Real Internet Success Program @ JW Marriott, BB

In KL since yesterday. Am here in JW Marriot, Bukit Bintang to attend the Real Internet Success (RIS) Program by Ewen Chia, the Internet Marketing Guru from Singapore. Enrolled for the course during Internet Biz Live 2 (IBL2) by Ewen Chia & Patrick Chan on 1st & 2nd Oct at Intercontinental Hotel, Jalan Ampang. Ewen did a good job in delivering the content, so far. Most importantly, I'm having fun while learning new stuff around IM.. Keep hearing the word "keyword" which evolves around SEO. Hmmm.. you should take note of that too if you're in this biz. Would recommend this class by Ewen Chia to others. Other gurus' that I find very good and worth investing time & money are Irfan Khairi & Patrick Chan.

Another day tomorrow and I definitely have to keep the momentum going. InsyaAllah, I will achieve my goals.

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Wukuf: Hari Arafah

Setahun berlalu, rasanya terlalu pantas. Mengimbas saat di Arafah, hari yg mendebarkan dan sgt dinantikan bg seluruh umat Islam yg mengerjakan haji. Haji itu Arafah. Begitu besarnya hari wukuf or hari arafah itu bg menyempurnakan rukun haji. Hari pengampunan seluruh ummah, langit terbuka seluas-luasnya. Mintalah pada Allah Yang Maha Esa dengan penuh kepasrahan. Akan terasa diri dekat denganNya, pencipta Yang Maha Agung. Kepada pasangan suami isteri, berdoalah bersama2, insyaAllah itu lebih baik bagi kita sekeluarga.. Banyakkan bertakbir, bertasbih dan tahlil untuk mengisi ruang2 kosong detik Arafah.

Bagi yang bernasib baik, insyaAllah akan terlihat kalimah Allah di langit tatkala rembang senja atau selepas Asar. Allahu Akbar!

Hati yang memberontak ingin kembali lagi ke rumahmu. Kerinduan yang hanya akan terubat bilamana melihat Kaabah, terasa diri yang amat kerdil. "Ya Allah, aku sujud padamu. Berkatilah setiap rezekimu bagi ku dan keluarga ku. Panggillah kami menjadi tetamu rumahmu lagi. .. aamiinnn, ya Rabbal aalamiinn..."

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Property Project B: codename SB2 Part IV

Reno work is at 95% completion. Pending solid surface installation for dry kitchen, and MBR2 wardrobe, and some touch up for shoe cabinet. Target solid surface to be installed within this week while wardrobe installation for MBR2 has to be deferred due to MBR2 bathroom leaking. It has been about 1++ mths, the developer contractor still hasn't been able to fix it once and for all. I have to push and press them almost every other day. Tips; a must do test to detect bathroom leaking i.e ponding test for at least 24hrs. You can use papers wrapped in a plastic (see pic) and later take it off, or simply use old newspaper which you can later push down the floor trap.

As for the solid surface, the guy promised to complete the installation last week, but hampeh.. Till todate, am a bit unsatisfied with my dry modular kitchen cabinets. Of all my houses, this is the one that I'm not very happy with. Limited choices of material patterns, surprisingly kedekut material (smaller boxes, in terms of depth and design). Will be extra careful the next time if I ever choose modular again.

Some pics[pics]

DIY project to install curtain railings. Quite a tough job esp for the curve railing. It's of different type of railing and roller, and to bend the railing requires some expertise. Lucky me, my hubby is a handy man and he has all the required gadgets to make it happen. [pics]

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Konvensyen Dari Kosong Sampai Jutawan (DKSJ) IV @ SACC - Part II

Speakers; Dato' Azman Ching (biz man & motivational speaker), Dato' Haji Abdul Rahman (Rahman Brothers), Dato' Husamudin Yaakob (Karangkraf), Irfan Khairi (Jutawan Internet), Helmi Gimmick (entertainer).
Key take-away:
i) be confident in yourself (Azman Ching)
ii) jaga hubungan dgn Allah, dan hubungan sesama manusia. Redha ibu bapa juga adalah redha Allah (Azman Ching, Hj Abd Rahman, Helmi)
iii) build biz around yr passions and do not give up (Husamuddin, Hj Abd Rahman)
iv) start small, jangan buat loan untuk terus buat biz besar2an (Husamuddin)
v) communication; with Allah, parents, family members, friends, etc.. diff type of comm., perceptions (Helmi)
vi) Iqra' - sangat penting untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan. Pupuk minat baca dr kecil (Husamuddin)
vii) Internet marketing - list down yr interests and turn into biz, marketing & promo are very important, create backlinks, keyword (IK)
viii) networking - very important in biz (all). Lotsa opportunities to build networking with other participants.

Overall, the convention was great especially for those who have not or seldom attend motivation talk. I guess, that's what a convention is. It's more on paper presentation or experience sharing Actually, I expected the convention to be technical, but didn't really turn out as such except for IK's session and some part of Helmi's session. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the networking session.

Follow-up sessions:
a) 3-day personal coaching with IK, AC, HAR in Dec. Cost RM699
b) 6-day biz trip to China with AC, HAR, Helmi. Cost +/- RM5000

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Konvensyen Dari Kosong Sampai Jutawan (DKSJ) IV @ SACC

This convention was supposed to be held in July but was postponed due to Bersih Rally. Hv to bear the losses of airplane ticket and bus ticket. Luckily, the hotel booking can be canceled and refunded. I contemplated whether or not to ask for fee refund or proceed. Finally, I decided to go.

Friday, Oct 21, I took a bus from Butterworth to Shah Alam (actually B'worth-Klang-Shah Alam) due to timing issue. Took a ferry fr Penang to B'worth... wow! almost 10 years I didn't cross by ferry, still the same experience. 20mins to get to B'worth. Reached B'worth 20mins before bus departure, quite kelam-kabut to buy a ticket, then only 10mins to look for food. Adoi! perut dah berkeroncong yg amat sgt. Apa nak buat, dah tak cukup masa, so just grabbed a bun and a bottle of mineral water. Got onto the bus baru teringat kat kek batik that I made that morning (resipi kat bawah), alhamdulillah at least some sweet stuff for energy booster.

I felt the journey to Shah Alam was so long and boring. Worse still, I couldn't sleep. On and off my phone rang. Calls from my contractors, potential tenants, and people asked about my ads on tanah balok untuk disewa.. The bus stopped at Sg Perak for 30mins. Thought I had time for a quick lunch after solat jamak, unfortunately not enuf time. Terpaksa tahan lapar lagi. The driver asked me for the 2nd time whether I'm going to S.A or Klang.

It was already 6hrs 20mins in the bus. It was raining quite heavily, and terrible jam (complete halt for 10mins) coming out from Guthrie Expressway (just another reason I don't wanna live in KL anymore). I had no clue how far more to S.A bus station as the bus should be heading to Klang first... 10 mins later, we reached the bus station. Everyone got down the bus in a heavy downpour, left me alone in the bus. Before the bus driver got off the bus, he told me " duduklah dulu while smiling at me..". 5mins, 10mins, 15mins, the bus still didn't proceed to the next destination. The engine was on, anyway. I called up my hubby, so that the driver and the co-driver will not disturb me. Then, I read al-Quran from my phone. Suddenly, the co-driver approached me and asked "ada orang tunggu ke?. I didn't feel comfortable and a bit cuak, but did reply him " nak pergi Shah Alam, ada orang tunggu". He asked me again. Again, I answered the same. Pastu, dia kata ini lah Shah Alam. WHAT??? Ya, inilah stesen bas Shah Alam. Ya Allah, malunya muka.. (dalam hati, patutlah semua orang dah turun, pastu depa yang turun tu dok tengok2 je kat I yg dlm bas ni). Driver tu cakap lagi, tadi kita tak pegi Klang sebab 2 orang je yang nak pi sana, and dia orang dah tukar naik bas satu lagi yg pi Klang.. antara dengar dengan tidak je apa yg dia cakap tu sbb malu nyer pasal. Cepat2 cakap, sorry ya, thanks sbb bagitau sbb ni 1st time saya naik bas ke Shah Alam. Cepat2 ambik barang and turun bas. Masa turun bas tu, Tuhan je yang tau, nak tergelak pun ada, malu pun ada. Terus lari cari teksi, malu kalau driver tu cam muka.. sah mcm udang kn bakar kalau boleh nampak, nasib baik malam. Saje terpikir, camtu je ke stesen bas ekspress Shah Alam, hmmm...

Sampai Hotel Quality almost pukul 8.30pm.. check-in, solat, dinner, and good nite!

Resipi Kek Batik Biskut Marie

Bahan-bahan:
350gm - 400gm biskut marie
250gm butter
4 biji telur
3/4 cawan susu pekat
1/4 cawan gula
1/4 cawan serbuk koko
1/4 cawan air
1 tsp esen vanilla
1 tsp nescafe or 1 tbsp 'kicap kueh' (sebenarnya dah lama tak guna kicap kueh tu, so tak ingat)

Cara:
1. Pecah 4 biskut marie. Caranya, letak atas telapak tangan dan tekan kat tengah. Biarkan sebentar.
2. Panaskan kuali. Masukkan semua bahan kecuali biskut marie. Masak hingga sebati dan agak pekat
3. Masukkan biskut marie dan padamkan api. Kacau rata
4. Masukkan ke dalam loyang dan tekan supaya kemas, padat dan rata
5. Biarkan sejuk. Then, masukkan ke dalam fridge sebelum dipotong

Ni hasilnya:

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Trip from Penang to KL to Temerloh

I had an emergency last Tue which I had to traveled back to my hometown in Temerloh, Pahang. Fireflyz ticket costed me RM349 fr PEN-SZB, so I decided to take a bus. So, made a trip to KL by Plusliner express bus for RM36 via an online booking at http://www.ticket4u.com.my/plusliner/. I seldom take a bus, but this double-decker Plusliner is so comfy all the way, will travel w Plusliner again.

It was a 4.5 hrs journey from Sg Nibong bus station to Old KTM station, KL. This is where my adventure started. The bus stopped by the roadside in front of bus waiting lounge by the Heritage Station Hotel. My immediate destination is Pasar Seni (Central Market) LRT, and the final destination in KL is Hentian bas Jalan Pekeliling. Sharing my experience... get into ETS (dunno stands for what), just go thru it, and it comes to the KTM Komuter station. If you Google where the Plusliner stop, just look for the 'The Heritage Station Hotel, KL'. Turn left and take the pedestrian bridge to Hentian Bas Klang signboard on the other side. Then, walk towards the escalator (abt 200m away) to the next pedestrian bridge. You will see Pasar Seni LRT on yr right. Get down from the 2nd bridge and cross the road towards the LRT. You will see Post Office somewhere on yr left. Take the staircase (or escalator?) to the LRT station. It's just about 600m and 12mins from the bus stop. Buy a ticket to Masjid Jamek (for interchange), that costs me RM1 (hint: arah Gombak). From Masjid Jamek, get out to the next station across the road (to Sentul Timur). It costs RM1.20 from Masjid Jamek to Titiwangsa (arah Chan Siow Lin?). Get down and follow the signboard to Hentian Bas Pekeliling. All in all, it took me about 50mins from KL Komuter/Plusliner bus stop to Hentian Bas Pekeliling. Not bad, after all I get to exercise!!

Alhamdulillah, I managed to catch the next bus to Temerloh which departed 5 mins later. It was Metro bus and again, alhamdulillah it's comfy and smooth journey. Hmm.. I suppose the last time I took a bus from KL to Temerloh was about 15 years ago. Whooow.

I reached Temerloh toll plaza at 2.30pm and reached home safely at 2.45pm. Alhamdulillah.

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Property Project B: codename SB2 Part III

8 days since last updated. I was away and didn't get a chance to update. Latest status:
- 2 aircons with gas leak, 1 at the compressor pipe and the other one is concealed piping indoor. Symptoms; aircon is not cold and there's oil at the leaking area. After long deliberation between developer's contractor and my aircon contractor, they agreed to share the fixing cost. Logically speaking, it's the original piping problem. However, the developer's contractor goes by the agreement, once hacked, they're not responsible for it altho' it seems to be their problem. Lesson learned; do not proceed with t/shooting if you suspect any leakage. Inform the developer site office immediately. Otherwise, we hv to bear the consequences and cost. Btw, I am satisfied with my aircon contractor work, neat and clean. The key guy, Ah Teo will advise about the condition prior to installation.

- water leaking at MBR2, 2nd floor.. haiyaa, so frustrating to find out that they haven't fixed yet since my last site visit 4 days ago. Developer's subcon promised by end of this week. Let's see how it goes..

 





- D'Format cabinet specialist delivered dry kitchen cab, and mb1, br1, br2 wardrobes. Started the installation today, and will likely take 3 days to complete.
- Main contractor; LBL Construction & Renovation has almost completed their work. The work is neat and the price is reasonable.
- By end of next week, Yitwood carpenter will come to install wet kitchen cab, mbr2 wardrobe and shoe cab.
- Started to move some stuff in and clean the house.

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Poslaju rate.. that surprises me!

Yikes! I sent 2 parcels of clothing materials via Poslaju to Kelantan today and guess what. It costs me RM66.25, so unbelievable. I shud hv asked the P.O guy before deciding on either Poslaju or other cheaper option (if any). Argghhh!! too late. Maybe, will consider send via express bus, next time. Hv not tried, tapi pernah nampak bas bawak keropok lekor!

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Property Project B: codename SB2 Part II

Electrical shop delivered aircons, fridge & washing mc yesterday. For the installation, I got the service from TNK Aircon service from Air Hitam. Quite happy with their service. They came last week to check and ensure wiring are all ok which they even straightened the piping. Today, they finished installing 5 aircons while the last one wud hv to wait for the wardrobe to be ready as it's gonna b cabinet-mounted. Anyway, bad news as there's a leaking @ dining suspected coming from the original piping. Hv scheduled an inspection w the developer office and Ah Teoh tmw morning. I hope it's just a minor fix.

 

Cornice done and wet kitchen sliding door is fixed, too. Hahaha.. it's like an office, pulak. Well, it is, isn't it?

   

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Apam Karamel @ Gula Hangus

Ni last minute nyer decision last Friday, buat apam gula hangus utk dibawa ke rumah my auntie. Just drop by masa otw to KL for the 2-day Patrick Chan & Ewen Chia IBL2 seminar. Actually, dah bberapa kali buat apam ni, I really like it, my neighbor, Bes (she's from Macedonia, hubby from Australia) like it too. Sangat2 gebu, not that sweet and just nice.. resipi as usual, taken from Che Mat Gebu (CMG). Normally, CMG suka alter skit resipi asal but I hv no doubt with his judgement and taste. It has never failed me so far. Tima kacih sesangat kat CMG for all the recipes kat blog nyer..tiffinbiru which are always well presented with the the nice themes and pinggan mangkok. Actually, I used to ask mamazieza about him, camana lah agaknya orangnya CMG ni.. gebu ker orangnya? Ok, jom jamu mata ngan rupa apam gula hangus ni. Anyway, just a simple pic w/o deco mcm CMG tu.. You shud try the recipe..

BAHAN-BAHANNYA :-)
2 biji telur
1 cawan gula pasir
3/4 cawan air
1/2 cawan minyak masak
2 camca besar margarine or butter
2 camca besar susu pekat manis
1 camca teh soda bicarbonate
1 1/2 cawan tepung gandum
1/2 camca teh esen vanilla
a pinch of salt

CARA MEMBUATNYA :-)
1. Masak gula pasir hingga menjadi karamel. Berhati2 tuang air, kacau rata dan masak hingga semua sebati. Sejukkan.
2. Dalam food processor satukan susu pekat manis, telur, marjerin (@mentega) dan minyak, putar hingga sebati. (I guna blender je).
3. Masukkan karamel tadi bersama2 soda bicarbonate dan esen vanilla, putar rata.
4. Tambah tepung dan putar lagi hingga sebati, jika adunan kelihatan terlalu air, boleh tambah sedikit lagi tepung gandum anggaran 1/2 camca besar. (if you flw exactly the recipe guna measuring cup and spoon, 3/4 cups of water is just nice. Bila dah masuk tepung I normally kacau sebati je, tak perlu terlebih blend/mix.
5. Masukkan dalam acuan apam yang telah disapu dengan minyak, 3/4 penuh. Kukus 15 minit atau hingga masak (see above, I guna papercup letak dalam acuan cupcake/muffin tin yg satu2 tu)

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Property Project B: codename SB2

Well, this project keeps me really bz. My hubby and I hv bn working on it for the past 2 months from the design to actualization. For the past few months, my hands are extremely tied with my online store biz selling girls dresses, cookies for raya, project A (an office), and this project B (a house). Yupp, it's very hectic but I enjoy doing it. Needless to say, I need to care about my son, Aliff too.

Phase 1: Budget, costing, design, contractor selections.

• It's not gonna be a super duper hse reno this time. Been there, done that. Well, it may sound corky, but I thank Allah for all the rezeki. So, this time is about space. Living in Penang island.. huh, you can imagine for people like us, can't afford a bungalow but alhamdulillah, this house will just provide us the right space that we need for our passions, hobbies, and biz. 
• Time for design. As usual, we came out with our own detailed drawings using 3D Home Architect sw. Visited MegaHome, HomeDec, Perfect Living, Penfurnex, etc.. which was held one after another in consecutive months. (I love Penang for that matter :-) ). That's where we get to compare and choose IDs, kitchen specialists, furnishing and fittings with good bargains. What we did was to show them our designs and ask for quotes. Hmm.. not really a smooth sailing process as we revised our designs couples of times due to I couldn't make up my mind bw open and closed concept kitchen, urghhh!!!!! Finally, I decided with closed concept, more comfortable with it. Ahhaa.. 2 contractors/specialists for my kitchen (wet/dry) as well as wardrobes. Why? simply becoz the other contractor can't fulfill my requirements. 
• Tracking the expenses that go to the house is an on-going process. I'm tasked to track it. Luckily not to fork out fr my own pocket, thanks dear!

Phase 2: Renovation and furnishing

• OC (now they call a diff name, can't remember) was obtained in end July. We got the key on 10th Aug. Wow! Quite impressed with the nice handover folder with the key holders and complete manuals, do's & don'ts etc..
• Time for defect checking. Overall, we're satisfied w the neat finishing. Initial inspection discovered most problems come from the hair line cracks at some areas. Others like water seepage (due to rain) at window, and minor problems of loose taps. At the time of 1st inspection, cudn't test the water supply as the electrical water pump wasn't turned on. Defects list #1 submitted together w reno deposit. Must take note that no structural change allowed due to strata title (a landed house with strata title). Soon after water pump turned on, we discovered few problems and the major one is the water mark on the wall near MBR2, at L3 staircase. As of today, the rectification work is still going on.
• Went thru with the contractors the detailed SOW. Target completion latest by 21st Oct. Whoever comes across my blog and interested in the contractor details, feel free to tinkle me The photos are meant for yr reference. I can share my experience and recommend accordingly..
• Started about 3 weeks ago, right after raya. Thus, bz with the follow-ups, material selections, fitting and furnishing.. I made a point to visit the contractor almost every other day. Alhamdulillah, it's progressing well, so far. Anyway, like mentioned, it's just a simple reno.. 
• Completed so far; brick walls, glass shower screen installation and fan installation
• This wk target: back yard flooring, delivery of aircons, fridge, washing machine (the shop dun want to deliver twice :-( ). Install air-con, lightings, wet kitchen concrete and tile frame. Cleanup on weekends.
• Next week ending Oct 14 ; wet kitchen and wardrobe for MB2, shoe cabinet, curtains. Cleanup and touch up on weekends. Start moving small items by car.
• The final week ending Oct 21; dry kitchen, MB1, RM1 and RM2. Delivery of beds, sofa, dining table. Cleanup and touch up on weekends by my hubby (I'll be away in KL for 3 days for a course). Continue moving items by car

 

 

Phase 3: Move in!!! (will update later..)

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Property Project A: Mayang Mall Office

This is kinda backdated entry as well. Oh God, so many things to update in so lil' time. This is one of the projects that I'm still bz with, helping a foreign friend setup a new office in Penang. To cut the story short, after 3 months, we're at the stage of signing off the Tenancy Agreement with PDC. Hopefully, I'm able to close the deal by end of this month. Anyway, my job will not end there yet, still hv to look into the facility and utility setup. New things that I learned fr the commercial tenancy; Personal Guarantee, Business Guarantee. Landlord may require either PG or BG for tenants' financial stability assurance. In some cases, additional rental deposits may be sufficient.


Personal guarantee is a promise made by an entrepreneur to personally repay the company debts in the event of default by the business. Personal guarantees are a way for banks to protect themselves, and their depositors, against unscrupulous business owners. It tells the bank that the business owner is serious about their business and about repaying their debts. One of the downsides to personal guarantees is that even if a business owner is extremely careful in paying their business debts, unforseen events can still prevent a business from making a loan payment. When the owner is unable to cover the debts personally, the bank will start to seize personal assets.
In order to avoid a personal guarantee, it is important to show banks that your business can stand on its own. Having excellent business credit is a great way to avoid having to sign a personal guarantee. If the bank sees your business is growing in size and revenue, they might be willing to waive the personal gurantee as well.
Bank Guarantee is a guarantee from a lending institution ensuring that the liabilities of a debtor will be met. In other words, if the debtor fails to settle a debt, the bank will cover it. Read more on how it works.

Some photos from the project:

 

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Backdated entry: Biskut Raya

Has been a while since I last posted, Syawal pun dah sampai ke hujungnya. Anyway, nak jugak letak biskut2 raya yang sempat dijual, at least boleh refer untuk raya thn depan. Sempat jugak ambik order dari kawan-kawan dan jiran2. Resipi2 tu ambik kat internet, ada yang ikut bulat2, dan ada yang di'alter' esp. kuantiti gula. Antara biskut-biskut yang sempat ambik gambar;

* biskut suji brunei (resipi CMG). Thanks to CMG atas resepi2 yg sedap. Mmg selalu mengintai blog CMG bila ketandusan idea. This is one of my favourite recipes.

* biskut chocolate chips (resipi ambik dari website rima. She's indeed a good baker. Kerja2nya memang cantik dan halus.

 

* Biskut choc melody and tart nenas (tart resipi hanieliza - memang sedap dan tahan lama). Lupa nak snap gambar satu2, so tayang ajelah the ones yang dah packed untuk my cousin, kak June.

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Biskut Raya

Coming to 2nd week of Ramadhan, sana sini bz ngan biskut raya. Kat Tesco Jelutong, ada new booth jual biskut raya and baju melayu/kurung. Cantik jugak banyak melayu, harga pun boleh tahan. Kueh raya pun nampak sedap-sedap. Ada tu yang harganya hmm mahal jugak tapi maybe bhn2 yg digunakan pun yang berkualiti.

Tahun ni nak cuba jugak ambik order biskut raya. Tahun2 sebelum ni buat untuk sendiri dan kaum keluarga aje. Alhamdulillah start getting orders from sahabat2 di surau Bayswater. Almaklum, depa dah tau the taste of my cooking and baking and of course I gave them samples, too. InsyaAllah, kalau ada rezeki, nak letak kat kedai kawan di Bayan Baru. Maybe letak 3-4 jenis; biskut suji brunei, cornflakes crunchy,  chocolate chips (ala famous amos), biskut jagung rangup. Lain-lain biskut just for personal orders from friends and relatives. Kalau ada yg terbaca dan berminat nak order, you can contact me. Jenguklah kat facebook and website for my contact# / email addr. Boleh beli baju raya anak sekali.. tak gitu?

Moga Allah memberkati usahaku ini.. aaamiiiiinnn.

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Plan my work and work my plan!

3rd day of Ramadhan. Alhamdulillah terasa kenikmatannnya.

Hmm.. this week am gonna be bz w few projects in real estate and clothing biz; office setup - site visit and reno plan, house reno plan, tenants in and out, finalized dress materials for customers. What about cookies? Oh ya! just started buying the containers, still contemplating on the type of containers. Well, this time round is for biz, so need some considerations on this and that.

Oppss!! Friday the 5th will be my hubby's bday. Should I bake a cake or pulut and rendang, then boleh bawa ke surau for makan2 after terawih. Hope, I hv time to think and make it happen!

Walau camanapun bz, pastinya Ramadhan ini kita mempunyai priority yang tersendiri.. Moga rahmat Allah sentiasa bersamaku.. aaamiiinnnn.

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How to take care of cotton dresses?

Some basic tips on taking care of cotton dresses (or, any type of materials). Most of us know, but do we care?? Let's make your purchase worthwhile by taking a good care of them. Here, you go..
1. It's recommended to pre-treat any stains prior to washing with proper detergent or stain remover
2. For non-colorfast materials, you can either was same colors together, or wash separately
3. It would be best to hand-wash or dry clean your dresses, especially if they have embroidery and accessories on them
4. For embroidered dresses, turn inside out when washing to preserve the embroidery
5. Avoid tumble dry, else it comes out all wrinkled and lacklustre
6. To get rid of the wrinkles, it's better to iron the dresses when they are slightly damp, or use starch spray for cotton dress
7. Avoid bleaching. Oh no! You got bleach on your lovely dress? Quickly rinse the spot with cold water and blot it with a paper towel.

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Marhaban ya Ramadhan

Marhaban ya Ramadhan, bulan yang dinantikan bg umat Islam yg bertaqwa. Inilah peluang kita melipatgandakan ibadah di bulan suci ini. Jika sebelum ini kita leka dengan urusan dunia dan melalui Ramadhan dengan bersahaja, marilah sama-sama kita muhasabah diri supaya amalan Ramadhan kita tidak sia-sia.. Bayangkan diri kita berada di bumi suci Mekah yang mana terasa Allah begitu dekat dengan kita, tidakkah kita harus merebut peluang ini yang seumpamanya. Ya Allah, janganlah jadikan Ramadhan ini yang terakhir buatku dan berilah aku kekuatan iman dan fizikal untuk menghadapi setiap detik Ramadhan ini... aaamiiinnnnn.

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So much to accomplish this week!

Pheww!! finally I managed to distribute about 200++ flyers for the sales event at Tadika Koop Minden, USM on 28th July from 3.30pm to 6.30pm. Some hiccups during printing, hope it's worth the effort. Great bargain, offers up to 25% discount at http://www..lovelykidzcloset.com as well as for the event tomorrow. Check out the ads in the web and fan page Lovely Kidz Closet. Before that, I need to squeeze time to housekeep the inventory and do some tagging for tmw event. Whooow, still a lot more preps for such a little time. I need a break!. I'm exhausted but still happy :-)

As I'm blogging, my mind is constantly thinking about the orders for the girl dresses and baju kurung. Hv bn hunting for materials since 2 weeks ago, but seems really couldn't find the right ones.. I have less than a month to deliver all the orders. Nak kena pi merayau lagi this Friday. InsyaAllah, will find something nice for my customers.

Just to mention that last Sat, I met Mamazieza (one of the famous bakers on the net). All the while, dok kenal those bakers and cooks from their blogs and facebook. So, happy to meet her as we have the same interest.. and she's friendly. Actually, pi jumpa dia pasal tempahan coklat. My niece nak kawin tp lambat lagi, so ni kira choc tasting lah as we're still comparing the taste and price.

.. time to masuk dapur for cooking and baking. Period. Titik. Noktah!

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Immigration oh immigration!!!

I was down with body aching, on and off fever for the past 5 days. Cudn't sleep tight at nite, sengal satu badan. Blood test showed no traces of dengue.. alhamdulillah. Anyway, had to pick-up my new maid at Penang Airport on Tue nite. Gagahkan diri. True enuf that it wasn't a smooth-sailing process, the maid was detained. I knew it! Dun wanna babble here, but let me just tell you that it was a tiring process to get inside the arrival hall, pas tu kena bayar RM40 untuk escort and RM2 for the visitor pass (RM1/person - I insisted to go in w my hubby).
Masuk kn pulak left n rite ngan Immig Officer kat situ. She asked for the form which I didn't have. Actually, I don't even know that I have to prepare the form upfront for social visit entry maid. Garang mcm singa gak kakak tu, dah letih agaknya (sangka baik je lah). Told her that when I called up Immig. Sbrang Jaya asking for the proc of bringing a maid using Social Visit, takde lak di bgtau kn prepare the form.. letihnyalah deal ngan gomen ni.. Agaknya kesian tgk muka sposen yg demam ni, so lepaslah jugak after hearing (not listening) her long nag. Thank you je lah cik puan oii..

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Maid oh maid!!

Hari ni ejen Indon bgtau Imigresen MY tak benarkan calling visa bcoz of the pemutihan aktvt.. Adoi, pulak dah. I called up Imigresen last wk tanya psl maid takde pun bgtau camtu. Alternatively, boleh bawa msk gn social visit then buat JP then flw the normal process na apply work permit. JP tu kn byr RM515 (?), konon cam denda lah.. That's all I was told. Tadi ejen kata, nak msk gn social visa, kn bw duit 'tunjuk' RM1.5k, imigresen nak tgk to prove that those Indons come to visit/shop and not to work. My fren pun ambik dr ejen yg sama, she herself experienced this. Maid dah sampai Penang airport, kn tahan 3 hari then dihantar balik ke Indon sbb takde duit. Nak jamin pun tak boleh..Hai mcm2 lah plak Imigresen ni. Keep my fingers, toes crossed!!

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Good time together with my cousin

Plan for this week nak try roti yogurt kismis Mat Gebu. Then, my cousin, Kak June called, nak ambil Aliff untuk temankan Rayyan pergi Queenbay (QB) playland. I decided to join them, so that Aliff can play with Rayyan and I can spend time with K.June. Sempat prepare roti kismis tp tak sempat nak bake as it was quite late. So, 4.15pm we arrived at QB. We left the boys at playland, and 3 of us (K.June, bibik (k.june's maid), and I) headed for Old Town Kopitiam for chatting.
K.June had to rush home for solat Asar and I stayed with the boys. Kul 7.45pm, kitorang pi makan kat Pizza Hut, pastu hantar Rayyan balik.. Rayyan insisted kitorang masuk, so we did, and thot it would only be for 30mins. Guess what, the boys cont'd to play games and we too had a gud time 2gether. Sedar tak sedar, dah pkl 2pagi. So much to catch with each other.. Why?? We had not seen each other before, and that was just the 4th mtg in our life as cousins. Syukur alhamdulillah, now I have a sister in Penang!

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Tea Party cum Sales Event

Alhamdulillah, the tea party and sales event went well altho it was only for 2 hours. Ready made dresses and kurung terjual, pastu dpt 7 lagi tempahan utk baju kurung dan gaun. Berbaloi tak cukup tidur dan keletihan berkejar ke sana ke mari.. Kul 4pm, sampai kat Pusat Jagaan Murni Mesra, setup the place with K.Wati. Then rush to pick up Aliff from school. Back to the event again.. . Was quite worried initially coz dun see many parents/guests coming. Anyway, at 5.30pm we started to become octopus.. tak sempat nak melayan all the guests.. Keletihan yang berbaloi-baloi tengok semua food yang disediakan almost habis. We had good sales for our cookies, cup cakes, muffin, and corn custard, too. Thanks to Kak Teh and staff @ Pusat Jagaan Murni Mesra for allowing us to use their place for the event. Thanks ALL!!

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I'm like an octopus..

Last week was a bz week, started off with the girl dresses sales plan and promotion, son came back from Langkawi and brought along a friend, and visited a foreign friend who had just migrated to Penang.

Have been having sleepless nites due to adrenalin rush on biz and passions. My proposal for a tea party cum promotion for the girl dresses, gowns, baju kurung at my place was rejected by the condo mgmt committee. So, I looked for an alternative to have it somewhere else, perhaps on a small scale. Alhamdulillah, found a place at a day care center, Pusat Jagaan Murni Mesra @ Minden Heights (behind SK Minden Heights). The event will be held on Wed 6th July, starts from 4.30pm when parents start picking up their children. It's also open to public. Some light refreshments will be provided. I updated the event in my fb fan page 'Lovely Kidz Closet'. So, do drop by if you are just around Gelugor, Bayan Baru dan kawasan yang sewaktu dengannya. You're all welcomed!!

Pity my son and his friend that I'm unable to pay full attention to them due to my packed schedules. Anyway, they were bz with their school assignment, so not too bad. Squeezed time and managed to bake pizza and choc muffins for them (again, no photos). Breakfast is a must but lunch normally have to buy from outside as I wasn't around and no maid to help in the kitchen. On Thursday, sent them to Queensbay for movies. While they were at QB, I went to visit my friend, Amar and his family. Had been postponing the visit few times, and finally we met. A lot to catch up. We even talked about his company expansion in Malaysia. So, I'm very eager to help him with the new office setup as property matters is my passion. We started to explore and understand the MSC requirements and the hunting begins from there.. Ahhaa.. at the same time, my tenant called to remind that she will be moving out by end of July. Right before I posted an online ads, alhamdulillah, a potential tenant called up. Hopefully, she can confirm by next Friday.


Back to baju kanak-kanak (mostly baju budak perempuan) yang I jual tu, hmm.. peritnya nak jual online ya. Visitors ramai tp buyers not so. Camana nak convert them into buyers??. Bila tgk org boleh buat online sale mcm bagus je, hairan gak. But anyway, it's not apple to apple comparison as my baju kanak-kanak tu semuanya home-sewn dan boutique quality, not bulk manufacturing production. I really appreciate if customers contact me to ask for details before they make any judgement. How to get online customers to shop with confidence??? Sape leh tolong, habaq mai? Biasanya, kalau offline they can really appreciate baju-baju yang I jual tu. Bila customer tengok baju-baju, dresses, gown and baju kurung tu, dia orang suka dan puas hati dengan design, kualiti kain dan workmanship. Nak kn belajar lagi ni..

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Bake again and again...

Pau time, again.. Aliff, the pau eater (that's what he called himself) asked me to make pau again. Nasib baik inti kentang ada lagi. As I hv bn talking abt pau, I think it wud be good to share the recipe. Here you go...

Pau:
500gm tepung gandum
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp garam
2 tsp instant dry yeast
1 tbsp gula castor
2 tbsp shortening (or margarine)
250ml air suam

Cara:
1. Campur semua bahan kering kecuali dry yeast dan gaul rata
2. Dah rata, baru masukkan yeast dan gaul lagi (tip: yeast tak boleh mix terus ngan garam, nanti yeast mati)
3. Masukkan shortening/marjerin dan gaul rata (tip: shortening membuatkan pau warna putih)
4. Masukkan air sedikit demi sedikit dan uli doh sampai licin dan tak lekat kat tangan. Knead lama sikit untuk lebih ringan dan lembut
5. Ketepikan doh dan tutup ngan kain lembap or cling wrap sampai doh naik 2x ganda (lebih kurang 1hr)
6. Dah naik, punch (tumbuk) doh untuk lepaskan udara yang terperangkap
7. Bulat2kan dan letak inti
8. Letak atas daun pisang or kertas minyak for another 30 mins supaya naik lagi
9. Steam for 10mins. Kalau guna Trio steamer, tak payah boil the water dulu, just letak dlm steamer, set timer for 10mins, and on.

Notes:
1. Jangan buka masa steam
2. Pastikan air tidak menitik atas pau semasa buka penutup to ensure smooth surface.

Believe it or not, Aliff made another request for choc moist cup cakes. So, I ended up with another baking that evening. Anyway, it's the Father's Day, so why not! So, here is the outcome.. quick and simple bc deco as it was already 6.30pm.

 

I luv this recipe so much which I use for cc sale, too. Don't mind sharing as rezeki Allah yang tentukan. Wanna give it a try? pls do, my dear..

Choc Moist Cake:
1 cwn koko (I normally use Tudor, so shtould reduce to abt 3/4 cwn)
2 cwn air panas (utk larutkan koko)
3 cwn tepung gandum
250gm butter
2 cwn gula (I use 1 cwn gula castor, 3/4 cwn brown sugar)
4 eggs
1/3 cwn susu pekat manis
3.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 tsp vanilla essence

Cara:
1. Larutkan koko dlm air panas, ketepikan
2. Satukan tepung, baking powder dan bicarb soda, ketepikan
3. Pukul telur dan gula sampai kembang (low, then med speed)
4. Masukkan butter sedikit demi sedikit dan pukul lagi dengan med speed
5. Masukkan vanilla essence
6. Masukkan tepung yang telah dicampur baking powder and soda bicarb. Gaul rata, low speed
7. Masukkan larutan koko dan gaul rata. Ia agak cair.
8. Masukkan susu pekat dan kacau lagi
9. Bake in a pre-heated oven (175oC) for abt 45mins untuk sebiji kek or 20 mins for cup cakes (adjust temp and time according to yr oven)

Notes:
1. Blh guna self-rising flour. Kalau takde, gantikan dgn tepung gandum with baking powder i.e 1 cwn tepung : 1 tsp baking powder. Resipi kat atas, I lebihkan 1/2 sudu.
2. Jangan pukul terlalu lama lepas masuk tepung, nanti bantat
3. Kalau oven yang kurang rata kepanasan, boleh pusingkan tray tapi make sure do that selepas at least 1/2 dari masa memasak.
4. Boleh ganti butter ngan buttercup dalam tin untuk buat cup cake. Hasilnya lebih cantik..

Selamat mencuba!!

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Mencari aksesori for gaun dan promo plan

My back pain came back.. I believe I need an ergo chair just like the office one (my prev co is really concerned about empl. ergo, seriously!!). Anyway, went to a GP, was prescribed w muscle relaxant which made me feel high for 3 days.. that's how drug addicts feel, kot? I guess, need to see a chiro or specialist. Bila sakit ingat hosp, tapi bila nak pegi, rasa ok plak.. pyschology.

This week, bz sourcing for materials.. Did some research on China wholesale, nak cari insan yg sudi tlg beli lace, accessories like button, headbands untuk my biz. Sth that goes with baju gaun kanak-kanak yang I jual tu. Apart from that, tengah strategize on the upcoming event i.e tea party cum promo for the gaun kanak-kanak, kurung, jubah dewasa as well as tempahan for cookies, muffins and cup cakes. InsyaAllah jadi kalau dapat approval from the Mgmt Comm of my condo. Will update in my fan page "Lovely Kidz Closet" http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lovely-Kidz-Closet/181254115240851 if everything goes as per plan. So, yang ada kat Penang Island, pls keep checking my page, ok.

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My sons' favourite

Pau again! My second boy, Aliff really likes pau. Dunno how many times I bake pau for the past 3 weeks. Berbaloi-baloi beli Trio steamer, tersangat mudah tak perlu panaskan air dulu, and it has big capacity. Look at it, isn't it yummy!! so gebu.. Ni pun dah tinggal separuh.

My eldest like muffin, so baked him muffins. Dah 2x baked within the 2 weeks of school hols. I improvise skit the ori recipe by adding yogurt and nutella. I like this muffin so much. Jusssttt nice to my taste. Sorry, lupa lagi nak snap pics.

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A short trip to Sg Petani

Feel sorry for my sons that I couldn't make a proper plan this school holidays. So, an ad-hoc trip to water theme park, The Carnivall Sg Petani should make them happy. Half-a-day activities; wet and dry made them very tired, most importantly they enjoyed themselves. Ambik kesempatan pi shopping kain kat SP. Visited Gulatis, Jakel, Kamdar & Nagoya, but couldn't find what I really wanted i.e purple cotton materials for a dress (maxi) dan 1 gaun purple (checkered pattern). Need to deliver by end June. InsyaAllah, boleh.

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Weekend activities

Niece and nephew mai Penang, so bz as a host. Sempat jugak jenguk iFoodEx @ Pisa, itupun dah lewat, arnd 5.30pm on Sun. Less crowd, and exhibitors started to pack up their stuff. Among the prods; junk foods, drinks, curry powder, packed food, chinese nyer stuff. Rasanya ramai yang dok rasa sample dari membeli. Half-way, then cabut dah, nothing much for me.

Received and email from an Indian friend from India. He just moved to Penang for biz expansion, and is still  looking for a place to rent out. Unfortunately, my own apartments are being rented out, so I did recommend few places to him. Talking about properties, a tenant called up on Sat to inform about clogged bathroom, Urgghh!!! Told her to find drain unclogger first, if it doesn't help, then will have to call a plumber or I need to be there to see what the problem is. That's just one of the challenges of property management.

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Customer order

Just delivered a custom order maxi to a customer. She's very happy with the dress altho' her daughter wasn't around to try on. Proceeded to Kamdar to look for purple checks and the same  purple floral design that I bought in KL, tapi tak dak, frust aje...

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A quick bake

My friend and her granddaughters came over to check out on 'Lovely Kidz Closet' collection, as well as to custom order 3 flower girl dresses. Err.. did I tell you that I'm in this biz now? Sure, I did. So, I decided to bake a simple recipe (not simply bake), i.e muffin (thanks to kak wati for the original recipe). Just modify the recipe a lil bit, I replaced fresh milk with diluted condensed milk. Initially, wanted to use evaporated milk, but noticed all 4 cans expired on 13 May 2011, what a waste!. Instead of plain, I use Steffi blueberry jam and Nutella as the fillings. Dah nak abis, baru ingat nak snap photo..

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My activities last week

Extremely bz week for me. Did a prep for karnival Bank Rakyat @ Sg Petani. Plan nak jual cookies, donuts, cup cakes, and of course the baju kanak-kanak; gaun, baju kurung, baju melayu and some jubah/pant suits. Must think big, rite? Tapi sudahnya, hanya sempat buat 1 jenis cookies, choc moist cup cakes and those baju2.. perghh!! Penat ya Rabbi, maklum lah I did everything by myself, maid dah balik 4 bln lepas, tunggu maid baru tak nampak btg hidung (kn tipu ngan 2 agents). Tidur pkl 3 pagi sampai siap clean up the kitchen. Semangat mesti kuat, Yes!!

Sale?? Alhamdulillah, altho I expected more to come. My friend's muffin (we shared the booth) sold well. She bakes 2 types of cookies, alhamdulillah semua cookies kitorang habis. Just the cup cakes yang lembap sikit mcm rasanya, choc moist.. I sold the cc for RM2.20 then down to RM2.00 pun orang kata mahal, siap ngan casing lagi.. Cuba cari kat mana jual choc moist cc dgn harga tu siap ngan buttercream deco and casing. The taste? yg beli and I give for free kata sedap, very moist and tender. Hmm.. ada yg mintak cc for RM1 mcm muffin, adoi penatnya!

Stop sat.. nanti I'll load the cookies, muffin & cc pics.

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Salam perkenalan

.. akhirnya, terhasil juga blog ini setelah sekian lama busy dengan new chapter of my life. Salam perkenalan untuk yang sudi stopping by my blog. Inilah landasan untuk berkongsi experience, minat, ilmu, etc..

Almost 2 bln tidak lagi menjadi 'money making machine (3M)' orang lain. Building my own 3M. Keputusan nekad to quit my job in a giant manufacturing company maybe tak bagi kepuasan in $$$, but I get the FREEDOM!!! Being with the family, and do what I love doing, follow my dreams before it becomes a nightmare.. insyaAllah everything will turn out well. 

Few friends ask whether I miss my job? Do I? Hmm.. perhaps not really, but I miss the $$$. Tough decision, and different challenges await me out there.. Be determined, and think BIG! Usaha & tak lupa doa kepada Allah kerana Dialah penentu segalanya. I'll do my best, and leave to Allah the rest..

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