Due to an upcoming wedding, we are now obsessed with the gorgeous shade of oxblood. For the past month or so, we have been searching high and low for decorative items, dresses, and accessories that boasts of its richness and boldness. You can say that we have been looking through life with oxblood-tinted glasses... or is that too cheesy? Haha, whatever it is, we are hooked. Shades of burgundy, wine, and oxblood have always been a favourite of Jia's and beside for the colours blue and grey, these vampy shades are the only other colour-colours she wears - her clothes mainly consists of black, black, black, and the occasional white. Min, who also favours a monochrome wardrobe, is always up for oxblood-coloured accessories and wares. However, our love for oxblood is now at an all-time high! Why? Maybe because it is pretty difficult to find this shade in stores at the moment. As you may know, oxblood isn't the IT trendy colour this year which makes this a case of wanting what you can't get easily. After browsing through countless of stores online and offline, here are our favourite oxblood picks for this season. Min's Picks 1 // ‘Maximus Silky’ Hair Clip Yes! Finally a sleek and polished hair accessory in oxblood. I haven't been able to find a hair clip that I like ever since my favourite daisy clip died on me. Note to self, always stock up! Don't you agree that this hair clip embodies an effortless sophistication that can carry anyone of any age through the different seasons of life? Sigh, such big responsibilities for a tiny hair clip. Now, got to add this to my cart and check-out! 2 // Irismint Oxblood Super Chunky Scarf There is no doubt in my mind. I really want to be nestled in this chunky knit scarf right now! Scarves are my go-to accessory and it took me many years to ease out of the scarf phase - I used to wear a scarf with every single outfit I owned. A scarf that can hold its shape is a winner for sure because I love to layer a heavy-bodied scarf around my neck instead of a thin and slinky one. Oh, how it keeps me safe and warm! 3 // KMMCO Oxblood Leather Tag What a beauty. Aside from tagging my luggage, I am planning to tag a couple of my favourite leather bags with this tag. I have a couple of leather tassel bag charms and way-too-cute Disney key chains on a couple of bags but I will still gladly use this oxblood tag! Any old leather bag can be given a new lease of life with this classic colour and shape. I'll skip the personalisation and go straight to adorning my bags! 4 // Porselli All Leather Ballet Flats in Oxblood (Bordeaux) My goodness. These Napa lambskin leather ballet flats look absolutely soft and comfortable! I am already thinking of pairing them with a million and one outfits. See, another perk of adoring a monochrome wardrobe - I can pair my outfit with any coloured shoes! Ballet flats with dainty bows are my absolute favourite choice of footwear and one of my biggest dream is to own a shoe closet filled with ballet flats. Did someone say oxblood ballet flats? You know I'll never say no! Jia's Picks
5 // Everlane The Modern Oxford in Oxblood I used to be in a symphonic band and black oxfords, while comfortable, remind me too much of my youth in band uniform. Thus, even when the oxford trend boomed, I couldn't bring myself to buy a pair. I changed my mind though, when I saw this pair of Everlane oxfords. This oxblood pair of oxfords are super chic and would look so great with a pair of cigarette pants and a simple loose tee. Would totally love to have this! 6 // Free People Clean & Minimal Jacket in Wine Leather (real and faux) jackets are my weakness and this one really caught my attention with its gorgeous shade and fit. I have been looking around for new leather jackets as the ones in my closet are close to giving up on life. However, I soon realised that there are way too many leather jackets with way too many details on them recently. Those jackets end up looking very tacky and diminishes the quintessential cool essence of a leather jacket. I love that this Free People jacket has a minimalist shrunken feel to it. This is a pretty perfect jacket, especially with the unexpected oxblood shade! 7 // Utah Lounge Chair in Ruby and Walnut Most recently, my mom threw away a chair in the living room because it was getting way too old and shabby looking. Not shabby in the good shabby chic way, but shabby in the omg-we-need-to-throw-this-away way. I was browsing around the interweb when I chanced upon this lounge chair and fell in love. It looks SO comfortable and I adore how modern yet classic it looks. I can just imagine my mom having her coffee and watching her TV shows or reading the newspapers on this lounge chair! Happy thoughts! 8 // Lacquer-painted Chopsticks in Pine Needle Shigure I have a thing for amazing looking chopsticks, which is why I always scrutinise the chopsticks provided by Chinese restaurants. Most higher-end Chinese restaurants have really fantastic and ornate chopsticks that elevates the entire dining experience! Sounds strange, I know but chopsticks are part and parcel of daily life when you are a Chinese. These chopsticks look so luxe and royal with its oxblood hue and metallic gold design that I can feel all fancy even when I am eating a bowl of instant noodles. So much love! - Do you like the colour oxblood? With Love, Min+Jia.
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Sunday Stickies is a column where we reflect on the past week and pen those thoughts down on sticky pads. Expect notes to ourselves and others, advice, reminders for the week ahead, quotes, and anything random actually. Oh. The. Rain. Within the last three weeks, we have been utterly drenched more than a couple of times during events. The most recent incident happened just yesterday at the Christmas Street Fun market along Orchard Road. We were all set up and ready to go when the skies opened and heavy torrential rain poured down within a blink of an eye. Thankfully, we were prepared with a canvas ground sheet to protect all our paper goodies so nothing harmful befell on the art prints and stationery! However, we were totally soaked to the bone and ended up dripping water everywhere we walked. We had to buy new clothes! Although unfortunate, we still had a blast with our friends and had a great time overall :) Hello to all our new customers and friends that we made! Thank you guys for supporting us on a wet day and for the warm response to our Christmas collection! Double-sided gift tag sets, gift boxes, and the spanking new 2017 Calendar: 12 Months of Bad Puns Bring Good Cheer will be uploaded onto our webstore by the end of this week, so do keep a lookout for them. Oh yes, one more thing! We have an event on Saturday, so if you are hoping to check out our new arrivals in person... here are the details: Fiesta del ¡Loco!: No Way, José! Red Baron, Gillman Barracks 19 November, Saturday 2pm to 8pm Min: It seems like my series of unfortunate events will never end till I learn how to be joyful and less grumpy during the storm. But that's okay, I really should learn how to see the good in everything and be positive instead. When my dad's car broke down on Monday, I found much joy and peace after I started singing and laughing with my dad instead of sulking and whining. Though I wasn't too excited about the results of the US elections on Wednesday, I chose to see the positive in the situation. To make myself feel better, I ate a bowl of instant noodles. Food always work. On Saturday, a heavy downpour came right after Jia and I had set up our stall. Needless to say, we were absolutely drenched while trying to save every bit of paper on our table. We were soaking wet but we found joy in splashing around in puddles and having fun in the rain. I'm definitely a work in progress! Jia: Sometimes when life gets tough or I get super irritated and annoyed for various reasons, I like to unwind creatively. I was feeling particularly annoyed this week due to weird arguments, election results, and sudden changes in plans so I decided to pick up some paints to work on some backgrounds and soon-to-be vector elements. Min and I also had a super enjoyable time splashing paints around and doodling on a rare sunny afternoon as we prepared for more Christmas ideas.
It always feels good to let my mind wander while my hands get busy with doodles or illustrations. Ah, those moments felt so relaxing and happy! I haven't been able to draw much recently as I have been way too busy with work. This week was a good reminder that I should carve out more time for myself to explore creatively and work on expanding my style of illustrations! - Did you come to any realisations this week? We would love to hear from you! With Love, Min+Jia. Oh my word, what a Wednesday, folks. This afternoon, Jia and I watched the live coverage of the USA Elections while savouring a hearty and tasty bowl of instant noodles. Nothing can beat the gratification of devouring a hot bowl of instant noodles goodness on a relatively cool day. Perhaps it is the MSG-flavoured soup stock or the fact that we are true-blue Asians, we just can't hide our love for instant noodles. Some days, I wake up craving for Korean kimchi instant noodles, while some days I find myself craving for spicy coconut broth noodles. There are far too many flavours, brands and varieties of instant noodles out there in the world for me to name my favourite one. There isn't a bowl like the other and there surely isn't a default recipe available. While some like to keep their noodles simple and plain, I usually put together a bowl of instant noodles with whatever fresh/frozen ingredients I have in my fridge. It's really up to you to get creative! Min+Jia's Lazy and Rainy Day Instant Noodles Recipe inspired by our mothers Serves 1 Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking Time: 10 - 15 minutes Ingredients: 1 packet of instant noodles, choose your favourite flavour! A handful of enoki mushrooms, cut into half 3 Napa cabbage leaves Napa, cut into bite-size 3 sticks frozen crab stick, cut into 3 parts or keep it whole 3 frozen crab roe fishballs 1 egg 1 slice of cheese (optional) 2.5 cups water Garnish: 2 stalks spring onion, cut into 3cm strips A sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds A sprinkle of seaweed flakes A drizzle of sesame oil Instructions: Bring a pot of water to a boil and add napa cabbage. If you prefer softer cabbage, boil for approximately 7-10 minutes before adding the frozen crab-roe fishballs. When the fishballs have soften, add in noodles. Use a pair of chopsticks to loosen up the noodles, and proceed to add in the flavoured stock packet. If you prefer an intense flavoured soup, add in a full packet, otherwise, half or three quarters of a pack will do just fine! As the noodles come to a boil, add in enoki mushrooms and crab sticks. Just before you are done, crack an egg into the soup or add a sliced cheese on the top. Turn off the fire, pop the lid on and prepare your garnish. Serve noodles with a sprinkle of spring onion, seaweed flakes, toasted sesame seeds and a drizzle of sesame oil. I would also recommend garnishing your noodles with fried shallots, coriander leaves or garlic chips! Eat immediately or your noodles will get soggy! Jia's definition of a good bowl of Kimchi ramen includes a mixture of fresh and frozen ingredients as well as a slice of cheese to flavour and thicken the broth. For myself, no bowl of instant noodles is ever complete without the addition of an egg.
Isn't it amazing how you can easily turn a plain and simple packet of instant noodles into a hearty and tasty meal under 30minutes? All it takes is some creativity and packets of instant noodles, and your meal is served! To make evening dinners more special, boil some instant noodles then bake it with a delicious meat sauce topped with tons of grated cheese, or simply crush some uncooked noodles and add it to a chicken stock for a quick and tasty chicken soup. So many recipes and only one stomach to take it all in. - How do you like your instant noodles? What's the craziest instant noodles recipe you have ever cooked? Share them all with me! xMin Sunday Stickies is a column where we reflect on the past week and pen those thoughts down on sticky pads. Expect notes to ourselves and others, advice, reminders for the week ahead, quotes, and anything random actually. Hello, November! We are pretty psyched to be entering into the eleventh month of the year as it means that Christmas is just around the corner! This week was all about the start of Christmas preparations. We launched our Christmas collection - new products will still be added throughout the first two weeks of November - and started our little elves workshop in a panic. We are terrible procrastinators when it comes to packing our products. It is such a long and tedious process that we drag our feet and sigh dramatically whenever it is time for packaging duties. We have boxes and boxes of new products stacked in a corner of our studio that we just turn a oblivious blind eye to until it is seriously time to start packing. When is it seriously time to start packing? The day before we launch our products. Yep. That means hours and hours of frantic packing all whilst cursing under our breaths that we should have totally started much earlier. Sigh at us. Sigh! This week also saw the start of our Christmas events - both private and public events! We were invited to join TripAdvisor's Christmas Bazaar during their lunch time on Friday and being huge users of the travel portal, we agreed without hesitation. The TripAdvisor people were so lovely and hospitable! We had a great time there. Thank you, TripAdvisor! Next week is going to be really exciting as we join the festivities on Orchard Road on Saturday. The road is going to be closed for the Christmas Light-Up and we will be hawking our wares right on the famous road! Please pray for clear and sunny weather as there isn't any wet weather plan for now. Do come down and say hi to us, if you are in the area! Here are the deets: Christmas Street Fun In the middle of Orchard Road (Tangs area) 12 November 2016 4pm to 10pm Min: Ugh, I had the most dramatic and horrific week ever. On Wednesday, the train broke down and I couldn’t get to work the usual way. My journey to work looked something like this. As there was no train available, I had to take a bus. I got to the bus stop and found out that I had missed the bus and had to wait 24 minutes for the next one. The bus arrived with a full load of passengers, so I had to squeeze my way up. There was a guy at the door who refused to move. Even after I tapped his shoulder and said ‘excuse me’ politely, he did not budge. He alighted at the next stop and proceeded to call me a ’stupid b*tch’ while everyone stared. The bus driver drove off quickly but since the bus was packed, I had nothing to hold onto. The next thing I knew, the bus took a quick turn and I lost balance. I fell on 3 men who were standing behind me and again, everyone stared while I apologised profusely. Some time later, I accidentally grabbed another man’s arm instead of the bus handle. He wasn’t very pleased. Needless to say, I am now ready to change my face and name. Oh, and the series of unfortunate events just kept on coming. All. Week. Long. It. Never. Ends. Jia: I have had dry and sensitive skin all my life and taking into account that I have been on this earth for more than two decades, it is pretty alarming that I still do not have a handle on the situation. I was battling with severe dryness all week and in embarrassing honesty, it was stressing me out!
My eyes were so dehydrated that they started getting massively swollen, red, raw, and itchy, and my face was peeling away like the process of shaving ice into patbingsu. I have been massaging my face with jojoba oil and putting thick layers of aloe vera as a mask to calm my skin. Let's hope my skin balances out before I fly off to South Korea in a couple of weeks. Does anyone have a good eye cream to recommend for sensitive eyes? - Round-up of October's Sunday Stickies: 2 October // 9 October // 16 October // 23 October // 30 October - Are you happy that November is here? Any plans? Tell us! With Love, Min+Jia.
I had such a terrible morning. Everything that could possibly go wrong went absolutely wrong. I seldom curse however, the series of unfortunate events that happened over the course of this morning made me lose my cool more than once. And so, I cursed, swore, bit my lips and harboured all sorts of evil thoughts. Stress is definitely the main culprit behind my erratic mood swings and poor anger management but hey, (sings) I know I am not the only one.
We always have music on in our studio. Though music can be distracting at times, we find that an office space without music is just so weird. Can you imagine hearing nothing but the sounds of the keyboard clacking and mouse clicks? Nope, that empty atmosphere is not for us. To help us steadily overcome this stressful work period, we have been blasting happy tunes in the office all day long! Oh, trust me. Dancing, head bobbing, leg shaking, and also snacking on junk food in the office are the perfect ways to destress. Every bob, every twist and every turn will quickly melt away any bit of stress and frustration. Take a break from the worries of the world and indulge in some body grooving, back breaking and head banging happy songs! Sluggishness, grumpiness and stress, be gone! Quickly plug in your earphones or blast the audio if you can and proceed to dance and bob your head to our current favourite happy tunes! Our favourite lines and parts from the songs are below :)
Justin Timberlake - Can't Stop The Feeling
"I got that sunshine in my pocket
Got that good soul in my feet I feel that hot blood in my body when it drops, OOH!" |
Min+JiaThe humans behind honey&gazelle Design Studio. When we are not frantically working, we share our mishmash of thoughts on design, life, and love here. Grab a cuppa and stay for a bit! Categories
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