Finally got to participate in a fun-run here in Hong Kong! The Hong Kong Disneyland UNICEF Fun Run is an annual run consisting of a half-marathon, 10km and 3km family race. This was the first fun-run I heard about when we arrived in HK back in March and it’s one I knew I really wanted to be involved in. The money raised from the event will go to providing HIV Test-kits to mothers-to-be, and support UNICEF in their work to help prevent the transmission of HIV from mothers to their babies.

Apparently 13,000 enrolled into the event this year! The 10km race was most definitely packed:

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The crowd didn’t start thinning out until almost half-way, which meant a lot of weaving in and out. I must say though that the whole 10km course was just beautiful. We started in Disneyland’s car park then headed northwards towards Inspiration Lake, then through park land, then by the sea past the Disneyland Hotel and Pier, then through Disneyland itself before finishing back at the car park. The weather was perfect for a run and thankfully, most of the route was shaded and run on road with some of the course run on pavement. The elevation changes were quite gentle – though I would have preferred more downhills :-)

We spotted a few people running in shark costumes (?!) and this dude putting the fun back into fun-run:

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The Mister and I really enjoyed this run and definitely recommend it if you’re thinking of doing a fun-run in HK.

To make it more of a family event, we stayed at the Disneyland Hotel overnight. It was the first time we stayed at the hotel and it’s just so pretty!

At the risk of sounding cliche, it was truly quite magical :-) The rooms are just so lovely, with sweet little gifts and things to take home, and the staff were wonderful.

We had dinner and breakfast at the Enchanted Garden restaurant inside the hotel and not only is the food fantastic (lots to choose from!), Disney characters also mingled with the guests. We met Goofy, Pluto (who was a little crazy), Minnie, and of course Mickey!

The girls were stoked!

It was an awesome weekend. Now the Mister and I prepping for our next (and last) big run this year – we are off to Cambodia next weekend to do the Angkor Wat International Half-Marathon!! I know, a HALF-MARATHON!! My first!! Not sure how I got reeled into that one – but it will be amazing I’m sure. Can’t wait to run by the ruins of Angkor Wat!

I’ve received quite a number of emails regarding what doll/softie patterns I actually sell under my Pattern Press range, which of my patterns are available in books and magazines, and what patterns are available for free here on this website. So I thought I’d pull together one big blog post to (hopefully) clarify.

I have a range of softie/doll sewing patterns currently published and distributed by the wonderful Pattern Press. Which ones you ask? Ta-da! These:

Unfortunately I’m not able to accurately keep track of all the stockists that stock these patterns but I have tried my best and have a list of stockists HERE. If you can’t find a stockist in this list for a specific pattern you are after, please contact Pattern Press and they should be able to point you in the right direction. I do hope to add more patterns to the range but this will most likely happen next year.

I also have patterns that are available in a number of magazines and books. Below are some of these patterns:

You can find what pattern is available in what magazine (title, issue date and number) or what book (title) by clicking this link: One Red Robin Published Projects. If you would like to access these patterns it would be best to contact the magazine or book publisher.

I do have a number of free patterns/tutorials available right here on One Red Robin. Below are some of the freebies I offer:

You can find all of my free patterns/tutorials by clicking this link: One Red Robin Freebies & Tutorials

Please note that ALL of my patterns (regardless of who publishes them or where they are published) are for personal use only – they are not to be made to sell or for commercial purposes. However, if you are interested in using any of the patterns for fundraising/charitable purposes, please email me with the details.

And finally, if you have made any of the patterns/tutorials, I would love to see! There is a flickr group where you can post up your One Red Robin creations: One Red Robin Sewing Patterns: Softies & Dolls

Another drawing using markers and pen in the sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project 2012:

This one is actually inspired by and based on a dress/model that’s in the current Gorman catalogue (and thanks to Pip for pointing me in the direction of this wonderful online shop).

Remember how I mentioned that these Copic markers soak through the page? Well, here’s the underside of the Red-head drawing I did in the previous post:

I’ve learnt to use two pieces of paper under every drawing to ensure it doesn’t soak through to the next page. Though I must admit, I like the way it looks on the underside too :-)

I’d like to try drawing a cityscape of some kind next, but it is quite addictive drawing people. I really enjoy drawing faces. The thing is, when I start colouring them in I always get butterflies in my stomach because I start worrying whether the nose will actually end up looking like a nose. Isn’t that weird?? Must be due to some drawing-a-nose trauma I went through as a kid that I’ve somehow blocked out …. But yeah, drawing noses freaks me out for some reason.

There’s a fact I bet you didn’t know about me :-)

Here’s a quick sketch I completed over the weekend:

It was a busy (but good) weekend so I only had half-an-hour or so to do this one. I’m really loving these markers – I think I’m getting the hang of them. I’d like to try and get a more blended/graded effect with the skin tones so now my focus is to acquire a few more colours!

I can’t believe I’ve reached mid-way in my sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project. I really love how this project has motivated me to get drawing again, to do so on a regular basis, and to experiment with pencils, paint, markers, etc. I hope I can keep going after I fill up this sketchbook.

Part of our weekend was spent checking out the new Toy Story Land at Hong Kong Disneyland. Thanks to the kind folks at Harbour City, we were invited to a sneak peek before it officially opens to the public at the end of this week.

The massive models of childhood toys are impressive. You really do feel like you are wandering through a child’s toy box :-)

There is a company of life-sized plastic soldiers that provide comedic entertainment whilst you wait in lines for the rides. There are only a handful of rides available at the moment and we managed to try two, with the Toy Soldier Parachute Drop ride becoming the firm favourite with the girls. We also had some photos with Woody and Jessie.

I think it’s great that HK Disneyland has added a new section just for Toy Story……..now how about one for Monsters Inc., wouldn’t that be awesome?! :-)

Following up on my last post, I finally found a decent stationery/art store near home and I stocked up on these: Copic Markers!

I just bought a handful to begin with, but I’m already planning to go back and add to the collection :-)

I couldn’t wait to try them out. They do smell just a little bit and take some getting used to in terms of avoiding streaks, plus they can soak right through the page onto the following pages; but I’m loving them so far, especially the way that they can completely and richly saturate an area in a short amount of time.

My first drawing using them is “Mo’rie Antoinette” – in the spirit of Mo’vember of course :-)

And in this one I used the markers and incorporated some festive Christmas wrapping paper (and please don’t remind me that it’s only 6 WEEKS TIL CHRISTMAS!).

Sketchbook Project 2012

It’s been a month of work deadlines, training runs, visitors from Melbourne, and a little illness. But we’ve made it to November! And I still can’t believe how fast this year has flown and how strange it is to start seeing all the Christmas decorations go up in shops and public spaces, and then realising that I am in fact not in Melbourne – I’m in Hong Kong! It still feels quite surreal at times.

I’ve been able to do a little bit of drawing for the Sketchbook Project. I’m having a lot of fun just playing with coloured pencils – I’ve forgotten how therapeutic, relaxing, ‘zen’-inducing the simple act of colouring-in can be. I’d also like to try working with markers but still figuring out what’s the best brand/quality to get. I’d also like to get painting again. Oh and SEWING – how I yearn to SEW again – but in order to do that I’ll need to get a sewing machine and that is STILL on my To-Find list. Perhaps I will add that to my 2012 resolutions – GET A SEWING MACHINE FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS CRAFTY. Sounds like a plan.

I’m also enjoying the feedback I get from my girls on these drawings – like:
“Why didn’t you colour in her scarf, Mama? It’s not finished if you don’t colour it in.”
“Where is the rest of her face? Why doesn’t it fit on the page?!”
“Why do they look angry? Why are they angry? Where is their hair? Why so many lines?”

I hope I am teaching them that sometimes when you draw stuff, it doesn’t actually need to make sense, or all fit together nicely – much like life.

One of the upsides of the Sketchbook Project? Sitting at the dining table with my girls, each with our own sketchbooks and pencils, markers, crayons, etc. having a chat about everything and anything. Just priceless.

And welcome to those who have found my blog via the The Hoopla! Thanks so much to The Hoopla for featuring me as one of their Top Bloggers – it was quite amusing to see my mug on their front page :-)

You can read the feature here: (I’m talking mostly about blogging but also about what I’m looking forward to in the near future!) The Hoopla – Our Top Bloggers: One Red Robin