Where Can I Get This On This Earth?

I am trying to do some folk art plaque for my hubby's farm.

The idea has been mapped in my mind.
Even though the drawing and painting parts havent been commissioned, I am very, very worried where to source the metal scrapbooking label holder, or called bookplates, or its any other equivalent terms that I didbt come accross.

My soon to be key holder will have a bit painting, on a mmmmm, MDF board.
Some hooks will be nailed on to act as hangers.
Above the hangers, each will have a label of which key refers to which.
And I am planning to label it by way of this hard to find label holders.
All the images I can get from wonderful internet search engine.

None local sources, only found a China manufacturer with a minimum order requirement of 10, 000 units (what I am gonna do with these bulk????) at the cost of USD330 exclude of shipping.
Yeap, yeap I may consider to buy the bulk and sell via the net with the power of internet networking but I had only limited friends.
But its the last resort.

Some local online crafts blogs also offer it, but with preorder from US.
And one eBay seller from Singapore.
I had not many choices, most of them are pricey.

ANYONE CAN HELP, PLEASE????

Please, just shout me at ShoutBox (not my ears, please), and I will try to get back to you very soon.

Cause I am going back to the farm tomorrow.

Some may say, " who says art and craft are free, they are pricey", but I am still want to realise a free, cheap or affordable piece of art.

Yes, art is subjective, but it should not be manipulated by some for their own benefits on the cost of others.

Yes, economists may not agree ; there is no free meal in the world, opportunity costs, cost and worth exist, etc etc.

Thanks readers, chiaoooo...........wish me a safe journey tomorrow.

My Room My Circus

 

DIY-Thread Hanger/Organiser

Yeah, yeah, it sounds like I am a very organised and fussy person.
No, I am not really, but you can imagine the fuss of finding the right thread shade to match your fabric.

If the supply stores are only next to my house, I would prefer to just dash off to there get whatever shade I want, but that is not the case.

Even though I will end up with zillion of same shades...my imagination is wild now, so sorry.

When your threads are getting let say more than 10 in numbers, and it double because you also have bobbins of the same shade, you probably would consider an organised way to store them.
As for me, the clear divided box is a choice.

But given I had only one box to occupy some other supplies other than the threads, I wish I could have something like this :

~ Lets have this in my wish list while I am finding a blacksmith that can fabricate one for me..

Part I : Original Hanger

So, I decided to give it a try to do one using wood.
These are all the tools needed :

~from left to right : Philip screwdriver (to substitute a driller), flat file, hammer, mini hacksaw, bamboo chop sticks, and a ready made wood from Daiso in the background. Not in pic: nails, picture clinchers and its nails fit to wood size for hanging purposes.

The steps :
1. Start with measuring the gap of each thread when placed upon the bamboo stick that act as a hanger. Marked it, you may have few variants considered you had 240m or 1000m threads.

2. Nailed a pair of picture clinchers with a nail that comes with the package to hang the organiser once completed. You may also omit this step if you just use a pair of double clip instead.

3. Measure and mark the chop stick using a mini hacksaw according to your number of thread holes. Exclude the hole for bobbins in which 18x3/4" or 1.2mmx19mm nails will substitute.
Smoothen the cut stick with the falt file for the outside and sharpen for the inside.

4. Using driller, or in my case a screw driver, drill holes to hold bamboo sticks. I just use a srewdriver because the wood is very soft.

5. Hammer the cut sticks to the holes. Strengthen with some nails. One nail to each stick only.
(My stick has cracked because its too thin to allow for the same nail use in (5).

6. For the bobbin row, maybe on the last row of wood, just hammer the nail in (2) with proper gap for each bobbin size.

7. Hang the wood to your desired wall, or back of the closet door like I did.
You may start to hang the threads to the sticks and bobbins to the nails.

~As in (3), prepare the cut sticks not to be too sharp for safety using file. But it has to be sharpened to be hammered to the drilled hole.

~ a WIP

~A completed hanger, but I am not satisfied. Noticed the crack on the wood...

~after all the threads and bobbins have occupied the hanger

Part II : Modification to a New Hanger

So I made the other one replacing the chopsticks with single pin hooks that usually used to hang a pencil pleat curtain.
Remember to straighthen the curvy end of the pin using pliers.
The sharp side of the pin is already a great advantage that saves time and energy, so just hammer it to the wood.

~and at the end it look like this...better!

~I also extend some rollers to act as ribbons dispensers

~and my small closet is getting jamned with fabric hanger, thread hanger, and fabrics, and other tools.

DIY-Fabric Organiser

I am in desperate need of art/craft, or sewing room with a proper storage station.
Reasons (lets find one if I didnt have yet) : I am into more sewing and crafting than folk art'ing than before.

So far, everything was done in my dining table.
And my sweet petite closet has became my storage.
Since more new things are coming and I have declutterred to provide for some space.

The idea is from http://www.bhg.com/ magazine of 100 Decorating Ideas Under $100 (their Dollar of course).
Good news is, to make something like this organiser, just used whatever you had in hand.

So I just used my fabrics balance from the cushion project to do the board, some pink polka dot felt , and some same pink polka dots cotton in 45x45cms swap I bought from RM5 Daiso store last year.
http://www.daiso-sangyo.co.jp/english/storeinfo/malaysia.html

Think that I dont need to explain the how-tos for making this organiser, because it is so easy that most people can imagine just by looking at it.

But to be generous to share here it is:

1. Cut 2 pcs of fabric, size according to your desired width and length.

2. Sew pockets in front of one of them, up to you the size and quantity.

3. Place the pieces together, right side facing, and sew three sides closed, leaving the top open.

Mine, before sewing them I attach some DIYed frills in checked red.

4. Turn right side out.

5. Slide a piece of fusible web between the layers and press.

6. Insert lengths of ribbons (folded in half) at each corner top and stitch the top closed.

7. Tie the ribbons to the hanger.I didnt use hangers, I straight away tie the ribbons to the plastic hanger clip that was hammered to the back of closet door.

Voila, here is the result then:~penny wise, its worth it. And you can extend the leghth and width of it to add more pockets, and storage space of course.

Cushions

Right before Waielah starts the kindergarten, I made myself busy with few DIY projects.
Thanks to a generous friend for donating her sewing machine and I have half-fully made use of it.
My humble project is cushion covers.

The most tricky task to do the piping around it given I never had a sewing lesson all in my life.

My free advise (so funny, considered from an amateur tailor) is never use a ready made satin bias fold tape on sales.

Yes they are cheap at 50-60cents per pack but they didnt give me any help at all
Or is there some pro tailor out there can give me on some hints on how to use them?

After a while then, after few thinking and head-spanking, I finally agree that one needs to line the bias tape with a white cloth (I only managed to do only with cotton one instead of satin. And I only works for sewing some string for my pillowcase cover).

Yes, the name on the label spells so, funnily that.

I believed it has some other name. But I noticed law firms are using this multi-colored with cloth (used to see one in pink) to tie their cases files.

So, I think this decsription will help a 'sewing-dummy' like me.

Even a tutorial from http://www.bhg.com/ didnt help much

~from left to right : a satin bias tape fold, a cotton one, and a white cloth

And, as I said for dummy like me, even to sew a neat zip is challenging too.
The end result, I only confident to display all the completed covers only on my sofas, and only in my house.

****Oh boy, fabrics are so expensive this day even a DIY still costs me so much.
Seem that I only managed to save on tailor cost.
I'm in need of spend wisely wisdom now and its hard to get into the mood.
But importantly I tried and was relieved when it all done. Sigh....

~my curtain is a purple ala magenta, so I resort to match with purple cushions in various design fabrics

~and also some commissioned from Portmeirion BGs and Pamonas tea towel with green and magenta backings

Pets and Cats: Part II : (Another?) Death

(Here is another lengthy essay, so readers beware and sit tight!)

My emotion have suffered from few cats deaths before.

As we grew older, we tend tend to become a bit emotional, after passing few emotionals, tragedies, broken hearts, hurts moments in the life cycles.

Yes, nothing is more saddening watching someone die (or pass away) in front of us, even some of us may shed tears watching the scenes from soaps (or Cerekarama, or Hindustanis movies).

But nothing beats the melodramatics of real life experience itself.

Comel's girlfriend, the late Comot has given birth 2 times.

Comot is a local stray cat that my mother-in-law suggests to my hubby to bring back to KL to be Comel abd Abus' companions.

Because, they are giving me endless headache of their horny howling.

Believe me, its very stressful.

And I was worried that their howles will disturb our neighbors.

When staying with us, Comot has never been vaccinated.

And she was so skinny.

Poor thing I underlook the matter.

My guess was she was malnourished when being a strays, so in the hope our usual cat food diet will fatten her a bit.

But still her conditions not much improved.

Even in her less healthy condition, she has given birth to 4 (again?) lovely kittens.

Two browns and two oranges and there are Comels'.

Sadly none managed to survive even with her breastfeeds.

Her 2nd birth were last 3rd AidilFitri.

Two blacks and two greys.

No need to guess, they are definitely Abus'.

She breastfeed them, but one bad day she was too weak to live.

She passed away during emergency examination at Jln Tun Razak Animal Centre on 3rd October.

Leaving all the fours.

So I bought four feeding bottles with nipples and few packs of kitten milk.

But they are too weaks to survive too, two passed away one after one.

Even though with their previous breastfeed milk when the mum was alive, her worsened condition did not provide a good antibody to them.

I've learned my lesson enough so on 4th I brought Comel and Abu to vet for a complete feline vaccination.

That left us with the remaining two who managed to remain alive , we named them Hitam and Beleh (because she is so petite).

A pair of male and female.

They like to play together, chasing and wrestling.

Since I dont want to cage arrest them so much like Comel and Abu, I let them cage-free in our front yard.

But they sometimes cross the fence and play under my car parked outside, and it across the road location that worries me much.

I tried to calm myself, trying to accept the fact that the road is a dead-end lane for the houses in the row usage.

Anywhen possible when I noticed they were playing there I will shout them to come inside the garden and they abide.

But, last 3rd, around 8pm on the Monday nite, a car speed in front my house and Hitam was crossing the road.

I was at the gate watching the accident.

The white MyVi driver (none of our neighbor, but maybe someone's visiting friend) bumped Hitam.

He just went off.

Its less than 150m in front of me.

In pain he crawled slowly back to me.

When I held him in my lap, he was in a pain and struggling.

In 5 secs, he went off. No blood, maybe internal injury.

I was like, crazy for a while.

In all states of bad emotions I can describe: sad, angry, dissappointed, angry, guilty, sorrow, heartbroken, grieved,dispaired, distressed, etc etc.

Beleh came inside right after the mishap.

So I put them in the cage with her gone brother Hitam resting on their bed for the last time.

My brother came back from his outing and we digged for his grave next to my car parking across the road.

He was buried to peace that night.

My hubby came back from office and was very mad at me he even teased me to let go off all the cats so that car can hit them, or others keep them inside their house (because Comel is so...people tend to do so with beautiful things they like even though the things are not abandon property. Yes, by rule of tort anybody can posses an abandon, unclaimed property.)

Now, we only have one kitten; Beleh for Waielah to cuddle and play with......

~Beleh in the cage with her dead brother.
As I was enjoying their companies very much, I really didnt snap any photo of Hitam at all not knowing one day he will leave us all....

Pets and Cats - Part I

I had my 1st cats as pet at the age of ten if I am not mistaken.
(Am I getting absent-minded?)
Lovely kitten were born in our house, so I named it Harry, Barry, Mary (so mat saleh's taste that time).
Being young pet keeper, I lost them one by one.
What I remembered one died, cannot recall which 'ry, and the twos were MIAs.

Later, more cats were born, we kept them, and some strays came to our shade.
Ironically, the love towards them only developed among me and my late mum.
So my father, tried his best to chase them away, ride them to the wet markets in gunny sack, and dropped them there.

After few attempts, no matter how far from house he dropped them, funnily they managed to come back safe and sound.
So we (me and late mum) welcomed them with open arms and pat them, showered them with love.

My late mum was a tender and loving person, my my watchful eyes contrasts with my dad, who is a bit stricter, ahem, enough said.
She even played with them, like the way a mother play with her babies.
She even said, the house is so shady and warm, which invites lots of cats, which in turn brought us some rezeki.
Pity all the cats had no more guardian when she passed away.

My 1st after married (and many years of no cats life) cat encounter was Comel.
A friend of a friend was giving away all her cats and and my husband brought me back Comel.
Our 1st night experience was like, we went to bed leaving him outside the room and we heard few noise as there were people walking around the house.
When we woke up the next morning, we found our Gardenia plastic was on the floor, and yes, he pooped on the floor.
The rest, the house became his when we left for work.

A month later I was pregnant after trying to conceive for almost 2 years.
And later when my husband found that Comel was too lonely, he brought back a mate for Comel. And four kittens were born when I was warded for a week before giving birth to Waielah.
They are lovely, as lovely as Comel even though the mum was only a local cat.

My husband is too paranoid.
Given Waielah was pre-matured and needs extra care and precaution, he sent the whole family except Comel to SCPA.

And not long after that my hubby found an abandoned flat-nose under a car in our car park.
So Comel had another mate.
And we had another four flat-nosed kittens.
Whenever balik kg, Comel and Co. were never left unattended at home.
Instead, they also balik kg. Unless they are others to attend to them while we were away.

Most people compliment and adored their flat-nose, wide eyes and importantly hairy nice fur.
3 were adopted, and only 1 left; Kelabu.
Later we were told that by their foster parents that all of them also died.
I was very frustrated, sad, and mopping.
None of kittens died in my care (except one in next part II and on) and all did when adopted.

~" I am Comel and look at my fangs that I always dig onto mummy..."


~" I like to play inside the house, and have tried to leave my 'treasures' here and there.."

~" I loved the carpets...." and yes they were sent to laundry very often because of you!

~"hey, my name is Abu, and I am mean.."

~Waielah likes to play with Abu and the kitten

Drag Queen ???

I've been away from internet connection, when mine was barred.
Then we decided to terminate it off considered the overcharged rate.

The service provider was not faithful at all, for not informing us that they had reduced the rate to RM68/monthly for the same package I've subscribed since last 3 yrs.

It only came to our knowledge from their advertisement campaign.
Yet there are no intention at all, any words in the ad to let the old package subscriber to beware.

Yeap, i am so stupid if still want to continue to pay RM138/monthly for the same thing!
Yea, ya, there is Consumer Tribunal, or Multimedia Commission, but I decided not to play a good and determined customer role this time.

Of course they would rebut back, in their defence, customers are given choices (literally, to compare the rates among other providers), and our ad campaign is 'to kill two birds at a time', whatever, bla, bla, bla..........

So here I am blogging. Courtesy of my hubby's BB.

In the recess (and also recession time), my full attention all gone to the family, mainly the lil one

During our outing to Alamanda PJ, this was bought in coercion by the lil power...

~I am still voicing out my dissatisfaction to her till tis moment : Even Mommy dont have this kind of decent make-up, dressing table!!!Warghhhhhh

~So, when the cousins were here for a visit, he was forced to do her manicure...

~and hair styling. So demanding meh my daughter?