature, I mourn the passing of a generation that is ceasing to exist, taking with them the values they held high. It is my only hope that the strong values + motivations she imparted through her blog writings + friendships would live on through us, you + me, who's life she touched + might now touch, through the blog she left behind.

:o)

"The only thing you take with you when you're gone is what you leave behind" - John Allston

Al-Fatihah.