More polka dots..

Can't get enough of spots? Here's more pictures. They are so cute.. it is a pity to keep the pictures to myself.

My favorite

This fabric is more expensive
- RM9/metre. I bought it since the
cheap version doesn't come
in yellow. 

My hub's favorite. The colors remind
me of an old skool, kampung
snack I used to have as a kid.
Can't remember what it was. 

Aisya's favorite. 

So which one is your favorite?

Polka Dot Birthday

My baby turns 7 today. She requested for a birthday party at school. I planned for a low key one - just a cake and party bags. For the theme, I chose polka dots. It was a coincidental decision since I happen to have lots of polka dot fabrics - thanks to my fabric obsession. Last two years was polka dot craze at Nagoya store. It was cheap - RM4/metre, so bought a metre of every color available.

I made party sacks from the fabric. It was a last minute decision - 2 days before the party. Aisya was worried when I said I was going to make, instead of buying them. I told her not to worry, it is easy peasy and promised to show her a sample. Such a client she was.

So here's the before picture. The mess was a lot worse than this.

Ta dah!!!!... cute aren't they? Each fabric was cut 18 x 9 inches. Fold the fabric in half and sew the inside out L shape. The top is cut using pinking shears to avoid fraying and also for the look. I sewed ribbons on the sides. The fabric is quite stiff making it uncomfortable for clothes but perfect for crafts like this.  

Here's a peek of the contents.

So after a few hours, this is the result. A basket of jolly good fun. Thank God there's only 22 kids in her class.

Her classmates singing the birthday song at the school canteen. The girl in light blue should have got an award for singing with the most emotion. Fyi, she did ask for a second serving afterwards.. haha..

Aisya playing Santa giving away the party sacks in her class.

Her present at home waiting for her to come back from school.

Her grin when seeing what's inside after ripping off the wrapper like crazy....

Yessss.... a doll house! A weekend project for us to do together. It can be decorated with paints, furniture, curtains, etc... endless creative opportunities to keep daughter (and mommy) occupied.

 Happy birthday Aisya... may you have a blessed life...

Escapism

Sunday morning... 

feeling lazy...

enjoying my second cup of coffee...

stretching my legs on chaise...

my favorite show 'River Cottage' is on...

browsing pretty home blogs...

while listening to Sungha Jung's guitar solo on youtube...

It's an escapism

Reality is...

tonnes of house chores waiting...

work deadlines to meet...

an art-obsessed 7-year old turning the house topsy turvy... 

kids will scream hungry soon... 

hubby just left for work... 

reality that is...

Meanwhile devour the peacefulness of this...

Second image from blog 'for the love of a house'

Breakfast for dinner

 

We had a huge dim sum lunch at Holiday Villa today. By dinner time, we were still full. My son, upon hearing there's no dinner, was worried (he loves food!). So we had simple snack - pancakes with lemon and sugar sprinkle and fruit salad. Yum!

Anyway after the dim sum, my hubby and kids decided to burn off the calories at the hotel pool (their weekly  
activity).

The kids showing off their swimming skill in adult pool. 

Decorating with branches

Plain.. rustic..frugal..

I found the fallen branches this morning while taking the kids to the playground opposite our house. Mommy suddenly got a light bulb moment - let's decorate! The other excited person was Aisya. I asked them what shall we do with it. Imran said 'Why don't we use it to hang our caps and jackets?'... 'It cannot hang, the branches are not strong', I said and thinking to myself .. typical boys.. they don't have any creative neurons. Aisya came to the rescue saying 'Why don't we put the lights from my bedrooms?' Great idea!

For a moment I was not sure if this would be like celebrating Christmas. What I read from googling about Christmas tree + Muslims made me worried. Aisya meanwhile whines..

Aisya: When are we going to put the lights?
Mommy: Wait, wait.. do you know that we cannot celebrate Christmas? (I already explained to them before)
Aisya: Yeah.. I know.
Mommy: Do you know that this is not like Christmas tree?
Aisya: (getting angry) I know. It doesn't even have leaves!
Mommy: (lol..Mommy worries silly again.)... Okay.. let's get your lights.

Found a perfect corner for it... 

We made some tulle pompoms

another alternative, mandarin tree.

I love LED or 'raya' lights as we call it. I hung them everywhere in the house, the kids' rooms, the kitchen, the porch... Aisya puts her star lights on every night before she goes to bed. We got mandarin lights, ketupat lights, lantern lights, etc... They are cheap (depending on where you go).. Now I'm thinking if I should get cottage lights I saw on the Ikea catalogue...

Beautiful Bali, indeed...

I just came back from a week long holiday in Bali. Bali surely lives up to its reputation - mystical and magical. 'The land of gods' as they say it, Bali has more statues than people. Temples are everywhere. Our driver/tour guide told us it is compulsory to have one in every house, every kampong, every district. The locals are friendly, religious, very proud and protective of their Balinese tradition. They love tourists (tourism is the only major income). The land is a gardener's heaven. Everything and anything grows. Their papayas were like something from 'Honey I blew up the kids' movie. Stray dogs were everywhere but amazingly no droppings were at sight! (putting Paris or even my neighborhood to shame). I was told that the Balinese conduct 'gotong royong' every week in their kampongs. They hold annual competitions for 'most beautiful, cleanest, kampong'. Those traditional spirit which Malaysia has already lost.

We stayed in Jayakarta Club Bali in Legian - service apartment fronting the Legian Beach. Except for rowdy Aussie youngsters, the place was otherwise comfy and beautiful. We did some touristy things, spent 2 days in the hotel catching up with some sleep and movies and lazed around the pool and the beach.

Our memories of Bali...

Balinese garden at the hotel

Legian Beach

Aisya doing the 'mudskipper'

Agent 0007

Stunning sunset

The photographer only managed to get her feet photographed

Ubud rice field
Too bad it was raining and the paddy was already harvested.

Holy Water Temple

Hindus waiting for their holy dips

Lots and lots of beautiful alleys like this

Ubud Water Palace

Kiddos with their farmer hats

Lots of whatever this thing is...

Petrol for motorbikes

Kuta Beach

Acres acres of rice fields along the way

The must-see Tanah Lot - too touristy to our liking though..

Tanah Lot

Snorkeling in Nusa Dua. Aisya jumped out of the water just after 5 minutes (gave Imran a chance to score points and annoyed her for the rest of the day).

Pecatu Beach. Freaking beautiful - clear blue water,  white sandy beach.

Strong current though - wished I was a surfing babe.

The beach won't be a 'virgin' for long. The area is  being heavily developed by Suharto's children (we were told) for the rich and famous.

Garlands of emerald-coloured seaweed... 

Can't get enough of it.. 

Uluwatu

Our only family portrait

Watching the famous Kecak Dance at Uluwatu Temple

while witnessing the setting sun... 

then ended the day with supposedly romantic candle-light seafood dinner at Jimbaran beach (we followed the Lonely Planet). If only I could see what I was eating...

Fisherman Snorkeling village in Blue Lagoon

View from Blue Lagoon

Rice fields

More rice fields.. 

View from the top of some mountain - near Mount Agung

Delish lunch at Lebih Beach

After one week of seeing too many temples and eating too much instant noodles (acceptable food is hard to find), we are glad to be home. So long Bali, till we meet again....