Monogrammed Pressies

Like almost every year, well, it has been so for the last few years, I like to make gifts for friends during Christmas. 

It is a yearly routine. Around May or June, I would start thinking about things I can make to give away during Christmas. 

Please, hold your thoughts if you think I am some Santa Claus or whatever. Now, with that thought held, banish it!

=)

That is because the reason for gifts this festive season is because God first gave us the greatest gift, His Son, Jesus Christ to forgive us of our sins. 

Ain't that great??

Okay, now back to the gifts I made this year.

I decided to make monogrammed bowls. Actually, my initial plan was to make monogrammed mugs... but when I got to Ikea, there were no mugs that I could scribble on, not that I wanted to scribble... 

ANYWAYS, I just got bowls. 

If you want to know where I got my inspiration from (and the reason that my initial plan was to monogram mugs) you can click the on the link.

Monogrammed Mugs

After I bought it, I Facebook messaged my cousin from New Zealand asking her if she got me my porcelain pens because they don't sell them in Malaysia.

She said no.

She didn't get it!!!

Dilemma, dilemma, dilemma.

WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I GOING TO DO WITH SO MANY BOWLS AT HOME????

MY MOM IS GOING TO KILL ME!!

As it is, I am (to her) a hoarder. 

I know I am not one, but she classifies me that way, so I am going to tell you what I am classified as.

Next move?

I need to get through to her to HELP me!!

I mean, I can't use Sharpie to write on bowls, the ink would just come off after one wash! And I am sure you would not want to have poisonous ink stuck to your food stuff.

EEEEEK!

So anyways, I prayed and I begged and bla bla bla...

And, look below!!

I GOT IT!

She came back around a week before Christmas and passed those precious pens to my hands.

It is around NZD8.99 so... okay, I shall not convert it to MYR. Too lazy.

Almost instantly, I started on the project!

Catherine (my cousin that brought back those pens) and I got the fonts printed, cut and traced, using graphite paper (or carbon paper).

One important tip is to use a pen to trace. I don't know why but with a pencil, the graphite does not really stain the bowl well. I guess carbon is softer that the tip of a ball point pen.

After sticking them and tracing them...

It was all going according to plan.

After tracing, we slowly peeled off the two layers. If you want to do this also, remember to check if the graphite is transferred before you peel of the whole thing.

Then, it's the scary part.

Writing on the alphabets that were traced!
I didn't dare to do polka dots and other designs because I was afraid that I would ruin it. But I don't think it looks that bad from the picture right?

After 24 hours, I baked it in the oven at 150 degrees Celsius for 35 minutes.

AND IT IS DONE!!!!!

After looking at it, the bowl looked a little weird to be given as a Christmas present just like that so I baked sugar cookies, thanks to Martha Stewart.

So yeah, mine was not that great, seriously.

But I hope those of you who ate it felt the LURVE I poured into making the cookie. 

That was about what I did for Christmas pressies this year.

Last year, it was skirts for the girls and chocolate cookies for the guys.

The year before last was box files with some memorabilia...

I wonder what I'll be up to next year. =) 

MERRY BELATED CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR folks!  

Merry Christmas 2011

It's the season again!

The season to celebrate the birth of my savior in a humble manger and it is all because God wanted to save us from ourselves!

I love this season!

I am writing this blogpost in a very non-traditional way, an that is, on an IPad, in my hotel living room.
No no, I don't own an iPad, it's my cousin's.

But I am not here to blah blah blah about my shopping trip, maybe because I have not found my Christmas shoes. But it's okay, Christmas is not about new shoes. Maybe God is trying to tell me new shoes don't matter, I can find them another day. :)

Okay, in the last post, I asked all of you to stay tuned for something special, and yes, it is special, to me,
That is because I have never done this before.

Let me breathe a second, it's scary and exciting at the same time.

I recorded something.

Well, actually Nirosha helped me record something for this blog post.
So yeah, the video below is me singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing!

So yeah, I hope you 'enjoyed' it.

Merry Christmas everybody!

And may Jesus be glorified!

Where are my Oxfords?

If you know me well, you would also know that I am also very particularly obsessed about shoes.

AND, since my exams are over, the focus shifts to the pair of shoes I want to get for myself for Christmas. But let me tell you this, there is a very very high chance that I ain't getting any Christmas shoes this time around.

Sigh.

I know what I want and they are the Oxfords to die for!!!!

Sadly, they are also non-existent, except for the only pair that is only available in my imagination and they are not for sale. 

I went to KL two weeks ago with the hopes of hunting for my perfect pair of oxfords but nothing. I got nothing. Four days of hunting high and low and nothing.

That was when my mom introduced online shopping to me-not that I don't already know that, it's just that I usually check the items out and get it because I am able to try it out then, but desperate times call for desperate measures...

Guess what?

Still nothing!!!

Well, there was one that caught my eye, but it takes two weeks for delivery. By then. Christmas would be over and it would be Chinese New Year shoes instead. 

Don't even talk to me about Chinese New Year because it just spoils my Christmas mood. I mean, I don't get why some people are hanging up Chinese New Year ornaments and decorations and playing horrid Chinese New Year songs when we should be dreaming of snow and Christmas trees and Jesus coming to earth to save us from eternal damnation.

Okay, there I go again, digressing from my own topic.

Back to shoes.

I went online to find if the shoes I want does exist, maybe somewhere in the world.

The closest I got to was this picture below.

Don't ask me who it is from because I was more concerned about the design of the shoes. I regret not finding out who it is by.
But yes, I really like the design of this oxford, the heel is thick and retro-ish, just like I want it to be. It would be PERFECT if I could just delete the platforms and paint it ruby red.

No such thing.

This is okay but I don't want anymore of shoes with heels like this because I think I have a couple of heels and my mom just shakes her head when she sees them because she says she goes weak in the knees when she sees the height and the width of the heel.

Sorry mom, but I am just crazy over shoes!!!

And this season, it's just oxfords. I don't know why but maybe because I have been introduced to more corporate functions that I usually am and it is (I guess) natural to crave for something more hip for the occasion.

The outcome of the online shopping only led me to this pair which is, amazingly, less than RM100 and it is suede!

But nah, it is not appropriate for me to wear this kind of shoe in Malaysia. I mean, fashion is fashion but I also believe in functional fashion. I certainly do not want to be a fashion victim when it comes to shoes. I do have to admit that I have been a casualty of fashion because of my laziness...it is almost incurable but I believe that the good Lord is changing me even right now, one reason why I am up at 3AM in the morning still typing away on my bed.

What do you think about the pair? It would be great if I could strut along with this pair in like some other country that is blessed with four different climates in a year. Don't get me wrong, I do love the climate in Malaysia. In fact I love a lot of things about Malaysia... there is just some problems between... oh no, should not say it here...

So there, my dilemma on getting new kicks is still a dilemma. Should I go down to KL again to hunt for them? Or just hunt for it in Penang? I don't really know. 

Well, I must remind myself that Christmas is not about new shoes but is about Christ. So yeah, I have a little surprise coming up in my blog and I really do hope you people will like it. 

Stay tuned!!! 

P/S Please whisper a prayer for me so I can find a pair of shoes (Oxfords please!!) that I want for a very good/cheap price. Thank you. =P  

Have I Told You Lately...

No no... the next phrase does not say... 'that I love you'.

To all of you who didn't understand that, well, you are forgiven for not listening to more songs on LiteFM.

But, yes, I would like to announce something.

JENG JENG JENG

I am quite over mysterious Chinese guy!

YAYYYYY!!!!

I must admit that I was rocking to and fro, to and fro and I was heart broken and I was trying to be strong and I was also trying to understand myself and the problem I have gotten myself into.

It took pleading prayers, on the fence prayers, reasoning prayers and all that nonsense.

It worked.

It WORKED.

I am so relieved.

There were also a few other things that helped me get over him.

For one thing, it was not seeing him. At all.
We never talk much, so that was not an issue.

I talked to Mookie, Gabe, Benice and Rachel Ooi to get it out of my system. However, everytime I tried to get it out of my system, it kind of hit me double or triple fold before I became normal again.
But it's a process, and I am so glad I got support from my close friends.

I also thank God for this friend who set the point of my complete change of heart.

THANK YOU NIROSHA.

I remember her saying, 'If you were ever going to have a relationship with him, I would never have approved because you deserve so much more, even though he is so nice and all that stuff.'

She also went on to say, 'You are a class above, you do not need to dwell on this, you need to know that you are worth more than that and it is your loneliness talking.'

Then another was, 'I see that you pray to your God and I am sure that he has that someone in mind for you, you just have to wait because this guy is not the one.'

Well, thank you my dear.

I am almost at the end of my recovery and NO I am not interested in anyone just yet because I just want my heart to be so lost in God and when the right guy comes seeking Him, He will point him to me... when the time comes.

Praise the Lord for He is truly good!

At Broga

Seriously speaking, it is not even legal to blog about this because this happened like...AGES ago. 

Well, before I write anything more, I would like to say sorry for delaying every single post I have ever wanted to write ever since my last. It has been really hectic in Kampar (and yes yes and yes, I keep saying the words hectic and busy and no time all of the time) and now, despite my upcoming exams, that will be Public Administration on Monday, I have allocated my time for procrastination for blogging.

Do I hear a resounding 'YAY'???

Okay, nevermind.

So at the beginning of this semester- that would also be ending this coming Monday when my exams are over- the student leaders of UTAR and I went for a leadership camp in Broga which is somewhere at the border of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. I am not too sure which part of the state we were in because at one point we passed the border to Negeri Sembilan but we were still in Selangor? 

A teeny bit confusing.

But that information is not very important so let me just skip that.

TAADAA!!!!

The picture above is a campsite at Broga called Outbac, the place where we had our camp. It is a rather pleasant place, though we had to sleep in containers and had a detached public toilet which I am not too used to.

But who cares, I was ready to have some serious FUN!

And maybe you would like to read the above notice that the management stuck to the walls and doors in the toilet.

Some sense of humour eh?

I didn't know what to expect for this camp. It's just that I have been organizing camps for the past few years I have forgotten how it felt like to be the participants in a camp. I also forgot the feeling of being forced to do silly things.

And some of them were so crazy tough!

The first activity was fairly easy... just some rope crossing which was quite easy. *beaming with pride*

But that was not all, that was just the surface, the rest of the camp just proved that I am such a wimp.

Sad story.
True story.

Cool picture of Vancy doing the Nitro Crossing.

Thank God there was none of me.

I tried to do it, after a disastrous round of the obstacle course where I got all dirty when I did the commander crawl (seriously, it was easier in National Service), and the horrific jumping and slippery monkey bars which I am always able to do but could not because all the strength that was left in me has depleted.

I scored bad scratches from the commander crawl and when I did the nitro crossing, I just fell in the middle of my flight and I landed on (no points for guessing) my badly scratched knees.

I got up.

I felt the pain.

Then it went numb.

And then I could feel the warm trickling blood flow down to my feet.

I ignored it. Not good to create a scene.

No worries, I got some people to tend to my wounds afterwards.

The next day was the worst of it all.

Everything had to do with defying gravity.

The one above sent a branch (with a diameter of approximately of at least 8 centimeters) falling near our heads!

The next one was called Leap of Faith.

THAT WAS THE WORST!

I thought I was going to die!!!!

Each one of us had to climb up a tree that was about two storeys high, stand on a tiny platform and jump off to catch a stupid stick in front that was, to my brain after deciphering what my eyes see, quite far and I have relatively short arms and and and..... UGH!

I was on top of the tree for more than seven long minutes screaming for help while everybody, at first amused, got bored and counted for me to just jump.

I jumped at last, to everyone's relief, not to catch the bar in front but I just slid down to my imaginary death.

Heights is this incredible phobia that I can't seem to get out of.

Sigh...

Next up was the Flying Fox.
I think I have done this a thousand times so I am not too jittery about this one.

But oh, this flying fox was like FOUR CRAZY STOREYS HIGH!

The biggest challenge was just to get up because the stairs was so NARROW and I was just focused on looking up because it was WAYYYYY to scary to look down.

But I did it!

THANK YOU LORD!!!

Above his Yong Jian doing his victory pose after a long way down from the scary platform where we lift off to do the flying fox.

Goodness.

Now I know why I can never ever go on fear factor or anything that needs me to get off good 'ol earth.

Thank God I am not a bird or some flying creature.

Okay, enough talking about stuff that requires my feet to be off the ground.

Let's talk FOOD. As a Penangite, it is what matters most.
Unfortunately, it is not what matters in camp.

I.AM.NOT.JOKING.

The food was like, little?

We had ONE chicken wing per meal, one clove of whatever vegetable that was cooked that day, and maybe a little pickled cucumber and oh, I need to tell you how the egg was served. It was plain omelette, cooked thinly, like at the max it was 3 milimeters thick and you only get a little SLICE of it.

It was sad.

The bare minimum to eat so you know that you have eaten.

But actually, it was good, for me.

I just kept that habit for the whole semester and VOILA, I lost 4kgs.

FOUR KILOS!

Woot woot!!!!!!

I thank God that on the second night, we were not just limited to those dishes because we get to BARBECUE! 

Phew...

Later, we had this camp fire stuff that was SO AWESOME!!! There were fire eaters and other performances that were very enjoyable but the most fantastic thing, I will reveal at the very end of this post. 

Hold your horses and don't cheat by scrolling down to the very last picture of this post okay? Promise me this.

=D

The next day, all of us woke up at 4.45AM.

Yes.

After an exhausting day, we just had to make plans that require us to be up at a ridiculous time.

Why?

BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO HIKE UP BROGA HILL!!

I was so hyped my eyes just flashed open at the sound of my alarm. 

At 5.30AM, we were walking out from the campsite to the foot of the hill. Not all the campers went up for the hike, we were just some of those crazy ones eager to be 'on top of the world'.

But let me tell you this, it was WORTH IT!

It was a scary climb because when we were nearing the top, there was like this really steep slope where you have nothing to hold on to because it's just, well, the red earth! At your back, it is the view of everything you should see when you actually reach the top, it was scary. Like I told you before, heights are not good for my heart and my head.

But of, the sense of accomplishment when we reached the TOP!

SEE SEE SEE????

Of course, I would not dare stand up on the rock like Mr. Paul there because, yes, complete the sentence for me... I am afraid of???

Wonderful!

You have reading quite intently.

Or maybe I have just been repeating myself for throughout the whole post.

With a great hike, I also had WONDERFUL company.

With the the other SRC members plus the ever caring Jeannie and the very quiet Ah Pang, it made the hike complete.

After a long time at the top of the hill, taking pictures and doing really silly poses, it was time to go down. My new Nike soles gave way. (Seriously Nike, you are so not doing a good job, I shall resort to Adidas next time)

At the foot of the hill again, we had a good time drinking up coconut water, took pictures of some tree vipers we saw while the rubber tappers were tapping the rubber trees.

But those were the minor details.

When we went back, the others were playing some hide and seek game we were not too keen on playing much less ask for details of the game. After packing and all, we were ready to leave for Kampar, of course, after dropping off all the other students from the Sg. Long, Petaling Jaya and Setapak Campus students.

And oh, before I forget...what I wanted you to see!!

ISN'T THIS SPECTACULAR??

I absolutely loved this!!!

It was more wonderful to be able to see it. The flying circling lights!!

It was so lovely and romantic. Of course, if my non-existent boyfriend was there with me, it would have been much better, but then, I was quite satisfied having my two girlfriends, Vancy and Jeannie with me to watch it.

There was so many other stuff that happened during the camp that I could not possible narrate to you here, but oh, it was lovely. It was tough and yucky because I had to get down and dirty in mud and stinky water, battle with my fear of heights and all that but everything done with friends will always be fun.