Today, I conducted a workshop to make fleur brooches to my fellow Nur Scarfletians. FYI, we had just set-up an 'online business' for our entrepreneurship project; & we are selling scarves, shawls, & brooches!!! So, do check out Nur Scarflet on facebook ayte!
Pretty? Well, that is exclusively from Nur Scarflet, & designed by yours truly. So, do support us ayte! ♥
______________________________________________________
Monday, January 17, 2011
10:08 PM
In the event where action means more than words, you have to remember that sometimes the inaction to do anything can mean just as much or even much more; and can be interpreted in a number of ways you do not even realize. Oftentimes I forget that even in situations where you were not the one who walked away, you have to realize you also did not chase after what you still wanted, what you are still waiting for — and in a way, that was you subconsciously choosing not to fight for it at all. So in cases like these, we cannot always blame the other person for hurting us by choosing not to stay, because sometimes it is our own fault for just letting it happen without doing anything about it; because regardless of who initiates the idea of it first, every relationship, whether you realize it or not, requires a decision from both sides on whether it has come to an end or not. And usually what is the most painful about it, is not the fact that it ended, but the sad fact that the other person has given in and agreed by not saying anything at all.
The semestral break ain't that much of a holiday for yours truly. I did not even breathe the air of Johore, much less step a foot into anywhere else. BRR!
& SO,
hehs! Okay, considering my time-table looks like this,
I shall be a wee bit grateful. hehs! On the contrary, I wonder how my projects are going to be like. :S
For the past few weeks, I have been pretty occupied packing & sealing & packing & sealing, & more packing for the shifting to my new home! :)
& since my family & I were shifting into a re-sale flat (which the previous owner had an overhaul renovation approximately 2 years ago), the built-in furniture are pretty much in a good condition (apart from the few sticker stains or "graffiti", brr!). With that, I gave the "not so new yet not so old" furniture a new look with some napkin decoupage technique. :)
so, how now brown cow? It does give off the 'vintagey' touch, right. It is really simple to do, & I shall link a youtube video on how napkin decoupage is done in my next entry. :)
& now that we have shifted, we are busy unpacking & unsealing & unpacking & unsealing & more unpacking to get ouh-so-comforted in our new home! hehs! :)
Mess aside, I was greeted with this pretty sight from my bedroom's window this morning. Really pretty, isn't it?
I am sooooooo going to Spotlight tomorrow!*insertsomeawesomepowderpuffcheerleaderroutine*
& I am sooooo getting my hands on the Mod Podge, varnish & stock up on scrapbooking boards. :) & yeay, Ms Chin agreed to open up the Textile Room for us to do our handicraft next week! ♥
Earlier today, I submitted all my sewing projects for DCX131, & I do have to say that I did enjoy the module -- especially upon seeing the outcome. :)
Truly brought me back to the times that I spent at Temasek Polytechnic Design School. hmm... & the skirt that I made from my father's shirt (I still cannot believe that he had a 'Barney-purple' shirt!!!) hehs. :)
& once in a while, I do make use of my 'Brother' at home, & make lil pretty things like this.
& the moment I got home, I went crazy youtube-ing on scrapbooking ideas. FYI, not that I am a newb in scrapbooking, but since the semester started, I pretty much had no time for all these. okay okay, excuses excuses! hehs. Since the hols is just around the corner, I vow to give my lil fingers some exercise & make lil pretty things kays! :)
Here are some pictures of a few of the lil items that I made with love, & passed it around as gifts. ♥
Today, I conducted my practical microteaching, and taught the class to make a Chakchouka (pronounced 'shak-shoo-ka'). It is a tunisian dish, which simply means 'mixture'. It is somewhat similar to the French Ratatouille.
The dish is pretty much a high protein dish as it has minced meat and eggs as its main ingredients. The sauce consists of capsicums, onions, spices (cumin and thyme) that makes it really flavourful. But hey, that is the essence of the dish -- its flavour! Why don't you give it a try? :)
Ingredients (for four) 4 big ripe tomatoes 4 eggs 3 bay leaves 2 sweet peppers 2 medium onions, sliced 2-3 tablespoon tomato concentrate 2-3 tablespoon chilli paste 1-2 hot green peppers 1 kg of minced meat 1 head garlic, all cloves crushed and cut 1 tablespoon tomato concentrate 1 tablespoon cumin powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 a teaspoonthyme, to taste 1-4-tablespoon oil (recommended: olive oil)
Directions Dice the tomatoes (thickly), and dice the peppers. Heat the oil in a medium size pot. The flavour belongs in the recipe, thus use a good amount of it. Add the onion and garlic, and before it browns, add the cumin. When the cumin is ‘cooked’, add the tomatoes and peppers, the tomato concentrate and the chilli paste. Add the minced meat, and mix the ingredients well. Add salt, bay leaves, and thyme, and mix well. Once the consistency is slightly thickened, add the eggs. The eggs will be poached, thus space the eggs to give them ‘room’. Place a lid, and wait for the egg white to set. The yolk should remain runny. When serving, carefully centre the egg. Have a French bread cut and ready to dip into the chakchouka.
* Note: the amounts of tomato concentrate and chilli paste, which is quite hot, can be adjusted to personal taste.
"Chefs are like painters, and need to have a proper understanding of his palette."
- Nandan Bagchi
How a food is plated or garnished gives off a deep impression and reaction to it. It even affects our perception of its taste. With that, here are some tips on food arrangement. :)
Do not get carried away! ─ Having too much just depicts how messy your mind is, one has to bear in mind that the main dish is not the garnishes.
Have at least two or three colours on a plate ─ You can select vegetables or fruits as accompaniments to add colour. Having accompaniments means no garnishing. The colours from the accompaniments will create an impression enough, plus it is edible. :) AND, plan your plate colours to compliment your dish as well. Imagine, tomato soup on a red bowl. Urghhh! If you are confused, it is best to stick to white. :)
Plan a variety of shapes and forms ─ You would not want to place cherry tomatoes as an accompaniment to a meatball dish right? Everything seems round. With that, bear in mind of the shapes of your food, and ensure that you serve the suitable and stimulating accompaniment that compliments your dish.
Strike a balance with the texture ─ Does it sounds appetizing to have a mash potato as an accompaniment to your broccoli cheese soup? Ewww... And that is why mash potato always goes along with your steak. Tender meat vs Soft smooth mash potato. YUMMY! \m/
Match portion size and plate ─ If you have too small a plate, the dish would look jumbled and overcrowded. If you have too big a plate, your serving would look measly.
Bake King is a local brand that manufactures and distributes loads of baking ingredients. And being a local brand, its price range is pretty much reasonable. :) Furthermore, they do import quality baking products from overseas as well, such as UK's Billington's Demerara and many more.
Due to the hassle for most who resides so far away from its one and only retail outlet (which is at Haig Road), the site provides online shopping for their products. They provide door-to-door delivery! Though consumers maybe unsure of which product is suitable for what recipes, the site provides detailed information of their products to clarify any queries. :)
In addition, they include YUMMY recipes as well! \m/
And for those who love baking but are clueless to go about doing it, or are interested in enriching themselves, Bake King do provide classes as well. The site includes means and ways for you to sign up, as well as the upcoming class schedules. :)
In my opinion, bakeking.com.sg is a good source for recipes where you can easily get their ingredients as they are locally manufactured. Furthermore, one can shop at the comfort of his/her own home. :)
NMSU.edu provides free publications, that are accessible via this link.
Their publications are free (downloadable as PDF files), and covers a range of categories.
Personally, most of the topics are useful, relevant and applicable to my core subject (Home Economics), such as...
---♥---
---♥---
NMSU makes it a point to revise the journals making them up-to-date, reliable and relevant readings. The journals have useful information that can be shared/used when teaching. And the one reading that I was truly engaged on was...
In training to be teaching at a secondary level means that my targeted audience will be teenagers. Having said that, I would have to equip myself with greater understanding about them, for me to be able to reach out and teach them effectively.
In my opinion, NMSU's publications are really a good source of information for me and my fellow coursemates. Though they are journals thus are a bit 'dry', they are really useful to a large extent. Furthermore, they are applicable to our current study, and also to our future. :)
Kwiksew.com provides an array of sewing patterns -- clothes, bags, aprons, home decor, and many more. And HEY, you do not need to be an expert to start sewing as they even provide sewing patterns for things that are easy-breezy to make, so as to give you a 'kwik start'.
And for those who have yet to get yourself equipped with a machine, you are not forgotten. :) They have included patterns that do not require sewing as well.
In addition, they cater for a wide range of people -- from children, men, women and not forgetting, the patterns come in plus-sizes too!
And my favourite part is the free downloadable projects!
In my opinion, kwiksew.com is a very reliable source that provides major convenience for those who wants to kwik-ly start sewing, and skip the 'making paper pattern' part. Though some patterns look a bit dated, you can just get a modern looking fabric to make it all okay. :) Furthermore, their patterns are easy to download, and comprehend. It has a wide variety, and GEE, just looking at them get your fingers itchy to start sewing something. :P
threadbanger.com is the 'hang-out' for DIY fashion how-tos, home decor tips, and many more. One can learn via the tutorials available in videos and also in a blog. And HEY, even YOU can be a threadbanger! \m/ If you have things that you made yourself and you want it featured, you can send a picture/tutorial and make a sharing about it. :)
And what is nice about this 'sharing', is that if you are lucky, other threadbangers would provide you with templates for the DIY projects that they share. In addition, you can seek clarification from the threadbanger if you need any help! :)
In my opinion, threadbanger.com is pretty much a social network for people who are passionate with DIY-ing. It is interactive -- a two-way track between the sharer and yourself. It is also a good tool to get craft ideas, and also free templates. Furthermore, the sharing is casual, thus it makes it easier for you to explain in lay-man terms when teaching them to the students. This site ROCKS! \m/
I love her website mainly for its arts&crafts ideas -- such as scrapbooking and sewing. You can get how-tos and loads of tips from the website as well. :) Furthermore, her website provides sewing patterns and templates for free, and you do not need to be a member of the site to enjoy that!
Similarly to Jamie Oliver's website, there are videos that shows you how it is done. This aids greatly for students who are visual learners.
In addition, her website provides a whole lot of recipes too! :)
And there are healthy ones as well. :)
And the fun part is... her website includes quizzes like, "How Well Do You Know Healthy Food?" This can be incorporated into the lesson plan, and be used to test students' understanding on certain topics without having to actually feel like they are having a lesson. :)
OKAY! I simply could not resist myself from trying out the quiz. HAHA! :P
In my opinion, MarthaStewart.com is a very useful site for handicraft ideas, and also can be used as a tool to get recipes. Her website is also student-friendly, and really really info-loaded. Fellow teachers can also utilize the quizzes available as a tool to teach or revise with the students. :)
Today, I conducted a workshop to make fleur brooches to my fellow Nur Scarfletians. FYI, we had just set-up an 'online business' for our entrepreneurship project; & we are selling scarves, shawls, & brooches!!! So, do check out Nur Scarflet on facebook ayte!
Pretty? Well, that is exclusively from Nur Scarflet, & designed by yours truly. So, do support us ayte! ♥
Monday, January 17, 2011
10:08 PM
In the event where action means more than words, you have to remember that sometimes the inaction to do anything can mean just as much or even much more; and can be interpreted in a number of ways you do not even realize. Oftentimes I forget that even in situations where you were not the one who walked away, you have to realize you also did not chase after what you still wanted, what you are still waiting for — and in a way, that was you subconsciously choosing not to fight for it at all. So in cases like these, we cannot always blame the other person for hurting us by choosing not to stay, because sometimes it is our own fault for just letting it happen without doing anything about it; because regardless of who initiates the idea of it first, every relationship, whether you realize it or not, requires a decision from both sides on whether it has come to an end or not. And usually what is the most painful about it, is not the fact that it ended, but the sad fact that the other person has given in and agreed by not saying anything at all.
Friday, January 14, 2011
11:29 AM
Today, my younger sister & I baked Mini Cheesy Baked Rice! :) (this is what you can do with some leftover rice from the day before!)
& we even packed some to spread the love. Food for the SOUL! ♥
Thursday, January 6, 2011
4:47 PM
The semestral break ain't that much of a holiday for yours truly. I did not even breathe the air of Johore, much less step a foot into anywhere else. BRR!
& SO,
hehs! Okay, considering my time-table looks like this,
I shall be a wee bit grateful. hehs! On the contrary, I wonder how my projects are going to be like. :S
Sunday, December 26, 2010
12:46 PM
Saturday, December 25, 2010
11:43 AM
For the past few weeks, I have been pretty occupied packing & sealing & packing & sealing, & more packing for the shifting to my new home! :)
& since my family & I were shifting into a re-sale flat (which the previous owner had an overhaul renovation approximately 2 years ago), the built-in furniture are pretty much in a good condition (apart from the few sticker stains or "graffiti", brr!). With that, I gave the "not so new yet not so old" furniture a new look with some napkin decoupage technique. :)
so, how now brown cow? It does give off the 'vintagey' touch, right. It is really simple to do, & I shall link a youtube video on how napkin decoupage is done in my next entry. :)
& now that we have shifted, we are busy unpacking & unsealing & unpacking & unsealing & more unpacking to get ouh-so-comforted in our new home! hehs! :)
Mess aside, I was greeted with this pretty sight from my bedroom's window this morning. Really pretty, isn't it?
Thursday, December 2, 2010
9:23 PM
Look at what I received in my email!!!
I am sooooooo going to Spotlight tomorrow!*insertsomeawesomepowderpuffcheerleaderroutine*
& I am sooooo getting my hands on the Mod Podge, varnish & stock up on scrapbooking boards. :) & yeay, Ms Chin agreed to open up the Textile Room for us to do our handicraft next week! ♥
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
8:06 PM
Earlier today, I submitted all my sewing projects for DCX131, & I do have to say that I did enjoy the module -- especially upon seeing the outcome. :)
Truly brought me back to the times that I spent at Temasek Polytechnic Design School. hmm... & the skirt that I made from my father's shirt (I still cannot believe that he had a 'Barney-purple' shirt!!!) hehs. :)
& once in a while, I do make use of my 'Brother' at home, & make lil pretty things like this.
ouh holidays, do come here fast! :)
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
6:46 PM
I had my last tutorial lesson for DCX130 today,
& we did scrapbooking. ♥
*insertsomeawesomepowderpuffcheerleaderroutine*
I totally enjoyed myself, & here is mine. :)
& the moment I got home, I went crazy youtube-ing on scrapbooking ideas. FYI, not that I am a newb in scrapbooking, but since the semester started, I pretty much had no time for all these. okay okay, excuses excuses! hehs. Since the hols is just around the corner, I vow to give my lil fingers some exercise & make lil pretty things kays! :)
Here are some pictures of a few of the lil items that I made with love, & passed it around as gifts. ♥
Monday, November 22, 2010
7:31 PM
WHAT DO MOMO MONSTER EAT?
MOMO MONSTER EATS LAMB CHOP!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
7:16 PM
Look at what I stumbled on -- KONAPUN!
The Japanese people are really a creative bunch, I must say,
though these are not edible. :P
Nonetheless, aren't they the cutest thing?
Saturday, November 20, 2010
7:08 PM
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
9:00 PM
& here is how to achieve the marbling effect on your norm cheesecake. :)
Saturday, October 16, 2010
1:41 PM
PULLING THE CHEESE
Secrets of The Food Photo World
the crazy extreme things that are done in a pizza shoot!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
8:28 PM
Today, I conducted my practical microteaching, and taught the class to make a Chakchouka (pronounced 'shak-shoo-ka'). It is a tunisian dish, which simply means 'mixture'. It is somewhat similar to the French Ratatouille.
The dish is pretty much a high protein dish as it has minced meat and eggs as its main ingredients. The sauce consists of capsicums, onions, spices (cumin and thyme) that makes it really flavourful. But hey, that is the essence of the dish -- its flavour! Why don't you give it a try? :)
Ingredients (for four) 4 big ripe tomatoes 4 eggs 3 bay leaves 2 sweet peppers 2 medium onions, sliced 2-3 tablespoon tomato concentrate 2-3 tablespoon chilli paste 1-2 hot green peppers 1 kg of minced meat 1 head garlic, all cloves crushed and cut 1 tablespoon tomato concentrate 1 tablespoon cumin powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 a teaspoonthyme, to taste 1-4-tablespoon oil (recommended: olive oil)
Directions Dice the tomatoes (thickly), and dice the peppers. Heat the oil in a medium size pot. The flavour belongs in the recipe, thus use a good amount of it. Add the onion and garlic, and before it browns, add the cumin. When the cumin is ‘cooked’, add the tomatoes and peppers, the tomato concentrate and the chilli paste. Add the minced meat, and mix the ingredients well. Add salt, bay leaves, and thyme, and mix well. Once the consistency is slightly thickened, add the eggs. The eggs will be poached, thus space the eggs to give them ‘room’. Place a lid, and wait for the egg white to set. The yolk should remain runny. When serving, carefully centre the egg. Have a French bread cut and ready to dip into the chakchouka.
* Note: the amounts of tomato concentrate and chilli paste, which is quite hot, can be adjusted to personal taste.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
1:37 PM
Friday, October 8, 2010
1:03 PM
"Chefs are like painters, and need to have a proper understanding of his palette."
- Nandan Bagchi
How a food is plated or garnished gives off a deep impression and reaction to it. It even affects our perception of its taste. With that, here are some tips on food arrangement. :)
Do not get carried away! ─ Having too much just depicts how messy your mind is, one has to bear in mind that the main dish is not the garnishes.
Have at least two or three colours on a plate ─ You can select vegetables or fruits as accompaniments to add colour. Having accompaniments means no garnishing. The colours from the accompaniments will create an impression enough, plus it is edible. :) AND, plan your plate colours to compliment your dish as well. Imagine, tomato soup on a red bowl. Urghhh! If you are confused, it is best to stick to white. :)
Plan a variety of shapes and forms ─ You would not want to place cherry tomatoes as an accompaniment to a meatball dish right? Everything seems round. With that, bear in mind of the shapes of your food, and ensure that you serve the suitable and stimulating accompaniment that compliments your dish.
Strike a balance with the texture ─ Does it sounds appetizing to have a mash potato as an accompaniment to your broccoli cheese soup? Ewww... And that is why mash potato always goes along with your steak. Tender meat vs Soft smooth mash potato. YUMMY! \m/
Match portion size and plate ─ If you have too small a plate, the dish would look jumbled and overcrowded. If you have too big a plate, your serving would look measly.
Food has always been open to experimentations.
Friday, October 1, 2010
2:38 PM
Friday, September 24, 2010
12:43 PM
My sixth review would be on...
Bake King is a local brand that manufactures and distributes loads of baking ingredients. And being a local brand, its price range is pretty much reasonable. :) Furthermore, they do import quality baking products from overseas as well, such as UK's Billington's Demerara and many more.
Due to the hassle for most who resides so far away from its one and only retail outlet (which is at Haig Road), the site provides online shopping for their products. They provide door-to-door delivery! Though consumers maybe unsure of which product is suitable for what recipes, the site provides detailed information of their products to clarify any queries. :)
In addition, they include YUMMY recipes as well! \m/
And for those who love baking but are clueless to go about doing it, or are interested in enriching themselves, Bake King do provide classes as well. The site includes means and ways for you to sign up, as well as the upcoming class schedules. :)
In my opinion, bakeking.com.sg is a good source for recipes where you can easily get their ingredients as they are locally manufactured. Furthermore, one can shop at the comfort of his/her own home. :)
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
8:06 AM
My fifth review would on...
NMSU.edu provides free publications, that are accessible via this link.
Their publications are free (downloadable as PDF files), and covers a range of categories.
Personally, most of the topics are useful, relevant and applicable to my core subject (Home Economics), such as...
---♥---
---♥---
NMSU makes it a point to revise the journals making them up-to-date, reliable and relevant readings. The journals have useful information that can be shared/used when teaching. And the one reading that I was truly engaged on was...
In training to be teaching at a secondary level means that my targeted audience will be teenagers. Having said that, I would have to equip myself with greater understanding about them, for me to be able to reach out and teach them effectively.
In my opinion, NMSU's publications are really a good source of information for me and my fellow coursemates. Though they are journals thus are a bit 'dry', they are really useful to a large extent. Furthermore, they are applicable to our current study, and also to our future. :)
Friday, September 17, 2010
7:10 PM
My fourth review would be on...
Kwiksew.com provides an array of sewing patterns -- clothes, bags, aprons, home decor, and many more. And HEY, you do not need to be an expert to start sewing as they even provide sewing patterns for things that are easy-breezy to make, so as to give you a 'kwik start'.
And for those who have yet to get yourself equipped with a machine, you are not forgotten. :) They have included patterns that do not require sewing as well.
In addition, they cater for a wide range of people -- from children, men, women and not forgetting, the patterns come in plus-sizes too!
And my favourite part is the free downloadable projects!
In my opinion, kwiksew.com is a very reliable source that provides major convenience for those who wants to kwik-ly start sewing, and skip the 'making paper pattern' part. Though some patterns look a bit dated, you can just get a modern looking fabric to make it all okay. :) Furthermore, their patterns are easy to download, and comprehend. It has a wide variety, and GEE, just looking at them get your fingers itchy to start sewing something. :P
3:34 PM
My third review would be on...
threadbanger.com is the 'hang-out' for DIY fashion how-tos, home decor tips, and many more. One can learn via the tutorials available in videos and also in a blog. And HEY, even YOU can be a threadbanger! \m/ If you have things that you made yourself and you want it featured, you can send a picture/tutorial and make a sharing about it. :)
And what is nice about this 'sharing', is that if you are lucky, other threadbangers would provide you with templates for the DIY projects that they share. In addition, you can seek clarification from the threadbanger if you need any help! :)
In my opinion, threadbanger.com is pretty much a social network for people who are passionate with DIY-ing. It is interactive -- a two-way track between the sharer and yourself. It is also a good tool to get craft ideas, and also free templates. Furthermore, the sharing is casual, thus it makes it easier for you to explain in lay-man terms when teaching them to the students. This site ROCKS! \m/
12:27 PM
My second review would be on...
I love her website mainly for its arts&crafts ideas -- such as scrapbooking and sewing. You can get how-tos and loads of tips from the website as well. :) Furthermore, her website provides sewing patterns and templates for free, and you do not need to be a member of the site to enjoy that!
Similarly to Jamie Oliver's website, there are videos that shows you how it is done. This aids greatly for students who are visual learners.
In addition, her website provides a whole lot of recipes too! :)
And there are healthy ones as well. :)
And the fun part is... her website includes quizzes like, "How Well Do You Know Healthy Food?" This can be incorporated into the lesson plan, and be used to test students' understanding on certain topics without having to actually feel like they are having a lesson. :)
OKAY! I simply could not resist myself from trying out the quiz. HAHA! :P
In my opinion, MarthaStewart.com is a very useful site for handicraft ideas, and also can be used as a tool to get recipes. Her website is also student-friendly, and really really info-loaded. Fellow teachers can also utilize the quizzes available as a tool to teach or revise with the students. :)
MINISTRY OF FOOD