12/26/2024

Maped Essentials 17cm Scissor

I got this to have in my office drawers. These are terrific cheap all-purpose scissors. For the price you don't get the best quality of materials, but the blades are still made of stainless. This pair is not for professional purposes but great for most office and school purposes. I find the handle size perfect for my small hands and the overall length good for most purposes. They are very light due to the handle being made of cheap plastic. They have a 2-year guarantee, which is impressive for a $4 pair.  
 
I don't get the brand bragging about this pair being made of 60% recycled materials. Really, if you have to brag about anything, brag about having your products made of 100% recycled. That would impress me. 
 

Expesumas 6-piece 30-ml Needle Bottle

I've had two types of needled bottles before getting this set, the original expensive brand and a generic brand. However, this Expesumas set is my favourite by far. These little bottles are fit for both glue and paint, but I only use them with fluid/flow acrylic paint, for which they are great.
 
The bottles are good quality plastic with three indications of ml levels. Each bottle comes with a luer-lock cap (connector cap) where to insert the needle tips, a cap for this lock, plus the 4 different needle tips sizes (3 items for each size).  
 
I use the connector cap as a controlling dispenser to use small quantities of fluid acrylic paint; this allows me to do this without leakage and without blocking the pout. This saves me product as many of the flow acrylics I own squirt out of the tub on their own, wasting product and even staining my hands and clothes. So these bottles are awesome to store those paints, dispense them properly and prevent spillage. Filling them with paint is also great because the only thing you have to do is unscrew the lock cap and them screw it back.
 
One of the main issues with other needle bottles I've used in the past is that the acrylic paint/ink tends to dry inside the needle, clog it, and eventually ruin the whole cap system, which ends either in wasting the bottle or having to pay for new caps. However, these needle bottles' locking system is great. These needles are easy to "plug"/"unplug" and easy to clean, so you only plug them when needed.

Good value for money, as well. I've already bought two sets.

T-Tersely hydrogel Screen Protector (6.7in. 2-pack)

This screen protector is designed for Oppo Find X5, which isn't my phone, but the size 6.7in matched my Oppo A98's so I purchased it as it was good priced.  

The package contains two items. I always worry when I get two for one because 1/ it might indicate that the product is bad quality and will break/deteriorate soon or 2/ the item is difficult to position and you might need to try the first one to perfectly use the second one. The latter was my case. The package also comes with a dust cleaner and a positioner.
 
There is a video on how to properly position the protector on the product description page. I should have watched the video, but I didn't. As a result, I got bubbles galore, some of them impossible to remove. Then, I had to use the spare protector.  Sometimes less is more --  I want one screen protector that's easy to adhere and doesn't create bubbles without having to watch any video. 
 
The protector is responsive to touch, but the second item also lasted little time as its edges were bumping against my phone's rubber case, and it ended coming off on its own when taking it out of my handbag.  Perhaps the protector would have had no issues if used with Oppo Find X5, but anyway, it did not work for me.

Maxwell & Williams Teas & C's Dahlia Daze Sky-Blue Platter (33x15cm)

This is part of the Dahlia Daze tea set sky-blue line, which is sold by the piece. This can be used as a try to hold the matching milk jug and the sugar bowl or as a serving plater for small petit-fours, or cheese & crackers, or small cookies and chocolates, or just for a cup of tea and a piece of cake. In that regard, it's very versatile. I'm visually driven, so I tend to put my food on dinnerware where the colours of the food stand out over the plate where they're place, that is, where both the food and the plate style create a visually appealing combination. And this is, to me, the major flaw of the tray. The gorgeous design visually overwhelms anything you put on it. Besides, unlike most of the brand's china, this line and tray are not dishwasher or microwave safe.

12/23/2024

Generic Artist Viewfinder

This is a generic viewfinder or view-catcher made of great quality plastic, as good as the original but at a fraction of the price. Viewfinders are great for open-air painting to frame the image you want to paint, or to select the best composition by framing the view and moving  the finder around till the composition is of of your liking. The holes allow to isolate colours on the paper and on the view being captured. The viewfinder can also be used on small to medium sketches to single out areas to find the best composition. One of those tools that every artist needs.

12/21/2024

Myer.com.au (online retailer)

 
I buy often from Myer online, especially during big sales as the prices are really good. I regularly check my wish-list to check the pricing of items I fancy or need to know when a product is heavily discounted or not. Overall, I have a great experience with the online retailer. They tend to dispatch quickly, and they incentivise reviews by entering you into a draw for a cash prize.  I like the website organisation and quality of information and photos. I use the wish list all the time, but ain't a fan of not being able to create more for different categories or products.
 
In the past, I've bought items from them before Christmas within the Christmas cutout date and they've always fulfilled them quickly and arrived in time. I did the same this year. I bought two items on the same order on 11 December (it seems that something happened on the day because of the pile of negative reviews related to that date). I received one item within 4 days. The other one, from one of the labels they partner with and have shops within Myer's shops, was intended for a friend's birthday present before Christmas but, after ten natural days the product has not even reached AuPost. So they cannot blame them for the delay.  Worst thing is that Myer does not take responsibility because it is only 7 business days. "Only"... just for a inner-state dispatch.

I called CS. The first CS lady I talked to was not really helpful, not able to listen or do anything; she says "I really get it but we cannot refund you because the parcel is on its way". No, it is not on its way, it has not started its way yet after 16 natural days. She hung up on me as soon as I said I wanted to lodge a complaint. I called again. this time to complaints, and the second guy was lovely and genuinely checked things. As the parcel comes from a supplier, and it is within the business day time bracket, they cannot refund it yet, but it it was before the Christmas period cutout period set by Myer. So the guy said that he messaged the supplier requesting cancellation, but it's up to the supplier, who can take up to 3 business days to reply, meaning after Christmas.

I buy online because I work FT and it is a hassle for me to go anywhere on public transport. If they had provided some sort of refund or credit or actually informed me that there was a delay in posting the parcel at the due time, I would have bought a gift for my friend already.

I won't buy from Myer suppliers before Christmas ever again, because Myer washes their hands if any problem occurs, but they are the ones I'm buying from, not the supplier. There are delays because it's pre-Christmas. Well, lovelies, organise yourself better and put the Christmas cutout date earlier, you know. Have better logistics and better CSOs who don't hang up on customers who are talking respectfully to them just because they mention the word complaint.
 
PS/ It's 27 Dec and my parcel has not been sent yet and no reply from the supplier.
 
PS/ It's 2 Jan and the parcel has not been dispatched or I have not received notification of any sort. I raised an incident with Paypal, but Myer has not replied whatsoever, so I'll be complaining.
 
PS/ It's 11 Jan, a month since purchase. I put a claim against Myer on with Paypal, to which they have not responded, reacted or cared about. Paypal CS has been supportive and, if they return the money, I'll shut up. But, if they don't, I will go to Consumers Affairs and lodge a proper complaint.  

12/07/2024

Maxwell & Williams Teas & C's (Silk Road Aqua) Side Plate 19.5cm

Designed by New-Zealander ceramist Gabby Malpas, this is a gorgeous side plate that I find perfect for breakfast or cake. The design is a mix of modern romantic dinnerware with a hint of those nonna's plates that we all love. I prefer the white background version, but this blue one is still very pretty.  Great quality porcelain, that I usually wash by hand; however, it is dishwasher safe. It is also microwave safe, but I haven't used it in the latter.  This is part of a tea set with an equally stunning teacup and saucer, but I bought this separately at reduced price. Perfect of gifting as it comes in a pretty and sturdy box. Good value for money, at least when I bought it.