a month of posts - day thirtyone

Last day of the month... I had a sugar-filled morning tea this morning where there was a display of homemade goodies doused liberally in saccharine (I contributed the blueberry swirl cheesecakes)... so full of goodness! My office has been really getting into the collegial spirit - up and coming events with my team: Melbourne Cup lunch at the pub (we're going to frock-it and have sweepstakes! woohoo!), dinner with a few of the girls, farewell lunch for a colleague... it's all happening!

images from previous melbourne cups... the event that has the entire nation at a standstill, celebrating horses and fashion

Currently loving:
- Catching up with girlfriends over some late night supper complete with a soothing chai latte...

a month of posts - day thirty

It's the Red Bull Air Race World Championship this weekend. This is the third year in a row that this annual international competition has been held in Perth. Perth will be hosting this event until year 2011. I missed the competitions in the past two year, so I'm looking forward to catching glimpses of the action on Sunday! This competition uses "the fastest, most agile and lightweight racing planes, pilots navigate a low-level aerial race track made up of air-filled pylons, reaching speeds of 370 kilometres per hour while withstanding forces of up to 12 gs." Wow! I heard them above my house last Sunday as the planes are parked in the airport about 5 minutes from my house. We could hear them practising today by the Swan River (my office isn't too far from the river)... those planes can be pretty loud! Anyway can't wait to see all of the action up close on the weekend!

Currently loving:
- Making blueberry swirl cheesecakes... the first batch didn't have any vanilla essence, but I redeemed myself with the second batch.

a month of posts - day twentynine

A group of us at work decided to have a morning tea and do something fun for Halloween. Sure I don't celebrate it, and frankly not too many people in Australia do, but we just thought it would be something different to do. Anyway I had a little look online at the different foods people have been creating for Halloween inspirations (I discovered that there are extreme pumpkin craving designs... even had ones going political) Back in the office at the moment on the cards we've got mini cheezels, blackberry swirl cheesecakes, mud cake and iced arrowroot biscuits... mmm drool.

above pics from marthastewart.com

Currently loving:
- Surprisingly enjoying the twice a week lunch time circuit training... I have started to take a liking to it... never thought I'd ever say I enjoy exercising... guess never say never.

a month of posts - day twentyeight

Less than twenty days before I start my seven-week long travels. There is quite a lot that I still need to arrange beforehand. I'm making lists and trying to stay sane, and not burst with excitement...

this gorgeous card by foxy & winston with alpacas made me melt... they are so adorable

Currently loving:
- Dad's garden... there is a myriad of flowers popping up all over and it looks quite wild yet beautiful.

a month of posts - day twentyseven

Remember the cassette tape? well I found an online version! saves me time from sitting in front of the boom box waiting for the right song to come along just so I can record it without too much talking from the DJ. sweet!

Currently loving:
- vegetarian sushi with pickled ginger in the middle... yum!

a month of posts - day twentysix

Flew back into Perth today after being in Melbourne for just over a day. Perth started its third year of trial daylight savings today (now GMT +9). As it is a trial daylight savings, there have been constant debate of the pros and cons for it. It amuses me to no end when I hear that daylight saving is bad as cows will become disorientated with the time to be milked and how curtains will fade faster. I am looking forward to having more sun and to have it later too... although you won't see me without a bottle of sunscreen in hand this summer. Now I just wished the shops will also follow suit and extend their trading hours...

the pro and the con

Currently loving:
- Being back in Perth with my family.

a month of posts - day twentyfive

It's Britt-Astid and Stuart's wedding today. I arrived in Melbourne at 5:45am... got whisked back to my friend's place where I conked out for a couple hours before getting ready to attend the wedding. The wedding ceremony was at the Swedish Church... highlighting Asti's scandinavian heritage. The weather was lovely... so lovely in fact that I was actually rather afraid I'd get sunburnt. The reception in the evening was equally lovely... there was a candle lighting ceremony and pre-dinner drinks before a fantastic dinner complete with desserts and wedding cake made by Asti's mom Solveig... and the night was topped off with everyone getting into the dancing!

clockwise from top left: at the swedish church; the newly weds mr and mrs robinson; will and mish blowing bubbles outside the church; mel, andre, judith and ann waiting for the bride to arrive.

Currently loving:
- Catching up with my friends in Melbourne... lots of catching up and good times.

a month of posts - day twentyfour

It's been a pretty big day today... went to work (one of our teams moved out of the building), I had to run a few last minute errands, packed to fly out to Melbourne for the weekend, helped make toasted sandwiches at Youth (it was quite a fun adventure with half a dozen of us leaders hovering over sandwich presses to make hundreds of them), headed over to the airport to catch my flight. I felt very pampered when I received a travel pack from a friend complete with lollies, chips, a magazine, sample hand cream and the newest book by Lauren Weiberger (author of The Devil Wears Prada)... can't wait to read it.

Currently loving:
- Brittany's fantastic news... she heard about her school sending people to Thailand on a mission trip, thought it was a great idea but wasn't sure if she could afford it or should go... anyway she finally submitted in her application form a few weeks back and found out yesterday she was accepted into the program!!!! So proud of her!

a month of posts - day twentythree

I received my letter from the big boss regarding my job after the restructure yesterday, and I will be moving to a new team. In fact my team is going to be dispersed into three different teams... the changes that will happen! Looking back to the two and a half years I have been in my team, I have learnt so much and have made lots of new friendships. I would have to say we are probably the most united team, the rowdiest and we love to share food and have a good laugh together. I have been really blessed having the opportunity to work in the government from a five-day temp job to fixed-term contracts with the department.... had amazing colleagues who showed and taught me admin skills amongst other skills (including the skill to 'fail')... and a fantastic manager who not only is committed to the work, but who cares for the team members... I've been so blessed. Anyway change, someone everyone gets a little uncomfortable with it... some react stronger than others... it can bring out the insecurity, the unknown, etc. It's so easy to simply say 'let's embrace change!' but in reality it can be so difficult... there's often an inertia I find when I want to change... I want to start in the new role (not sure when I'm moving yet) with a positive attitude, and want to be a valuable asset to the team. God help!

this film is one of my favourites and has been used as a reference between my friends and I on many occasions in relation to work, fashion and relationships

Currently loving:
- the soba noodle soup from the Japanese restaurant next to my office... slurp slurp!

a month of posts - day twentytwo

Still looking for accomodation in Paris, France and Petaling Jaya, Malaysia... Paris' got heaps of hotels and hostels... so where should I stay? options, options, options. I've had heaps of help from friends who have visited France before and they have been providing me with lots and lots of information and useful tips... really appreciate how excited and resourceful everyone has been about my trip. I've also managed to convince a friend to join me for my short two-day stay in Paris! Yay should be heaps of fun. Hope to be able to pack some sightseeing in and catch up with my friend Cilou.

images i hope to be able to see in paris

Currently loving:
- Playing online scrabble and getting super speedy responses! Game on!

a month of posts - day twentyone

My talented cousin Eve made Nat some cupcakes for her birthday... I managed to try one out... carrot cake with cream cheese frosting! yummo see below for evidence.

Currently loving:
- A morning tea that I helped organise (to wish one of our teams all the best as they move t a new location) turned out to be a success. The catering was good, we had plenty to nibble on... we pinned up scanned pictures of them, and some head shots of the team superimposed onto book covers. Hehe just loved how my team got in on all the action, helping out with the pics, decorations, cleaning up, etc.

a month of posts - day twenty

It's been quite a turbulent quarter with many things changing in the big wide world of Perth... in my opinion anyway... the whirlwind state election (which is being governed in coalition at the moment), my work's major restructure which still has not yet been settled since it was announced in May, the international economy crashing, Perth's property market having its big ups and downs, etc. But I was reminded by Mark Connor (my pastor when I was living in Melbourne) who spoke at church over this weekend that we should be living for things of eternal value - knowing God, loving and valuing people, and investing our time, talent and resources into our world a better place, and to have a generous spirit. I find that when I get anxious and uncertain, that's when I tend to curl inwards and not want to give... call it self-preservation or whatever, but I pray that I will be able to live larger.

the You Are Beautiful project

Currently loving:
- My colleagues who help lighten up my day, cracking jokes, sharing food, supporting one another... (even through our vigorous sweaty lunch time circuit training sessions!)

a month of posts - day nineteen

The warm weather has hit Perth all of a sudden... it was cold a month ago and Spring had just arrived, now boom warm weather... does that mean summer has officially set in? Here are a few clues that the season has changed in Perth:
- David Jones and Myer have already set up their Christmas displays (yes, that includes reindeers, snowflakes, snowmen)
- Shops are starting to sell 2009 calendars... some with very summery hued covers
- Young teenagers start to bring their surfboards/bodyboards into the city
- You start to wonder why the shops are so stuffy... 'what's happened to their air conditioning system'?
- Daylight saving (WA has it's time change next weekend) yay to longer hours of daylight
- Everyone keeps talking about hanging out at the beach
- The insects start to swarm.... especially at dusk... watch out the mozzie repellent will be in action! (I've already copped a mozzie bite on my cheek... sigh!)

some blooms from dad's beloved garden

Currently loving:
- Mose and Nat cooking for us... I ate so much! Mose made his signature pasta with beef and chorizo, plus chilli mussels, and Nat made scallop sambal! The meal was topped out with a passionfruit syrup cake to celebrate our three October babies.

a month of posts - day eighteen

I have been reminiscing about the past summer camps today, and one of the most memorable moments was Australia Day 2006 when all the leaders did our own version of the Skyshow by lighting sparklers and waving/dancing around the basketball court with them. I found this amazing video on yatzer.com... where light graffiti artists used glow sticks, LED lights, flashlights, time-lapse photography to create multidimensional tagging without spray paint!

Currently loving:
- Going out dancing with the girls... Hadn't been out dancing in a while, so a bunch of us decided to go to The Court for a boogie... The music was very good! party town!

a month of posts - day seventeen

The Youth program is back and running for Term 4 after a two week break that seemed much too long at times... Seeing the youth make new friends, discover their own spiritual journey, and having the opportunity to share life and just hear what they've been up to makes me smile. I was rostered today to drive some of the youth from the Cockburn (pronounced 'co-burn') Central campus up to the Burswood campus which hosts the Youth program. Normally there are two or more leaders who drive up with the youth, but there weren't too many of them tonight so I was the sole driver. I was a little anxious at first as some of them can be a bit of a handful at times... but the drive to and from Youth was great fun, the kids were cracking jokes and they made me laugh. They are such an inspiration! I'm getting pumped for summer camp next year! The promo video is extremely enticing... well done milton, clarebear and jess... the hypothermia from the freezing water was worth it!

Currently loving:
- Blue brie and pate... hmm dinner.

a month of posts - day sixteen

I discovered that there was such a thing as a Christmas ornament swap as I began to journey into reading design blogs. Although I don't sew or design much crafty things, I've been following the ornament swap organised by Freshly Blended and Cake & Pie for the past 2 years. Each participant has to create an ornament and send them to I think eight other people, and in return they will receive eight different ones. It's a showcase of creativity, design, and mix medium/textures. I'm really excited that the swap will be happening again this year. Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with. Below are just a few of the amazing tree decorations people came up with from last year's ornament swap.

Currently loving:
- Calendared morning teas at the office... it was the last day at the office for one of my colleagues today and the entire directorate had a morning tea for her. Everyone brought a plate to share... what a spread of goodies. I could barely have my lunch! So good!

a month of posts - day fifteen

I'm product swooning... just got back from a makeup event that promoted the new range of lipsticks called Lipstick Queen by Poppy King. It was a fun night where we all got lipstick makeovers, and even got tips and recommendations from the Lipstick Queen herself. I couldn't resist and had to purchase a couple of the products myself (see below for evidence)... they looked so good! haha what a sucker. (But I'm sure there are plenty of you who would love to get your mitts on these lippies too!)

Currently loving:
- the return of CSI:NY on tv!!! what a lovely way to chill for the night with the family.

a month of posts - day fourteen

After the discussion with my cousins about the things we're going to get up to when in Malaysia... I've been dreaming about the foods...
- the dessert kuehs.. ie kueh lapis, ang ku kueh, kueh onde onde, pulut tai tai
- indian rojak
- fresh guava with sour plum dipping powder
- roti canai
- air limou
- nasi lemak
- the mamak stores
- fresh coconut juice
- durian
- jackfruit
- ais kacang
- teh tarik

Foods I haven't yet tried but have been recommended to try:
- rotiboy
- cupcakes in damansara utama
- what else have I missed and is worth trying???

Currently loving:
- Having lunch out in the sun, away from the freezing cold office!

a month of posts - day thirteen

The weather is warming up. The spring blooms are popping up everywhere... Dad's garden is looking really lush and it's really cute seeing dad all gushy about his precious flowers. I'm gearing up for summer this year, been getting used to the heat by going to circuit training twice a week at lunchtimes under increasingly warm conditions which has been making the sessions so much more unbearable... I've already been bitten by mozzies at dusk, another sign that summer time is approaching. I've even got my SPF handcream ready for driving. Anyway here's an oldie but a goodie... makes me laugh everytime I watch this video (ps: it's not an nz ad - those guys say togs).

Currently loving:
- Planning my Toronto trip with Kel on iChat... ice hockey, catching up with the Capper girls and shopping!!!

a month of posts - day twelve

I've always been fascinated by innovative product designs. For those of us old enough to remember creating our own mix tape cassettes, sitting next to the boom box recording the songs off the radio, trying to make the songs fit on to one side then having to do the same with side B... and once have you perfected the art of mix tapes you create one for your special friend, your besties, etc... bringing back a few good memories? In one of my design blog surf sessions, I discovered the MixTape USB! It's the updated version of the 80s era!

Currently loving:
- My friends who are actively helping me plan my trip! Love you guys oxox

a month of posts - day eleven

It's my sister's birthday (and dad's too but he wasn't in town)... A bunch of girls dressed up and had dinner in the city, then headed down to Subi where we met up with many many more birthday wellwishers. It was really great hanging out with all my cousins... it's probably the first time in a long time where all of us (the ones living in Perth) have actually hung out without the uncles and aunties... it was so fun! Can't wait for us to cause a major raucous when we're all in Malaysia in December! Anyway here are a few pics from the evening at the Subiaco Hotel... I'm sure there'll be plenty of pics from the night lingering on facebook soon from everyone else's cameras.

the ong siblings

the girly ong cousins + bryce tintin and sarah

Currently loving:
- Having supper (not just bikkies and a cuppa but a full on dinner) with my family after partying for Sarah's birthday.

a month of posts - day ten

Oh stationery! I love stationery... and this post is dedicated to the post-it notes. I use lined post-it notes or better known as 'fat pads' by our local stationery guy at work, but these days there are post-its in all different colours, shapes and even scents. I love how it's been incorporated into art, bringing the contemporary everyday office stationery into another urban setting and totally transforming surfaces and also enabling viewers to interact with the installations.

(l-r) post-it notes wall in soho + the post-it sacred heart jesus christ was done on a wall of the facultad de arquitectura y urbanismo in the universidad de chile by mecanismo


pixelnotes by duncan wilson - it is a wallpaper where the walls become functional and becomes an integrated noticeboard that documents our activity within the room

something i want to do at the office (video by eepybird.com)

nike ad

Currently loving:
- being able to sleep in!

a month of posts - day nine

Enjoying reliving the simple joys of childhood - Honey Joys. I remember chomping on these little delicious cornflake clusters (also known as cornflake crunchies) at my friends' birthday parties. Anyway I decided to make some for my colleague's belated birthday morning tea at work today and it went down a real treat! It brought the inner child out in us again!

Recipe from Kellogg's

Currently loving:
- late night international and interstate online chats with my friends

a month of posts - day eight

Love visual worship... being able to express our adoration, our thoughts, our prayers in a different medium. I was recently introduced to this video, “New Creation” performed at Fellowship Church, and it gave me goosebumps...

and here's a couple older pics from my church's visual worship experiences (photos from Kym Rolle)

Currently loving:
- making fresh batches of honey joys
- the jeopardy-like bible trivia night with my connect group

a month of posts - day seven

Ever wondered what you would have looked like back in the days? Yearbookyourself.com can being you back to the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, reliving your high school year book photos. I had hours and hours of fun with this site.

Currently loving:
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte... I was given this copy and have started reading it... so far, so good...