In awe of mothers

I'm very much inspired by mothers with a lot of babies or children, especially when reading Westerner blogger moms sharing their stories. Although it's challenging having a big families, but I could see the love, the cares they shower for them, and yet they're producing beautiful babies! Birth is amazing!! I'm definitely in awe of their sacrifices and contribution to the family. Their love is unimaginable! But in this country of ours, it's an unusual thing to have a family with many children, "Usually it's one or two, seldom to have three and it's more unlikely to have four or more.." gynae Dr. Tan quipped. I think he must be in awe of me. Hah...!
At this moment, my baby girl is liking her fingers very much, licking fingers whenever there's chance. : ))

A beginning of a new year

Please excuse my absent here for some time, but in real life I was overwhelming with eight to six classes to attend on every weekend, a whole week of practical training in school and the classes I have to conduct and teach. oh, it was a really full and busy year ending prior to a new beginning of a new year. But what I can be sure of is these are the things that I love, would like to do, still doing and will keep doing.

I get to meet and make many new friends, ideas are shared, and pass on what we want the learners to learn in new ways. The kids were asking :"Cikgu, boleh kami ambil benda dalam kotak tu?" ("Teacher can we take the things in the box?") I said: "Of course, ambillah, tapi, lepas guna kena letak dalam kotak balik, boleh?" ("Of course, please take it, but you have to put it back into the box after use, can?") Oh my gosh, I love to see children play and learn on their own using my teaching material in a non classroom setting. It's a very good habit for the learners and at the same time very motivating for me. This is what I want to see! It's a beautiful sight.

We have an extended of a week of school holidays due to the massive flood in some other states. Thus, it provides an extra time for me to sew new bags and cases for the kids right for them to use when school starts. I have one done, and intend to make a few more. I hope all of us would have a good start towards this new year and everything is a smooth sail, healthy and happy 2015!

Chives and a lost subscription

  

My younger son came back with his subscription of Good Friend, but the other one is left with lost subscription, meaning that we had paid but the teacher did not give him the magazine. gosh... looks like I need to go 'see teacher' again soon. Frankly speaking, I don't really like to be present at the teacher's office unless it's quite necessary. Experiences did tell me that it's better don't show face there, the teachers tend to be pleasant, forgiving, fierce, autocratic, ...  since they don't like to see us, we also don't like to see them...shhhh, don't say I say one harrr...  
This is just a little hiccups in life, let's talk about other pleasant things that's happening around...
We sow some seeds during the weekend, among them are kai lan, brinjal, chilli...  but chives which we sow earlier are growing well. We have another 3 pots of mature chives plant which we do harvest them from time to time. In cooking, it goes well in fried noodles and char koay teow. Sometimes, my mother does come to get it for her cooking usage.
Did you see the drawstring bags which I just successfully made it? It's an addiction, once you know how to make one, you'll just wanted to make another and another. Sometimes there are requests from children, husband that they want to keep their camera, recorder, as their outdoor pouch and etc...I'm thinking to list down the steps and tutorial in making this drawstring bag. Hope I have that momentum soon.

 Happy Tuesday, friends!

Dumpling Festival DuanWuJie

Today is DuanWu Jie - Happy Dumpling Festival!
I've eaten the 3rd mixed-dumplings, counting on since yesterday : P Bought a few from early morning market, but mom too gave me a few that she made out of spices, that could probably last for a few more days as my breakfast, snack and supper. My ex-neighbour too is a big fan of dumplings made by my mom, since she's living in a new home not too far away from mine, this morning I visited and delivered this delicacy to her. Although she's living a distance apart from me, I still held her close to my heart and I'm very pleased for being able to give and share. Maybe this is one of my ways to show that I always think and remember of them especially on this very festival.

Jumbo coloured pencil holder

This week is a good one, I managed to get some age-old projects completed, one of them is this jumbo coloured pencil holder. When the time isn't right, somehow I just couldn't find the needed sewing its and bits. This project was delayed mainly due to the 'lost' of velcro tape, now found it. hurray...followed by is the proud moments of my son showing it off to his teacher and friends for this mama-made things. I think the reason is simply they feel loved.
What have you sewn lately? Do share.

Cheers.

A new shirt for me

(picture by hubby, model by me)

I completed a new shirt for myself yesterday. I'm the kind that go for quality instead of quantity. As long as it look simple and comfortable on me, I don't mind having the same design in more than one piece. This is my O' necktie sunblouse. I prefer it with ruffled short sleeves - to be embedded with some vintage touch. yes. I love vintage.

This is something that I need and want - comfort that comes utmost in my lists in dresses that I'll put on myself for daily wear. Ever since I'm a stay-home-mom, I found those fashion lines in boutique stores doesn't suit me (with comfy and versatility) and way too pricey too. On the other end, the dresses that occasionally I buy from pasar malam, I never get to wear them more than once. For just a wash, it wrinkled up beyond an iron could fix.

(picture by hubby, model by me)

I enjoy looking at the mixture of fabrics that turn out to be the oohhh... and ahhhh... as a complete piece in the end result. It looks and works well, what you say?
There's another one in the making. I'll post a picture here once it's done.

Chinese New Year

Here's to wish you a belated Happy New Year...
I was sooooo busy preparing stuff and getting ready for this festive season. I clean, I bake, cook and have almost no time to come to this blogspace.


There are a few pictures that I would like to share with you during our trip to Bukit Tinggi highland in Pahang recently.

(The Japanese Tea House)

(Performance at night in Colmar Tropicale; 'The fire-breath man' my sons call)

(At the Swan Lake)

(Swiflet nest in a hidden the parking bay)

(Run freely in Rabbit Farm)

a beautiful scenery is vital to soothe the soul.

May your holiday is well spend with your love ones. xox

Randomness

(The above photos courtesy by big R)

The scene at home when the cake just came out from the oven, right after dinner. Just nice with a dollop of vanilla ais-cream.

I let the kids get the feel of applying nail polish onto their toenails under close supervision. We chose toenails so that there won't be any problem the next day when they go to school : P
'the kids said: "look at my rainbow toenails..." Dad said: "aiyerrr.... geli lah..." '

Besides that, I'm working on a new pair of dress for my sewing project, namely 'cheongsam' using a Japanese printed natural cotton. Design, pattern and fabric have been done and cut out, just need some time to sew all the pieces together. I'm not sure whether it will be ready by Chinese New Year, but it should be tentatively.

Cook with me...

Wanna try out my version of clear and tasty soup, come let's cook this - Watercress fishball soup

You'll need:-
650ml chicken stock
150gm lean meat (thinly sliced, toss with 1tbs corn flour and pinch of pepper powder)
8pcs Sai toh fish ball
1packet fresh young corn
150gm watercress (xi1 yang2 chai4)
pinch of salt &
1tsp of soya sauce

Boil the chicken stock in advanced.
When the stock is ready, adjust the fire to medium, put in the lean meat lightly, boil it for another 3min.
Then, eventually put in the fish ball and young corn. Keep at the same fire.
When you've noticed the soup is mildly boiled, put in pinch of salt and soya sauce or to taste, then quickly put the watercress in the soup for 2min. you can now switch off the fire.
Let rest for another 5min.

Now, this super clear and fresh soup is ready for your weekend lunch/dinner with your love ones ^_^

If you have difficulty in cooking it, drop me a message. I'll be happy to assist you to get your soup cooked ; )

Belacan fried chicken in 3 steps

Today, I would like to share with you my recipe for belacan fried chicken which finished right before I get to take a picture of it ; )
I made this recently and gave some for my parents staying nearby. Mom says they ate that as snack during teabreak which are gone even before dinner.

Ingredients:
10pcs of chicken wings
60gm of belacan in 1tbl spoon of water (to dissolve the belacan paste)
1pc beaten egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tbl spoons tapioca flour
1 cup of cooking oil

note: *tbl means 'table'*

Suggested dipping sauce: - store bought thousand island / chilli sauce / tomato sauce (kids liking)

Directions:
1) Cleaned and chopped the market bought chicken wings into two pieces. (or asked the seller to do so.)
2) Marinate the above for at least an hour in advance before cooking time.
3) Heat up the oil first, then fried the wings till it turned golden brown. Serve immediately...

Go try it out and share with us your fried belacan chicken's experience...

A new pencil case

Year end school holiday is started. My younger son will be in junior elementary when school reopen by beginning of next year. I was overly concerned I guess for all the necessary preparation for his new schooling. These few days I've been started to plan what are the things I need to make to him and what he might need on his stationery, school uniform, school bag and so on... and without second thought , I had the urge to make a pencil case for him and within a few hours this is the thing I come out with... a metal zipper pencil case.
The end product is quite satisfying and look lovely to me, my kids love it. It is made of heavy fabric and lined with super cute Japanese print cotton. I believed this pencil case would last for some time and being user-friendly for even young kids.

Old and new

I've got a new overedge sewing machine. Hubby says by running to craft shop for the overedge sewing service each time I needed is way too time consuming. He bought for me one : P and thus, I could sew more things and hopefully can sell at an online store.

Kids grow and grow, the pajama pants that my sons are wearing mostly are way too short for their height. While I still need to improve further on my sewing skills, the simple and loose pajama pants are the most practical stuff I can sew for them. And the most rewarding return is they like to wear mummy sewn clothes most. I involved Russell in the making of his pants, he decides on which fabric to put on for the pocket and how many pockets he needs.
Besides, the brown knee length pants are for my mother, who never ask me to sew anything for her. I choose my favourite colour - that's brown. But but... these pants are a little too tight for her and it end up to be mine :( May need another few days to get her new pants done.
What have you made or done for your love ones, you may share that with us... looking forward hearing from you...

Meg's Jolly Skirt

Big R's friend invited him to her birthday. And I decided to make something for her. Looking at what I have in my stash of fabrics, we come out with something like this for her. It should suits her.


We get it packed and hope my son's friend will like it. Some ribbon and lace have been added onto it and it looked lovely. I've chosen this Japanese cotton to make this skirt and being named as Meg's Jolly Skirt.


I don't know how many of you would like to receive clothing as present, for me it is special and that's something new that we can try on. Why not? ^_^

Holiday stopover

It has been sometime we didn't venture out from the comfort of home. During this school holiday, we went to Cameron Highland.


It was packed with tourists at the hilltop; and everything is about strawberry mostly besides other green produce.


We were all spoilt for choices over the fresh vegetables available. It makes me feel hungry and wanted to munch them right away ; )
We were staying at the hotel, thus no kitchen for me to play with... we were just buy, eat, then off to other market and shop again...


This time around, we never missed the steamboat dinner again. It is satisfying to get something warm to savour at on the chilling night.

Madness of sleeveless

Just want to share with you some fabric and design that I'm falling in love with; it's all about sleeveless..ness and be beautiful. These are all after some recreate.

from vintage Japanese fabric...

The kitchen

For those of you who still visit here, please excuse me for being away for so long.
During this long holiday, besides keeping kids at home we have more activities going on in the home. Getting them doing homework is another challenge

Besides that, I'd upgraded my kitchen and hope will fill up with more creative cooking and delicious dishes... this space is much needed because we eat home-cook mostly, even visiting guests are treated with a meal or two here. As Christmas is approaching, it's the best time to celebrate some moments in life with love ones and mine I started it from the kitchen.

Parenting challenge

Recently, I stick a note near to my children's writing table which read as 'finished is better than perfect'. and as you know, there's always a reason why I do this...


and not too long after Ryan read that (less than half a day), he turned it into 'unfinished is better than unperfect'... it's hilarious to discover the turnover from this little mind... so, who says parenting is easy nowadays?!