follow me to my new blog!!! :)

 Helloooooooooooooo..... so yes... it must be so strange that I haven't updated this blog in over a month!!! But since my last post in Hong Kong, I moved all my stuff back to Vancouver... flew to Toronto... drove down to Portland, USA... then went camping near Bellingham. haha. But I am permanently back in Vancouver and ready to make a fresh start.

For the past year while I was away, this blog has helped to keep in touch with my friends and family back home so that you could all see what I was doing. But now that I'm back, I kinda wanted to revamp this blog to make it more "minimalistic" and then I thought... "it would probably just be easier if i started a new blog with a different template." So that's basically what I did. So if you still consider yourself a loyal follower, come join me at my new site, http://www.lauraupintheclouds.blogspot.com ... it will host the same kind of DIY + art goodness... and hopefully there will be more interesting pictures since most of the ones I took this past year were holed up in my little room in HK.

:) Here's to another new beginning.

-Laura

hello dear friends...

I haven't been updating, I know. And that's because I'm nearing the end of my time in Hong Kong... THE END IS NEAR. VERY NEAR. I've been having so many "last adventures" lately and saying so many goodbyes... and it's been sad but also very hilariously memorable as well. I've been thinking... and I think with the end of this one-year overseas work experience, it's time to make some changes to this blog as well. When I started this blog just over a year ago, I intended it to be primarily about art and DIY projects. But I had no idea I would even be moving to a foreign country a few months later, and that drastic life change limited my time and resources to what kinds of art I could do... so this space kind of evolved into a mini travel journal of sorts, to keep my friends updated (and my parents comforted) haha. And true to my own personality, it has become a random, messy, disorganized melting pot of everything and anything jumbled together. When I move back to Canada, my goal is to be more ORDERLY (haha I've been saying this for decades)... and I shall try mightily hard at it. So dear friends, I may sporadically post things when I have time, but I may be MISSING for awhile from this space, as I try to TRANSITION back to my "old"/new life. This is not the end, so be patient my little grasshoppers... and I shall be back (hopefully new and improved) but still with the same old weirdo Laura-style that I can't seem to escape. 

Here's a peek at what's COMING SOON to an UPINTHECLOUDS blog near YOU!......

See you soon <3

-Laura

Singapore: Part 2

Obviously this post is LONG OVERDUE, but since I promised one certain travel maniac I would eventually post PART 2 of my spring break escapades, (from almost 4 months ago... crazy how time flies!)... here they are!

As I mentioned in Singapore Adventures PART 1, street food is the best! This whole street was filled with makeshift hawker stalls and food trucks!

We went early in the morning so it was actually pretty deserted...

We bought from this guy who made the most amazing fried dishes.

This one below definitely deserves a special mention. It's called CARROT CAKE (not the sweet dessert kind) and you can find it everywhere in Singapore. It's actually not carrot - it's radish - so it's very similar to the Cantonese dish (radish/turnip cake). BUT... instead of being steamed in large chunks like the Cantonese way, this Singaporean-style dish is usually chopped up into little bits and fried with egg, little pieces of meat, and green onion. If I had to recommend only ONE dish in Singapore to try, THIS WOULD BE IT!!!

After eating, Randy and I went to walk around Singapore's "Chinatown" area, where merchants sold a whole bunch of random knick knacks and souvenirs.

The architecture in this area is pretty neat too. I would LOVE to live in a house this colour! Just looking at these walls makes me so happy =) 

After that, we took PUBLIC TRANSIT (the MRT/subway system)... which was painted in one of my favourite colours... yellowish-orange!! (anyway, that's probably not interesting to anyone but myself... haha.. but I was super excited about the walls)...

Our next stop was LITTLE INDIA, which might have been one of my favourite areas to visit, since you know, I'm obsessed with Indian things. haha. =P

Along the streets were Indian markets and shops.

I loved how COLOURFUL the buildings were. 

As we were walking, we found this market selling women's saris and suits... LOOK AT ALL THOSE GORGEOUS COLOURS!!!

Randy was a good sport since he had to follow me around as I stopped at every store to stare at all the outfits. haha. 

There were SO MANY styles and they were super cheap as well... around $80-150 CDN (at least I think that's cheap!) I'd say it's worth it!!

It was then that I noticed the hideously creepy mannequins...

... and had a sudden urge to be hideously creepy myself. 

To be honest, I ALMOST bought that white dress below because I wanted to wear it as a wedding dress. haha. seriously. But it was $145CDN and I didn't have enough money on me. hahahaha. So forever it shall just be captured as a memory on my camera. =*(

Afterwards, we ate at the food court... I had MEE GORENG - a type of Asian noodle - that was delicious... like everything else in Singapore. It's all about the foodddd!!!

Haha... again, another unflattering squinty-faced picture, but HEY. I'm enjoying my food and that's all that matters.

This picture below is one of my favourites from Singapore. HAHA. I think it's because I only noticed the guy on the bicycle (on the right) after I got home. I always love finding hidden surprises in photos after the fact.

When we got home, Randy's mom and sister had made an AMAZING MEAL. Honestly, they are like... the best cooks ever.

Sweet-and-sour fish!

Papaya Salad!

oh... and BIRTHDAY CAKE to celebrate a certain old fogey! =) 

Our next little Singapore adventure took place on SENTOSA ISLAND (which has attractions such as Universal Studios... which we did not go to). Instead, we tried INDOOR SKYDIVING for the first time!

Here I am, looking like a dork on one of my more successful attempts. The other pictures are pretty hilarious and sad-looking.

To be honest, it's quite expensive so it's one of those "try it once" kind of activities. The instructors can do some pretty crazy moves though. Us? We just tried to stay flat so we wouldn't belly-flop onto the floor. haha. But we did get our "flight certificates" in the end... and a DVD with evidence of our sad flying attempts for future self-ridicule. yay!

After that, we dressed up even more like dorks to go ride on SEGWAYS!!!!!!!!! (Yes... EXACTLY like GOB from ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT!!!!) It was my first time so it was pretty fun!

Afterwards, we took the CABLE CAR RIDE to take in the view around Sentosa. 

That's all for now. Part 3 (aka. the final barrage of Singapore Pictures) will be up one day... hahah... be patient, little grasshoppers... be patient.

much ado about nothing.

been feeling kind of restless lately, especially with the blog. HAHAH. oh dear. time for another one of those transition periods where I abandon this website? I don't know... ... ...

Anyway, been way too busy anyway, what with working 7 days in a row (illegal!!!) and going crazy marking at ungodly hours... but it's been good as well since after all this recent mayhem, things have been winding down... and I've been able to spend some quality time with my friends as well. 

Around 3-ish weeks before I leave Hong Kong for good and go back to my motherland... (well no, not China, although I suppose I came from there originally once upon a time?).... I shall be flying back to Canadaaaaaaaa in a very short time...

Things to do before I leave:

1) force as many people as i can to hike up that mountain with a guitar in hand and sing at the top of our lungs when we get to the top!

2) again, force as many people as i can to have a LORD OF THE RINGS marathon... (pretty please? It's my dying wish?)

3) Possibly go to Llama Island, although I don't know what's there - I just want to go because it's called Llama Island but I bet there are no llamas....

4) FINALLY go to SHAM SHUI PO to take a look at all the fabrics/buttons/lace/DIY materials (can you believe that I've been here an entire year and haven't even made the time to go there once?) I think I got discouraged because the one time I ventured down there it was a holiday and everything was closed. Failure.

5) Make MOUSTACHE T-SHIRTS and prance around on the rooftop of our school proudly. (Again, with forced participants).

I highly doubt that I'll be able to fit all that in before the end, but we shall try mightily hard.

On another note, I watched THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN in 3D yesterday, and it was SOO GOOD!!!!!!!! So much better than the Tobey Maguire series.... so... much.... better....

Best part? the Stan Lee Cameo. 

Don't worry, no spoilers here. Everyone knows there's a Stan Lee cameo in all marvel movies anyway.

GO WATCH IT! 

okay bye.

inspiration: Erin Bradley designs

Today I was looking for online clip art and patterns when I came across Erin Bradley and her digital illustrations. Her prints are so cute and colourful, and perfect for customizing your own cards and labels. Here are some samples of her designs below!

To see more of her online designs for personal/commercial use, visit her website here!