The Long Story of a Short Little Dress

A short little dress

(This is kind of long winded. You have been forewarned)
Before the Little One was born, obviously I don't know much about birthing, the recovery, etc etc. So when the kind nurse gave me a list of things to be brought to the hospital during the delivery, I just followed the list blindly.
Included in the list was: a couple of daster (aka sleeping gown) with front opening, which I do not have.
So off I went with my mother, hunting for the so called item.

I found one with the pattern above. I liked the color and the pattern on the fabric.
As we bought it in the market, however, I did not get to try it. (Trying an item of clothing in the hot, stuffy market while you're 8 months pregnant, EEee! I passed. Never mind)
So it turned out that, although cool and comfortable, the piece really make me look like a giant of epic proportion.
Hmmm.....

Luckily, that was not the only piece that we bought, and the rest... looked better. Like for example, this one:

Me with big tummy

(While looking for this photo, I realized that this is practically the only photo of me with big tummy. Hhh... such a wasted opportunity. Need to do better with the next pregnancy. When the time comes.)


Anyway, the gowns were perfect for the stuffy hot weather, so I went on wearing them in the house. I guess it was also a factor that I couldn't fit into my shorts and most of my clothing then (or even months after the baby bump was already gone)

Now that the Little One is quite big, however, I can't be going around looking like giant of epic proportion, right? So I chucked some pieces, until inspiration struck to modify the gown into a dress of the Little One.
Err...  the inspiration came slowly, from quite a few sources. I think the Purl Bee blog was one source of inspiration, but I can't quite remember the exact post. In any case, there was no pattern involved. Just some snip snip, some ( a LOT of!) handsewing (cos I don't have a sewing machine), many many many days after I started... voila!

Front view

To be honest, I am not really too sure about the whole construction (the cut, the stitches). I think the cut is wonky and sewing... hmmm... the least said the better.
But hey, it's the first piece of wearable garment that I've ever sewn. Ever!
The Little Girl likes it.
AND, even her Daddy said it was brilliant (the design, which is not mine. Still. I'm not fussy about little things like that, ya?).

I still haven't gotten a decent picture of the Little One in the dress. So.... you'll just have to do with this one. Now, I shall go back to things that I need to do.
Let's see, exam preparation... or Christmas presents?
Ah... decision decision decision....

Dreaming of new dress

StudioKancil in Bali (part 3)

Bedroom door frame, from outside

Maybe I can share with you why I did this series of StudioKancil.

There were actually 3 sources of inspiration.
One was some good photos I actually manage to take, edit and post of my Little One.
To this Mama's biased opinion, they looked pretty cool, like those actually taken in a real studio with a real photographer.
And so I called them StudioMama photos.

Between those photos and the trip to Bali, I actually manage to read quite a few blogs with fabulous styling and photography. One of the most inspiring ones is decor8 by one fantastic blogger, Holly Becker. The blog is full (I am saying chock a block, filled to the brim and overflowing) of wonderful inspirations of all kinds of design. Holly, however, does have quite a soft spot for stylists, for she did quite a few posts on stylist and their gorgeous works on the blog.

Now I do not have any designing, photographing, or whatever training (except about some types of wines, a bit on food hygiene... ahem... but I think that will be a story for another time). But when I landed in Bali, and then the villa, with the kid tagging and the Kancil in her hand.....
I guess the things just came together. The inspiration, the chance, whatever.

I am still not much of a photographer or a stylist, though, as I can point out to you later why.  Let's just say we are still learning, ya? After all, we are learning new things everyday, aren't we?
So, on to StudioKancil, take three.... roll!

Bedroom door frame, from inside

Still remember that first photo above my rambling just now, right? So here's the view of the door frame from inside the room. Gorgeous, isn't it? In the first place, I do love how tree branches look against the sky. I have so many pictures of trees from our walks around waiting for the light of day in this blog, or anywhere. Here, I think the carvings on the door frame somewhat repeats the motive, creating this absolutely beautiful frame.
By the way, I know you can't tell, but I was lying on the bed when I took this picture. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity. Such beautiful picture!

Another door

And you know the best part? The room does not have just one door. It actually has 3 similar doors on 3 sides of the bed. This one is the one that faces the swimming pool in the courtyard.
I am afraid that the third door does not have any special view, just a boring wall, so I did not take a picture.

Shoes and slippers

Shoes and slippers

Ah, the Kancil is back. These two photos are a testament of me not being a stylist. First, I was too lazy to arrange the shoes before the first photo. Then, after I told myself off for being too lazy and arranged the shoes, I got too lazy to get back to the first position for taking the photo.
Oh well.. need more practice.

The bed

Ahm, the messy bed

I really need to be a neater person. Or be more brutal in cropping my pictures. Enough said.

The ceiling and the gigantic metal work headboard

I don't normally like using flashlight, but since I do not quite know how to get the details without using flashlight, I had to use them. Quite an unusual ceiling, adapted from the traditional Balinese construction, I believe. I am not quite sure about the metal work, though.

His washbasin

 Well, the bathroom actually came with his and her washbasin, a toilet, a shower, a bathtub, and even an outdoor shower. I guess we scored the honeymoon suite. I didn't quite take photo outside, though, as the outdoor shower is just a tad overgrown to my taste.

Window in the shower

Bathtub

On hindsight, I think I should have straighten the blinds, maybe adjust them to let more light in, lit the candle(s), tucked in the shower hose, even strategically place a few flowers before taking this pic. Oh well, I guess that's why other people get paid to style and take photos while I don't.

Again, I guess I am still learning. Haha....

Stylist/photographer in training

So, as the last photo, the girl behind the camera.
Ah, and by the way, NO, I was not pregnant. Must be the big breakfast I had that morning.
Or that pink top.
Limited holiday wardrobe, you must understand.

Anyway, thanks for reading. Let's hope we can take better pics next time. Especially when the objects are so gorgeous.

StudioKancil in Bali (part 2)

Living 'room'

Apparently I do not have many pictures on the living area. But this is some gorgeous detail. Can you see the roof construction? Isn't beautiful? We also have a similar construction in our bedroom. They even place some lights at the side structure, just so we can have a better view of the ceiling at night.
I have no idea why the lights were on in this picture. I guess somebody might have turned them on by mistake.

A drum table

Solid side table

Just two details in the living room. I guess the fact that we did not spend so much time there might account for the lack of pictures.

Stairs from living room

From the living room, there are stairs down to... a bigger swimming pool (!) which will be shown soon.
The swimming pool is actually shared between 4 villas, so there are similar stairs going up from the swimming pool to 4 different villas.

Cascading water

If you look carefully, you can see that there are staircases on both sides of the cascading water. The waterfall feature actually not only make the place pretty, but also serve as a separator between the two staircases. Oh, and don't forget the delicious watery sound it makes. Ah... always music to my ears.

Cascading water

We are quite close to the pool already!

Deck chairs

Of course no swimming pool would be complete without a couple of deck chairs. These are quite cool. Made of solid wood, these chairs actually have built in tray that can slide in and out under the chairs.
On second thought, maybe it's me who hasn't had enough exposure to proper deck chairs.
Oh well.

Flowers in the pool

And the pool! Ha! Even the Kancil would love to swim in the pool.
Consistent with the rest of the buildings, the pool use a similar stone for it's walls instead of tiles.
It does not make for the bluest body of water. In fact, the water in such pools tend towards green color.

2 staircases leading to 2 villas

Gazebo at the other end of the pool

Gazebo

Stunning view from the gazebo

In line with the objective of making each post manageable, I think I will end here for the time being.
There are only a few more photos left, mostly dealing with the bedroom where I got to stay. Unfortunately, due to the lack of natural lighting indoor, those photos did not turn out as well as what we have so far. Well, you'll see them when they are posted, I suppose.

Gotta run!

Corners of my house #7

Trying to grow lemongrass

With my affair with the basil plant still going on, I've decided to take on a new plant, lemongrass. Maybe we'll use it for teas and such. That part is not quite important. More important is the fact that I would have yet another herb in my garden.
By the way the window in the background is easily one of my favorite things in the house. In the morning, it overlooks my blooming flowers (they close their petals from around noon onwards). Near Christmas times, such as now, at night, the glass would reflect the Christmas tree lights from the dining room. Such lovely sight!
Which is good. For if there's anything I hate, it's washing dishes. And not having full time helper, I DO spend quite some time in front of this window.

StudioKancil in Bali (part 1)

The Kancil

On our last holiday home, my mother presented the Little One with a batik patterned deer softie.
I love it, and I couldn't help seeing the possibilities it represent, especially when we got to this beautiful Villa where we spent the next couple of days.

I mean, a batik deer, a Balinese villa with all its curliesque plants, solid rock statues, beautiful hand-carved wood details.....

Well... without further a due, let me just present... StudioKancil.

The first photo here is the Kancil at the small service path near the kitchen.

On the wall outside the villa

Can you see the pink flowers? The Balinese people are very spiritual people. The flowers are very much a part of their lives as they are used for small offerings left near religious statues scattered all around the island. As such, there is absolutely no lack of flowery plants around. I loved it.

Entrance to our villa

The villa is actually part of a complex of a few villas available for rent. We took the one with 4 rooms given that there were 8 of us, including the Little One. This is the entrance of the villa. You see what I meant about the religious statue? That's Ganesha, in the middle, with the aspect of an elephant. I believe that he is the God of wisdom. In the morning when we came out of the villa, there would be small leaf basket with flowers on the pathway, an offering to the God. I did not manage to take pictures of those baskets, though. (An incentive to go back to Bali one day? I won't mind, haha)

A closer look

I don't know if you notice the door frame. It's gorgeous, what with the carvings on top of the doorway. It's not the most practical door frame, especially with that raised part at the bottom, but it's. absolutely. gorgeous. I love it. And I wish I would have a house incorporating the design one day. Not too sure about the statues, though, although the trees would definitely be a welcoming sight.

By the way, the Kancil almost perfectly mimic the Little One's reaction to the statues: wary. Thankfully the statue dominated only the doorway rather that placed in some central location within the villa itself. That might be a tad disturbing to the Little One.

Another doorway: to the kitchen

You see the gorgeous door frame again? This one is the kitchen door. 

And yes, I was holding the Kancil just so I can get a picture that include the TOP part of the door frame.

The Balinese villa is more like a compound of a few separate buildings (bedrooms, kitchen, dining area, living area) linked through an inner courtyard within the compound. There's even a swimming pool within the villa itself (!) which you will see in later photos. 

Kind of dangerous for a toddler, I know. Well.. but she survived unscathed. I think she already appreciated the potential danger of water and takes necessary precaution.

The swimming pool in the courtyard

Here's the swimming pool I was talking about, with the door of one of the bedroom opening towards it.

Yet another one of those nice, full length, glass doors with carved frames. 

And do you notice the abundance of plants? Kind of make it difficult to keep the pool clean, but beautiful.

The pool, viewed from the bedroom

The pool, the kitchen and the dining area, viewed from the bedroom door featured in the earlier photo.

On the far left is the living area where we have some sofa, a desk and a TV set. 

Of course, there were TVs in each bedroom as well.

The Kancil at the pool

I have not forgotten the Kancil. He's just not very useful for photos higher than 1m above the ground. However, I do love how his presence kind of give a perspective to the whole picture. Not to mention the fact that his batik accent just blend in with the Balinese design giving the whole picture a uniquely Indonesian flavor.

Mama!

Aa! I guess the Little One got fed up with Mama monopolizing her Kancil.

I suppose I can stop here first and continue later with the rest of the photos. Not only the post length is slightly more manageable, I think it's also time for me to prepare lunch.

Corners of my house #8

The Dresser upstairs

Early morning sun... (and by that I mean like... 10am-ish? Cos I usually rise only around 9-ish?) In any case, well.. it's not much. But then again, Mama does not really wear make up. Never really did, except when work required her to put on some. In the mean time, all those make up stuff can hide in the drawer, away from little hands, leaving space on the dresser for Daddy's stuff. And sun light. 

Great stuff.

Too much....

Too many days... too many things... too little time....

There was the 2 weeks vacation end of last month, during which I did not get the opportunity to write
And by the time we came back? Oo.. everything just piled up
The laundry to be washed, the photos to be sorted out and uploaded,
The homework to be done and the books read (school stuff, you know)
And it's just been piling up, especially the school stuff now that the term is coming to an end (soon!)

At least this afternoon I manage to finish my presentation
Ooo... the big presentation!
Ah well, it's just that I'm the last, so... I am just hoping that we'll end the term with a big bang
So... we shall cross our fingers...

But I have been missing this space
Even if I have no reader as yet,
I guess it's a space where I cater to that inner writer of my own

And so I am back, only to be faced with the latest obstacle.... finding a suitable template, bah!

My current look

My current look is... very uninspiring
The less said about it the better, in my own humble opinion
Nevertheless, I suppose it will have to do,
Otherwise it will be even longer before I write here.

I need to learn more. Design? HTML?

Ah ya, and maybe I would need more than 24 hours a day for that.
In the mean time, just be patient with me.
I might still change more stuff with the blog.
You have been forewarned.