Little Things 100 : Let's Turn Back Time

If I could turn back time and be an IT student again, I would..

1. Create a Behance and Dribbble account and use it vigorously as guideline to success.

2. Read double amount of books every month.

3. Do proper case studies on start-up companies and their products.

4. Still not focus on the programming part of everything. 

5. Learn digital illustrating on the second year instead of the final year.

6. Watch double amount of movies from the intranet. 

7. Focus on web development and UI/UX. *UX/UX at the time was pretty much, new. After iPhone was born, every IT based products from devices to softwares put extra efforts in making things beautiful, simple but define its purpose. Suddenly every button every line got meanings and explanations , and I just love that.

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Things I still don't understand important but seemingly important for the college :

1. Having a mentor. 

*I met her once in the first semester.

2. Clubs or societies. 

*I was never active and if I did, it was because of the requirement to graduate. Those group-things they tried to implement, nope, did not worked for me. If they wanted to see my commitment and how passionate I was in doing something, they should see me in my doodle business. 18 events, several interviews, and talks, what more can I show to prove to them? I hate clubs and societies. Or maybe they wanted to see me participate with other people :- that is still my major problem in life.

3. Exams on written programming. 

*I literally memorized the codings. Memorized and was pretty bad at it. I think I got C+ in my Advanced Programming. That was my lowest point in my graduate years.  

4. Kursus kahwin

*I took it too early now it is not even valid.

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But then again, I don't want to turn back time if I could. The beautiful thing about now is I completed my years as a student and I can work for money or do anything I want to do. I proved to the society that I can take exam and memorize things that are needed to pass. I proved to my parents that I can learn and get 4 flat or even C+. 

For all students out there, please enjoy your years as a student because those are the years that you can have fun and learn a lot of things and be awarded with a scroll. Ha. Because the next thing you knew, you'll be paying off your loans and your middle name would be 'responsibilities'. 

Random : Another rambling report

1. The rashes from Urbanscapes are still visible and itchy. Urbanscapes mentioned in their Facebook about how the rashes came from the caterpillars in the field - although I didn't even sit on the grass or touch anything, as far as I can remember. But let's be patient, this is not the first time I've encountered any allergies, and I already ate some antihistamine and cut my nails so I wouldn't scratch my hands.

2. Three days to go from the Fan Run 2013 at Putrajaya. This month I've ran over 35km for my training sessions, getting ready for my first 10 km run+walk or 6th/last run for this year : 

4 times - 5 km, 

1 time - 7 km, 

1 time - 10 km.  

I usually list everything and count things as personal little achievements. One odd thing that I realized about myself is I do things that I don't want to do, just because. For example I don't want to run more than 7km after my first try-out several months back and suddenly I signed up for 10 km run. Or I said many times that I don't want to take the scariest ride *for me in Genting : Space Shot and suddenly I tried that 3 times - *that 3 times I regretted my own decisions. 

I don't understand the need to do things that I don't want to do, they clashes one another, but I keep on doing them.

3. I bought some lamb leathers imported from the US because I failed to find any local supplier. I've been playing around and experimenting with them these couple of days. It's a slow learning process but having a crafty hands are quite handy - watched tutorials and designs I love from the net and I'm trying to do my own version. This is very fun.

4. I'm having my fifth interviews next week.    

5. Shaun Tan blogged about the Oopsatoreum Exhibition in Sydney next December and I asked him whether there'd be any chance at all, in meet & greet session. He replied saying he won't make it to the exhibition and will post updates if he will ever be doing any appearances. 

I can actually cry over the excitement like a young high-school-girl receiving a reply from the person she admires at school. This is 'the' Shaun Tan that I have been mentioning since 2010 in this blog. 'The' same Shaun Tan that I've been saying "the only reason I'll go to Australia is probably because they got Shaun Tan - no other reason". This admiration is insane.

6. Confession : Every time I'm lacking ideas to write, I'll ramble on updates of my life - which is one of the narcissistic thing that a writer can write about. I just need to write or pretend to write and ignore those drafted files I've been composing. Yes. Very productive. Plus, I love to read about my past months just so I can compare it with the present moments. Hm. Still sounding narcissistic. 

7. It's almost 12 am and it's raining. 

It's either complete silence or annoying rambles. 

So I chose this.

Thanks for still reading !

Event : Post Urbanscapes 2013

Saturday afternoon, Urbanscapes 2013.

I prepared my stuffs the night before, and so on the event's day, I packed my things and had a lunch in Equine Park with my sister before heading to Maeps. I was excited, I remember last year I wanted to open a booth in Urbanscapes imagining all those exciting atmosphere of great music festival mixed with artsy people around me. So when my sister was offered with a sponsored booth, I said to her that "we must go, no matter what! This is 'the' Urbanscapes, it costs a month's salary to open a booth there!".

So we arrived and tried to register at the registration booth but our name wasn't there - this was a minor problem because maybe they had not updated their list, our name was under the sponsored team's, *we only took our tag at 630pm later.

It took us 1/2 hour to walk to the booth area while bringing our stuffs along, and more than 1 hour to find our booth, there was no mark or sign or our names in any of the booths. My sister had to call the person in charge more than 5 times just to get an idea of the location - at last she came and helped us, for that, I am very much thankful. We were drenched in sweat, hot beyond any words, and later I was having a major headache for the whole day.

We were not enjoying the booth experience. 

Many times "let's go home", uttered by both of us but we stayed.

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There were many young people enjoying the event, happy carefree faces, hipstery latest fashion and socialites. I am not much of a trend setter or trend follower, and I'm pretty much enjoy watching the fever. The crowd was over-whelming, I never thought we have such a big group of passionate socialites in Malaysia until I went to Urbanscapes. 

"So this is the young people these days", I thought. 

Although I'm reaching the late 20's now and not actually 'that' old to be considered as young people, but well, you'll feel old if you stick around with me - I am really not a 'fun' person. So I'm comfortable seeing the younger generation as a different group of passionate people than myself. The energy is just 'wow', very loud indeed.

I also knew the concert experience was not much of my interest. 

Other than being a boring person, I also enjoy the quietness of nature with less human contact. So being in a huge crowd environment was a bit too much but interesting at the same time. I saw several performance but missed Tegan & Sara's that night because the performance was too late and I need to go to the toilet. Although Aja said that I can try the plastic booth's public toilet, I declined - remembering those Japanese pranks to people in public toilet *this was just a paranoid statement.

Market of Experiences

DIY kite

Free books available.

Awareness Campaign.

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But other than that, I had fun exploring the Maeps's area. The view is breath-takingly beautiful. The event was located on the hill side, there were wooden fences over the grass hill, people were having a picnic while enjoying the good windy weather later that afternoon, explosion of huge clouds, and great sunset view. I wish I was not having a major headache so I could try to enjoy the nice hill side view.

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All in all, I enjoyed the experience of being in the international music festival, here in Malaysia. Those little difficulties were normal for such a big event, and kudos to the organizer and also Toursim Selangor for sponsoring the event.

This year has been an interesting year, indeed.

PS : Bad rashes came from the event, the news is currently viral on twitter.

Event : Urbanscapes 2013

I know it's a short notice but, see you guys at Urbanscape this weekend ! Hope it won't rain too much for these 2 days this Saturday :F My sister got a spot in the event and suddenly we are both going to Urbanscape tomorrow - for free. I'm going to print the awesome schedule and wait for tomorrow's Tegan & Sara *or maybe not - I just found out the location from my booth to the stage is just too far and the concert start at 945pm :( plus my printer just ran out of ink. Ha.

Another note : I really love the design for this year's Urbanscape.
Here I compiled them, this is to appreciate the designer/s' work :

Awesome retailers :

SHOWROOM | IDOtshirt | Nusantara |  Menage Clothing | Hellbent Skateboarding | The Deciders x A& E | MARS & VENUS x Bagstra |  Project Swissify | 6Tea’s Clothing | W6  | The Oldees |  Kulkith Shoes | 2morrow Shoes | Huggaz | Dipped Row | Psychedelic Store | Milktee | Lah’ Lah’ Land | DUMPWERKS | Owlch! | COVETZ | anonymous store + medium rare | Arrogant Minnie | Wicked Wardrobe |  IAMJETFUEL Shop | DOVEYLOVEY |  Leihusky + Jainaroshim | Wearemustache |  Lovca | The Garment | Bugis Wardrobe | Nogen Cloth | BOK TJUV | Beautiful Machines KL |  ITALIC & BOLD | The General Store | The Bag Creature | YESAH | I Heart Badges | Mashkin |  3Edition | Wanderpillow |  27 Legacy Tie Dye | Fliplet | Moniko + Antonia Ghazlan | Currynoodle Poster | Buku Fixi |  Positive Emporium | Genovasi | Dwicharms |  Kapten Bluehbossa |

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Schedule :

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People look for things that are too far,
they forget things that are near.

And I realized that not only I seek for those uncertainties in the future, I also crave for it.

Why today is never enough ?

And if today is enough for you,
then why do you create your today, for tomorrow ?

Doodle : Book on Little Things *for sale*

Hello,

I managed to compile 20 pages of illustration consist of little things that I found on my outing days. This includes : dried leaves, pine corn, insects, flowers and other random things. Many of these things are available out there, ready for you to discover. I felt deeply inspired in these couple of months while I was hunting for little things, despite the hot weather, 'muka belang' and 'bau masem-masem peluh', so I illustrate it again in simpler stroke because keeping pictures in Instagram and illustrating it again in your record book very different indeed. And I compiled it into a small book of little things !

I want to show you what simple activity can do to your life.

The book is available now.

Page : 20 pages of illustration

Paper : Double A - 80 gsm

Size : A6 - 9.5 x 13 cm

Price : RM 15 *including normal postage* 

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Self compiled, printed and made into wire-bind book.

If you enjoy digital version on your computer or a tablet, here is a link to my behance, I put most of the illustrations here. The idea is still sharing these little things I found outside the house in simple strokes. 

If you want to buy the book, you are paying for the printing, binding, cutting, packaging and posting cost. Thanks for the support. I'm working on compiling other doodles as well. Stay doodling !

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Send me an email : azreen_31@hotmail or reply in the comment box below with your email and I'll contact you or PM me in my Facebook.

Little Things 99 : Weirdness and You

Let me tell you something, if you think you are weird, stop, there are high possibilities that you are not weird - but just a little different. In fact, everyone is different - no two persons have the exact same everything, kan?

When I was growing up *13-23 of human age , I told myself that I was weird because I wanted different things, crave for something that people don't look twice, have personal thoughts and arguments on undiscussable topics, and such. 

I wear my differences as a badge to show that I am not you, you or you. 

When I look back at my younger version self, I saw myself as someone confused. I was probably explaining to myself why I was different  than my friends and so, the 'weird' badge is the easiest thing to explain it all. 

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Some extra thoughts :

1. Loving books and spending most of your money on them and secretly buying them because you want to avoid any confrontation on "there-are-too-many-books-on-your-shelves-already" are not weird, that mean you are a bookaholics or bibliophile. There's nothing wrong with loving the art of words.

2. Listening to old musics and having a playlist of songs that were written when even your parents weren't born yet, do not make you are a weird person. That probably means you are an old soul, you love those soothingly beautiful music from the past. It told more stories than any new songs in our time. There's nothing wrong with loving old songs, and there's nothing wrong with memorizing the lyric ! *I have no idea why I can remember those lyrics.

3. Wanting to be alone than socializing is not weird. You are probably an introvert or you have a wrong group of people around you. It's completely normal to be alone or silently doodling in your room or reading in the park or eating by yourself in the cafeteria. These things, do not make you a 'weirdo'. You just have different ways than other people.

4. Feeling too much or being in indescribable pain or emptiness or loneliness most of the time, is not weird. You are probably a sensitive soul. We don't really discuss on this topic much, but for some people we are just born more sensitive. So much till you can see pain by looking at someone's eyes or feel sadness when you are near someone else that projecting those auras. You can just feel too much. You are special, so learn to control it and don't let it manipulate what's in you. Here is some useful reading for a sensitive soul. Most people are unaware of these, if you have children or siblings who are more sensitive than others, let them grow up well. They are just a bit different, guide them *we are even 20% of the population, wihu! Extra note to sensitive souls : you need to learn to control this yourself, or you'll eat your soul from the inside. Even my family is not aware of this, so I had to learn it myself and it was tough when I was much younger. 

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Don't feel troubled by these confusions. I know most of us stumble across blogs after blogs, picking up little reading like this. This might be something you need to know early. Because I took 10 years to grow comfortable in this. Remember that differences make you a unique person. You are not "weird" or "freak", you are just human. You don't have to give yourself a badge for being different and you don't have to explain everything that makes you, You. 

Be comfortable in your skin.

Little Things 98 : Paulo's Etsy

It is very very fascinating to find out that Paulo Coelho uses Etsy to sell his products in Oiticica & Coelho. A very humble and simple way to open an online shop. 

"I want to sell my things online".

*zappp* 

and we get an online shop ready in Etsy.

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Doodle : Moonrise Kingdom

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Illustration I made several months ago, now digitized :

Random : Last weekend

Last week I met two of my idols :

1) Faizal Tahir

Not many people know that I like him, it has never been discussed before because most people know how much Aja loves him - so I didn't want to make it like a great deal. But yes, there are some Malaysian singers that I like, and Faizal Tahir is included in the list. Meeting him last week at Microsoft's Surface launching in Starbucks The Garden was fun. He sang a song live, I took a picture with him and gave Aja all the glory to cry with happiness. Ha, I'm glad she finally met him - meeting Faizal was in her wish list.  

2) Lang Leav

For some people on Tumblr, you must have stumbled across one or two of her poems because they are widely shared among us Tumblrians. I love her beautiful poems on love, betrayal, pain, longing, falling in love again, and those sweet things most people like us love. So when she compiled it in a book back in April, I bought it online right away. It took two months to arrive, yeap, that's with Book Depository - cheap book, free delivery but 2 months to arrive. 

Well Lang Leav is currently on her book tour and she came to Kinokuniya, KLCC last weekend for a short book read and 'meet & greet' session. I was the third person in a long line - imagine my excitement to meet a writer/poet/word artist. She sweetly wrote "For Ezreen, " and signed the book. She asked me whether it was right and I said my name was actually spelled with an 'A' not 'E'. She felt guilty and offered other new book but I refused - *no, I'm not going to change my first printed version of Love & Misadventures !

Book : Reborn, Susan Sontag

I bought Susan Sontag's Early Diaries (1947-1963) - Reborn, compiled by his son, David. This is word of thoughts/quotations/questions/arguments/etc that were selected from her diaries in her early adolescence till mid thirties. I first read about her from brainpickings years ago and thought of her as someone interesting, especially her writings on a lot of things : life, God, love, marriage, etc. My curiosity was now answered after reading her diaries. 

What I learned :

The book showed me her side of story in her early life, I learned about her struggle and confusion, her random thoughts and how she faced her problems. I don't know why, but for me, reading other people's writings really help me understand people. So this is why I read a lot :F

That's the right one ! 

Anyhow, I extracted what I found interesting or like and shared it here for my own record and you may read it if you like these things too ! :

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13/04/1948
Ideas disturb the levelness of life.

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25/05/1949

A thought occurred to me today - so obvious, so always obvious! It was absurd to suddenly comprehend it for the first time - I felt giddy, a little hysterical : There is nothing, nothing stops me from doing anything except myself. What is to prevent me from just picking up and taking off? Just the self-enforced pressures of my environment, but which have always seemed so omnipotent that I never dared to contemplate a violation of them. But actually, what stops me? A fear of my family - mother, especially? A clinging to security and material possessions? Yes, it is both of those, but only those realities that keep me... What is college? I can learn nothing, for that which I want to know I can accumulate, and have done so, on my own, and the rest will be drudgery. College is safety, because it is the easy, secure thing to do. 

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4/11/1956

Concerning the death of Getrude Stein : she came out of a deep coma to ask her companion Alice Toklas, "Alice, Alice, what is the answer?". Her companion replied, "There is no answer." Getrude Stein continued, "Well then, what is the question?", and fell back dead. 

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12/1956

From the Journals of Soren Kierkegaard :

"There are many people who reach their conclusions about life like schoolboys: they cheat their master by copying the answer out of a book without having worked out the sum for themselves."

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24/12/1956

David, very obliging and tender as he prepares for bed, whereupon this dialogue. 

D : "What if God never made the world?".

SS : "Then we wouldn't be. That would be too bad, wouldn't it?"

D : "Wouldn't be? Not even Moses?"

SS : "How could anyone be, if there weren't a world to be in?"

D : "But if there wasn't a world, where would God be?"

SS : "God exists before the world. He isn't a person or thing"

D : "Then if God isn't a person, why did he has to rest?"

SS : "Well the Bible speaks of God as a person, because that's the only way we can imagine God. Because he is not really a person".

D : "What is he? A cloud?"

SS : "He's not a thing. He is the principle behind the whole world, the ground of being, everywhere".

D : "Everywhere? In this room?"

SS : "Well, why not? Sure".

He : "Is God good?"

SS : "Oh, yes"

D : "Is God goodest thing there is?"

SS : "That's just right. Goodnight".

Little Things 97 : Totebag

Confession number one :
I love canvas tote bag.

I can simply fold it and put it in my sling/handbag and bring it out to put stuffs when I buy things because I don't like plastic bags and usually when I buy stuffs, I'll say "No plastic, thanks" and stuffed those things in my bag with the receipt - so when I have a tote bag, I can just use it instead. 

Confession number two :

I have 3 of these bags.

1. The RM 5 empty canvas-like totebag I found in Daiso. I bought it because I just like the bag : all empty, like a sac so I can put my groceries when I buy them - way back in Uniten.

2. The canvas totebag from Astronautboys as a gift that I got when I went to Bandung and met him. Which was the luckiest thing that ever happen in Bandung other than a great family time. This is my favorite one - I still use it, and it's been more than 2 years.

3. My own totebag. I don't know about you, but I thought people who use their own products as  "macam-bagus-guna-barang-buatan-sendiri", until the time that I finally made something that I sell and use for myself. 

Confession number three :

I love my explore totebag, I actually designed it for myself.

Ha. This is the one thing that I created solely because I want to use it and at the same time decided to share it with people. It may not be as fashionable as any other branded bags out there but for me, it stands for its sole purpose of being simple-foldable totebag. And it is enough. 

Confession number four :

I still think you need to buy it, if you are a totebag user - that's why I made this post. To share the love of canvas totebag :D plus the 'explore' is to inspire you to go out and explore ! 

Read previous long post here.

Thanks !

Event : Art for Grab Dec 2013

Hello,

I had a lot of fun joining Art for Grabs in October and decided to join them again for this 14 & 15 Dec Art for Grabs ! Wihu ! Same place, same time, great environment, friendly crowds and hopefully more things to share ❤ 

Short vid from previous event :

Art for Grabs Event from Farikarim on Vimeo.

There are lot of new items, that's for sure :)

PS : Thanks to all the people in the video shots, you are super awesome for coming and supporting our local art. Please come again, friendly familiar faces.

PS2 : and thanks FariKarim for the video ! :D 

Little Stories 62 : Sell bag & work

A friend : What are you doing now ?
Me : Applying for work.
A friend : But it must good for you. You can sell bag.

I am not sure if that was a compliment or a sarcastic note.
But that statement gave a remark to this week's life.

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I ended my contract with Liquid Learning and I'm applying for jobs farther than hometown or even my playground. I've given myself some thoughts on life these days and I think there's nothing much stopping me from going to places anymore. Other than money, of course.

So I applied jobs in JB, Pahang and Penang, places that are not quite near, but reachable, yes. In hopes for chances to go farther than here, with God's willing. So for a month, I applied to almost 15 jobs on Jobstreet, some got rejected *maybe I applied even though I can't speak/read Mandarin, or I demanded higher salary than what they offered. Who would still pay RM 1500 for 1 month designing work when 2 weeks work of freelance illustrating pays the same amount, and even more?  Been called for an interview to somewhat creepy uncomfortable places and replied several emails on online interviews and test.

I know my mom is worried because I stayed at home again like a good girl does and like all modern parents, they want their children to be independent and financially stable - not staying at home, doodling and selling bag. Ha.

But ah well, I'm working on it.

PS : I've never even sleep/relax at home, I do works all the time.
I am so productive, and no one can't imagine that.
Why I need to be in an office to prove that I'm constantly working? Phew.

Note :
Anyhow, other than art prints and stickers on etsy,
I'm compiling doodle in printed books/zine/hand-made doodle books.
Hopefully it will be ready for December's event.

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There is a thirst of your presence in my silence, and I hold my tongue so you can't hear me utters your name, but in truth you answer to my every call, when my ears no longer listen and my eyes refuse to see. 

Doodle : Tribal Wooden Mirror *For Sale*

Hello,

These are all tribal theme repetition I did on wooden mirrors. I got four pieces of these wooden mirrors, each drawn by me without using ruler, except for the outer line. Mainly the differences between these mirrors are the character (solo/partner) and the sequence of the corak. I usually do things spontaneously so there might be minor flaws - after all I did it free-handedly :D

The empty space on the little banner/s were made to be customized with your name/s. Added note : it is quite big, and used for wall mirror, and rarely as desk mirror :D You can make it as a give to yourself, partner, bff or soon-to-be-married couple *as a wedding gift.

Extra note 2 : I don't take custom order. Thank you ! :)

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Tribal Wooden Mirror 1

Material : Artline on Wooden Mirror

Size : 26 x 26 cm | 10 x 10 inch

Status : Available

Please email me : azreen_31@hotmail.com for any enquiries on price & postage. Thanks.

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Tribal Wooden Mirror 2

Material : Artline on Wooden Mirror

Size : 26 x 26 cm | 10 x 10 inch

Status : Available

Please email me : azreen_31@hotmail.com for any enquiries on price & postage. Thanks.

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Tribal Wooden Mirror 3

Material : Artline on Wooden Mirror

Size : 26 x 26 cm | 10 x 10 inch

Status : Available

Please email me : azreen_31@hotmail.com for any enquiries on price & postage. Thanks.

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Tribal Wooden Mirror 4

Material : Artline on Wooden Mirror

Size : 26 x 26 cm | 10 x 10 inch

Status : Available

Please email me : azreen_31@hotmail.com for any enquiries on price & postage. Thanks.

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The end

Doodle : Tribal Bird * For Sale *

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Tribal Bird

Material : Artline on Wooden Framed Canvas

Size : 20 x 20 cm

Status : Available - 1 piece

Please email me : azreen_31@hotmail.com for any enquiries on price & postage. Thanks.

or buy from Etsy.

Based on illustration I did in my sketch book :

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