I'm still here...

Okay, I admit.... I haven't been following my own advice. The last time I published a blog post was nearly half a year ago....

But I'm here now.

The weather hasn't been great lately and it's been nothing but rain, rain, rain, rain...

On the plus side, there is no gardening to be done in the rain, so we can continue to ignore the front lawn which is rapidly turning into a tropical jungle due to the excessive amount of rainfall.

I have been quite activing on the sewing and crochet front, and am anxious to show you a few pictures of the latest products!

Right now, I am late for an IT training programme but I promise, I shall be back shortly.

Have a happy Friday, leading to an enjoyable and relaxing weekend :)

It warms my heart...

Every year Chinese New Year, one greeting card will always turn up at my door step without fail, even when I've never managed to send any out in return, this particular CNY greeting card will still arrive, on schedule.

This year, there is no exception.

Sitting proudly on my sewing table, is this special CNY greeting card which truly warms my heart and makes me appreciate how lucky I am to have her as a friend.

You know who you are... I just want to tell you this CNY greeting card means the world to me and although you haven't got mine in return, I want to wish you a prosperous, happy and healthy year of the Dragon, with all your dreams, aspirations and wishes coming true. You're truly one, fantastic friend to have and to cherish! Love ya!

On Chinese New Year and everything nice...

From my last post until now, I can promise you that I did try to post a few times but they never resulted in anything concrete that was 'post-able' if you know what I mean...

Almost three weeks ago we ushered in another new year and what's my thinking for 2012?

Do I want to set another list of new year's resolutions which ultimately I couldn't live up to? (that's the norm, like do more exercise, eat more healthy food, be more active, etc, I'm sure you've got them in your list?)

So when Steve asked me what my new year resolution was, I said 'to contiue to be happy in life'. It's quite a simple one, don't you think? Such is life, no matter what you do, what position you're in, how much money you've got or how much money you earn, ultimately, if none of the above makes you happy, then there is no point.

Having said that, being happy doesn't mean that you have to improve or change your life dramatically...sometimes, it is as simple as changing your perspective in life.

I must admit I am a simple person with simple pleasures. For me, being happy can include being able to finish work on time, go home, kick off my shoes and snuggle under the blanket in front of the telly with a hot cup of tea.

Another example? Being happy means getting a phone call from the other half telling me that dinner for the night is sorted, and all we need to do is to heat it up...

There comes a point in life when you struggle to find the meaning of happiness. For me, it changes according to surrounding events, my mood and my hormones (if you're female, you will agree).

Last two weeks, I wasn't feeling very happy mainly because I found out that one of my high school friends was fighting against cancer. Eventually, the sad news came that she had succumbed to the horrible illness. Instantly facebook was full of tributes to her and everybody who knew her shared the sad news....

Gradually, people started moving on and talks of the Chinese New Year celebration started to dominate facebook and life resumed normal again...

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, as humans, our normal instinct is to come to terms with sadness, pick ourselves up and move on again to a place where there is happiness...

If you are stuck at a place where you can't find happiness, don't keep looking in the same place. Spread out your search, open up your mind and space.

Before I end this post about happiness, I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone I know, a very happy and prosperous year of the Black Water Dragon. If you're due to have a baby this year, may you have a healthy and happy Baby Dragon... If you're due to get married this year, may you have a blessed and wonderful long marriage ... If you are just being you, plodding along in life, I wish you all the happiness that life can offer to you...

恭喜发财

I'm back!!!

Yesss, back to my old self and feeling chirpier, relaxed and creative again!

And the best thing is, after months of a sewing lull, I'm slowing getting back into it again and it feels great. The bag that I promised a friend to make is coming along nicely and hopefully not long after this i shall be able to post some pictures to show you.

So what's been happening lately in my life? I guess one of the many highlights is that a really dear friend from Miri visited last week and we spent a great few days just catching up, relaxing and enjoying good food. Among some of the lovely Malaysian food that she brought along with her was durian cake, much missed by yours truly, a variety of sambal, dried prawn crackers, dried sotong and many, many more! I was overwhelmed, to say the least!

Another highlight was probably the fact that after 18 long months I've finally reached the stage where I was eligible for a phone upgrade and I went for a BlackBerry Torch. At first I wasn't sure about it, mainly because it was another 24 month contract and I wasn't sure if I wanted to get tied down to such a long contract but seeing that the trial period of 14 days to return the phone is coming up to an end very soon, I guess i'm kind of stuck with it now, aren't I! Oh well...I like the phone anyway...let's hope I'll still like it 12 months later... Gulp!

The recent rioting in England has raised many questions in terms of parenting skills, the irresponsible young generation and how easy it is for a group of yobs to go on a rampage for days before things got under control. It's also interesting to see various intellectuals with their theories behind the causes for the series of violence across the country... Among some possible causes mentioned were jobless and frustrated youths; senselessness; and gangsterism. But now it's emerged that some of the offenders charged consisted of a teaching assistant, a University student and a young mother, none of whom were, jobless, senseless nor a gangster!

I shook my head in disbelief as I watched clips of interview on the street where these offenders spoke openly and 'righteously' of their intention to continue looting and demonstrating violence until they are caught! I have run out of items of vocabulary to describe this surreal unfortunate incident. Only one word comes to mind - UNBELIEVABLE.

On that note, I'm declaring myself tired and sleepy and I'm off to bed. Hopefully when I see you next i'll be able to share pictures of my latest project!

Ps: T.G.I.F


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Guilt sucks...

It's been officially one month since I started my new job and I'm still coping...

Took me one week just to get my head round the structure of the job and what it entails...

Then it was another week setting up meetings and getting to know various important people who i'll be working closely with...

I spent the third week trying to understand and memorise acronyms and technical jargons - PQQ, ITT, CEQLW, COMPRE, DDRE, CRE, T&C ... I know, you tell me...

Then last week I had a minor surgery at the hospital and am now still recovering from the effect of anaesthetic...

So overall, a full-on month... Which is also a month riddled with a sense of guilt... I haven't been doing much sewing and i know I promised a friend I would make a pretty nappy bag for her and until today I still haven't managed to deliver... You know who you are...please be patient and I promise I'll finish your lovely bag before your beautiful little girl turns 18!!

Summer has started but Steve and I still haven't managed to go for a swim in the sea... The weather though has been great, was perhaps not warm enough yet (I'm such a whooz) ...hopefully the weather will properly pick up soon and we can go for an after work swim like we did a few times last year... So refreshing and relaxing...

Okay, I'm going to bed...another intense day at the office tomorrow, trying to unravel more mysteries through reading contracts, emails and agreement forms! Exciting stuff!!! On the plus side, most of my new colleagues are helpful and nice, which makes thing a lot easier...

Good night.

Change.

So it's a bit strange right now. I've been waiting for this moment for quite sometime. And when you've been in such anticipation for something to take place, quite often the reality of it is somehow quite different from what you've imagined.

I've always known that i'll miss sitting opposite DSC, but I didn't expect to feel....lonely. In my previous job, there is me, DSC sitting opposite me, and my boss in her room but still near enough to shout for me, asking me what the date was. So when I found out I was moving to a bigger department with a much bigger group of colleagues, I was ecstatic. I said to DSC, finally a chance to mingle in a REAL office environment, with more than 3 people in the office. I was so wrong. In a much, much bigger office, everybody minds their own business and you feel more lonely than ever, especially if you're new and everything seemed so unfamiliar. I told DSC today that I felt like Joey in 'Friends' when he moved out temporarily from Chandler's apartment on his own. Lonely, 'office' sick and lost. DSC assured me that things will get better through time but we'll see. The highlight of the day is DSC bringing me my favourite chocolate - kinder bueno with White chocolate. I was almost reduced to tears by the kind gesture. The only consolation in this is that I've only moved to the office next door so I still get to see DSC, which is comforting. But the downside is when the old boss couldn't find the marker pens in the stationery cupboard, she decides to go to your new office instead of sending you an email about it, or look more closely in the cupboard.

Anyway, tomorrow is another training day so I'd better go to bed now. Good night.

Blessing in disguise

I am utterly and completely in love with the new toy that I've recently acquired. It happened like this: it was last Wednesday; I was working really hard to finish off a birthday present for a dear friend on the sewing machine, and I could see the end coming near. Then my sewing machine had other plans and decided to stop working! Needless to say, I was feeling absolutely frustrated by it!!! So I rang up the company I bought it from just to be told that the whole of their service department is shut till end of June!! Alas! One whole month without sewing? So, being the way I am, I've decided that the solution to my problem, is to get another machine while I wait till the end of the month to send my machine to be repaired. Drastic but absolutely necessary.

It was almost love at first sight. Although being sensible, I did originally purchase a much, much cheaper reconditioned New Home sewing machine just to find that I was struggling with it every five minutes so I had to take it back the next day. It was destined, the union between me and my beloved.

Although I did make an effort to start looking at other new machines that were a lot cheaper than my beloved, my mind and attention kept drifting back to 'the one'.

To be honest, even if the salesman had been speaking Russian, I would have bought it, regardless. Steve calls me 'every salesman's wet dream'. But to be fair, just so you don't think that I'm a complete loony, the salesman made his sales with two things - all original packaging, manuals and accessories that came with the machine were still there, even with the free thread that came with it. Pretty amazing! Also, if it turns out that I wasn't coping well with the machine, I can take it back to the shop(when I made that request, the salesman said confidently - Trust me, you wont bring this back to us!) So away we went, 15 minutes later, me lugging the big brick of the machine back to my car and i was grinning from ear to ear. When I said all original packaging, I really meant all ORIGINAL packaging. Check this out!


Can you see the label? I find it so fascinating! So out comes the machine in its hard case.


The first glimpse of my beloved. By now, you can probably see that it's the famous Bernina. But this is not just any Bernina! Let's see more pictures.


Side view of the case. Are you as excited as I am?


I read up extensively about this range and knew that this 'cord' that keeps the box shut is most commonly missing so I made sure that it was there.



Tada!! Open sesame! I love how the power cable coils around the back. And you can just about see the extension table clipped on the inside of the case.


Yup, it's a Bernina 900 Nova from the 80's! And I L.O.V.E it!


I especially love this. See the flower symbol? How cute is that?


Handy drawer at the bottom of the case.


How cute is that?! I just had to have it! And this vintage baby, is a solid metal beauty!!


All original accessories in tact. The gap is of course the presser foot that's attached to the machine.


I'm already thinking about expending this. The best thing is, although the machine's no longer being manufactured, I can still get the parts online.


Full set of tools. Including even the tube of oil at the end slot.

For a spare and reconditioned machine, it wasn't cheap. And I've probably paid over the odds too. That night, I didn't get to 'testdrive' it as we were heading to Taunton for a wedding, so I had to wait an agonising two days before I could get my hands on it. And when I finally had chance to try it, I knew then, that I had made the right decision... It was a dream, sewing on it. I mean my Husqvarna Viking 203 isn't bad at all, but this vintage Bernina Nova 900 was, different.

So I managed to finish the project in no time at all. The stitch quality was superb; and it was in every way, perfect! Although the machine was almost 30 years old, it didn't feel like that at all.

Upon seeing how excited I was by the Bernina, Steve planted an evil seed in my mind - get my Husqvarna Viking fixed, and then trade that in for a new, modern Bernina! To that I replied, but the new ones are so expensive!! But deep down, I'm mulling over the possibility...

Dangerous! I think i'll let me bank account recover first, and then i'll probably think about it. For the time being, I'm still smitten with my new love...(forgive my disloyalty my dear Husqvarna Viking)...