DIY: Easy Personalised Stamp

Selamat berpuasa people!!

It has been quite a long time since I wrote about Do-It-Yourself post. During Ramadhan, I prone to lay on my bed all day long, especially when today is weekend.

But Ramadhan is no excuse to lazy out all the time. I remember about my DIY stamp and plan to make more of it for my bullet journal! Wuhuuuuu. So, if you curious or need reference for activity during Ramadan, stick around ya.

All the things that you need:
1. Scissors
2. Cutter or x-acto (optional)
3. Glue gun with glue
4. Eva sponge
5. Pencil or pen
6. Used Cardboard, Woods, or other material you can use as the base of the stamp

I forgot to put the glue gun here, but anw you can use your kind of glue as long as it will stick the sponge to the base.

I think this DIY is no brainer and it turns out really cool. You can spend your time with your little sisters or brothers, even with your kids making this easy DIY stamp. You should keep an eye on the use of scissor or cutter while making this with little human, kay?




First thing you have to do is draw the design on eva spons with pencil or pen. You can use whether scissors or x-acto to cut the design. I randomly drawing on the sponge, or if you find cute illustration on the web you can print it out and use it as your guidance. To make details, you can use the x-acto. After the design was cut, now you can glue it on whatever surface you wish (they act as the base of the stamp). I use old cardboard boxes I could found gather around the studio.




Tadaaa! It is done! Let’s see how it turns out in my bullet journal.

The left one is a bunch of triangles while the right one is a home

I think I will come up with another DIY post.

See yaaa!

M

My New Year

Happy new year!
God! It is already a quarter century. I cannot imagine that I finally stepping into this next stage of my life.

There are more years to come and embrace. Even though I have know ideas how many years left for me, but I want to take a long deep breath to welcome my new age. There are goals need to achieve and experiences to feel.

Lots of love,

M

ArtJog 11: Enlightenment

Hi! It is such a long time since I wrote about a trip I make to exhibitions.

Last weekend, on Sunday morning 6th May to be exact, Me and Rangga went to Jogja National Museum to see ArtJog 11 Enlightenment. It was the third day of the event, it is open from 4th May to 4th June. So, spend some of your time and a little amount of pocket money to see this annual art event.

I woke up early and get ready while waiting for Rangga. We went to eat my favorite Sate Kambing Muda in Batas Kota near PASTY before heading out. I will create another post about this place, and you have to visit this restaurant. It is recommended!

First time I went to ArtJog was in 2015, so it is my third year. I always enjoy myself while going to this event, my inner child is tremendously happy. I love something pretty, beautiful, and extravagantly strange in a good way since I was a kid. I feel energized when I see artworks and understand how the artists put their time and mind into it. It is like having a child (I guess, not human child, but you know the feeling when you creating something and it is already alive?).

My favorite artwork will be the commision work for this year ArtJog by Mang Moel, Sea Remembers: About The Invisible Ones and The Ones That Escape From Our Sight.

The work is made by 70 artisans who knits all the yarn and combine all the pieces into a giant underwater world. When you see this work, you will be fascinating by effort to create such world, mysterious and radiant at the same time. Underwater full of mystery and beauty, it is like what we are. The are deep riddle that lies within oneself. That is what I perceived from this artwork. Sea remembers, it does, like our memory of loved ones, like our memory of sad event, like our memory of happy day, sea was like our mind. There are a lot of things unseen, or hidden by purpose. No one knows.

intermezzo. jajaja

There are other artworks that have been my favorite for this past years, the one by Syagini Ratna Wulan. I knew about her when I saw her 100 white lockers in Biennale 2013. I saw her artworks as well on Artjog 10, and I love how she play with lights and colors. Like what she present on this year ArtJog, lights and colors. Lights and colors can be perceived by each person differently, it is the matter of our perspective. There is one room painted all green by Hiromi Tango called Healing Garden, this green room reminded me of Eko Nugroho works for Biennale 2013, you can see my post about it here.

One of artworks that drew my attention is Everlost by Fajar Abadi, a winner of Young Artist Award for ArtJog 11. It is a boxing sack filled with snacks. The competition of snacks industry in Indonesia is quite big, people try to develop the most innovated snacks, you can find a rainbow variant of snacks all over the country. I like the colors of this work and how it portrayed the highly competitive snack industries.

I suggest you to go to ArtJog on workdays, after lunch or in the morning, since the place will not be too pack with people. When there are too many people, you will get distracted a lot, and people will take sooooo many pictures in front of the artworks. Maybe, it is just me, because I do not feel comfortable when there are too many people around. Crowded places makes my head dizzy. People even will queue in certain artworks which considered popular on social media, so it will be hard for you to read the concept and enjoy it.

I am looking forward for next year ArtJog!

Ticket: Rp 50,000 (you get coupon that you can redeem in Potentiarte for a Winsor&Newton brush!)
Website: http://www.artjog.co.id
Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/9qbygDcqrKw

Moving Our Studio Out

Photos: João Jesus on Pexels

We’re moving out!
Yees, our studio will move from old house the new rent house. The place will be quieter and calmer, even though the one we use as our studio is in the same area, the new place surrounded by trees. Yaaaaas~

After a short discussion, we chose to move out because we need a place where we could rehearse at night without disturbing any neighbors. The place that we use now is too close to people, even though we try to maintain the sound and work hours, we think it will much better to move out. Actually from this post I would like to tell about packing stuff and moving out. I am not an expert in packing stuff but I am moving from one place to another place almost 5 times since I live here in Jogja. Why? My friend asks me all the time, why I would like to burden myself with packing all my stuff from bed, to glasses. I like new place and I feel refreshed when I put all my favorite things in my new room. It does not mean that I like to live as a nomad but the thought of packing and organizing your favorite clothes or book to their designated boxes makes me feel good.

Yeah, I know that it will not about my personal belongings while we moving our studio out but all of our tools and works. All those things means a lot to us and we want to put them practically and safely during the moving.

Moving out and moving in takes a lot of work and energy. Trust me, it does! But, when you know how to put all the stuff you wish to bring to your new place. It will be so much easier and stress free. What you actually need to prepare?

Time
This is definitely number one thing you have to prepare. I always prepare a little time a month before moving by making list of stuff. By starting ahead and slow, we will not be hustle when the time to move out come. I start with putting stuff that I might not use for the rest of the month.

Declutter Old Stuff
Decluttering your old stuff. I usually do this, once or twice a month even though I am not planning to move out. But, reviewing what you actually use will reduce amount of stuff that will you bring to the new place. You would not love it when you just put clutter to your new place, right?

Boxes
Since, our studio has several plastic boxes where we put all our tools, we only need extras boxes for books and kitchen utensils. If it is hard for you to differentiate the boxes, you can color code your boxes with tape, in Indonesia the boxes we bought usually has its product mark in it, it’s easier to differ one box with other.

Cleaning Kits
This one is important too. Separate you cleaning kits, so when you get there, you can do all the cleaning that you need to do. No need to grab it inside the boxes.

Transportation
Check out what mode of transportation you will use during moving your belongings, consider how many things you bring and how long it takes to get from your old place to the new place.

Food and Drinks
Prepare snacks, easy to make meals, and drinks. Unpacking your stuff will take a lot of energy. So you need energy booster for your body and mood.

Music
I will put my favorit jam during unpacking, or choose any other things that will make your activity more fun.

I hope it helps you guys with your next moving. I am looking forward for better work environment and more creative process to welcome in the new place. I will create another post about our new studio next time.

Cheers,
M

Between Work, Study, and Hobby

source: pexels

I always want to write about this entry for quite some time. It is a kind of post that contain reflection of what I am doing right now. Life could be intriguing but yet it has a lot of surprises that wait to open. I have never thought that I will stay in Jogja after graduated. I love studying, I would like to continue or taking another school year on cultural diplomacy. But, for now I need to focus on work and things that I love to do. Have you ever cross a moment when you feel confused to decide whether to pursue your work, degree, or hobby? I guess, I haven’t been there completely but close to that moment.

I always remind myself that, I will take another path which most of my family will not going to attend. The only road that would define myself as I am not anyone else. Before graduated from my master degree, my sister told me to looking for a job. I am glad I listened to her advices. I have a full time job now, I also study, and manage my puppet theatre group. Someone then ask me, how can you work, study, and do your favorite things? I could manage it somehow. Do I have another degree from my study? Of course not. Where do you study? Everywhere from everyone I met.

I considered myself lucky to work in startup, I learn an array of new things I would never imagine I would take while in school. I also could still have times to manage a puppet theatre group and we performed in Jakarta on March! Isn’t it amazing when your work could offer a chance for you to study as well as a time to develop yourself on your other passions? I think that for a starter, I would tell you a story how I ended up working in startup.

As I mentioned before, I am looking for a job while working for my final thesis. It is a struggle to adjust with work life and study but again I am so blessed that my first official job is in a startup. Kulina, is an online catering service that provided lunch for professionals in Jakarta. I work in marketing team. When you work in startup you will see yourself in another dimension with your mates that work in big company. Why? Because, you work and study hard with your peer members to help the company grow. While, the big company already stable and the problems they face will be different from startup, that is my opinion. Kulina gives me a chance to learn something new and I believe that I will use that knowledge for me to develop myself as well as for my puppet theatre group.

I heard some of my friends told about how they work in certain job or company that sometimes pushes you to be someone else. Even one of my friend resign from her job because she could not handle the environment. Again, I always thank God for the road I am now, even though I do not have a stable position like all my friend who work in government but I have more freedom to develop myself as an individual. I know people will say that, “you do not know how long it takes for the startup to be a unicorn”, “what happened if the company should laid off its employee if no more investor invest to the company?”, but can we appreciate what we have now and do our best in whatever things we do? Life is an amazing playground.

How about study and hobby? I hope I could take another degree in cultural diplomacy in the next two years, but I am preparing myself now. In fact, I also study while I am working. How come? I learn things from Kulina and my workmates. I consider that studying. Hobby, I could not say that my hobby is puppet theatre, but the process of making puppet and discussing the ideas makes me excited. I think that puppet theatre is a way all my childhood dream are all about. I always love all the things that pretty and it makes me happy to create something from scratch. Even though I never have a dream to be involved in a performance group, but Flying Balloons Puppet really open up many doors for me.

Wow! I talked this much. For you guys who worked in Jakarta that feels the struggle of finding the lunch that totally understand you, you do not have to wait no more. Check out and subscribe Kulina! You could get discount by using my referral code MEYDA2.😉

I may come back with another story about my job in Kulina and Flying Balloons Puppet. Tell me in the comment what do you prefer to read.

Cheers,
M

Start May with lots of self love

Welcome May!
How was your April? I hope you find joy in every little things.Time flies so fast, it is already the mid of year and we will welcoming Ramadhan in just two weeks.

May
For me, this month offer a lot of opportunities for me to look back and take a deep breath. Time to exhale all the complicated pile of bad thoughts that I collected since May last year. It becomes my time to unwind, also a time to rejoice all the good vibrations. As what The Beach Boys said “I’m picking up good vibrations”.

I would like to start this month with lots of self love. What is self love? For me, self love is when you show your gratitude of what you are and what you have. Sometimes we feel so down that we blame ourselves or our body for something we cannot control. It happens, but I guess we need to love ourselves more. Self love does not mean we are selfish. It is different. Selfish more about, you do everything for yourself or your own good without concerning people around you. While self love is all about loving your own self, your body. This month is a time for me to recharge all the energy I spent last year, this is like a new year for me. Self love means that I want to appreciate my body more, I want to say thank you for what my body and mind do for me for these past 24 years.



What can I do to love myself more?

First,smile.
Not only because I am happy I still me. But, it gives positives vibes for my body and mind. I grin a lot, almost never express myself to the world (I do express how I feel to my closest ones).

Second, stop comparing yourself with other. I know, it is hard and I keep doing it until now. As I grew older, I realize that comparing yourself with others will not make myself better, but I feel less. Let’s embrace every little thing that we have.

Third, healthy body is healthy mind. I get sick easily, and from last month I try to do yoga to clear my mind and move my body. A little bit of exercise will do good for your body. I am no expert in exercising but I am trying to give my body a chance to stretch and move.

Fourth, food. This is my biggest challenge so far. I eat sporadically, I never cook my own food, and I eat a lot of deep fried food. This month, I want to start cooking for myself, preparing meals and veggies to eat and snack on. I am looking forward to this step and I am super excited! (Also nervous a bit, can I cope with cooking for myself) I do not want to be hard on myself, but try new thing is never wrong for me. And, yeah, that is all what I want to do to start this month.

In this post, I also would love to share my bullet journal spread. It is already 4 months consecutively since I start my bullet journal. If you wonder how I decided to organize my life through bullet journal, you can check my bullet journal post. I prefer a clean and simple bullet journal, but when I feel like to decorate and doodling here and there I will do it. I guess, there is no strict rule how you should do your bullet journal, right? I feel more organized and I actually forming a habit to check my to - do list and important date or appointment in my bujo. I don’t know why, I prefer something written in the paper than digital reminder. Maybe it is because, I write it myself, so I remember it better.

This is the layout of May spreads!


I put another Yoga Challenge again this month, since last month I cannot stick with it from date 20 until the rest of the month.


The layout is so simple, I could die with happiness. Btw, the stamp on my bullet journal is my DIY project. I will post about it next time.

Let’s create an amazing new year!

Cheers,
M