The merriest of Christmas

I hope you have. :)

• I'm back with one little layout.
• Not feeling chatty today, good thing it's only Nidhi and I at home - today is probably the day, that if a stranger said " I like your perfume, what is it?" I would reply with "I sprinkle gun powder on myself. Watch your step, I might explode" Ha!
• But no, that didn't happen. Because on days like this, I usually stay home cook a huge pot of chicken and potato soup and stay home being cranky.

• Used up some older metal embelishments - heart brads, eyelet metal sentiment, metal word plate, acetate tag, all from Making Memories. The alphas are from Heidi Swapp - misted.
• I love that instax photo. That was Neha, now 11yrs old - very much a young lady. Yup, I've had Instax since before I got pregnant with Nidhi. Nidhi is now 9+. LOL. I must dig up and see if that thing still works.
• Polka dotted leaves were cut from a Dear Lizzy fabric paper. I left the backing intact because I don't want them to stick flat on the page. Added some pop dots to help elevation.
• And some photos. . I've decided not to post the rest of my Project 365 here, but will continue uploading it to my Flickr 365/2011 set. Please hop on over if you'd like to view them all.

• Do yourself a favor and bake these nutella cupcakes. They're divine. Trust me. You're welcome. My biggest problem is that I tend to inhale them. Not good. Not good.

• and a current favorite photo of Nidhi and I - taken on the way to a wedding at Botanical Garden here in Singapore.

• and another one, because I can't resist ogres. He's so handsome! *grins*
• You know what? I think my crankiness is gone! Heeeheee!! Off to play and hope I will be back here soon, eh? :)

xoxo

The next time . . .

• Edited to add - I'm moderating the comments for now. Sorry I have to do this. Spammers are driving me crazy. I had to delete 601 spam these last few days and I still have more to go through.
• The next time I say something about about making puff pastry from scratch, please ask me to go lie down on the couch until the notion passes. Please.
• And oh, the meltdown in the last post - did i freak you out? I hope not. Just keepin' it real around here. Thank you for understanding where I came from. *hugs*
• I've been meaning to share my 365 pictures - I will soon, I hope. I need to upload them to my flickr. I keep telling myself - I'll do that tomorrow - and I don't - and to be frank, I'm not sorry about it. It's the school holidays over here. Neha is enjoying herself, she's staying with my parents, and I've been busy keeping Nidhi occupied. The usuals - bike rides by the beach, craft time, swims, movies etc etc.
• I do have something to share though. . .

My cover page for Project Life 2012. I don't know yet how I'm gonna approach this, knowing me, it will be all over the place because I'm easily distracted *have you watched Puss in Boots? the part where he was chasing the lights? - yeah, that's me*. But I also know I'm gonna have so much fun. My Project Life, my way.

I think I wish I'm doing PL this year. Just think of all the funny/not so funny captions on my 365 photos - I think it would be awesome all compiled in an album. Of course I can start doing it right now, but I'm anal like that and want to start in the new year.

If I feel like I have too much time on my hands *like that is ever gonna happen!* - I may do up the photos from 2011! You never know with that crazy girl me.

Close up. This cover page is not needed, really. I just wanted to play and stitch on paper. That little envelope is my favorite part! I bought a booklet of them - tear them off like post-it and fold them yourself kinda booklet. Super cute!

I'm using a simple Black American Crafts Modern Album.

with PL Photo Pocket Pages Design F and, when appropriate - 8.5 x 11 American Crafts page protectors.

• So, who's gonna kick my butt when I slack off next year? Any volunteers? :)
• And who are with me doing PL2012? *so I can kick your butts as well* LOL.

xoxo

All my life. . .

• I have never been what you call 'thin' or 'skinny' by asian standard.
• So really, you can stop telling me I'm fat or I have big butts or that my midsection is soft and jiggly.
• Believe me. I know that already. And I'm sick and tired of people telling me what I already know. I'm 33 and never been thin. Thank you very much.

• Sometime. My heart is fragile. Sometime.

More than once . . more than twice

• More than once, I contemplate closing this blog altogether.
• I love blogging, I just don't love the fact that the days are running away from me and before I know it, I've gone a week or two without posting. Do you feel this way?
• Are you on Instagram? I've fallen in love with instagram all over again. Let me know if you're over there, I'm 'sashafarina' - yes, my username is very original. I know. *grins*
• Before I continue, I'd like to send my thanks to everyone for your well wishes. 33 is awesome so far. You guys are part of that fabulousness.

So. . .

• A couple of days ago, Kimberly inboxed me and a couple of other friends on Facebook. She attached a photo and said, why don't we all use that photo as an inspiration then post whatever we make to our blogs on Monday.
• While I love the inspiration piece, I wasn't sure I could play. I said I'll try! (I'm trying to get the original link of the image to give proper credit, bear with me)

• Somehow my layout turned out like this ↓. I know I must be paying closer attention to the colorful strips at the right hand side. LOL.
• And oh, how proud am I to be incorporating older stuff on this layout? Very! Ha! Those Chatterbox felt leaves/Ali Edwards for Cocoa Daisy 'go.seek.explore' stamp/Fontwerks alphabets stamps/Scenic Route Grid paper/Hambly woodgrain paper and label - they have been in my house forever! :)

• Please go take a look at the rest of the girls.

1. Kimberly Neddo
2. Diane Payne
3. Emily Pitts
4. Mandie Pierce

• Project 365 - how crazy is that we're at 300s already? So close to 2012. I've decided that I'm gonna do some sort of ProjectLife for the next year. We'll see how that goes.

299/365

Dinner. Chicken Murtabak. Oily but oh so good. LOL. Neha can finish this whole thing by herself - the rest of us.. well, we share. :)

300/365

Neha + Daddy at lunch.

301/365

Nidhi + Mommy on her 9th birthday. Nidhi's, not mommy's. :)

302/365

Sunset. Taken from inside the car. I love that you can't really see my dirty windscreen in this shot. Ha! (now don't look too close)

303/365

Crispy ham baked pasta for three. :)

304/365

Sunset. I thought this was a little bit creepy. LOL.

305/365

My lunch. Linda Barber said she will never cook and will gain 500 pounds if she live near me. I don't believe her and asked her to come over and stay with me for a while, then we'll see.

306/365

The beginning of some peanut butter and chocolate chips muffins.

307/365

We drove to Malaysia to have dinner with my parents. Everyone was okay initially, then Neha started feeling sick. Runny nose - headache. My papa put his hand on her head and she said - "okay, stay there, your hand feel nice TokPa" :)

Do you see the darkness behind my dad? That's the sea. The restaurant was on the water practically.

308/365

Advanced birthday Hi-Tea treat from Mr.Husband at Carousel.

309/365

Fish-eyed us. LOL.

310/365

Given a choice, I think Neha would rather stay with my mom. Especially now that my mom is retired. LOL.

311/365

Random flower by the roadside at the gas station. I almost fell into a drain trying to snap this picture. *sigh*

312/365

Baked baby potatoes. So delicious! I could live on potatoes and eggs and coffee. Yup. I can.

• I think I've rambled enough - even though I can go on and on and on, I have pity on you. *grins*
• I'll see you soon, yes? :)

xoxo

33 on 33

I like repeating things, so here I am. . just like last year.

• I still feel 29. Even with my wrinkles and stretch marks and *new addition!* - white hair! Oh My Gravy!
• But if you ask me if I would like to go back to my twenties again if I could - I would say no. I'm much calmer now, I like myself better now. So even if there is a magic potion that I can drink to make myself 21 again, I wouldn't drink it.
• On the subject of white hair - I told Mr. Husband if it gets any worse I will dye my hair pink. *half jokingly* We laughed and agreed that my children will probably ask me not to drive them to school anymore. Come to think of it, that's not a bad idea after all if I get to skip chauffeuring duty! Ha!
• I haven't had anything from Starbucks for a couple of months already. That's gonna change now that the red cups are back :)
• I'm gonna quilt. Yeah! Right! Sometime before I turn 34 I hope. In the last year, I managed to buy and cut squares from my choice of fabric. I think I know where that stack is right now. LOL.
• I still don't like talking on the phone except to my mama. I don't think that's gonna change anytime soon. So yes, if you call and I don't answer, you already know why.
• I can't stand people who wear heavy, thick, suffocating, make my eyes water perfume. I prefer no smell that too much smell. Ha! To me, if you don't smell bad, you're good. Don't have to smell as if you were in the middle of perfume explosion. God knows I almost gagged on my food the other day when this one girl walked in and sat behind me at the restaurant.
• I love love love love food. I know you don't need any convincing on this. Just scroll through this blog and you will know how much.

Source: imgfave.com via Sasha on Pinterest

• Please count the above pin as one of my 33. Couldn't have said it better.
• I'm loyal. Especially towards handbags and glue tape. Ha! I've had the same glue tape ever since I started scrapping in 2006. I just keep buying refills. And I'm on my 2nd, red in color Long Champ Hobo Le Pliage handbag. I use that everywhere. From races to shopping trips to vacations. I told Mr. Husband, he can just place a standing order with LongChamp to deliver me a red hobo every two years. Ha!

• I'm a loner. A homebody. I can stay home all week long and won't miss the outside world. Provided I have my necessity with me. You know, the usual - coffee, computer, paper, glue, fabric, tv. :P

• I love colors. I look for colors EVERYWHERE.
• I embarrass my children on a daily basis. LOL. What? That's not in the job description of a mommy? You must be kidding me! :P
• I also pretend I'm brave in front of them. Even when deep in my heart I'm scared for them, for what's waiting for them in future, for the challenges and heartbreaks. At the same time, I know, they will have their turn breaking other's hearts too. *Hey, they're pretty like their mommy* LOL. Yeah, you can vomit now. LOL.
• I have great friends. All over the place. Each and everyone is appreciated. Each and everyone is loved. ♥

• I don't like my forehead.
• Once, I was standing about 1.5 metres from a rubbish bin - waiting for my mom. Then came this woman, about 45ish, she walked by and at the same time flicking some food wrappers towards the direction of the bin. Some went in, most did not and she walked away. I actually called out to her and asked her to pick everything up and put it in the bin and she did! Red faced and everything. My mom said I was crazy - she said what if the woman was insane/has a dagger in her bag and started slashing me right there and then? I went like - Whoa! Maybe I was crazy.
• I can watch Finding Nemo over and over and over again. What's another 89 times of Finding Nemo? I've already watched the damn movie for a thousand times! Trust me, that was all Nidhi would watch when she was little.
• Yes, the DVD player babysat my children. Many hours, many times. Shoot me.
• I can talk. I got A+ in talking. Nidhi actually has a tshirt with that saying. I wish they have it in my size. I would buy 7! One for each day.
• That 'if you love someone let him/her go' crap - i don't buy. Hell no. If you love someone fight for them, hold them in a death grip, never let them go. If they get away, hunt them down and kill them! *evil laugh*.
• I still hate folding and sorting laundry. My family? They're still digging into that pile of clean clothes looking for something to wear.

• I rarely am without my sunglasses. My eyes are super sensitive.
• I don't do roller-coaster or any thrill rides for that matter. We pay my entrance ticket so that I can be there to look after their belongings and take pictures while they go have their adrenaline rush. In the meantime, I sit at the side with my legs turning to jelly every time I hear them scream in delight.

Source: allposters.co.uk via Sasha on Pinterest

• Re: the above pin - always. Always. I'm not a short order cook. :P
• I secretly want straight hair. Sometime.
• I'm the type of girl who, when asked "you want some coffee?" will answer with " that would be nice. two eggs, over easy on bacon and hashbrowns - thank you". What type is that? Oh yeah, shameless. LOL. No, really - I just like seeing the expression changes on people's faces. :P
• One of my favorite pastime is wandering the aisles of the supermarket/baking supply shop - reading the labels on the cans/packets of food. I get this from my father. *Hi Papa!*
• I still can't swim. I don't think that will change anytime soon. My fear of water is lifelong I believe.
• Sweet or savory? Savory. Every time.
• I get headaches when I'm hungry.
• I forgive. But I don't forget easily. I keep lists in fact. ROFL.
• I still feel 29. *winks*

An emotional scrapper

• First, I must thank you all, each and everyone for the love and support you left me in my last two posts :) He's okay, started running again *running as we speak I must say. LOL.* And already looking forward to the next race :)
• The title of this post? I think I am one. An emotional scrapper. I scrap to get my feelings down. What about you?
• I think it's important to let my children know what I really feel inside, what I'm really saying.
• I also scrap because I don't want to forget the way I really feel, what I really think.
• In between yelling asking *okay, I yell, sometime* at my girls to send their dirty clothes to the hamper, to pack their bags for school tomorrow, to please not to kill each other *kidding, almost* . . it's easy to forget that they're really, really nice girls. And I'm blessed to have them. So I scrap, as a reminder to myself.

"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly" ~ Richard Bach.

As per usual, lots of bits and pieces. I enjoyed digging thru my stash to find stuff I love and putting them onto pages. They don't have to be brand new too. That butterfly stamp? I've had it forever it feels, designed by Karen Russell *whose blog I stalk on a daily basis. LOL* for Fontwerks. I miss Fontwerks stamps btw :)

'Everyday' badge from Marcy Penner at Hello Forever. I got myself the 'snapshot' and 'everyday' set a couple of weeks ago. Heart stamp from Studio Calico. Leafy die-cut on white cardstock with Papertrey's die, then misted.

Did I miss anything? As usual, email me or leave a comment with your questions :)

Project 365 update

285/365

Making coconut blossoms. They're basically just sponge cakes with grated coconut + palm sugar filling. I should probably take a picture of the finished product. :) Next time, I promise.

286/365

Tandoori chicken from Kebabs and Curries rooftop restaurant. Lunch. If we go again it will be for dinner. Too bright for me! :)

287/365

Mr. Husband and I at 10.30pm. Before the race. Fresh faced. LOL. You don't wanna know what I look like after a night of no sleep. *grins*

288/365

Pit stop.

289/365

Mediterranean chicken salad with citrus vinaigrette from Spize. So yummy.

290/365

Cinnamon roll. Homemade. :) I need bigger pan. Or separate them into two pans, these were spilling all over the place because I forgot to factor in the proofing. LOL. Lesson learnt, but still very yummy! :)

291/365

See? They can be sweet and be nice when they forget to kill each other. Ha!Ha! :)

292/365

My cousin and Nidhi. They're bestfriends. LOL.

293/365

The delightfully fabulous Kak June Malik :) She's the elder sister I never had. ♥♥♥

294/365

She made the coaster at school. Handstitched everything herself with help from her teacher of course - mighty proud of it. Wanted me to use it, unfortunately, my mug is the size of a little pail and is too big for the coaster. :)

295/365

My Garnet Fairy - as of today - the first half of the stitching is done.

296/365

Sunset from my kitchen window. 7:16pm. Pretty amazing I think.

297/365

Sunrise. 7:05am

298/365

Rainbow colored chart. LOL. I need the different colored pens to help me differentiate stitched part. Getting old! LOL. :)