this side of the island

Day 11. Makes You Happy #FEBphotoaday

2012-02-12T20:32:00.001+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Makes You Happy.

Makes me happy to be with my family.... I'll have to update this soon with my girls.

Come and join the Photo A Day Challenge !

Day 10. Self Portrait #FEBphotoaday

2012-02-10T21:55:00.003+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Self Portrait.

A new hair cut!

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Day 9. Front door #FEBphotoaday

2012-02-10T21:55:00.002+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Front Door.

The Palms left over from last Easter are still on the door.

Come and join the Photo A Day Challenge !

Wordless Wednesday - Lions, dragons and fire crackers galore.

2012-02-08T15:33:00.001+08:00

For the past few weeks we have been celebrating Chinese New Year and the last day was on Monday which is called Chap Goh May. The final day of celebrating and welcoming the Luna New Year and the start of the Year of the Dragon... which for our part meant the last day of lion & dragon dances and the ever noisy and super loud fire crackers that go seem to go on through out the night.

We were lucky this time and managed to catch a lion dance that was at the new Japanese restaurant just down the road. A big crowd gathered around to watch the dragon dance before we got there but we to get there in time to watch the lions battle it out and light the fire crackers.

I don't know how they do it but these dancers can jump and leap through the air and land on such small platforms. I've even seen some lions that swing around on the platforms and make it look so easy.... lots of really fit people out there!!!

The last of those super noisy fire crackers!!! Crazy loud but only once a year.

Want to join in the fun - Wordless Wednesday @ My Little Drummer Boys.

Day 8. Sun #FEBphotoaday

2012-02-08T14:58:00.001+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Sun.

A rather gloomy day but I'm pretty sure the sun is out there somewhere.

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Day 7. Button #FEBphotoaday

2012-02-08T14:54:00.002+08:00

...yes another late photo...

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Button.

The button to the world on my iPod!

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Day 6. Dinner #FEBphotoaday

2012-02-08T14:49:00.002+08:00

.... a little late but here it is...

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Dinner.

Ate too much for lunch so for dinner I just had some toast with a bit of mayo and tuna.

Come and join the Photo A Day Challenge !

Day 2 to Day 5 #FEBphotoaday

2012-02-05T14:01:00.000+08:00

I've been a little behind on my posts so here's Day 2 to Day 5.

Day 2. Words #FEBphotoaday

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Words.

Family...

Day 3. Hands #FEBphotoaday

Celebrating 16years together today so I thought this photo should represent Hands.

Day 4. A Stranger #FEBphotoaday

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is A Stranger

One of the Chinese New Year characters from a Lion dance.... a stranger to me.

Day 5. 10am#FEBphotoaday

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is 10am.

A 10am wake up call!!!

Come and join the Photo A Day Challenge !

Day 1. Your View Today #FEBphotoaday

2012-02-01T11:14:00.000+08:00

Are you ready for another month of fabulous February?? Well I'm excited to say that Chantelle @ Fat Mum Slim has created another Photo A Day challenge for the month of February.

Just click Here to join in the challenge at Chantelle {fat mum slim} or just click on the image above. Come and join the fun with everyone @ Fat Mum Slim

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Your View Today.

What I'm looking at now :)

Come and join the Photo A Day Challenge !

Day 31. You, Again#JANphotoaday

2012-02-01T11:13:00.004+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is You, Again.

Me at 37weeks trying to model a bag I made.... Oh my baby bump is huge.

Come and join the Photo A Day Challenge !

Day 30. Nature#JANphotoaday

2012-02-01T11:09:00.001+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Nature.

A bit of nature growing in the front balcony. I don't have a green thumb so I have to say that these plants have battled over survivor of the fittest.... I really can't remember every watering these plants.

Come and join the Photo A Day Challenge !

Day 29. Inside Your Fridge #JANphotoaday

2012-02-01T11:04:00.002+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Inside Your Fridge.

A mess waiting to be cleaned...

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Day 28.Light #JANphotoaday

2012-02-01T10:44:00.002+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Light.

We are still celebrating Chinese New Year over here and I thought I could use these photos for today's theme Light. Watching these talented and very skillful Lion dancers I would have to agree that you have to be very light on your feet to perform all these leaps and jumps from all the different platforms.

Come and join the Photo A Day Challenge !

Day 27.Lunch #JANphotoaday

2012-01-28T10:08:00.001+08:00

A day behind but this was for yesterday's post...

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Lunch.

My due date is almost here and so I've been trying out some chinese confinement dishes for when the time comes. This is the Fried Rice with Ginger and Egg and it's suppose to be one of the first solid food that I have to eat after I have given birth. It's suppose to get rid of the "wind".... or the bloated feeling you get when you give birth. It's just fried ginger in sesame seed oil with a 1 egg Omelette and a bowl of cooked rice seasoned with a bit of salt but since it's Chinese New Year I added a bit of chinese lap cheong (sausage) for extra flavour.

Come and join the Photo A Day Challenge !

Wordless Wednesday - Camera Shy

2012-01-26T17:18:00.003+08:00

I'm a little late with my Wordless Wednesday but here's a photo for it.

Camera shy??!!

Want to join in the fun - Wordless Wednesday @ My Little Drummer Boys.

Day 26.Colour #JANphotoaday

2012-01-26T16:45:00.001+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Colour.

This is Jacob's wall of art and I thought it would be perfect for something with a bit of colour!

Just a shout out to all ... Happy Australia Day!!! I love my sunburnt country :)

Day 25.Something You Made #JANphotoaday

2012-01-26T16:44:00.000+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Something You Made.

Something I made last night and just playing around with my bag design that I've been working on. I couldn't figure out what to do with the handles but I think this will do. I might use it for a baby bag or try to tweak it again.

Come and join the Photo A Day Challenge !

Day 24.Guilty Pleasure #JANphotoaday

2012-01-24T21:02:00.000+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Guilty Pleasure.

Mini Apple Turnovers and a cup of hot Blackberry tea!

Enjoying these guilty pleasures while surfing the net and listening to the Chinese New Year fireworks outside. Kung Hei Fatt Choy and welcome Year Of The Dragon!!

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Day 23.Something Old #JANphotoaday

2012-01-23T23:54:00.001+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Something Old.

I struggled a bit with this one trying to find a photo of Something Old. I mentioned the challenge to hubby today about trying to find Something Old and the first thing he said was not to take a photo of him!! lol

Anyway I did manage to find something old and it's this Fisher Price toy which believe it or not is 27years old. It's been handed down from my second brother when he was a baby. It's traveled halfway across the world and back again from the time we lived in Holland to Sydney and here in Malaysia. My mum had stored it away and brought it back out when I had my first born. I guess it goes to show that Fisher Price makes toys to last or it did 27 years ago!!!

Come and join the Photo A Day Challenge !

Day 22.Your Shoes #JANphotoaday

2012-01-22T09:09:00.004+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Your Shoes.

A little peep from my peep toe shoes.

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Day 21. Reflection #JANphotoaday

2012-01-22T08:58:00.005+08:00

It's a day late but Day 21: Photo A Day Challenge is Reflection.

I had thought of reflecting upon all the photos that I've taken for this challenge but since I've only just joined I decided to take this photo for Reflection.

I've had this beautifully carved wooden frame mirror for about 12 years now. It's a other half of a pair that my mum gave to me. It's on the wall by the hallway and gets a little dusty now and then but something that is special to me.

Come and join the Photo A Day Challenge !

Day 20. Someone You Love #JANphotoaday

2012-01-20T10:00:00.000+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Someone You Love.

My sweet daughter! Someone I love very much.

Come and join the Photo A Day Challenge !

Day 19. Sweet #JANphotoaday

2012-01-19T10:00:00.000+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Sweet.

In the kitchen again making Sweet Chilli & Sundried Tomato Dip to put on my low salt/high fibre crackers...

A bit of Sweet Thai Chilli sauce, Sundried tomatoes, Chives, Coriander, Cream, Cream Cheese and just blend.... all so Sweet with a bit a goodness!

Come and join the Photo A Day Challenge !

Wordless Wednesday - Kitchen Helper

2012-01-18T10:28:00.001+08:00

Last night my little kitchen helper was helping me out in the kitchen getting all covered up with flour and rolling out the dough.

Want to join in the fun - Wordless Wednesday @ My Little Drummer Boys.

Day 18. Something You Bought #JANphotoaday

2012-01-18T09:24:00.000+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Something You Bought.

I've been stocking up on my baby nappies but still can't decide which ones I like since there's so much choice these days. Still have a few more packets to buy just to last me for the first month.... how many does a newborn go through a day?

Come and join the Photo A Day Challenge !

Day 17. Water #JANphotoaday

2012-01-17T11:34:00.001+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Water.

Lots of washing to do this week. Gathering up all my baby clothes and getting them cleaned up and ready for the baby.... a whole lot of washing and water!!

.... More blues than pinks but I'm sure baby won't mind :)

My one day dress.

2012-01-16T11:22:00.001+08:00

I got this lovely dress for Christmas from hubby and it fits perfectly so I was inspired to come up with a pattern to make another one with some batik that I had kept for something just like this. It was a pretty simply design and just had to take in the measurements and allow for the seams but for my pattern and had to included enough fabric for french seams...

so ta dah ... my one day dress that took about 3 hrs to make from drafting to sewing and it still fits over my bump.

Day 16. Morning #JANphotoaday

2012-01-16T11:15:00.000+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Morning.

My mornings usually start around 5.40am but today I got to sleep in because my older boy hasn't been feeling to well so I kept him in this morning but I woke up this morning to find my youngest at the foot of my bed snuggled up with a pillow all sound asleep.

Day 15. Happiness #JANphotoaday

2012-01-15T09:29:00.001+08:00

Today's Photo A Day Challenge is Happiness.

Today we are celebrating hubby's 44th Birthday..... A day of happiness for us .... a little less hair, more white hair then peppery but still the same. Happy Birthday!!!

14. Something You're Reading #JANphotoaday

2012-01-14T13:29:00.001+08:00

I've been catching up on some blog reading last night and came across this great challenge to start of the year.. yep I know January is almost half way gone but it's never too late to start up some awesome like a photo challenge. I'm up for it so here's a little bit of daily inspiration for January's Photo A Day Challenge created by Chantelle {fat mum slim}

Photo a day challenge: January 2012

Just click Here to join in the challenge at Chantelle {fat mum slim} or just click on the image above.

Here it goes with my photo of something I'm reading

Why Don't You Come for Me? by Diane Janes.

I started just before Christmas and I'm only on page 52 so I'll have to get back to reading it again.

Goodbye 2011 and hello to a new 2012!

2012-01-13T15:02:00.000+08:00

Goodbye 2011 and hello to a new 2012!

Oh what a year 2011 has been for us. A year that started out with a sad goodbye to our daughter on her journey half way across the world to further her studies overseas. Sad not to be together as a family but also knowing that there's so much to look forward to in her own journey of discovery as a young person embarking on the next step of her education, making new friends and having a chance to live with our family in a beautiful country. I really miss her but I just want the best for her. I know she's been having the time of her life and I'm just so happy to be able to talk to her and share her new life and that just makes me the happiest mum in the world to know she's doing okay.

Well that would be one of the main changes in our lives over here but we were soon to discover an unexpected surprise after we had settled down back to our old routines... a new addition to our family... a new baby due this new year 2012 in February. A complete shock for us all but a welcome new addition to our lives. So in less than 6 weeks from now I'll be able to introduce our little one :)

So it's a hello from me again for 2012 and hoping to stay in touch....it's been a while but I'm back again.

Celebrating a nation.

2011-08-27T10:24:00.002+08:00

On August 31st we will be celebrating Malaysia's National Day and recently I was asked by a relative who lives overseas to make a few peg bags to be given away to her friends. I had never heard of peg bags before but when she explained what they were I wanted to make something that was inspired from the place she came from "The Land Below The Wind, Sabah".

(http://sabahantraditionalcostume-sebastian.blogspot.com/2011/04/kadazan-penampang.html)

A traditional Kadazan costume worn during the Harvest Festival.

Traditional the Kadazans have worn this beautiful black velvet costume which are decorated with different golden braids with silver coins draped around the waist and there are actually 3 versions of this costume reflecting the different ages and status of the women in the village. This costume is usually worn during the Harvest Festival but it a symbol of the strong Kadazan culture in Sabah so I wanted to take a little of that and make a peg bag that would reflect the culture and traditions of this beautiful place as well as a celebration of Malaysia as a nation.

Peg bags are essentially a little bag that you use to hold clothes pegs but these peg bags that I designed are special ones which are made with black velveteen and decorated with a variety of golden brocade braids and little golden buttons. There is ample room to store lots of clothes pegs in the skirt pocket and it is fasten with velcro to secure them while they sway in the wind on the clothes line.

The pocket in the skirt is accessed by lifting up the top with the velcro fastener. Lots of room for all your clothes pegs.

Kadazan Inspired Peg Bags all handmade by me.

100 Facebook Fan Giveaway Winner

2011-05-27T18:22:00.000+08:00

The winner has been picked for my This Side Of The Island Facebook Page and it's lucky no. 16! It's Tara Greenfield who has won my Kanzashi Cherry Blossom Clutch and an Etsy 10% Discount Coupon for This Side Of The Island.

Polly Dolly: High Flyer

2011-05-27T11:17:00.002+08:00

It's a High Flyer time at Polly Dolly today. Time to catch the travel bug and get our passports fulled to the max with our adventure in the high skies living the life as well seasoned traveler. Come and join us with our Polly Dolly travelers at Danimezza.

To be a high flyer in the sky I want to be comfortable and stylish too and so I just couldn't resist these gorgeous turquoise hobo bag. I could fit all my travelling goodies and still have room from my souvenir shopping too. Dressed for comfort in this lovely lacey top teamed up with this ultra comfy jeans and got to have those kitten heeled shoes, not too high just nice for walking and discovering new places.

high flyer by cindapod featuring striped scarves

Another Giveaway!

2011-05-25T08:50:00.000+08:00

I'm so happy to announce another Giveaway to celebrate my 100 fan mark on my This Side Of The Island Facebook Page and I'm giving away this gorgeous Kanzashi Cherry Blossom Clutch with my handmade Kanzashi Cherry Blossom that I made the last week.

Kanzashi Cherry Blossom Clutch. The kanzashi cherry blossom has pearl and glass beads embroidered into the centre of the flower.

Kanzashi (Japanese Fabric flowers) traditionally worn by Maiko (Geisha in training). They would wear specific Kanzashi dependent on the season or event - cherry blossoms during the Cherry Blossom Festival.

To celebrate the 100 fans that have "Liked" my page I'm going to give this clutch away and an Etsy Discount Coupon to the lucky winner. All you have to do is make a comment below or on Facebook about your favourite bag from This Side Of The Island and you are in the running to win. The winner will be picked by the Random Generator and announced on 27th May so remember to make a comment to win.

A just a small note of thanks and farewell to Blog This who have just ended an era of great blogging and wonderful challenges for many talented bloggers around Australia. I was so glad to be able to give back and donated this bag to their challenge winner for Challenge 72. and the winning post from Lisa at Life As We Know It . Congrats Lisa!

The Tip of Borneo Part 2 The Journey

2011-05-15T23:06:00.000+08:00

The start of any journey always begins with a good map or in this case a GPS.

Where ever you travel there is always a beautiful shade of green. The paddy fields are really a sight to see this time of year.

Not a single word from the boys. Everyone enjoying the long drive up the coast.

He was full of giggles along the way.

I was never really a photographer.... but the auto focus works!

Something you see more of these days ... oil palm plantations .... miles of it.

The village stalls along the way where they sell veggies and fruits and sometimes local handicrafts.

Almost there. Lots of coconuts growing along the way. Kudat is well known for it's coconut industry and fishing.

We are here. Tanjung Simpang Mengayau or otherwise known as the Tip of Borneo

Beautiful powder white beaches.

The Tip of Borneo Part 1

2011-05-07T23:45:00.000+08:00

The Tip of Borneo

Living in the city you sometimes forget about the rest of what this beautiful place holds. Rainforests, the highest mountain in Borneo, Mt. Kinabalu, rivers, tropical islands, and white powder beaches with warm crystal clear waters.

I live in the suburbs surrounding the city of Kota Kinabalu, which isn't really that far maybe about a 5mins drive from the city centre. Not far at all but it's still the suburbs anyway. It's a growing city and we often take if for granted when everything becomes so urbanised, modern and new. It hasn't always been that way and if you were to look back maybe 40+ years ago the place where I live was still part of the jungle with swampy soils and full of tropical trees. It's now the busiest urban area with new apartment buildings and houses coming up and main roads getting wider all the time but I'm lucky in a way because just opposite from where I live is a golf course and a small nature park so I still have a bit of "protected" greenery and a reminder of what it might have been not so long ago.

This side of the island where I live is more developed than the rest and it if you were to take a one and half hour drive out of the city radius you would probably find yourself near some paddy fields, near the mountainous region or definitely near a "kampung" or village. It's still amazes me when we take a long drive out .... meaning at least a good two and half to three hour drive out and find ourselves in unfamiliar territory. I have to admit that I'm a creature of comfort and quite settled with my computer, wifi, satellite tv and most importantly air conditioning. I don't think I could last that long trekking through the jungle or taking a climb up Mt. Kinabalu. The leeches just scare me to bits so all such activity is totally out of the question. I'm really quite content with looking at Mt. Kinabalu from a good distance when people ask me when am I going to climb it and I'll let my husband take the honour in climbing it instead, which he has done in the past and is suppose to do again later this year.

Recently we had a chance to do a bit of travelling and get away from our daily routines and we decided to take the boys up to the Tip of Borneo. It is the most northernmost part of Sabah and if you look at the map kind of looks like a dog's head so I guess you could say that's the dog's ear that we went to visit! We had been there many times before and our last visit was about seven years ago when our first son was just one and our daughter was about seven years old. It was a different place then with not too many signs pointing the way and a detour or two trying to find the right dirt road to turn into. An untouched spot at the time with only the locals living close by and the kampung kids playing at the beach.

The area is now starting to show some development now but not too much so that it still retains the natural beauty of the beach and surrounding areas. There's a monument at the tip and a sealed road leading up to the point. A few tourist spots are slowly opening up nearby but the kampung is there and it still has a local feel to the place.

The beauty of the tip only reachable by climbing down the cliffs and walking along weathered rocks that have been shaped by the lapping waters of high tide and the strong sea winds that comes with the seasons. I've walked down the cliff before but this time I had my two year old to handle and so my husband took our eldest son down to rock beds to the furthermost tip and looked at the many rock pools along the way and watched the sun reflect off the sea waters. This place still has it's charm and beauty and I'm happy to still be able to see it eventhough in a few years this place might be very different in years to come.

The Tip of Borneo, northernmost part of Sabah, is located at a place called Tanjung Simpang Mengayau.

View Tip of Borneo in a larger map

Polly Dolly - Bride

2011-04-17T17:04:00.001+08:00

Going to the chapel

and going to get married.....

Here comes the bride for another Polly Dolly challenge

Polly Dolly has given us a chance for us to take that walk the aisle again and we get to choose a beautiful gown for the occasion and all the trimmings.

I absolutely love this gown from Elianna Moore, the detailing and just how it flows, so romantic.

And yes more diamonds too and just a bit bigger and more bling.

A beautiful bouquet of roses and a pretty beaded purse.

Reds, pinks, blush roses and much much more to give the day a splash of colour.... I'm going to be a bride for a day.

Blog This ... Baby Love

2011-04-17T04:15:00.000+08:00

Baby Love.....
I love their soft chubby cheeks. So plump and round that you just want to pinch and kiss them. My little Jacob was one of those chubby cheeked babies and I just adored the way his face would almost double in size when he smiled with those cheeks. He still has some of that adorable baby chubbiness but with each active month he is growing up more to be a boy than that baby I once cradled in my arms. A toddler with an mind for exploring and discovering his world and getting bigger all the time .... a sometimes Mr Terrible Two but not really he'll always my baby.

My all time fav photo with his blonde wig. It always makes me laugh.

Fully focused on the camera

Jacob and Ash

Double cheeked and a dimple too.

Chuckling with laughter.

Blog This is having a photo challenge and this one is called Baby Love. Come and join in the fun with your adorable baby photos.

Lily Bag in Lorenza

2011-04-14T21:53:00.002+08:00

I recently got this beautiful fabric from Alexander Henry's Lorenza collection. It's been on my wishlist for so long and I finally my hands on some of it. The first thing I love about this print are the bold colours and I'm always a fan of retro looking floral prints. The design just makes a statement with this print and you can use it for day or night.

So to start off my first handmade bag using this fabric, I came up this this design which is quite similar to my Dahlia Bags but using a zip as the closure and having an adjustable strap so that it can be used as a shoulder bag or a message bag.

My newest bag .... the Lily Bag using Lorenza in Onyx by Alexander Henry.... and so named Lily after an aunty and also to go with all my other bags named after flowers!

I've use Lorenza in Onyx by Alexander Henry and black cotton drill for the contrast. It is fully lined with beige cotton drill and interfaced to make it sturdy and all seams are reinforced. It has 2 inner pockets for your purse, ipod and phone; and another inner pocket with a zip and a swivel clip for your keys. The bag closes with a zip closure.

Measurements:

Width Top: 13"

Width (Widest): 16"

Depth: 3"

Height: 12"

Adjustable Strap Length: 21.5" - 36" nickel sliders

Interior has 2 pockets and 1 zip pocket

1 x Zipper Pocket: (W)9" x (L) 6"

1 x Pocket: (W)8" x (L)5.5"

You can win this bag by entering Blog This - Challenge 72 If I Could Change The World

"If you were boss of the world, what is one thing you would change? Just one."

Polly Dolly - Little Black Dress

2011-04-01T16:05:00.000+08:00

This week Polly Dolly is going out with her Little Black Dress to celebrate her 52 weeks of dazzling us with her beautiful collections and her inspiration at Danimezza

This week I was inspired by the ever beautiful Elizabeth Taylor for her gorgeous beauty and the wonder actress that she was. So I've gone for the lovely diamonds that a girl must always have just like Elizabeth. A white diamond ring, diamond bracelet and hoop diamond earrings and speaking about White Diamonds the parfum too. A black lace dress to capture the romance and grace of the night, and together with crystal black shoes and a dazzling diamond black clutch. I think I'm ready for that night out with my little black dress and a memory of a beautiful person.

Congrats to the Giveaway Winners

2011-03-31T22:34:00.000+08:00

I'm so happy to announce the winners of my first and second Giveaway for my This Side Of The Island Shop. The winners were picked by Random.org and because I reached another new 25 fans (total now 77!!) for my This Side Of The Island Facebook page I had to have a double draw and have 2 winners.

The Giveaway!!!

My Giveaway List of everyone who entered the giveaway. Thank you so much for being a part of the giveaway.

So here are the winners!!!

The First Winner

No.29 Gracy Baxter

The Second Winner

No. 30 Christine Santos

Thank you so much for being a part of this Giveaway and I can't wait for the next one. Random.org is amazing!!!

Blossom Tote Bag

2011-03-24T16:41:00.000+08:00

I was inspired to make this bag from this fabulous print from Amy Butler's Soul Blossom collection. This must be one of the very few bags that I've made with just one fabric print and without a contrast fabric. This beautiful fabric is called Fuchsia Tree in Carmine and it's just so pretty. This design is more of a tote bag and I made it big enough again to fit all my things that a mum can carry.

It's fully lined again with beige cotton drill and I've used my fav fusible cotton lining on the exterior fabric which is like a Pellon interfacing and that's been a must with all the bags I've been making. It just gives all the bags so much structure and the best thing about is when you crush the bag it never leaves a crease. You just don't have to iron it and it also gives it bit a weight for a fabric bag.

I can remember when I first made a fabric bag I used the normal paper fusible interfacing and I wasn't too happy with the paper-like creases it made in the fabric and it wasn't smooth at all. I never used it again after that and went to look for this Pellon interfacing, which although a bit more expensive it all worth it if you can find it.

Blossom Tote Bag

The Blossom Tote Bag. I've made this with this beautiful fabric from Amy Butler's Fuchsia Tree in Carmine from her Soul Blossom collection and it's fully lined with a beige cotton drill. A large tote that can carry almost anything. Big enough to fit you mini netbook. Lots of storage with 4 inner pockets and a pen pocket too. A swivel clip for your keys and magnetic snap for closure. Wide straps for comfort and a detailed bow for style.

All seams are double stitched and reinforced. Fully lined with cotton interfacing making for a sturdy durable bag.

Dimensions:
Top Width: 14"
Botton Width: 15.5"
Height: 12"
Depth: 3.5"
Handle Strap Length: 19" Center drop 10.5"

Interior Side Pockets
2 x Pocket: (W)5.5" x (L)4"

Interior Phone Side Pockets plus pen pocket
2 x Pocket: (W)3.5" x (L)4"

I made these for friends so I'll make some to post for Etsy soon.

Blossom Tote Bag

Inside the Blossom Tote Bag

A bag for everything : Ava Everyday Messenger Bag

2011-03-23T13:45:00.001+08:00

I've been talking about making a messenger bag type of bag for some time now and this Ava Everyday Messenger bag is finally here. I just had to name it after one of my baby nieces and I made it in mind with having to use it as a diaper bag and travel bag.

A lot of my ideas for my bags starts off with just a simple drawing and some measurements. I wanted a bag that could carry everything and I mean just about everything.... diapers, spare clothes for Jacob, toys, containers for snacks and all the things that I usually carry with me.... iPod, camera, phone and maybe a novel if I'm lucky.... the need for plenty of space...

This bag has a gusset which gives this bag extra space and strength and it's also wider at the base and slightly narrower at the top to give it a more tailored look. I also added in a reinforced strap that is sewn into the gusset to give a textured look on the sides and added that same width banding on top of the bag do that it highlights the printed fabric from the contrast black. Alot of the times when I sew I'll add on as I go and this extra banding just gave it another dimension and more space which really helped when I decided to make it fit my laptop. What really surprised me when I finished it was the way it sort of fell giving the bag more of a shoulder/hobo kind of look rather than a straight up messenger bag. I was really happy with this bag and it's the start of my Black to Basic collection :)

Ava Everyday Messenger Bag

Ava Everyday Messenger Bag

Ava Everyday Messenger with Adjustable Strap. It is a medium/large bag roomy enough to carry your laptop, books, ipod, phone…). You can carry this bag like a messenger, tote, or shorten the strap and sling it over your shoulder. The adjustable strap with its variation in length makes it a messenger bag for all your everyday needs; travel bag, diaper bag, laptop bag, tote....

I've use Michael Miller Floral Script Fabric in Cream and black cotton drill for the contrast. It is fully lined with beige cotton drill and interfaced to make it sturdy and all seams are reinforced. It has 3 inner pockets for your purse, ipod and phone; another inner pocket with a zip and a swivel clip for your keys. The bag closes with a zip closure.

Measurements:

Width: 15"
Gusset top: 3.5"
Gusset bottom (Depth): 4.5"
Height: 12"
Strap Length: 20" - 32.5" nickel sliders

Interior has 3 pockets and 1 zip pocket
1 x Zipper Pocket: (W)9" x (L) 6"
1 x Pocket: (W)8" x (L),55"
1 x Pocket: (W)4" x (L) 5.5"

You can purchase this bag at Etsy :

http://www.etsy.com/listing/70129118/ava-everyday-messenger-with-adjustable

It fits my laptop too!

The bag lying down flat.

Ava Everyday Messenger Bag

My Place & Yours: Where do you blog?

2011-03-22T15:59:00.000+08:00

It's Tuesday again and this week Danielle at Hello Owl's My Place & Yours is asking:

My Place & Yours: Where do you blog?

This is my spot on my desk in my bedroom where I like to blog. I have my laptop set up and my blogger all set up getting ready to blog about the latest and the what's going on at my place. An iPod on hand for a lazy check on things but I would love to learn how to blog on that too but I'm rather slow at typing with on it. I'm posting at the moment about my latest giveaway and sorting out some photos for these handmade clutch purses I've just made. I'm kind of writing two post at the same time ... multitasking and trying to take measurements of the clutch purses.

My handmade clutch purses from my latest blog post "Clutch Purses and a Giveaway " just a little giveaway to say thank you.

Each Tuesday Hello Owl hosts My Place & Yours so if you would like to link up and play along click HERE

Clutch Purses and a Giveaway!

2011-03-22T15:02:00.001+08:00

I'm so happy to see that at this moment I've checked my This Side Of The Island Shop Facebook page and I have another 25 new fans and as I promised I'm going to announce my first Giveaway.

I've been meaning to come up with some clutch purses and came up with two designs; a pleated clutch purse and a clutch bag.

Pleated Clutch Purse

Pleated Clutch Purse:

This Pleated Clutch Purse is such a handy little thing. It comes with a strap that attaches to the zip with a swivel clip. Lined with beige cotton drill and has an inner pocket. All exterior fabric is lined with a cotton interfacing making it sturdy and never loses it's shape when the fabric is crushed but still soft like cotton.

Measurements:

width (top): 9'

width (bottom): 10.5'

height: 5.25'

strap: 11'

zip: 8'

Clutch Bag

Clutch Bag:

This Clutch Bag is the perfect little bag for just about anything; a make-up bag, phone/ipod bag, or a handy clutch for the day bag. It is a flat bottom clutch that comes with a strap that attaches to the zip with a swivel clip. Fully lined with a beige cotton drill and has an inner pocket. All exterior fabric is lined with a cotton interfacing making it sturdy and never loses it's shape when the fabric is crushed but still soft like cotton.

Measurements:

width (top): 8'

width (bottom): 8'

height: 5'

depth: 1.25'

strap: 12'

zip: 7.5'

The Giveaway!

I've reached another 25 new fans on my Facebook page and so this is my little giveaway to say thank you. I'm giving one of these clutches for the giveaway and you can have the chance to pick one if you are the winner. Just become a fan of my "This Side Of The Island Shop" page on Facebook and make a comment below this photo of the clutch purse giveaway. This offer ends on 31st March and I'll be using a random generator to select the winner of this giveaway. The winner will be announced on 1st April.

Become a fan of This Side Of The Island Shop on Facebook , leave a comment and WIN!

Polly Dolly - Tights and Tunics

2011-03-17T12:35:00.001+08:00

This week at Danimezza's Polly Dolly we are going out in our

Pink and black are the colours for me. Thinking of Paris, romance, flowers, ruffles and frills and just being fashion chic! I love this ruffled tiered dress and thought it would go nicely with some tailored legging, ultra high ankle boots and accessorised by some animal prints.

Shitbox Rally ....an epic challenge through the Australian Outback

2011-03-04T17:21:00.002+08:00

A childhood friend of mine, Blanche and her husband Barry are taking part in this year's Shitbox Rally which the title refers to the shitty cars that they will be driving in an epic rally from Brisbane to Darwin. An adventure full of challenges through the rugged terrain of the Australia Outback on a route that will see them leaving the city of Brisbane, then off to Roma, Longreach, Gregory Downs, middle of nowhere on the Savannah Way, Lorella Springs, across the Katherine Gorge and to their final destination of the city of Darwin.

T eam FATE AMENABLE Blanche and Barry

for Shitbox Rally 2011

It will indeed be a incredible unique, enjoyable and meaningfully journey that will see them taking a road less traveled especially through some of the remotest parts of the Australian Outback but it is all for a cause that is close to the hearts of many. A disease that has struck many love ones that are often in the prime of their lives or are just too young in life. A horrible disease called CANCER that has affected all too many and if you have lost or know someone who has been diagnosed with cancer it is a horrible disease that has touched us all.

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;http://www.shitboxrally.com.au/route-2011/&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

View Larger Map

Shitbox Rally 2011

The Shitbox Rally is officially endorsed by the Cancer Council of NSW , a leading community funded and focused cancer charity that is dedicated to the defeat of cancer. A charity that provides cancer awareness, information and support services for those affected by cancer and its survivors. All donations are focused to provide valuable funding for the much needed cancer research into successful cancer treatment and cures of cancer for a better quality of life for those affected by the disease.

This rally was especially organised as a fundraising event to raise those much needed donations going towards the commitment to beating cancer. It will be an amazing adventure and a challenge to drive through the Outback but ultimately the aim will be to create the awareness for the much needed funding into battling cancer.

Each of the teams entering to the rally will all need to raise a minimum of $4000 of their own funding and beyond. Each team such as Team Fate Amenable will be driving in a Shitbox of a car only worth $1000, hence the name of this rally ... The Shitbox Rally.

Much needed donations are still needed for this worthy cause and raising the awareness of cancer will increase the chances of early detection of cancer, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer and ultimately lead to an increase survival rate of all those people and their families facing cancer sufferers today. Visit these websites below for more information about the Shitbox Rally, the Cancer Council of NSW and teams like Team Fate Amenable

Official Shitbox Rally Site:

http://www.shitboxrally.com.au/

Official Cancer Council of NSW:

http://www.cancercouncil.com.au/default.asp

Official Team Fate Amenable Site:

http://www.everydayhero.com.au/fate_amenable

and the many other Shitbox Teams participating in the Shitbox Rally:

http://www.shitboxrally.com.au/teams-2/

On a personal note, in 2003 my father-in-law was diagnosed with liver cancer in addition to being in remission at the time with prostrate cancer. It was a heart wrenching time to see a man still so full of life slip away to this disease. There was no little chance of beating the cancer when the liver cancer was detected as it had be unnoticed during his prostrate cancer treatment. It was a sad fact to take that an earlier detection could have made it treatable but it was too late. He had another six months before he succumbed to the cancer and we were all able to spend precious time with him till the end. He had a long full life, a loving family, gone through the war, and seen his next generations of grandchildren and great-grandchildren come into this world and his journey has touch me and my family to the greater cause of defeating this disease.... so much more can be done and only through a common thread of hope can something be done.

Waking up from a nap!

2011-03-03T14:22:00.000+08:00

This was taken about a month ago when Jacob was having a snooze and woke up to find he had grown a full moustache and very thick eyebrows all courtesy of his loving older sister! What are sisters for!! I'm sure he's going to have a laugh at these photos when he's older....we hope!

A complete look of surprise!

Ok there's something on my face huh?

Okay not funny anymore!!!

Polly Dolly - Red Carpet Recreation

2011-03-03T13:52:00.002+08:00

It is totally glam at Polly Dolly today. The Oscars have come and gone but we are still in the mood for some serious fashion style so this week's challenge is to recreate a look that is inspired by the Oscars.

What inspired you this awards season, how would you wear it?

I loved the look that Halle Berry came up with, a beautiful long lace dress in nude with a crystal encrusted bodice and lots of silk tulle ruffles. Beautiful nude heels with a floral detail and of course lots and lots of bling! Diamonds and more diamonds because it is the Oscars after all.

Got a feature DIY

2011-03-02T13:07:00.000+08:00

Last year I did a step-by-step tutorial on "How to make Japanese Paper Dolls "Ningyogami" and recently I submitted it to one of my favourite craft sites, One Pretty Thing for their Do It Yourself craft tutorials. A great site for all things craft and lots of fabulous finds for step-by-step tutorials as well as some wonderful advise on all things handmade.

So I'm happy to announce that it will be featured in this Friday's Daily DIY. I'm so excited about it and it's inspired me to post some more step-by-step craft tutorials.

Maxi Skirt part 2

2011-03-01T14:48:00.000+08:00

This Polly Dolly was made by my daughter. I love her selections esp. the floral skirt and those gladiator sandals. Cute bags and the feather earrings.

Polly Dolly - Maxi Skirt

2011-03-01T13:07:00.001+08:00

It's that time again to get dressed up and dazzle in our Polly Dolly at Danimezza. This week's theme is

Maxi Skirt

After watching the Oscars yesterday I've been inspired to go with a ballerina theme for my Maxi Skirt Polly Dolly. Pink and black are my colours for my little dress up. A beautifully box pleated maxi skirt to go with my matching ruffled crepe top. More black bows for my hair, skirt and top. Ballerina flats and a small splash of jewellery.

Would you like to dress up too? Just hop over to Danimezza and see what Polly Dolly has waiting for you.

It's Monday again.

2011-02-28T14:24:00.001+08:00

Yes it's that day again...... Monday Monday Monday. It was actually good start to the week considering half my morning was spent watching the Oscars, not the whole show just the good bits.
My predictions for Best Movie, Best Actor and Best Actress came through although hubby still wasn't impressed with Natalie Portman's performance. He's not a dancing buff but I really liked movie and I'm glad he sat quietly all the way through the movie without any complaints. I really can't stand it when you watch a movie and have to sit through it all with someone mumbling about how much they don't like it but still watch it anyway.
So anyway I'm joining Toddler Awesome's survey for Mama Monday No.3. Each week she'll be posting a few questions for mums and a little pamper task so link up. Here's her questions for today:
1. What piece of motherly advice did your own mum give you, that you put to use now on a daily basis?"Don't worry about the kids not eating everything you cook. They might not like the green veggies but one day they'll come around to it." I always place the vegetables on my children's plates and I have one son who absolutely hates vegetables and he'll put on his "death by vegetables" act and then my youngest son just loves anything green and they would be the first things he'll eat from his plate. Amazing how they are complete polar opposites.
2. When you get time to yourself, what are YOUR hobbies and interests?Time to myself would have to be during nap time, especially when I have Mr Terrible Twos around. I love to sew but it is impossible when he's so curious about the sewing machine so I usually have to find something to occupy him. I love to sew and if I could I would do this all the time.
3. What is your fail safe family meal?I think cooking anything with pasta is the easiest and the quickest. Just whip up some sauce either a tomato or cream base sauce add some chicken and vegetables pour it over the cooked pasta and ta da. Easy and plenty to go around.

YOUR TASK:
Do you nails! Paint your finger nails and your toenails with your best/ favourite colour....
And when I get some time for myself today I'll be painting my nails with some of these lovely colours.

Sunny days down by the beach

2011-02-27T23:08:00.000+08:00

Today was a beautiful day full of warm sunshine and calm waters.

Crystal clear waters, blue and green.

Clean white powder sand.

Not too crowded and the beach for myself.

Fun and games down by the beach.

A roar full of laughter by the poolside.

.....you say hello

2011-02-25T20:51:00.000+08:00

My just turned 2 year old has just learnt to say "Hi", and it seems to be a whole new a stage of his life when he's realised how that one word can make an instant connection with a much bigger world than his own. He'll say it when we bump into our neighbours while leaving the house, sitting in the supermarket trolley, eating at a restaurant or while we are out doing some shopping. We could be doing something totally normal and when we come cross a stranger and he just has to make that eye contact and out he comes with a "Hi!".

Jacob and his super smile.

A smile and a giggle, a big grin over his little mouth and than his little hand starts to wave with excitement. It's not just one "Hi" but at least a couple of repeated "Hi's" when the other person responds back. He seems well aware of the reaction he gets from this and the smiling is totally catching when I see his little face light up. I'm amazed by the innocence of it all in a simple greeting from a child to make one forget about their day for a moment and give back with a smile and a hello.

For my son, his world revolves around our family and as he gets more adventurous and confident he will meet new people and make new friends. Just a simple greeting of hello and an infectious smile and he's made a connection and I think we can learn alot by watching our children to remind us how simple it is to start each day with

a big Hi!

My Place & Yours: What I am Reading

2011-02-22T21:38:00.000+08:00

I wish I had more time to grab a book and read. I have a few and this is my most recent. This book was given to me by my hubby for my birthday. I think he had the best intentions when he chose this book but with that title I think it may have secretly been the book that he wanted to read. Anyway, as soon as I unwrapped my present and barely had the time to read the inscription it was whisked away from my hands by hubby. Don't get me wrong I have all of Sue Townsend's books but I didn't get it back for another 2 weeks later. I'm some where around the 2nd chapter.

As much as I would love to go to the book shop and buy a real book with paper pages I've been stocking my virtual book shelves with some ebooks. Much cheaper than a real book and takes up virtually no space I find they are easier to read on the go or while I'm find some precious free time.

I love the movie and had to get this book.

Yes another movie book but I did get around to reading her blog. Almost finished with this book.

As you see the theme for this week's My Place & Yours over at Danielle's Hello Owl is

What are you reading?

Polly Dolly - Clever Contrast

2011-02-18T21:18:00.000+08:00

This is my first Polly Dolly for the year. It's week 46 of the Polly Dolly weekly Polyvore challenge over at Danimezza.

The challenge for this week is

Clever Contrast

I haven't been out for a while and tonight I'm dressing to the nines with this white crepe flowing dress and my black crystal Christian Diors. Black sapphire and white diamond flower ring, white hairband and elegant black and silver earrings. A night of fine dining and stroll along the esplanade.

My New New Blog Button

2011-02-17T16:38:00.002+08:00

I'm was doing a little house cleaning on my blog and decided to revamp my blog button with something more personal looking. I wanted something to show the beach and the family. So I came across a post from Suger Coat It about Blog Design Makeovers ; Making a Button and she's also posted these really good tutorials on how to give your blog a whole new look. If you have no idea what to do and want some expert advise she also offers her services to give your blog a new look, design, twitter account and button. Just click here to find out more.

So I was going through my photos on Picasa and came across a day at the beach with the kids running around. Ashley was at a friend's birthday party and Jacob and I followed along. While Ash was playing with the games, Jacob keeping himself busy building in the sand and chasing the little crabs along the beach.
So here it is, my new button.

Today Is Your Birthday

2011-02-16T21:41:00.000+08:00

Today is your birthday. A teenager now. All 13 years we have seen you grow up into a fun loving girl, full of life and adventure and now on another path through the teens.

You have been like a best friend to me. A little helper always ready to give a hand. Sharing special times together. The laughter, the talking and the best hugs .... I miss that now.

A wonderful sister with a ton of patience for your little brothers. Caring for them I know you do your best to to be a big sister.

You're in a new place now, new school and making new friends. Always remember that we are never that far.

Happy 13th Birthday Ash!

13 years ago on the same day

2011-02-14T00:58:00.001+08:00

13 years ago on the same day I was suppose to have one of the best presents of all my Valentine's Days. It was the due date for my baby girl, a beautiful gift that for 9 months we had felt move and grow, a face which we were yet to see but was so familiar to us.

The day came and it was filled with anticipation for our new member of the family. The bags were packed weeks ago, the cot was made up and all her new clothes had been washed and arranged in the drawer. Our baby was on her way home and all we had to do was wait for her arrival.

I had read all the books and was given lots of motherly advice to prepare me for this day but I guess nothing can prepare you for an event such as this. Nothing really goes to plan and there's always a few hiccups along the way. So the day passed and I was scheduled for a check up with the obgyn just to keep track with our weekly appointments and if today was going to happen then it would.

Nothing happened that day and everything was going smoothly but today was just not "the day". So we waited over the weekend and the following Monday on the 16th I gave birth to a little girl with hardly any hair just a fine spray of golden brown, and a tiny little nose, the smallest hands but with the longest fingers and the daintiest feet. All so sweet and perfect in our eyes, my little girl Ashley.

I always remember Valentine's Day for this being the due date, a day held with so much anticipation for our first born. Even though she wasn't born on this day we had put so much into waiting for this day and it is still a special day for the ones we love the most.

Our daughter is now an almost teenager and will be officially one this coming Wednesday. She's been my best friend over the years and I'm so amazed to see her growing up and moving forward with what lies ahead in her future. She is not with us now but has moved back to Sydney to go back to start highschool. Embarking on a journey without us but holding up so strongly on her own with the things we have taught her and blossoming into her own person.

We sent her to study and live with my family and to have an experience of a lifetime. It was a decision that was not made lightly but one with a heart of love for her to grow to her best potential. I made that same journey at age 10 when I was sent back to Australia from Holland and my husband was 12 years old when he was sent to boarding school. In a perfect world we would all be in the same place together but she is in the right place now.

She loves her new school and has made many new friends and we spend everyday chatting away as we have always done but now on a mic and using Skype to exchange gossip, advise and a window to connect us when we are so many miles apart. I'm happy for her and can't wait to see her everyday. She always puts a smile to our faces and today is one day that I just want to say how much I love her. Happy Valentine's Day Ash. We love you.

It has been a long time since a joined a challenge for Blog This and I'm happy to reconnect with this piece for Blog This: Ghosts of Valentines Past.

... I've been away for a while, a break which I thought would be short but I'm back again and moving forward with a whole new year ahead of me. A new beginning but one I look forward to sharing.

Polly Dolly - Naughty & Nice

2010-11-29T15:36:00.001+08:00

It's Polly Dolly time again! I've missed so many and I'm so happy to get back into this great theme challenge created by Danimezza.

This week's theme challenge is Naughty & Nice. The end of the year is almost here and Christmas is around the corner. What would I wear to all those parties?

Naughty
A little bit of black and red is just the mix for a bit of naughtiness. I love the wrap- around look of this strapless dress, the ripples adds alot of texture to the dress. High High heels of course and I've got to doll it up with some flowers in my hair. How could I forget my red handbag....small and compact to dance the night away.

Nice
The light feel of cool white in the dress is perfect with a gold belt to make it just nice! The brown hobo goes well with my sandles. Sunnies, a starry hairband and butterflies complete my look for something that's nice but not naughty.

Things that make you smile

2010-11-29T12:55:00.000+08:00

This morning I woke up and had a look through my emails and I got a pleasant surprise when I read a comment notification from Khristian A. Howell, High Society Fabrics designer for Anthology fabrics!!! I was so happy to receive this encouragement and equally pleased that she liked my bags with her beautiful fabrics at my This Side Of The Island Shop.

Here's the comment:

Your bag is fantastic! Thank you for choosing High Society Fabrics! It would be great if you would add your work to the High Society Flickr pool! Happy holidays!

Khristian A. Howell

http://www.flickr.com/groups/high_society/

I love her beautiful fabrics and can't wait to see what she has next installed to all of us:)

Just click HERE for more info on Khristian A. Howell's designs.

OR http://khristianahowell.com/

All Handmade

2010-11-28T15:23:00.002+08:00

Dahlia Bag/ Hobo Bag

2010-11-28T14:45:00.000+08:00

Dahlia Bag/ Hobo Bag

This is my latest collection called the Dahlia Bag, it's a medium size hobo that is fun, functional and stylish for any occasion. I took a while to draft up this pattern taking in mind that I wanted to make it out of 3 fat quarters and it worked. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it turned out to be a very roomy bag that could function as my everyday bag. I managed to use it as a diaper too with all of Jacob's things.

I thought of making it for just myself but I've decided to sell a few on Etsy at my new online shop This Side Of The island@ Etsy

http://www.etsy.com/shop/thissideoftheisland

I've also opened up a new blog This Side Of The Island Shop or http://thissideoftheislandshop.blogspot.com/ with all my shop goodies, so please have a look around. I'll be posting new bags each week to pop over often to check what's new.

The bag was designed to be roomy enough for an everyday bag, diaper bag, It is pleated bag that is very roomy and has an inner pocket big enough for an iPhone and additional phone/iPod/small compact camera, a swivel clip for your key and is reinforced with a magnetic snap.

A birthday party to remember

2010-10-22T01:43:00.000+08:00

This week seems to be one whole week of celebrations; a hawian themed birthday party, a glamour birthday party and a birthday party to celebrate the big day. All these three big celebrations are not for three different people but for one lovely lady who has reached a big milestone in anyone's lifetime..... the big 80!

Happy 80^th Birthday

This week we had a chance to celebrate my hubby's aunty Junee's 80th birthday and her family went all out to show her how much she has meant to them and just a big celebration of her life.

80 that's a real achievement for anyone and especially for someone who is still so full of life and enjoying every moment of it. She dances regularly and seems to lead an active life with lots of loving grandkids. I'm not sure how she does it with so much energy but I have to say I hope to be just a like her if I ever get to reach that age.

She's not the only one turning the big 80 this year, alot of other special people this year have reached that age... my dear YehYeh (grandfather in chinese) and my mother-in-law celebrated their big 80 as well. My grandfather is still just as active as before and not letting his diabetes or his non-driving status get him down. He's almost always out with my grandmother visiting friends by hoping on the bus or train. Nothing seems to stop him and he's still a passionate cook with a true love of family dinners with a spread of food worthy of a first class restaurant. I really miss his cooking! My mother-in-law is also a woman with alot to love for the family and has live through so much in her life so far. Raising a big family of 8 and a grandmother of over 20 plus grandkids to dote on her.

So to the 80s kids of this year..... Happy Birthday and now lets celebrate again with another party this Friday night with good food, dancing and lots of birthday cake!

Yellow

2010-10-07T14:05:00.000+08:00

This week's theme at Polly Dolly is:

Yellow

A beautiful bright colour to really put a smile on your face. Yellow to me is summer, the beach and happiness.

I had a little help from my fashionable daughter with this week's theme and Ashley has a real sense of style with her choices. I love that dress and the belt was a real good idea and that bag is lovely. I'm inspired to make something like this for my daughter for this up coming wedding we have next weekend.

Mini Pocket Pouch and a little cherry blossom.

2010-10-06T16:21:00.001+08:00

I have this really bad habit where I almost always forget where I've placed my phone. It's on the book shelf, the dressing table, my desk, under my pillow, in a pocket somewhere or in my soundproof handbag. I just can't keep track of it and when I do find it I've usually missed 1 or 2 calls. It's not intentional or anything it's just that I'm a very forgetful kind of person when it comes to my phone.....oh and my iTouch as well!

It's these two things that can take up most of my time just looking for them. So for today's sewing I decided to make a mini pocket pouch to try and keep them together.... or at least they have a chance at getting lost at the same time but at least they'll be "lost" in the same spot.

My Mini Pocket Pouch has just enough space for my phone and iTouch. I gave it a bit of padding to keep in safe from those accidental falls and a detachable cord so that I can hang it up somewhere. It's nice and snug and it has a velcro tab to keep it in place.

I used a piece of batik that looked big enough to fit everything and just sewed along the width of the fabric and inserted the foam. Once the foam was in I sewed up the edges and put velcro on the tab for the closure. On the left hand side I put in an large eyelet but seeing I haven't got the eyelet setter yet I managed to still put it in place without it being squashed out of shape. It worked and the hook snaps nicely into place.

So now that I've made this pouch I'm really hoping I don't have to keep looking for it. It should be much easier to keep track unless Jacob decides to hide it which he often does.

I also made this little cherry blossom to add onto my phone cord to replace the cat that came off it a couple of months ago. It's pretty simple to make. Just using a round piece of fabric and stuff with filling to make a ball and then using some DMC thread shape the ball into a cherry blossom and attach to the phone cord.

Snap Snap Snap

2010-10-04T17:12:00.001+08:00

I recently ordered my latest sewing gadget and it came in the mail a few weeks ago. I have been looking forward to using them but it was just waiting to find the right project to test them out. So this is it my snap fastener tool set and a snap button set.

So to test them out I sewed up this evening clutch in my red kimono fabric and matched it up with a floral snap. The tools didn't come with any instructions so I had to go back to the website to figure out how to use it.

So basically you use the puncher to make a hole in the fabric and you have to use a hammer for this. Make the hole and place the top part of the button (the one with the pattern) in the hole. Turn it upside down and place the snap part of the button and use the other tool to flatten the inner part of the snap button so that it sets in and permanently stays in place. On the under part of the other fabric make a hole and place the longer snap into the hole and place the cover on the other side and using the domed tool hammer it in to set it. .... sounds easy... if you take the steps one by one it will all follow through.

And this is what it should look like. All snap buttons in place and ready to snap away.

This is the Red Kimono Clutch with a snap button.

Little Dancing Feet

2010-10-01T20:18:00.000+08:00

This year these been a few more family and friends have little baby girls and I've been meaning to make them something. I had in mind to make a baby bag or a little dress but I thought I'd start this off by making baby shoes for those little baby feet.

My friend Angeline has a gorgeous 10month old girl and I recently caught up with her at a friend's wedding and tomorrow I'll be seeing her again once again at another wedding tomorrow night. I'm looking forward to seeing her beautiful Mia and I've made her something special for her first few steps.

These are my little creations and I'll be putting similar ones on my upcoming Etsy shop. I'm thinking of calling the line Mia's Dancing Shoes.

Floral Denim Dancing Shoes

Kimono Red Dancing Shoes

I managed to sew my label this time I usually forget. Oh and those lovely little legs are Jacob's feet. He was a bit upset that I had made shoes but not in his size!

Foodbuzz: Project Food Blog Challenge

2010-09-20T09:18:00.002+08:00

I've just submitted my entry in Foodbuzz: Project Food Blog Challenge for my foodie blog Simply About Life and I'm hoping to move onto the next 10 weeks of food, food, food and a whole lot of blogging for this food lover's competition. It's a week by week challenge set up to encourage us to go further and beyond in our foodie adventures. Each week the list of contestants get voted to move onto the next week so I'm hoping to do just that with a little bit of help .... so please read my blog and vote for me HERE.(voting will start on 20th September)

I'm a lover of good food and love to cook for family and friends. A stay-at-home mum with a tough job of trying to please my three foodie critics (sometimes a very vocal but well meaning bunch) each with different palates and varying opinions about what is good food. I cook for fun, creativity.... a smuggled vegie here and there, a short-order cook at times for the hungry with a 24hr all you can eat special and lastly with imagination.... with whatever is in the fridge and pantry but to me it's an opportunity to just cook for those I love the most.

So here's my post from Simply About Life. Challenge#1: Ready, Set, Blog Post.

Foodbuzz is all about foodies and it's a food lover's community which has launched a food blogging contest called Project Food Blog and they're looking for the next Food Blog Star and I have decided to give it a go and enter it.

What is Project Food Blog? This contest will consist of a series of 10 weekly challenges with contestants being systematically eliminated after each round. The challenges are set out to encourage us to go further and beyond in our foodie adventures and the winner will receive a $10,000 grand prize. So far there have been over 1800 entries and this very first challenge only 400 will move onto the next challenge. So here's Challenge#1....

Challenge #1: Ready, Set, Blog! What defines you as a food blogger and why you think you have what it takes to be the next food blog star?

Where has the time gone? I've been blogging since... oh I have to check this again, um since... March 2010 says my profile. I started out blogging for fun and to try to get back into writing or at least some form note taking to account for the things that I've been up to up until now with being a stay-at-home mum and looking after my three kids and trying to deal with different tastes and varying appetites during all hours of the day.

My biggest foodie critics.

I having an active almost 2 year old who eats just about everything all except peas, which he would pick up from his plate and flick over all areas of the house. I don't think he registers them as food and will hide them all over the house if he could. He seems to take alot of joy out of aiming them at our dear old cat, Sakura but lucky without any fatal shots. I have another son who eats anything with cheese, ham and his favourite .... chicken wings at all times of the day and almost nothing else. A very fussy eater but I'm hoping that will change someday so I try very hard to offer him different foods to tempt his taste buds. And lastly I have a daughter who grew out of her almost all meat diet to being an adventurous eater daring to try out new dishes and now loves her vegies. When she was younger and before she started school she was a very good eater with all her food and wasn't fussy at all... that was until she started school and that all changed when they were given cooked meals at lunch. She was a smart little cookie when delegating who would get her vegies and everything else she didn't like. I guess eating vegetables wasn't the "in" thing at kindergarten but I'm glad it's all changed. So with these three people at home I have the task of trying to get them to eat a balanced meal and I try my best to serve up my style of homecooking. It's a mix of what the kids like to eat and what the adults like to eat, sometimes I have to compromise with a smuggled vegetable and spices here and there but it all seems to work.

The food.

My blog is about the food we love to eat, some favourites and some new creations I've stumbled upon that just work well but all of them are foodie adventures that I want to share with anyone who loves food and family. My food is about trying to make a meal that's simple, good and quick to make. They are easy to follow not too complicated, some that have been handed to me from my grandmother... a treasured secret to share and some that have been family staples that have gotten us through the week. I'm always looking out for something to try out or something that evokes a foodie moment from when I first realised my love for good food. I guess you could say food in our family is always about comfort and that's the best kind of food. A meal that is shared and one that gives you that warm "comfy" feeling inside....like all homecooking from a mum's kitchen. As a mum the best compliments are the smiles from the people you love and hearty request for "Mum, can you make this again. I can eat this all the time." or the best compliment so far is from the almost 2 year old... "More?"

The best compliment...

just a little bit "more" and a quick snooze!

I'm not a trained chef or cook but it's been more of an "on the job" sort of training with a lot of trials and errors.... split gravy, burnt casseroles, smoking volcano cakes and many more misadventures which have lead me down this path. What has kept me going is my passion for food and passing it on to my kids with the hope that they will learn about good food, the love of creating meal and the known pleasure that a shared meal amongst family and friends are one of the simplest and most rewarding feeling a foodie adventurer can have.

Metallics

2010-09-16T13:41:00.000+08:00

This week's theme over at Polly Dolly is What would your Dolly wear in:

Metallics

It's been a while but doesn't every girl like a bit of dress up especially when you're dressed up in something shiny and metallic. So I'm out on the town with a shimmery metallic tote just big enough for me to fit all my goodies for the day. Not alot of colour but just a splash of pale pink on my lips. Shiny cuff and feathery earrings for a bit of glamour. A ruffled top and lovely pinstripe pants and I'm walking in my new booties!

A Work in Progress.....

2010-09-16T11:12:00.000+08:00

What has it been? 2 weeks ago... I'm having a dryspell of words to blog. Well, actually the words are there floating around my head but putting them to type just never materialised.... a work in progress.....

I've been up late hours of the night thinking about the things that have to be done and what I want to make. I have this idea of making and just being creative again with my sewing and that seems to be taking up lot of my time on my own and sometimes away from what should matter the most. I guess you could say I've been a little obsessive and it's gotten the better of me.

I've really enjoyed my new adventure back into sewing and I've been thinking about setting up shop and doing something about online. You know working from home and trying to be productive outside of the household. So I've spent tons of time looking at material, measuring, drafting and it's been taking up the better hours of the morning when I should have been asleep. And so the other day it hit me that I've been consumed by this "obsession" monster and I really should just let it go for while and get back to life..... I've missed the comfort that writing has given me and it's time to get back to the other things I like to do like cooking.... ah another blog I've neglected for about 4 weeks...I still take photos but just haven't blogged about.... Foodbuzz must be noticing by now... So with that I'm determined to get these creative thoughts back to my fingertips and onto the laptop... so glad to be back:)

31 Photos in 31 Days – August 2010 –Round Up

2010-09-02T01:48:00.000+08:00

Last month I joined this photography challenge called "31 Photos in 31 Days: August 2010" by Shift.org and it was fun and challenging at times especially when I'd have the perfect shot for that day and I would be frantically searching my bag for my camera and .....ta dah it wasn't there!

Most of the photos I took were about little glimpses into my daily life. The kids, food, in the car on the way to drop some one off or to pick up someone and some daily sights around the city. I guess they were just things you take for granted.

Anyway, I managed to keep up with 30 29days out of the 31 days of August .... I wasn't feeling well on that day and couldn't get out of bed to take a photo let alone be in the mood to do it. I never thought of pulling out of the challenge so I really don't mind doing this again. Maybe I should just take a random photo everyday and post it:)

So here's a round up of all my "31 Photos in 31 Days – August 2010" –Round Up

Day 1. The monsoon rain outside my window

Day 2. Can I play with the computer?

Day 3. A strong cup of tea.

Day 4. Cornflake biscuit anyone?

Day 5. Mummy I can spell my name in my alphabet soup!

Day 6. Sakura just being a lazy cat.

Day 7. Atkinson Clock Tower, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia....

What's the time?

Day 8. Who is playing with the computer?

Day 9. Looking out on the balcony.

Day 10. Superman eating an apple.

Day 11. At the roundabout over looking Gaya Island.

Day 12. The past, the present and the future...

the Old Welfare Building.

Day 13. Sleeping in until 10am.

Day 14. The Mango

Day 15. Having a cool drink of water.

Day 16. Drafting the pattern.

Day 17. The Hindu Temple near the school

Day 18. Old Chinese restaurant sign board... Man Tai

Day 19. "Ningyogami" Japanese paper dolls.

Day 20..... The missing photo!!

Day 21. Driving home.

Stuck in the jam on the way home.

Day 22. A blurry photo of Ash.

Day 23. A secret ingredient to the pasta.

Day 24. Muffin break.

Day 25. My little patch of green.

Day 26....another missing photo..... I thought I had one

Day 27. What a mess!

Day 28. Chilli and some good old cornbread.... yum yum yum.

Day 29. Oh mum I'm just way to cool!

Day 30. The boys having fun on the bike.

Day 31. My last photo... no.31.

29 photos ..... I did it!!! But I was pretty certain I had taken 30 photos I must have left it in draft.

This is my favourite out of all of them. My two little clowns! They make so much noise around the house with laughter and just boyish fun.

31 Photos in 31 Days – August 2010 – Day 31

2010-08-31T22:12:00.000+08:00

Day 31. My last photo... no.31.

I can't believe I managed to keep up with this challenge. It was fun and I would definitely join the next one. So this is me, a bit blurry but this is me the photographer of all 31 minus 1 photos for 31 Photos in 31 Days - August 2010!

31 Photos in 31 Days – August 2010 – Day 30

2010-08-31T22:10:00.000+08:00

Day 30. The boys having fun on the bike.

My two little clowns love to have a good laugh at themselves and this time they both tried to squash themselves while riding this very smile bike. They fell over and rolled around with laughter and then it was back on the bike again!

Picking it up again.... a needle and thread

2010-08-30T15:22:00.000+08:00

It's really been awhile since I picked up the needle and thread and thought about doing it somewhat full-time. I love to sew and when I can try to make something but these days I've been thinking alot about making handbags for myself and my daughter especially now that she's almost a teenager. There are just so many designs and come with but essentially in my case I need something that can serve the dual purpose of carrying "the kitchen sink" and hold all my other "junk"!.... no no no I meant to say all of the baby essentials like multiple change of clothes, sippy cups of juice, baby wipes, a handful of nappies and toys.... junk on the other hand are whatever is leftover space for my stuff; the lippy, phone, keys, pens, paper and purse.... but only if there is space to spare!

All my sewing studies and the books I collected.

My sewing collection gathering some dust!

Long Long Long Ago... I took up a sewing course and learnt the pattern making, alterations, fabrics and of course some sewing tricks. I learnt to sew and then taught myself to smock dresses for my daughter when she was little. Little dresses were expensive and sometimes not worth the money so I decided to make them for Ashley.

Some work I've been doing lately.

It was fun to create virtually something from nothing and come up with something that was one of a kind. I bought tons of material whenever something caught my eye and I'm still finding stashes of fabric in bags and boxes around the house. I pleated my own material on my pleater, serged my own edges and sewed all hours of the day. I even started sewing for friends and eventually it became a little business. I didn't really mean it to be that way but I ended up sewing more for others and eventually my daughter grew up and went through a pants only phase.

Eventually the sewing became less when I had my son and I did sew a few rompers, little shirts and pants for my son ..... I even sewed a business shirt for my hubby one Christmas! But nowadays I've found myself playing with the sewing machine and making handbags for myself and Ash but also making some to give away to friends. So now I've been thinking about sewing them to sell and I've been working on patterns and doing some fabric sourcing and basically just trying to get back the confidence to sew again.

But I must say that sewing handbags is actually a whole lot easier than making clothes...no alterations but I do miss the doing embroidery work. I guess that's something I could incorporate into some designs... appliqué here and there ... Sashiko embroidery is something get into but perhaps later... so stay tune ....

31 Photos in 31 Days – August 2010 – Day 29

2010-08-29T15:49:00.002+08:00

Day 29. Oh mum I'm just way to cool!

Jacob playing with his cool sunglasses.

31 Photos in 31 Days – August 2010 – Day 28

2010-08-29T15:49:00.001+08:00

Day 28. Chilli and some good old cornbread.... yum yum yum.

What snack did a whip up today.... I should really put this in my foodblog .... I'm so far behind on Foodbuzz.

31 Photos in 31 Days – August 2010 – Day 27

2010-08-29T15:49:00.000+08:00

Day 27. What a mess!

Chocolate crumbs around his mouth, pencil marks on his feet and just a total mess after going through his sister's desk.

Fashion Week

2010-08-28T14:34:00.000+08:00

this week's Polly Dolly theme is:What would your Dolly wear to...

Fashion Week

It's Fashion Week and I'm dressed up in this gorgeous satin stretch dress in just the perfect colour. My heels are those fabulous pewter sandals all strappy and making me so much taller. Lots of beautiful jewellery, rings, rings and pearls and crystals. And I just couldn't forget my Lu Lu hobo which would make my day at this week's Fashion Week.

Phone Pouch

2010-08-26T17:29:00.001+08:00

Ashley's little phone pouch is getting a bit old so I revamped it a little and made her this one today. It took a while to draft this one out because I had to get the dart just right and give the pouch enough room to fit the phone. Had to throw away the first few attempts but got the pattern right. I was thinking of adding a small pocket at the back but decided it would have been too bulky. The material I used was the same pink batik scrap that I made the little clutch with.

To draft the pattern I use my phone as a template and then added about 1/2' for the width and an extra 3/8 for the seams to get enough space for the dart. I managed to use up all the material scraps and had nothing to spare. The pouch is fully lined with a medium interfacing to give it a bit of structure.

The Little Clutch

2010-08-26T10:31:00.001+08:00

I've been working through my collection of material and I found this small off cut from a dress that I'm making for Ashley. It's actually a piece of batik which I had trimmed off from the side of the bodice. It was too small for anything I had put it aside for a small purse or clutch. So last night while watching tv I drafted out a clutch with an wristband which I could use for quick errands or for an evening bag. I also dug out the rest of the red kimono material that I made the red bag with and cut out a few to make later this week. I'm going out this Friday so I'm hoping to use this little clutch.

The red kimono material all cut out and ready to sew. I think I cut out at least 5 little clutches... I was watching tv so I just keep cutting!

Sewing up all around the edges.

The finishing touch... the side seam and the button. I decided to use a button since magnetic buttons are hard to come by but I think it looked better with the turquoise
button. I didn't put any inner pockets into this clutch as the space is pretty small.... I just hope it fits all my stuff.

31 Photos in 31 Days – August 2010 – Day 25

2010-08-25T21:07:00.000+08:00

Day 25. My little patch of green.

I live in an apartment so there isn't much of a garden on my balcony plus I'm not much of green thumb. This is just a little patch that we have on the front balcony. Most of my plants have been donated and some I've "borrowed" from the common garden near the front door to the apartments. The lovely big pot was a gift from hubby and I love the texture of the clay.

what's in your handbag...

2010-08-25T20:35:00.000+08:00

This week's My Place And Yours over at Hello Owl is

what's in your handbag...

This what is hiding in my bag or should I say this is what I'm hiding in my bag these days. I'm using my red bag that I made the other day and it's one of those big bags that can fit almost the kitchen sink. I've been using it lately to double up as my nappy bag and so it's crammed with nappies, a big packet of baby wipes for all those messy occasions, a camera for those unforgettable moments with the kids and also for my 31 Day challenge, car keys, hair clip, lip gloss for that quick splash of colour, my pocket purse and my phone. .... the things missing from my bag .... change of clothes for Jacob because he's a mess these days and has to change at least 3-4 times a day, toys, snacks and a sippy cup. I usually have so much in my bag that I'm forever looking for my keys even though I made 3 pockets inside I'm really going to have to add a cord or something next time so I can clip it onto all my keys.

31 Photos in 31 Days – August 2010 – Day 24

2010-08-24T23:46:00.000+08:00

Day 24. Muffin break.

I bought these big muffin papers and the kids and I whipped up these banana muffins. They were a bit larger than normal so instead of making a dozen we could only make 10. Tristan had a blast stirring the batter while Ash helped supervise..... and Jacob was the muffin tester!

31 Photos in 31 Days – August 2010 – Day 23

2010-08-23T23:05:00.000+08:00

Day 23. A secret ingredient to the pasta.

I was wondering why Jacob was happily eating his pasta until I took a peek at what he was eating and there before me was his secret ingredient...... chocolate coco crouch cereal!

This little boy is either going to be a chef in the making or going to have a upset tummy:)

31 Photos in 31 Days – August 2010 – Day 22

2010-08-22T21:44:00.001+08:00

Day 22. A blurry photo of Ash.

I was in the kitchen and was taken in a hurry.

31 Photos in 31 Days – August 2010 – Day 21

2010-08-21T23:26:00.000+08:00

Day 21. Driving home.

Stuck in the jam on the way home.

Oops I forgot about Day 20.

Stars In Your Eyes Hobo bag

2010-08-21T12:15:00.000+08:00

I've named this the "Stars in your eyes" Hobo bag because of the material. Now this piece must be about 8 years old just part of my material stash. Anyway, I use this hobo pattern for this bag and it turn out quite nicely. I'm giving it to my daughter for this weekend. I hope she likes it.

The inside of the bag has a zipped pocket and it's fully lined. You could probably make this a reversible bag if you take away the magnetic button.

Sewing the bag. This was the first time I had used a magnetic button and it wasn't too difficult to put it in but they are really hard to find here. I used a star shaped keyring instead of a D ring or a an O ring for the strap.

Cutting the fabric and sewing it all up.