Art jamming workshops in Singapore are aplenty. You can’t deny the therapeutic benefits of letting your creative juices flow. But if you prefer freestyling your artistic expression without the guidance of an instructor or the need to join an organised group, Turtle Marina Square’s art supplies may be just the thing for you.
Turtle, the gift shop, has a dedicated space at their sprawling 2-storey Marina Square outlet where you can pick up supplies for a variety of arts and crafts projects. These include decoden phone cases, beaded bracelets, mosaic tile art, customisation tools for handbags and hair accessories, and even something called “puffball painting”.
Step into the upper floor of Turtle Marina Square to be greeted by an arts and crafts zone, conveniently categorising all your supply needs by project type. There’s also a display with some completed crafts to get your inspiration revving. Here’s a breakdown of the different art projects you can shop supplies for:
The big furry charms are priced at $2 each.
For the uninitiated, decoden is made up of the terms “deco” meaning decoration, and “den”, short for the Japanese word for phone, “denwa”. Essentially, decoden refers to elaborately decorated phone cases featuring cutesy charms on a base of colourful cream clay. You can DIY your dream phone case here with a plain base for $6, available in different phone model sizes.
Take your pick of cream clay piping bags here, in a sea of colours and choices between matte pastels ($3) and shimmery creams ($4). Individual charms are priced at $0.50 each, and come in designs ranging from animals to food. There are also letters to spell out your name and make your phone case unmistakably yours.
You can also pick up ready-made sets to have your decoden fit a cohesive theme. These are priced at $5 per box.
The Eras Tour may be over, but you can still engage in the Taylor Swift friendship bracelet craze by crafting some beaded bracelets.
First, get a bracelet base for $5. Beads are priced at $0.80 each and you can have a blast sifting through the gorgeous designs, from sleek and simple to chonky bedazzled ones.
Traditional DIY mosaic projects are not for the faint of heart, considering that you have to smash glass into itty bitty shards and risk knicking yourself along the way. To achieve a similar aesthetic with no risk of injury, stock up on Turtle’s mosaic tile art pieces instead. They come in a variety of colours and are smoothed and coated to get rid of sharp edges.
It’s a pick-and-mix system, so you can fill up a plastic packet with your desired colours for $5 per packet. The mosaic tiles can then be used to adorn vases, mugs, pen holders, and coasters.
If you’ve not heard of puffball painting, it’s basically gluing little puffballs onto figurines to “paint” them in vibrant colours, while also giving them a distinct, fluffy texture. The result is an eye-catching piece of decor that beckons you to touch how soft the pom-poms are.
At Turtle Marina Square, you can choose figurine bases in different sizes and designs. Options include animals like rabbits, lions, pigs, and elephants, cartoon characters like Mario and Doraemon, and a bear which gives “Bearbrick on a budget” vibes. Prices range from $10 for small ones that are perfect for desk decor, to $40 for the big standees.
Similar to the self-service selection of mosaic tiles, you can choose any variety of puffballs and fill up a wooden box of 4 compartments. As long as you can pack the puffballs in without obvious overflowing, the amount will set you back $10 per box.
Although the arts and crafts zone is sorted by project type, there’s really no limit as to what supplies can be used on what type of DIY creation. And besides the ones we’ve featured above, Turtle Marina Square also has other art jamming “bases” for you to customise from scratch. These include bags ($5), hair clips ($2), and desk mirrors ($10).
If Jibbitz aren’t your thing, you can customise your slippers with the charms found here.
Doodle on your customised items with acrylic paint markers ($2) so your hard work doesn’t get washed away.
The next time you feel like engaging in some art therapy, swing by Turtle Marina Square. You can stock up on all the art supplies you need, and go home to OTOT – no need to stress about limited workshop slots, ensuring that your schedule fits their allocated date and timing, and paying extra for the guided session.
From the excitement of choosing your customisation supplies yourself to getting to do the actual DIY project, it makes for a great activity idea for dates, friend hangouts, and parent-child bonding.
Photography by Renae Cheng.
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