My Craft Essentials, part 1 - Cutting Tools

It is very easy to clutter my drawer with all the cool crafting tools that are available on the market. So I am writing a blog series about the things (or what I think are essentials) I cannot do without and why, starting with cutting tools. And here is the list:

1. Pairs of scissors 

Yes, pairs! I like to use different scissors for the different materials I cut. I have one pair for ribbons, one pair for paper and another pair for general purpose. The brands I trust are Fiskars and Tonic Studios' Tim Holtz scissors. If you have two pairs of the same color, tie a ribbon at one of the scissors' handles to differentiate the two. Or, get a different style or color. Tim Holtz scissors have a narrow point, making them perfect for those intricate cuts.
Tip: Clean your scissors after every use. And, if you often use your general purpose scissors to cut something sticky, don't forget to clean them every so often with water and soap to clean off the glue excess. Here is some more information from Fiskars.

2. X-Acto knife and cutting mat
Some cuts are so meticulous. An X-Acto knife is perfect for those. To use the X-Acto knife you need a cutting mat underneath to protect your surface and your knife. The mat is self healing and it comes with a measuring grid for precise cutting.

3. Guillotine paper trimmer
I love this trimmer! It's a paper crafter must have! This heavy duty trimmer cuts up to several pieces of papers at a time. The cut is always clean and being able to cut so many papers at one time saves a lot of time. It also comes with a measuring grid to help you get the perfect cut. What's not to love?

4. Portable paper trimmer
Again, the brand I trust is Fiskars. Their customer service is exceptional! I own the SureCut Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer. This light weight trimmer has a 12" cut length and a self-leveling swing-out arm extending to 15". When you tuck the swing-out arm in, you'll get a 6 1/4" x 12" base to work with. It doesn't take much storing space, it is light weight and it cuts perfectly! You do need to change the blade cartridge occasionally though.

5. Paper punches
A helpful tool to add a little character to your project. Paper punches come in different styles, shapes and designs. And I simply cannot get enough of these.

Hi! My name is Linda and I am a craft addict.

Since I posted my first blog about cards here, I have fallen deeper in love with paper crafting. I was never really serious about it until 7 months ago when I started making my own Christmas cards. And I have to say, paper crafting is very addictive! So for you readers out there, be prepared to spend a LOT of time and money if you decide to start this hobby. Trust me, there's no way back once you started! :)

Over the past year and a half I have learnt some new techniques and have been introduced to several awesome machines. To be honest, what I know now is only the tip of the paper crafting iceberg. There are TONS of media and applications you can use, mix and match. The possibilities are SERIOUSLY endless. Here is a sample You Tube video posted by Scrap Time Videos featuring one of my favorite designers and crafters, Tim Holtz. Isn't he amazing? And look at what he created! Isn't it beautiful? I can't wait to be as professional as he is!

So, in order to push myself to be more creative and productive, I will try to post at least 2 cards tutorials every month. Let's see what I come up with.

Till then.

Baking: 2nd Attempt; Brazilian Cheese Puffs - Pao De Queijo

The last time I made my Pao De Queijo I used the Gold Medal All Purpose Flour because I didn't have any tapioca flour. It turned out pretty good but it missed the puffiness. This time I baked some using tapioca flour and it turned out perfect!  


Ingredients:

1 cup of milk/water

1/2 cup of butter

1 tsp salt

2 cups of tapioca flour

1 cup powder Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

Method:

1. Boil milk/water, butter and salt. Set aside.

2. Slowly add tapioca flour then cheese to the mix. Keep mixing it until a dough is formed. Add the 2 eggs in and mix it thoroughly. Make small balls. 

3. Preheat your oven to 300-350F and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Note: When you mix tapioca to the boiling milk/water, it will form a gooey dough that looks pretty much like glue. Don't worry about the look. Keep mixing until the dough is formed. 

Martabak-part II

On my first post on Martabak, I introduced the meat/savory recipe. If you missed it, please click here. This time I am introducing the sweet one. It is pretty much like a pancake, only it is Indonesian style. I call it Indonesian Sweet Pancake.


Ingredients:

4.5 cups of flour 
2 eggs
0.5 cup of sugar 
3 cups of milk
1 tsp baking powder
a dash of vanilla
a dash of salt
1tsp of baking soda


Extra Ingredients:
Chocolate sprinkles/ chocolate syrup
Condensed milk
Finely grated roast peanuts


Method:
1. Mix all ingredients but baking soda and the extras. Set aside and let it sit for about 45 minutes to an hour.

2. When you are ready to cook, add baking soda to the dough and heat a little margarine/butter on a non-stick pan on a low heat. Add a ladle or 2 to the pan, enough to fill 1/3 of it or to cover your pan. You don't want too much dough on the pan because baking soda helps rises the dough. The thicker the dough, the harder it is to cook without burning the bottom of your sweet pancake. 


3. Wait until bubbles are formed, add a little sugar if you want it to be sweeter and cover the pan. 


4. Check regularly until your dough is dry. Brush a little margarine/butter, add the extra ingredients and your sweet pancake is ready to be served.

No Child Left Behind Act

This act was first proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office in 2001 and it is about time to reform this act! Obama was spot on when he announced the plan to reform the act earlier this year. It is no secret that America is falling behind in lots of aspects, especially in Education. According to the blueprint for reform, 10 countries have passed America in college completion and I personally think that this is an embarrassing fact for a country who once claimed to be the greatest.

I come from Indonesia, a third world country, whose ongoing issues include poverty, education and unemployment. Having spent years in third, second and first world countries, I know what it is like to have the majority of the population uneducated. People are narrow minded, easily provoked and they believe in everything. There is no discernment because they simply do not know how and what to discern. 

It aggravates me when I hear Rick Santorum comment on the act. Quoting from Washington Wire, dated January 7, 2012, Santorum said “They’re not ready to go to [college.] They don’t want to go to college. They don’t need to go to college. I was so outraged that the President of the United States [said] every student should go to college.”

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against homeschooling. I believe every kid has to be pushed to reach their potential and go to college, or at least to vocational schools. Yes, I said... PUSHED! Some people are naturally lazy. With no incentive and stimulation, some people will be happy being just a mediocre - which is not good enough to be the greatest. Imagine a country built on mediocre people and compare it to a country built on knowledge thirsty, skillful and thriving people. Who do you think will be better? Of course, the education system in America has to improve too. America has lots of potential, lots of great colleges at its disposal. It is just a shame to not utilize them.

I came across an essay on the time management, written by Manish Rajkoomar that reads: People, who made effective usage of time at their disposal, got the best from time. But those who forgot the value of time found to their utter dismay that it was harsh on them later. And on the next paragraph he wrote: Time can be spent wisely or foolishly. The choice is ours and so are its consequences.

Read that quote again and change the word "time" to "knowledge!"

Sources:

1. http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/blueprint/publication_pg2.html#part2
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_World https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/id.html
3. http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/01/07/santorum-all-students-shouldnt-be-pushed-to-go-to-college/ 
4. http://www.publishyourarticles.org/knowledge-hub/essay/an-essay-on-the-time-management.html

Auxiliary at Florida Fish Memorial Hospital

Since Jan 24, I am officially an auxiliary at the Ambulatory Services Clinic, Florida Fish Memorial Hospital or AMSURG as they call it. Even though this job pays me nothing, it gives me the chance to meet new people, make new friends and network. And if I don't end up working at the hospital, at least I could use this experience as a reference. So... YAY for my first work experience in the States!

Honestly speaking, working in a hospital gives me the shivers. Let's admit it, no body wants to hear an "Oops" in a hospital. And AMSURG deals with pre-op, operation and recovery for out-patient and in-patient, so you can imagine how nervous I could be on my first day. Even though I knew I would only be assisting the receptionist, a wrong click in the computer could lead to fatality.  But thank heaven, my first day was not bad at all. It was quite the opposite. And I sure was thankful for a quiet Tuesday and a nice receptionist who taught me everything I needed to know to start with.

My schedule is 3 days a week, Monday to Wednesday, 8 to 4. And for now, all I have to do is check in pre-op and surgery patients, answer phone calls, update family members on the surgery's result and prepare some charts.

I've got the feeling that this is the start of something good - a wonderful and a fruitful year!

4 Perkara!

Terkadang kita terburu - buru memvonis dan melukai perasaan orang yang ada di hadapan kita. Namun hendaklah kita ingat, ada 4 perkara yang kalau sudah terjadi tidak bisa diperbaiki:

1. Tidak mungkin kita menarik kembali batu yang kita jatuhkan atau terjatuh atau terlempar.

2. Tidak mungkin kita menarik kembali kosa kata atau kalimat yang telah kita ucapkan.

3. Tidak mungkin kita menarik kembali peluang yang terlah berlalu dan hilang.

4. Tidak mungkin kita mengambil kembali waktu, umur dan masa muda yang telah berlalu.

Oleh karena itu kenalilah dan ketahuilah dengan baik bagaimana kita harus bertindak dalam 4 hal ini!

Jangan sia - siakan peliang baik yang ada di hadapanmu!

Jangan terburu - buru memvonis orang lain!

* All credit goes to my friend Salina R. Thanks for sharing, dear! *