Amineko is a combination of 2 words, Amigurumi and Neko, which means cat in Japanese.
Although restrictions in Singapore are gradually easing up, some of us may still be subjected to WFH arrangements. If you’re looking for a new hobby to keep you sane, try crochet! Aminekos were one of the first things I crocheted when I started and you can make them in 1 to 2 days depending on how large you make them, the larger ones might take 2-4 days to complete.
Follow the link below to get the FREE PATTERN and start working on your new favourite Amineko buddy!
Crocheted toys make great gifts for kids ofall ages, but are they really safe?
Here are 4 things you need to consider when buying a crocheted toy or if you are planning to make a crochet toy that will be safe for kids.
Kids, especially babies tend to have sensitive skin and wool can cause them to feel “itchy”. If you’re looking for a crocheted doll or blanket for a child, go for products that are made with cotton, bamboo or acrylic blend yarns, these are soft and are less likely to irritate or scratch a baby’s sensitive skin. Wool yarns contains animal fibers which can cause allergies and have a tendency to pile over time.
Kids will be kids and kids will make a mess. That said, make sure the product you are purchasing is washable so you don’t have to resort to throwing it out if your kid gets apple sauce all over their new toy. Cotton and acrylic yarns are generally easy to just throw into the machine for a quick spin whereas other yarns may require dry cleaning or hand washing so make sure to read the label to make sure it is washable.
Most products use “safety eyes” but to be honest, safety eyes are not 100% safe and with enough force can still come apart. The ones held together by a plastic backing on the inside (pictured above right) can loosen over time especially if your kid starts biting or chewing the toy. The ones that are sewn on (pictured above left) are a better option as it is incorporated into the pattern as the doll is crocheted and therefore will not detach from the doll since it is basically stitched into the pattern.
So why aren’t they used if they are a safer option?
You need to know exactly when to add them, and once you add them you won’t be able to change it’s position; unless you unpick all your stitches until you get to where the eye was attached. No one enjoys doing that.
To be safe, when choosing a crocheted toy for kids, it is best to look for products that have embroidered features instead of plastic safety eyes. You can check with the seller if the safety eyes are sewn on or held together with the backing, if it’s sewn on, good. Some sellers may be willing to replace the safety eyes with embroidered features upon request so do check if the product you are interested in comes originally with safety eyes.
Embroided eye details and no detachables on this one!
Doll accessories, pom poms, beaded necklaces on toys are cute, until your kid decides to remove it and eat it. Kids put everything into their little mouths so you want to make sure that the doll does not have small removable parts or accessories that could pose as a potential choking hazard. They love pulling, stretching, biting everything that lands in their hands, what if they stretch a bead bracelet and the elastic snaps? The beads will come loose and if they’re not under adult supervision, the loose beads are going to pose a high choke risk.
Be sure to check that everything is securely attached to the doll and doesn’t come off too easily, or make sure all removable parts are big enough to not fit in one of those curious little mouths.
There! You are now well equipped to make smart choices when it comes to crochet toys for kids.
Still unsure about the many different types of yarn available out there? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
We’ve put together a free, downloadable e-book that explains the different types of yarn, their uses, as well as everything you need to know about yarn weights, what exactly “ply” means and how to go about choosing the most suitable yarn for all your projects.
It’s been a crazy few months, almost a year since I decided to quit my job.
I know I did the right thing, my job was eating me from the inside. Don’t get me wrong, I actually quite liked my job but…. there’s always a but. After applying for jobs and never hearing back, interviews that didn’t bear good news in the end, I began to wonder if I made a mistake..
I started to feel lost, unsure of what to do but I knew I wasn’t alone. I knew that I wasn’t the only one in such a situation and there could definitely be others who have it worse.
I could easily have gone back into the F&B industry, but the more I thought about it, the more I didn’t want to. I had to stick to my decision. So… what did I do?
I’m currently taking a course in digital marketing, with the hope that when I’m done with the course in 5 to 6 months, I’ll be able to live a new life out of F&B. The course requires us to produce quite a bit of content, initially I wanted to go with a made up company and product but after 3 assignments I realised it was going to be tough to make up fake content, so I decided to use my store!
They did not ask to curate videos but I enjoy making them so here’s one for everyone who needs a reminder to always BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.
Reach out to friends who need you, and that love will come back to you!
I had initially planned to launch these updated and new pieces last week, but if you’re following my Instagram, I got totally derailed by the TraceTogether token! I started making cosies and simply could not stop, until now. I told myself I will not touch another ball of yarn until I get this done!
So I did! And decided to have some fun with it while I was at it! I found some old photos of the previous versions so I decided to do a before and after with 2 of them.
But first, Tulle Princess!
This is a Perpetual Spring Luxe piece, complete with a girly touch of tulle! Which girl doesn’t fancy a dreamy floral piece?
Tulle Princess in Nude Beige (SGD$42) is a neutral and versatile piece which can be dressed up or dressed down, okay it might just be on the dressier side but still great with casuals! This is a tweaked version of the one I posted in my previous post.
Ivory Rose!
This was “Pretty as a bride” first, before it became Roxy Rose. I decided to name it Ivory Rose (SGD$39) as it sounds more simple and well, who was Roxy?
The current version of Ivory Rose.
The Roxy Rose then —–>>> Ivory Rose now. Tulle Princess in Nude & Ivory Rose
A really old photo I found of Sherlyn wearing The Roxy Rose!
Black & Blue
Last but not least, Black & Blue! (SGD$39) Okay I didn’t change the name for this one because, you really can’t deviate far anyway.
Black & Blue then and now.
I have lost count of how many versions this piece has gone through! There was also a felt version of this. And now I’ve brought it back and “updated” it again! Unlike the previous version which had a raw edge blue flower, this version consists of 3 handsewn fabric rosettes and 2 singed fabric flowers, one black and one blue.Â
If you’ve been following The Perpetual Spring Collection all these years, you would have noticed that I lowered the prices of the pieces (Ivory Rose & Black & Blue included) and I thought I would share with you why I decided to do so…
When I “rebranded” to “Le Petit Cadeau”, we were pretty much in a terrible state no thanks to Covid19. With most people taking pay cuts, losing their jobs and struggling to hang on to their sanity, I wanted to make my pieces more affordable to everyone. After all, being in a pandemic situation doesn’t mean we should stop dressing well and wearing things that make us feel good about ourselves, right? The process of making them really makes me happy and getting messages from you when you have received your orders makes me even happier! I want to spread that love and joy as far as I can.
Remember, you don’t need to dress up for anyone but yourself, and we all know wearing floral pieces kinda makes you that much happier for some reason. :)
I’ll leave you with my latest stop motion animation short video!
Also, if you’re interested to get a TraceTogether token buddy for yourself, you can check them out here!
If you’re not sure how to accessorise with florals, keep scrolling…
Floral statement pieces don’t have to be kept for special occasions or for days when you are feeling a lil more fancy. In fact, they’re perfect for every day wear and can be dressed up or dressed down.
Ana wears Tulle Princess with a simple white top, jeans and sneakers for a really cute weekend look. Who said florals can only be paired with dresses?
I first made Tulle Princess as a custom order for Ana along the lines of pink and the love for ballet, hence the tulle! (Thanks to the extra length of fabric and tulle I cut off from a rather expensive dress I bought for a wedding last year.)
Here is the remake version in Nude Pink! Same color tulle but paired with a slightly darker shade of pink. I paired in with a basic white crop top and denim jacket, I would wear maybe a long satin skirt in a neutral to pink tone with this and add sneakers to create a casual yet dressy look.
I’m considering doing another version in cream… Should I?
Crochet Blooms has been one of the favourites over the years! Probably cos it is easy to match with most outfits, and it’s a floral piece that isn’t overly “loud” but relatively neutral.
The “original” 6 “petal” version is available in pastel pink.
“Le Petit Cadeau” is French for “The Little Gift”.
A very similar sounding name is “Kado”, and it is believed that those with the name Kado have a pure, wild and fierce heart that is full of love.
Going about every day life, I believe it is not about grand gestures, but all the little things we do, no matter how small that truly makes the difference. Every little win in life should be celebrated, no matter how small. And the simple act of reaching out to a friend having a hard time should not be underestimated.
Just waking up to a new day might be an accomplishment for someone. Sometimes it’s okay if all you did today was breathe.
Technology has taken over our lives, and many of us have forgotten what it feels like to receive a handwritten note especially on a day when you’re feeling down. I hope to change that. Send physical cards instead of Whatsapp texts, they are two very different things. A WhatsApp text is but a text no matter how you word it, but putting in just a bit more effort to send a physical card says a lot more.
“You matter to me, You are worth it,
You are enough.”
I created Le Petit Cadeau with the hope to encourage you to reach out to your friends, even if it is just to let them know that you miss them, make someone’s day with a little gift filled with lots of love! :) ♡♡♡
Sunflowers, the universal flower of happiness!
After much “battling” with technology, to be exact as an IT noob trying to configure name servers and what not, I decided to leave Jeanine Gabrielle as my blog page and rename the store “Le Petit Cadeau”. I think it makes sense since basically everything in the store makes a great little gift for a loved one. You will find my new paper flowers under the “Petite Fleur” tab in store. Of course, you can still shop crocheted items, accessories and quirky goods for your home.
Here are some ideals that this new collection revolves around.
1. They last FOREVER.
Paper flowers are by no means a replacement for real flowers, they are an alternative option. But the fact is that paper flowers are not going to die on you like real flowers do. I always feel reluctant to throw out flowers when they have withered, it just feels so painful to throw away something that was so beautiful just the day before! With paper flowers, you don’t have to worry about changing the water every day or leaving them in the office over the weekend. They’ll be fine on their own.
A custom order of Petit Pots for Teacher’s Day.
2. Highly customisable!
In the world of paper flowers, you are limited only by your own imagination. Green roses? Why not?
Petit bouquet customised according to recipient’s favourite colors!
It allows me to create pieces that are fun and unique in their own way. No two will ever be the same. Have fun! Mix and match flowers and colors or if you’re really have no idea how to go about picking a combination, just let me know what you need and consider it done. :)
3. They can be shipped very “discretely”.
This was one of the main consideration factors for me. Keeping them small means they can be delivered via normal mail which crosses out heavy shipping costs, and secondly, who would expect to receive flowers in an unsuspecting 15 x 15 box? SURPRISE!
Mini orchid and potted roses
4. Minimal Space.
On the topic of size, they also do not invade your space. The pots take up at most a 5cm square of space so they’re perfect for those empty corners too. I make them in such a way that they can stand on their own, of course you can put some double sided foam tape on the bottom to keep them in place as they are pretty weightless. (No they won’t double up as paper weights, unfortunately) I also have “hanging pot” options that you can hang up on your office desk board! Absolutely no vases required.
Petit Pots attached to kraft paper gift tags
5. Three Words, Handmade With LOVE.
Crafting is something that has been close to my heart for as long as I can remember. Like I said, it’s the accumulation of small things that people will remember in the long run. Handmade items just have that extra something, knowing that someone put time and effort into creating something just for you. If that doesn’t make you feel special I don’t know what will.
I always include handwritten notes in my orders, it just wouldn’t be complete otherwise!
If you managed to get to the end of this very long post, THANK YOU!
I hope “Le Petit Cadeau” brings you as much happiness and love as it does for me. :)
I made this apple tart last week and it was so good we finished it in 2 days! I just had to share it with you. The original recipe is adapted from The Food Network, you can check it out too! The only difference is that I made the crust by hand instead of in a mixer and did not use Calvados to glaze the apples after. I sliced my apples pretty thin this time, you might want to cut them thicker if you want to have more bite to it, if you slice them too thin they tend to get a bit “leathery” after baking.
I wouldn’t leave the dough in the fridge for too long because if it gets too hard, it’s difficult to roll out and you’ll need to wait for it to thaw before you can work on it so maybe check on it at intervals when it’s in the fridge, as long as it’s not soft, you’re good!
For the pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt ( I used regular table salt)
1 tablespoon sugar
1½ stick of butter (I used 170 grams)
½ cup ice water
For the apples:
4 Granny Smith apples (I used Pink Lady apples)
½ sugar
½ stick cold unsalted butter (I used 60 grams of salted butter)
½ cup apricot jelly or warm sieved apricot jam
2 tablespoons Calcados, rum, or water
Instructions:
For the pastry, I did it by hand but you can also use a food processor following the original recipe! Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the butter is in small bits the size of peas. With the motor running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Roll the dough slightly larger than 10 by 14-inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.
Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baller. Slice the apples crosswise in 1/4-inch thick slices. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices. Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup of sugar and dot with the butter.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. When the tart’s done, heat the apricot jelly together with the Calvados and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jelly mixture. I didn’t have Calvados so I just used apricot jam and water. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it doesn’t stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.
(From left to right) Pupperoni the dachshund, Bailey the tiny dachshund, Rover the beagle and Huskler the Siberian husky!
#smolpuplife?
It wasn’t even something I planned or preconceived; it sort of just happened? I started taking photos of Pupperoni, this goofball was a custom order for one of my customer of many years. (Thanks Nad!)
And it seemed to take on a life of it’s own in a way.
I mean… the second photo totally looked as if he was doing a yoga stretch… and I just started getting all these different ideas..
What if…
So I made a second dachshund, and then a beagle, and then a husky which Nad also requested for.
Then I thought, since I’m pretty much stuck at home I might as well expand my creativity right? STOP MOTION ANIMATION! I’ve never learnt how to do it, but I could at least try.
And this was the result! My first attempt at stop motion animation!
I thought it was cute, a little pupper trying to climb up on the sofa and falling over then getting up to climb again, happens all the time in real life right? But wait!
“What if that could translate to simple life lessons?”
What if kids and adults (why not) could actually learn something by watching these animated pups? And even if it was just a bunch of pups running across your screen, it would still make you stop and smile!
They love laundry day!
More daily occurrences, the tussle over the sofa
Taking these photos and making the videos sure does keep me amused, and I hope they will light up your day as well! I’ve created a playlist on YouTube so please do subscribe or come back to the blog for more #smolpuplife updates!
I would love for you to share #smolpuplife with your friends and put smiles on more faces! For those of you who are new to my blog,
“Hello and thank you for popping by!”
I make these pups, alpaccas, owls and a ton of other cute stuff and you can find them all here!
To say that time flies would be an understatement.
A year and 3 months later, I find myself revisiting my old self. But why? Because, life happened.
And now, in the midst of this madness caused by the COVID-19 virus, I finally feel like I have time to myself. After all, the past year and a half has been a total whirlwind, time just flew past. I remember leaving beni, taking a break and then starting a new job at Shangri-la last January which didn’t quite work out. Before I knew it I landed another job and as cliche as it might sound, yes, the rest is history.
I always dreamt about working in the wedding industry, there was just something magical about planning someone’s big day. I finally got the offer to do that, although it isn’t quite as magical as I envisioned it to be, it is worth it in the end.
Due to the current situation, I’ve gained a lot more free time and putting work aside to be creative really helps to keep my sanity in a way.
It may seem like a daunting task at first but once you see what you can create with paper, you just want to keep doing more and challenging yourself to do better every day.
I’ve been going back and forth with the idea of creating a new crepe paper flower section for the online store, speaking of which I have neglected for the past year and only started updating over a week ago.
I’m trying my best to tidy up the site and maybe start building content on the blog again, but in the meantime, go check out my new airpod cosies!
It’s been a long time since I’ve blogged and a really long time since I have listed new items for sale. Thanks to the few of you who have been very supportive of my craft all these years, I’ve decided to build a new online store after I ditched Shopify a few years back when they increased the prices tremendously.
Welcome to the new store hosted on Wix!
I’m still trying to figure out how to connect the store to this domain but my tech knowledge has not allowed any success so far. It was relatively easy to build thanks to the templates and once I got the hang of it, it was really fun!
Here’s a sneak at some of the new items I have listed in store!
I’m addicted to making these alpaccas! They’re just so adorable and everyone loves them! Check them out in store cause there’s a few different designs!
I’m taking a long break before starting a new job in January, which explains why I finally had some time to work on this. I will still be updating the store regularly, I hope you find something you like! :)
jeaninegabrielle.com 