I WANT THIS

A couple of years ago, I started to love vintage things, or things that look vintage and nostalgic.
Like this enamel bowl by BeautifulLifexDesign


And this tweed messenger by catherineaitken


Me is getting old!

If...

Some news and events lately have made me ponder deeply about my life and death, and about how close you are to your life partner that you discuss about whether you want to be on life support system if something dreadful happens.

I've always wanted to write an instructional, if I would to go suddenly. I have not written a will, but I reckon the major stuff gets straightened out by law. What I'm more concerned about are the itsy bitsy stuff that law don't even want to bother with, like who gets my handmade pouches at home, sewn with love.

I guess I can start here, now, today.

1. My etsy shop.
The thing that made me sane, driven and an enormous sense of satisfaction. The cards, pouches and other fun stuff I have made since 2009 to be sold on my etsy shop, have brought me a kind of joy that says Hey, I HAVE a life!
If I go, someone will have to log in/report to Etsy to have my shop and account disabled or something. If someone just bought something, I wish the order would be delivered for the last time. I know this is trivial, but I am a responsible seller.

2. On life support.
Geez, I have no stand on this one. Would I want to be in a vegetative state? On life support? I really don't know. I guess what's practical is to just go, instead of lingering in hope and misery. I understand it is a burden. I just want to go and let my loved ones move on. But if I'm brain-healthy, and can afford nurse/helper, I guess I would want to be kept alive so I can still see my kids grow up, and I can watch all the movies and series I want. But it would be bad for the husband because then he can't really move on, can he. What if he met someone nice, I would be such a hindrance, just sitting and lying there watching DVDs all day, wouldn't it. Put me in another room, with a great sound system, and maybe a blink-activated remote to do simple tasks. Introduce me to the nice lady, please. She better be good to the boys.

To be Continued.

What Turns A Woman On

Lately, I see commercials with a new age rather good-looking well-buffed dad playing with his kids, or doing a house chore.

Do you know that's the top turn-on for women? ESPECIALLY mothers? There's something about the lethal combo of biceps, THE HAIR and domestication.

When the husband tuck the boys to bed at night or take the little one for night bike ride to chill him out, while I get to shower earlier and do whatever I need to do, my heart swells with adoration and appreciation. In other words, I'm his bitch.

That's why I LOVE this book, Porn For New Moms.

LOVE the way certain keywords are bold, like You, relax, take a nap, have a break.




It's hard to explain why. It's like these men could be out drinking/working/entertaining/playing their favorite sport/hanging out with the guys, BUT NO, he is at home, looking after the baby that you two SHARE together, not because he has to, but he WANTS to. O. EM. GEE. Can you hear my panties drop.

Green Crafting

How wonderful it is to be crafting all week long at work, for a company charity flea market. The best part is recycling items, and making them into something new. You'll be amazed what toilet and paper rolls can be remade as! (will have photos)

And those unwanted jewelry with beads? They can be fillers for lovely cute Five Stone beanies!

Reuse glass jars.


Are you a Padini fan? Have you collected enough Padini carrier bags you don't know what to do with them? Have your friend recently had a baby and you want to give her a pack of diapers (plus other baby stuff of course) but you don't know how to present it? Here, get a big Padini carrier and embellish it with pink ribbon. I covered the 'PADINI' word with matching pink card stock with scalloped edge and the word B A B Y hand-stamped on it. No stamps? Draw it.

Dark brown and pink is sweet colour combination. By the way, this fit a Mamy Poko Jumbo pack.

How about that for Green Crafting!

On My Way Home Everyday...

What do you think of during your journey home from work everyday?

I randomly think about:

1. I wonder how's the traffic is at the customs.
2. What shall I make tonight? A pouch? A new card?
3. What fun project can I do with Daniel this weekend?
4. What supplies do I need to get?
5. Darren is so cute, can't wait to hold him and smell him.
6. I wonder what it would be like if Damien is around, I'd have 3 boys to wrestle with!
7. What shall I make tonight? A pouch? A card?
8. What supplies do I need to get?
9. Is tonight 'sexy' night? What should I put on?
10. Darren is so cute.
11. Will Daniel grow up to be a good teenager and a good man?
12. How are my parenting skills up to date?
13. Darren is so cute.
14. Is Paul going to be home before me? I would love that.
15. I should surprise him with a nice facial or massage.
16. I should call my mom.
17. Darren is so cute.
18. Should I have another baby?
19. I should call my mom.
20. I wonder what time I'll get home.
21. I want to make bento lunches for my family.
22. I want to quit my job, sell off my Golf and live a low-maintenance simple life.
23. I need Josie, my miracle domestic helper.
24. Should I have another baby?
25. Darren is so cute.
26. What new design can I create for a card?
27. I want to redecorate my home.
28. I want to quit my job, sell off my Golf and live a low-maintenance simple life, AND redecorate my home.
29. I wonder what Daniel has been doing all day at home. I should create daily projects for him to do.
30. I should settle some bank matters.

Repeat until arrival. Gosh! No wonder my brain is tired when I get home!

He's Not Perfect.

Sleepless in Puteri Pediatric Ward

7 September. Our 1.5 yr old Darren had been on Augmentin for a cough and fever for 3 days but didn't seem to get better. Fever still came back. But he was still rather active. But that evening after his nap, he was just sitting on my lap, almost panting, and inactive. When Darren is inactive, something is amiss.

At 11pm, we brought him to Puteri Specialist Hospital after a GP's advice. This was our first experience as parents, admitting our child in a hospital. Strangely, I wasn't as freaked out as I would have been if it was my first child. I was rather relaxed, positive and excited. But what followed after we went into the A&E ward did tear my maternal heartstrings a bit.

We had to strip him and a nurse whisked him away to bring down his temperature by PUTTING HIM UNDER A TAP OF RUNNING COLD WATER. They say they do this to prevent fever fits. He was also quickly given the fever suppository.

Then barely dried, we had to do a chest X-ray by holding him down on the cold hard table. The husband held down his thighs, while I held onto his arms and shoulders. Both of us wearing some protective HEAVY bulletproof apron. This took less than 5 minutes. I was expecting to see an x-ray film but everything is digital now!

We went back to the A&E ward where the doctor diagnosed pneumonia. Mild, beginning stages. Consolidation in the lungs present, that means the cloudy area in his lungs.

Now they had to insert the intravenous line into his little hand. How do they do this to a conscious screaming wrestling child? I had no idea because they drew the curtain and ordered us to stay out. After what felt like days, we got to hold him, and his little bandaged IV-ed hand. No, it's not over. He has to get the neb. And he hated it. The nebulizer mask is known to inflict fear, hatred and trauma to toddlers. I know the fear part because at one point during administration, amidst his cries and screams, he muttered 'Scared'. Oh my heart sank. This is the hardest part of being a mother. You know your job is to protect your child from what he fears, yet in this situation, you can't stop it because it's for his own good.

The drama was over. We went up to the Peads Ward and checked into the High Dependency Unit. It was midnight and both of us were still wide-eyed reeling from the thrill. The husband brought me the lazy chair provided by the hospital, and I told him to go home. Darren's fever had gone down since and was back in action. BACK IN ACTION TILL 2AM! He had no problems falling asleep on his new crib, whereas I had problems falling asleep on a non-bed, in sub-zero temperature, dry air and no quilt.

So, for 2 nights, he was back in action, on antibiotics, fever-free, 4 hourly nebs... whereas I was zombified, dehydrated and delirious.







BACK. IN. ACTION.

We went home on Friday. And then, I was down. The baton is in my hands.

Craft Geek DIY: How to Print on Glass Jars

Print-making art has been around for a long long time, and it's versatile, easy and fun. There are various ways to make a print ie. stamps, linoleum blocks, wooden blocks, and even potatoes (remember that primary school art project?)

In this post, I will show you how to decorate your unused, unwanted glass jars and bottles.

You need:

1. Your glass jars of course. Washed and wiped dry.
2. A printout of your design. Either print it on a laser jet printer or have your design photocopied. Do not use inkjet printers.
3. Clear sticky tape.
4. Mod Podge. There are a few types, get the hard coat, or check if it is suitable for glass surfaces.
5. A paint brush.
6. A bowl of warm water. Preferably a pretty little bowl because it makes you happy.

Here's how you do it:

1. Stick the clear tape over your printed design. NICELY. FLAT. SMOOTH.


2. Cut it out, near the edge of the design.


3. Soak it in the pretty bowl of warm water for about 20-30 minutes.


4. Rub the paper away using your thumb. The paper would be pulp by now. Rub away until you see a clear sheet.


5. Stick it on your glass surface. it's pretty hard to shift position once you place it on the surface. The tape would still be sticky.
Press and wipe away all excess water. Leave NO air bubbles between the tape and the glass surface.

6. Do a few if you like.


7. Open a jar of Mod Podge. It is WHITE but don't worry, it becomes clear when dried.


8. Paint an even coating of Mod Podge over the design and around it.



9. As you can see, Mod Podge is clear when it's dried. But I wonder why my tape is not entirely clear. You can see the uncut whitish area around my design. I will use another brand of clear tape next time.

Have fun!!

Mooncake Festival Electrical Lanterns

It's time of the year again, for the loud annoying electric moon cake festival LANTERNS with REPULSIVE techno kiddie music!

If you have a child of 0-4 years of age, and have doting grandparent(s) and aunts and uncles, and live in Malaysia, chances are you will have one of these at home sometime this month.

See that little speaker there? It looks harmless, yes? YOU ARE DEAD WRONG!

Here's how to mute it. No, sorry, you can't ever mute it unless you run it over with your car.

Here's how to muffle it. Go to your stationery supply shop and get some of these Tack-It sticky thing. Cover the speaker with it. A pack of these can cover 50 loud annoying electrical lanterns.



You are welcome!!

Ouchies

Like R.E.M said, Everybody Hurts. Happy Healing.

A Little Party

Last June, I prepared a little something special for Daniel's 6th birthday celebration with his kindeemates. This is how you pack a goodie bag. That tub of colorful clay set toy was a bargain, $1 each.

Instead of a cake, you get muffins for each kid (I hear the teachers go "OH THANK YOU!!! NO CAKE MESS!")

Every muffin has a name flag. Oh. So. Cool. His friends LOVED it.

6 is a fun age. Baby, you grew up too fast!

Noise Sniffer

If you have an iPhone and some kids, it's quite fun to play with this app called Noise Sniffer.

Last night, my toddler was crying out of hunger, my 6 yr-old was incessantly going "MUMMY, LOOK! MUMMY LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!" and a plastic elephant toy was blaring it's digital elephant trumpet on the floor.

Immediately, as an opportunistic fun individual, I grabbed my iPhone and switched on my Noise Sniffer apps.

It read 105 dB. "Extremely Loud"

On a daily basis.....

To My Dear Boys: About You

Dear Daniel,
You are an awesome kid, I mean it. TRULY. You're like my BFF from the start, almost like my soulmate. I love chatting with you when I tuck you to bed every night, we're like friends who share secrets and our innermost fears and desires. Though you're 6, you seem to understand and feel a whole lot more than I can imagine. I know this will cease when you're older so I'm cherishing every moments of our mom-son chit-chats.

You are a sensitive, compassionate, loving and expressive boy. You have shown your care and concern when I needed it most. When I was unwell in bed, you'd pop into the room and ask me if I wanted something to eat or drink. And you'd cover me with my blanket, and touch my forehead. And that turns my heart into mushy goo of warm fuzzy love. You have also shown strength and maturity beyond your age in time of crisis. When I was in hospital, and your papa had to manage you and your brother in an intense situation, you tried to help as much as you could. When your baby brother was screaming and crying in his carseat, you distracted him, entertained him, sang a lullaby and soothed him to sleep, and you did all these on your own while your papa had to drive. Your papa and I think you did a KICK-ASS AWESOME job. TRULY. You worried for me silently, and you were brave. I'd give you 11 stars out of 10.

Don't ever forget to be awesome. *high five*
ps. I think you'll be a romantic guy who gives flowers and writes love notes to your lady, just like what you do for me now.


Dear Darren,
You are an awesome baby, I mean it. TRULY. If all babies were fun and easy like you, I can have ten of you. Your demeanor is almost like your brother when he was a baby. Sweet and cheerful. You are such a delight. These days you cling to me like a panda. I love how you wrap your little arms around my legs and you stick your head between them, and whimper when you want to be carried up. EVERYTHING you do is adorable, including your tantrums and your cute little crunched up face when you cry. But the best moments are the ones when you look at me with your two round Precious-Moments eyes and flash the most genuine sweet smile in the whole world.... that turns my heart into a mushy goo of warm fuzzy love :)

Be awesome everyday.
ps. I think you'll be into cars like your papa.

Peekaboo

I really hate to post this again but yaaaaa... it's another dead baby post. Bear with me.

Last night, I started revamping and reorganizing my craft room. The husband was out for network drinks. Yay! Free time for me!
I found a slip of paper and it took me 5 seconds to realize what it was and then I just broke down. My entire body stopped to allow the tear duct to launch big-time. What's strange was that it was TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL. Like I was looking at myself as another person and going "WHOA,WHOA, WHOA SLOW DOWN SISTER, WHAT'S GOIN' ON!"

There I was, kneeling on the floor, clutching the slip of paper, as two souls, one wailing out of control and another wide-eyed jaw-dropped flabbergasted. If there was a conversation, it would go like this:

A1: WWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
A2: YO, wassup.
A1: MMMMMM MMMMMMMM (trying to suppress cry)
A2: STOP
A1: I *gasp gasp* CAN'T *gasp gasp*
A2: Come on, it's over.
A1: FUCK YOU IT'S NEVER OVER! *sob sob sob*
A2: Okaaaaaaayyy... Let's talk about it then
A1: *sob sob* *sniff sniff* No. MMMMMM MMMMMMMMM
A2: *whistling Katy Perry's Last Friday Night tune*
A1: WAAAAAAAA WAAAAAAAAAAAAA
A2: *finished whistling the entire song*
A1: *sniff sniff*
A2: You okay now?
A1: Shut up.
A2: Let's continue putting stuff in the boxes, okay?
A1: Ok *sniff*

It was a Permit Menguburkan b/o Lau Lei Yin.


"for me it isn't over" by beth retro

Fine Dining Tera Thai @ JB

Back for second photographical review. The first one is here.

The gorgeous colonial bungalow.


















As usual... when the food comes, my camera is tucked away. Next time, I promise!

Anyone needs direction?

Rough August

The brain is an amazing organ. Subconscious memory is an amazing phenomenon. Usually, PMS moodiness don't linger for more than a few days, but it did. I have been upset, teary and melancholic for two weeks. I checked my diary and apparently I had my pregnancy weeks recorded until week 18. I counted forward. This week I would be at my 37th week, the same week Daniel and Darren was born. So I figured, this must be the week Damien would be born too.

So, I think I should commemorate his phantom birth with a tattoo of his name. Damien18 or D18 but the latter sounds like a durian's strain doesn't it. We'll both have a good laugh :)