raya sewing project

This year I managed to sew some raya clothes for my kids. I've used the leftover cloth that I sent to the tailor to make them. So the 3 of us (me and my 2 kids) were to wear clothes from the same fabric for Raya. I made a baju kurung for my daughter and a shirt for my son. I completed the baju kurung within a day but not the shirt. I had to do a lot of fold and sew because I didn't have any serger. The shirt was a bit complicated to sew as I was merely sewing by referring to my son's and husband's shirts for pattern. Also, the button hole was not perfect. Thanks to my sewing machine which didn't work properly. It's either I didn't know how to use the button hole footer (is this what you call them?) or the sewing machine itself has a problem.

Anyway, here are the kids with their raya clothes. BTW, we didn't get to wear them on the first day of Raya (EID) because we were celebrating our raya at the hospital with the newborn. But the kids managed to wear them on the second day..

Breastpump Update!

Alhamdulillah I've my daughter was delivered on the First Day of Raya (1st syawal), 10 Sept 2010. I managed to try the Spectra 3 Breastpump while I was being hospitalized. They had another pump, Pureen, which was meant for hospital use I think because it was really huge. From my experience (who had made use of the Avent manual pump before) with using Spectra 3, I would rate the pump as 3/5. The suction was adjustable and so I started using the minimum setting and gradually increased it to somewhere in the middle because beyond that point, the suction was just too strong to bear with. Within around 30 mins, I managed to collect 4 oz on both breasts provided that they were 'full' (aka engorged). Although the amount collected was decent, I don't think that it's justified because the 'pain' is still felt after pumping. I missed my Avent's manual pump which has that silicone shell.

So, when I got home, I tried pumping using my Avent manual pump. and boy was it much better. with the same condition as above, I managed to get 5 oz within 15 min. With this, I've decided to get the Avent electric single pump (ISIS UNO) from faheemwardrobe. now, i am anxiously waiting for it to arrive!

Breast pumps comparison

Updates:

Only recently did I went to a shop to physically inspect some of the above mentioned pumps, particularly Spectra 3 and Ameda. My sister bought the Spectra3 set from MLO after testing it out at susuibu shop. According to her it was the best choice for her. Works well and within her budget.. She even bought the extension for double breastpump as well and tried it out fine. However, I did noticed that the pump was quite bulky and heavy. It would probably occupy most of the space in my Avent manual pump bag an enough to leave a space for a small bottle. It is quiet though when in action, comparing to Ameda. The Ameda motor pump was much lighter and smaller than Spectra. However, the sound it makes is a bit louder than Spectra.

I didn't really look at Medela Handsfree since I think it is beyond what I had budget. But, seeing how the foreign exchange rate is nowadays (USD vs RM), it is really tempting to buy them from overseas..

One thing the saleslady told me which ticked me off a bit is that electrical pumps needs servicing each year. The pump motor's is the one that need servicing. Is this true? It would be very troublesome if I have to send them my pumps for service since I'm staying all the way up north. Considering the shipping cost and the need to have extra pumps when the electric pump is being service... this is a big drawback for me.. maybe i should find one that can be serviced easily so that I can do it on my own and just buy the replacement part if needed.. I read that one of these pumps can be serviced easily, I just don't remember which one it was.. need to 'google' them.

I found 2 websites that sells pre-order Avent/Medela pumps... They are much cheaper than the other online stores and some also provide warranty service with additional cost:

http://www.kcdream.blogspot.com/

http://faheemwardrobe.blogspot.com/

I haven't decided which one to get yet.. Will wait till the baby is delivered. For now, my choice is narrowed down to either Ameda vs Spectra3. IF I suddenly see a good bargain on Freestyle or IQ Duo, maybe I'll rethink all over again..

Breast pumps

I am on a breast pump hunting spree mode now until the baby in the womb gets delivered. I have been breastfeeding my first 2 kids successfully (the first was weaned at 1 yr 2 months and the second was weaned at 2 yrs). Despite being a busy working mom, I take pride in providing my kids with the most healthy milk!! haha.. sounds cheesy.. Anyway, I owe that to my Avent manual breast pump.

I remember the ordeal that I had to go through with the pump. In truth I had to buy the pump twice when feeding my first kid. I always sterilize the pump (after washing and disassembling them) at the end of the night through boiling the parts. Somehow on that unfateful night, I forgot that the pump was being boiled on the stove (maybe too long) until it melts!.. the pump was expensive and it was the best pump I had used (tried a cheaper one - Pureen - but that was painful and didn't help) So I had to buy them again and I was really very careful with using the second set of the same type of pump.. And it was used for my second child as well..

Anyway, I really like the pump. It served me well. I was able to exclusively breastfeed my daughter for 6 months with the expressed milk + direct feeding. I was able to get a good amount of milk within a short time when my supply were still a lot. on best days, I would get around 10 oz in 20 min. and on worst days (when my supply is low) I would get around 3 - 4 oz within 15 min. The suction does tries to mimic how babies breastfeed. And the rose petal was really helping. It made it felt comfortable and not painful. I noticed that most other pumps feeding tips are small, intending to only cover the areola and they don't have additional cushioning unless you make additional purchase (breastshield). However, with Avent, the tip covers most of the breast and the rose petal thingy comes together. I never had problem with the pump in terms of it needing servicing or repair or replacement. I have to be very careful that when I disassemble them, they are placed together so that I don't loose any of the pieces especially the valve (that round plastic thing). One thing I noticed is that after using them for a long time, the pump's surface isn't clear and shiny any longer (of course I don't expect it to look like new all the time). It looked as if though there's some residue left on the inner surface of the plastic. Just like what happen to the baby bottles after frequent use and washing. I wonder whether it is still safe to use it or not. Anyhow, I still sterilize them daily and wash them after each use. So hopefully that will get rid of all the germs and what not. So, in summary, i love the Avent manual pump!! It also helped me win a new HP deskjet printer.. :D

So now I am thinking of getting a newer pump for my 3rd. I still have my Avent pump but I think i would like to try on something new plus my pump had gone through several uses and owner (lent to some friends and family who wanted to try them after I was done with the 2nd).

I was thinking of getting and electric pump that's worth the money and does a good job in pumping. So, the following is what it has to have:

1) electric: both batteries and adapter

2) controlled suction

3) comfortable and painless

4) double pump / can be extended as a double pump

5) less than RM 1000

6) doesn't need servicing or rarely breaks (usually this depends on luck...)

So, i've been searching and reading the reviews on the Internet. and will definitely post my observation later..

work!!

can't believe I am staying up until late night tonight waiting for my program to finish building.. argh.. why is it so slow..

Mille Crepes

Have you heard of Mille Crepes?? It's a traditional cake which is rarely seen nowadays.. A colleague of mine ordered 2 sets the other day and unfortunately I didn't get to taste it as I was on MC.. bohoo.. review from another friend said that it was unordinary and the taste was nice! she ordered oreo and cheese flavored mille crepes..

so what is this mille crepes cake??

Here's what it is: 20 (as opposed to 1,000) lacy crepes layered with clouds of whipped-cream-lightened pastry cream. The top crepe is spread with sugar and caramelized like creme brulee. A fork plunged into a slice slides like a shovel through fresh snow. You get a whiff of smoky sugar, then layer after silky-sweet layer.

taken from: NewYorkTimes

There were online shops in Penang, KL and Johor that sells them. Not wanting to pay much for the whole piece of cake, I instead went to search for recipes.. Not many variations found and the recipes quoted by most bloggers came from the link above. Anyway, so I thought of giving it a try.. Indeed it was a fun + tiring experience flipping and frying the crepes.. I didn't use too much cream, afraid it would make it taste dull.. Also, since I don't like the taste of custard and definitely not my husband (i think i boiled the milk too long until it became a custard like structure instead of creamy), I tried adding some oreos to the cream and reduce the quantity of sugar needed. The taste wasn't that bad.. as my friend would rate it 7.5/10.. it's missing a lot of cream in between the layers.. but the taste was almost there.. enjoy!

btw..i do see that the pics are so much sharper.. SLR do wonders..! too bad i'm not that interested in learning how to use it properly.. automatic setting is the way to go!

Cinnamon Roll

This is my long overdue post.. i am very slow in updating the blog. I don't remember when this was.. but this is one of my fav recipes.. cinnamon rolls.. simple and tasty.. i usually don't make the icing.. it's too sweet.. tried it before and pour it over the top of the roll after it cooked.. can't endure the sweetness.. since the icing is pure sugar.. not healthy too!! recipe taken from betty crocker's baking book.. i forgot to take the pics after it was baked..

camera went kaput

I've had my Sony DSC-WXX (don't remember the exact model no...the one that was 8 megapixel??) for a few month after the 1 year warranty ended.. and suddenly the following had to happen.. searched the internet for any known defect/recall issues with their image sensor and was hoping that what I found applies to my cam as well..

http://www.imaging-resource.com/badccds.html

After talking with the Sony service center recep. they said that there's no such thing.. so bohooo.. Anyway, i sent it to be repaired hoping the it doesn't cost much.. after a week.. they said that it's repaired.. and they didn't need to replace anything.. there goes my RM 20++ just to have their technician fix it.. maybe if i were to disassemble the whole thing myself, i'd be able to fix it with FOC assuming that there were prob something loose or what not.. n'way lesson learnt.. try fixing it first (since it's not already covered by warranty) if possible.

Sewing project

I have sewn a few things... Most of them being simple:

skirt

short/pants

bag

curtains

Most of the things I sew are things that are useful, not purely for decoration purposes... Sewing isn't that too difficult but it does require your energy, time and dedication.. I am the type of person that likes to finish sewing the whole piece in a day or 2 and not more.. If it got extended, then it'll probably be neglected and become an unfinished object.. That is why I only do my sewing on the weekends where I can dedicate the whole day just to get over with it.. Usually, I'll cut all the pieces for all projects that I'd be working on. And the sewing will be done on another day where I try to finish all those that has been cut.

Most of the sewing that I do comes from patterns that are either from sewing book or sample of clothes that I already have.. It is easier having an example than just imagining how it would turn out in the end.. A sketch would sometime helps too.. Anyway, here are some of the completed pieces..

These bags were made based on the pattern found in madebyrae.. credit goes to her!

Pets story

I love rabbits... I remembered when I was small, I would ask my dad for a rabbit. Sadly, the rabbit that he brought back didn't last long.. Instead, I had a tame monkey as a companion, given by a friend, i think.. At that time, our house were surrounded by jungles on a hill. We had placed the monkey in its own cage at the back of the house. His name was "Acu". Cute little monkey who likes to feast on bananas.. We had him for a while until the day that we had uninvited visitors barking loudly in the middle of the night for our "Acu". That was the last time we had a 'real' pet. I don't consider the cats that come to my parents house as pets.. because they came just to have their meal or have shelter but were not really friendly. My mom likes feeding them with leftover foods and they just keep coming, even after we left him quite far off from the house (> 1 km), they'd still come back..

Fastforward... with the agreement of my husband, we started to take in rabbit. During that time, we were staying in an apartment and there were only me and him. So, we got ourselves a cute baby rabbit for RM30+ and put him in a cage which actually costed more than the rabbit itself. It was really cute, and I was able to clean his cage myself.. After a while, Hamzah came and the rabbit got bigger. I cannot tolerate his poop anymore and my husband cannot tolerate it as well. So, we decided to let go of the rabbit

Now, that we have moved to a bigger place, we continued or shall i say, restarted the rearing of rabbits. It has been more than a year and we have seen soo many baby rabbits appearing. To date, there are > 13 rabbits in our yard.. maybe I should create a family tree for this rabbit family, which started with 3 + 1.

Here are some latest piccies...

My big fat stromboli

I got this recipe from one of my Bread book (Publisher: DK). The recipe was simple and easy to follow. The bread turns out soft and good. But i guess it was a bit too huge?? Nevertheless, it was really yummy.. i used mozarella, mushroom and some herbs as the filling..

Grapes updated!

Our grapes have grown bigger.. but not harvested yet.. enjoy the pics!

Breads

I love baking over the weekends when i'm at home. It started out with doing cakes but then i figured that they are too sweet to take too often.. I always like those bread that you slice and put butter on unlike the white bread commonly sold in stores. However, breads require patience and the ingredients are not commonly found in stores. You really have to go to specialty stores to get them. Good thing I found a couple stores near my place in Bukit Mertajam. I know there's a lot more choice in Kuala Lumpur, but I don't have the time to visit them whenever I'm in KL.

There's this one store that sells all the different type of grains.. wholemeal, rye, multigrain, etc. And they come with recipes too!.. so I bought a couple of them to try out. Here's one of them.. I added additional filling in; red bean paste and kaya. If I have time, I'll post the recipe later..

Wholemeal Bread Mix:

Ingredients:

A.

Wholemeal Flour New Zealand - 100 gm

High protein flour - 400 gm

salt - 5 gm

milk powder - 20 gm

brown sugar - 45 gm

bread improver - (1 tsp) 4 gm

yeast - (1 tbsp) 11 gm

cold water - 280 gm

B. Butter - 45 gm

Instructions:

1. Mixa ll (A) ingredients until even at low speed. Add (B), mix for 15 min until elastic. Rest 45-60 min or until double in size. Press out the air, round into ball, rest for 15 min.

2. Then, cut it into 60 gm pieces, round into ball, rest for 10 min. Make into shape

3. Proof the dough for 45 min or double the size

4. Preheat oven at 190 degree celcius and bake for around 15 min

note: I added the filling in step 2 before shaping them

Green Grapes!

I like seeing trees grow from seeds till the stage that the flowers/fruits come out. However, I don't have that much knowledge of gardening. On the other hand, my husband loves gardening and woodworking.. We have a small piece of land that he would use to grow his fruit trees. We have a lot of fruits and veggie plants at home and no flowers at all.. His rationale was to get the benefits from this plants.. example.. for food.. :) Some of the plants grew well (with this I mean, the fruits really came out).. while some did not.. maybe because of the insects and no pesticides..

Anyhow, this is one of them that we have at home.. a sweet green grape tree (vineyard??) It's not really big but can u still call it a vineyard?? This is the third time that it produces fruits (still growing).. but this is the first time that it mass produced the fruits.. previously only one bunch came out at a time..

I guess if you are interested in growing your own green grapes, you can buy them (keratan batang.. dunno what it's called in english and too lazy to search..haha..;D ) from us in Seberang Perai, Penang.

Chocolate ice cream cake

In most recipes that i've seen, the use of ice cream machine is required to make an ice cream cake, which is for making the ice cream itself... i tried making one a few years back, putting the cake as a base and some ready made ice cream from the shop and freeze them. But the cake couldn't last long after taking it out from the freezer..

After attending a baking demo class, i found out that it's not really necessary to use ice cream machine and there's a way to ensure that your ice cream doesn't melt that fast. You need to make sure that you cover all sides of the pan with the sponge cake and fill it with the ice cream that is made out of fresh cream mix at high speed with some chocolate (for chocolate ice cream cake).

I made one recently but the cream didn't mix that well with the chocolate which resulted in some white spot seen when the cake was cut.. I covered the cake with some fresh cream frosting and grated chocolate..so here goes the pictures...!

see the white spots above.. those are some lumped cream that didn't manage to get evenly mixed.

final result.. didn't bother to decorate it nicely.. they are bound to be eaten.. by my 2 sweet lover kids..

This was before it got decorated.. This was after it was frozen for > 24 hours. The ice cream is inside.

Recipe was obtained from one of the baking demo class I attended at EZBake, Bukit Mertajam.

Coming Soon!

Insha Allah if time permits.. i will update this blog and share what I have sewn and baked at home.. these are my weekend hobbies as I am a busy office worker on weekdays.. my skill at sewing and baking are not perfect but what the heck.. i just like to share them.. :P