Naming Colors

Okay- these are my Malia Colors. I want one of a red shade but I can't seem to find the shade I want. I'm iffy about Emerald, Lemon and Indigo. Any suggestions?

Sneak Peek Part Deux

I'm such a slacker! Busy with my day job (the 2 Singaporean films, Gone Shopping and 881, I worked on are finally out!) and hardly unpacked from my Saigon and Manila trips, I haven't had the energy to update my Verao Crochet Bikini blog. I haven't even uploaded any of my new goods (my Malia line) in Etsy! Aargh! All I have energy to do now is to upload another sneak peak of Malia- this time in Tangerine and Flamingo.

And no, the model isn't me.

I am still wondering how I should sell it- if I should really go full blast with my BYOB (Build Your Own Bikini) plan. Hmmm...

Anyway- my other colors for Malia are Baby Pink, Aqua, Espresso, Licorice, Vanilla, Eggplant, Emerald Green, Lemon, and Indigo.

Positivity

I love positive feedback from my buyers. My first buyer bought my Josefina in Espresso and Azure the day I posted it! It was such a surprise, I couldn't stop jumping for joy! In my enthusiasm though, I didn't read her instructions right and sent the bikini to her old address in Paris (oui, oui, Pareee!!), so her parents had to send it to her to Switzerland. Thank you, Celine of Tenlittlefingers! About a month later, when she finally received her bikini, she posted this feedback:

"I love it! It's amazing how soft and stretchy the cotton is. Fits perfect. Beautiful colours too! Many thanks for the extra gift and your wonderful communication."



It's flattering when someone who buys your creation has products that are flying off the shelf! Check out her store at tenlittlefingers.etsy.com, and her blog at ten-little-fingers.blogspot.com. When I do need to take a trip that requires me to get a coat, I will get one from her!

My other buyer, Noelle, who became an etsy member because I wrote her a How to Register at Etsy email gave me this positive feedback for the Josefina in Espresso and Azure she bought:

"I tried mine on the minute I got home and was just very, very pleased. So pleased I went and bought another. As a voluptuous woman, I find it tough to find a bikini that's supportive and works with my body. This one does."

And when she received her other Josefina in Licorice, she said:
"Love this. Bought it on the heels of the other one. Now I want a black and azure colour combination!"



I will make one one of these days Noelle!!

Then yesterday, I got another positive feedback for the Josefina in Vanilla . It was so flattering, I almost cried!! Okay, okay... I actually did!

"I can not believe how well this bikini fits, feels and looks. I am in shock. Usually I am very picky about bathing suits. This is such a top quality suit that it is worth much, much more than the asking price. I hope you make more, because I am going to recommend everyone I know to your store. I am so, so happy.!!! My mouth will remain open in awe, and my fiance might have to get some sunblock for his tongue which will be permanently hanging out. ;) excellent product!"



This was bought by BOXC. Thanks so much for your wonderful comment, Chrissy! It warms my heart everytime I read it. Check out her rockin' jewlery at boxc.etsy.com.

I am hoping to post my other bikinis soon! I never realized shooting bikinis can be such a project!

Celebrity Look-a-like

Who is your look-a-like? Click on My Heritage !

How to Make Iced Coffee

I remember the mornings my parents spent at the breakfast table- having conversation, drinking their coffee, buttering the toast... How I loved the smell of coffee. How I wanted to be an adult and join in! I remember that it was a no-no for kids to have coffee. We were all told that it would stunt our growth. So, to "compromise", Mommy allowed me to have coffee... with "plenty of milk". Which in reality was hot milk with a few granules of coffee. But still... I believed I was having coffee. Drinking moffee (mock coffee) with them made me feel grown-up and important! Weekend mornings, I would ask my nanny, in a very sing-song way, to give me "Little coffee and plenty of milk!!" At that early age of 4, my love affair with the latte began.

Then in the early 80's when I was about 11 or 12 , on one of our trips to Tokyo, I saw my Dad drinking something very interesting. Iced Coffee. In fact it was Pokka Iced Coffee. I took a sip. Then that was it. I knew that it was THE ONE. I knew I was in love. It was weird because I only drank iced coffee when we went to Tokyo for our summer vacations. I guess I was attempting to make it a bit more special by having it only when I visited the country. Buying it in the vendo machine for Y100 was as eventful as drinking it!

By the time I was in my teens and twenties, my sisters and I would make our own iced coffee and drink away during Sunday morning breakfasts while we talked about how our Saturday nights went. And after perfecting the formula, we even toyed the idea of bottling and marketing it! Then Starbucks arrived. That marked the beginning of the end of our Iced Coffee empire.

Aaahhh... Iced Coffee. As much as it's a great summer refreshment, it's more than just a drink to me! Be it Seattle's Best, Lavazza, or Nescafe 3-in-1 packet, iced coffee is here to stay. Try and awaken those sleepy summer afternoons with this cool beverage.

How I make my Jiffy iced Coffee:

1) Brew a pot of coffee slightly stronger than your usual pot. For me, 2 tablespoons of dark roast.

2) Do you take sugar with your coffee? If so, mix sugar to taste already in the pot. It melts better this way.

3) In a tall plastic tumbler, fill it with ice, right up till you make a mini mountain past the rim, and then pour the coffee in slowly. If desired, add your milk. Leave it a minute to chill.

4) Enjoy!


If you have more time to spare, you can try this:


1) Just like my Jiffy Iced Coffee, brew a pot of fresh coffee slightly stronger than what you usually brew.

2) Mix in your desired amount of sugar

3) Let the coffee cool down. You can either keep it in its pot or transfer it into a pitcher or carafe. After about 30 minutes, stick it in the fridge to make it colder faster.

4) After about 2 hours, it is ready to drink!

5) Fill a tall glass with ice cubes.

6) Pour the coffee into the glass and mix.

7) Add milk if desired.

If you really want to make sure your coffee doesn't get watered down, try making coffee iced cubes beforehand to use!