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Showing posts with label resolution. Show all posts
Showing posts with label resolution. Show all posts

Friday, December 29, 2017

Catatan Akhir Tahun

Akhir tahun ini diwarnai dengan tanggal merah berjejer di kalender. Sebentar lagi waktunya mengganti kalender lama dengan angka tahun yang baru. Jatah 365 hari di tahun 2017 sudah hampir sampai di ujungnya. Dipikir-pikir, apa yang sudah saya kerjakan di tahun ini ya?


1. Lulus kuliah. Blessing banget ini. Sejujurnya saat memulai, saya sendiri ragu-ragu, bisa nggak menyelesaikannya nanti. Alhamdulillah semuanya dilancarkan dan dipermudah. Dukungan keluarga adalah support terbesar saya, terutama di waktu injury time.


2. Kembali ngantor lagi. :D Karena kontrak cuti sekolah berakhir, berakhir juga kontrak sebagai SAHM. Balik lagi jadi ibu bekerja. Saya bersyukur anak-anak sudah mulai bisa mengerti. Walaupun Adek masih suka demonstrasi kalau ditinggal berangkat ngantor, tapi demonstrasi itu tanda cinta, jadi saya menerimanya dengan penuh kasih sayang. "Hilang"nya jam-jam kebersamaan karena harus digantikan dengan jam kantor, membuat kami lebih menikmati momen berkumpul bersama. Sekarang setiap malam kami menikmati leyeh-leyeh bersama (Adek masih di usia yang seneng ndusel-ndusel, meluk dan ngelendotin ibunya) sambil menjalankan kesenangan masing-masing. Kakak biasa bercerita tentang sekolahnya hari itu, atau membaca, atau sekadar duduk menonton televisi bersama.


Kadang-kadang berebut atau bertengkar dengan Adek, membuat kami sibuk melerai dan membujuk untuk saling berbaikan, Sometimes it was easy, sometimes took longer time and more effort (and Batman voices, too). Keramaian yang selalu saya rindukan setiap kali berada di luar rumah. Saya sendiri biasa menghabiskan waktu untuk merajut, atau membaca, atau sekadar uwel-uwelan dengan anak-anak. My most precious time.


3. Menyelesaikan beberapa proyekan kreatif, the taraaa! moment, amigurumi Annie boneka matryoshka, Spice of Life blanket, tas rajut Hexagonal, dan atasan croptop Breanah. Banyak juga ya, saya jadi lumayan merasa bangga. :D Ah, lihat, instagram best nine (btw akunnya @astutibaning, monggo follow ;p) pun menunjukkan tahun yang kreatif. Walaupun nggak sebanyak suhu-suhu crochet/knit yang lain, tapi bagi saya setiap berhasil menyelesaikan satu project, itu prestasi. Saya menikmati setiap proses dalam membuat karya handmade, terutama merajut. Merajut menjadi semacam terapi untuk merilekskan pikiran yang sibuk dan bising sepanjang hari. Membuat karya handmade adalah momen me time  Walaupun sering tidak sempurna dan ada kesalahan/kekurangan di sana-sini, namun setiap sentinya dibuat dengan cinta.


4. Membaca kembali. Tahun belakangan, frekuensi membaca saya menurun drastis. Hobi yang lebih banyak saya tekuni adalah merajut. Progress di blog sebelah jadi nggak maju-maju, pun di Goodreads. Tapi akhir-akhir ini, saya mulai menikmati membaca kembali. Hanya kali ini tipe bacaan saya sedikit berubah. Saya saat ini cenderung memilih buku non fiksi, dengan tema sehari-hari seputaran diri sendiri dan lingkungan sekitar, keluarga, rumah, tentang hal-hal yang saya temui sepanjang hari. Saya juga sedang suka dengan buku yang memiliki banyak gambar indah, baik ilustrasi maupun foto. Gambar membantu otak saya mencerna apa yang ditulis, dan mengistirahatkan mata dari jenuh tulisan dengan menikmati warna dan foto/ilustrasi yang indah. Warna-warni cerah dan gambar yang indah seringkali menginspirasi.



5. Menulis kembali. Tahun ini saya juga mulai aktif menulis kembali di blog. Saya rindu menulis. Di sini saya bisa berbagi tentang cerita keseharian, hal-hal yang menyenangkan, dan hobi yang mungkin bisa menjadi inspirasi bagi yang lainnya. Saya ingin lebih banyak menulis dan berbagi. Saya senang membaca kembali apa yang saya posting di blog, mengingat kenangan yang ditulis di dalamnya, hal-hal yang menyenangkan, membuat tersenyum saat mengenangnya kembali.
"There are three keys to a successful blog and they are good content, a clear and simple layout and a spirit of generosity, tolerance, inclusion and kindness." Rhonda Hetzel (Down to Earth) 


Di akhir tahun ini, yang sarat dengan suasana festival (liburan, diskon di berbagai pusat perbelanjaan, harbolnas) saya mendapatkan bingkisan kado. Baik dari Mr. Coffeeholic, anak-anak, maupun yang saya beri untuk diri sendiri. Tempo hari saya mendapatkan waktu me time untuk sekadar creambath di salon langganan dekat rumah. Saya mengambil paket creambath ginseng serta massage bahu dan punggung. Tidak makan waktu lama, tapi sungguh-sungguh merilekskan otot leher, punggung dan kepala. Dan secangkir teh herbal hangat menutup rangkaian terapi. Rasanya pas keluar dari salon itu freeeeeshh...


Saya juga membeli setumpuk buku, ada buku-buku Kakak, dan ada juga buku-buku emaknya. Sebagian adalah traktiran Mr. Coffeeholic dan sebagian lagi traktiran Telkomsel poin di penghujung tahun sebelum poinnya hangus (alias tuker poin) :D Buat yang belum tahu bahwa Telkomsel poin bisa ditukar dengan voucher Gramedia, ada di sini cara penukarannya.


Lihat, saya bahkan berhasil mendapatkan sepasang komik versi bahasa Jepang dan Indonesia! Versi Jepangnya adalah hadiah pembelian beberapa waktu yang lalu (setiap pembelian komik terbitan MnC berhadiah satu komik terbitan Jepang). Tempo hari, saya berhasil mendapatkan versi terjemahannya. Ini wish list Kakak, nih.


Ada juga beberapa buku travel sketch, saya tertarik nih. Saya jadi ingat dengan Mbak Sheila, saya mengikuti feed beliau dan suka membaca dan melihat coretan-coretannya. Jarang-jarang ada buku travel sketch lokal, maka saya membelinya.


Saya juga sempat meluangkan waktu bersama Mr. Coffeeholic untuk berjalan-jalan. Ngabur dari kantor sebentar sih, maksudnya. :D Pergi nonton Star Wars. Walaupun saya bukan fans Star Wars (saya lebih suka Coco, sebetulnya), tapi filmnya cukup seru kok ditonton.


Ah.. ada banyak kenangan dan cerita di tahun 2017. Ada banyak kebahagiaan dan kebersamaan bersama orang-orang tercinta. Di tahun 2018 nanti, ada banyak doa dan harapan. Semoga saya bisa menjadi pribadi yang lebih baik dari sebelumnya, dan semoga tahun yang akan datang menjadi tahun yang penuh keberkahan, lebih semangat, lebih kreatif, dan lebih bermanfaat bagi kita semua. Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.
"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself." - Neil Gaiman

Happy New Year! 


Friday, December 23, 2016

New Year Resolution and Knitting FO

December is always crazy, why are we always surprised? This last month always been loaded with tons of works and deadlines.




Every deadline gives us lesson to learn: never delay doing your task; that we tend to forget again and again. Now here I am, try to calm down and wipe away my crochet and knit WIP, to make progress in this semester's final exam. I have two (advanced-level) papers, a final report, a proposal, and some middle-level college tasks to complete before the holiday season. And the holiday season will be coming in next week!




Oh just forget it. It is frustrating, really. Let's just have some minutes break, I've been sitting here in campus all day and only made some rows progress instead of some pages. But I will appreciate it since it is still called a progress, so I deserve a short break. Yes, I bring my knitting beginner project, but it would take a long time once I touch it, because I might have some difficulties to stop it. So just in order to refresh my mind, let's just doing a nonsense chit chat of what's already been going in this year, and what we could plan for next year.

This year is fabulous, literally. I finally was able to pass semester 2 in my college, the heaviest semester I ever had since my undergraduate years. I am so appreciate it, my self 😌. This year was also my handmade years, I even accepted some orders, I am so happy with it. One more good thing, I completed my goodreads reading challenge woohoo! Err... yes most of it are comics, and I even had to put my college text book as the last book I read to complete the challenge 😂


This year I finally learned (again) to knit and finished my first scarf *dancing*.




It was an easy peasy scarf made from one local big ply cotton cake, only used knit and purl stitches.



We're a week into January already, can you believe it? I have few resolutions for next year: finish my study, keep reading, keep making (and keep buying yarn, needle, fabric, and all that craft supplies…😄)



Well, whatever your plan, I wish you a great and happy upcoming year. 


Happy new year everyone!



Tuesday, January 26, 2016

New Year and Tapestry Crochet

Ok, first of all :

Happy New Year everyone!

Haha, I knew this post is a little far too late, as January almost over :D. But late is better than never, right?  I wish for us to have a great year, as great as wishes written by Neil Gaiman :

As new year came, there are new activities too for me here. My daughter is taking swimming and drawing class. While I'm waiting her finishing her class, I have plenty enough time to do things. I tried to do hand-lettered crochet pouch. I was inspired a lot by Mola Mills, and her tapestry crochet. Tapestry crochet is a crochet technique that combine two or more yarns to make a colorwork crochet piece. If you want to know more about tapestry crochet, Carol Ventura explained it clearly in her site.

I did a chevron tapestry crochet pattern for my coin pouch. It is small and handy, enough to bring small amount of money and some cards. I used polyester yarn materials since polyester yarn is more durable to be used in making carried accessories like bags or purses. It is not tougher than cotton, but softer than nylon. I did it in my favourite colour combine : fuchsia and natural. I put lining and zipper as a finishing touch, it is all hand sewn because easier to do when the baby is awake :D (it took LOTS of effort to pull my sewing machine when the kids are running around). The pouch turned out so well, I just looove it… :) A friend even asked me to make one for her. :D





After finishing this pouch, and a pouch for my friend (I just have to sew the lining and zipper….later ;p) and looked forward to make another project, I saw a pretty hand-lettered C'est Moi pouch which was uploaded by @emmarousu in Instagram. She made the handletter pattern in Mola Mills Virkkuri memo, a book with blank graph to write tapestry crochet pattern. I was so inspired and decided to do the same project with different words, and chose to make Pretty Princess pouch as a gift for a friend who helped me a lot during my first semester at college (I love you Fiiiit…).

I wrote down the pattern for Pretty Princess in Microsoft Excel based on handletter font, and the pattern looked beautiful. Then I crocheted it for a week (yes, I'm a very sloooow and moody crocheter). Unluckily, the result is not as what I expected. It came out not as good as the pattern. The "princess" word even difficult to be read, my husband misspelled it as "business". :( Eventhough he did it with laughing, so I don't know he is seriously misspelled it or just joking. :(




From that last project I learned some things about tapestry crochet. Unlike cross stitch, tapestry crochet stitches do not line up vertically because the working row stitch are made between two stitches in row below it. So it is going "a little bit more to the right" in every row. That's why my pouch result came out different from the pattern because it was made on Excel, which the column are vertically straight. I asked @emmarousu for advice on how to make a better pattern, and she kindly said to use a honeycomb pattern paper like Virkkuri Memo provides in the book.



Picture taken from here

I did some search after it, and yes she was right (thanks, Emma!) because I found a tapestry crochet graph template on Carol Ventura site, and it looks like honeycomb pattern. I have downloaded it, and I will definitely make another pattern for Pretty Princess by using this graph.

Er. But later. After I know how to do the graph manipulation on GIMP. It is absolutely another important thing to learn. :D

Well, so having my own store on Etsy is still a very looooong distance dream :D at least this activity of making one little pretty things by my hands is so fun and enjoyable. 

I'll tell you more if I defeat the pattern challenge and make a pretty thing.


An iced chocolate to accompany me while making this post ^^

Happy new year, happy crocheting, may this year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness!

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Gott Nytt År!

is the way Swedish say, "Happy New Year!"

It's been quite a year, and so much things happen. And the new year is coming, bringing more things into life. As I didn't spend specific attention to set last year resolution, so I can't review it when 2013 ended yesterday. Learn from that, I think it's good to set my resolution in the beginning of the year, so I can see how far I can go when the year ends. Besides, it's easy to forget what I plan at first, and writing it down may keep me stay on the right track.

Here are my resolutions for 2014 ( well, fingers crossed :p ) :

1. Be a better wife for Mr. Coffeeholic, and a better mom for my little girl. It means being more patient, spending more quality time, and enjoy more moments with my two precious. It might include cooking for Mr. Coffeeholic or taking my little girl on a vacation, in weekend.

2. Be more green. Related to that "green things" I think it's time to make my meal habits a little bit greener. Don't count my little girl in this case, she has ideal portion and varian of homemade menus. We are talking about me, this lazy and lack of nutrition mommy -___- who lay her daily veggies intake on a capsule of herbal supplement.  Being greener in menu for me is trying to put at least one portion of real vegetable or fruit in my meals in a day. Let's start with making fruit juice as a habit, because it's the easiest way for me to swallow that kind of healthy food, based on my experience.

3. Read more books. I love reading, really. This is my hobby since I was an elementary school student. But when you have your own family to take care and your office related work to manage, it looks like you're getting lack of time to read. Or even if you have time, you choose to do something else which you think more important. My reading speed has decreased because I am rarely have a book in my hand to read. This year I'll try to read more books, I already bought some and they're now silently and patiently queueing to be read.

4. Write more things, story, article, blog post. On 2013 I joined a very supportive mom bloggers group, Kumpulan Emak Blogger (KEB). It's a great group consists of smart and active Indonesian women. They are inspiring and adorable, and they're blogging because it's their passion. Joined them is right choice since they are encouraging me to write more blog post. I even joined their competition, 30daysblogchallenge, where I must make 4 week-posting related to each week theme. I didn't win it, of course ;p, but it's really a challenging experience and I really enjoyed it. The competition is over now, but I sometimes miss the feeling, both exciting and thrilling, especially when it came to deadline.

Last year I alse sent two articles to Mommies Daily and they published it.


1st article published on Mommies Daily


2nd article published on Mommies Daily

In 2014 I hope I'll be able to do more updates on my blog, write more articles, and maybe I could extend the length of my fiction story (this is multi years project since I'm never be able to finish it. ;p)

5. Doing more craft. I've been a little bit more crafty lately. I do crochet and cross stitch. I do knit when I was college student. And now, my new sewing machine is calling me to do more things with fabric. I'm still a very beginner in sewing, but really enjoying it. I've made some simple project : box bag for Mr. Coffeeholic and express hat for my little girl.


This is my new crafty friend, Singer Simple Series.


White box bag, I follow the tutorial by Truly Myrtle. She wrote such an amazing tutorial, thank you!


Second attempt using green flowery fabric, much neater. I use it to keep my cable plug.


This is the express hat, my little girl asked me to make it.


She loves it, doesn't she?


Sewing is immensely enjoyable. I plan to do more sewing this year. I want to make more box bag because Mr. Coffeeholic want it too, he even choose his own fabric. I also want to make my little girl a peasant dress, Jamie wrote a tutorial of it in her site Scattered Thought of a Crafty Mom.  And for me myself, I want to sew something too! I fall in love for this Mathilde blouse and the blog and the owner (Tilly), she's so talented girl.


It seems so cute, doesn't it?


Well, with so much plan and exciting things waiting this year, I wish everybody a very Happy New Year and a great time ahead! Gott Nytt År!