The 12th Teacup Reveal

Once again, I participated the 12th Teacup and Mug exchange hosted by Stephanie of The Enchanting Rose blog.  What a joy to have Margie's name as the person receiving the teacup from me  I have been following Margie blog for sometime enjoying and at times in awe with her tea theme blogging and can you imagine how hard it is to hold back my excitement so I can sort of surprise her?

I had a hard time deciding my choice of a teacup for Margie knowing that she has a vast collection . I finally sent her this chinoiserie design teacup and saucer from my collection. It contains hints of her favorite colors.

For Margie it's tea 

Here are the things that goes into my package for Margie

 A teapot card  that went along in the package. I mailed this on the morning of 17 April 2018.

Thereafter the anxiety of waiting for news of it's arrival 

 It is always a great relieve to finally received words that the package arrived

especially great to know the teacup and saucer arrived in one piece

My teacup packaged arrived just two days before the reveal date from Joy in US

It was a wait worth waiting for.Joy had sent  me this beauty, a musical theme teacup and saucer, I would say one of it's kind that she found in an antique store. This is simply too precious.

Thank you so much Joy for this fabulous teacup and the extras that came in the package

I am sorry I didn't write to thank you as you have not include your email in your note. Nevertheless, I want you to know that your package is greatly appreciated and love.
Thank you for going into extra mile to sent me the Cross stitch hoop kit.
I will definitely stitch that up and yes, you will be hearing from me soon.

I also took part in the Mug Swap, how can I give that a missed? so next post up, Mug Reveal.

The 12th Mug Exchange

Revealing the Mug I received from the 12th Mug Exchange hosted by Stephanie of the Enchanting Rose Blog. I am finally finishing up this post that I have been sitting for sometime since this was the first to arrive like two weeks back.

 My Mug Exchange came from Daniella post marked Canada.

She sent me this lovely turquoise mug and the yummilicious Bernat pop yarn
 Inside the mug contained these sweet tooth goodies
I must confessed that  the kids and me had already munch and munch finished
by the time I posted this 

Daniella is quite an artist too, just look at this art work painted by Daniella. It's a scenery of the amazing Northern Lights, I like to think this is either where she is from or near her home. It must be amazing to be able to see the northern lights so often while I can only hope to see one day. Thank you Daniella for your thoughtfulness in sending me this painting of yours. I will always treasure this artwork.

I can't thank you enough Daniella, you have put in a beautiful package and I love the smell of both the coffee and the tea.

For my Mug partner, Ivana in Czech Republic who has no blog, my choice  mug for her is this Blue and White porcelain Mug with a Chinese landscape motif with a lid. I spotted this mug at a Home Fair of a mall near my work place and was drawn to it immediately . The mug with the landscape seem to have a story to tell.

Ivana wrote that she drinks coffee but I also sent her some local tea flavours from my country and

my "No Binding Coaster" . I also tucked in a Pink Diamante Bunny ears hairband for her little girl. Hope baby girl likes Pink thou and 2 balls of crochet Milk yarns since Ivana is also into crochet.

Two froggy bag clipers and a small bottle of Rose Buds 

are among the things that goes into my package 

Another Teapot card that went with the  package . I have received words from Ivana that the package arrived, I just hope the mug survived the journey too.

The Enchanting Rose blog

12th Teacup & Mug Exchange

Thank you Stephanie for hosting another round of  this wonderful exchange. So everyone, do hop over to Stephanie's blog for the reveal day and see the prettiest photos and lovely treasures from the exchange.

It is sad to note that this could be the last exchange hosted by Stephanie. I am so glad that I have participated from the last 4 exchanges.. It was a great joy sending parcel sometimes to  places I am not too sure where it is and had to look it up in google search, LOL. The excitement and joy mailing  from a  total stranger to a total stranger and receiving one in return from another stranger .That's the wonderous beauty what Stephanie had done.  No doubt it comes with anxiety from the time the parcel is mailed until words are received that the items arrived safely and that it has not been squashed. Thus, I understand how Stephanie could have gone through with every exchanges that she hosted. Can you imagine this round we had 250 participants ? 

So Stephanie dear, a big hand of applause to you

and

THANK YOU 

Until my next post, thank you for visiting

Thank you too for your comments dear ladies, in my last post.

Wishing you all  a lovely weekend

A Wedding, A Charity and An Election

The Wedding - He was just a little boy when we and his parents, first  moved into the neighborhood. He and his little brother is just a couple years older than my boy then and went to the same school both in primary and high school.

Today, Adrian is a fine young man and has found a life to share with the girl of his dreams. The elder of two boys, Adrian weds Angeline on the last weekend of April just before our intense 14th General Election.

Two souls but a single thoughts, Two hearts that beats as one.
Congats Adrian and Angeline, wishing you both a blissful life and happiness always.

The Charity - The Penan Charity Drive is back !
Held at the same venue as the last, The Verdant Hotel in Kuala Lumpur on March 5th
I volunteered again this round  and like the last time couldn't resist not buying a few more to add to my collection . Well considered that  my contribution to the Penan caused.

This dish known as Sarawak Tomato Koay Teow (Flat noodle)

originates from Sarawak in the Borneo Island

June my partner in crime (Black dress) at the Charity sales with my long time friend, Datin Sally (in White overcoat) from college who came to shop in support of the Penan's plight managed to steal some time for lunch.

The Election - A moment of history : For the first time in our history, the opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan not only won our 14th General Election but saw a huge wave of millennials going to the polls for the first time ever ending a 60 years rule by the then governing Barisan Nasional  who had ruled this country since our country's independence. It also saw our overseas voters was ever so determine to have their votes included despite some received their ballot papers late. A facebook was even created where  people  volunteered to be personal courier  from airport to the voting destination  so that overseas voters could reach out to ensure that their ballot papers arrive on time. That was how determine we are to want a change in government.

Since this Election date fell on a Wednesday, with much criticism and outcry from the people , the then PM announced the day as a nation's public holiday.

The win scored a historic shift of power and our now newly elected Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir who was our longest serving premier of 22 years and 4th Prime Minster from 1981 to 2003 is now the world's oldest premier to return to power at age 92. Another first in our history, is the newly appointed Deputy Prime Minster;  Dr Wan Azizah is the first lady Deputy Prime Minister in the country.

With the win, the newly elected Prime Minister announced a two days public holidays 

With a total of five days off from work, my kitchen was finally smoking , LOL

On election day I made lunch

Nyonya Herbs Rice served with Mustard Green Stew (Chai Boey),

Fried sesame chicken in soy sauce and Salted eggs

Breakfast for the day after

Blue Pea Kueh Sago with shredded coconut coating

(Steam Tapioca Pearls in Blue Pea Flower color coated with shredded coconut)

For afternoon tea on Saturday

Taro and Sweet Purple Potato sandwich with Sweet Sticky Rice Cake (Nin Gao) fritters

Sweet Dessert Nyonya Bubur Cha-cha

(Potato, Taro, Pumpkin in coconut Milk)

Lastly, my mother's day bouquet from the kids and the five days break ended

Thank you everyone for coming by and leaving me your comments in my last post. Hope you enjoy looking into another non-crafty post.

It's the holiday seasons

As the days moved closer to another year ends, it's hard to believed that another year has come and is almost gone. People around the work force are busy with travel plans as most took the opportunity to clear their remaining leaves from work. There is no official long break here except the weekend of Christmas and New Year. We do not have snow but rain; the sun will continue to shine as it always have.  Since my firm work on projects, we simply moved forward and the transition of a new year is  just flipping to a new calendar month like the years before,  if it weren't for the constance wishes of  "Happy New Year" from every staff and business associates that walks through the door, I can assured you that the day is just like any other day.

The next few weeks will be hectic and will become more and more chaotic at work as the Chinese New Year festivity in February draws closer .

Let's see how I wrap up the last few weeks of the year this December
Week ONE  - I volunteered at a Charity Event with the Penan Women Project at their KL Xmas Sales at Verdant Hill Hotel. ( I blog about the Penans here a while back )

 It was a great experience to be involved in the behind scene of the sales and great to work with the ladies whom I met for the first time. I do foresee myself doing the same again if time permits with their next charity sales

My choice for lunch was this Sarawak's (Borneo) Kolo Mee (Noodles)

from the hotel, the best Kolo Mee I have ever tasted,  served with a dessert, Sweet Bao (Dumpling)

Diane started her two months internship with Pantai Specialist Hospital's  Pathology Lab this December. That means ferrying her to work in the morning and fetching her home in the evening. We are not allowing her to drive until her ACL injury is totally healed. It's been just over two months after her surgery.

Week TWO - I went on a day trip to Ipoh with 5 other girls from college visiting some famous landmarks in the City, actually it was more of a food expedition and a get together. Ipoh is a city in our Silver State. It was known historically for tin-mining (hence the name Silver State) activities until the price of the metal dropped severely affecting the state's economy. The city of Ipoh, like Penang and Malacca are known for its British colonial landmarks. Below is the baroque style railway station of Ipoh

(Image : tripadvisor)

Perak Tong (Perak Cave) is a temple and one of the oldest limestone hill

Famous for it's mural paintings. The walls of the cave  are decorated with colourful murals depicting characters and events from Chinese mythology and Buddhist scriptures

The memory of a 120 years old Lane known as Concubine Lane. How did the name derived ?Pretty sure you can guess, well it was believe to have  established in 1908 . A residential of the rich Chinese magnate and British officers were believe to have kept their concubines and mistresses in the colonial structures townhouse here . During it's hay days, the area is considered "redlight", and thus the area is associated with gamblings, opium den and prostitutions backed then. The lane was given a make over not too long ago after most of the shops and it's street was left deserted. The shop lots are now preserved and restored and today's it's the most vibrant tourist street in Ipoh City 

Our Wefie here 

A zippered pouch - I needed a money bag for our trip treasurer, something I thought at the eleventh hour before our departure . I had to rummage my stash and sew a simple zippered pouch with a bright and cheerful fabric to match the only white zipper  I had in my stash that fit the pouch size, which means I need to stock up on some color zippers soon.

Week THREE -  Working hard on my Birthday exchange gift for my partner from the WSG group.

I have picked a handful of colors to work on, the design I am working on is giving me a feeling of uncertainty in every way.  Undeniably, I don't have much time left if the exchange meet is to be in January.

I have sit on it for like a year, well actually some six months since I have only then decided what my finished item would be. The gift exchange will be reveal in January when the group meet at a date still pending for a discussion. 

Winter Solstice, it's the time of the year again to celebrate Dong Zhi festival, eating tang yuan which are glutinous rice balls in a sweet syrup. Chinese fesitval dishes usually have auspicious and meaningful names and the tang yuan is no different. Tang Yuan sounds like "tuan yuan" which in Mandarin means reunion of the family. This festival denotes that the year is coming to an end and is the last festivity in the Chinese Calendar for the year .

Week FOUR - Christmas week - No Christmas stitching this year. Two cards is the only craft that I managed at the very last minute and hoping that it get delivered in time before Chirstmas to both recipients 

Two very simple cards

Tree is my theme for this year

Here's wishing everyone

MERRY CHRISTMAS

wherever you are and hope it's a fantastic one

for you and your family

Big THANK YOU to all of you who came by without fail and for your kind words
Your words are my inspiration to keep on blogging
I hope you enjoyed my ramblings of  life and times
from a continent in Asia
Here's wishing everyone
HAPPY NEW YEAR
2018
May yours be a fantastic start into a NEW year !
 

Welcome November

How quickly October went by and the only crafting I did was paper related . Two things that I am grateful for in October are that both parcels from my Teacup & Mug exchange arrived safely even thou I was a couple of days late with my mailing and that brought great relief. Two more cards from the tea exchange will be reveal later

This is an Angpow packet (Red Enevelope) I created for a Wedding. A college mate son is getting married in a week's time.  Since  black is always a taboo color on such an auspicious day, I 've choosen a cream colored textured stock card  (but don't know why my camera just don't pick up that color) complete with a red vest inside which is the envelope for the cash gift. The two Chinese cutout symbolize "Double Happiness" was later printed on the inside of the red envelope with my "Wishes of Love & happiness" And so it doubles as a greeting card and an envelope .

That yellow boutonniere don't seem to match, I have run out of red rose in my stash, so look like I will have to make a trip down to the LNS soon to pick up some tiny red roses and to replace that

The vest is the envelope

Some October flowers in the house

Hope I'm not too late to wish everyone

I must thank everyone who had commented in my last post. 

My apologies for not replying to you, but do know that I appreciate your time to visit and leaving me your comments. 

Wishing all a wonderful month and blessed November

Here comes the rain in November

A few more days and November ends.  Everyone will be so busy with the coming festivity, especially more if you have  not started your shopping, baking and decorating; can you feel the festive season yet?  The malls are already filled with everything Christmas for weeks. We are getting more rain while the malls are all deck with fake snows and snowflakes....
Christmas is definitely in the air.

Gift for a special lady : Remember I mentioned about stitching something in blue variegated ? Well this is the design, Belle that I stitched and finished into a Pinkeep with the backing fabric as shown. It's a little surprise for Kim . I am so glad she is happy to receive this little gift of mine.

The color of the wrap caught my eyes and was calling out to me and thoughts of Kim came to mind.

I made a very simple card to go with my package

I had a very limited resources when I made the card at my MIL's home where it's  miles away from a decent craft supply stores and I am no where near home and I can't just mailed my package without a note.

 A RAK for BJ : I forgot to take photos of the items before I got it wrapped. Actually I wanted to just bind it with ribbons but I forgot to bring along some ribbons when I went visiting my MIL and wrapping papers are all I could find at a nearby Sundry shop. It took me like ages to get this delivered personally, but finally I did, bad me

Finally delivered after weeks that became months of waiting

I hope Jamie O will keep BJ company in her kitchen happily and the Quilting book will serve as a compendium of references when the need arises 

(I forgot to take photos of the books before wrapping)

Crafting time input : Time to start crafting some Christmas smallish. Hope I'll  have finish photos to show in my next post.

Diane requested for a sewing kit as a parting gift for her roomie whom she shared a room with at the hostel in her University for 2 sems. She gave me such a short notice that I couldn't think of what to stitched, so I made her this all fabric and felt in cheery yellow.

An Angpow cum Wedding Card is what I made for the daughter of gal from college's who got married in a lavish wedding recently.

Angpow is a an envelope that has to be in "red" as it symbolize luck and prosperity as well as auspiciousness where one puts in money of a certain amount depending on the occasion and given out as gift in lieu of a wedding present. Angpow is a very universal gift for the Chinese, one may received an Angpow on your birthday, Baby fullmoon or any happy occasion that is befitting.  The amount of it's contents may varies depending on your status in the society, relationship or what suits your pocket and at times the economic situations of where you are from to who you are gifting it to.

For a wedding , it can costs hundreds to thousands for a couple attending the event.

Angpow is also given out during Chinese New Year as a token of luck and auspiciousness to family, friends and those who come visiting especially children. Single unmarried  young adults may also be given, unless one is "overly over the Young Adult age" and still single; one may not receive an angpow then unless, the host is teasing the recipient, but always in a good away. An employee will normally received from a Chinese employer, married or unmarried , while still single colleagues will received from their  married colleagues during Chinese New Year too.

For this, I had all the symbolic wishes. There's the character of double happiness, the peking ducks a symbolic of love and the names of the bride and groom . However, at the end of the day, this was what that actually went out when someone suggested we get the bride a gold bracelet instead and shared the cost. With the last minute changes, I had a quickie re-vamp of the little red packet that was intended into a gift card so we could all put in our names instead.

Dressed for the night : Wedding is always a good place for a meet-up. The opportunity came when we, the girls from college got invited to Sally's daughter wedding at St Regis of Kuala Lumpur

Having a little girly fun at the polaroid booth, this was a wefie before the actual booth snap

Lynn and me with the mother of the beautiful and radiant mother of the bride, Sally

A weekend dinning celebrating the 38th  Anniversary Annual Dinner of a Youth Club with Jamis where the Lions graciously became our backdrop

From my Kitchen : Steamed pau or steamed Chinese pau.  I have never attempted to made pau as I always had this thought that it's a tedious process. It spells difficult just by looking. I mean how do you get the tissue like skin to peel and a soft and fluffy  texture too. I can't even bake a good decent bread yet. That is not until Jaimis who seem to be making these pau so effortlessly gave me her recipe. Thank you sifu!  So here goes. This is my second attempt after I forgot to let the dough rest the first time. A total success and very please if I must say so.

On a serious note, making pau is definitely a lot easier that making bread. In view that now pau is getting costly from the shops, I think I am addicted to making pau for the time being.  I need to improved my pleating (to close the pau) and even out the dough for the fillings.  With the basic dough I managed a lotus paste filling pau 

The 3rd time with a pumpkin dough for some color on the pau skin and a better improved pleating, thou the pleats are not prominent after the steaming, more practice needed

Sometimes the mind can be inquisitive and so on my 4th attempt, it's purple skin pau that derived from purple sweet potatoes

Made breakfast Quesadilla  one morning

And we harvested some mangoes  from the small plot of land near MIL one weekend

I am sorry some of the photos are looking a little dull. It's bad lighting on one part and gloomy weather on the other since  we are currently into the monsoon season which means wet days are here to stay for awhile.  

Flea Market : We had a mall that houses small individual vendors with all kinds of everything, call it antique, old junk;  just like a flea market only a very small scale but the mall caters to these vendors on every of it's floors.  I don't frequent often, the occasionally that I do, there's always something that caught the eye. Like this blue porcelain teapot  set with a snake/lizard head? Intriguing yet intimidating . Nope, it did not came home with me, nor did I asked for it's price.

That's it for November, until my next post, take care everyone

Wishing all

and may your Thanksgiving be wonderful