My Scribblings

Juffrouw informed Mama that we have to do something nice to ensure that Bean could be able to recognize her bag in the hallway. So here it is! the bag was made by Mama with Bean’s assistance.

Since ages ago, I wished to own an aloe vera plant, but had no idea where I could find one in the Netherlands. I actually saw a lot to sell overall in Hong Kong, however, I don’t dare to bring some to the Netherlands as no plants are not allowed to be imported to Europe countries. Fortunately, a friend of mine was nice enough to give me one of her aloe plant. I don’t know how to maintain it, but after searching on the internet for awhile, I have an idea that this plant does not require a lot of attention. That’s a great news for a lazy person like me.

Back from Hong Kong for weeks already. It was the first trip for LB and a tiresome trip for Spawn and me. We first thought we could handle it without bring LB’s trolley. However, we were totally exhausted on the second day of our stay. I was not able to move my head properly and I started to experience pain in my neck up to my left shoulder. Not exactly sure whether it was the overload by carrying LB or the unusual mattress at the hotel that lead to the cause. Whatever it was, we already had an appointment with Dr. Wan for Spawn. While we were there I requested Dr. Wan to have a look at my neck as well.

Dr. Wan Chi Yuen (溫芷婉中醫師) is a Chinese Doctor, I saw her name on one of my favorite forums with a lot of positive comments. Didn’t know what I was thinking, but I wanted to contact her to cure Spawn’s back though I did not even know whether Spawn dared to try this kind of medication. I then tried to call her 1 month upfront to ensure that we could meet her during our stay. However, no appointment was actually made, but she told me to call back when we arrived. Luckily, Dr. did remember us when we called again, since then she gave Spawn treatments every day during our stay in Hong Kong.

As I was not the patient, I sometimes waited in the waiting room, which was quite kind of funny, because you could hear all patients were yelling hard during their treatments. For Spawn’s treatment, I used to go with him into the treatment room and saw how he got treated. Everytime I heard his yelling voice, I had a hard time pretending like I was not laughing.

We actually thought that Spawn’s problem was only his back. When he took off his cloths, the Dr said: vertebra is not totally straight, edema (水腫), tendon (筋) of the neck and legs are shorter than usual, muscle is too tight…etc. (She determined this even without using special equipment(s), but only with her eyes and hands). During the whole treatment she used Chinese medicine, acupuncture, spinal (chiropractic) adjustment, massage and cupping (內服中藥, 針灸, 復位法, 堆拿, 拨罐).

In the beginning we doubted whether the Chinese treatments would really help, but we now truly believe that Spawn got most of his body cured by the Chinese treatments. What I found it amazing is that on overall the body of Spawn got thinner after 2 days of treatments. According to Dr. Wan, his edema is less severe now, therefore he looks a bit thinner. Besides, Spawn’s back is getting better every day since the treatment started.

As mentioned above, due to the pain in my neck, I also underwent a spinal adjustment for the first time in my life. It was scary to hear all the cracking sounds from my body, but I think I love the results of it.

During the whole treatment, it was like going to friends, I am glad that Dr. Wan shared her experiences with me as I love listening and found it wonderful to hear all stories about herbs medication and medication methods. Besides I admire her enthusiasm for helping people. We would surely visit her again when we return back to Hong Kong.

Assistant of Dr. Wan, Dr. Wan and Spawn

Me and Dr. Wan

記得開始種植金錢葉的時候有大概20多片葉, 後來剩下來就只有10片葉, 現在的每片葉已經漸漸發芽而且開始開枝散葉!

10片葉子當中, 生長速度有快有慢, 有時幾天內的變化可以好大, 有時放上個多月一點動靜也沒有! 不過我發覺每次忘了淋水, 有部份枯死, 而剩下來的都會長高了些!

Here is my new project. I am quite satisfied with it.

It is not that difficult and time consuming.

My instruction source: crochet-mania.blogspot.com/search

1. Chain 3, join and chain 1
2. Rd1: Make 5 half double crochet (HDC)
3. Rd2: Make 10 HDC (2 HDC in every between stitch)
4. Rd3: Make 15 HDC (1 HDC in first between stitch and 2 HDC in next between stitch and repeat till the end of rd2)
5. Rd4: Make 20 HDC (1 in first and second between stitch, and 2 HDC in third between stitch and repeat till the end of rd3)
6. Rd5: Make 25 HDC (1 in first, second and third between stitch, and 2 HDC in fourth between stitch and repeat till the end of rd4)
7. Rd6 – 14: Repeat rd6

   Brim

8. – Rd15: Skip 1 stitch and make a slip stitch in the next.
   – Then chain 1, skip 1 stitch, in the next stitch make 2 HDC for a total of 20 HDC.
   – Skip 1 stitch then make 1 slip stitch in the next between stitch and 1 more slip stitch in the second next between stitch.
   – Turn, make 1 HDC in every stitch for a total of 20 HDC.
   – Skip 1 stitch and slip stitch in the next between stitch then turn.
   – Make 1 HDC in every stitch for a total of 20 HDC.
   – Skip 1 stitch and slip stitch in the next.
   Secure the yard and cut it.
    

Ingredients are cheap, but a lot of manual labor, especially the cat whiskers. But I think I have done the cake nicely. After few hours work on this cake, the fist comment on the cake from Spawn was: "The green cream is so ugly"!! Really hateful.
 

Using marshmallow taste nicer, but it gets dry easily while I was making the figures. I will probably try marzipan once or another alternative.

Below are the color fondants that I prepared upfront.

Glad that Bean loves the scarf and hat! Once she puts them both on, she found herself very pretty in the mirror, then she didn’t want to take them off anymore.

The hat, I was using is a crochet method. This pattern is called Puff Stitch.

Puff Stitch:

• *Wrap yarn over the hook,
• Put it through the loop,
• Wrap the yarn on the back,
• Repeat 4 times from *.
• Now there should have 9 loops on your hook
• Wrap the yarn over and put them through the 9 loops to make 1 Puff Stitch.

Structure:

• Start with 5 chains and join
• First round: 6 Puff Stiches
• Second round: 12 Puff Stitches
• Third round: 18 Puff Stitches
• Forth round: 24 Puff Stitches
• Fifth round 24 PS and so on,…
• 3 single crochet for the last 3 three round.

——————————
For the scarf, I use knitting method: Raspberry

row1 n 3: purl,
row2: K1, *(K1,P1,K1) into next stitch, P 3tog*, repeat from * to last stitch, K1
row4: k1, *P 3tog, (K1,P1,K1) into next stitch* repeat from * to last stitch, K1

Seems Bean likes the lunch box a lot. I also like it very much. I kept eating during the making process.

 

Since last year I started knitting the scarf for Spawn. It took a while but I finally finished this week after a lot of long breaks. I am now feeling release, because Spawn can’t complain anymore about waiting for his hand knitted scarf.

Here is the pattern:

Row 1: P1, *Tw2R, P1, rep from *.

Row 2: K2, *P2, K1, rep from *.
 

My first attempt of baking fondant cake

It tastes nicer than marzipanned but it is super super sweet, even Spawn couldn’t bear it.

Ingredients for the fondant:
250g marshmallow
2 table spoons of water
1 table spoon of shortening
500g icing sugar
Food coloring colors
Cake writing pen
 

1. Firstly add 250gr marshmallow + 2 tsp water + 1 tsp shortening in a bowl and place it in the microwave for 1 minute.
2. Then stir it.
3. Dust your table with icing sugar and continuously add icing sugar and stir the fondant until it is smooth.

4. For color, you need to add some food color into the fondant.

Here is the food color

This looks like a lipgloss, but it is well a Cake writing pen

Here is my final result. What do you think he?