Bag of the month club

By joining this club, each member will receive one bag pattern each month for six months starting from January 2014 -June 2014. The membership fee is $40. However, early birds were given a discount of $5... that means they only have to pay $35 for 6 bag patterns.
These bag patterns are designed by six different designers. Detailed information about the club and its designer can be found at this link: http://www.sewsweetness.com/p/bag-of-month-club.html .
January is almost over and I'm still struggling with the first bag 😉. If I were to sew another bag using this pattern, there are a few things that I would do differently:
1. I would use softer stabilizer. The one that I'm using now makes it difficult for me to turn it inside out.
2. I would pay attention to the suggestions made by the designer 😊. In the case of this bag, when the designer said solid fabric... I should use solid.
3. Really measure the placement of the magnetic snap buttons on the pockets and the flaps... and sew all of them carefully. Otherwise I would end up having uneven pockets and flaps like what I have now... hehehe.
I will sure post the photo of my bag when I'm done. In the mean time head on over to http://www.sewsweetnes.com and find out about the designer of the month's creativity.

Photo Grid

Menunggu keretapi

A novel by Norhayati Brahim

But my story is mengejar keretapi di Switzerland ;)

Last June we were traveling from Geneva to Wengen to Zurich by train. It was truly an experience. Macam dalam amazing race pulak masa naik train ke Wengen from Montreux. There was no direct train to W from M. We had to change train 4 times. Montreux - Visp - Spiez - Interlaken Ost - Lauterbrunnen - Wengen. The journey took about 3 hours 11 minutes. 12.40 - 15.51. Yang seronoknya kena kejar train. Kami memang terpaksa berlari-lari kalau tak ketinggalan lah sebab jarak masa sampai dan bertolak cuma lebih kurang 5 minit je. Masa perjalanan memang tepat. Sebelum sampai satu-satu stesen tu memang dah cek sampai platform mana dan nak kena rush ke platform mana. Beg memang dah siap atur kat tepi pintu. Imagine lah between the two of us, kami ada 4 luggage, 1 backpack and 1 sling bag. Nasib baik untuk ke setiap platform tu ada ramp. Kalau tak, tak tau lah macam mana nak angkat beg2 yang banyak dan berat itu. Tak tau lah bawa apa sebenarnya sampai 4 luggage.
Walau macam mana pun, perjalanan tu tak memenatkan sekalipun berlari-lari dan berkejar-kejar. Sebab keretapi mmg tepat dan tak tertunda. Keretapi selesa. Pemandangan menarik. Cuaca nyaman.
Yang penting bekalan makanan pun Alhamdulillah cukup.
Kami sampai di Wengen seperti yang dijadualkan. Memang berbaloi dengan adventure yang kami lalui. Wengen ni Subhanallah, sungguh indah. Waktu kami sampai hujan lebat. Jadi suhu sejuk dan berangin. Nasib baik ada jaket.

Istanbul Aku Datang

Mmmm...Istanbul ni sememangnya sebuah tempat yang menarik. Terletak di persimpangan dua benua, Asia dan Eropah serta menjadi tempat pertembungan budaya. Kota yg penuh dengan kesan sejarah yang menarik untuk diteroka dan dihayati.
Not to be missed at this vibrant and lively city are:
1- Blue Mosque and other mosques,

2- Topkapi Palace,

3- Hagia Sophia,
4- Bosphorus cruise,

5- Grand Bazaar,

6- spice market,

7- fish market and other places.

Kalau waktu petang boleh lah ber'sidai' kat tepi laut Marmara. Aktiviti utama: memancing. It was like a bonding session for some families whereby fathers teach their sons how to catch fish. I found it interesting. The lucky ones would get a lot of fish. They would then deposit their catch into a big mineral water bottle.

Apa yang menariknya, kail mereka bukan setakat ada satu umpan, tapi banyak. Mungkin lebih dari sepuluh. Sekali angkat penuh dengan ikan, yang bersaiz kecil aje lah. Suasana semacam pesta...sementelah musim panas, waktu siangnya panjang. Hawkers pun berjualan, makanan ringan dan minuman terutamanya teh.
Talking about tea, you can find all sorts of tea in Istanbul. Black tea, fruit based tea, herbal tea...you name it...they have it all...so to speak. We were spoiled for choice. Tapi the most common was apple tea. Pure apple tea...made of dried apple granules...mmm...lovely.
Halal food was not a problem in this city. Halal restaurants were everywhere; from simple dining to fine dining, from western cuisine to Turkish cuisine and Ottoman cuisine. Take your pick! However, I found that Ottoman dish was a little bit sweet. Other than that, I've no complaint. I was one happy diner.

p/s: mcm mana nak pusing gambar2 ni bagi betul?

THE ZAHIR

Written by Paulo Coelho, published by Harper Collins, 347 pages.
Synopsis:
-It begins with a glimpse or a passing thought. It ends in obsession.
One day a renowned author discovers that his wife, a war correspondent, has disappeared leaving no trace. Though time brings more success and new love, he remains mystified - and increasingly fascinated - by her absence. Was she kidnapped, blackmailed, or simply bored with their marriage? The unrest she causes is as strong as the attraction she exerts.
His search for her - and for the truth of his own life - takes him from South Africa to Spain, France, Croatia and, eventually, the bleakly beautiful landscape of Central Asia. More than that, it leads him into a new understanding of the nature of love, the power of destiny and what it really means to follow your heart.

THE WINNER STANDS ALONE

1. Author: Paulo Coelho
2. Publisher: Harper Collins.
3. Year: 2008
4. Page: 370
5. Synopsis:
Igor Malev has one thing on his mind- his ex-wife Ewa. He's handsome, rich and effortlessly personable- but she left him for a successful fashion designer, a sting he's never recovered from.
So he travels to the glamorous Cannes International Film Festival where they'll be appearing, intent on winning her back. There amid the luxury and excess of the new Superclass- the ultimate winners in the hedonistic game of life- he begins a 24-hour campaign of extraordinary violence.
For Igor is a man of rare intensity and cold intelligence, and this is to be no ordinary reconciliation. Because he made a promise to destroy whole worlds to get to his beloved...
6. My comment: total insanity

CREAM PUFF

(gambar dari: http://www.myresipi.com/top/detail/235)

Dah beberapa kali buat cream puff tapi asyik lupa je nak ambil gambar. Dulu, masa kecik2 dok terfikir macam mana orang buat kuih yang sedap ni. Hmm..la ni dah tau dah caranya;) Senang banget... resepinya boleh ambik kat sini.

EGG TART

Sedap tart telur ni. Tapi sayang boleh letak sikit aje egg filling sbb acuannya kecik. Resepinya saya ambil kat sini.

TEA COSY

Tea cosy ni saya jahit sebab ikut projek "Jom Jahit" by tinihani.com. Saya buat simple je tapi saya letak piping sbb nak praktis cara jahitan. Dah lama belajar tapi tak praktis. Jadi ni lah peluangnya nak ulangkaji.
Tea cosy ni merupakan item bukan baju yg saya berjaya siapkan. Byk item lain yg jadi projek terbengkalai dan sekarang dalam proses nak siapkan semuanya. Kenapa terbengkalai? Sebab jenuh nak kena quilting, jahit applique bagai..tu sebab lah jahit separuh jalan..pastu simpan..

Saya juga dah teruja utk jahitkan topi selepas tengok koleksi topi2 comel yg telah dijahit. Fabrik ni beli kat KAMDAR. Tapi teruk jugak nak jahit topi nak kena jelujur dgn tangan dulu baru jahit mesin. Kalau tak ..hmmm...senget benget n berkedut2 jadinya. Apa2 pun seronok bila tengok hasilnya.

BAJU KURUNG PESAK GANTUNG

Baju ni termasuk dalam senarai baju nak di jahit. Setakat ni tak de kesempatan lagi sebab baru dok jahit baju kurung biasa dulu.
Dok godek2 internet ni, terjumpa lak blog yg menarik yg bagi tutorial yg senang difahami utk jahit baju ni. Kalau minat nak cuba, boleh la klik kat sini, kat sini

TIPS TO IMPROVE ARABIC LANGUAGE SKILLS

Learning Arabic - 7 Tips to Improve Your Arabic Language Skills

ARABIC LANGUAGE

Glossary Arabic Language for the Non-Native Speakers 4

LEEK-POTATO SOUP

Bahan2:
1 sudu minyak zaitun
1 ulas bawang putih - tumbuk
200g leek - mayang halus
200g kentang - potong kasar
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
500ml vegetable stock

Penyediaan:
1. Panaskan minyak dan tumis bawang putih serta leek selama 3 minit/ hingga layu.
2. Masukkan kentang, thyme dan stok sayur. Kacau seketika. Biarkan sehingga kentang empuk.
3. Kisar semuanya dan panaskan sekali lagi sblm dihidangkan.



P/S:
- saya gantikan stok sayuran dgn stok ayam
- fresh thyme saya gantikan dgn 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- sblm dihidang. saya taburkan sedikit cayenne.

EGG SUBSTITUTE

Egg Substitutes (taken from Madhuram's eggless cooking)

(Click on the image to see a bigger view)

There are many egg replacements available for baking or any recipes that calls for eggs. Most of the egg substitutes can be purchased at health food stores and most grocery stores. Here in this page, you can find excellent recipes that are tried and tested using various egg substitutes. This page will be regularly updated with various egg substitutes and recipes using them.

Egg Substitute	Quantity	Best Suitable For	How is the result?
Based on the information provided in The Joy of Vegan Baking by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau and Cooking Free: 200 Flavorful Recipes for People with Food Allergies and Multiple Food Sensations by Carol Fenster.
Silken Tofu	Substitute ¼ cup of whipped silken tofu for each egg.	Rich, dense and moist cakes, cookies, breads and brownies	Baked goods won’t brown as deeply, but they will be very moist and heavy.
Flaxseed Powder	Whisk/blend together 1 teaspoon of flax seed powder with ¼ cup of water for each egg to be replaced. (Also see My Notes 1)	Flaxseed has a nutty flavor, so it works best that are grainier and nuttier, such as waffles, pancakes, bran muffins, breads and oatmeal cookies. Best in dark colored dishes.	The baked goods are heavier, dense.
Pureed Fruits (mashed bananas, applesauce, apricots, pears, prunes)	¼ cup for each egg. Increase leavening by 25-50%. Bake items slightly longer, if necessary.	Cakes, quick breads and brownies.
Vinegar and Baking soda	1 teaspoon of baking soda along with 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Apple cider vinegar and white distilled vinegar can be used.	Cakes, cupcakes and quick breads.
Buttermilk, Yogurt or Baking Soda	If there are no other ingredients to make the baked item rise, then one of these can be used in place of the egg. Replace the liquid in the recipe with same amount of buttermilk or thinned yogurt. Replace baking powder with ¼ as much baking soda.	cookies, bars and flatbreads.
Commericial Egg Replacer Powder (like EnerG)	Whip together in a food processor or blender 1 ½ teaspoons powder and 2 tablespoons water. Sometimes 2-3 times as much powder in the same amount of water gives better results.	All baked goods, especially cookies.	Flavorless, won’t affect the taste of the baked goods.

FRIED RICE

FREE TUTORIALS & PATTERNS

http://everythingyourmamamade.com/its-all-about-the-free-tutorials/

LASAGNA

Resepi asal dari Koleksi resepi Diana. Tapi saya dah buat sedikit adjustment berdasarkan bahan2 yang ada dalam koleksi dapur saya. Saya intai2 juga resepi yang tertulis kat kotak lasagna tu dan suai padan dgn resepi asal.
Jadi untuk meat sauce lasagna ni saya dah tambah cili, serbuk buah pala, carrot, oyster mushroom, fresh tomato tanpa basil, capsicum, canned tomato. Saya juga tak masukkan gula sbb saya tak suka ikan manis.
Untuk cheese sauce pula saya guna cheddar dan mozarella dan cream menggantikan susu cair. saya juga masukkan sedikit lada hitam.
Ini lah hasilnya:

VERMICELLI

Tomato, celery& capsicum merah, hijau ~ potong dadu
Carrot ~ parut
Bawang besar ~ hiris nipis
Ayam ~ rebus dan carik2kan isinya
Garam, serbuk paprika, serbuk lada hitam
Limau ~ perah utk jusnya
Extra virgin olive oil
Bihun ~ rebus/ celur

Gaul semua bahan dalam mangkuk hingga rata. Sedia utk dimakan.

KABSA RICE

Bahan2:
Bahan A
1 ekor ayam (belah 2) @ 1 kg daging kambing + tulang
3 cawan beras basmathi ~ cuci, rendam 30 minit kemudian toskan
4 1/2 cawan (@ secukupnya) air panas
2 sudu minyak masak
1 sudu minyak sapi

Bahan B
1 batang kayu manis
3 biji buah pelaga
2 biji bunga cengkih
1 biji bunga lawang
1 biji bawang besar ~ potong dadu
3 ulas bawang putih ~ potong dadu
1 inci halia - tumbuk lumat

Bahan C
1 biji tomato ~ kisar
2 sudu tomato puri
1/2 sudu kecil pewarna kuning/ sedikit saffron
2 sudu besar rempah kabsa*
1 biji lemon hitam/ kering ~ cucuk tengahnya (kalau tak ada, lupakan saja;)
1 sudu kecil lada hitam ~ biji/ serbuk

Bahan D
1 batang karot ~ parut
1 biji capsicum merah ~ potong dadu
2 biji cili merah ~ jangan potong
1/4 cawan kismis

Garam secukup rasa & gula jika suka

Cara-caranya:
1. Panaskan minyak & minyak sapi. Tumis bahan B sehingga wangi.
2. Masukkan bahan C & goreng sebentar.
3. Masukkan ayam/ daging & biarkan sehingga masak. Masukkan garam & gula secukup rasa.
4. Masukkan bahan D serta beras dan kacau.** Masukkan air panas secukupnya, kacau & biarkan nasi sehingga masak.
5. Kacau/ gembur nasi apabila betul2 masak selepas 30 minit supaya nasi tidak hancur.

** sekiranya menggunakan rice cooker, masukkan semuanya ke dalam rice cooker sebelum memasukkan air panas.

~boleh dihidang bersama dgn dalca.
~untuk sos/ sambal: kisar tomato, cili hijau/ merah, batang ketumbar (kalau tak suka baunya, tak perlu letak), gula, garam & perahan jus lemon.

* rempah kabsa
Satu sudu makan cengkih, lada hitam, jintan manis, jintan putih, buah pelaga dan buah pelaga hitam (kalau tak ada gantikan dengan pelaga biasa). Goreng semuanya tanpa minyak hingga naik bau dan angkat.

Kisar semuanya hingga hancur bersama dengan 1 sudu makan serbuk cili dan 1 sudu teh serbuk kunyit.

Simpan rempah dalam bekas kedap udara

Source: http://resepiraidah.blogspot.com/2009/11/nasi-kabsa-kambingayam.html

FRIED FETTUCCINE

Bawang putih - cincang
Cendawan butang - hiris nipis
Prawn - buang kulit
Lada hitam - tumbuk halus
Garam
Minyak zaitun (extra virgin)
Fettucine - rebus

1- Tumis bawang putih kemudian masukkan udang.
2- Masukkan cendawan. Kacau hingga empuk.
3- Masukkan garam dan fettucine. Kacau rata.
4- Masukkan lada hitam. Kacau rata.
5- Sedia untuk dihidang.