My phone’s camera

Yay! I finally can show some photos here by using my hand phone. After I’ve been using the digital camera, I’ve totally forgotten that my phone also got that function. So here it goes.
I’ve taken some photos of my newly made scrapbooking pages and hoping that my phone has no problem in connecting to my PC.
I’ve done two pages which used old photos of the two boys.

Ribbon is from Paperwishes monthly kit. The tags embellishment are also from paperwishes.

When doing this page, I just wanted the pattern paper to point at the photo that I like most, that’s why I position it this way, and since I’ve got my corner rounder which can do scallop edges, so I used it and also later punched holes using the eyelet setter set from making memories.

The photos shown here are actually years ago when Cal’s cousin came back for a visit during Chinese New Year. That two boys actually weren’t talking in the same language, one in Mandarin and the other in Cantonese, yet they play together with no problem at all!

Another page which I just did it last Sunday. When I look at the photo at first, I only saw the ugly things in the picture, that bathroom, so old and look so dirty. So I’ve been keeping this photo for quite some times, not sure that if I’ll really scrap it. But now, it is different, I saw his lighted up face who really enjoyed his bath that time, so doesn’t matter where or how old the place is, kids’ joy are just pure and simple.

The wording is actually vinyl from American Craft. Love it cos it is a bit thick but not so. The star is from pattern paper also from American Craft. All the other papers are brought from two peas shop.

Due to skills or pay?

Ever wonder why we always have to hire foreigners to work in our construction sites? Ya..I always see non-Malaysian in the construction site, is it because of the pay or is it because of the skills? I wonder… The first fly-over in KK involved some Chinese form China to do the construction too, am I save to say that is due to skills? I still wonder. Actually construction workers need a lot of professional skills in handling heavy machinery down to painting. I’m including renovation too. When I was in Hong Kong, I saw the workmanship of the renovation in my sis’ house, and it was awesome, they go down to detail. I can see straight lines of paint in between the wall and ceiling, instead of a blurry line or a not so straight one over here. I saw workers hanging on the wall to put up tiles in one of the building next to ours in Shen Zhen, and that worker is a lady! I don’t see it here. As for constructing a high raised (about 20 floors) building, they can finished and open it in a year time. I wonder if we have that many skillful workers here.
I’m not sure how you can get qualify as a skilled construction workers though. There is this site that offer training and get you certified by 2010 in the related field, give you details of safety and also employment training. It is both useful for employer and whoever interested in getting certified in construction industry. How I wish we have such a site in Malaysia too.
Now I can safe suppose that once you’ve got the right skills, your pay will then be increase according to that, am I right?

Donut for lunch?

It got me thinking if I really should go for it, cos donuts are normally sweet things and after I’ve tried that Dunkin‘ Donut in HKIA, I told myself never again that I’m going to order that sort of donuts again, cos they were too sweet for my teeth and it is consider expensive too. But than after much good comments from friends and colleagues about Big apple donuts and coffee, I’ve decided to give it a try. Of course the major concern is if my kids will love it. I’m glad that they serve not only sweet ones but they also serve topping with chicken-fross which Cal loves. Orait.. then I should really give it a try.
And we did, Cal almost finished 2 donut with chicken-fross topping and one with strawberry topping. As for Mer, he was too exhausted after the swimming lesson. That’s why we ended up in the area which couch that I can lay Mer there. Cosy little guy didn’t even wake up with those noise around him.
Ya.. go for it if you wanna try not so sweet donut, but I warn you, don’t put sugar into your drinks if you order mocha, it was way too sweet after the sugar I even ask for them to add hot water :p
However if you wanna make that solely your lunch, better not.. well.. not my type of lunch.. I still prefer something more solid, donut can be for tea.
Price wise, a box of 12 is RM22, a box of 6 is RM12. What I don’t understand is why they charge 2 boxes of 6 for RM24 and not RM22, what if I just wanna finished 6 and bring away another 6?
Another thing is, we were surprise to find that there have 3 outlets just in Sabah itself! Hmmm.. now I wonder if I can get any commercial fees from them since I’m writing about them here.

caught in the act

“Mommy…! Is that you? What are you doing? Are you doing your “page”?”
Calvin asked when he heard noise and maybe saw the light shine through from the room next door when he is suppose to be sleeping last nite. Ya.. he caught me doing that, ‘cos I told him I’ll be back to watch over him and will be in bed pretty soon together with him, just so that he went to sleep feeling mommy is around. But somehow this little boy of mine isn’t falling asleep yet at 10 ish.. ya.. he hasn’t sleep yet.. and he needs to go to school the next day and I was thinking that I can start my scrapbooking already.
Oh well.. I guess I’ll have to stay there in the room with him till he is asleep.
Yupe.. I always do that, wait till the boys are sleeping then start my scrapbooking thing in the kitchen table. Sometimes during the weekend, I just can’t wait anymore and I got all my things out, hoping that they are busy playing. But they always ended up in the kitchen table or the outside table beside me, poking this and that, going through my stuff in the box, asking about this and that, got excited in seeing themselves in my album and Calvin being demanding that I do those photos with him inside.
So last nite I thought to myself, I hope Calvin will be just like mommy who like scrapbooking, who loves arts and be creative in his life.

Rottan or not?

I subscribe to baby center ever since my 1st pregnancy, until now I still get their newsletter updated and reminded me on how old my kids are, how they would behave and how I can discipline them. It helps especially on my first child as I don’t know what to expect as a preggy and a soon mother-to-be, so it is nice to get their insights of things about my pregnancy and what help I would be needed.
Now since my kids are no longer fetus inside me and babies, I get news about their growing up years and I got this recently about my 29th months old: “Children this age love projects, but their interests run more toward creating than cleaning up. Try one of these tricks: If he’s done with a puzzle, help him break the pieces up as part of the game. Or if he’s in training to be the next Monet, show him that putting his crayons back in the art box is part of being an artist. And don’t forget to praise his efforts at being tidy — a little positive reinforcement goes a long way.”
A good tips huh.. come to think of it, I didn’t try that out.. but instead I use “rattan” to threaten them and I got result fast, it is always useful and effective especially if I’m in a hurry or no mood to “play along” with them. But then I’m not sure if I’ve put a negative influence on them, like telling them spanking is right when you want people to listen to you, or in their case, it might be hitting is right when you want to get result.
I suppose I do really need to think twice before getting out my “rattan” next time… ya.. i know it is hard not to use the easy way..

Scrapping again

Yay! I’ve started using my Creative Memories album with all the black refill pages that I’ve bought from Sandra, plus the free gift that I got from her (pack of pattern papers with mating papers) It is actually a bliss if I don’t need to think about embellishment which CM doesn’t encourage as they will bulge the page and also tend the photos. But.. hehe.. I still use them.. OK, a bit only la.. oh well.. I used la.. like silk flowers, brads and ribbons. I just can’t do without them in my page, they seems so plain and empty to me, so I gotta get ready my eyelet setter, hole puncher, zots and craft knife.

Initially I was regretting in getting all black pages instead of the normal or white pages.. but it turns out that I just love them.. black let my photos pop out even more.. just as long as my photos are not too dark, even if that is it, I can always use some colourful pattern paper or matting paper behind. I also start cutting out holes right behind the photos mating area to save some papers for pattern that I might just be doing later on.

I wish I can show u some photos here.. well.. unfortunately I don’t have my digital camera now.. :((

I’m so happy that I’m able to start transferring my Australian trip photos from magnetic album to CM’s album, and yet this sister of mine still questioning on why I should do that even though I’ve answered her questions several times, and yet she’s still pity over those magnetic album. OK, you can keep them if you want, but don’t say I didn’t warn you what sort of damaging effect they’ll do to your photos.

Retirement plan

I’m already been thinking about my retirement plan although I’m not yet 40. Well, an early plan is better than a no plan scheme ‘cos retire early is really my hope. That means I’ll need to be financially free, i.e. no dept and can support myself when I’m not on a daily job. I don’t rule out part-time or working on my own.. but to really retire, I would think of no need to work but just to enjoy life, it doesn’t matter if I have to work out my budget or to cut down on buying things so that I don’t need to work and still can survive, with a house to stay in, with a hobby to cling onto, with love ones that care for me (not hoping financially though), and of course with my children or friends that I can go out with.

Retirement plan in financial term might not be a problem for most people, but the caring part might be. As we grow older, we might be facing with mobility problem, health problem and of course financial crisis will come along if we fall sick or need extra care. A care home might be a good option then. A place whereby you have the right kind of people taking care of you, once in awhile check up on you, giving you advice on your daily life, giving you suggestion on dealing with things and even providing a space for you to connect with others that are in the same situation with you. As we all know, being old also means being lonely sometimes.. so care do needed. Our love ones might be busy away with their daily routine and sometime might neglect us.. so it would be good to know of some place that you can connect to at that time. Bettercaring is one site that provide all these professional assistance and it would be good if we can have something like this in Malaysia.

I hope my retirement is a joyful one and I will still be doing my scrapbooking..

Wanna do business online?

Or you are already in the thought of doing that.. so wanna look for one good shopping cart software?

Ashop is offering affordable online ecommerce software which accept credit cards online (no need to create paypal) and it is a web based software that doesn’t need installation (doesn’t jam up ur hard-drive).

Starting from USD39.95 a month, you get to enjoy up to 50 products’ cart entry. As for unlimited product, they charge USD189.95. You can also take their free 10 day trial to try out before decide to commit yourself, if you choose their USD69.95 package which has 100MB webspace but still for 50 products’ cart. They claim that they are having an Award winning shopping cart software. All of the package include “Built-in Design Themes”.

With the price that you are paying for, you get their technical support which to me is the most important thing for a non-shopping-cart-savvy person.

Well.. find out yourself and visit their website for more information. To me.. not yet.. not now.. but who knows some day I’m gonna do this online business things. Anyone wanna buy scrapbooking idea?

Back to new and the routine

Yupe, got back and started to work. Got to send the two boys to school, surprisingly today, they didn’t cry, no show of separation anxiety.. probably later.. this mother is nuts, who in the world would hope that their kids will cry on first day at school? But.. hey, that show how much they miss their mommy ma.. anyway, it is also a good thing, it shows that they know how to control their emotion..

About the photos.. I guess I won’t be able to show any photo from now on till Chinese New Year, cos that is when hubby is getting home and that is when he can bring back the camera that I left in China.. [double :(( from me.. ]
Yes, that is really the dumbest thing that I did, how could I have forgotten my camera!! All the photos are there.. all those that I wanted to use in my scrapbook, for my Christmas pages, my Disney pages, my travel pages, my daily pages.. OMG!! I HAVE FORGOTTEN MY CAMERA! Yes, those were the first things that I thought of when I discovered that the camera is not in my bag. It get worst when hubby called saying that he can’t find the camera at home, which means.. OH NO!!! I can’t even scrap them? I haven’t even develop them! I can’t show to my friends? What if people use my photos to do silly thing? what if…?
I’m ok in loosing the camera, I can buy a new one, but the photos?!? Loosing them is like loosing some of my memory.. those one in a million photo shot that I’ve got, those never gonna have it again moment?
Then when I call hubby again, he said he found it in his wind breaker.. buoy am I glad, but I was mad with him, cos that really given me some head-ache and heart-ache.
Fui, u better think of something to compensate those cells that died in me..

Happy New Year!

Just got back from Hong Kong Disneyland. Yupe, been there, done that and loved it. Hoping to go back again someday after they have new “land” being built up.
Thought we’ve been there, but we didn’t spend counting down there, instead we are back in China and me and hubby didn’t really do our count down. The boys are flat and need to put them to bed soonest when we arrived, and I had my late nite shower after that, can u imagine, whole day in the same clothes without shower.. buoy.. that was a nicest shower I ever had. Oh and the boys.. well.. Cal can sleep standing in the MTR, that’s how tired he got after the whole day visiting the zebra, darzan, elephants, hippo, Mickey, Donald, Santa, and oh the parade and snow.
Sorry.. no photos for now, will do that once I have them. At the mean time, it is bed time for me.. I’ll get panda eyes in the morning, that is definite.