Thursday, February 28, 2013

How To Print A First Aid Cross Pattern Card Using Eraser

I have always adored the Swiss Cross shape that I used to make many pouches of it for my etsy shop.


That adoration came back and I thought I should make a card and see how it turns out. I tried carving the shape using Speedball Speedy Carve Block ( the pink one ) but I just couldn't get the straight clean corners and lines. I shove that project aside for weeks until I found this eraser. So here how it goes:

What you need:
-Broad flat eraser, that will be the size of your cross.
-Cutting blade. You don't need the expensive fancy carving set.
-printed cross shape. I used the shift semicolon key (:;) of Zapf Dingbat font. Type in a few font sizes and choose your preference.
-cutting mat
-ink pad. I use Tsukineko Versamagic Red Magic ink pad.
-cardstock. Postcard size, folded.



Cut out the cross shape print and stick it onto the eraser.


Slice slice slice!


Ink it up and stamp!




I wonder what a multicoloured cross pattern would look like :)

Boy's Room Makeover

BEFORE

Unwashable doodles on the wall by you-know-who. Queen size old thick mattress. Dull linen.

AFTER

New coat of paint. Yours truly took less than 24 hours to paint half bottom of 3 walls, using a 3-inch wide brush. Double coated. This is by far my greatest first-time DIY job.


If you are wondering where that cute little bed is from, it is an old IKEA cot that can be converted to a toddler bed. Best buy I ever made in the children's department. It is not available anymore, unfortunately.


I made this wall-hanging pockets as a cute storage.




Also handmade, cloud and rain mobile, and tissue box cover for hanging.


A set of postcard artwork by syko, a lovely etsy artist from Finland.

I secretly want to move in with my boys...

Monday, February 25, 2013

Embroidery

I went crazy on embroidery few weeks ago, but I found it visually taxing. Perhaps it was the design I was working on. There were lots of petals to embroider!


La Rose Noire means Black Rose. This is my first metal-frame purse and it wasn't perfect. Some stitches were showing at the back of this purse.







Sweet coloured ones.


You may find this fabric very familiar. It's the IKEA tea towel set! Looks so different as a bag with a embroidered rose on it hey.

I had enough because I started having headache. Maybe I should do simpler designs. Hee.

Monday, February 18, 2013

My Garden and Patio

Pebble stones can do wonders to a garden. They just add the ZEN factor!

Before Zen-Inducing Magic Grey Tones Pebblicus Awesomnia


After Zen-Inducing Magic Grey Tones Pebblicus Awesomnia




Before Cozy Circle Tea Patio


After Cozy Circle Tea Patio. See those dark brown brown pair of chairs and table? This set cost RM300 from one shop in Perling, and RM450 from another shop in Nusa Bestari. I am so glad I'm that bitch who does my research before buying anything.




My succulents, aloe vera and mint plant.


Spider Plants, or Chlorophytum comosum. In 2008 NASA conducted experiments to determine which plants did the best job of cleaning air in enclosed spaces and found the the lowly spider plant not only generated oxygen and removed CO2 in relatively low levels of light, it also has the remarkable ability to trap and absorb many toxic pollutants such as Formaldehyde (found in sofa pads and under carpet pads), Trichlorethylene (used in glues used for making plywood and gluing down linoleum, ceramic tiles and used in paints), and benzene. It was rated in the top three plants tested by NASA for air pollutant removal. Good for homes with smokers... heehee.


I don't know man, but it feels great lounging outdoor.



Reunion Dinner Spread

My Reunion Dinner Spread! Now that I've cooked for 10, I feel like I can conquer the world.




My paternal grandma! Now a proud greatgrandmother of 6! She brought her signature Eight Fortune Pig's Trotters (usually duck) and the Sang Choi wrap with mengkuang and dried sotong.



My must-have menu for the Reunion Dinner:

Blanched white chicken, or in Cantonese, Sap Kai.
Simply immerse the defrosted whole chicken in a pot of boiling water with added crushed ginger, spring onions and salt. There is a variation of the cooking time required. Some say right after immersing the chicken, switch off the fire and let it be. I usually like to leave it boiling for 5 min before i switch of the fire. Me no like Salmonella.

Prawns. In Cantonese, prawns is 'ha', so having this dish mean laughing =happiness. You know, ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha siu.
I marinated a whole bunch with Chinese Rice Wine, sesame oil, chopped garlic, slices of ginger, pepper and sugar. Then steam for about 5 min until they turn red.

Fish. Nian nian you yu. Abundance every year.
Usually the whole fish, with head and tail intact. Or just the head. For a headstart, ya know. Usually simply steamed with ginger, garlic, spring onion, Chinese parsley and light soya sauce.

Roast pork dish. Coz Chinese and pork are best friends.
I simply stir fry stall-bought roast pork (sliced into biteable size) with ginger and leek.

Vegetables. No particular preference here. But I think the brighter the colour, the merrier! Broccoli, red pepper, yellow pepper, those type.

Soup. No watercress soup because in Cantonese, sai yong choi sounds like chai leong which means pitiful. Kesian...

Abalone. Bao yu means guaranteed abundance.
Surprisingly, it is best eaten just. like. that. I immersed the whole abalone straight from the can, into boiling water for a few minutes, then let it sit in it until ready to be served. I sliced the abalone thinly, arranged them on a small plate and serve with halved lime. Like oysters.

I guess I will be keeping this tradition every year!