Recently I've been busy with setting up thumbforlego! There is so much into setting up a shop and taking proper product photos of which I feel that I've been failing spectacularly in. I recently appeared at MAAD at the Red Dot Museum! its the Market of Arts And Designers! It was quite an eye opener as I gathered feedback on the lego thumbdrive keychains that I make and test the market in terms of pricing as well as areas to improve and I've learnt a few things from this market! I will definitely do better the next time round and try to get a placing at the market!

From the price point of $42SGD for a 32gb Lego keychain thumbdrive, it comes off as really expensive and compared to the other items sold in the fair, you could very well buy 2/3 of their items when you buy one of my thumbdrives. Over the past month, I have been trying to keep prices as low as possible so that everyone can enjoy it while not short-changing the amount of effort I put into every piece. Currently for the amount of effort put in, I think that the price is reasonable? Whereas some of my friends think that I should increase the price further. Moreover, I am already selling it grossly lower than two other competitors. So far i've only seen 3 people in the world, including me, sell this handcrafted item. It was a tough decision to make when they told me to increase the prices so that I do not short-change myself and currently, I feel that this price is marginal. Which is good, my motive in this isn't to earn bucks but rather for the exposure and for people around me to enjoy this product.


Another great learning point is to provice namecards. It was too late by the time I've realized that I should have made namecards and resorted to a slew of "please follow me on instagram instead, I am new to this, I haven't gotten the namecards yet" scenarios. It was quite a bummer because it would have been so awesome if I could have provided them with a namecard! so lesson learnt, next month i will have namecards prepared!

Being at the market also gave me a wonderful opportunity to "test the market" and see what are the other concerns that people have and what do they want to see. Namecards is definitely top on my priority list, the next thing is setting up the Etsy store in terms of providing more product listings, more information about my product and what made me want to start up this store. As I furbished these aspects bit by bit over the past days, and am still on it, I was brought through memory lane to see how the very first one was produced, all the way down to the various designs that I have available now. Sourcing for cheaper resources without compromising on quality was a big challenge but i've managed to cut just a little bit, thus bringing cost savings, lowering my price! Sounds like Junior College economics all over again. Learning how to be allocative efficient: Saving time by crafting the products in a certain manner.


As I look back, I am really glad with how the product turned out, how it blends in with the standard LEGO keychain that you cannot really differentiate between the two. In fact, over at the fair, a lot of people thought that I was just selling Lego keychains! It is so much effort required to start off something like this and if this really kicks off well, I am wondering if this would turn from a hobby to a part-time job. I am really hoping that my passion for this would continue to stay strong, keeping this as a hobby and it not mould into a part-time job! Afterall, I am doing this only to gain exposure and to bless others with my crafts! A lot a lot of people have said that they really love the crafts but the price is major setback, but honestly I have no idea how to decrease the price any further without compromising on quality. In fact, I always work on them individually so that I can produce the best workmanship standard that I can provide and I hope that people can appreciate that the price they are paying is really for all the hard work involved! Nevertheless, MAAD fair was an eye opener for me as I looked around and learnt new things, how people market their crafts and most importantly I met really awesome people too!!! I am so so motivated by their crafts and talents, great stuff there! Talking to them really shed light on their journey towards the products that they are selling now and it is really cool to see how people develop their talents, not to mention find them for a start. Finding that talent has always intrigued me! It was so interesting to hear the stories of others on how they got there and see what they are doing, their inspirations. Some of them are just students but they are doing great things!!

I feel that Market of Arts and Designers showcase lots of local crafts as compared to the more "commercialized" items sold at other fairs or markets and everyone has a certain story to tell. It is just about really talking to them, knowing them does one realize how interesting life is and how diverse everyone's lives are! Some of them are really talented in drawing and make those into cards and stickers, some are good in painting and making beautifully decorated crafts some make really cute accessories like earrings. I don't know, but to me, it feels good to support local talent and support these creative minds to keep doing what they are doing :)

I just realized how my previous posts were just so army-heavy! well this time round its on to something different, film photography! Ever since the holidays kicked in, i have had more time to sit down and rest as well as catch up on other hobbies. Also, i think i may have strained my left eye over the past few weeks which i guess has affected the focus on many of my film photographs this time round. I now have so many nice shots developed!! and i am really happy with the new photos :)

Thankfully school is out, if not I would be at Starbucks rushing out assignments and what not today. Instead, I can finally slack this weekend!! im so glad that it is all over and that I can fully concentrate on my nerf making of darts and making thumbdrives. i am really hoping that the thumbdrives thing can kick off really well though. The pickup rate has been slow... I am currently still raising awareness for the instagram page. was thinking of doing up an Etsy page for it too though! Not too sure about it yet, still deliberating.

Last week was a REALLY tiring week. eh no, the week before! When i had assignments due, project works to hand in and then at the almost end of it all, i had a nerf war. It is really fun to let loose and relax for the nerf war, but nevertheless, because of the looming deadlines, i found it a little hard to relax. It's like you cant really concentrate on relaxing and having fun when you know you have work due at the back of your head.

The previous nerf war is my first nerf war that i ran in kryptek and black loadout. It was fun and definitely way more cooling than running in full long sleeves and pants kryptek loadout. I just wonder what will happen if i always wear this loadout, causing my bottom to season and my top to still stay so stiff and look brand new. So, i think that even though i really like this loadout style, i will still end up going back to the full kryptek loadout.


Actually in my head, this loadout feels more badass because it gives off that Private Military Contractor vibe instead of a standard military uniform. In layman terms, cool factor ++++ because it seems as though you don't need to run in full attire.

When you run around under the hot sun and in long sleeves, no joke man, its not that cooling. Especially with the best trapping the heat. The sleeves make quite a big difference i feel, although i feel much safer and well protected with long sleeves especially when entering thick vegetation. Although the comfort level... and it looks good doesn't it! idk if it gives me a tan too lol. But so far i don't think it does. You don't really REALLY feel so much more cooling as compared to wearing long sleeves also because your skin starts to burn as it gets exposed to the sunshine.


It was a very very fun time nevertheless! of running around and gunning each other. It feels kinda weird to wear a helmet now since nobody else really wears a helmet. But wearing it allows me to record gopro footage of the wars! Running around in a cap also allows for faster actions as sometimes the bulkiness of the helmet gets to you.



It ended up in the scenario that when the game was over, lunching with the nerf buddies was over also and as I headed home to rest, I just couldnt fall asleep as I was very stressed over public speaking! At that point in time, I had to give a special occasion speech the following day and by the time i reached home, it was already 3pm+? Plus i have yet to plan or write the speech outline. Have you ever gotten the feeling of being so stressed up or your mind so occupied that you just want to get the work done that you can't sleep? that was how i felt. and it was a really grumpy evening for me because i knew very well that i needed sleep right after nerf war especially because i have not been sleeping much for the previous week before the war and then now after the war? Dead tired. But thankfully i had the energy to jump out of bed in frustration and begin my speech outline. Of which by the end of sunday, i was prepared to give the speech the next day! I did an eulogy in the end, which turned out pretty alright!


 In the end, i am just really glad that everything is over for my spring semester studies. The assignments have all been handed in, speech given, currently getting back my grades for my modules and am glad that everything is going on smoothly! This nerf war saw me expend quite a lot of darts... so now i have to get back to making more darts once again. Totally saw this coming so i've already bought 300 darts worth of supplies to start making :P