Dressmaking: 1st attempt!

Omg!

YESSS. I have a picture of the newest addition to the Noel-Callie family!

Drum roll + Red carpet PLEASEEEE~!

(can you feel the excitement?!)


B.E.H.O.L.D!

My sewing machine.

My new love!

I was SUPER bored during summer this year, I picked up dressmaking! I've been meaning to pick it up a few years' back but never really had the time. This sewing machine was bought in 2006/7? But I've only just begun using it. LOL! Noel helped me lug it from my mom's place in Singapore back to our home in HK.

It's currently in full display on my dining table, which serves more as a dressmaking work top than anything else (oh wait, my study desk when I need to do lotsa work!).

Haha! Lemme show you my 1st project - a shirt!


It didn't turn out the way I wanted it because the pattern that my dressmaking teacher helped me put together didn't give me the shape/effect I wanted. The basic shirt was made with the teacher, the ribbon, black fringe details etc, were added by me. Although it's a far cry from what I wanted to achieve, I think it's pretty good for a 1st attempt! I did this in under 10hours too! Super proud!!!

Not only have I learnt how to make a shirt pattern, but I've also learnt how to put them together, stitch button holes with the sewing machine, make/attach ruffles to a mandarin collar, make bishop sleeves (not billowy enough for this one, but I'll improve on it!) etc!

Watch this space! Coz I'll be adjusting & improving on this 1st attempt pretty soon, and I will be churning out more of my own designs soon!!! - I'm so bored with street fashion!

This was project #1. I've made a navy blue pencil skirt and a red dress which are currently stashed in HK. Will upload pics once I get home!

1 week from home....

Christmas is just round the corner and I'm ONE week away from HK, Noel and home.

I've been SO excited lately I can hardly sit still or focus on my readings for more than 10mins at time! Hahaha!

I've missed home and Noel (well, in my books, they're the one and same! :D) and am looking forward to seeing them both soon.

Meanwhile, I've decided to offload pictures from my overly bloated camera memory stick in lieu of the obscene amounts of photos I intend to take during the Law Christmas ball, which I'm ecstatic over as well.

Hahaa! Speaking of the Law Ball - I haven't even gotten round to piecing an outfit for that night yet, and I haven't got a party dress in my wardrobe! :S This is going to take some creativity and imagination but I'm looking forward to the challenge on Monday evening! Gambatte~!

Ok! So what have I unearthed from my huge stash of food pictures?

This: My 1st ever attempt at making my own granola. (If my memory serves me right, this was made during Spring this year... SO sometime in or around April 2010? Hahha! I KNOW... I'm pathetic at updating this blog! I promise to be more consistent this year. Kekkeke~

Maple Cranberry Crunch is what I've called it! Check it out! I love how the ruby of the cranberries contrasts so wonderfully with the rich gold of the granola bits.

Isn't it gorgeous!?

Noel absolutely ADORED it. Since neither of us has a sweet tooth, this was less sweet compared to normal granola and as I used less butter, honey and sugar, the stats on this batch was much lower and healthier compared to the average granola without compromising on the other health benefits! I'm pretty proud of how it turned out though I feel that I should bake them longer and have them crisp up a bit more next time.

More crunch, more bite! *nyom!*


2010 marks the year where I have been in a perpetual mood to bake and create. My latest hobby (I suppose) = Creating recipes and feeding people. SOooooooo shortly after the granola, I jumped right into making my first ever loaf of bread!

Hahaahahaha! This was an enjoyable/interesting experience 'coz I didn't have the right tools to make a perfect normal-bread-looking loaf, so I had to improvise and baked this in a round tray.... But anyhoo...

The process:

This was the first proofing. Such a cute tiny ball of dough huh =D

After 1 hour! @.@ My baby has GROOOWWWWN~!

Turning the dough out and punching the air out of the little lump! *bam bam bam!*

The final product!! And my first ever loaf! Woot! Proud mama here! YES.

This was scrumptious. The crust was firm and crusty... the dough was soft and supple with just the right amount of elasticity. I was pretty pleased with my 1st attempt - without ANY tools even! Hahah! Yes I know, I'm pretty jurassic in my equipment; I make everything with just a wooden spoon, bowl, sheer arm power *flexes* and my trusty oven!

We're not huge bread lovers, but we managed to finish this eventually. You probably can't tell, but the loaf was MASSIVE! Lol! We put it in the deep freezer and retoasted it before eating it... It lasted us a good month! @.@

Before I forget! This was the stash I made for that day - didn't take pictures of the cookie tarts I made (boo~) but at least there's this shot!




Look familiar? Haha! Yeah, they're my Jam Jewel cookies - the red ones at least. The green ones were coconut jam cookies - which were even more popular than the jam ones! @.@ Guess I know which ones to make more of and sell next time! I think Noel loved it so much he ended up hiding a stash for himself away from his colleague at one point! Lol!

My boyfriend cracks me up. He's my biggest fan and vice versa. =)

Ok! It's 7:47am now! And I'm off to get my customary morning run! Toodles peeps!

Chat soon!

Peace! xoxo