A Mother, A lover, A student of life

Maap, pengumumannya telat...as ussual...it's been crazy out here!

We have one lucky person dari Just for fun giveaway, cek postingan di http://inikiki.multiply.com/journal/item/37

Tapi Alhamdulillah segalanya masih dalam batas wajar...hehehe, you know what I mean by saying that especially if you live with 2 toddlers...they like to "tear the house apart".
well, anyway, here's Alistair in his quiet moment...learning to sew with plastic canvas, alpaca yarn, and plastic needle...way to go boy!

*****Back to the Winner***
I used the computer to help me to do random draw, available at random.org
I list the name, and draw it 10 times, and voila...the name on the top is the winner.

Yang menang adalah: Loesy di http://ontanganting.multiply.com/
Selamat ya Loesy, nanti aku kirim pm, tanya alamat kamu.

Terima kasih buat teman2 yang sudah berpartisipasi, and leaving me nice words.
There will be more freebies coming!

XOXO kiki

***To clebrate the National Friendship day which is August 3rd, This sweepstake will still be open for another 2 days! so, just leave me a word or two below so I can draw to choose one lucky person *** and once again, it's free.
Thank you very much for all of my friends who is leaving me a message in my pages with kind, appreciative,  and supportive words. I thank you and appreciate you...You all are..nice "pen pals" for me. We exchange stories and words through this Multiply. Love you friends!


Remember this project?
It's finally completed.
The dimension is aproximately 9.5" W and 6.5 H. Exterior fabric is recycled jeans and lining is 100% cotton print. Iya sih kecil, cuman bisa buat ngangkut small wallet, cell phone, some candies or a pack of cigarette maybe? (We don't smoke 'though...hanya contoh saja). Atau, a wallet and a small notepad. Atau, a wallet, a lipbalm, a compact powder? Ah, terserahlah, mau buat ngangkut pet Hamster dia asal nggak get squished juga fine saja. Oh, atau dibawa walking in the wood di musim semi nanti, and pick some flowers, and use it to transport the fresh flowers home before you put them in the vas... *smile*
View from one side, embelished with flower shape yoyo and fuschia button:
View from the other side, hand embroidery :

Gimana cara pakai wrislet ini? seperti ini: (maaf nggak ada model)or


And of course, it is for my friends!  I will do a random draw from all of you guys who leave comments on this post. This giveaway will be open until Sunday..umm... this weekend..next one? anyway, I'll give you a week.
I will ship it anywhere you are, whether you are in Semarang or Amsterdam for absolutely FREE.

I do not recomend using this wrislet in a "copet" area...

A friend just move to a new home. A housewarming present would be nice. That is a crappy photo of  a set of (4) fabric coasters inside a soft caddy with a lavender bird nesting on top.
I didn't know she has a red theme for her kitchen, and I didn't know that she's a coasters collector. (that was a coincident)
She has coaster made of ceramic, straw, and I'm sure cork too, and now she has fabric coasters. The stuffed bird has lavender in it, so it supposed to released a nice fragrance when she hangs it in her kitchen.
This is how it looks like...
Each coaster has different designs of free hand embroidery with sewing machine, just because I want a doodle touch on it.
Close up of the doodle on the reverse side.
The direction to make the bird: here.
And to learn how to make fabric coaster: here
Happy weekend guys! hey...it's weekend why don't we try those tutorials?
For your information, the miss Clemetine photo album is here too.

thanks for reading ~~<@

Istri: Sayaaang, you're set for tomorrow's meeting down the hill?
Suami: yes, why?
Istri: Do you have time to go to the Oriental Market on the way back?
Suami: Sure, just give me a list.

Paginya at breakfast.
Suami: Thanks for breakfast. Do you have the list?
Istri: ehem, the list? geez, I forgot to make it last night!
Suami: that's Ok, you can email me the list to my phone later.
Istri: I will sayang.

The list:
1. Morning glory  (4 bunch) (nama yang kami pakai untuk menyebut kangkung), sekarang aku tahu, yang jualan menyebutnya: On Choy. Kenapa 4? Buat stok karena jarang2 turun gunung dan kalau dimasak mengkeret.
2. Kecap Bango Soy Sauce.
3. Turmeric (kunir buat bikin kunir asem).

Jam 4 an sore, si suami pulang.
Istri: So, you got the green veggies?
Suami: Yes I did.
Si istri langsung sweep the car buat unload pesanannya. (Biar kalau ketemu si sayuran, langsung bisa dimasak buat makan malam).

Ternyata, the green veggies yang ditemukan bukanlah kangkung idamanya. Ini tangkainya keras dan berdaun lebih kecil dari kangkung dan berwarna lebih hijau tua. Setelah diamat-amati, laaahh...ini khan daun cabai, daun lombok, daun Jalapeno, apapun kau menyebutnya...

Suami: Sweety, Did I do good on grocerries?
Istri: Those aren't morning glory, those are, I don't know how to cook one of those.
Suami: Oh, I appologize, I wasn't actually sure what to look. I know you ever pointed out about  morning glory, but I forgot.
Istri: kangkung AKA morning glory or sometimes you call it watercrest is the one with long hollow stem, remember? .
Suami: well, it's green, and it was at the produce isle, I guest it is edible.
Istri: (pasrah sambil lari ke komputer browsing cara masak daun cabe).
Suami: You don't have to cook them if you don't know how. We can use them for mulch for the garden. Awfully expensive mulch but that's OK.

Ternyata, Pepper Leaf or Jalapeno Leaf memang dikonsumsi kebanyakan oleh etnis Filipino. Mereka memasak untuk hidangan "Tinola" , semacam chicken soup gitu.
Sebagai hasil study aku temukan  link yang menjelaskannya, dari forum: here

Tapi malam itu aku tidak memakainya untuk masak sop. Aku petik daunnya dari tangkainya, dan bunga cabainya ikut termasak. Aku tumis dengan campuran irisan shallot, garlic, dan terasi (dasar wong Jowo)....

Minggu depannya, si suami ada appoinment down the hill again, dan kali ini, dia membawakan sang istri sayuran hijau dengan tangkai yang hollow di tengahnya...
Ah, akhirnya, bisa masak tumis kangkung saus tiram dengan udang...

Ya, rabbit lagi, rabbit lagii...
Well, kalau Anda-Anda ini seorang ibu dengan dua anak kecil, nggak boleh get bored dengat "rebib" (Tigerlily's word for rabbit) AKA Bunny.
Kemarin aku dan kedua anakku mendengarkan CD read along Peter Rabbit read by Renee Zellweger (I almost mispelled her name...). Ohh, dia khan favoritku, sudah cantik, lucu, kalau ngomong, oh my, lembuutt.
Back to Peter Rabbit, singkat cerita, ini rabbit sukanya mencuri timun...hehe, he likes to create mischief. Padahal ibunya sudah bilang jangan suka mencari makan di kebun Mr. McGreggor karena bapak mereka got caught and put in a pie . When the farmers cought Peter in the act (enjoying his veggies), berlangsunglah suatu kejar mengejar yang seru!

Alright...I'm not doing well telling the complete story to you guys. You can read Tale of Peter Rabbit here: http://petcaretips.net/peter-rabbit.html
or, if you really want the book, which is contained beautiful watercolor drawings by Beatrix Potter, you can find it at amazon.com
The book that we have actually has 2 stories in it: Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddle Duck dan ada CD ceritanya we bought it before Tigerlily was born when we were in Long Beach having a long weekend on my husband boat So, obviously, I forget where I got mine.

Anyway, here's some more link:
- cerita (dipendekin) dengan narasi cerita with British accents (love it!) click here.
- Peter Rabbit puzzle here.

We have our own Peter Rabbbits (many of them) in our yard. They like to eat our garden and nibble on our cherry and apple trees which is not good. Lately, they've been chewing on our baby blueberry bushes because we didn't put wire high enough for them not to jump in. As result, we lost 4 of our blueberry bush candidates.
Coincidently, my husband's ancestor's family name is McGregor. just like the owner of the farm where Peter like munching on.

 And, finally, here's Peter Rabbit on Redwork (still in progress) : if you want bigger image, click on it.

hello! Apa kabar? Semoga semua baik-baik saja.

Buat Julie, semoga Giovani cepat sembuh dan sehat.

Buat jeng Hany Von Gillern, ke mana aja nih? Kok nyama-nyamain aku lama nggak cerita-cerita, hehehe.

Everything is going well (still too much wok 'though)

Tigerlily is making a great progress on potty training.

Alistair is getting smarter, already trying to feed himself. Four teeth and more coming.

We have a joke on why Tigerlily likes to “ngupil”which is very extreme that sometimes we cought her walking with her finger in her nose.

1. her finger fits the nose so well!

2. That hole is a good place to park the finger.

3. It's like sticking your hand in your pocket, well, same thing.

And here's a sneak peak on a project. I plan on making a freebie sweepstakes in the future, just for fun. (Anybody is familiar with that fabric? ) I use denim with cotton for the lining.

 

We got home last night at 9 PM after a very long drive. The  final drive up hill through HWY 330 to San Bernardino Mountain - Arrowhead - Running Spring - Big Bear Lake was a little eeri because of the thick fog (it was cloud!) with almost 0 visibility...actually we had about 15 yard visibility starting from Arrowhead to The Dam (Big Bear Lake) causing an extra hour drive. Normally, we can drive this winding road for 1 hour but last night was an exception.

However, we are so glad to be home again. We like travelling, especially after having a severe cabin fever from being living in  the wood, far from what so callled real civilization with those retail stores and fast food restaurants in every corner... (or..is that?).

And the three kitties (Jean-Pierre, Nicole, and Blondie) and our big smart dog (Fluffy) are doing great. Our neighbor William and Kelly  been checking on them. The drip system for the orchard worked well but the faucet finally broke this morning because temperature last night frezeed again (2 C). Yes we got rain and snow in May ......not really a good thing for my vegetable garden.

Anyway.... I'll work on the photos to show soon...

```kiki```

"And the Yosemite Lodge in El Portal suppossed to have an internet connection,.." --->WRONG!
Because Kip had to go to other town name Mariposa (31 mile from El Portal) to get his e-mail.

We're back to Stockton a day early than what we've planned because we needed to take Tigerlily to the doctor since she has sore throat, and doesn't want to eat. She drink Pediasure and apple juice a lot 'though , so she keeps hydrate. Now she needs to take antibiotic for 5 days. Alistair is doing great, but last night he's a little warm too and I gave him Tylenol. Actually we rarely take any medicine unless we really need to, so once we take it, it really works.

Yosemite is very beautiful. Kip was being a good daddy and baby sitter for 3 days while I went out to do my photography workshop and took many photos used all of my 6 GB card.All of those granites, bear, rivers, waterfalls.
All the photos already transfered in the computer but I can't process it yet yet since I shoot RAW, not JPEG.

This afternoon, Kip is going to have one meeting and then we'll head to Santa Rosa, near San Fransisco.

See you!

9.00 AM 15 May 2008
-Kip is at his Meeting.
-Tigerlily's fever is almost gone.
-Alistair is busy chewing on apples and looking at himself on the closet's mirror.
- Ibu is having time to play with her computer.

We arrived on May 13 after 7 hour drive with one stop for lunch at Burger King (oh, this burger thing is soo convinient for a quick lunch on the go) near Tehachepi area, one  in Tulare for gas ($3.90 per gallon), and one stop in Office Max in Modesto to get more memory card for the blackberry and construction papers to play with the babies. We immediately went down to the restaurant inside the Hotel for dinner.

Along HWY 58 and 99N, we saw orchards and grapevines. See, California still does agriculture...fruits, nuts, and vegetables, in fact it has 1/2 of the production in the country.(I read it somehwere..).
We passed the windmill farm in Bakersfield and Tehachepi. We stopped and took some picture (actually my husband did, because I had to nurse Alistair). You can checked those windmills photo that they use to generate energy HERE and HERE. I haven't had time to unload the camera since I have to take care of Tigerlily that having high fever, while my husband is taking care of Alistair and preparing his meeting. oohhh, what a day!

We're planing on a late chek out and be on the wa to Yosemite this afternoon. And the Yosemite Lodge in El Portal suppossed to have an internet connection, so see you soon!

**** HAPPY BIRTHDAY FEMI******
****HAPPY BIRTHDAY INDIE*****

Story from last weekend.
Akhir-akhir ini sedang gemar makan cinamon muffin. Sebenarnya, pengen kroket gara-gara Myen mentioned it awhile ago. Tapi, karena buatnya lama, berminyak-minyak...dan gosong seperti ini, jadi kecewa...





















Yang bantuin, si dedek. Karena si mbak lebih suka bantuin daddy planting fruit trees at the orchard.
Lagipula, muffinya nggak messy kalau buat cemilan pas bikin embroidery. ini

is it gonna be cool when you can type on the computer with your handwriting? or,  use your kid's handwriting just for fun!

Found two sites that offer the service for you:
http://www.fontifier.com/
You can get a font made from your handwriting for $9

http://kevinandamanda.com/scrapbook/fonts/fontsforpeas/
Last time I visited this site, they still offer turning your handwriting into a font for FREE.

Menu breakfast:
Waffles topped with blueberry and maple syrup, with beef hot link sausage.

Alistair, since he's on the highchair, give him a spatula to take care of the sausage on the pan.






















Then, Tigerlily is going to take care of the other pan to warm the syrup and the blueberry.




















dan hasilnya:














Good Morning !!!!!

It's just a story about how melancolic I could be. How somebody I never knew or met could really have an effect on me. It was after reading my friend's post .
I went straight to my craft corner, picking a nice fabric and a cheerry scrap fabric to pair with it. Digging through my pattern collection, couldn't find anything that would be easy and fast to make -as though I found pattern easy to make, I didn't have suitable fabric to use (such as Ultrasuede) or the pattern required an exact measurement (such as headband, hat, slippers, or clothing).
well, Since Easter just have been over not long a go, my mind still full of bunnies. From making Easter greeting card bunny, glass door bunny decal, and gloves bunny (made it from an old pair of gloves).
Anyway, I made a quick rabbit pattern, put a little embroidery, sew it, put stuffing, sew it close. Done. Made it with love and do'a in every stich I made. And hope she will play with it soon.
The next day I put in my favorite box I made with template from here.
And it's ready to go.

I opened my messsage on my cellphone, to find my friend's address to write on the envelope.
I found a new message from her again, it says: Fara's leaving us.

She's not my daughter.
She's not somebody I know.
But I know how it feels loosing her.

That night, when I tucked my little girl in her crib for a "nighty-night", I said: see you in the morning. that afraid I am...loosing someone I love so much.
Then I played the mobile on my baby boy's crib since he already asleep awhile before his sister. Hoping he will be lulled by the mobile's lullaby. NOT, he's a light sleeper. I should remember that and hoped I didn't wind the mobile. now I have to nurse and rock him to sleep.

The next day, I asked my hubby to bring my package to the post office.

Hope Fara will be happy in heaven.

Punya cabbage ungu, beets, atau bayam?
Chris dari curbly.com punya video dan tips cara membuatnya. gampang!!
klik di sini yuuukkk.

ummm, have I told you I really like hard boiled egg for snack?

~ She can put her own boots (although sometimes backward), nek dikandani: "kuwalik ndhuk!" dia jawab: "wah, lah-lah" (wah salah).
~ She calls me "Ibu". Took awhile to teach her that word. Started by calling me Tata, Mama,
Ma - Buk (kombinasi dari mama dan Ibu), akhirnya sekarang dah bisa bilang Ibu.
~ She can put her own jacket. Kadang hoodnya kebalik di bawah.
~ She can feed herself.
~ Still drinks milk out of a bottle at bedtime.
~ More hard-headed.
~ Still scream when she sees a cat.
~ She's getting along with Fluffy our puppy nicely. Dia paling suka kasih makan gukguk
~ Not too much "pick me up" when we're going for a walk.
~ Loves M&M's
~ Not potty trained yet.
~ Getting into EVERYTHING...more so than before.
~ Loves her brother more.
~ Still a daddy's girl.

Tercapai juga puasa blogging until the first of the month. (not that I do too much of it).
Tiap hidupin komputer, rasanya tergelitik buat ngintip-ngintip...cuap-cuap..or sekedar showing off or show off

Afterall, I got more stuff done, more "eye-contact" with the kids (instead of the computer screen), more jalan-jalan outside..(I feel the spring coming), shoot more films (in this case my film is a 1 GB card) ,

Well, guys, I'm back, be ready to be intip-ed.

And, look what I got: (thank you!!)
An "envy-maker" postcard dari mbak Bobon di http://bungabobon.multiply.com/
Apparently she had a lot of fun in Bali!



























 Clothespin magnet dari Hany di http://kuenogosari.multiply.com/

Don't you love and gemes of those tiny embellishments she made from polymer clay?







And of course a new idea to make a sun bonnet. I'm crazy of sun bonnet since Tigerlily was 3 Months old. That was the first time I purchase a spring bonnet. Now that she's 2, It's rarely to find a sweet but fashionable, and kiddies hat. I'm in making her lots of hat now.















Happy weekend my dear friends!

1. Be more patient in handling the kids (no spank family!)
2. Lulus dari sekolaanku in October dengan baik. (oh puhlizzz)
3. Have more time to design and create.
4. Spend less time in front of computer.
5. Having the house repair done.
6. Visit family and friends in Jogja.
7. Go to Disneyland!!! (again?! yo ben, seneng koq)
8. Have more time to "sujud" to Allah.
-----sebenernya masih banyak  sekali keinginan-keinginanku....

*this list is not made according to my priority. All numbers are as important.
dengan ditulisnya this 8 wishes, kukerjakan sudah PR dari Maya

ngeposin sesuatu di Multiply....
sekedar say HI ! dan berbagi Cerita....lewat gambar saja.....

Both kids are doing great...

Blankie that ready to ship to a friend (hope she doesn't see it...)
I'm teaching myself to sew, and still can't sew straight yet. Ok, if she's reading this post, I apologize for it.
Kinda like the wave pattern on the solid color 'though....
Tanpa mengecualikan ketidaksempurnaan di sana-sini..blame it to the babies...because of them I didn't use pin to make the fabrics stay together
...saya tunjukkan foto di mana the thread got snag on the end of the stich. (ammpuuunnnn...)
                    Berikut adalah foto makanan,
excuse me kalau fotonya tidak terlalu mengundang selera... maaf juga for the greasy pot and stove...
Intinya: Kalau bikin Spaghetti meat sauce harus one BIG pot. Lalu, sebagai alternatif makan spaghetti durum biasa, pakailah whole wheat capelini (Julie, is that the right spelling?)
atau...spinach spiral.






Kepada teman-temanku, maaf jika aku belum sempat berkunjung dan mengintipmu lagi.....

Thanks buat teman-teman yang sudah meninggalkan comments dan jejak di MP ku, ntar aku reply deh....

This is my fourth winter.
I just found out that snow flakes does exist.
I thought that snowflakes are some kind of humans perception on describing the snow shape.
Yesterday, my husband, the two kids and I decided to go out on the snow shower in the yard.
me: "why now?"
hubby: "because the snowflakes look good , it's a good time to play"
It was just a "soft snow shower".
I looked at my sleeves, and my baby's snow suit that full of snowflakes.
"Gosh....it is beautiful, this is the first time I realize that snowflakes are real"
I keep repeating that, and I dreamed about snowflakes last night.

To create your very own snowflakes, visit: http://snowflakes.lookandfeel.com/

Enjoy Your Winter!!!!!
Let it Snow...Let it Snow....