7/13/2025

Paul Rubens (Haiya) 48-pc Macaron Oil Pastel Set

This Haiya set complements the basic colours set as the former contains many colours that the other set lacks: the pinks, the light oranges, the light blues. I miss, though, having some warm whites, different tones of beige and greys. The greens in the set aren't specially pastel or macaroon and they are very similar to the ones the basic set has. This Haiya set has many of the qualities I love in the Sennelier oil pastels minus the price tag -- these Haiya soft oil pastels are buttery, creamy and the colours are gorgeous. They blend beautifully with my fingers, a blender stub or a tissue, and the colours are true to the sticks wrapping.
 
Unlike the basic colours set  these sticks have a flat tip, not a bullet tip. This doesn't bother me as even the bullet pastels become flat with use anyway. Besides, I love using the edges for fine line work.  The wrapping of each pastel stick is very pretty but it's mostly written in Mandarin. Also, unlike the basic set, they don't show the pigments or the level of opacity on them, Besides, some of the writing is tiny, and not  even a magnifying glass allowed me to see what is written there.
 
Ain't sure whether these pastels aren't lightfast or not as there is no visible indicators on the wrapping. I've browsed the web and there seems to be an agreement among artists that these pastels have a good level of lightfastness.
 
I find this box packaging is an upgrade with regards to the one the vibrant colours set has, as it the former is sturdier, has glossy finish, more elegant and, therefore, more appropriate for gifting. . 
 
The leaflet full-colour photos with the instructions is very good. No swatch chart included in this set, though. 

Overall, a great set, good quality soft oils, good price and well packaged, and a perfect companion to the vibrant colour set box. 

7/10/2025

DDOBB Women's Fleece Lined Tights

Perfect for winter. This pair of fleece-lined tights are not only good looking but also very warm. I wear skits often so these tights are being a leg saver this winter. As the fleece is skin colour but covered by light black tight material, they look like you are just wearing a normal pair of fine tights on the bare skin. This is great when dressing formally, and I wear them for work all the time. They're  wonderfully warm and I've noticed a significative difference in my legs temperature and coldness. They wash well in the washing machine, something I do without putting them in any protective bags; washed them twice already and came out as new. 
 
The only downside is that, despite the overall quality, the foot part is not lined, so they are like a normal opaque tight. That being the case, this is the place where all my normal tights get broken. 
 
For the rest, a must for skirt wearers or simply to add a layer of warmth under loose paints. As they are quite thick, I don't see them fit to wear under tight jeans or pants.  
 
I will buy them again.  

7/08/2025

TEHAUX Ceramic Stackable Paint Palette with Lid (8.5x8cm )

This is such a great palette system. It doesn't only looks good but it size is perfect to use while sketchbooking and art journaling. The palette is relative small in diameter so it doesn't occupy much space on my table. The lid hides anything ugly from sight and, besides, it allows any paint left over to keep fresh and wet for longer. This was in my wish list for over a year due to its high pricing, but I bought it at a very reduced price. That being the case is not only good value for money, but also a must in my art studio at the moment. 

6/23/2025

Xtra Kleen Fridge Fresh Odour Deodoriser (Pack of 2)

It took me forever to come across this on Amazon. I searched by Fridge deodoriser and then filtered the results by price and this was never coming up. I hate when Amazon does this to promote products (sponsored or not) that are three times the price when, in fact they also sold this directly.
 
So the question is now, was this worth it? It does the job, but it doesn't remove smells fully, at least if the smell is strong. Like when fish is in the fridge for several days. So instead of the two, four pieces need to be used, at least for my fridge. The flat pods size is great, but they don't have a sticky surface to stick the pads to the fridge walls, so they become a nuisance. Very cheap, but you get what you paid for.  
 

6/22/2025

Aquarius Jaws Tin Carry All Fun Box (21.8L x 9.7W x 17.3H cms)

I'm a fan of this brand of tin boxes. I'm a movie fan, so this tin has been in my wish list for a long time. The overall design is  well thought of and, most importantly, fully licensed. The printing quality is excellent.
 
This is a good quality sturdy box with handle and loose lock. Like other boxes from the brand I own, I use this box mostly to store papers, lace and fabrics. Unlike other boxes from this brand, the back of the box is not as pretty or interesting.  
 
A must for collectors and crafters. 

Swosh Pumice Smoothing Stone (5.5x 14.5x 1.5cm)

This pumice is as basic as it gets but it does the job perfectly. It's a bit crumbly or sandy, more so than other pumices I've used in the past. It's also less compact so there is some sandy stuff that comes off when scrubbing my feet.  Also, it breaks into pieces if it happens to fall on to the floor. For the rest, it does the job and is very cheap. At the same time, you get what you paid for. 

6/21/2025

ALEX Storage Unit on Castors (White 36x76cm)

This is a closed shelving unit with castors that can be used on its own or attached to any of the Alex tabletops to turn it into a desk. It has only one inner shelf, but it's height is easily adjustable. The door can be placed facing the right or the left side, which comes handy when putting two units together, or simply, when you want to adjust the door opening to your dominant hand.
 
Simple and minimalist in design, this is a good quality, sturdy unit, with lots of depth and storage capacity. In my case, helps me keep heavy ugly-looking office archive boxes out of sight.

I found the unit a bit heavy for me, but I was able to put everything together on my own with little effort. That was until I got to aligning the door hinges. Screwing and placing the hinges was easy, but matching the door's with the unit interior's was a huge task due to the nonsensical closing system. Also, page 15 in the instructions leaflet, where this step is drawn, was confusing to me. Not difficult, just annoying. Hinge cringe.

Although great value for money, the photos are misleading as they make the item look smaller and less deep that it actually is. My home office is in a large room, and this still looks humongous, and in disharmony with the rest of the space. I think it is great for a proper office or for a room that is furnished with Alex items, which would have the same volume. The measurements are given in the product page, but to me the visual volumetric appearance is always preferable; that being the case, I tend to guide myself by looking at the photos and how the item looks in relation to others furniture items. 

The unit can store a lot of weight, so I find the castors slightly week, and they don't have a stop either. 
 
Good value for money, but ain't sure if I'll buy this again. 

DESIGNER Unknown