today i refashioned..

a stripey 100% lambswool, bought at salvo's store last week. the moment i laid my eyes on this jumper, i fell in love with this cream, red and greyish brown thingy. too bad it's too small for me, brand ALEX & Co, size UK 10 while i am a 12-14. but i really have to have it. i paid AU$4.99 to take it home with me, and paid more for the dry cleaning.

i have to use every bit of this jumper. so i ripped the sleeves with seam ripper, very carefully because i dont want to mess with knit. afterwards, i got a bodice and 2 sleeves. a dress and a leg warmer suddenly appeared in my mind.

# 1 : the bodice become a loose fitting dress. i added elastic band on the armhole, neckline and waistline to fit my 16month old girl. still too big for her :(

she bangs! she bang! she moves, she moves! i can't believe she's now dancing!

#2 : hideous leg warmer/legging wannabe. i don't know how to make a neat and even opening for 2 piece leg warmer +elastic casing from knit fabric because i am afraid of cutting and ruining the knitted wool. so i came up with this hideous idea. 2 piece of long tube joined with a piece of cloth in a shape of underwear.. my husband hate this leg warmer/legging wannabe.. he thought i was inspired by superman, batman, spiderman or other kind undies heroes. well, i was going to matched this hideous thingy with noelle's knee length red/grey/cream dress (another project dangling in my mind) so the red-underwear-look-a-like won't show..

but when i tried it on noelle, she looks fine, just fine. cozy and warm, snuggle with her pinky rabbit despite the gigantic red-underwear-look-a-like screaming out on her bum. God bless this sweet forgiving child :)

# 3 : almost forgot to mention, this green pants was today's first project. wide leg sweat pants done in 30 minutes just before brekkie. remember my hubby stripey blanket? this pants made from the scrap of the blanket. still got another 50cmx1m and i haven't decided to make a beanie, cape or else..

she looks so grown-up with this wide leg sweat pants. momma will make you lots of these, kiddo!

i am sleepy because i haven't sleep for the last 36hours. it's nothing, my old friend named insomnia paid a visit after absent for a while, making me feel high with energy but my eye seems to reject the idea of making another sewing/crafting/refashioning project.

and hey, the excitement is increasing because i just checked my inbox and i got an email from admin of The Thrifty Garde Robe asked me to be one of their contributors. I REALLY REALLY WANT TO, but i am embarassed of my broken english, let alone my limited vocabulary on sewing/crafting/refashioning. hmmm, i think i should go for it, shouldn't i? fingers crossed..

refashioning noelle's clothing

i really like this top, bought last year when noelle was about 8 month.. it's cotton on kids, size 1-2. she wore it until she was almost 1 year because the top became too tight in the armpit area, a bit short on the sleeves as well as the hem, it shows her belly when she moves and i don't like it. so, refashioning came across my mind.

i was thinking about cutting the sleeves, but i think i really need to use every inches of the sleeve because i want to make extention for the hem, and i was thinking about ruffles. not a very ruffly ruffles, just ruffles. so, i just pick the armhole seams and the hem.

i got two sleeves, cut diagonally about 7cm for each strips, sew one another to make one long strips and then sew to make gather (ruffle) as wide as the hem. then sew the ruffle on the hem.

voilla, she got a "NEW" top.. sleeveless with a bit ruffle :)

cosy soup, anyone?

di majalah glamour teranyar, ada sup yang cocok banget untuk "diminum" pas musim dingin seperti sekarang ini.. namanya creamy dolcelatte and tenderstem broccoli soup with tomato and herb croutons , resep dari buku jo pratt : in the mood for entertaining tapi yang barusan saya buat ini nggak pake keju dan brokoli yang namanya terlalu sophisticated itu, juga croutons aslinya karena nggak punya roti tawar dan sundried tomato.. lain kali aja :p

bahan sup :
1 bh brokoli yang cukup besar, potong menurut kuntum
1 cup baby peas
1/2 bawang bombay, cincang halus
2 siung bawang putih, keprek
1 batang daun bawang yang kecil, iris kasar
1 liter kaldu sayuran atau kaldu ayam
setangkup keju cheddar parut (the more the tastier)
1 sdm olive oil
lada
philadelpia cooking cream

bahan roti oles bawang putih :
1 roti perancis, iris 1 cm
2 sdm blueband
1 sdt bubuk bawang putih
1 sdm campuran parsley dan oregano kering

cara membuat :
- campur blueband, bubuk bawang putih dan campuran parsley dan oregano kering hingga merata. lelehkan dalam microwave selama 10 detik. oles di tiap irisan roti, panggang sesuai selera.
- panaskan panci, tuang satu sendok olive oil, tumis bawang bombay dan bawang putih sampai harum dan lemas. masukkan brokoli, peas dan kaldu, masak hingga mendidih selama 5 menit. matikan api.
- saring sup, pisahkan kaldu dan sayurannya, sisakan beberapa kuntum brokoli. proses sayuran dan keju dengan food processor atau blender sambil masukkan kaldu sedikit demi sedikit sampai tingkat kekentalan yang diinginkan. tambahkan lada sesuai selera. sup saya nggak pakai garam sama sekali karena sudah pakai cukup banyak keju, jadi cukup tasty lah menurut lidah saya.
- tuang sup ke mangkuk atau cangkir besar (cangkir sup??), beri satu sendok teh cream (mungkin yogurt juga bisa), atur dua atau tiga kuntum brokoli, hidangkan dengan roti bawang putih. sajikan selagi hangat.

abenk bilang cosy soup ini rasanya enak walau perutnya nggak kenyang (nanti malam pasti perutnya bakalan minta diisi lagi), noelle yang baru kelar dinner ikutan menghabiskan sup saya sesendok demi sesendok.. seneng banget liat anak nggak susah makan sayur.. YAY!!!

DARN ACNE!!!

i got two acne, it feels sore, annoying and i really really need to get rid of them. i dont know why they pop up in my face, is it because i ate too much cheese or what?

the first acne is on my ear, sit low near the pierced area. it doesnt look like acne, i mean no redness, no bump with signs for eruption, but everytime i pressed my ear, i can feel a small ball, hard and sore.. it came about a week a go. i've tried to squeeze it but nothing came out, just getting sore.

the second acne just showed up this morning, it's in the area where my nose meet my left cheek. i felt the bump since last night, and today it sits there, red and had yellow spot on it. i squezze it. YAY!

my hormone is like crazy. i haven't got my period like for ages. the last time was february 4th for 5 days, and december 18th. i skipped january, march and about half way april still no signs of my period.

i did pregnancy test but the result is one strip which means it's negative (-). i do hope so because i really really not expecting any baby soon, hopefully in 3 years?

since i got these lovely acne, i just hope that my period is about to start. eventhough acne is not one of period symptoms.

eggplant parmigiana

can you imagine how sinful this dish? it's eggplant, baked with tomato sauce, mozarella and cheddar cheese. i was longing for this dish ever since i tasted that entree at singapore art museum tratoria. i forgot the name, but it was 4 pieces of eggplant baked with something that taste like lasagna sauce but there was no beef on it, and it has the gooey-ness from mozarella.. yummo!

so i googled and i got recipes for eggplant lasagna and eggplant parmigiana they both using the same type sauce (the tomato sauce+bechamel sauce) and mozarella. in my opinion : lasagna means you use lasagna sheets, and parmigiana means you coat the eggplant with egg and flour then shallow fried it, and the rest are the same. i opted for eggplant lasagna because if i make parmigiana i will eat heaps of eggplant soaking in oil. there's no way i will eat that! so i made this baked eggplant without the lasagna sheets and bechamel sauce (i found that on almost every recipes), afterall i have to cut my carbs. but hey, can i call this dish as eggplant lasagna while in fact i do not use lasagna sheets at all?? *scratchie scratchie*

and finally, here's the recipe i got from Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver.. *clap clap clap* This classic northern Italian recipe is a great way to serve eggplant. By layering the eggplant with Parmesan and tomatoes and then baking them, you get an absolutely scrumptious vegetable dish. Great served with all sorts of roasted meats and with roasted fish as well. One of the tweaks I really like doing with this recipe is to grill the eggplant - this makes it a bit more creamy on the inside - instead of frying it in oil, which tends to make it greasy.

EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA (melanzane alia parmigiana)

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 large firm eggplants

• olive oil

• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

• 1/2 a bulb of spring garlic, if you can get it, or 1 clove of regular garlic, peeled and finely sliced

• 1 heaping teaspoon dried oregano

• 2 14-oz. cans of good-quality plum tomatoes or 2 1/4 Ib. fresh ripe tomatoes

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• a little wine vinegar dont have it

• a large handful of fresh basil leaves dont have it

• 4 large handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 handfuls of dried breadcrumbs dont have it

a little fresh oregano, leaves chopped

• optional: 1 5-oz. ball of buffalo mozzarella

Directions

First things first: remove the stems from the eggplants, slice them up into 1/2-inch-thick slices, and put to one side. Whether you're using a griddle pan or a barbecue, get it really hot. Meanwhile, put 2 or 3 glugs of olive oil into a large pan on a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and dried oregano and cook for 10 minutes, until the onion is soft and the garlic has a tiny bit of color. If you're using canned tomatoes, break them up, and if you're using fresh tomatoes (which will obviously taste sweeter and more delicious, if they're in season), very quickly prick each one and put them into a big pan of boiling water for 40 seconds. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and put them into a bowl of cold water for 30 seconds, then remove the skins, carefully squeeze out the seeds, and cut up the flesh. Add the tomato flesh or canned tomatoes to the onion, garlic, and oregano. Give the mixture a good stir, then put a lid on the pan and simmer slowly for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, grill the eggplants on both sides until lightly charred - you may have to do them in batches, as they probably won't all fit into your griddle pan in one go. As each batch is finished, remove them to a tray and carry on grilling the rest, until they're all nicely done. When the tomato sauce is reduced and sweet, season it carefully with salt, pepper, and a tiny swig of wine vinegar, and add the basil. You can leave the sauce chunky or you can puree it (definitely puree it).

Get yourself an earthenware type dish (10 x 5-6 inches). Put in a small layer of tomato sauce, then a thin scattering of Parmesan, followed by a single layer of eggplant. Repeat these layers until you've used all the ingredients up, finishing with a little sauce and another good sprinkling of Parmesan. I like to toss the bread crumbs in olive oil with a little freshly chopped oregano and sprinkle them on top of the Parmesan. Sometimes the dish is served with torn-up mozzarella on top, which is nice too. Place the dish in the oven and bake at 375°F for half an hour, until golden, crisp, and bubbly. It's best eaten straight away (i ate 1/3 from the first batch straightaway after resting for 5 minutes, SINFUL SINFUL SINFUL), but it can also be served cold. You can use the same method substituting zucchini or fennel for the eggplants - both are delicious. But do try making it with eggplants - you'll love it!

carrot cake

i love carrot cake, just love it, love it, love it. PERIOD. first time i heard about carrot cake was when i watched andy garcia & meg ryan in the movie "when a man loves a woman". my mouth was suddenly dry as the result of imagining the moist grated carrot inside a cake with frosting.. yummm... and my obsession with banana cake suddenly gone :p

but my obsession with this healthy-for-your-eye- cake kind of never fulfilled because ONE, i was busy. TWO, i hated cooking/baking. THREE, my mom's oven was/is not properly working. FOUR, i never never never find carrot cake in jakarta. can you believe it???

sooo, long story short, finally i live in the city where you can find carrot cake in almost every market/deli/cafe/bakery/corner. and i got the chance to make my own carrot cake!! noelle loves it too, maybe because it smells so good, rich in spices and moist, and sweet from the frosting... droool (thank god i still got one chunk in the fridge). just in case someday she wants to bake it on her own, she should make the carrot cake with this Martha Stewart recipe..

ingredients

fort the cake :

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups grated carrots
• 1/2 cup crushed walnut

for the icing:

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar

method

cake :

• preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 42 mini muffin cups with mini cupcake liners; set aside.
• beat sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla, and buttermilk together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until well combined.
• in a large bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. slowly add three-quarters of the flour mixture to the sugar mixture; mix until well combined. add carrots and walnuts to remaining flour mixture; toss to combine. stir into batter until well combined.
• pour batter into the baking tin or if you use muffin cup fill with about 2 teaspoons batter. bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of cupcakes comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes. transfer cake/cupcakes to wire rack to cool. let cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting.

for the icing:

• in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth.
• add maple syrup, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar; continue beating until well combined and smooth.
• spread on top of the cake/cupcakes.

from The Martha Stewart Show, september 2007

welcoming autumn!

YAY! finally it's autumn again.. i watched those maple leaves turns from green to yellow-brownsih, soon they will be falling to the ground and leaving the branches leaf-less.. we'll be free from those "toasted" days for the next 6 months.. but i also dread being all wet and cold in the winter.. so ungrateful, ey?

yesterday i managed to clean up noelle's drawers, sorting those summer/too small clothes and finally putting those winter outfits in.. thick knits, long sleeves dress, coats, turtlenecks, skyvvies, tights and gloves.. all she needs now is a new leather black boot.. i was eyeing those clark's boots, but the price tags make me want to scream!

one day on the south beach, fremantle

i really like spending time on the beach, but i dont like sunbathing (i already have tanned skin), or swimming (not knowing the base is a major phobia for me). well, you could call me weirdo i just don't care. i just love beach and you can see i put a lot of beach photos this year :)

when i was younger, i went to the beach to talk to my self. a lot. especially when i was upset. i used to smoke on the beach too, but i hate it when the wind made my cigarette burn faster :(

now i have a kid, i love to take her to the beach, but unfortunately she hates it. it took ages for us to make her feeling at ease on our beach trip. well, she just hates the wind and the sound of the waves. but i won't stop trying. whenever the sun is shining, we'll go for a picnic, in the park or on the beach.

today, we went to south beach, fremantle, about 30km from our house. i "discovered" this beach when i drove catherine harris out and about perth/fremantle/cottesloe last week.

i asked my hubby to go there again for a picnic, because i love the white sandy beach and the turqoise water. also, beach trip would be like a therapy session for noelle :D

the first 20 minutes, she just clinged on me, or her father, 10 meters from the water. when we got a chance to let go of her, she just stood in the sand, did not move even an inch eventhough we said BYE BYE (she hates goodbyes).

and about 10 minutes later, she FINALLY stood in the waterfront. sands on her tiny feet, water brushes her feet, two seagulls stood nearby (too bad they are not in the picture) and she just clapped her hands. she did that when she excited or happy. i just can't wait our next session, kiddo!

Gulai Ikan Tenggiri

abenk nggak terlalu suka ikan tapi suka makanan santan, jadi saya coba bikin gulai ikan tenggiri dengan harapan dia doyan.. ternyata oh ternyata, doyan banget...

bahan :

1 kg ikan tenggiri, iris tebal 1.5 cm

1 ltr santan

2 lbr daun jeruk

1 daun kunyit

3 daun salam

1 ruas lengkuas geprek

1 cabe merah panjang, iris tipis

1 pak (250 gr) snowpeas/kacang kapri, cuci, siangi

1 sdm minyak

bumbu halus :

2 btr kemiri

1 ruas jahe

1 sdt kunyit bubuk

3 bawang merah

5 siung bawang putih

10 buah cabe merah/rawit utuh

garam & gula pasir sesuai selera

cara masak :

berhubung disini beli ikannya sudah bersih dan dipotong-potong, jadi saya tinggal melumurinya dengan air jeruk nipis dan garam. diamkan selama 15 menit, tiriskan.

tumis bumbu halus dengan 1 sdm minyak goreng, masukkan daun salam, lengkuas, daun kunyit dan daun jeruk hingga harum baru tambahkan kemudian santan dan aduk-aduk.

masukkan ikan, aduk-aduk perlahan agar santan tidak pecah tambahkan garam & gula pasir, cicipi hingga rasa pas.

masak sampai ikan matang, baru tambahkan irisan cabe merah dan kacang kapri.

angkat lalu sajikan hangat.

jadi, dengan kuah santan si abenk bisa doyan sama ikan, tapi karena ini masakan santan sebaiknya nggak keseringan bikinnnya, toh si ikan bisa di masak woku atau digoreng baru disiram sambal seperti sambal terong/balado.

cure for itchy hands :p

i've got nothing to do while my hands nagging to touch something, so i decided to spice up noelle's winter knit hat. it was purchased last year, pink and deep pink knitted tightly, wrap her head perfectly and had a bit coverage for ear and back neck area. autumn is just around the corner so i think this hat will be around anytime soon.

to be honest, i dont like pink but i bought it anyway because noelle needs pink to make her look more girly.. aaaaand this crochetted shocking pink flower and pale pink pearl just perfect to spice up this dull looking winter hat which i dont even know it's style name :p

+

=

haven't got a chance to take photo of noelle wearing this hat. she just can't keep her sticky hands from anything i put on her head. HHRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!

blanket for my hubby

autumn is just around the corner so i had to make time to make this blanket for my hubby. i imagine it would be comfy to snug under this blanket while watching our favourite programme :) i purchased the stripes polar fleece fabric for just $2, and the green polar fleecy fabric for $4 (both named polar fleece but they different, the green one is like a soft fluffy sweatshirt). i did not buy any blanket binding because i was going to make the binding from the overlapping green fabric.

lay the green fabric flats on the flor, topped with the stripes fabric. chose the middle part and pinned, that's where we start to sew from middle to the side to avoid the fabric scrunching in the proccess.

i use green thread in the bobbin and matching treads for the stripes. move pins as you move from one stripes to another. it was a hard work to change threads everytime you move from one lane stripe to another, but when you finished it look a bit like quilted blanket. mayme i should have use batting to make it even fluffier :D

lay the blanket on the floor, use measure tape to mark the overlapping for blanket binding and then trim the excess fabric or if you are lazy like me, use ruler and cut straight away next to the ruler.. .

to make a neat corner, lay flat the blanket.

fold the green fabric to the corner side of the stripes fabric.

fold again the green fabric one more time overlap the striped fabric.

fold the left side to 90°.

do the same to the right side so they form a neat and sharp corner.

pin to secure and make corner binding for 3 other corner.

i dont know which stitch to use to join the corner fabric so i handstitched all four corner before i topsticthed the binding on 4 sides with sewing machine.

voila! the blanket is finished, freshly laundered and i try it on my hubby's recliner seat. what do you think?