The Flying Saucer At Sunset

Lenticular clouds (Altocumulus lenticularis) are stationary lens-shaped clouds with a smooth layered appearance that form in the troposphere, usually above mountain ranges. One was spotted in Singapore recently...

Eyes Of 30,000 Honeycombs

With 30,000 individual facets, dragonflies have the most number of facets among insects. Each facet, or ommatidia, creates its own image, and the dragonfly brain has eight pairs of descending visual neurons to compile those thousands of images into one picture...

A Kaleidoscope Of Colours, Shapes And Patterns

Spectacular and innovative in design, the Flower Dome replicates the cool-dry climate of Mediterranean regions like South Africa, California and parts of Spain and Italy. Home to a collection of plants from deserts all over the world, it showcases the adaptations of plants to arid environments...

Lightning Strikes, Not Once, But Many Times

Unlike light, lightning does not travel in a straight line. Instead, it has many branches. These other branches flashed at the same time as the main strike. The branches are actually the step leaders that were connected to the leader that made it to its target...

Are You My Dinner Tonight?

A T-Rex has 24-26 teeth on its upper jaw and 24 more on its lower jaw. Juveniles have small, sharp blade-shaped teeth to cut flesh, whereas adults have huge, blunt, rounded teeth for crushing bones. Is the T-Rex a bone-crushing scavenger?

"Go Eco, Get Crafty" With Old Tees & Socks

11:30 PM  , , , ,  

City Square Mall
Kitchener Road, Singapore
June 2013


Last weekend, Merlion Wayfarer participated in an Eco Crafts Workshop organized by Panasonic and OMY with City Square Mall being the venue sponsor. Part of the "Fun Learning With Panasonic" series, "Go Eco, Get Crafty" was hosted by Evelyn Kuek, TV host from Okto/Kids Central and held at City Square Mall, Singapore's first Eco-Mall. 


Find "crafty" solutions for those faded or out-of-sized old T-shirts and socks...
  1. T-Shirt Coaster
  2. T-Shirt Bag
  3. Sock Pouch

Stomach-filling food was provided for both the participants and the bloggers...

Q&A for the participants to win some prizes - Lots of enthusiastic little hands going up!

It's hard to get the little ones to stand still for a photo...

Ending the workshop with a eco-tour around the mall...

All-in-all, it was a cheery end to a warm afternoon with new tips on saving the environment...

  
Thank you, Panasonic, OMY and City Square! 


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"Go Eco, Get Crafty" - Sock Pouch

11:29 PM  , , , ,  

City Square Mall
Kitchener Road, Singapore
June 2013
  

Problem
   

Socks overstretched due to excessive washing? Lost one sock and can't find the other? No problem lah!


Solution

(Materials required : Sock, Scissors, Straw, Shoelace or Ribbon)

  1. Cut two notches in the top hem of the sock. Don't cut further than the hem.

    "If I don't know what is a 'notch', can I help cut the other items?"

  2. Slip one piece of the shoelace or ribbon through the straw. Pull it back against the outside of the straw.

    Threading is not as easy as you think hor...

  3. Slide the straw and shoelace/ribbon through one of the notched openings in the sock. Thread it through to the opening on the other side of the sock.

    Jie Jie from Panasonic helps with the threading...

    Ge Ge from Panasonic helps too...

  4. Remove the straw and tie the ends of the shoelace/ribbon into a double knot.

    Mama takes a proud pic of Ah Girl doing her handicraft...

  5. Repeat Steps 3 & 4 on the opposite side of the sock for the second piece of shoelace/ribbon.

    "I just want to decorate!"

    A cohesive family effort...


  

Sources (Photos)

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"Go Eco, Get Crafty" - T-Shirt Bag

10:09 PM  , , , ,  

City Square Mall
Kitchener Road, Singapore
June 2013
  

Problem
   

Play too much until T-shirt got big hole? Collar drop off coz head getting too big? No problem lah!


Solution

(Materials required : Adult-sized T-shirt, Scissors, Fabric Markets, Beads)
  1. Lay your T-shirt flat on the table. Cut off the neck band, the bottom seam and the sleeves.
      
  2. Turn the T-shirt inside out. Then cut off the bottom hem binding.
      
  3. Take the binding, wrap it around the T-shirt and tie it really tight. Do this step twice to secure the bottom of the bag.
      
  4. Turn the T-shirt bag back to the right side. Start decorating!
Picasa at work...

Mother and daughter pose for a pic with both their finished products...

Work of art - by a proud father and son team!


Sparks Of Inspiration
  

Not enough challenge for you? Here are more creative versions of T-shirt bags that you can try...
  • Bag with pockets
  • Bag with ruffles

  • Bag with handles


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"Go Eco, Get Crafty" - T-Shirt Coaster

10:01 PM  , , , ,  

City Square Mall
Kitchener Road, Singapore
June 2013
  

Problem
   

Ragged T-shirts? T-shirts kenah bleached? Can't get rid of that curry or laksa stain? No problem lah!

 

Solution

(Materials required : 2-3 T-shirts of different colours, Scissors, Fabric glue, Sticky tape)
  1. Cut the T-shirt into strips.


    "Ah Boy, don't look at McDonald's liao, the Ugly Duckling Hello Kitty is coming out on only on Thursday!"


    Acme of perfection - Parallel strips of exactly the same size...

       
  2. Knotting one end, braid the strips together. Use some sticky tape to secure one end for easy braiding. When you finish, secure the strip with another knot at the other end.
     
    Does left go over right, or right go over left?

    Mama does it best...

    Papa also very good! (Even Evelyn also don't believe!)  ;)

    Ah Boy is full of wonder about what this is turning out to be...

  3. Roll the braided T-shirt strips into a snail shell shape, spreading a little fabric glue occasionally.

  4. Continue with another set of braided strips if your coaster is too small.
      
    "I don't want a coaster, I'm going to wash my hands now, give me my hamburger!"

       
  5. Done! Your coaster should look like this...


       
These coasters are super-thick and absorbent. Not a coaster to put under a delicate wine glass or a flimsy can, but they work just great for a big heavy mug of Milo or kopi!


Sparks Of Inspiration
  

Your braided T-shirt strips can also be made into these great ideas!

  • Braided T-shirt basket

  • Braided T-shirt door mat

  

Sources (Photos)

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