Music Monday: God Lives Underwater

I'm changing Music Video Monday to just Music Monday because videos keep getting pulled off of YouTube.


This week I've been looking for new music to get into. At the moment I'm really digging God Lives Underwater. They seem to be massively underrated. I'd never heard of them until a few days ago. If you like things like Depeche Mode or Nine Inch Nails you should check them out.

Child’s Play

Sometimes work seems more like play. That is one of the things I love about my job. Every time I work on a collection for children or babies I get to work hard at playing. Memories and experiences associated with childhood begin to surface and before I know it a line is being developed.

Child’s Play with Kate and Nate is a collection about the little people for the big people who are raising them. In addition to the alphabets and growth charts shown on earlier posts, is the entire collection of Kate and Nate shown below.

Bunday!

Found Objects

I've decided to start a new kind of post. On Saturdays I'm going to make a list of things I discovered during the week. They could be anything really. I'll see how it evolves.

• BabaLaptopbags: An amazing Etsy seller that makes Alice in Wonderland laptop bags. There are also bags with fairies, Pre-Raphaelite art, Japanese art, and bohemian art. They're all beautiful.
• Twestivals: People from Twitter volunteering to raise money for charities all around the globe.
• Last Man On Earth: Later to be remade as "The Omega Man" and more recently as "I Am Legend". You can watch the original for free.
  

Growing, Growing, Gone!

It doesn’t take long to out grow a growth chart, well, for most people anyway. I’m still hoping to reach that goal. At a tiny 4'11" I still have room to grow, but not expecting that to happen. My daughter has passed me by with four of five inches to spare. My son is gaining on me and I expect by next year I will become the shortest member in the family.

That’s one of those things you have a hard time foreseeing when you have little ones for so many years. Amazingly, it goes so quickly, and before you know it the kids are growing, growing, and then one day gone. Enjoy your kids while they’re little and look up to them as they grow. They look up to you right now!

These are the growth charts for the Child’s Play with Kate and Nate collection. A few additional inches have been added from the typical chart to give you just a little more time to watch your little ones sprout up.

Beauty On A Budget: Conditioner as Shaving Cream

I don't remember where I picked up this little tip but it's by far one of my favorite things that I've discovered. I used to use Skintimate shaving cream on my legs but I noticed that I was still nicking myself constantly and it didn't make my legs feel very smooth. Then I started using the conditioner I normally use on my hair. It made a huge difference. I almost never cut myself anymore and my legs feel incredibly soft afterward. If you use a more expensive conditioner and don't want to use it on your legs then just go buy a big bottle of the cheap stuff. I've saved loads of money this way and ended up with better results.

A Leg Up

Basically all day I've just been sitting and getting nothing done. This is because my right leg will not stop throbbing if I stand on it for more than five minutes. I don't know what I did to it. I hurt it a couple of months ago but it seemed like it had gotten better but now it hurts worse than ever. I don't like being forced to be still. I get restless really easy. I want to go jump rope and swing but I have to force myself to be content with reading instead (not that reading is bad, I love reading).

At least I have Pucca to cheer me up.

Bye Bye Summer

Today was my boyfriend's last day of summer vacation. He had a really short break in between semesters because he took summer classes. We spent every day of his break together. It was wonderful. I can't wait until I'm able to be with him every day all the time. I feel like we crammed a lot of stuff into the small amount of time we had. It was a lot of fun. We went to the park near my house a lot and just walked around and played frisbee and played on the swings. I loved every bit of it, except for getting bit by ants :P

I've finished up my classes and now I have to take a month break before I can afford to start anymore. I'm hoping I can use the time to get a lot of things done. I really need to clean out my room and figure out what things I want to sell and what I want to Freecycle. I'm also going to work on some Christmas presents (I know I'm crazy and super early). I wish I could write about it but my boyfriend reads this and all the things I'll be working on are for him. I'll post what I make after I give them to him. I'm super excited about some of the ideas I've got swirling around my head. I can't wait.

I am still here

Yes, I am still very much pregnant. Just hanging around, didn’t do much lately. Making final checking and preparation for the arrival of new baby. I stayed at home more often now, one is that I have been forbidden from driving car and secondly it has been raining last week. So little gal stayed at home and did not attended school for 2 days as her dad cannot send her to school and I was banned from driving. But since it is school holiday now and due to A H1N1 fear, I prefer to have her stay at home more than going to school.

Didn’t update much on this blog for the past 1 week, not that there is nothing much to update on my part, but I am lazy to sit and type a post. Lazy to crack my head. Lol! Most of the time, I will be FB-ing and farming and also doing some blog hopping, checking out on other friends’ blogs. I have stop farming for time being; as I wouldn’t be able to look after my farms while I am in my confinement, right? Gosh, I am sure I would miss FB-ing and blogging during that period, but I guess there are other priorities that suppress and fill up my times to think or do other things. Family!!

Today is my birthday. One year older and hopefully wiser. I started my day by getting little gal to sing "Birthday Song" to me......Hmm, don't I feel great to hear my daughter sang "Birthday Song" to me?? Lol! Last night, my sis invited us to steam boat buffet. She just received her investment payout from her insurance policy, so she made it a double celebration; one for my birthday and one because of the payout. We went to My House steamboat which is located at Jalan Pending. Oh, I love seafood. So before I confine myself for a month or so, I better taste all those yummy crabs, prawns and fishes. *wink* And little gal??? She was more interested in the ice stick!!





Thanks sis again for the nice dinner! I love you! And not forgetting to thank Dora for introducing me to a nice digital scrapbook website. Congratulations to Dora too, she has upgraded herself to "Mummy" not long ago. Welcome to mummyhood, my friend.

How is my very first digital scrapbook?? I have been looking around for user-friendly digital scrapbooking site, but couldn't find any till Dora told me this site last week. Still a lot to learn especially on cropping, editing etc; haven't really get down to touring around for tips and guidance. Will embark more on it soon.

Ready to go?

For many months I kept receiving good wishes, advices, encouragements and comments from friends on my pregnancy. Thank you very much. You all have been wonderful in making my pregnancy a much better endured journey. I know that you are looking forward to seeing my baby as much as I do. I hardly can wait to welcome him to the world.

I am now at week 38 and has been gaining more weight than ever. I am like a big balloon now. Other than occasional discomfort on my lower abdomen, I don't have any health issue. However lately I develop some joint pains on my fingers and pain on my soles when I walk around. You may not believe it, but I don't have a single stretch mark or develop any itches on my tummy. A pregnant friend couldn't believe it until I shown my tummy to her last week. Hahaha! She just couldn't believe it till she saw that I don't have stretch mark. I don't have one when I was pregnant with my first child. But my skin on the tummy is darker than the rest of my body of course, and green veins are more visible there.

My bag is packed for the trip to the hospital; but unlike previous visit, this time round, I wouldn’t be bringing many things. I remember in the last trip, my bag was so full with many stuff that in the end I did not even use any of those stuff. You know, baby clothes, baby stuff, those maternity pads, baby diapers and baby milk powder (no one told me that private hospital does give out milk cans and I brought back 2 small cans of milk powder home). What to do, I were a first-time mother and an anxious, eager and excited one too! Lol! You can say this time round, I am smarter and only bring what is necessary.

Just few weeks ago, I was sorting out baby stuff from boxes and containers. I brought out my little gal’s cloth diapers and some baby stuff from hampers given by well wishers. Wow! The diapers still looks new and white. So I have washed all those cloth diapers and they are ready to be used. I still have few feeding bottles and nipples that never used, so those are taken out as well. What ever that can be used, I taken it out just in case.

We did not buy any baby clothing as we still can used little gal’s baby clothing. Luckily we bought mostly white baby clothing last time, so it is unisex and can be worn on baby boy as well. *wink* Baby stuff are very expensive nowadays and you know, baby grows up fast. Hardly can buy and keep so many.

Well, that is! More or less I think I have everything! (I hope, gulp) Somehow, I feel like I miss something but I don't know what it is. I guess as I go along the confinement, I will know what it is. At least if I miss out anything, I can get help from hubby or SIL to do for me. On other part, I have get my baby sitter to assist me in picking up little gal from her school when it re-opens for new semester next month. At least I am sure she is well taken of during my confinement.

Hmm, I wonder who the baby will look like? Like me or hubby? Whatever it is, all I hope is that he is going to be a healthy, loving and happy baby.

Thoughts for Tots

I’m doing my part to keep the little people happy!

One of the collections I have been creating this summer keeps pulling me back to childhood, toddler-ville and even baby-land. Mostly, it reminds me of the sweet and simple time when one is beginning to play, explore, and learn . . . when a bug is the most amazing toy, ever! . . . when a kitten gives in to the pressure of becoming a ‘baby doll,’ . . . when one begins to understand that those funny shapes, people keep referring to as letters, actually start to make some sense.

Oh, the joys of learning the alphabet song and This Old Man. Just the mention of those childhood songs sends the tunes floating through one’s mind. Once we learn those childhood favorites, we are assured of keeping them in our memories for a lifetime.

The collection, Child’s Play with Kate and Nate, has been created to help keep those childhood traditions alive with projects and ideas to enjoy while the child is young, to preserve those memories when the child grows up, and to treasure as keepsakes for generations to come.

Here is just a piece of the Kate and Nate collection I wanted to share. Other pieces in this collection will follow over the next few days. 

Whether you’re young, or just young at heart, something you see here will likely trigger a wonderful memory from your childhood.

Now, I’ve learned my abc’s, tell me what you think of me!

Hunting for bento

I have been extremely lazy to go out nowaday unless I have to. Weather plus my heavy body I don't like to move much. Except sending and picking my daughter from pre-school, I only drive to nearby neighbourhood mall to get groceries and necessity.

There is a 100 Yen shop that opened few months ago in RH Plaza. I visited the shop thrice and found that there is not much varieties in there. Probably the enterprenuer is still stocking up stocks as there is a notice that saying so.

Actually when they opened, I was pretty excited because finally I would be able to find a good place to buy bento stuff. But turned out, they don't have anything of that sort. Mostly are kitchen helpers, cutleries, cookery and Japanese noodles. I am looking for some cute bento equipment like those rice cutters and snack boxes, but they don't have them. Yeah, they have lunch boxes, but they are too shallow for my little gal to bring to school.

Hmm, probably I will make a visit soon and see whether they have stock up more products, and hopefully some bento stuff.

Early celebration

I have always love the month of August!! Why? Because it is the month of my birth. Last night, hubby treated me to an early birthday dinner. My birthday is in 2 two weeks time but hubby is worry that baby may come out earlier. Lol! Well, I guess I am a time bomb, don't know when the time is up, right? I don't mind celebrating it earlier anyway! And ouch! It means I am adding 1 more year to my age soon. Nah, never mind, I am still young. People said I don't look my age of 32. *laugh* I am going to have a wonderful birthday gift this year. You know what??

A Virgo baby. Yes. That is the best birthday gift I ever have. My baby would be a Virgo baby, just like the mummy and paternal grandmum. I went for my check-up today and doctor said the baby is weighing 2.9kg now. Head is down, so that is why I have some discomfort and pain on the lower part. Doctor also issued an admission letter just in case I am due early as few of her September-due patients have unexpected early delivery few days ago. Alright, all I need to do now is waiting for the baby when he is ready to come out to this world. *smile*

Let check out what we had for my birthday dinner. We gone for Western cuisine; once a while we are bored with rice. Lol!



Hubby was having his usual dish, duck breast ala orange. The duck meat was succulent and tasty.



And of course, he has alfredo too. Duck breast was too little for a big guy like him. Lol!



As for me, after thinking and scanning the menu few times, I settled for oven roasted cajun chicken with linguine. The chicken was very nice and tender.

Smile!

Sorry I haven't been around much lately, I've been a bit busy. I was compelled to post something when I got my mail today. I requested Smile Cards a little while ago and they showed up today. I'm excited to start using them. The basic idea is to do a random anonymous act of kindness and leave behind one of these cards so that hopefully the person that receives it will continue the kindness. If you want to request your own cards or read more about it visit helpothers.org

Check Out Take Out

I just discovered my “Chinese Take Out” fabric collection on the Fat Quarter Shop website. The release for these fabrics is due out in September or October. To get a peek at the entire collection go to the Northcott website and you will see both colorways available. There is the teal and brown set which is my personal favorite and the lime and black set as well.

To learn more about this collection you can scroll down to an earlier post dated Thursday, February 26, “Far East, but not so far away” in which I talk about the inspiration for this collection.

I am hoping to make some pj’s out of the “swaying lanterns” or “big fish, little pond” print. I’d love to hear what any of you might make with the fabrics.



Here is a bit of the song by Erving Berlin “Little Fish in a Big Pond”

A little fish in a big pond has gotta have lots of heart
For swimming around are big fish, but if he’s the least bit smart

Back to his little pond he doesn’t go
The little fish spreads his fins and begins to
grow, grow, grow.