Birthday Butterfly Card Part Two

As most card makers do, I constantly get praises for making lovely cards, as well as comments that I should really start a card-selling business of my own.   For the past year I have been commissioned to make a few cards, but they were made unique and took too much time with design and execution.  And because I don't need to work or make income for my family, and therefore I find it's just not worth of my time.  I keep do it simply because I love making cards.

However, my daughter's new school term gives me a second thought.  The school's gonna hold a Christmas fayre, and one of the mum talked to me (she makes fashion accessories) and said we should rent a stall together.  Well now I thought I might be able to make it - if I can make enough crafts for sale in time.  

So below are the very first batch of several similar Birthday cards, followed by this particular Birthday card I made previously for Ashley's classmate.

Aren't they cute?  I'm happy with them too.  

Note that for the first time I've put on my first watermark in this picture for copyright concerns. All my works are original and please do not copy them.  

Next I should really start making Christmas cards.  Time to look for some inspirations and get started. 

Pink Happy Birthday card. Fit for a little princess.

I must admit I don't use my Silhouette Cameo(bought last June) often than I think.  It is a great tool, and especially with the Print-and-Cut and the Sketch function I simply must justify for its value this year.

Luckily with the encouragement from my friend Nathalie I started not only learning new techniques but also have picked up the machine again. The result came beautifully today I think I'm going use the tools a lot more.

This card is for Ashley's school mate, Victoria. She's having her 4th birthday so I made it for her. As far as little girls are concerned, who doesn't like a fairy princess on a pink card?

1. Make pink card from card stock.
2. Do partial embossing with Cuttlebug embossing folder. Like this

3. Adhere a cute patterned panel on middle section of the card. Affix washi tape across center.
4. Use cutting machine to cut out two labels with the same shape. Colour the edge of the bigger piece, emboss the smaller piece, and adhere. Affix mini flower brads. Use foam tape to adhere label to card
5. Use cutting machine to cut a princess/fairy. Use glitter colour pens to emphasize hair, skirt and so on, and affix sparkle on crown. Adhere to card with foam tape on only head and feet.

6. Stamp Happy Birthday on paper and trim. Adhere to card. Finished. YAY!

Get Well Soon card - for Teacher Lyz

Ashley's English teacher, Lyz, is pregnant but she has diabetic due to her pregnancy and a few weeks ago she's checked into the hospital to make sure everything's alright.  Therefore I made this card for her, wishing her the all the best and safe throughout the pregnancy.

1. Make card base.
2. Make a brown panel from brown card stock. Use border punch to punch scalloped border on one side. Affix wash tapes on both sides. Adhere to card base
3. Die cut three butterflies from 3 different card stock. Stamp the medium one and emboss the smallest one with Cuttlebug. Affix in size order. Affix sparkles on the butterfly. Adhere to card.
4. Stamp flourishes and affix sparkles on card.
5. Stamp sentiment.

帶寶寶出門

距離上次打疫苗已有一個月了. 於是依照Dr. Johny醫生建議, 昨天帶Ashley回SOS醫院打疫苗.

由於Dr. Johny 看診時間約在下午4:45分, 看完再去接老公下班的話就有點太晚, 而且看完醫生後應該都快6點了, 也到了晚餐時間, 如果直接回家的話還會遇到塞車. 所以計畫是帶著寶寶先去接在辦公室的老公, 然後一起去醫院, 之後再一起去餐廳吃晚餐後再回家.

很麻煩吧?

現在出門不像以前那樣簡單, 只要我化好妝換好外出衣服後就讓司機載著快快樂樂地去購物吃東西, 享受純粹的貴婦生活. 自從寶寶誕生後, 只要是帶著Ashley出門, 什麼都要先想好, 準備周全以防萬一. 所以除了我自己準備好之外, 還要準備一堆有的沒的:

1. 寶寶出門用的奶粉和熱水壺. 奶粉要準備兩餐用份量, 放入出門用的可愛奶粉盒中. 熱水壺裡面放熱水, 到時候配合冷水(車上有AQUA瓶裝水)使用.

2. 寶寶尿布、小玩具、圍兜兜、小襪子、奶嘴，和預防室內太冷的薄被單

3. 寶寶推車放到車上;

4. 最後再幫寶寶換好衣服, 安置在車用椅上, 然後再把車用椅連同寶寶移到車上

雖然傭人Yati(她是個好幫手)和司機Kojin幫忙處理這些瑣事, 不至於花掉我太多時間; 但我還是得一一確認東西都帶齊了才不會後悔. 寶寶出門用的包包中除了以上東西以外, 還有很多常備用品我都固定放在包包裡面不用拿進拿出.

接下來, 就終於可以出門了.

為什麼出個門要這麼麻煩大費周章呢? 幹嘛不待在家裡舒舒服服就好?

Peter說 "不應該因為有寶寶, 我們就都不出門, 不去餐廳吃晚餐, 或不旅行. 沒有必要這樣犧牲我們自己的時間, 這樣對我們倆不公平." 他本來就很喜歡帶著我出門享受兩人時光, 結婚後也不例外. 我生日阿或是紀念日到了也會很浪漫地送我玫瑰花, 再一起出門吃晚餐, 或在家烤BBQ.

所以啊, 我們一個月至少會有兩三次, 一家三口去餐廳吃飯. 雖然在餐廳裡沒有保母幫忙帶小孩, 常常會想 "啊, 如果現在在家, 就不會這麼麻煩了" 但回到舒服的家以後, 會覺得 "至少這禮拜有出門娛樂活動一下" , 不會覺得都待在家裡沒做什麼事荒廢時間. 加上每次出門都會買一堆甜點阿零食帶回家屯貨, 所以出門也有很多好處.

我也常想, 這些雜七雜八的事情, 如果不是因為多了寶寶, 真的是不會想到... 很多事情都是寶寶誕生後才知道或學會的, 像是10分鐘內吃完一碗麵(我平常吃麵很慢要30分鐘)、一隻手抱寶寶一隻手泡奶/準備午餐, 一邊餵母奶一邊上網/看雜誌, 或是餵奶時要用腳去搆桌上的東西(因為寶寶快睡著了不能隨便亂動)等等.

於是, 我開始變得更細心, 更有耐心, 更會利用時間, 也體會當母親的意義. 這不僅僅是懷孕生小孩帶小孩這麼簡單. 而是要用所有的心和愛照顧孩子. 以前看到別的媽媽帶著小孩在餐廳吃飯, 或安撫在火車上哭的小孩, 總覺得很厭煩甚至不屑, 覺得幹嘛沒事帶小孩出外造成其他人困擾等等. 但現在自己有小孩後, 終於體會其中意義, 知道這是件不容易的事, 也更能體諒當母親的辛苦和偉大.

沒當過母親真的無法體會, 母親真的很偉大喔!

準備Ashley 護照和居住證明(2)

替寶寶申請澳洲護照和印尼當地的居住證明, 這是兩件事, 但有先後分別, 要先有護照才能辦居住證明, 不過同樣讓我一想到我就頭痛.

但老公就是有這種萬能的本事, 在我不知不覺中, 把所有東西都弄清楚, 準備周全. 現在回想起來, 實際上有很多步驟, 都是他叫我幫忙的時候我才知道他在弄這些東西, 而且像是聯繫大使館、律師的工作他都處理好了... 醫生簽名的話也是他叫我去問醫生我才知道, 真是後知後覺. 現在想想, 還好沒有辦台灣護照, 要不然我早就瘋掉了.

1. 填護照申請表格-->然後找見證人見證我和Peter在護照申請書上的簽名- 結果老公找了我的婦產科醫師Dr. Fransiska, 小兒科醫師Dr. Sander, 和鄰居Vincent來幫忙.

2. 準備我跟老公的護照、結婚證書、大頭照、居住證明等

3. Ashley的醫院出生證明, 還有一份正式的, 由印尼行政機關發出的出生證明

4. 寶寶的澳洲護照照片, 和印尼居住證明要的大頭照

5. 還有其他文件, 但我沒看

拍寶寶的大頭照超難的, 寶寶才出生一周就要照大頭照, 可見難度之高. 我們弄了半天, 終於照了一張Ashley生氣皺眉, 但還好是清晰的正面大頭照. 她被我們吵醒橋半天才橋好, 拍了N次才沒有閉眼睛 、怪嘴型 、頭斜斜或哭的照片. 連到大使館跟辦事員見面時, 她說 "你寶寶是被吵醒才照這張皺眉照吧?" (但她還是稱讚寶寶本人很可愛啦呵呵)

我的感想是, 在印尼, 只要是辦理任何需要政府機關協助的事, 若不走後門的話, 要辦也是可以, 但不花個一兩年是辦不下來的. 我這樣說不誇張, 這種事太多了, 不甚枚舉. 當地人申請身分證都可以搞個一年, 還不一定下的來. 去年我們在北京和雪梨的家當運到雅加達時, 在海關也是"因為文件雖然是合格的, 但發文的機關不同" 得多付個幾百塊美金才過關.

於是我們在印尼的律師就專們替我們處理這種事. 但對外, 我們都說是律師處理, 我們只付律師費用, 其他什麼都不知道, 這才是明哲保身之道.