Creative Odyssey My Love for Sewing Books

I have this crazy thing of buying and browsing sewing books.

And I must admit that I am ashamed to say that I have not made used of them. I have bought and sold an Amy Butler book... wahhhh... and I have in my hot little hands this one which I think is a gem. I just took a picture live from my bed, with blogger screen behind the book. This is because I sleep next to the book. It is a constant reminder that I have done NOTHING with it.

I have no valid excuses either, I have not one but TWO sewing machines. I think my friend has used my Janome more than I have. :( And I have owned my brand new Janome for about 19 months now.

This book is brilliant because it uses One Yard of fabric in all the projects. Of course it only has clothes for little girls and luck would have it that I would have two boys and there is nothing in there for them. In my cupboard is a box of fabric just mocking me as well. So on this creative odyssey, I have decided to make it a mission to do at least one project from this book.

Something small that does not require much in terms of haberdashery. Otherwise it would result in yet another reason to procrastinate. Also the excuse of I have two babies under the age of 2 might be a more valid excuse. Watch this space and I shall return!!

On another note, it is possible to go on holiday with 2 under 2. It was both wonderful and horrific at the same time. Never again until they are at least 6!!

Phone call this afternoon!!

And it was my gorgeous high school friend Meilinda... by the way this LA fashion writer is a star alright! She had a speaking role in Lost. LOST!!

Anyhoos, Meilinda calls me Hwei Ling... and I'm like erm.. who could this be? Her American accent is gloriously excited and rattling off her Thanksgiving menu to me. It includes Wolfgang Puck, Jamie Oliver, Rachel Ray ... And I asked ooh what are you making? Wolfgang Puck -> fancyyyyy. She said she was making Baked Apple Pouches.

Oh this could be good, I tried to google and it sounds interesting. Apple in egg roll skins and baked. I had to admit that I had to google "what is egg roll skins". The shame of not identifying a Chinese cooking ingredient. But it is the American name that threw me off. The recipe is on Wolfgang Puck's website how eggciting! I want to make this and it is a shame that I cannot find a picture of it. I hope to get a good picture before we wolf it down.

She rang me to ask if my little L still fits in 3months sized clothing. I said it's ok, it's American sizing, I will squeeze him in it!! I'm feeling lots of love from my friends lately. So many overseas and old friends have been visiting, calling and communicating. Loves it.

Hate these bits of cooking!

I love cooking.. well I don't mind it. I love eating more so someone's gotta cook.
That someone has been me recently since Mick's new working hours suck eggs. Things I hate doing when cooking ...

1) Cutting pumpkins, is there anything worse than fighting with a big chunk of pumpkin? I have decent knives too, so I am not sure what I did before getting said decent knives. I think I was hacking them apart with a big cleaver!

2) Deep frying, I love fried food. Hello fried chicken soaked in buttermilk mmmmm... but I hate doing it. It's always so gross, so tedious and so annoying. Then what the heck do you do with that pot of oil after???

3) Washing up afterwards, I am not sure what I did before I had a dishwasher. Pray tell!? What did I do?!? I remember our little one bedroom flat, tiniest kitchen sink and I had the biggest pots!

4) Stirring risotto, my arms.. they hurt. I love risotto, hate stirring it.

What are some of the stuff you hate when cooking?

Wedding Gowns - What do you do with them??

A friend of mine who is recently engaged said that she wants to buy her gown instead of doing what Singaporeans usually do and hire one. So I told her to take mine instead. She looked all excited and held the dress against herself and kept looking in the mirror. I felt so happy looking at the dress again. I have not taken her out of the bag since the wedding. She said she is Sz 8/10 and will not fit in the dress but I told her to alter it to fit. I mean it's been hanging in the wardrobe since the wedding. Surely if it makes someone else happy, they should take it!

So here's the challenge, who wants to bet that after two kids, I can still fit in my corset wedding gown? Please leave bets and challenge in comments. I have bought the images from my wedding photographer. I should really upload the full res images as the ones he originally gave us do not do it justice.

And back to the subject, what have you done with your wedding gown?

Friends!

I got really excited when an email dropped into my inbox. A friend of mine from when we were 18 from Singapore!! She said that she is in Gold Coast with her new fiance and she is going to come down to Melbourne to meet up with me! Just for me!! And she is leaving him behind in GC and coming down by herself. It's awesome!!

This makes me think and wonder if I have ever gone the extra mile for a friend. So I think I better start looking at who I have not visited lately and make an effort. :)

So look around you and think who haven't you caught up with lately and perhaps try to make the effort. I guarantee you that it is appreciated!!

My big boy is 18months old ..

Wow I truly win worst mother award. On Thursday, someone in my mothers' group asked if Pork Chop was 18months. I said no not yet.. I thought he would be 18months in December. MY BAD!!! It was the 4th this month, which was Thursday when they asked me.

This means -> weigh in for big D so I finally get to find out how much this boy weighs! I don't know where he shoves and keeps all his food. This coming Thursday, I have to take both boys to the child health centre. This should be scary and interesting as most people would know I seldom go out with both boys. Only in dire situations where I had to take both of them to the GP with me for Pickle's 6 week checkup.

By staying home for a few months with Pork Chops and Pickles, Porky has somehow got closer to me. We have our own games that he only plays with me. Poor Mick is really upset that he doesn't get to play what we call Where's Daniel. He will run away from me and I call out.. Where's D? Where's DD? And he turns around looks at me with the biggest smile and I yell out. THERE YOU ARE!! There's DD. And he runs towards me and hugs me. It is the sweetest thing.

There are days when I think what on earth am I doing with 2 kids and the oldest is only 1.5years old. Now that the return to work date is so close. I am starting to feel sad. My boys need me. Pork chop used to not play with me before this. Now we have secret things that I do to make him laugh. And Pickles is still going really really well with his breastfeeds. I thought by now he would be on formula. The guilt is getting to me. I am bordering on PND being at home and most days I do not go anywhere. Little wonder why I am vitamin deficient. But my boys are so adorable that I just really wished that I could be a stay at home mum and be happy being one.

Anyway, enough of the sappy sad stuff. Happy 18mths to Pork Chop. My little gorgeous boy!

Bake bake bake!

There is a lady in my mothers group that always amazed me. I always thought she was the ultimate domestic goddess. The house was ALWAYS clean, you could spring a visit and it will be guest worthy. Unlike cough ... mine! So for the almost 18months that I have known her, I always thought she was a baker and crazy good cook. I mean the woman makes curry from scratch... I use Asian Gourmet ... the shame and FAIL. She would be one of those that rocks up to your place with a plate of cupcakes.

We had a meet at her place the other day. I rocked up with two babies and I had not seen them in ages. I would say about 2months. So I scoffed chocolate cake into my mouth and handballed my smallest one to the other clucky mothers. In my head I am thinking omg this cake is so good and her oven must be fantastic as the bottom was not overcooked. It was evenly baked and so moist. I am no chocolate cake lover so scoffing this much cake in my mouth means this cake is really good. I put a mental note in my head to get the recipe from her. Guess what, it was packet mix. My jaw dropped and my ideas of how she is a total domestic goddess just went down the drain. I felt cheated. I'm serious! LOL

I am the world's worse house cleaner. I just cannot do it. I hate vacuuming, I hate mopping.. so I hire a cleaner. I am shocked that these ladies have husbands that would not allow a cleaner. Huh? Meanwhile I bake everything from scratch and I have to say I think I have ever bought 2 boxes of cake mixes before. Yes I do pancakes from scratch too. So today, I baked blueberry muffins for Mick's birthday tomorrow. Can I say again that I LOVE my Kitchenaid Beater blade. So now I can pat myself on the back. I do not have the cleanest house or shower screen that you can see through LOL but goddamn it I bake from scratch. There you go!!

Wars!!

Pole wars, agency wars, stripper vs agency wars and now mothers group wars.
LOL It's funny how a message can be misinterpreted. I read this seemingly hostile email from someone today which basically stated why you should not change the day of playgroup.

Perhaps a better way would be to say, I cannot do this day and this day. I am sure the other stay at home mums will be flexible. How bizarre??? Now it just makes everything really kind of uncomfortable for us.

On agency wars.. well it's hilarious. The usual rubbish phone calls are starting so we have to go through the usual process of double checking everything.

Hilarious and Lousy cooks on TV

@em_itpleasesus on twitter introduced me to Sandra Lee and her Kwanzaa cake. This stuff is made to be laughed at. How on earth did Sandra Lee get her own show on Food Network? Grab any random on Collins Street and they can do something better than her. She takes stuff from the supermarket ... store bought icing/frosting dunks cocoa powder, cinnamon and vanilla and calls that yummy. MMMMM yummm... You have to watch this to believe it. A store bought angel food cake, dumped with cinnamon vanilla frosting, chuck a can of apple pie filling in the hole and dig holes out for the big candles to stick out of the cake. The best part is .. "embellish the cake with acorns.." Who does this?!!? LOL




Then I stumble on this beaut of a gem Paula Deen thanks to @em_itpleasesus again. She sandwiches a lasagne between a big thing of garlic bread. It's totally awesome! Portion control lady! But gosh darned it, I love the way she talks. It's amazzzinggg the southern drawl. Check out how Paula forces her girrllfrriendd to take a bite out of that huge hunk of lasagne sammich!





Love them! I had a great and fantastic laugh over these videos for ages.
I hope everyone is scared off their dinner now!

My new Kitchen Gadgets

So much love for these things that I bought.

What on earth did I do before I bought this? And why.. pray tell why did I wait SO LONG to buy a Microplane grater?

I have been talking about buying a Microplane for the last 2 years. Yes 2 years. I repeat 2 years. This is pathetic as this gadget is not $200, it's $20-something? Now I just want to grate and zest everything in sight! I love it!! No wastage, perfect thin grated parmesan and perfect lemon zest. It's gorgeous!


And then I stumbled on the Beater Blade K beater. It's a beater that is made to fit the Kitchenaid mixer. The K beater that comes with the Kitchenaid means I am scraping the sides about 10 times before I can add any eggs. Then I have to scrape 20 times after adding the eggs. Meanwhile there are bits of butter chunks left in my mix. The beater blade has a silicone thing on the rim that catches every bit of butter. I tested it out today and it is million times of love. As I am lazy to stop and scrape the butter this saves me so much trouble.

I just realised how sad it is that I am raving about kitchen gadgets. Lol this is what happens when you get housewife hair and you're a suburban housewife!

Great website I stumbled on

This is not a paid advertisement, but a website that I stumbled on ages ago.
But of course I did not remember to bookmark it. It took many many many google attempts to find it again. It was my mistake, I had forgotten that Americans
call nappies -> diapers instead. I was trying to google till my hearts' content "nappy clutch" instead of "diaper clutch". DUH LING!

So, I finally signed up and have favourited this project. Do you think I can be bothered to make anything these days? Not really. I feel bad, I have a brand new sewing machine and a ton of sewing books. I should make something. But I digress... how good is this site!!

http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/

Step by step tutorials of how to do crafty stuff. So aspiring WAHMs trying to find something unique to pimp in etsy and madeit etc please remember to send commission cheques to me. ;)

Check this one out -> Girly Frilly Bikini
http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/custom_girly_bikini

These people are so talented! I love it!

Zumba is Hilarious!

I finally got myself to Springthorpe for their Zumba class. It is a new estate which meant I would have got lost. But it took 3 minutes to drive down. This is good as it means I will not have any excuse of I am late, it's too far to drive.

Anyway, I get there and I am one of the first person to be there for the class. So I stand around thinking nobody else will talk to me. But the owner of the class sort of introduced me to another asian lady. So we got talking before the class. This is part of the reason for going to classes on my own. I will always meet someone and as classes were in Springthorpe, it meant that I would meet more people in my area.

So what is Zumba like? I'm sure everyone has seen those ads on tele. But nobody tells you how hilarious it is. It's like a mumbo jumbo mix of aerobics plus dance moves. I swear I went from hip hop video skank crumping to Zorba the Greek-dance-around-in-a-circle-thingee. The instructor looked like she was a newbie and at some stage missed the cues. If it were me, I would have continued making people do what I thought was wrong. I have done this heaps of times. LOL She was also treating the workout as a karaoke session by miming to the words of the songs. Which is quite a feat considering a lot of the tunes were Latinoooo. I think all instructors have the liberty to add 1 or 2 tracks of their own pick. So how come some instructors think it's a great idea to include line-dancing in their gig? Why?? Mine decides it's a great and super duper idea to do Zorba the Greek. I thought I was in the set of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Then the next song I was doing the Britney Slave 4 U move. And at another song, I was doing the Hip Hop with Carmen Electra move. I kid not.

Doing aerobics has reminded me that I probably should get new sport shoes -> perhaps time to trawl Sierra Trading and also I need Stella McCartney for Adidas gear to add to the hawtness factor. That Zumba gear that they were trying to pimp looks el taco loco!

The warm down moves were the same as my pole days. Except without a pole to hold onto, I was nearly falling off when I was doing the leg stretch thing. I don't think she held the stretches for long enough but then that was my way of stretching the class longer back in my teaching days. I'm almost ready to get back to pole. If I can find a decent pole studio ... which I have doubt that can happen. That's a different story!

So I can safely say that I managed to survive the entire class this means that it is do-able for anyone! At the end of the class, Cindy the lady I met at the start of the class said they have functions quite frequently in the estate country club. So she's wondering if I'm able to make it to the events. Hoping that I get invited to something soon! We all know we need to get out of the house!

Zumba Wahhhh

So obviously the last time I exercised was.... mmmm ... when was that? Does trying to walk uphill to playgroup with a toddler count? I believe that would. But anyway, I had managed to huff uphill with a toddler, laptop bag and handbag at 9months I am sure I am not that bad right?

Obviously with Pole wars there are not many studios that I can go to anymore in Melbourne. I'm better off trying my luck in Sydney where they still like me at www.artofpole.com.au Anyway, Zumba is SO MUCH cheaper than Pole. It's only $12?! What the!? I'm so there. There is one that is about 5minutes drive away and I am going tomorrow.

But erm, what do people wear to Zumba? When we pole, less is better. There was one class I did in my underwear as I had forgot to bring my shorts. Oh the indignity... I was in underwear and I had my first baby boy and he was about 12 weeks old. The shame!!! I have never ever ever stood in a roomful of women in my underwear. Obviously this will not make me popular with Zumba people. Especially in my very ultra conservative suburb.

Actually I can imagine some people telling me that they will pay me to wear sequined hot pants and hardly anything else to class.

So I'm one year oldahhh!

So I am one year oldahhhh.. Denial denial.

Anyway, we went to Ink Bar in Fitzroy North.. it was an interesting experience. And once again, we were the only ones at the restaurant the entire time. It was both weird but niceee....
I must have driven past this place at least 200 times but I have never noticed it.
The seafood platter was divine, you know when you get a seafood platter and it is one big deep fried golden basket? Not this one. It was fresh and oh so good. Oyster shooters, Scallop mornay, salt and pepper calamari, marinated octopus and cured salmon. That's only the 1st course by the way. Leave room for the 2nd course as it was BIG. Butter Barramundi, Morton Bay Bugs, crabs, tiger prawns, coconut rice, big thick cut chips, salad (who would eat the salad?!), crab croquettes... It was sacrilege I left prawns behind!

This was my birthday outfit. I have to say that this skirt is circa 2003! I managed to pull off crazy lady Alannah Hill.


The little boys were left at home and I had my baby free time with Mick. It was weird to say the least. But perhaps we require a few more outings like this to get myself used to it!

Bikini Shopping!!

... Or to save poor unsuspecting people's eyes I should look at monokinis!
For the first time since Dec 2008, Mick and I are going on a holiday. Yes with two kidlets. May the force be with us and all that jazz. I am stressing about the little boys behaving like real mongrels.
Anyway, the other passengers will have to deal with I guess.

So ... as per last post. My bikinis are 3 years old. I was thinking, hey maybe I should go check out Zimmermann. But I am now her royal tightness and I cannot justify $200 on a 'kini anymore.
I am off to Ebay. The problem with Ebay is, the pics all look great. But when they arrive, there's always a sense of oh I'm so disappointed. Chuck it into the bottom of the drawer.

Anyway as usual, Ebay churns out such gems! Check this out.






Just trawled Ebay.. everything looks sad cat. NEED HALPPP!!!

Fashion has moved on without me

So bear in mind that I have been pregnant since 2008! Yes 2008.. with about 6/7 months in between. Therefore my normal wardrobe has been neglected. And I had been el cheapo and saving money by buying the bare essentials that will cover my preggie belly.

Now that the Pickle has been evicted and Pork Chop is indeedy a big Porky. I am ready to return to civilisation. This means, I am outdated and I need HALP.
So back in my day, True Religion jeans were it. It's probably moved on from there but girlfriend here is not spending $200 plus on jeans. The big question is, are these jeans still ok to be worn? I know nobody wears the Joeys anymore.. I shall wait about 3 years and I will be totes hot in my Joeys. Fashion always comes back. I never used to do skinny as I had big calves. Yes I did, don't argue with me. So I have something like these....


... are they still OK or should I put them in the pile of I will be totes hot one day when the fashion comes back. I don't think one can err that much with straight leg right?

Having said that I never used to do skinny leg, I chanced on Jeans West skinny leg cargo pants. Ran to two shopping malls to get a size 8. Yes you heard right, I am a size 8 - smug face. And I must say I love them! I will take pictures when I wear them, trust me to have them hanging in my Chinese laundromat + bomb that exploded in a toy store aka my dining room.

Other than being 3 years out of date in the fashion stakes. Everything is going well with the 14.5month gap between my two boys. I am baking up a storm, cooking for everyone. And .... hiring a cleaner so that I can pretend I'm a domestic goddess. I promise that I will update more often as I know some people like to relish in my suffering as a SAHM (stay at home mum).
Meanwhile every other SAHM that I know has set up some online store selling knitted stuff, painted stuff or turned to photography. I shall try to sew some baby blankies and hawk them online too.

Lots of Love,

L, Pork Chop & Pickles... + Mick & Snowy

No Hot Cross Buns this year but bun in the oven

So this year, I have faileddddd.. I failed to bake my own hot cross buns.
I do have the ingredients so who knows? Maybe I will start them this weekend. Uh huh, sure .. I can hear in the background.

I bought ugg booties from Ugg brand off www.asos.com
http://www.uggaustralia.com/ProductDetails.aspx?gID=k&productID=5202&model=Erin

How cute is that!!! And erm.. why are they USD$50. Please explain?

Anyway, there are no hot cross buns but there is a bun in the oven. Yes I have been in denial and it is very hard!! It is very hard being at work and trying to look not pregnant and getting the huh belly stares. I am more than 20 weeks, heck I don't remember how many. Maybe 24?! Or was it 25??!? Cannot remember any longer. I am feeling like a total happy working mum and now it's schmozzle.

Speaking of pregnancy, can preggie bellies wear normal tights from Cotton On? I am just finding it very overwhelming this winter preggie thing. I do summer.. you know the usual dresses etc but this tights/leggings bizo. I cannot understand it as I don't do leggings. Some of us tried to start the #jeggings trend in Twitter LOLLLL ROFFFLLL #JEGGINGS! Sad to report that we failed. So now I'm faced with a sad wardrobe AGAIN and I am terrified.

I better go and get some crappy clothes for my big belly. URGH.

Domestic Goddess-ism ...

So I am on a Meal planning WIN.. WIN WIN WIN.
I love it and really enjoy doing it. :)

Trooped to Aldi first thing this morning and it was bliss. I stocked up on A LOT of snacks, there was a mild sense of panic there when Mick could not find Palazzo butter biscuits with milk chocolate ANYWHERE. He went to 2 different stores on 3 different occasions.
This week's meal plans are as follows.. in random order.

Pork Chops
Fresh ravioli - first time I have bought these from Aldi
Zucchini Slice
Lamb leg roast - usually they are monster hunks of meat in Aldi but I found one that was 1kg. Score

So Mick is off to work and I thought I would use today's rest day to start on my new cushion covers.


This is the fabric. Yum Yum right? Spotlight interior decor section. Awesome.. Now I cannot find my fabric scissors as they have been packed away... I have to wait for Mick to come home. Sad smiley.

So let's focus on dinner instead. I best start the leg of lamb roast as I am intending to shove it in the slow cooker and forget about it's existence.

Then I thought I would start on my apple cake as I haven't done one of them in ages. :)
Let's see how much I actually accomplish. Perhaps I should focus on getting clean dishes out of the dishwasher first. LOL

BRB Sorry about lack of posts. Agency bookings have been going great guns!

Meal Planning Week 1 Day 3

It is day 3 because day 2 we were still stuffing ourselves with wontons. We had two rounds of wonton soup last day can you believe it!

Tonight is is topside beef stir fry with rice. Poor Mick cooked it and must have added too much soy sauce or something. It was very salty and he couldn't eat it!! Then as usual, I had the huge lot of stripper calls and bookings to deal with AGAIN tonight. URGHHHH.. I haven't stopped!

Feeling sad now had a lady ring up and she had to cut back her hens party. Only 4 people are attending. So sad!!!! Well they have kept one male stripper but I feel sorry for her.

Day 1 Week 1 Meal Planning Success...

As the prawns and mince pork was bought on Saturday at Vic Market, I figured I had to do the wonton soup today.
So successful, I made the stock with ikan bilis/dried anchovies. Had some of the stock used on Pork's porridge with mince pork (SO PROUD). Which is also cooking on the stovetop now.
Smashed some prawns with the back of my knife, marinated the pork with soy sauce, sugar and cornflour. Chucked in lots of spring onions so that it is yummm...

Check this out.. I know it needs vegies but I had a ton of stuff to cart about in Doncaster that I didn't pick it up. BTW the deli there sells Barilla pasta 2kg packs for $8 for 2! Awesomeness...

I know it looks lack lustre but I love wontons like you won't believe!!

SUCCESS DAY 1!

Meal Planning

Ok ladies.. working mum here that tag teams daddy when I get home. He leaves when I come home.. then I start on stripper bookings after the boy goes to sleep. So this means we need dinner organised very well. What happens now? We never have ANYTHING in the house.
Poor Mick will run out and ask what do you want to eat and the poor man drags the baby out and tries to get enough for one meal. This means there is hardly anything in the house for our meals... which sometimes means... honey let's get takeaway I want dumplings. $30 a meal means our budget is shot to shits.

I have been reading about meal planning on thrift in the kitchen and on EB forum. But I am afraid that I will end up going.. oh I don't want to eat that. And my thrift movement will fail.. fresh food throw into the bin as it goes bad.

So I am trialing this.. and I promise that I will update. BTW sorryz for not updating my bad!

So this week.. the meal plan is in general

Nachos with mince beef
Pasta Tuna bake! yum
Beef tacos
Slowcooker Rump Casserole
Maybe leftovers as casserole means LEFTOVERsss YAY
Sat means it's busy busy busy day and night for strippers fish and chips maybe
Sun I would like to do wontons or something like that

Love my wontons, who doesn't love wontons??

Will update with what I have done!

Today is CNY and last night I made a disasterous orange and almond cake. It was burnt-ish. Sad face, Mick came to the rescue and made a chocolate cake to take to our friend's place. I have had my Chicken rice and I'm a Happy Cat.

Anyone has any experience with meal planning? Or am I in no woman's land? I'm scaredddddd...