Petals and Berries

Sharing My Home

2010-05-23T01:37:00.002+08:00

I'm sharing my home. Please visit my home blog, Twigs and Feathers, click here.

Napkins for Sale

2010-04-14T19:32:00.009+08:00

(Ordered direct from Germany)

RM3 per piece

Wildflowers

5 pieces available

Roses

Sold out!

Jams
2 pieces available

Tulips
5 pieces available

Lavender

Sold out!

Herbs

Sold out!

Peonies
3 pieces available

Cakes
sold out!

Berries
3 pieces available

To purchase, please sms me at 019-7540000 and I will confirm whether the item you want is still available, the postage rate and will give you the account details for payment.
Happy shopping! Thanks.

Petals & Berries

Mama's Rolling Pin

2010-04-04T21:40:00.005+08:00

I should tell you about the acrylic paints that I use. It's none of those fancy brands, that's for sure. That's because I have never had the chance to go for proper classes so I figured I better not waste on expensive paints and just went for some unnamed brand. The colours are pretty funny though (or mind boggling, rather!), cause "burnt umber" is really dark brown and "vermillion" looks orange.. you get what I mean.. so it is pretty challenging to mix them up to get exactly the colours I have in mind.

You can imagine how ecstatic I was when, whilst mixing cluelessly, this sweet green came up to coordinate perfectly with the colours on the napkin I intended to use :o).

My mum better keep her eyes on her rolling pin or it might get decoupaged! heee..

By the way, I have some pretty napkins which I have purchased in a pack for my projects, so I have some extras, I'll be putting them up for sale so if you're interested, please check back soon ! :o)

Petals & Berries

Berries on Trivet

2010-04-04T20:27:00.005+08:00

I found some wooden trivets being sold pretty cheap. Just what I needed to make some "trial-and-error" projects. Was hoping to skip the "error" part, but hey, no gain without pain :o). I painted the trivet white at first and decoupaged some pink roses on it. Apparently the paint was not fully dry yet (found that out the hard way!), and I accidently tore the napkin whilst applying the modge podge :o( So.. back to square one..

I then cleaned everything up and repainted the trivet a very soft pink and liked it much better. Added some berries, did not want to write anything on it but thought it needed something else. So I added the ribbon and daisies for a country feel.. :o)

Now where shall I hang it? :o)

Petals & Berries

English Garden - Baskets and Wreaths for Sale - SOLD OUT!

2010-03-29T11:03:00.002+08:00

A big THANK YOU to my lovely customers :o)

Petals & Berries

English Garden - Baskets and Wreath For Sale

2010-03-20T13:46:00.011+08:00

It has been raining the whole day. The plan was to take the kids to the zoo but since the weather is not permitting, it's a perfect opportunity for me to finish up on my craftwork while the kids nap. Some friends have requested to purchase these items but since I made extras, I thought I'd put it up for sale here, if anyone is interested.

First up is a floral wreath,

Flowers you would find in an English garden in springtime.. roses, rananculus, hydrangeas, hyacinth.. with pink and green ribbons..

on a light background.. and a dark background below..

size: approximately10 inch/25.5cm in diameter

RM48

Next is a covered basket decorated with the same yummy roses, hydrangeas, etc., and I also used some cream, pink and green ribbons to wrap around the base..

Sweet and pleasant.. :o)

..it can be used to store a lot of different things.. maybe cutleries or napkins, if you do a lot of entertaining...

size: approximately 12 inches/30cm in diameter,

5 inches/12.5cm in height

RM58

And lastly, a matching little basket..

..would be perfect for a garden wedding, carried by a cute little flowergirl.. or just to store your little trinkets.. wait.. do you really need a reason for something this cute?? :o)

size: approximately 8.5 inches/20.5cm in diameter,

3 inches/7.5cm in height (without handle),

10 inches/25.5cm (with handle)
RM38

By the way, I only have ONE of each, so if you would like any of them, better get your phone now and sms me at 019-7540000..

Happy shopping!

Petals & Berries

Baby Boy Gift Basket

2010-03-03T15:48:00.003+08:00

A friend requested for me to make a gift basket for another friend's newborn baby boy. I was glad to help cause I love putting together gift baskets. Especially for babies, sweet and precious :o).

My friend left it all up to me and just gave a budget to stick to. I love it when they give me all the freedom to decide :o). I decided on the traditional "all blue" with a transportation theme.

See in the above picture: a soft fleece blanket embroidered with a car, my handmade wet wipes case and my handmade face towels all with trucks, excavators and tractors on it! Funnnn!

On the right are a set of onesies/rompers with cars on them. Look at those tiny socks! The white one even has a car printed anti-slip sole on it :o) hehe..

Wrapped it all up with blue and white organza material and some really sweet ribbons..

.. and hung a pair of tiny lace-up shoes as a final touch!

If you look real close, there's an airplane printed on the side of each shoe to complete the theme :o) Bliss!!!

Petals & Berries

Roses for Sale

2010-02-24T23:12:00.006+08:00

I love crafting and if you know me well, you would know that I love trying out all sorts of new crafts.. at least once. Yes, Jack-of-aaaaaall-trades, that's me :o) But the problem is, most of the time "once" is not enough :o) especially if I think I can do better on my next try. So, ever since my first decoupage attempt, a lot of ideas, mostly inspired by decoupage websites and blogs, have been running through my head..

So a couple of days ago, I started working on a sign..

Believe me, I was pretty clueless, I have never attended any classes on decoupage before and I have to tell you, all that I know about decoupage I learned from the internet :o) heee..

It was mostly trial and error, that was why I never even bothered to take a step-by-step photo, as I was afraid it would turn out awful.. :o) this photo was taken after I have already painted the plaque (please don't ask what green it is as I have no idea! I just mixed a couple of greens , some white and some yellow and made sure I had mixed enough to cover the whole project) and applied the roses..

Then I thought it needed some wordings, so I went on the net for some beautiful fonts (this font that I used is known as Old Script..). And the results..

I'm mighty pleased! Far from perfect, I must admit, but I don't think the combination of green and pink and a bunch of sweet cabbage roses could ever go wrong :o)

Petals & Berries

Floral Wreath

2010-02-20T09:17:00.008+08:00

I felt like crafting with some roses this weekend, so last night I sat down and put together some silk roses, hydrangeas, mini apples and a few other fillers that I already had, to be made into a floral wreath.

This is my basketful of stuff :o) I usually throw everything in a basket and match stuff as I go..

I have had this rattan wreath base for..ermm.. I can't remember how long, like many other craft stuff that I have, waiting their turn to be used.. if ever! heee..

And these are the tools of the trade.. pliers for the wires, scissors and my ever faithful glue gun which is showing obvious signs of wear and tear :o)

The plan was just to prepare and put everything together, so I can sit down and make the wreath over the weekend but the problem with me is that when I have an idea in my head I just cannot stop myself :o) So I started making the wreath at about 11 o'clock last night after hubby and the kids have gone to bed..

and finished at 2 o'clock in the morning! :o) Yes.. I tend to be extremely focused when I set my heart on something (and hubby should be very thankful that it's just flowers and not diamonds :o)).

Pink and cream coloured cabbage roses and hydrangeas.. my favourite!

Pink and green satin and organza ribbons.. yummy!

What do you think? Do you like it? Wouldn't it be perfect for your shabby chic decor?:o)

Do you work on your craft until the wee hours too?

Petals & Berries

Decoupaged Wicker Basket

2010-02-17T23:39:00.005+08:00

I went to a flea market in Singapore a few months ago and bought myself a car load of baskets (well almost!). This is not the type of “flea markets” that sell imitation goods, new items, etc. This is an honest to goodness flea market in the real sense where you have to sift through a mountain of second hand stuff to find the real gems. Some of them covered in inch thick dust and grime. Whenever hubby and I go, we will always make sure we wear comfortable clothes and walking shoes and be prepared to squat (most items are just spread out on the ground) and haggle/bargain. They sell a lot of stuff, from second hand electrical goods to crockery, from baby clothes to grandpa’s walking stick!

This particular trip, I found about 6-7 baskets sold by different vendors and believe it or not, the most expensive was only about SD$4 (for a covered picnic basket) and just SD$1 each for the regular sized ones! Hate me :o). Of course I had to scrub and clean them when we got them home but underneath all that dust they had good structures and are pretty solid too.

I love the texture and shapes and the versatility of baskets. It has many, many uses and can be decorated in many, many ways.

For this particular one, I thought I’d try my hand at decoupage. I googled to see whether there were any particular process that I had to go through to decoupage a wicker basket but came up with none. I know many of you who are good at this, so please just close one eye and pretend that I’m doing it the correct way :o).

So first I spray painted the basket using DPI’s no.61 blue spray paint. I sprayed on a few layers, letting it dry in between. I have never tried this blue and only went by the colour of the cap on the can which I thought was pretty sweet and matches the paper napkin I intended to use so I was glad when the colour came out quite nice :o)

Once dry, I cut out the napkin to size and removed the layers behind..

Then I applied some Mod Podge on the surface where I wanted to paste the napkin. After applying the napkin to the area and pressing it down lightly with a brush to remove the air bubbles, I applied a few layers of Mod Podge on top as sealant. I think Mod Podge is wonderful! I see it being used a lot on the net and finally found some in a craft shop when I was in KL. A bit pricey at about RM33 per small bottle, I think, but you can do quite a lot of projects with just one small bottle. They have it in a glossy finish and a matte finish, depending on what you are working on.

This is how it looked whilst drying..

And since the theme is lavender, how about putting some potted “lavender” in it?

Maybe even add a couple of drops of lavender oil to the inside of the basket so it gives off a wonderful fragrance when you walk by? You are only limited by your own imagination :o) Enjoy!

Petals & Berries

Simple & Sweet Aprons

2010-02-16T10:41:00.006+08:00

This is a very simple project and perfect for someone pressed for time (that would be me!). You only need some tea towels, plain or patterned, depends on what you prefer. I found some pretty ones on sale..

this one has a couple of embroidered cakes on cake-stands..

and these are just plain/striped ones.. bought it cause I love the colour..

Next, we need some pretty ribbons to match the colours/patterns on the tea-towels.

Flowers, cupcakes, polka-dots, stripes.. whatever you may fancy..

Cut it to fit.. depends whether you prefer it long or short. Then, sew on a length of ribbon at the top (to tie around the waist) and use some to decorate the apron too if you like..

And the result..

For the pink and brown cakes tea-towel, I chose a brown with pink polka-dot ribbon..

I used some cupcakes printed ribbon for this one and I also used some felt cupcakes from this project and sewed it on (I should thank my cousin for agreeing to pose for the photos :o)).

This last one, instead of cutting it down to size, I folded it up and sewed three front pockets. This would be perfect to carry your tools for crafting/gardening/cleaning, etc.

Simple and sweet, isn't it? (and useful too!)

You just need to fold it up, put in a pretty gift bag and it would be ready for gift giving. A handmade gift from the heart!

Petals & Berries

Missing in Action?

2010-02-16T01:32:00.012+08:00

Hello again, everyone :o) I've been away from my blog for soooo long. I miss crafting and writing and sharing with you. A lot of things has happened since my last post and I just had to let go of blogging for a while to attend to my loved ones as circumstances require.. Just thought I would share with you the going ons of my life in my long absence :o)

Hmmm.. let me see.. it all started with our helper going back to her hometown which was supposed to be a two-week leave in September.. and decided not to come back.. so begins our frantic ferrying of my two munchkins back and forth to my in-laws' in order for my hubby's parents to take care of them while we work (thank you mak and bah! we love you!) . It was pack and unpack, pack and unpack for three whole exhausting months, we were even more nomadic then a Nomad! :o)

And whilst that was going on, my grandma was admitted into hospital.. twice..

and then my father-in-law was warded too..

at one point, my grandma AND my father-in-law was in the same ward but in different wings!

See that board at the hospital? B19 is my father-in-law and B30 is my grandma :o) just had to take a picture! We even celebrated Aidiladha with my grandma at the hospital. We were at the hospital so often that even the food sold at the hospital's tiny little shop where we often stopped to grab a fast meal started to taste pretty good :o)

And just about a week after my grandma was discharged, my sis-in-law went into labour and we were back at the hospital again! More than 24 hours of labour and an emergency c-section later (that's a whole other post!), this cute little bundle of joy was born..

I'm happy to report that all of them are now back home and is safe and well, Alhamdulillah, praise the Almighty..

Phew.. I feel exhausted all over again just writing about it! In all those time, I still visited some of my favourite crafting and home decor blogs when I had some little time to myself, just to keep me sane, which brought me to Ratna's blog and Alhamdulillah, since everything has more or less settled down, I even joined the recent gathering they had. Ratna and friends gave me just the kick I needed to start blogging again.

It's 2.30am, I better head to bed now, I have a project to share in my next post, so please come back soon :o)

Petals & Berries

Kitchen Towels

2009-07-11T23:29:00.004+08:00

A couple of weeks back I received orders for good quality hand towels for the kitchen. They specifically requested for thick fluffy towels. I can understand their request. Those in the market are mostly small, pretty thin and comes apart in a couple of washings. It's true when they say the quality of the stuff sold now are never the same as in the olden days. I am happy to oblige to their request. The pleasure's all mine :o) When it comes to towels, the words "luxury" and "pampered" comes to my mind, so no skimping allowed! :o) Here comes..

pretty..

fluffy and extra thick..

extra long and extra large..

kitchen towels.. your hands deserve it! :o)

Enjoy!

Petals & Berries

My Little Man Turns 3!

2009-07-04T01:08:00.002+08:00

Three years ago God blessed us with the most wonderful little baby boy. Our love for him overflowed from the moment he was flipped onto my tummy seconds after being born. I thought we could not love him more. And boy, was I wrong.. we love him more and more everyday. And he has turned out to be a charming, considerate, even-tempered little boy.

We decided to celebrate his birthday together as a family. Just us, enjoying the day together and having fun. We took him to the waterfalls.

Aiman really enjoyed himself,

collecting leaves and rocks..

spending time in the water with papa (I can spend the whole day watching my two boys having fun in the water!)..

having a quiet moment taking it all in..

Oh, and my little mermaid had lots of fun in the water too :o)..

Happy Birthday, Sayang Mama..

A thousand hearts are just too few to hold all the love I have for you..

May Allah keep you in his care always.. Amin.

Nighty night, sweet dreams, sleep tight (ssshhh.. he would probably disown ME when he's much older if he ever finds out I put him in a polka dotted pyjamas on his birthday, haha)..

Petals & Berries

Bath Gift Basket

2009-06-10T09:55:00.009+08:00

Looking for the perfect gift? Soft fluffy towels, a brush, a bath puff and some sweet smelling soaps, all in a pretty basket. Ahhh... luxury. I wouldn't mind receiving one myself :o). What is it about pretty, sweet smelling bath items that makes you feel so pampered? Especially when it comes from a special someone :o). This pink and green (my favourite colour combination!) bath set was an order that was such a pleasure to make and I hope the recipient enjoys it just as much. May I present, Petals & Berries Bath Gift Basket :0) Yummy!:

And also, more orders for towel sets, this time, all packed and ready for gift giving..

Thanks for the orders and enjoy!

Petals & Berries

Rescue Mission : Hantaran for Engagement

2009-06-07T00:25:00.007+08:00

Hellooo! I apologise for being missing from the blogging world for quite some time. I have been really busy at work for the past couple of months. I really miss crafting and I also miss sharing my crafts with you.

I only had time to complete a rescue job for a cousin's hantaran in the past few months that I went missing. Long story but you've probably heard about it all before. Someone you know is getting engaged, went to a "mak andam" who paints a beautiful picture and tells you the story of "the most beautiful hantaran in history" which he/she/he-she will design and produce for you, two (2) weeks prior to the big day the hantaran is delivered and *shock* horror* the soft mint green and off white you requested suddenly turned into the-grime-at-the-bottom-of-my-shower-stall green and cow "toot" yellow. Well that was what happened to my cousin, only that her request for dusky pink hantaran turned out to be, well, pink.. and burgundy.. and purple.. and dark red.. all. in. one. tray.. wow.. that's was all that I could say when I first saw it.. wow. (Disclaimer: I'm not at all generalising, it's just that this particular mak andam is beyond description)

So with just a couple of weekends left to start working on all seven trays of the hantaran from scratch, we went on a frantic search for all the stuff needed plus we were also on a tiiiiggght budget, as my cousin already paid out a chunk of her savings for the "rainbow brite theme" that this so called "mak andam" conjured up!

And these were how my last minute labour of love turned out (please be kind, I'm no expert):

I'm not saying that I'm really good at making hantarans (faaarrr from it, I just had to jump in and help my cousin out) but at least the colour turned out to be the colour requested by my cousin and if she's happy on her big day then I'm happy too! :o) Alhamdulillah..

Congratulations dear cousin, may this be the start of your wonderful journey..

Petals & Berries

Twigs and Feathers

2009-02-28T13:33:00.003+08:00

Hello! I know, I know.. I've not been writing for quite some time. I have an excuse :o) and a good one too! :o) Don't believe me? Click here to take a look at what I've been up to! Don't worry, I'll still be crafting but I'm just a bit distracted at the moment! :o) Have a lovely weekend!

Petals & Berries

Basket: All that Glitters..

2009-01-29T23:27:00.006+08:00

I've been wanting to post these photos for quite a while but have never gotten round to it until today. I used to make a lot of wedding items for friends and relatives, i.e. flower girl hair accessories, flower girl baskets, favours for the main table, favour baskets, 'hantaran' (wedding gifts), etc. I love weddings (a true romantic!hehe..) and crafting for them is just so fun!

This basket is an exact replica of another basket that I made for a wedding with a dusky pink theme. I loved the colour so much and how it all came together that I decided to make one for myself! :o)

The combination of glittery roses and hydrangeas are just so pretty.. I also found embroidered ribbon and tassel in the same colour for the handle.. perfect!

Satin and organza ruffles and ribbons.. what else could you ask for? Ohhh.. let me see, I also made this 'bunga pahar' to match.. just light touches of dusky pink in the hydrangeas and ribbons.. sweet!

Do you like it? I miss making all these fancy shmancy wedding stuff but sometimes my limited time for crafting just does not allow it :o( . Oh well, priorities, priorities.. such is life! :o)

Petals & Berries

More Fluffy Towels

2009-01-29T22:50:00.011+08:00

As promised, here are the other orders that I've completed. One is in green..

.. and the other one is in peach..

..all tied up and ready to go!

I also earlier received an order for a cupcakes pink bath towel for a sweet little baby girl and a cupcakes baby wipes case to go with it (these are the photos that just would NOT load earlier!).

Although I have more orders coming in, I'm so glad that I've completed most of the orders that were pending. My sincere apologies for the delay. I'm happy when my customers are happy! Thank you and enjoy!

Petals & Berries

Pretty Fluffy Towels

2009-01-19T12:47:00.002+08:00

It's been quite some time, huh? Where did January go?? Already more than half the month has gone by. Our whole family, my husband, both my kids and I (even my helper!) were down with a bad cold and cough, one after another. Baaaaddd bug. No one was spared. But, Alhamdulillah, we have all recovered and the kids are bouncing of the walls again :o) (did they ever stop? naahhh, just slowed down a tiny bit..). Enough about us, back to crafting :o).

Quite a few orders for towels came in this month, amongst others. This time around the requests came in for sets which contains a bath towel, a hand towel and a face towel. I love fluffy towels that feels good to the touch so rest assured that only those kind of towels were used to fulfil the orders.

I was told this pink set is going out as a birthday present for a good friend..

All nicely tied up and ready to be delivered. To the recipient, Happy Birthday! Hope you enjoy the gift as much as I enjoyed making them!

Another order is for a purple set. Somehow the pictures came out more blue than purple, I wonder why.. the lighting perhaps?

Just needs to be tied up and it would be ready to go. Wouldn't these towels look beautiful hanging in your bathroom? or laid out on the bed in your guest room? :o)

And lastly, this towel set in baby pink are for a sweet little girl.. (aaaaarrrrrggghhhh.. blogger is up to its nasty tricks again! I've tried uploading the photos 2,451 times tonight and it failed, failed, failed! Next time perhaps, as it's getting really late and I need to get to bed soon :o))

And before I forget (sorry for the delay), the highest bidder of the Spice Jars is Miss M, a friend I got to know through my blog. I respect her request to not reveal her name and the winning bid as she intends to give it as a present to her aunt (how sweet!). Anyway, thank you!

I have more orders that I'm currently working on so please stay tuned! Nighty night..

Petals & Berries

Spice Jars

2009-01-02T22:22:00.006+08:00

Guess what I also found at the same place where I found the earlier porcelain jars? These really pretty mini jars that would be perfect to put your spices in (unfortunately, these were not on clearance :o( ). Asian spices rarely come in nice pretty bottles unlike their western counterpart so these would be perfect to fill in those cumin, cardamoms, star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, etc.

And me being me, plain white jars just will not do! :o) So out came the decals again. And the result..

See those tiny roses right on top? It took a whole lot of patience to apply those as it's a curved surface and took quite a bit of strategic cuts to make it look presentable. And it doesn't help when you have a toddler hanging on to your legs asking "whatchoo doin, mama?" every two seconds whilst you are applying them :o) (patience, patience).

Don't they look much better now?

Now that I have a complete set, it made a happy start to the new year :o) (aren't I easy to please? hehe) . I've been asked by quite a few colleagues and friends on whether I'm willing to sell these. Unfortunately, I'm running out of decals (and those came all the way from the US). However, with what I have left I can just about make one other set of 5 spice jars to sell. Each jar measures 2 inches in diameter and is about 4 inches high. To be fair, this is what I'll do: E-mail me at petalsandberries@yahoo.com, state your offer (don't forget to leave your name and contact deatils!), price starts at RM29.90 for a set of 5 jars (trust me, this is below cost price :o)) [excluding postage] and the highest offer wins! And since I have a grand total of maybe.. ehem.. 2 readers of my blog, you would have a very good chance :o). Offers close on midnight, 9 January 2009 and the winner will be announced on 10 January 2009. Oh yes, I'll be adding a little rose porcelain spoon to the set as a bonus!

Salam Maal Hijrah and Happy New Year

from my family to yours!

May this year bring peace, happiness and good health.

Amin..

Petals & Berries

Rose Porcelain Jars

2008-12-27T16:33:00.006+08:00

Alhamdulillah, I'm having a wonderful weekend :o). My husband is on his way home after being away for a week (missed you :o)) and I managed to finish another craft project today. Hooray!!:o)

Found these on clearance at a local rejects store for RM5 each. It was a steal! White porcelain jars just waiting to be decorated. Although it was all dusty, dirty and stained when I saw it, I knew it had potential :o).

I spent quite some time working off the glue from the tape and all the stains and dirt and 5 hours later (is my nose getting longer? well, it FELT like 5 hours!) tadaaa..

.. all nice and clean. It was practically gleaming :o).

I had some rose decals that I bought online earlier in the year which I have not gotten around to using so I thought this would be the perfect project for it. I cut up some of the decals and followed the instructions on how to apply it. And finished it with a layer of varnish. Voila!

All done. Don't you just love the cabbage roses?

These would look wonderful in the kitchen. My asam, garam and serbuk kunyit would be so honoured! hehe.. It can also be used to fill in tea, coffee and sugar. Jars like these are so useful, I'm so glad I found them. The decals are about RM1.50-2.00 each. So, calculating it roughly, it all came to only about RM10 per jar. How's that for a good bargain?

Petals & Berries

Napkin Rings

2008-12-26T07:16:00.006+08:00

I went out shopping the other day to purchase some household items and found these sitting on a shelf just calling out to me! :o) These napkin rings were on sale for about RM10 per set of four. Figured it was a pretty good deal and a very good base to work on, I grabbed a couple of them. I just could not wait to work on them so I spent the whole afternoon yesterday (babies were napping and hubby is away.. perfect timing :o)) decorating them..

I decided on a green theme. I used some pretty cream coloured trimmings and laced it with a green ribbon to wrap around the ring. I also found some mini apples and berries that I bought ages ago, more green ribbon and some baby roses (ehem.. but of course! :o)) to add to them.

Try comparing this..

to these..

Don't they look more festive now? The merrier the better :o) I made a whole set of eight napkin rings. By the time I got to taking this picture below, a couple of tiny little hands got to one of them and held it ransom (no worries, nothing that some wicked tickles at some strategic places can't handle :o))

And to top it all off, I found a nice little green box that could fit all eight rings perfectly! How wonderful!

There.. all safe and sound, away from meddling little fingers :o). Would you like to come over for tea so we get to use these? :o)

Petals & Berries

Scented Pillows

2008-12-04T15:59:00.004+08:00

What is it about pillows, whether big or small, round or square, that makes you feel all cozy and nice just looking at them? Because it's fluffy perhaps? or soft to the touch? Beats me! All I know is that I love them! I love them on my sofa, on my bed, scattered on the floor, everywhere! And what more if they are scented? Heaven!

An order came in for these from an office-mate. Colours were not specified. Which helps give me the freedom to craft and create. Sometimes I get "crafter's block" (ehem.. equivalent to a writer's block?) when I'm requested to create something using colours that I find difficulty working with, like deep purple or grey or corporate blue.. I'm a pastel-colours girl when it comes to crafting! Left up to me, there will always be baby pink and mint green somewhere.. oh and did I mention roses??

I added some rose scented oil to it before tying them up in pairs with a matching ribbon. Can you smell it? It smells soooo sweet :o) and to top it off, I added some pink and cream baby roses to the ribbon! Voila! Sweetness to the point of having cavities! hah :o)

Thank you for the orders. It was a pleasure making them. Enjoy!

Petals & Berries

Felt Cupcakes

2008-11-29T13:11:00.007+08:00

I went to the local craft store a couple of months back and bought some felt, embroidery floss (that's some fancy words for thick threads :o)) and beads to make some felt cupcakes (yes, still in that "crazy-about-cupcakes" phase). I never got round to making it until last week. This is my very first attempt, I've never worked with felt before, so please be kind :o). After cutting and pasting and sewing and adjusting this is what it looks like:

I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. Don't they look delicious? Now that I made these, what do I do with them? I would be content to just sit and stare at them (no calories!) but that just won't do..

So I turned some into message board magnets..

And I also used some to decorate a box..

It compliments the cupcake printed ribbon perfectly..

What else can I do with it? Any ideas please? Maybe a set of napkins? placemats? tea-towels? potholders? That could keep me busy well into next year! Not that next year is that too far away :o) However, I'm already working on another project. I'll give you a hint.. it smells wonderful! Please come back soon to take a sneak peek!

Petals & Berries

Kitchen Craft

2008-11-08T13:46:00.004+08:00

Let me let you in to a little secret of mine. I have always had this dream of having a beautiful English Country kitchen :o) with roses everywhere :o) but... it has yet to become a reality.. sometime in the near future I hope (hint,hint, sayang..). InsyaAllah.

Meanwhile, I will just have to make do with creating all the stuff needed to create that dream kitchen of mine :o) and what kitchen would be complete without a potholder..

.. a matching kitchen towel..

and a matching floor mat (the one to the right)..

I made all these with the beautiful Durham roses fabric I found on the internet. Isn't it just the sweetest? It's a pinky peach shade in real life and looks so yummilicious with the cabbage roses on it! Hope you like them.

I'm off to put my babies down for a nap, maybe I too can catch some snoozies and continue dreaming about my kitchen.. see you there.. don't forget the scones, dahhrrlinggg..

Petals & Berries

Lovely Cards

2008-11-07T23:30:00.002+08:00

It's been a while since my last post.. it feels really good to be back! Hey, I actually miss Blogville :o). Hmm.. I was even having withdrawal symptoms. Am I addicted? Anyone has the toll free number for Blogsaholic Anonymous??? :o) heh..

Well, I have always been asked where I find all the pretty materials that I use for my craft projects, home decorating items, etc. Well, honestly, I always have something craft related going on in my head. 24/7. Seriously. Whenever I'm awake that is :o) (well, I even have craft dreams sometimes!). Whenever I'm out shopping, running errands, etc. I always keep a lookout for simple everyday items that has the potential to be made into something nice and pretty. And I loooove getting a good bargain on top of that (well, who doesn't?). Actually treasures are everywhere, you just have to keep a look out for it. And It's such a thrill when you find it!

It happened just last night, my husband and I went for our usual weekly grocery shopping at one of the hypermarkets and guess what I found? These beautiful cards:

The printed paper (some had pretty scrolls on them) is of a very good quality and the embellishments are all handmade.. some even had beads and charms on them..

.. this one is for a new baby..

.. and this is for a wedding..

..this pink birthday card even comes with a butterfly charm.. how sweet is that? :o)

If you need them a bit fancier (is there such a word?), just add some lace trimmings or buttons or beads or ribbons.. the possibilities are endless!

So what's so fantastic I hear you say? Well, it was in the clearance section and they were selling it for.. get this.. 99sen each! Forget the embellishments, I cannot even get a piece of decent printed cardstock at that price at the local stationers. And what is the price for a good quality greeting card nowadays? Between RM7-RM12 I believe. A treasure found at a good price. It made my day! :o)

Now, can someone please get married or have a baby so I get to use these?? :o)

Petals & Berries

Amira's First Birthday

2008-10-18T22:35:00.007+08:00

When your sweet little baby turns one, it's a myriad of feelings.. for me, mostly it's bittersweet. Happy that she's growing up beautifully, but sad that it's all going too fast.. waaayyy too fast. I could have sworn that I just turned away for a few seconds and my pink wrinkly newborn has turned into a sweet babbling toddler.. this despite me telling her "Adik, please don't grow too fast, mama's gonna miss your baby smell..".There are days when I would just close my eyes, bury my nose in her curly hair and take a deep, deep breath, wishing I could memorize the smell forever.. sighhh..

Well, the Strawberry Shortcake Party turned out to be a lot of fun. I was very happy with how all the decor came together and surprise, surprise, most of the guests came dressed up in the theme colours (thanks for being such a good sport!).

The birthday banner..
.. part of the decor.. balloons, balloons and more balloons!

.. a special placecard for the birthday girl!

what's a birthday without a birthday cake.. or two :o) (thank you to the sponsors :o))

.. and here is the sweetest, most beautiful birthday girl on earth (hehe.. please excuse this biased mama again :o)) wearing her strawberry shortcake hairbow..

It was such a pleasure to be able to celebrate her birthday with our family and close friends. Thank you to everyone who made time to join us and brought all sorts of lovely presents, it's very much appreciated. Amira may not remember much (I think Abang Aiman enjoyed it more!:o)) but I'm sure she felt really special and could sense all the love surrounding her..

Today we celebrate her first birthday.. this sweet little girl of ours.. please join us in our prayers for her, for Allah to grant her a healthy, happy and fulfilling life always in His faith.. Amin..

Petals & Berries

Goodie Bags

2008-10-17T16:00:00.003+08:00

I really have not been crafting much lately as this has been a busy busy month for me. First it was all the festivities, and then the hospital episode and then since my baby girl, Amira’s first birthday fell during Ramadhan, we decided to postpone the celebration and have a small party, only family and close friends, during this raya month.

With me, parties are serious business (little miss perfectionist!) :o), I loooove planning them. And kids' parties are so fun, fun, fun! From the theme to the décor to the food to the goodie bags to the party games and prizes.. I love preparing for it all.. especially the goodie bags.. it gives me such pleasure being able to shop around for the cute little stuff to be put into the goodie bags and seeing the look of excitement on the little kids' faces when they receive them.

This time around we have decided on a Strawberry Shortcake Theme for my girl (or is it for mama? :o) well, I AM from the first generation Strawberry Shortcake era!). And this is a sneak peak at the stuff going into the goodie bag :o)..

The theme colours are pink, red and green and the flavour is strawberry of course, so I've done my best to stick to that. There are strawberry jellies, strawberry flavoured chocolates, red ladybug chocolates and egg shaped chocolates in the theme colours..

There are also cute strawberry shortcake pencils that I found in Singapore (that's part of the advantage of living down south :o)) and some party blowouts too..

I've also added some strawberry cream biscuits.. yummy!
And these are the bags all those yummilicious stuff are going into.. I personalised it with a Strawberry Shortcake sticker with my daughter's name on it.. (see, I told you it's serious business :o) hehe)

The goodie bags are all packed and ready to be given away.. Oh, wait! How could we forget.. a little something for the parents too..

Some relaxing and calming strawberry flavoured tea to sip after all the running around at the party :o)..

Petals & Berries

Bears & Trucks..

2008-10-11T13:26:00.005+08:00

..things little boys love. As promised earlier (sorry for the delay), here are the baby boy stuff handy for travelling..

First up, a diaper wipes case in boy bear prints. I've personalised this one for my son. I used fabric paint to write his name.

I also made one in trucks/excavators/diggers prints. Aiman just loves looking at all the variety of vehicles on this one.

And the towels to match.. If you have an active little one like my son, these will definitely come into handy many, many times..

I've also added a diaper case for the boy bear print set..

I have not been crafting for quite some time now and my fingers are itching to start. I actually miss my sewing machine :o) hehe.. Till next craft, take care..

Petals & Berries

Aidilfitri 2008 : Sequel

2008-10-11T11:57:00.008+08:00

I never thought I'd be posting a sequel to my Aidilfitri post. On the morning of the 9th day of Syawal, whilst I was in the office, I got a phone call from home saying that my son's foot got hurt by some broken glass from a glass tabletop that fell off its stand (the type of phone call that would make any mom cringe). Not knowing his true condition, I practically flew out of the office to meet my husband who was already on the way to the clinic with my son. The scene at the clinic when I arrived (which keeps replaying itself in my head until now) caught me totally unprepared. I shall spare you the gory details but what I saw made me feel faint (and that is from someone who has a pretty strong stomach!). The doctor on duty at the clinic said he didn't have the proper equipment to treat him i.e. no x-ray facility, probability that his tendon has been severed (yes, it was that bad), so he referred us to the specialist hospital. Long story short, my son had to be anaesthetised (the surgeon didn't want him to be traumatised by the whole stitching ordeal), which required a trip to the OT and yes, the surgeon found the tendon connected to his second toe severed and repaired it and we had a one night stay in the hospital. Alhamdulillah, everything went pretty smoothly.

No, I will not smile for the camera, mama (cheeky face! :o))!

This is the cheeky little boy, who despite all that he has been through, did not cry much (my little man), gleefully entertained the nurses on his ward with his endless chattering, and still had a smile for everyone.

"Socks!"

A whopping RM2700 later (thank god for insurance), my son was discharged. Whenever anyone points to his foot and ask him "What is this, Aiman?" He will smile and say "Socks!". Well that must be the most expensive socks anyone has ever owned!

Here's to hoping (and praying hard) that the rest of Syawal passes by uneventfully!

Petals & Berries

Aidilfitri 2008

2008-10-06T17:36:00.003+08:00

1st Syawal came and went. As with the past years, the day was chaotic, exhausting and fun all rolled into one. Grand-aunties, grand-uncles, aunties, uncles, cousins, once removed, twice removed.. I lost track, (in short, everyone and their second cousin twice removed were there!) came in throngs to my parents house. “Who’s kid is that plucking all the flowers off my prized plant?” (patience, mummy, patience..), “Now quit squishing that kek lapis into the sofa!!”, “I can’t find my other shoe, mama!” are common phenomena during the Eid at my parents house :o) there are just sooo many of them and it’s a vicious arrive, eat, drink, shake hands, depart cycle.. almost a blink-and-you’ll-miss-them situation (where are all these people the other 364 days?). We spent weeks preparing the house, the food, etc. and the day just zip by in a chaotic blur :o) However, Alhamdulillah, all of us, my husband and kids, my grandma, my parents, siblings, spouses, offsprings, in-laws all got to meet up together, in good health and spirit, to exchange wishes, seek forgiveness and to spread our love (and behinds!haha! food, glorious food..). We survived :o). Surprisingly, even after all the chaos at my parents' house and all the house hopping, my two energizer bunnies somehow still had some extra energy left to try mama’s and papa’s patience by fussing over bedtime and then some :o) Oh well, hari raya has always been more fun for the kids..

To Everyone:

Salam Aidilfitri, Maaf Zahir & Batin..

(Will be back to crafting soon. If only to keep me sane :o) ha!)

Petals & Berries

Baby Cupcakes

2008-09-23T09:47:00.006+08:00

I love babies. Chubby cheeks, cute little hands and feet, wonderful smell, pretty curls.. I just love everything about them. And ever since I had my own, not only I'm in love with them, I also fell in love with making cute little things for them.

I found this delicious imported fabric whilst walking around in Singapore about a month ago. Since cupcakes are all the craze at the moment (and I do love them too! :o), I made my baby girl some baby items with the cupcakes printed fabric.

This is a refillable travel wipes case. You know, those wet wipes that are so useful when you have ever exploring little hands ? I use it to wipe everything (the germaphobic in me)! The pink ribbon going across will be used to personalise it (I plan to write her name on it with fabric paint).

This is how it looks when opened. It can be refilled with most brands of wipes (the folded ones).
I also made her some pretty little towels for her diaper bag. I usually use them to wipe her face after a long day out.

When going out, I carry a big diaper bag so both my children can share. I always had the problem of scrunched up diapers at the bottom of the bag and the ever elusive diaper cream. So I made a diaper case to put in the diapers, the wipes case and the diaper cream, all in one. No more rummaging through the diaper bag, problem solved!

When they no longer wear diapers, the case can be used to hold small activity books, crayons, pencils, anything to keep them occupied when on the road.

I hope you like them! I also made a set in butterfly prints and gave it to a friend with a newborn baby. I'll be posting a baby boy set too, so please come back soon.. :o)

Petals & Berries

Beautiful Lace: Part 2

2008-09-16T23:37:00.000+08:00

Whenever I have something beautiful to work with I always find that I would be feeling restless until I can set aside some time to work on it (which includes applying some desperate measures to get my babies to sleep early :o)). This particular project was quite a challenge as I'm such an amateur when it comes to sewing. Armed with my best friend, the "unpicking tool" and a bucket load of patience, I spent a whole evening making a pattern and working on the project.. and the result.. (drumroll please..)

..a light pink lingerie/cosmetic travel bag with a front flap and a ribbon closure.. delicious! Actually, it could be a multi-purpose carry-all.. many different uses only limited by your imagination!

I was very pleased with the result that I made another one in aqua! Talk about being carried away!

I'm now in a quandary, I want to create more things with the lace but it's so precious, I do not want to use it all up (I'm such a hoarder!).. ooh, what do I do?.. well, I think I'll let it rest for now, till next time..

Petals & Berries

Beautiful Lace

2008-09-16T00:36:00.000+08:00

My mum went to Jakarta recently and brought these treasures home. Oodles and oodles of beautiful lace.

Surprisingly, they are not made in Indonesia, they are imported by export clothing manufacturers in Jakarta to be made into or added to womenswear i.e. lingerie, blouses etc. and these are the remnants/overstock that were sold off at a cheaper price. Lucky us! Some are swiss lace (it says so on the roll of cardboard they came in), and is ever so soft..

All sorts of craft ideas went running through my head and before anyone could say "lace!" I was already working on my first project (if only the same enthusiasm accompanies my ever pending household chores, I'd be a domestic goddess! hah!). I had earlier planned to make some cushion covers and figured what could be sweeter than adding some pretty lace to the rose fabric I already had. And the result..

.. a light pink cushion cover with tiny roses, edged with yummy lace..

.. and another one with some pink roses on a sweet baby blue background, again with lace trimming. Simple but yet so sweet.. Am I giving you cavities yet?? :o)

It's getting late and I'm off to bed. Wanna see what else I made with those beautiful lace? I'll post more pictures soon, so stay tuned! Nighty night everyone!

Petals & Berries

Aidilfitri Gift Boxes - Part 2: A Touch of Class

2008-09-14T22:48:00.000+08:00

These fabulous boxes just arrived today and I just could not wait to get my hands on it and decorate! These imported boxes are very well made and is covered with fine Thai silk. This particular set is green in colour with red/pink accent (it also comes in a red set). I added cream and pink luscious roses (one of my favourites!) with lots of ribbons to add to the festivity. I took some night shots so you can see how the colours are reflected from different angles. Something to add to your collection if you love to collect boxes like me! (yes, I also sell my boxes individually without the cookies). Enjoy..

The smaller box (top) can accomodate about four (4) containers of assorted cookies and the larger box (bottom) can accomodate 4-8 containers depending on how you want it to be arranged. I can also decorate the boxes separately. Unfortunately, the photos just do not do it justice (or is it my lack of photography skills? sorry!). Price ranges from RM180-RM300. For details/photos of the cookies inside, please refer to my earlier entry below. These boxes just made my day! (I'll be keeping a set for myself! :o))

Petals & Berries

Aidilfitri Hampers and Gift Boxes

2008-09-14T12:27:00.000+08:00

It's that time of the year again. Cookies and cakes everywhere you turn (food, glorious food). There has been requests for Hari Raya hampers and gifts boxes again this year. Alhamdulillah.. it's wonderful knowing people appreciate my handcrafting. The orders came in a bit late considering it's almost halfway through Ramadhan but hey.. I work better under pressure anyway :o) (ehem.. not always!) (pleassse darlings, mama need to work on these..). For your viewing pleasure, may I present, PETALS & BERRIES AIDILFITRI GIFTS:

This is a basket with a handle, wrapped in organza with assorted delicious cookies, in six (6) individual containers inside. Topped with a luscious bouquet of roses. Yummy! :o)

Round gift boxes, stacked in twos or threes. I used organza ribbons printed with scrolls to add a touch of fancy (my helper said it looked like a wedding cake!:o)). The three-tiered boxes can fit five (5) containers of assorted cookies and the two-tiered boxes can fit four (4).

Next, we have the tradisional weaved boxes for those who like to reminisce. These boxes can fit about four (4) different containers of assorted cookies.. I've added some sweet silk wildflowers to the bouquet..

I also have limited quantities of organza gift boxes which I have decorated with the same pretty pink/light pink roses and cream, gold and green ribbons.

And this is what the cookies look like inside (same with all the other baskets and boxes). All in individual containers, tied with beautiful ribbons and topped with some petite little hydrangeas/fruits. Delish, delish, delish...

If you're wondering why everything is in greens, pinks and creams, well, this particular customer has requested for it. I can make them in whatever colour requested but don't you agree that the above colours just exudes the spirit of Aidilfitri? :o) Sweet! If you would like to order some (for friends, relatives, clients or yourself!:o)), please e-mail me at petalsandberries@yahoo.com or leave a comment. Price ranges from RM80-RM280. I also do custom orders where the possibilities are endless! Keep the orders coming! :o)

Petals and Berries

Pretty Hand Towels

2008-09-09T22:16:00.000+08:00

I just love the English style of decorating, especially romantic country style which speaks of classic charm and cozy comfort. It reminds me of quaint English cottages and their beautiful country gardens. How I wish the same flowers from those gardens would grow here.. I’d be in heaven!:o)

These are the first few hand towels that I made (think English Tea House :o)). Nothing fantastic but I’m quite pleased with it as I know nuts about sewing (I can only handle straight lines.. hehe) and it was made using my grandma’s trustworthy (read: ancient) fit- for-the-museum sewing machine. But.. I’m getting better (ehem.. yes, sayang, that thing that went flying over your head was the needle and no, it’s not supposed to do that :o))

All nicely tied up, ready for gift giving. I sold quite a few. A friend’s sister actually ordered fourteen (14) sets (hmmm.. I wonder what she uses it for :o)). Thank you for your support, I’m happy knowing that it’s appreciated.

Petals & Berries

Ramadhan

2008-09-04T11:14:00.000+08:00

ALHAMDULILLAH. God grants me another Ramadhan. Ramadhan calls for inner-reflection, rethinking of meaning of life and ones place thereof. This Ramadhan I have a lot to be thankful for. My grandmother (the only grandparent I have left), an octogenarian, is still able to observe the fast (and still does a lot of cooking for us!). My parents are happy with their own activities. Mummy's making Aidilfitri hampers (yeah, the creative blood runs in the family ;o)) and Ayah's getting a steady flow of patients at his clinic as word of mouth travels (he lo00ves helping people). And they are both healthy albeit some minor aches and pains that comes with being in their golden years.. Alhamdulillah..

As for family life, well, I'm blessed with a husband who loves to cook and puts his skill to good use during Ramadhan (thank you, sayang!). My kids are healthy, beautiful (please do excuse a biased mama's view :o)) and happy. I get along well with my in-laws (they understand that this daughter-in-law doesn't cook much) [but I LOVE and appreciate your cooking, mak! hehe..]. Yes, indeed, I do have a lot to be thankful for.. Alhamdulillah..

I wish everyone Ramadhan Al-Mubarak, may you have a peaceful and blessed month.

"You who believe? Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you, so perchance you may attain God-consciousness." (Q 2:183)

Petals & Berries

Petals & Berries

2008-09-03T22:12:00.000+08:00

I started crafting about ten years ago. It all started when I was over at a cousin's place and saw her produce some sweet little scented sachets. It reminded of the craft fairs that I went to when I was studying in the United Kingdom. How I miss them. It brought back some lovely memories and I got to thinking "hey, I think I can make that.." .. and I've never stopped since. I've always loved pretty handmade things and will always look out for them, especially when I get the chance to travel.

Recently, I decorated a basket for a friend. She fell in love with it. I love roses, peonies, hydrangeas and berries and somehow they always make their way into whatever project that I'm working on.. hence the name.. Petals & Berries. For a girl who used to score Cs and Ds in art class during her school days, I'd say, not too bad.. what do you think? :o)

Petals & Berries

My First Step

2008-09-03T12:57:00.000+08:00

After months & months of reading other people's blogs (mostly travel and craft blogs), I finally decided to join the blogging bandwagon.. I hope it will be as therapeutic and fun as they claim it to be :o) So here's the first step to my blogging journey.. bring it on!

Petals & Berries