My New Pet

Say "hi" to Craig, my pet mutant cabbage.

He lives in the vegetable bin in our fridge. Two weeks ago, he surprised me by sprouting that extra bit - it poked its way out of the cling-wrap! Today, that bit is at least 10cm tall.

You would think that a fortnight is too long to keep a cabbage but Craig is still in top edible form. I'm not going to eat him, though. I want to see how much more his new limb will grow. Fascinating!

The Greenest Pesto Ever!

My aunt dropped off a huge harvest of basil from my uncle's herb garden a few days ago.

This morning, I used them to make a pesto, before they go all dark and yucky. It is the greenest batch that I've ever made! It's been quite a few hours since I've bottled it and it's still this vivid green!

Big "thank you's" to my food-scientist bloggy-pal Chou's tip - use almonds instead of pinenuts. She explains it all in layman's terms here.

Do try the nut-switch the next time you make some. I still cannot get over how much difference the change of one ingredient makes!

Found: A New Home For The Puppies

The litter of eight pups are very excited! They will soon be travelling to America to their new home!

Jin is their new puppy-mummy! Her adoption form was picked out of a doggie water bowl late last night by the boyfriend (using a very primitive method similar to this).

Sorry, Fran and Room To Think. *sad face*

Jin, please email me with your address and I'll send the pups out soon. Let's hope they don't have to be quarantined! Tee hee hee.

This Girl Is My Pal!

I don't usually like re-posting images from other blogs, particularly those from thousands-of-clicks-per-day sites which everybody reads but this by The Sartorialist warrants a place here because:

1. This girl knows what I'm talking about - "Bring Back The Hand Muff!" and a furry one at that! Woo!

2. See what's on her feet? Cloggy boots! She really is my pal.

I've been eyeing a pair of these Hasbeens lace-ups for months now to wear this Aussie winter but you know what, I'm going to forget about them. It's time I stopped buying clogs - been there, done that. I'll leave them for the Johnnies-come-lately.

A Sight (And Site!) For Sore Eyes

(Two posts with "sore eyes" in the title in one day! Tee hee hee.)

I first came across this eye-candy-of-an-online-shop Upon A Fold last week here. I had a quick browse and bookmarked it, intending to go back for a deeper study of their amazing range of paper goods when I have more time.

A day later, Miss J Kitty, a customer of mine who's now an email pal, included in her emailed order a link to Upon A Fold! She said it's owned by her workmate's sister and to go have a look.

Well, I finally went a-clicking on each and every one of their products this morning. To give my tired eyes a break.

Out went the sore eyes and in came my "naughty eyes" (a Teochew term meaning "have to have everything that I see" that my grandma uses quite frequently to describe my bad shopping habit)!

Look at this Sectional Globe! It'll be so much fun to colour it in.

Just how happy are the colours on this Perpetual Calendar?!

If there's only one thing I'm allowed to buy (the boyfriend has imposed a shopping ban after I came home from the Lover Jumble Sale last week), it will be these Three Wise Monkeys! I love monkeys and figuring out how mechanical things work.

Or maybe this how-to book of Ornamental Origami - "This book is a great resource for people who enjoy polyhedra, symmetry, geometry, mathematics and origami". I'm crap at Maths but I do love the rest of it.

If your eyes are feeling a little sore from all the Monday-ness at work, Upon A Fold is a great cure.

And they have a blog too. Filled with more paper power!

Sore Eyes

From guiding needle and thread through cloth at least a thousand times over the last three days. And some nights. Haha.

But I love doing it! Two more panels to go and then it's on to the next piece. Woo!

PS. If this looks familiar, it might be because you've seen it here last year. The MonoWing didn't get exhibited then so I thought I'll show it off together with two new pieces with similar embroidery at an upcoming show in March.

Fabric Swatches

A Swatch of Leather

After staring at the piece of cloth that I've been working on for the whole of yesterday, I took a little break and went look at more fabric online. Haha.

My current favourite textile blog True Up led me to Swatch!

Grandpa Swatch

The shop mascot for Mood Fabrics in New York City.

Ballerina Swatch

This handsome and very obliging Boston Terrier (my second favourite breed of pups after the French Bulldog) shows off the shop's wares by getting dressed up and photographed almost daily in their fabrics and trims. A live fabric swatch! Haha.

Boo Swatch

You can see more of Swatch in the Daily Swatch section of Mood Fabric's fun blog. While you're there, click on the other categories too!

Swatch Longstocking

Now, back to darling Swatch - this one of him as Pippi nearly had me spurt my iced green tea all over the 'puter screen!




















Black Sheep Swatch

This, this has got to be my favourite! Wahahahahahaha!

Bring Back The Hand Muff!

I say the time is now for this old-school Winter accessory to make a comeback! Not that it's ever left for some.

I've always associated these hand-warmers with fur and now that the furry things have had their moment in the spotlight, the hand muff ought to be next.

What's there not to love about them? First of all, they are always cute. They don't make my fingers look scary like gloves do and while I love my mittens, it's quite a hassle to take them off whenever I need to use my fingers.

And hand muffs are practical too - out come the hands to do whatever that they have to do and then slip them right back in for shnuggly warmth again. In and out. Easy access.

This old embroidered one (so old that the leather strap has broke and I had to cut it off) is the only one that I own but I've rectified that. With one that I've made...

You can see more of it on the other blog.

I urge you to join me on my quest to bring the hand muff back big-time this Winter (and they don't have to be mine!).

See these people flocking to buy furs and clogs only recently, when I've been quietly championing their comeback way before on this little blog that is not read by many? The same people who thought furs were evil and clogs ugly until blog-starlets started wearing them after designers showed them on the runways? Don't join their herd. Be an early adopter. Not a follower. Shop for a hand muff now! Here and here are good places to start.

End Of Bludge-Fest!

Starting with #1 on my to-do list - the pieces I have to make for a show in March.

Yes, cutting it a bit thin here, I know, but had a bad bout of maker's block. I see the embroidered pieces so clearly in my head but just haven't been able to put needle to cloth for weeks.

I know it'll sound very clichéd but watching Valentino - The Last Emperor (finally!)on DVD on Wednesday night got me out of my rut. And I've been drawing, tracing , sewing and giving myself bloody fingers since.

Cheeky Things

Yesterday was a total write-off. One of those restless days. I had a long to-do list but all I did was sit here and bludged the day away...alternating between staring blankly out of the balcony doors and the computer screen...imagining doing the things that I have to do instead of actually doing them. I'd do anything to not have to attend to the tasks on the list. Including playing with make-up which I never do.

The very bit of the last tube of my Origins' Pinch Your Cheeks in Raspberry.

I was told in late 2008 that they were planning to phase out the product. It's weird that it is no longer available here in Australia (or in Singapore) but still shows up on the Origins website. Anyone with reliable information, please share? I will be very grateful.

Its replacement - Benetint by Benefit.

I'm lazy when it comes to wearing (my going-out face is just sunblocking moisturiser, cheek rub and a clear lip conditioner) and shopping around for make-up. I usually stick loyally to what I already know - I've Pinched My Cheeks for nearly 10 years.

I was a little reluctant with the Benetint because from what I can remember, I found this liquid cheek stain hard to blend compared to the gel-ly Pinch Your Cheeks. But I didn't know any other (or rather, couldn't be bothered seeking them out) and I can't leave the house without rosy cheeks so it came home with me.

And I was extremely lucky that, by chance, I bumped into the lovely Mrs Will who happen to work for Benefit!

Pinch Your Cheeks on left, Benetint on right - the colours are pretty close

When I told her of my blending problem with Benetint, she kindly shared her trick - instead of dotting it on like it says on the packaging, draw three "whiskers" and then blend. It worked like a charm! Yay! But I have to be fast or the colour will set and I'll look like a kitty-cat.

Come Play With My New Puppies!

Last week when I went to the Chinese paraphernalia shop, I was meant to buy only some ang pows but I came home with these colourful embroidered puppies in tow.

Not just one "litter" of eight pups but two! A total of sixteen!

I don't know what I was thinking - I can't be an attentive puppy-mommy with so many of them to love?! Plus there is very limited hanging space in this tiny apartment of ours.

So it is with great remorse that I'm putting the second litter up for adoption.

If you think you can give them a good home, let me know how or why under "Comments". The puppies love to travel so anyone can play, no matter where in the world you live.

If there's more than one interested party, your adoption forms will all go into a puppy water bowl and their new mommy will be randomly picked.

You have a week to think about it. Application closes on Wednesday 24 February 2010.

Look! There's An Eye In My Fish Pie!

With a star pupil! Wahahahaha!

Made some bottomless pies from the steamboat party leftovers for dinner instead of a giant stir-fry.

The salmon that I forgot to serve and the cod and prawns that we couldn't finish were lightly seared. Some sauteed leek and chopped capers were added to the mix.

The unused prawn stock was made into a velouté. I love it when little bits and bobs in the fridge and freezer get used!

Into little bowls the mix goes. Add puff pastry lids, brush with eggwash and bake. Yay!

I love watching the pastry puff in the oven (as much as I love watching clothes going round in the washing machine). The "eye" was unintentional - the bits that didn't puff as much soaked up too much moisture from the mix for the "magic" to work.

Spending Valentine's Day With Three Very Sexy Old Men

From left to right: Edmund, George and Gilbert

You might not see the attraction at all but I have been looking so much forward to our "date" on Sunday from when I first found out about it two weeks ago.

There has been loads of squealing, both internal and out loud, every time I think of the big day. To spend an hour in the same room with three men that I have had the biggest crushes on for a long time, surrounded by beautiful art and listen to them exchange banter - WOW! What a huge turn-on. Seriously.

There are many reasons why I find them sexy and that warrants an art thesis-length post which I'm too lazy to write right now. Trust me, they might not have the dashing good looks of old matinee idols (they might disagree) but they are hot!

The Cutest Silver Bugs!

It was MAJOR squeal-fest when I saw these today! Don't they look adorable to together?!

A likkle beetle leading...

...a bigger beetle out to play! The symmetry in their curves and the matching colour! *swoon*

Couldn't wait to get home to Google the make of the caravan and when I did, I squealed myself hoarse!

Look at the inside! Take a 360° tour!

And there's a slightly bigger Off-Road model and an even bigger one that comes with bath and toilet!

Wouldn't it be grand if we can hire one for our next road trip?!

Oh, Those Sweet Video Library Kids!

They gave us a plastic rose and an ang pow with a rental voucher within when we took a video out today. Haha!

This is one of those rare years that the Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day fall on the same day. The two coincide from time to time because the Lunar calendar has standard 30-day months.

No, we didn't purposely take out a love-story-that-is-not-is-not-really-a-love-story film because it's Valentine's Day. The boyfriend and I don't do the love-hearts-chocolates-and-flowers thing. Yuck.

It just so happened that this movie, one that we've been eagerly waiting to see on video (we didn't see it in the cinema) hit the shelves on Wednesday. Loved everything about it!

Gong Hey Fatt Choy!

I give the older folks a pair of mandarin oranges and recite some good luck greetings, and they give me ang pows - "lucky" money in red envelopes - in return. A good exchange!

I didn't wear the traditional red but flowers in bright happy colours are auspicious too.

They didn't bring me much luck with the scratchies we got given at lunch, though.

In order to win big money, we have to get three matching items per row.

Didn't win a cent! Haha.

My aunt is funny. She picked the most ching-chong Chinese restaurant for Chinese New Year lunch. The name means "good luck" and the decor, wow, was as old-school Chinese as they come. Sorry, no photos because I was too busy stuffing my face with their Peking-style food.

Happy Year of the Tiger! *roar roar*

Chinese New Year's Eve Steamboat Dinner

The boys started without me. I snuck in a little nanna nap before G and Mr R arrived and got way behind with prep. Thanks, guys! For that lonely piece of chicken you remembered to cook for me while I was pulling boxes of marinated meat out of the fridge and making them look pretty with shallot curls (very ching-chong cheesy but a must with Chinese food!).

The steamboat - A modern electric version with a hotplate. The really old-school ones are just the pot with a mini fireplace-type hole underneath for charcoal. I miss those. The smell of burning charcoal and the constant fanning required add so much to the whole experience.

Things being cooked. That's G posing with his chopsticks - the piece of rib was cooked on the hotplate, not in the hotpot.

Sizzling beef.

Nearly done. I did quite well this year with the food shopping - didn't over-buy. The little bits of uncooked meat left were given to G and Mr R to cook on their barbeque and I kept the vegetables and seafood to go into a giant stir-fry.

Ummm...maybe I did. Forgot to put the mushrooms and salmon out!

More must-have ching-chong Chinese touches - these old glasses that I found recently at our local Salvation Army store. In the good old days, they would have been filled with orange squash. Today, we drank G's maiden batch of home-brewed beer out of them. It was surprisingly delicious.

G also brought dessert - berry trifles!

And a selection of beers for back-up in case we didn't like his homebrew. Haha.

Alright, going to rest my jaws and digestive system now for there's more work they have to do tomorrow at my aunt's Chinese New Year lunch.

Gong Hey Fatt Choy!!!