Fruits and Weekends Gateaway

Here's an off wire jewelry ramble.
Some pictures taken last two weekends during our outings to Serian, Hot Spring and Serikin Market.
I have posted about Serikin Market several times here, here, here and here, about Hot Spring here and maybe several other posts but I don't think I have ever posted anything on Serian, a small town (population about 90k+), an hour drive from the city.
Serian is famous for its durians.
That is why you will be greeted by this Giant Durian as you enter the town.

As usual, our favorite place to visit is the market.
At the time of our arrival, late morning, the whole town was really busy.
Lots of people around especially at the market and shops around it.
It was a Sunday and most likely people were doing their early Christmas shopping.
Can't tell as I've only visited this town on a Sunday, so it may be the usual crowd on a weekend :)....

Here are the highlights of the trip, mostly taken at the market.

Fruits everywhere...rambutans (the hairy one, top left), mangostene, durians and guavas.

All kind of vegetables as well. Ops! the one at top left is not vegetable, its breadfruit, top right is Terung Dayak (sour brinjal) while bottom left is buah petai (petai beans).
Bottom right are the many types of shrimp paste (belacan).

This one is an interesting fruit - buah tarap.
Looks a bit like jackfruit and buah cempedak, they should be cousins...hehehe....
I didn't know there are two types of buah tarap.
The hairy and non-hairy :)
Something new for me.
Which one do you prefer?

Feels like having all of them.
Colorful kuih-muih (pastries, cakes, cookies, biscuits, etc. etc.)

Handcrafted colorful baskets from colorful binders or packing straps.
Used to be made from rattan and other natural resources but these are scarce and hard to find due to forest clearing. Sad! Sad!
Next we had our lunch at a nearby eatery (forgot the name...).

Not to be missed is this fat and juicy sayur midin...a wild forest fern, grow mostly in disturbed swampy forest. We had other dishes but I stopped taking picture after this midin, as I am too busy eating :)
After lunch, off to the river. These are some of the pictures taken along the way.

Hill paddy planted by the locals.
Very common view along the roads in Sarawak.

The region is quite mountainous with winding roads like this.

Pepper vines, planted by the locals on small plot of land. Another common view.
Don't be surprise if the pepper you are having is from here. Sarawak pepper is world renowned :)

Swamp or wet paddy, planted on low lying area, unlike hill paddy.

The kids having fun at the back of the pickup - just for a short distance.

Finally, the river.....nice clear water but its kind of neglected since our last visit.

Tall bushes on the way down...Argh! Geli!

Getting ready with the net....

Here's the catches....Borneo Sucker and a tiny crab.

We were at Pasar Serikin yesterday. Not much to say about Pasar Serikin (as I have posted about it several times). I think this are the more interesting parts of the trip.....

Large Geckos for sale at RM50 each.

Pitcher plant!

......with sticky rice cooked in it :) Yummy!

Look, with sambal belacan (shrimp paste).
Henry loves it!

Next will be a fruit related ring post....

An Email that Made my Day

Just sharing an email that I received this morning from Tina.
She is so kind to let me post it here.
Thanks Tina!

Let me tell you, I take my hat off and salute you.  This is a fabulous, artistic, and beautiful tutorial (Tina is referring to the Twice Around the World (TAW) Bracelet Tutorial).  Not to mention that is not hard as long as one follows your very clear instructions and pictures.  It also and leaves room for other projects using the same link.

You are great.  I will be doing it tomorrow because I believe this project deserves to be done in silver and/or gold filled wire. with round gem beads.  At the moment I ran out of the last one.

I love your tutorials and will appreciate if you keep me posted for any new one that may come out. 

My Artfire Studio SALE is still on till the 20th Dec.
25% off all tutorials including this TAW Bracelet Tutorial.

3 Wire Wrap Rings and Something for Myself

WIREBLISS ARTFIRE SALE is STILL ON TILL 20th DECEMBER 2011 (Yeah! I fixed the date)
**************
Now proceed with inspirations!
Got to post this before I proceed with other things.
Yeah! Hope I am not boring you with these rings :)
Two Adjustable Wire Wrap Beaded Ring, a fruity ring and something for myself.
The tutorial for this Adjustable Ring is currently at $3.75 (Was $5.00)
Check it out at my Artfire Studio.

Here's something for myself.
Remember the Peace Pendant from NanoStyle?
Look what I've done to it. It has got lots of friends.
Attached it to a long chain and I can put on and take off anytime in a second.
Going to add some lively colors to it later on.
For now, I will enjoy the "dull" color ;)

Wire Wrapped Bookmarks

As much as I love to read, I found that most of the books that I've been planning to read been sitting in the rack collecting dust, some for years...I can't remember exactly when I read a whole book.
Managed a quarter of Eat, Play, Love sometime last year. Before I can finish it, I got distracted.
Those are books that I can physically hold.
There are also a collection of ebooks, emagazines sitting somewhere in my hard drive and ereader, waiting for me...wonder when I can get started with them.

Anyway, for those who love to read, here are few bookmarks completed recently.

Material used - 19ga stainless steel wire and various beads and gemstones.
Involved lots of hammering to harden the wire.
Designs are endless, just work on your imagination..e.g. shapes such as stars, triangles, squares, zig zag, etc. etc.

 

Wire Wrap Crystal Pendant - Triplets

We all have our own Thanksgiving Day and today its our US friends' turn.
Based on my little knowledge and understanding, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated in the United States every 4th Thursday in month of November.
So, I am taking this opportunity to wish Happy Thanksgiving Day to all friends and readers from the US.
Here in Malaysia, we celebrated our Thanksgiving Day back in Sept 12 (15th day of 8th lunar month), commonly known as Mid-Autumn Festival or the Moon Cake Festival. Well, as the name indicated, we celebrated with lots of mooncakes and lanterns :) More on Moon Cake Festival here.

Back to wire jewelry, here is a recently completed crystal pendant.
They are triplets.
The crystals are rather small and quite difficult to work with.
However, as I don't want to disappoint a friend and myself, I managed to wire wrap them nicely.
Yes! I can do it! hahaha...just giving encouragement to self :)

Happy Holidays and have a great day.

Jewelry or Handbags?

Are you a jewelry or a handbags person?
No! This is not a quiz and there are no correct or wrong answers :)
Me?
When it comes to jewelry and handbags, I admit I am both a jewelry and handbags person.
Of course, not forgetting shoes, apparel, accessories, etc. etc. but these would be for another day.

Now, back to jewelry and handbags, I am sure you'd agree they are women's best friends.
Erm...What am I rambling about this time?
Well, its mid-November now and December is coming.
So many holidays around the corner - Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year....
Now you know what I am getting at? :)
It is the time of the year again......where you see sales sign everywhere, 70% less, 50% less, 20% less, etc.
Yeah! It is shopping time!
Too much temptation, its hard not to shop.

Handbags! Purses!
1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, they are never enough.
I...lurv!..lurv!..lurv!....handbags and purses.
I am always in search for the perfect handbags and purses, which is not easy.
Maybe that is why we women always ended up with more (handbags and purses) than we can use.
If you are like me, still searching for the perfect one, how about shop handbags here.
The perfect one might be here :)

As for jewelry, I don't really shop for them as I made them myself....a bit of self promotion here..hehe
Anyway, if you are looking for jewelry, shop jewelry might just have what you're looking for. There is a handmade category if you prefer handmade. 

Until the next time, happy shopping!