:: pregnancy craving? ::

There's nothing interesting to share today because nothing much happened in these two days. Just went through the normal home-office-home routine like any other weekdays {sigh}. I'm feeling like dressing up; wearing pretty dress and heavy makeup but I have no event to attend. I always wish to be a socialite, being invited to events and parties, mingling around the rich and famous... but that's more to dreaming.

Back to the dressing up part... yes, I'm craving to be "cantik-cantik" without any particular reason. I wish I was able to attend 'EH! 20 Yang Anggun' event last Sunday but it was too late to buy the tickets. The theme was Glitz & Glam. If attended, I should have been all out with a sleek, glamorous dress and some blingz but nope, I was at home that night in my usual baby tee and short instead. Some people feel it's a hassle to prepare for a function: finding what-to-wear, how to do their hair, how to wear their tudung, makeup and other stuffs that make them turn down an invitation. As for me who only receives one or two invites to big events in a year, I'd take that as an opportunity to have fun, dress in my best and that's what I'm missing right now.    

Writing this post somehow reminds me about this karaoke nite out with my BFF last May. We decided to have a theme and it was "bling bling" so each of us wore something bling that night, me in gold sequins top, Fila in purple sequins top, Nor in blue sequins ballet flat and Rabby in silver sequins mini skirt... and all of us came complete with makeup too.

It was a fun night out and we were singing like nobody's business. Haihhh... that was one unforgettable night and on top of all I really like what I wore that day.

Girls, when are we going to have our next karaoke outing? Please don't say another few months from now cuz I won't have anything good to wear that time... huhu. Nak pakai cantik-cantik~!!!  (errr... is this a pregnancy craving?).

:: how to clean makeup brushes ::

I have been searching for makeup brush cleaner since months ago. Previously I didn't bother much about cleaning the brushes because I normally used sponge applicator provided with an eye shadow set, but after owning Coastal Scent's 88 Makeup Pallete I've started using a full set of makeup brushes almost everyday. I once asked a sales assistant at the drugstore about the cleaner and because they didn't sell one she told me to wash the brush using makeup remover instead. Since there was no option left I followed her advice but still continued my search for a proper brush cleaner.

Searched the Net and found there isn't much cleaners available in Malaysian market. Some people said they washed their brushes with baby shampoo and some with soap, but I need something a bit more 'professional' because I also washed mine that way before. From my research most people in Malaysia used MAC but there were some others who used Elianto and Shu Uemura. I went to Elianto once but they said they didn't have any brush cleaner, so I didn't know who to believe. I asked Miu from plusizekitten who I look as an expert in beauty products available in Malaysia and she only used Shu Uemura's but said the smell was a bit strong. 

Last Friday I made my decision and bought MAC Brush Cleanser instead. I'm an avid fan of MAC so that influenced my decision too. It cost me RM45 for 235ml. I've cleaned all the brushes and very satisfied with the outcome so I'm sharing my experience here. On top of all, no water was involved in the ritual.

1. Items involved: makeup brushes, makeup brush cleanser & cotton pads.

2. Pour cleanser on a cotton pad.

3. Run bristles on the moist spot until all dirts are removed and shape the brush accordingly.

*Tips: use the cotton pad back layer if the front layer has already filled with colours.

4. Leave brushes to dry.

5. Don't forget to clean the brush case too.

Wasn't it easy? Time spent cleaning for a brush was about 3 - 5 minutes depending on the size and dirts. It didn't take long for the brushes to dry and brushes should be cleansed once a week depending on frequency used. As a conclusion, cleaning a makeup brush has never been this easy and MAC Brush Cleanser is indeed a must-have item!

*keywords: makeup brush cleaning tutorial, the best makeup brush cleaner, recommended makeup brush cleaner, mac brush cleaner review, mac brush cleaner tutorial, makeup brush cleaner malaysia

:: an evening with dotdotdot ::

Went out for a date with my bff - Nor after office yesterday. She was supposed to get her police summon due to an accident she got involved during Aidiladha eve but I tempted her to follow me instead... and of course Sunway Pyramid was more irresistable than PJ Police Station. Haha! It was Friday evening but we were so lucky that the traffic was not heavy like the usual Fridays so we managed to arrive in less that half an hour from Menara TM to Sunway Pyramid. Someone recommended me before to park at the basement rather than upper grounds because it is much easier so after years, I tried it yesterday. It was true because we straight away got a parking spot. I don't think it's as easy as that if we chose to park at the upper grounds. So take note, if you want to go Sunway Pyramid do park at the basement area.

We walked around the mall and went into Parkson. It was Bonuslink Members' Day. I intended to use the RM10 voucher which expired yesterday that I got a week ago from buying SKII facial cleanser. I then showed Nor the 3-in-1 DKNY bag set I saw last week. It's a worth buying set, I'm telling you. I already tried to snap some pics before but didn't manage to because the SA was around and it was the same yesterday; so you have to visit Parkson to see it yourself. Anyway there were two 3-in-1 sets, one consists of a large, square makeup bag + an oval shaped zipper purse + a smaller but not too small zipper purse and another set consists of a small handbag + a zipper purse + a coin purse. Both were made of dark brown/black DKNY embossed monogram fabric and priced at only RM460! The one with makeup bag is totally worth buying because it's large. At first I planned to share a set with Nor (I want the makeup bag) and gave her a zipper purse as her belated birthday prezzie, but I wanted to think a bit further because of the price. I said let's have dinner first so I could think while eating but we later dropped by at Estee Lauder counter for a while to check on their gift sets before heading to Sushi King.

Yeay, I finally got my sushi treat~! I have told you about it earlier after knowing that pregnant women can still eat sushis as long as they're cooked.  I have to skip all raw ingredients, including crab sticks so there were not too many choices left. Though, I was still happy eating tori karaage (deep fried chicken), kani kama maki (deep fried crab sticks with cucumber), the one with tuna shreds and sea weed, tamago maki (omelette) and kappa maki (cucumber).

We also ordered takoyaki but it wasn't that nice if compared to Mid Valley's Jaya Jusco and they were so small. *Mental note: do not order takoyaki anymore at Sushi King.* After eating 5 beige plate sushis, 2 blue plate sushis and a bowl of 5 takoyakis we went out with a full tummy.

We went to MAC Cosmetics because I wanted to buy brush cleanser and took the opportunity looking at their latest holiday makeup sets.  I've actually received an SMS from them to check their promo booth at Mid Valley last week but didn't get the chance to go. It's end of year so as usual makeup and perfume companies come up with their own holiday gift sets in conjunction with Christmas. I never fail to check MAC's holiday sets every year because they usually come in good price and beautiful packaging. This year the theme is "A Tartan Tale"so all sets come with posh looking gold MAC emblem on tartan checkered printed packaging and they are SoOoOo to-die-for. There were lip / eye / face kits (RM120 - RM180) lip / eye brush with bags (RM250) and just released 2 days ago, lipglass / pigments / nail polish set in box (RM145) as per pic below:

I really - really - really like the eye brush set that consists of 5 brushes in a rectangle tartan clutch cum slingbag. It costs RM250 and that is considered cheap for 5 MAC brushes (but not considered cheap for my shopping allowance). The SA named Calies was a pleasant, nice lady so we spent our time a bit long listening to her recommendations. I almost made an impulsive purchase but I managed being a strong shopaholic yang penuh keinsafan. But, but... is there anybody with a BIG heart who wanted to buy the brush set as my early birthday prezzie...hrmmm? *fluttering my eyelashes*

We went back to Parkson because I haven't spend the voucher yet. That time I've made my decision not to buy the DKNY bag set so I've asked Nor to find other items for birthday prezzie. Somehow she came out with a proposal and it was another to-die-for item, the Estee Lauder Coach gift set. I made a quick decision and it was a YES. Most of you must have already aware about the Estee Lauder Coach gift set. It's one totally worth buying gift set this season because you'll not only get a set of makeup but also a pretty Coach pouch. Just buy any normal price Estee Lauder item worth RM200 or two (2) holiday gift sets and you are eligible to purchase the Coach pouch + 2 lipsticks + a lipgloss + 3 eyeshadow / 1 blusher set + an eyeliner + a blusher brush + an eyeshadow brush for RM180. Irresistible isn't it??? There are 3 sets available: gold pouch with pink coloured lipsticks, silver pouch with grape coloured lipsticks and red pouch with crimson red lipsticks. Okay, one more time is there anybody with a BIG heart who wanted to buy the Coach set as my early birthday prezzie...hrmmm? *fluttering my eyelashes*

Gold pouch set was already sold out so Nor took the red set because she always wanted red lippies. I like the gold one because it has pink lippies and I wasn't surprised it was sold out. Nor bought herself a 50ml Pleasure perfume for RM210 to make her eligible. I will only pay a-not-so-small portion though but she still have to top up a bit for the Coach set. At least I don't owe her anymore... just owing the bank for the credit card amount and above all, as long as it made my dear friend happy.

 

Nor ko happy tak? Happy kan kan kan? Hehehe. After the purchase we spent our vouchers at the lingerie department and relaxed for a while at Starbucks. Met our mate, Rabby who also came to Sunway Pyramid with her friends and it was already 10 something. After stuck for 30 minutes in the congested parking area we managed to get out of the mall. Nor was even happier because I sent her home (earlier I promised to send her to LRT station only) and I reached mine around 11:30 pm, anticipated to meet my dear hubby and cutiepie kitty. That ended the long, exciting Friday evening... and today I'm loving my quiet Saturday at home.

Foot note: Happy Birthday to my bro-in-law, Abang Mar and my far-away friend, Isma. Wishing you both all happiness in the world~!

*keywords: mac 2010 makeup set, estee lauder 2010 makeup set, gift idea, what to buy for christmas, worth buying makeup set

:: pinky scrapbook - love story ::

Wearing pink to office inspires me to make this:

To My Dearest HunnyBee Hubby:

Thank you for the wonderful years together and look forward to spending the rest of my life with you.
Love you heaps... mwahs!

xoxo,

- your wifey -

:: all about kiki ::

We’re quite worried about KiKi. She is quiet these days, doesn’t eat much and keep taking naps. She doesn’t want to play game as much as before and even if she did, she stopped after a while and sat quietly. She has gone through a hard time in the past few weeks, first with fever then de-worming and then on heat. We don’t know whether she still feeling unwell or maybe her behavior is affected by the heat cycle that made her more “mature”.  We thought she is getting tired eating IAMS kibbles but she still didn’t eat much even when we served her boiled chicken – one of her irresistible meal. She has become slimmer and that is worrying us more. We really hope she is going through a normal process in order to become an adult cat, because as for now she must have been around 8 months old.

Nowadays KiKi loves looking out of the window. She has her own daily routine starting with waking up in the morning together with me on working days. She sits at the window pane, behind the curtain looking at the scenery while I’m having shower and once I come out of the toilet she jumps down the window and nuzzles her body around my legs. As I am preparing myself, I will open the bedroom door so KiKi could go out and have a drink. There’s water for her inside the room but she still like the one on the staircase better. While I continue preparing myself she just sits either on the kitchen door mat, on the microwave, under dining table or behind the TV but she will follow me to wardrobe room if I’m ironing. Once I’m done, I will call her out or carry her to the bedroom again and she will wait for me at the window pane so I will wave at her before leaving for work… and this happens almost every single morning. So sweet, ain’t it? Hehe.

In the evening KiKi sometimes sits at the window pane as if she’s waiting for me and I definitely feel awe when she does that. She stays in the bedroom with me at night when I'm ready for bed but she usually waits for me to sleep before makes her way and curls in her comfy pink bed. KiKi is indeed a smart kitty. She understands the word "come" so everytime we say that word to her she'll wake up and follow us. Besides her daily routine, she also has her own nap time which is from 1:00 / 2:00 pm until 5:00 / 6:00 pm and I notice this everytime we stay together in the house during weekends. On the other hand, her toilet routine is once during the day and once during the night. She mieouws and waits in front of the door to signal us "it's time" so we can take her in.

We're blessed to have KiKi as our cat and believed it has been destined. We really love her so much and we really hope she is happy living with us...

:: yummylicious roti aiskrim ::

This is what I had for tea today:

It's a yummylicious roti aiskrim.

Making one is "oh so easy". What you need is ice cream in any flavour, a bun and syrup (optional). Just spread the ice cream into the bun, pour the syrup and voila, enjoy the guilty pleasure. Happy trying~!!!

:: 2 alam vs. ac konsortium ::

Those two names are currently top in Malaysian cyber news. What's with 2 Alam? What is actually 2 Alam? In case you didn't know it's a Malay movie title currently showing in theatres through out the country. Sensational news about that movie is not about the actors or actresses nor the director but all spotlights are shining towards the producer, Dr. Rozmey or better known as DDR. Early this year he proudly said his movie will hit box office with RM2 million income then somewhere through out the year increased the number to RM4 million and then RM40 million!

Yes, we're not talking about Hollywood movie here but Malaysian made movie which so far achieved RM6.33 million as the highest income for Jangan Pandang Belakang... and DDR expected 4 times more than that. 2 Alam started showing in local cinemas Thursday last week and so far Dr. Rozmey has received numerous negative comments instead of cash. Earliest feedbacks were received from the media when they managed to watch it during the preview in conjunction with FFM23. There were lots of very harsh, negative comments and one of them is:

"Sesiapa yang sanggup nak tengok 2 Alam - sedekahkanlah sahaja duit tu pada makcik jual kerepek ke orang buta minta derma. Lebih puas."

Similar comments were overflown until today especially when Dr. Rozmey himself made a statement saying his movie made RM2 million in its first day. People even spent time showing seating screen shots in several cinemas to prove he was being nuts because the theatres were mostly empty, so where did the figure came from. They were saying that Dr. Rozmey must have lived in '2 alam' himself, dreaming. That might be true because few weeks ago he even made press statement that he'll get Pamela Anderson to act in his movie next year.

Sorry DDR... I think you better stick to what you used to do either continue being a gynae or just concentrate with your Jusmate thingy because film industry is obviously not your cup of tea - hey it rhymes! Kesimpulannya, bak kata orang Negeri Sembilan, lenkali jangan "jobo"... kan dah kena... hehe.

Ok enough with DDR and his 2 worlds. Next let's talk about AC Konsortium and their magnetic bracelets. Early this month there was big buzz about AC Mizal making police report about bloggers attack to destruct his business. The famous blogger linked to this is someone with a cyber name called aididmuaddib who's totally against any MLM business. He revealed about AC Konsortium pyramid scheme / MLM business, the truth about their magnetic bracelets which actually cost USD25 but selling at RM1000+ and fake testimonials that being copied exactly from other health bracelet website. AC Mizal was obviously pissed off with the statements saying aidid was making false statements (fitnah).

The arguments still going on as there were parties supporting AC while others went against him. To be frank, I was a fan of 4U2C but that doesn't make me an ACK supporter. It is already known that MLM business couldn't last long and the only person who's making money out of all downline's money is the one on top. Despite a lot of information sharing about the truth behind MLM, many people especially Malays still being lured and willingly invest in the so-called business. I tell you, MLM people are mostly fakers. They sweet talk to get you involved and once deal is done, some even left you unattended. 

Someone close to me was involved in MLM and everybody celebrated when he was promoted to upper ranks. They were all together for conferences and talks here and there, but when he felt sick nobody from the MLM ever visited him until today... no hellos or whatever and there goes all the investment. 

It's good that someone like aidid has the guts to reveal those 'hidden secrets' to people out there and it should be an eye opener to us all. Easy come, easy go. Kesimpulannya, sepandai-pandai tupai melompat akhirnya jatuh ke tanah juga. 

*keywords: dr. rozmey 2 alam, ac konsortium menipu, penipuan mlm

:: what's wrong with them? ::

Morning peeps! Let's starts the day with a bit of activity. As usual I always start my morning scrolling what's hot on yahoo news and found this pic below at yahoo omg! page. Ok now can you spot what's wrong with it?

 

I think Sarah Jessica Parker looks a bit weird in this pic especially with her eyes. I don't know why she keeps on getting compliments about her look, her fashion sense and all whereas (sorry to say) I think she looks like a drag queen at times. Sorry SJP, I'm so-not-one-of-your-fan.

Now here's the second pic and it's no other than Dato' Siti Nurhaliza who was attending Shout Awards held last Saturday. So, what's wrong with her?

I've seen Siti in fedora hat few times already but why must she wore it with that "veil" this time? She didn't cover much of her hair lately but that night she decided to do it. Not only that, except that large Chanel bag I believed she could get better clothes than what she was wearing too. Well, money can't buy you style bebeyh - enuff said. On a positive side, Dato' Siti has already went through tremendous change in her style and she actually look a lot more better these days than before. So don't worry about those comments Siti (and other harsh comments I've seen on FB) because one faux pas in fashion doesn't mean anything.

Ok, jom start buat keje jom!

*keywords: Shout Awards 2010, Dato' Siti Shout Awards, Sarah Jessica Parker pic

:: searching for a perfect white handbag ::

I have this white Nine West handbag, bought around 4 years back in KLCC. It was actually love at first sight. Saw it on the poster, asked the sales assistant and it was mine in the next 15 minutes. It has been years, so what should I expect. Now its 'skin' is peeling off and sometimes left bits of dusts everywhere. I love that bag because it is sort of one-of-a-kind with no strappy handle (too bad I'm too lazy to snap a pic) and to emphasize that matter, I even received a number of compliments from people with that bag.

So now I'm in the midst of searching for a replacement white handbag because I don't think I can continue using the current one. Well suddenly searching for a white bag is harder than it thought especially when it is not during the right season. Currently marrakesh theme seems to conquer the fashion world with camel, red and black colours. Well, I'm not talking about high end brands here because at this moment I have a lot more to think than to splurge on a hefty handbag. BUT (there's a BIG but) no other white bags could make me drool than these:

They are from Gucci and I'm so in love with each of them. They are white and they are structured, perfect for office and totally suits my taste BUT (another BIG but) obviously they also come with beautiful prices. The most affordable one is the Ladies Web Medium Hobo that costs USD825 which I like better than the other two because the size is just nice for my body size. Well well well... you can keep on dreaming baby... 

Since Gucci is a bit out of reach, I then surfed around and found one bag that is more affordable. It's an Etienne Aigner which can be pre-ordered from klpremiumoutlet at the price of RM450.

It's structured, a bit hobo-like, love the detailing and perfect for office, but (another but???) I don't know whether I really like this bag or it is just a 'rebound'. 

Hrmmm hrmmm... should I save my cash for few months and get a big, bold bag or should I just buy the one that I can afford and able to get within few weeks. What say you? 

:: an engagement & two weddings ::

...kept my Saturday busy.

Drove out of the house at 10:45am yesterday for cousin's engagement ceremony. She's my Mak Ngah's daughter, the next grandchild after me and the ceremony was held at her house in my kampung, Labu, Negeri Sembilan. It was my Single Saturday so everybody was asking about mr.hubby. I'm used of getting such questions especially when attending events alone or with BFFs without him. That's life as a wife to a businessman where you have to be independent at times and I'm already used to it. Back to the engagement, it was a simple, intimate event and alhamdulillah everything went smoothly as planned. Pretty in peach, my cousin was indeed happy after the engagement ring was safed in her finger. The wedding will be held in April and hopefully she will go through the engagement period with a lot of happiness.

 

- My cute lil sis strikes a pose  -

- With the bride-to-be and my second sista -

Next destination after the engagement was an old schoolmate's wedding in Ampangan, Seremban. Reached there at 2:30 pm and something funny happened when I was walking to the bride's house. Since I was alone (I hate going to wedding ceremony alone because I've experienced it once long time ago and I felt like a big Loser) I thought I should walk closer to a family in front of me so people could see us coming together but suddenly I was alarmed. The woman who was walking right in front of me was wearing the same fabric pattern in the same colour like mine! OMG!!! I straight away made a u-turn and walked away as fast as I could to my car. Ok, that was one big reason why I rarely buy ready made baju kurung... last-last kena jugak... cisss!

That incident didn't stop me to celebrate Dr. Emi's big day though. After 15 minutes I then made my way to the bride's house (thanks BFF cikFila for accompanying me through phone). I was excited because I haven't met the bride for quite some time and the fact that I also met another mate, Ema whom I haven't seen for such a long time. The three of us actually stayed in the same dorm during high school so it was like a mini reunion. I was flattered knowing that Ema is actually one of my silent readers... thank you so much babe for your support and do keep in touch key! Anyway, both bride and groom looked fabulous in dark purple outfits. I'm happy for both of them and pray for their happiness and blissful marriage life.

 

- With che Emi -

- With che Ema -
(...and oh btw that's the boria baju kurung)

After attending the two ceremonies I stopped by at my parents' house. It was tea time so my mom fried this fantastic tapioca served with lemon tea. They were awesome! It was great to hang around with my family although it was only for a short while cuz another wedding awaits me at night. The second wedding ceremony of the day was hubby's univ friend, held in Damansara Uptown. Another friend tagged along with us to the 'bollywood' wedding... too bad no pics for that. It was a brief stay anyway, we ate, met the groom and we were back at home again. In the end of the day I was very exhausted and straight away went to bed for a good night sleep.

There goes my Saturday. I have nothing much to share about today because I was staying home the whole day. It was a nice, quiet Sunday at home with mr.Hubby and KiKi... and it was such a bliss! KiKi was behaving so well the whole day and she even slept on the couch with us while we were watching tv. She must have enjoyed having us in the house for the whole day but unfortunately Sunday has come to its end (alaaaa...). Everybody's back to office tomorrow so no more "lalala" day in the office. My 'Monday Blues' mode is already activated therefore I really need to find the strength to wake up early and face the day. As for you guys, HAVE A NICE WEEK AHEAD PEEPS!

:: lalala friday ::

Many people still on leave because of Aidiladha so nothing much awaits me in the office. I was a bit tired this morning, therefore decided to arrive office at 9:00 am instead. Woke up for a while then continued 'golek-golek' on bed. While dressing up I suddenly saw KiKi in her taking-a-pee pose on our bedroom's carpet. I was like "KiKi, don't!!!" but sorry it was too late. Bee was woken up to my voice and later had to wash and hang the carpet outside. We can't blame KiKi because she's just a cat. Although she always hold her pee and poo until she gets the sand, this time she may not hold it due to her current on-heat condition. Poor baby... we're praying for her to recover soonest possible. Huhuhu...

Finally bought Enfamama A+ milk at Giant Sunway Pyramid yesterday (RM52 +) after receiving recommendations from everybody I asked. Anmum never received any recommendation and a friend did recommend for Wyeth Mama (RM49 +) because it smells like HL Marigold that I used to drink. I was contemplating which one to buy until I compared the nutritions and guess what, Enfamama got more nutritions per serving when compared to Wyeth Mama. I went for vanilla flavour and eventually the smell is acceptable and light. I thought it won't be a problem until I tasted it... Ermm maybe I didn't expect it to taste that way because I found it a bit salty. I love salt but not in a milk. I thought it would be tasteless or a bit creamy and sweet. No? Anyway, fret not because I've prepared myself a bottle of Hershey's chocolate syrup (yeay! and thanks to my friend Nette who suggested that). It didn't alter the taste much but it still made the milk a bit creamier. According to Hershey's recommended amount was 2 tablespoons per cup. Didn't pour that much just now... perhaps I'll try it in the next cup. Anyhow, wish me luck on drinking the milk. I have to drink it twice daily ok. Really need that wish!

The next thing I did today was preparing fridge magnets for the winners. Made my own envelopes from a wrapping paper, wrote a note for each of them and off they go.

Luckily there's a mini post office in our building. By the way, please note that Pos Malaysia has new postage rate effective 16 November 2010 and minimum stamp required for a letter is 60 cents and 70 cents if the letter is heavier / thicker. Haven't post any letter via snail mail for quite some time and the rate has doubled up! Last time it was only 30 cents man. I only posted 2 magnets, one for Naddy and another for Qistory. Opetz and Noor will be given next week, but haven't received any news from Sharyn yet. Sharyn dear, please mail me your address will ya?

To Naddy & Qistory: let me know when you've received your prezzies or how about writing a blog post about it (kalu rajin? hehehe)

Oh, before preparing the prezzies I actually had my lunch in the office. Just tapau it from the food court. Not many stalls were opened today and I didn't feel like eating much. So I only got these:

Rice, spinach, one salty fish & keropok and it cost me RM2.80. I don't know about you but I found it a tad too expensive. I rarely buy from that stall and bought it because of desperation so I will obviously ban them after this.

Thought of cooking Siakap Steam for dinner but hubby said save it for the weekend. Already fold a stack of washed clothes and so here I am, spending time on the Net. It's my definite "lalala Friday". Don't feel like eating much for dinner too so a bowl of Nestum will do. I have a lot of gas inside my body throught out pregnancy and according to article from Babycenter it is normal to experience a lot of gas during pregnancy. Something to do with hormones and digestive system. 

Oh one more thing that completes my "lalala" expression is I can now eat sushi~! Yeap, read in Babycenter that we can still eat sushi but with cooked ingredients. Means I can have tori karaage (fried chicken on top) and the tuna one and the egg one and the... well the list goes on. So, sushi trip anyone? BFF? yuhuuuu...~!!! :-D

p/s: I suggest all pregnant newbies to subscribe to www.babycenter.com because they share a lot of important info. They will also email you, telling how the baby is growing week-by-week and what to expect. Seriously, they are useful.

p/p/s: I'm now waiting for mr.hubby to come home from work. I already miss you Bee... mwahs!!!

p/p/p/s: Enjoy your Weekend peeps!

:: my 2-month look ::

My hobby is actually shopping but I just realised I haven't post anything about shopping or fashion in this new blog. Maybe because I rarely shop and even rarely visit shopping malls these days, not like the old times. So here's my first post on fashion and it's what I'm wearing to office today. Ok, I decided to snap a pic of myself every month and post it here so I could see the 'development' of my body. This week marks my 8th week (2 months) of pregnancy, and here's how I look:

Nobody knows I'm pregnant at first glance. Although there's a slight bulge at the tummy, I still look "normal". There's no problem with choosing what to wear on top, but I've started feeling a bit uncomfortable about my pants / jeans. Telling you the truth, I have to unbutton the pants / jeans when I sit or it could cause me headache. I'm thinking of buying the extension rubber... dunno what it is called though, but gonna find out about it later. I still wear one of my favourite heels and that skinny jeans is among my favourite too! I'm sure gonna miss both of them sooner or later... huhuhu. Anyway, here's a list of what I'm wearing:

- Outer top: Zara Collection
- Inner top: Pasar Baru, Bandung
- Necklace: Ice, Melbourne
- Jeans: Levi's Lady Style
- Heels: Charles & Keith
- Bracelet watch: DKNY

Look forward to see myself in the next 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 months :-)

p/s: received an email from Valiram Group on Coach VIP Preview sale, but unfortunately it arrived in my office mailbox at 9:14pm last night whereas the preview sale was held since noon until 10:00pm yesterday.

I notice this has happened few times before. Obviously there's no use of sending an invite few minutes before the shop closes. Do they really want us to go or sent the email for the sake of notifying?

Anyway, Coach Fall / Winter Sale starts today at all Coach outlets around Malaysia. Happy Shopping!

:: world's smallest lady ::

Can't remember where but I have noticed this girl in a magazine which was read by a girl and her mother several weeks ago. Today I got an email on her and found it interesting enough to be shared so she could be an inspiration to all of us.

She's Jyoti Amge, 15, from Nagpur India and she's world's smallest lady at 29 cm tall and 5.4 kg in weigh.

Jyoti with a family friend who's only 13 months but already bigger than she is.

She's a cute girl and I feel sorry for her but what I really adore is her positive image. Being a dwarf doesn't stop her to lead a normal life and dreams like others. If you notice, she has this innocent, cheerful smiling face all the time and I believe that face is not only for the photoshoot but a part of herself indeed.

Jyoti should become an inspirational figure as she is very confident of herself too, which some of us who are in "normal" size sometimes lack of.  She said, "I am proud of being the smallest girl. I love all the attention I get. I'm not scared of being small, and I don't regret being small."

Being a teenage girl, she loves dressing up and have a big dream of becoming a film star. "I have a huge collection of dresses. I like to shop for more. Everyone in my family gets things for me. I love make-up and like dressing up like beautiful models. I would like to be an actress when I grow up. My dream is to do films."

She goes to school everyday like other kids and being treated normally except having customised school uniform, chair and desk (cute huh?).

Despite all her happiness, she still has to face a bit of health problem as her legs were fractured and could not be healed due to her size. "First I could walk, but I slipped on ice during a holiday and hurt my leg. I find it strange that my legs just don't heal. I don't like it, it causes me pain." According to the article, Jyoti also frequently in and out of hospital during her first five years of life as she was constantly felt sick but eventually grew stronger as she lives.

No matter who she is and where she comes from, let us just pray for her happiness and health so she could spread the positivity and becoming an inspirational figure to others out there...

:: salam aidiladha ::

Good morning and Salam Aidiladha to all... :-)

I've lived for 29 years and for the first time ever I'm away from my parents and sisters in the morning of Hari Raya (sob...sob...). Well, there's always first time for everything so this is it. I don't feel much difference actually because parents in law lives just around the corner and my family lives in Seremban, which is only 45 minutes drive away. Father in law is doing korban so if time permits us, we will still go back to Seremban later in the evening. I don't 'feel' much for Hari Raya even during the last Aidilfitri, maybe because I'm getting older. Not much excitement, no mood for shopping, just wear what ever available and go with the flow.

On other note, KiKi is on heat since this morning and that is one reason why I couldn't continue sleeping after waking up for nature call around 5:30 am. This is her first time and now we're experiencing what we've read before about cats on heat. I don't know how long we will able to stand the "loud noise" and frantic moves all around the house {sigh}. I guess we have to discuss this later and decide what ever best for her.

Oh, it's nearly 8:00 am and I haven't iron anything. Have to make a move now because prayer starts at 8:15 am. Will write again soon. In the meantime, have fun and enjoy your Raya folks!

:: contest winners revealed ::

Thank you girls for your support and participation!

Kindly email me your address for the item to be posted. The sooner the better (*wink)

sitiharyati@gmail.com

I promise I'll do more contests in the future.

To my lil sis, Atiqah: The poem was awesome but I've given you a sweater & a t-shirt from Melbourne. So, no hard feeling for not winning this time.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidiladha to all.

xoxo,

phatgurl

:: lagenda budak setan ::

Have you experienced listening to the same song in your head for almost every day?
I did and it was the soundtrack for Lagenda Budak Setan. We often accidentally tuned to Astro Prima when Lagenda Budak Setan the series appeared and we just watched it. It is a slow, sappy series with soundtrack being played over and over again in almost every scene transition. We usually made fun of it and sang "Bila cinta..." everytime we expected the song to appear... and yeap it will be played.

I think I've been cursed due to that matter because for several weeks later that song kept on playing in mind while I'm driving or alone. Well it is a sad song and telling you the truth it sometimes affect my emotion too (tell you it's a curse!). Last Friday my colleague somehow sang that song to himself and I was like "what?". Well at least it reminded me that the movie is already in our HTPC and decided to watch it on the next day. So, on a beautiful Saturday evening I finally watched Lagenda Budak Setan the movie, wet in tears especially when the soundtrack is playing (still being repeated over and over again).

Eventually the song has 2 versions, one sang by a guy and another by a lady. I like the one sang by the lady because it has more 'soul'. The music really reflects frustration and sadness... ah, I don't want to talk about it any longer. Just listen it by yourself and sing along to these lyrics - Bila Cinta from Lagenda Budak Setan OST:

Bila cinta kini
Tak lagi bermakna
Yang ku rasa kini
Hanyalah nestapa
Ditinggalkan cinta masa lalu

Dulu kau tawarkan
Manisnya janjimu
Yang ku sambut itu
Dengan segenap hatiku
Bila engkau pergi
Tinggalkanku

Hilangnya cintamu
Menusuk hatiku
Hingga ku memilih
Cinta yang fana

Perginya dirimu
merobek jantungku
Hingga ku terjatuh
Dalam harapan

Hilangnya cintamu
Menusuk hatiku
Hingga ku terjatuh
Dalam harapan 

p/s: Surprisingly after watching that movie, this song has stopped playing in my mind. Watching the movie is indeed a curse breaker. I'm now free... yeah!

*keywords: lirik lagu Lagenda Budak Setan, lirik Bila Cinta

:: when the cat sleeps ::

...she really melts my heart...

 

By the way KiKi is on YouTube, thanks to auntie Fila :-)

:: get well soon kiki ::

KiKi had fever this week. We left her home alone for one night last weekend and when we were back on Sunday evening I noticed her sneezing for few times. On Monday, after coming home from office I played with her and suddenly she couldn't open her right eye even after wiping it with her paw. I was pretty worried, looked at her eye and saw it was filled with mucus (tahi mata). "Something's wrong," I said to myself and later informed Bee on KiKi's condition. He was worried too so I googled and found that both symptoms lead to cat's fever. Yeap, if your cat keeps on sneezing with watery eyes that means he/she is having a fever. Answer to that = a visit to vet. 

It was Tuesday. As usual, Bee was responsible for sending KiKi to the vet because of his flexible working time. The vet confirmed her fever. Bee told me the doctor even checked her temperature by putting in a thermometer inside her anus (ouch!) and gave her a jab. Medicines provided were antibiotic and an ointment for the eye. This time Bee requested liquid antibiotics because we have experienced giving KiKi pill and it was very, very challenging. In fact we didn't manage to make her swallow it at all as she spilled it out even after few trials. 

She must be very uncomfortable and unwell after receiving the jab because after few hours, she kept on whining inside her carrier. Bee and 3 of his colleagues had to handle the situation at his shop until she stopped. She even poopoo in her carrier and when Bee brought her to the toilet she was frantically moving around searching for her sand.

Wednesday - Thursday - Friday... she's recovering day by day. However one thing that still worrying us is her decrease appetite. We noticed she gained some weight during boarding but later her body got a bit slimmer. We were afraid it was caused by worms so this morning we decided to bring her to vet again for deworming. KiKi was given a pill for the deworming and we also requested the vet to give her a shot of antibiotics because she still sneezing once in a while. When we reached home she was okay. She even ate some food and sat quietly until suddenly she started mieouwing in front of her toilet door. Since knowing about my pregnancy I have stopped handling her poopoo because it is unhealthy and dangerous for pregnant women (I'll write a post on this later) but since KiKi kept on whining I opened the door and left her a while. When she was done, I carried her to the sink for washing but she was very angry and digged one of her sharp nail into my thumb. I had to release her as my thumb was bleeding and she ran away to clean herself.

I went through an emotional moment with KiKi, talking about my feelings to her and called Bee. He came home straight away because he was worried and put KiKi in the cage so she could rest there instead. Ever since that she looked quite unwell although I took her out. She kept on sleeping and resting and mieouwing. She didn't eat and drink much. We felt so sorry for her. We didn't know whether her condition is caused by the deworming or the antibiotics. Hopefully she'll recover tomorrow though... huhuhu.

Get well soon KiKi. Mama & Papa love you!

:: blablabla ::

It's 'guys night in' at our house tonight. Bee's friends came over after he closed his shop and we all had KFC for dinner. It's nice having friends coming over once in a while and I do enjoy entertaining guests although the food is only take-away. Bee has virtual F1 race tonight and that's one reason why his friends are here. My hubby loves car racing and he owns a racing simulator here in our crib. They race on almost every Friday nights so when the time comes I just let him do his thing while I chill (or sleep) with KiKi in our nice, chilly room - like what I'm doing right now.

KiKi is already fast asleep on my side of bed and my eye lids are getting heavier. Thank God it's Friday. I look forward for a relaxing weekend - Saturday at home and go outing on Sunday. It was one lazy week and I don't feel good about myself at work. It's almost end of the day. I looked at my Nuffnang blog analytics for today and surprised to see this blog was visited by readers all around the world. There are 9 countries altogether, the most varities I ever had so far. 

I'm so glad and honoured because this blog normally have average number of visitors... so thanks a lot for your support guys & girls. Hope it's not your first and last visit, do come again next time keyh ;-)

Well, I guess that's it for now. Couldn't hold these eyelids any longer. See you in the next post and in the meantime, Good Night and Sweet Dreams folks! ZzZzZzZz...

:: what i will miss in next 9 months ::

Told BFF this morning that Subway is giving away buy-one-free-one coupon on cover of The Sun today in conjunction with opening of their 100th outlet at Shah Alam.

Nor: Ko nak pergi ke?
Me: Aku takleh makan Subway lagi laa
Nor: Oh?
Me: Haah. Aku kena avoid raw food skang ni. Salami tu sume tak bagus untuk pregnancy. Sushi pun dah tak boleh tau.
Nor: Ok...

This noon she called me from Bangsar asking whether I wanted to order anything as she was at Gloria Jeans cafe.

Nor: Aku kat Gloria Jeans ni ko nak order apa-apa tak?
Me: Alaa aku dah tak boleh minum kopi laa... caffeine

Sorry Nor, I have to turn down many of your requests these days. After knowing about my new status, one earliest thing I surfed on the Net was "foods to avoid during pregnancy" and I tell you... some of them are among my favourites.

Raw meat such as sushi, seafood, oyster, rare or uncooked beef, or poultry because of the risk of contamination with coliform bacteria, toxoplasmosis, and salmonella.

Raw eggs, or foods containing raw egg such as Caesar dressing, mayonnaise, homemade ice cream or custard, unpasteurized eggnog, or Hollandaise sauce because raw eggs may be contaminated with salmonella.

Soft cheese such as blue cheese, feta, Brie, Camambert, and Latin-American soft white cheeses such as queso blanco and queso fresco because they may harbor harmful bacteria.

Fish containing accumulated levels of mercury in their fatty tissues such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish. When a pregnant woman consumes large amounts of mercury, her baby may suffer brain damage resulting in developmental delays (for example, delays in learning to walk or talk).

Minimize the amount of liver you eat. According to the March of Dimes, animal liver contains very high levels of vitamin A. While vitamin A is good for you, women who consume too much may risk a higher incidence of birth defects in their babies (however, studies are not conclusive).

Deli meats including hot dogs. These deli meats might be contaminated with listeria bacteria which may result in miscarriage. It's safe to eat deli meats if you reheat them until steaming hot or avoid altogether.

Pineapple, sugar cane juice. It is best to avoid fresh papaya early in pregnancy unless you are 100% certain of complete ripeness. Later in pregnancy a ripe papaya can assist with heartburn control. If your Dr. has recommended natural methods for induction after 38 weeks of pregnancy, eating a slightly unripened papaya may be just the ticket.

Some prepared foods such as potato salad or coleslaw can sometimes contain high levels of listeria.

Peanuts –It is recommended that women should avoid eating peanuts during pregnancy and breast-feeding, especially if there is a family history of allergies such as asthma, eczema or hayfever.

Take care at barbecues where meat is often allowed to rest for a period of time before serving.

Coffee is one, of course. The amount of caffeine in a serving of coffee varies widely, depending on the type of bean, how it's roasted, and how it's brewed – and, obviously, on the size of the coffee cup. (Although espresso contains more caffeine per ounce, a full cup of brewed coffee will deliver more caffeine.) To cut your caffeine intake, though, you'll need to be aware of other sources, like tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, chocolate, and coffee ice cream. Caffeine also shows up in herbal products and over-the-counter drugs, including some headache, cold, and allergy remedies.

Bye-bye oyster, mayonaisse, coleslaw, steam boat, mixed nuts cadburry, 1901 hot dogs and special goodbye to sushi, mamak's half-boiled eggs, starbucks dark mocha... I'm gonna miss all of you and see you in next 9 months!!! (OMG! That's almost a year)

p/s: Baby, apa saja untukmu... :-)

*keywords: what not to eat during pregnancy, makanan yang perlu dielak ketika mengandung

:: shamrin fotograf meninggal dunia ::

• Extracted from Utusan Malaysia Online:

KUALA LUMPUR 11 Nov. - Penyanyi utama kumpulan Fotograf, Shamrin meninggal dunia sebentar tadi.

Penyanyi yang cukup popular dengan lagu Di Alam Fana Cinta itu dibawa ke hospital selepas rebah ketika bermain bola sepak di padang bola Kelab Sultan Sulaiman di sini petang ini.

Jenazahnya kini berada di Hospital Pakar Al-Islam, Kampung Baru di sini.

• Extracted from mStar Online:

PETALING JAYA: Penyanyi Shamrin (gambar) atau nama sebenarnya Mohd. Shamrin Abd. Samad,45, dari kumpulan Fotograf meninggal dunia petang, Khamis.

Allahyarham yang popular dengan lagu Di Alam Fana Cinta pada era 90-an dikatakan rebah ketika bermain bola sepak di padang Kelab Sultan Sulaiman, Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur kira-kira pukul 6 petang.

Menurut rakannya, Johan Aziz, Shamrin yang berasal dari Taman Mesra, Kajang, Selangor jatuh di padang selepas kira-kira 15 minit mereka bermain bola sepak.

“Ketika dia jatuh, kami terus membawa dia ke Hospital Pakar Al-Islam, Kampung Baru dan disahkan doktor dia meninggal dunia,” katanya.

Jenazah Allahyarham kemudiannya di bawa ke Hospital Kuala Lumpur untuk bedah siasat.

Sehingga berita ini ditulis kira-kira pukul 9.15 malam, Khamis, Johan yang juga bekas pengurus kumpulan Slam masih belum dimaklumkan oleh pihak hospital punca kematian penyanyi itu.

Shamrin telah melibatkan diri dalam lapangan muzik secara serius bersama kumpulan Fotograf yang menampilkan album pertama berjudul Iramanya Bergetar pada tahun 1989.

Setelah kejayaan album itu mereka terus mengorak langkah dengan menghasilkan lima buah album penuh 7:30 Psikosis (1990) , Fotograf 92 (1992), Fantasi (1994), Fokus (1995) dan Juara Mimpi (1997).

Fotograf pernah memenangi Lagu Pop Terbaik, pertandingan Juara Lagu 1992 untuk lagu Di Alam Fana Cintamu. 

Antara lagu yang mempopularkan Fotograf ialah Nafas Kekasih , Asmara Gerhana, Panah Tak Bermata, Aku Yang Kecewa, Salam Buat Juwita, Mengejar Bayangan dan Luka Seribu Rindu.

*al-Fatihah dan semoga rohnya ditempatkan dalam golongan yang beriman.

:: bib necklace diy ::

Bib necklace was huge in fashion last year and craze for the embellished accessory never fades till today. Varieties of them are still selling in stores and some come with whoopping price tag too. During my last visit to The Curve flea market some time ago, price for a bib necklace started at RM50 and above. I have always love bling bling stuff and bib necklace is always top in my most wanted list but the price kept me away from buying one. I like accessories but I rarely wear them and with its significant look, it can't be worn often because it will be too obviously seen... so it's not worth the investment. 

After several observations and studies, I found that making bib necklace is not that hard. Intended to make one for quite some time but the urgency came few days before we left for Melbourne. I normally plan what to wear during vacation few days before departure. Decided to travel light, I've chosen few plain tees to be mixed and matched with my cardigan or a long-sleeve inner shirt. I bought nearly 10 different colours plain tees in London last June because they are flexible and can easily be matched with cardies / jackets / accessories so I thought wearing a bib necklace with one of them can easily transform the plain tee from nothing to something. To cut the story short, this is how it looks:

I made that bib necklace during office lunch time. Quick and easy... here's how you can make one:

WHAT YOU NEED:

• Felt cloth (can be bought from craft / sewing store)
• Satin ribbon
• Chunky beads
• UHU glue / hot glue
• Scissors 

HOW TO DO IT:

1. Planned shape and arrangement of your beads on the felt cloth.
2. Stick the beads on the cloth accordingly.
3. Cut according to the overall shape.
4. Stick satin ribbon to each side of the cloth and you're done!

Extra note:

- The above is a shortcut way to make a bib necklace because by right, you should sew the beads one by one. It actually depends on what type of embellishment used because you can't use glue for small japanese beads.

- Other options for embellishment include sequins, buttons, ribbon flowers, plastic flowers, etc. Just google for inspirations.

- I used black cloth and matching black ribbon, but you can also use different colours for the cloth and ribbon.

- My handmade bib necklace costs less than RM10~! :-D

Happy trying peeps...!!!

*keywords: how to make bib necklace, easy bib necklace, diy bib necklace, accessory diy, bib necklace tutorial, how to make accessory, cara buat bib necklace, cara buat rantai

:: sultan pahang birthday charity dinner pics ::

I received an email from a friend just before office hour ended today. It contained several photos taken during Royal Charity Gala Dinner held in conjunction with Sultan Pahang 80th birthday celebration at Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur on 29 October 2010. Among the highlights were Malaysia's famous couple, Dato' Siti Nurhaliza and her hubby Dato' Khalid Jiwa and few other high profile celebrities. The event and the pics look interesting so I decided to share the pics here... {sharing is caring}.

These lovely ladies must be kerabat diraja

Dato' Siti & Dato' K

Sultan Ahmad Shah & Dato' Khatijah Ibrahim

Juliza Adlizan & hubby

 

Sofea Jane with hubby & daughter

 

Datin Nina Juren with hubby

The famous Chef Wan with sorry I don't know who

 Tables were sold at RM50k, RM30k, RM20k, RM10k each

 

Dato' Siti Nurhaliza and expatriates

 

Malaysia's most famous couple

 

Performance by Sheila Majid

Performance by David Arumugam (terima kaseyyy)

*keywords: birthday sultan pahang, gambar royal charity dinner pahang, gambar terbaru siti nurhaliza