4/18/2025

Liquitex Fine Paint Marker (Burnt Sienna, 0127)

Liquitex acrylic paint markers are in my top-two list of fine art markers. The quality of the paint, the pigment used, the nib and container made them one of the must tools in my art practice. This Burnt Sienna is one of those colours that I always have in every possible medium because of the colour versatility and mixing qualities. These markers are usually expensive, but I got this one at a bargain price. Packaging is great as it clearly indicates colour name, opacity, lightfastness rating and pigments that it contains. This marker is waterproof once it has fully dried. The main downside is that they aren't refillable, which is a shame because it isn't environmentally friendly. 

Stardrops The Pink Stuff The Miracle Toilet Cleaner (750 ml)

I bought this  because I use other Pink products and I really like them. I purchased it thinking that it was a foam (actually the package says foaming) but, instead, it's a very liquid product. It leaves the toilet sparkling clean and the colour washes well, not leaving any residue on the brush or toilet as other coloured cleaners do. The scent is beautiful. The main downside is the product's lack of viscosity as more product than necessary is wasted every time I squeeze out the liquid.  

4/17/2025

JORDBORR 3-Pack Multicoloured Snowflake Self-adhesive Hooks

This is such a cool playful set of hooks. They're self-adhesive, so there is little installation needed. They are quite large and bulky in a way, and hold up to two kilos. I bought them to hang some items from the sides of my large Raskog trolleys (which have a slightly rugged texture). I followed the installation instructions, left them overnight, and started using them next day. They are cute and I can hang up my large headset, some art rugs, and small items that I would otherwise have to store in drawers. They're versatile, because I can use this in the kitchen and the bathroom as well.
 
DESIGNER Willy Chong 

4/01/2025

Ibumie Penang White Curry Mee Instant Noodles 4 Packet, 420 g

I'm not a fan of instant noodles, to tell you the truth. Mostly because of the acidic chemical taste without much flavour in them. However, one of my work colleagues insisted in trying this brand, her favourite,  and this flavour, ditto, because she was certain I'd like them. She was right!  After that, I like instant noodles. This instant noodles. Why? Because of the flavour. It has enough chilly to go from mild to very hot. To me, half of the sachet is perfect. The other condiments sachet and the chilly paste create a wonderful sweetish and spicy soup full of flavours and not aftertaste. Not easy to find unless you go to an Asian store, and not always. I understand why people would want to grab more than one packet. There are four packets in this pack.

3/15/2025

SOLHETTA LED Buln GU10 (345 lumen, dimmable)

I've been using this with my Sambord lamp. Nothing fancy about it. You plug it, rotate it a bit till clicks, and voila. This Solhetta warm light is perfect to create a relaxing atmosphere and for bedroom settings not as much for office settings. I realised I had ordered a warm white and not a cool white after receiving the order. I prefer cool white lighting for the office as this bulb doesn't light to a distance, or, said differently, is perfect for reading, if you are close to the lamp, but not as much to light half of the room or a good portion of it or help me at my computer. Also, I think the watts are too small for my room. My lamp is not dimmable, but this bulb is, so I can use it with a dimmable lamp I have. The expected life for this bulb is 25K hours and its power is like a 50W traditional bulb.
 
DESIGNER IKEA of Sweden

 

SMARRA Box with Lid (Natural, 30x30x23 cm)

I was delaying the purchase of this basket due to the price but, after having this in my wish list for over two years, I thought it was time to take the plunge.  
 
The basket is made of woven bamboo (a product I  love) coated in translucent lacquer. It looks organic, beautiful and elegant. I was able to put all my sewing materials inside, with plenty of space still left. It's also perfect to store phone charges, cables and small electric items inside, and any sort of crafty materials.

After having this at home, there are several things that I'd like to mention before you purchase this basket:
  1. The colour in the photos and the one you get is different, as the former is a bit more caramel-ish. It's lighter than other bamboo products I've purchased from Ikea. 
  2. This box is really large, so its volume might overwhelm the decor of a small room. It looks great inside cube furniture or on large shelves, though. 
  3. Despite its size and good looks, this isn't a solid basket. It woven loosely and has no internal reinforcements. I reinforced the bottom and the lid with some drawer mat leftovers,which are rigid by light. I wouldn't be storing anything heavy inside for this very reason. Volume doesn't always equal strength. 
  4. The lid doesn't lock securely, so it easily goes off if you stumble upon the basket. 
Overall, this is a lovely good-looking large decorative basket that you can use to store light stuff and hide clutter from view. However, it isn't sturdy. I find this product overpriced due to everything I've said.

DESIGNER IKEA of Sweden
 

SAMBORD Floor Reading Lamp (Black & White)

This Sambord floor and reading lamp is replacing my old studio/office lamp. I wanted something that occupies minimal space, doesn't have much cable out and with and adjustable head. This lamp fits the bill at a terrific price. The head is made of plastic and the rest is made of metal coated in powder paint.
 
The base is really heavy and holds the lamp tube firmly. The upper curved part of the lamp is made of flexible silicone, so you can bend it and adjust the head position, from totally upright to bend to suit my needs. This flexible part blends with the metallic tube beautifully. The cable goes inside the tube. The switch button is on top of the lamp head. 
 
This lamps with a two-point plug LED lamp that you need to purchase separately. Yet, it costs little.  
 
The assembly leaflet is super easy to follow and requires just your fingers and a wrench. 
 
For the price, you cannot expect the best lamp out there, but this is a terrific well-designed product that works well, is functional, looks well and costs little. 
 
DESIGNER Jens Fager