Left to right:  Youngest Sister, Cousin Sister and Yours Truly

My yearly trip to FGS Dong Zhen.  This time, my cousin Sister from hometown joined us in the excursion. One subject that I’ve always been wanting to shoot is posing behind a red backdrop. The result turned out beautifully!  Totally love the red background.  Come to think of it, it could be the beautiful model that makes the photo stand out *cough*.  At the age of late 30s for both of us (cousin and I), was proud that we could still preserved our youthful look naturally.  No need all those best wrinkle cream selling in the market.  It’s all in our Mother’s gene 😉

Short note: At the same time I received my completed Photobook, I received my FREE prints from EOE Online in 2 days time. That is very efficient of them! Thank you so much EOE Online. I will definitely choose to have my photo printed out with you in near future. ~ end ~

They isn’t the most beautiful of kids but thank goodness they are so cute during their toddler year! The package I bought one year ago from Photobook consist of 3 books – Large, Medium and small at a discounted price of RM380.00. I used up the large book for my trip to US and reserved the Medium for Baby Princess.

To begin, this is the front cover for the medium book as I wanted to compile a book for her from age zero to 3 years old since the two older kids have their own personal album too which I made for them with ‘scrap’ material instead of digital scrapbook (which of course is much nicer la).

Baby Princess was overwhelming when she saw the book. She even wrote her name on the back of the book cover. Luckily she was using pencil or else I will sure piak her.

She really know how to irritate us with this page as she keep on showing or telling everyone, “See, my Mummy carry me. I am so tired.” She said that line to almost everyone and we have to ask her to shaddup.

Medium book is the size of a A4 paper. Depending on your liking, I prefer my photographs to be as large as possible. Kiasu ma. I’ve seen layout from other bloggers. Some like the photographs to be small. It all up to individual as long you like what you are doing. No need to compete with people. Seriously! (Waitaminute. What type of English is this 😕 )

For pictures that I really like, I will blow them full page rather than put them in scrap as too much scrap can be very distracting too.

This medium size book took me about 2 weeks to finish as the first few days, I spend most of the time compiling and reorganized all the scrapbook images from the external hard disk and another few days to compiled photographs from the overloaded laptop computer. All along, I have been rushing to complete layout by layout. There is no time for me to think of the words that I wanted to put in there. Really regret 🙁

I have yet to talk about how unhelpful and stewpig less intelligent the staff is at Photobook. They have the suckiest people in there that misunderstood me all the time. To cut long story short, the Boss called me after many uneventful phone calls and he finally said this, “Don’t worry we all at Photobook know about your case now.” Isn’t that cool or what! I am so famous! 😕 I really told the Boss, “I was warned by other bloggers that you have the suckiest management. It was so true! If not because you print a good book, WE have long gone to Pixart!” While I was at their office to collect my books, the moment I mentioned my order number, that guy say, “You are Sxxx Jxxx. Ling Sxxx Jxxx, right?” And I go, “Oh, oh. Don’t tell me you are the Cxxxxxx (the boss).” See, I’m so famous until he can remember my chinese name and even pronounce them accurately. (Fyi, not many people can pronounce my chinese name correctly.) But it’s true la. Their printing is good and their price is cheaper than Pixart too. But you know what, that moment you hold the Photobook in your hand is like that very first moment your baby was delivered to this earth. All the hardwork, sweat and pain immediately vanished. You smiled from ear to ear admiring your ‘baby’. Flipping from page to page….. Eh, I talk too much right?

Next is the Small Imagewrap photobook. Remember I saying I have to rush thru to complete the layout for the photobook? I took 2 days to finished 64 layout. Amazing eh? The book cover is the same picture I used on the left (refer to above pix) except I have the year written 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2007. Finally I settle with CNY and Christmas from year 2003 to 2007. That way, I can include members from my extended families.

As usual my Baby Princess love to make goofy faces. She goes, “Ho, Ho, HO!”

Now I was asking myself. Does anyone take a picture of their completed Photobook to put in a Photobook again? It was like putting a memory into a memory. Hmmm…

Prince was in the PJ he wore during CNY in 2005. Amazing that he still can fit in to his PJ’s after 4 years!

I purposely left that missing-button-hole on his PJ’s unedited. He no longer like the Superman’s wing but love the PJ to bits!

Most of the pictures from earlier years are shot using Sony T-10 camera. From 2007 onwards, I started to have better pictures 😉

One for the memory. We was at Canon Center to pick up my dSLR 2 days before Christmas in 2007.

There are still thousand of prints in my laptop. I am still contemplating if I should continue with the rest of the album like our many trips to Genting Highlands, Cameron Highlands, etc. Will see about that on their (Photobook) next promotion. I better wrap up this post cos the more I type, the more lengthy it has become. LOL

Last year, I bought the 5 Million Dollar Home instead of my initial plan that is The Keystone cos the boutique in KLCC has no stock of them. And ever since then, I have been calling them every fortnightly checking on the stock. Many moons had passed and I am getting more anxious about the buying.

Santa did not promise me a Keystone but he sure brings me a good kantau (deal). I bought the bag for only RM400.00 instead of RM569.00 from a MMU (Multimedia University) student where my Sister is lecturing. According to the seller, he used them twice only. And yes, they look so new! I don’t mind at all even if they are considered as second hand.

Before I continue, we are talking about Crumpler bags, ok? I know, the name is a bit confusing 😉 .

Logo on the Front – their trademark, stickman

Logo on the back. The brown area is a bit caved in so they act a bit like a massager.

Front view & Back view

Seriously, the bag is very bulky and heavy. But when you put them over your shoulder, they felt very light and the back of the bag was designed to snug fitly to your back. Compared to a sling back, the weight from the backpack was distributed evenly. No more sore shoulders that way.

Since they are bulky, personally I think the bag is good to be used during flight transit and not as your daily outing unless for an assignment or outdoor photoshoot where you need to bring along all your lenses.

This camera bag double up as a laptop carrier too.

The laptop compartment is detachable if you do not require them. But nowadays, which photographer don’t carry along a laptop for image transfer during a long holiday trip unless you have something like 30gig of memory card. For me, I would use this compartment to store my baby’s diaper. *wakakaka!!!*

Coming to the main part of the bag. The netting that protect the camera equipments. For those who is not familiar with Crumpler product, all their dividers are made from velcro and is fully adjustable.

During one the outdoor photoshoot with my sifu, he thinks that it has no harm to carry the external flash without using the cover to save storage space as I was really squeezing my gadgets in my 5 Millon Dollar Home. Now with ample space in The Keystone, I do not have to worry about the space again. Even after placing the kit lens and 50mm, I still have extra space for maybe the battery kit (asif! $$$) or the battery & camera charger, tissue papers, etc…

The only space I don’t quite like is the side pocket. You have to really squeeze your hand into the pocket to take out things cos they are too tight. Initially I thought they are just a dummy zipper. Well, the only thing I can think of is to keep some sanitary pad. *kekekeke*

Even though this is the smallest backpack (camera bag) among all the Crumpler range, I still find them too big and bulky for my usage. Not that I have so many lenses, mind you. But I can fully utilised them like chuck in my purse, handphone, kids stuff, etc. You know what model I will recommend if you have very little gadget like me? Take a look at Lowepro Flipside 300. They are two third of The Keystone. The thing that put me off is… they are Lowepro. Haha! And another main reason is the colour – black. However, I have no regret with the purchase considering I am paying quite a good price at RM400.00 😉

There is currently some confusion I stirred when I put up my status in Facebook that read: “Jessie is proud to own a 5 Million Dollar Home.” Yes, with capital letters! I do get messages like:

• Wah you so rich!
• When is the house warming?

But the name is no stranger amongst photography enthusiasts.

We are talking about the Million Dollar Home of the stick man with the brand named Crumpler that doesn’t crumple!

Yes, it’s a bag! I hear ye!

You should check out Crumpler website. They have all sort of wacky names for their bags and their product description doesn’t help much cos they word them way too imaginative, creative, exaggerative and not forgetting expensive! Yes, all the ‘tive’ that you can think of!

So you want a house warming? Please come in. Let me take you for a tour around the house.

Rear view

Top View – Note two tone fabric colour

Side view on the strap

Sorry, no furniture yet.

What furniture? Camera gears la!

Why does the blue turned grey? Don’t ask me lor. *shrug*

Initially I wanted to get a backpack i.e. Keystone but the boutique in KLCC has run out of the stock. Instead of going home empty handed, I thought why not get something smaller or maybe a sling bag. 5 Million Dollar Home is just nice for a weekend outing. It can fit my Canon 400D with attached lens, additional lens, external flash, iPhone and my purse. That’s all. Nothing too big or too small. For vacation, I would definitely need a backpack. Can’t wait for their stock to arrive.

Till then….

On April 29, I wrote a post on growing bulbs in Malaysia. Sad to say the Daffodils did not sprout at all. The bulbs just kept on shrinking and finally rot. It makes me lost confidence on the tulips bulbs which is still hibernating in the crisper compartment in my fridge. I was supposed to left them there for 30 days but decided to just leave them longer or maybe FOREVER!

The tulips bulbs was left almost 3 months in the fridge and finally one day, I thought maybe I should just go ahead and kill the rest of the bulbs rather than have them rot in the fridge. They will never make it to this world in either way. And guess what!

The bulbs started to sprout after 2 days!

You can wipe away that evil smile on your face from my previous post. The kiasuism me make sure the tulips has 24 hours of sunlight and I really lug them in and out from my air-conditioning room. When I am at work, I would place ice-cubes on the soil.

One fine day on the fifth day, I saw two packs of dry ice in my freezer. Those are the dry ice pack previously used for storing my EBM (Expressed Breast Milk) in the office. From day fifth onward, every morning before I left for work, I had the dry ice chilled the flower pot.

It has kinda became a daily routine for me.

1. Morning before going to work, put ice-cubes and dry ice pack.
2. Came home from work, return ice-pack to the freezer. Put ice-cubes again on the soil.
3. At night, carry the flower pot to daughter’s bedroom. You may ask why daughter’s room. Cos her room is smaller and colder compare to the master bedroom. Hehe, smart eh?
4. In the morning, carry the flower pot to the kitchen again.

So the routine repeated again every morning from step 1 to 4 without failed. Sometimes, the kids took turn to look after their Mummy’s new baby by placing ice-cubes on the soil. They would go all excited when they spotted new sprout (watch above pic on day 5). The sprout grew very fast during their first week of life. We could tell the difference by looking at it. From one inch to two inches the next day. That is pretty quick.

We are watching them grew everyday. The 2nd leaves is making it’s way to this world.

One more leaves and we should be able to expect some blooming. Till then, keeping our finger cross all the time.

Tulips and cherry blossom are two type of my favourite flowers. Since it is now Spring in most of the 4 season country, I can’t help but to ogle over their p.r.e.t.t.y flowers. Wuching is someone who loves gardening thus his enthusiasm helps him to start a new gardening blog. And each time I am there, I will go so envy looking at his props that my face is starting to turn green like his plants too.

Since Wuching lub me so much and he is afraid that one day I might turn into a Shreak, he decided to sent over a bouquet of flowers to me all the way from Melbourne (Read: PROVIDED THE FLOWERS BLOOM!) so that I won’t die with a green face.

Well, the package is here now. Woohoo!

Infact, this is supposed to be a post-dated post. The package arrived last week. He is quite skeptical that the tulip will grow in our climate but I just have to try. Who know! And he insisted that I try daffodil too cos they are easier to grow than tulip.

Upon opening the package, beside the 2 packet of bulbs, Terese (his darling) included 2 packets of dried pineapple. Awww… isn’t she sweet? If I would have known, I will ask him to stuff in a packet of Tim Tam. Aussie Tim Tam is such a die for! If you must check out the price, a packet of Tim Tam in Jaya Jusco cost you about RM10.90!

This is how a bulbs looks like.

The one on the left is daffodils and on the right is tulips. Before we put the tulips in the soil, we must play a trick on the bulbs first. It says here on the direction to put the bulbs in a paper bag and place them in the crisper compartment in your fridge for 30 days. This is to trick the bulbs that winter is over and it is now time to sprout. Smart eh?

Instead of putting them in a paper bag (which I assume newspaper), I have a special container from Tupperware to keep my greens crisp and fresh.

There it goes, the tulip bulbs.  I’ll see you in a months time.

By the time I’m writing out this post, the daffodil bulbs is already in the soil.  I water them with icy cold water and sometimes i place some ice cubes in the pot.  My daughter thinks that I’m crazy. Well, I would be really crazy if I lug the flower pot in the aircon room with me! (which I think I’m going to do if I don’t see any sprouting sign on the bulbs)

Wish me luck!

Ok.  I know some of you is waiting to see the Coach bag.  Well, infact, Hubby bought me other designs instead of the one I asked him to.  Both also patch work.  Yes!  The patch work!  I can hear Giddy Tigress screaming in the background. lol.

These two are new edition.  When I first saw them in their website, the 2nd patch work looks exactly like my Grandma’s blanket.  But in real, they are really beautiful!

The small size is just right for my weekend outing.  At least they are able to fit in my purse and iPhone.  And if I need to bring along my dSLR, I’ll go for the bigger one:

Nice?  At least better than the first two tote bag that Hubby bought which is not my style at all.  You know what they say about, “women are made from sugar and spice and all things nice”. 🙂 So you can’t really blame us for having so many bags.  Even my Sister was telling me, “You got a lot of bags already, you know?”

“Yea.  But I haven’t got a pink wan.  My next target :D”

Other than the Coach bag, Hubby got  me a Guess hip length blouse too.

The blinkers is exactly what I bought last year except that is is a over lap V shape neck with hip length blouse.  Nice!

And this dress really surprise me!

Seriously, if I am there, I won’t buy this dress nor that black blouse for that type of prices.  Yea, call me a typical woman. *sticking out tongue*

One fine afternoon, I received a note from Mr Postman. I was asked to collect my own parcel from the Post Office as Mr Postman could not deliver the package to me cos it is written here:

“Big Package”! I wonder how big it is and from who. The package was left sitting in the mail room for a week before I managed to find time to pick them up. Finally!

The package was post mark from U.K. I wonder who can that be?

And boy, the package is sure big and heavy. NOT!

If I weren’t intend to blog about this surprise parcel, I would have rip them right in the car. So, gonna practise lots of self control and chanting lots of Aummmm in the car.

Once I am back home, I headed for my dSLR and started to rip the packaging. To my surprise it is from Planet Kambing. Everyone say Hi to Selena!

Well, the parcel did arrived safely but not the box.

What matter most is the content. I heave a loud relief. Everything inside is still in one piece.

Can you guess what is inside? (for those who is less observant.lol)

It has got a metal stand with tea light candle.

Nope, not an aroma therapy burner.

It comes with a bowl and four fork.

Goodness gracious me, one of the kids will sure fight for the fork.

Now, there’s 2 clue up there. Can you guess what it is now?

Yes, yes,yes! It is a fondue pot! I am just excited as you do. This coming weekend, I’m going to have a little tea party with the kids. I so loved this fondue pot. Not too big, not too small. Just nice for a family of 5. Maybe I should go out and look for a little cutie green fork to match the other 4 fork.

Thank you so much, Selena! *hugz and muaks* Oh, before I sign out, do you want me to sent back your plastic bags so that you can claim back 6 Green Clubcard points?

(If you have not read how pitiful Eldest Princess was caned by her Teacher, please read them so that you can understand what is being said here. But if you don’t, please don’t make yourself looks like a fool commenting what is not relevant at all.)

If I were to write the hate post on the day my daughter was caned you will see lots of flowery language in here. And so the story continue from the Mummy’s point of view la.

So, since kena caned already, I might as well bring her for a hair cut. After dotter sat on the chair, the hair stylist usually will ask which hairstyle we want. Since I want my RM10 bucks worth, might as well get a designer haircut. So I ask for his opinion. And he goes, “How about MY hairstyle?” I almost choke to death. rofl….

Let you be the judge then.

Somehow, this magazine cover caught my eye.

Hey, they looks nice tho. I could have fooled the Teacher. The back hairstyle is usually short like an inverted moon shape with longer fringe. The hair style looks nice on my dotter and of course suit her too as she has really thick and dark hair. And since I have 15 minutes to kill time, I just flip thru the magazine.  Guess what I saw!  Remember Gillian scandal news with Cecilia?  Some of you is wondering who is Bobo.

May I presents youuuuuuu…….

*drum rolling*…..

Tada!

Get lost if the picture makes you wet.

Satisfied, but not totally.

The hardcover, the papers, the finishing – I gave 2 thumbs up.

The ink? I’ll say it is more on the darker side. They blame it on my photo. I can accept that. I know I’m not a good photograher.

But, look at this!

White line appearing on most of the pages. And they still put the blame on me cos I dragged the image exactly on the dotted line instead of over the line. But, but if over the line, my image will get cropped. So how? Over the line or on the line or before the dotted line? You tell me!

I’m happy to say this, Their Customer Service is really out of this world. NOT!

I bring the matter to their attention on Monday. The girl promised to get back to me but I have yet to hear anything from them. I am so impatient I can’t wait any longer to show you guys this wonderful book with ugly lines on the side.

Some of the pages that I’ve put in more effort like this:

I go totally wild when I saw how beautiful the outcome is.

I would encourage everyone to put their photographs in a Photobook cos the cost of printing one is even cheaper than developing a 4R prints. And if you really into making one, don’t be shy to MSN me for tips. I can be a better Customer Service person than they are. I probably know more technical stuff than they are. I can even teach you a thing or two about scrapbooking. And pe.lea.se la. Having that white line has got nothing to do with scrapbook software. Scrapbook is not a software at all. Scrapbook are images. Siao she ren.