Sketches of Life|Life Lived in Simplicity

This is definitely the last product from my sewing for this year. Just done sewing a pencil case with zipper for my 5yo son who is going to kindy in a few days time. I used flannel material which is the same design as his pillow case. He can’t bring his pillow to school. So, Mommy transformed his pillow into a pencil case.

I did not buy the zipper you know. I salvage it from my daughter torn school bag. At present, I have 3 torn school bags that is due to be thrown away but before that, I will salvage whatever parts that can be used for my sewing.

There are a few hot springs in Melaka and the one known to me is the Gadek Hot Spring which is quite near to Alor Gajah Town and A’Famosa Resort. We were there 2 weeks ago and hope to re-visit it again soon.

The entrance fee is cheap. Only RM4 for adult and RM2 for children aged 6-12yo. I got in free coz I told them that I won’t be using their facilities due to my health condition.

The place has changed a lot since the last I went there…like more than 20 years ago! hehehe. Those days, we deep out feet right into the source of the hot water. Now, they have channeled the hot spring water into 2 mini swimming pools about 4 feet deep and a few jacuzzi tubs like pool for those who just wanna dip in their feet and lower part of their body. They also have tubs in their changing room for those who are shy to soak themselves in public or maybe they want go for skinny dipping.

Earlier I thought the platties will be my last sewing for this year but I have one more thing to sew before the school begins. I want to sew a pencil case for my 5yo son. After looking at him struggling to open his tight metal pencil case, I told myself, I must sew him one pencil case with zipper.

These 2 platties marks the end of my sewing spree for year 2010. It is time for me to stop sewing and rest till next year comes. I am looking forward to next year. I will be busier than before. My 2nd girl will be in Primary One; Chinese School and she will need lots of couching from me. I doubt I will have time to sew again unless I can get away from the children. Or I need the extra cash to buy more books for my children to read. Most of my sewing income goes to buying Enid Blyton’s storybook for my 7yo daughter!

Let’s see how things goes next year.

This school holiday we brought our children to 2 types of pool. One is at Wet World Pedas and another at Gadek Hot Spring. One is cold and the other is hot. The children had so much fun at both places. As for me, I was the camerawoman as always and watched them play from the poolside. I tried reading my daughter’s Enid Blyton’s book but often got distracted by the splashes made by them and also their “Mommy!” My children still have not get enough of water fun and wanted us to bring them to a swimming pool again this week.

Our kitchen renovation has completed. The space is big enough to transfer the dry kitchen to the newly renovated wet kitchen. We can now convert the dry kitchen to another bedroom but do we actually need another bedroom to add to the existing 7 bedrooms? I don’t think it is necessary. Can’t imagine the cleaning that I have to do when the maid is no longer with us.

It will be wonderful if we can transform the wet kitchen which is right beside my bedroom to an attached bathroom with bathtub and jacuzzi. Hubby and I have always wanted a bathroom for ourselves. We planned it a few times but to no avail. If only money is not a hindrance. I would want a jacuzzi bathroom.

Sling Bags with recessed zipper.

Bikini Top Shoulder Bag and Reversible Bag.

These are my latest handmade bags for one of my friends in FB. I am sure most of you think that business is good for me. The truth, I hardly get orders compared to the first time I started selling my reversible bag. It is because, I have no time to promote my handmade bags. My profit is very low too because I am selling them cheap. Not even enough to buy me a blackberry playbook. Furthermore, there will be yet another phase in my life in a month time and I doubt I will have time to sew. If I promote my handmade bags and get lots of order but cannot fulfill the orders, it won’t make me look good.

When I am ready, I will go all out to promote my handmade bags online. A mommy blogger has offered to help too. She receives thousands of unique visitors a week! Hard to decline this good opportunity. hehehe.

My previous tenant left me with a big sum of outstanding bills in which their deposit can’t cover. Their belonging that we confiscated from the apartment has no resale value. Most of them are spoiled and broken items. Anyway, we learnt our lesson and monitor the electricity bill of our current tenant closely.

The new tenant is going to breach his contract. He is leaving end of this month instead of next year October. He did not pay last month’s electricity bill amounting more than RM500 and also did not pay this month’s rental. He thinks he can get away with it since we have his deposit. We are not going to give these foreign students any more face this time around. I wrote letter to TNB asking them to cut the electricity supply but that takes like forever for them to do!

So yesterday, hubby went to my apartment and get the apartment management’s help to remove the fuse from the power supply meter box and also cut the water supply. To cut the long story short, that made them pay both the rental and the bills. No more being a nice landlord anymore.

I planned for a Cameron Highland holiday months ago but did not materialize because hubby is busy with his business. I have not been there since I gave birth to my eldest; that’s more than 8 years ago. I miss their steamboat with lots of veggie. I can’t resist the fried mushroom too!

Anyway, since all of us can’t go, I let my 2 girls go with their aunt and grandma. They were there from Monday till Wednesday. Unfortunately, it was not a pleasant trip for my eldest because she got dizzy on the way up due to the winding roads and became phobia of it. Each time she has to enter the car to go somewhere, she cried thinking of the winding roads again and getting dizzy again. She told me that she never want to go to Cameron Highland again! Poor girl.

On the last week of school, my eldest brought home a few trophies and awards. It is no big deal to us when she brought home those coz she has been getting them since kindy. God has blessed her with intelligence and wisdom beyond her age. We continue to pray that God will continue to bless her abundantly.

As for my 2nd girl, the scenario is different. She is totally the opposite of her sister. She is the happy-go-lucky type. Till today, she can only read very little; let it be Chinese, Malay or English. Even after much encouragement in various form, she still does not see the importance for her to learn how to read. She will be going to Primary One in 3 weeks time and we don’t expect her to bring home any trophies and awards. We will be over the moon if she read fluently!