Category Archives: Art and Craft

Noodles and Business

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I’ve been too busy lately… So I’m writing a quick update while having the leftover Thai Green Curry that I made earlier this week combined with Japanese buckwheat noodles that I prepared five minutes ago. It’s yummie I tell you, extremely spicy because I added too much paste and unfortunately too hot temperature-wise *wink* I feel it’s okay to compliment your own culinary creations especially when it’s this good!

A had a great meeting with the manager of the City Auditorium, a really nice woman who might invite me in a few months to participate in a pitch to obtain an assignment. A new logo, stationery and website needs to be designed which is something not to be taken lightly. It might be one of the largest assignments I have taken so far and I must admit I’m slightly nervous about this, although it would be a great addition to the folio!

I’ve been completely honest about it: graphic design won’t be a problem but web design requires another level of technique that I can’t do on my own so I’m looking for a trusted partner. I called a colleague/friend of my brother and asked him to help me. I’ve had email contact with him before because of previous business matters, but we’d never spoken on the phone. It was weird because we ended up talking for five hours!

Perhaps it clicked because he’s half Indonesian, a quarter Chinese and another quarter Dutch. It just felt like I’ve known him for years and it was great to talk about business and other topics as well. He mailed off a CD that I hopefully will receive today, it contains a course that I’m eager to start! I’ve been feeling a tad overwhelmed this week which makes me realise certain things that I need to improve about/for myself.

I went to the hospital on Tuesday and the woman I had to see that day, pointed out something similar and related. She told me to express myself by writing more often, so I’ve installed another blog to keep a private diary. I have to learn to rechannel my energy and use it for my own benefit first and then that of close friends with integrity and who genuinely appreciate it: me. It’s about time I cut that Gordian knot fercrissakes!

So that’s what I’ve been doing lately: give no time to those who only seem to know you when they need something from you. Instead I’ve used more energy on those close to me… Yesterday I went to a thrift shop to look for some things I need for my business plan and came home with a gorgeous old serving dish instead (only € 1,50). Plus a sheer long sleeve top: a late birthday gift from my neighbour who gave me a ride to the shop.

I still have a cold and have been sneezing a lot so I’m gonna take things slow! I have to prepare an email as well but it’s something I need to think about: I was asked what kind of courses I’d like to offer, when I’d be available, what I’d need software-wise etc. But there’s so much I’d love to teach… So I have to give it thought before I write that reply. It will be great to teach again though but first things first: getting better *wink*

/* End of update, have a great weekend! */

© Zesty Gal
– Thai Green Curry with chicken and courgette (zucchini) and Japanese buckwheat noodles

Origami Wishes

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Today I’m working on my New Year’s ‘cards‘ that I will send to some close friends. I don’t do xMas cards anymore, call me a rebel but I try to make a difference and not follow the crowd blindly so I craft my own ‘cards‘ and try to turn it into something special each year instead of the regular stuff that is out there in the supermarkets. I want those that are special to me to receive something special, it’s about making the effort…

I’ll use my favourite paper that I bought in London at the Chinese wholesaler where I used to get my Asian groceries. I bought loads of the coloured kind and only a few sheets of the paper I’m now using for the ‘cards‘. The girl at the till asked me why I bought that much paper so I said to her that I’m a graphic designer and I just love the quality of it. She just responded with a quiet ‘oh…’ but I realised what she was thinking.

You see, this paper has a totally different meaning to the Chinese than it has to me, to me it’s ‘just’ another piece of beautiful paper that I can use to design something special. Paper made of rice or bamboo fibers with a beautiful coarse texture of ‘laidlines’. To the Chinese it’s ‘ghost money’ and used as an offering to worship the ancestors and to ensure that the spirit of the deceased has all the good things in the afterlife.

I don’t see why I couldn’t use it for another purpose: I think I’m only complementing this beautiful paper. I’ve chosen to hide my New Year’s wishes inside a cute Origami design and since it’s all handmade I’m only gonna send a few to a select company of people. Only those who will appreciate the effort, so instead of the ‘usual’ twenty five xMas New Year’s cards, I’ll reduce that to ten this year. Why only ten people?

Because I’m limiting some friendships… It’s time to shift the focus from others to myself and some of these so-called friendships simply seem too unbalanced so I’d rather nurture the more rewarding ones. I’d like to thank those who sent me a (digital) xMas message, some came as a total surprise to me *happy smile* Mine is -as you can read- still in the making and soon on it’s way around the world *wink*.

‘This above all: to thine own self be true.’

~Shakespeare

©Zesty Gal Beautiful paper… waiting to be cut and folded

©Zesty Gal Beautiful paper… waiting to be cut and folded