Harimau Malaya, I Still Love You

Yesterday I endured a lot. I endured a 30 minute train ride to Bukit Jalil while being squashed amongst hundreds of commuters. I endured being shoved & elbowed while making our way to the stadium from the train station. I endured the frustration of looking for a seat (& our missing friends) despite getting our tickets the legit way. For the first half, I endured sitting on the steps of the stadium’s aisles right next to a hyperactive boy who kept jostling me, shouting & blowing his air horn every couple of seconds. Yes, I endured quite a bit.

Why would I put myself through all of this? To support our National football team, Harimau Malaya, for the love of my country & to be amongst other folks who cared just as much.

Even though we were all squashed in the train, there were folks chanting Harimau Malaya slogans or cracking jokes to alleviate everyone's discomfort. Even though I got shoved & elbowed, folks were generally polite & apologised. Even though there were no seats, folks just made way for each other on the steps so that we can all watch the game. Even though the little boy was annoying, his parents were very nice & heck, I can’t blame him for his enthusiasm… I felt the same way!

It’s just a crying shame that the Singaporean players kept stalling the game with their fake injuries otherwise we could’ve had a good fighting chance. It’s awful that FIFA allows such unethical game-play to go scot-free which is something that wouldn’t have stood a chance in rugby, a game I am fond of & that my husband plays. (EDIT: Based on an anonymous comment, I want to clarify that I don't think Singapore should be penalised for yesterday's game - nasi sudah jadi bubur - I just think FIFA should take into consideration of changing the rules of the game to discontinue the use of faking injuries to stall time. It's just so unfair & frustrating for supporters. And yes, I'd be ashamed if Malaysia blatantly used the same tactics to win a game). Anyways, enough gripping…

Yesterday I sang Negaraku with over 85,000 people (minus a small patch of brave Singaporeans). Yesterday I stood shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm with my countrymen to cheer on our Harimau Malaya. Yesterday, I was proud that our boys played with integrity & showed good sportsmanship. Yesterday, today & always, I will love our Harimau Malaya.

Luckily we bumped into my husband’s cousin, Tasha before the second half started.
She got us terrific seats at the grandstand which were a mere hop, skip & jump to the field.
Thanks a lot babe!

Trees Can Draw Too

I will never look at a tree the same way again! Taken off Happiness Is blog: “Tim Knowles attaches pens to the tips of branches and lets the wind record the movement on paper, creating one-of-a-kind drawings. Each piece of art reveals different characteristics of the tree.This just confirms my suspicion that trees are more human than we think.” I couldn’t agree more!

Pomplamoose

Any indie music fan worth his/her salt with access to YouTube would’ve heard of Pomplamoose at some point since Jack Conte & Nataly Dawn got together in 2008 to form a band named after the French-derived word for grapefruit. Their videos (which I love love love) mostly take the form of "VideoSongs", a medium Jack Conte defines with two rules: 1. What you see is what you hear, 2. If you hear it, at some point you see it. I chose one of my favorite songs to share with you but I urge you to check out their YouTube channel too!

Vintage Book Clocks

A combination of a vintage book & a clock? What’s not to love? Get it here at Vintage Book Clocks (aptly named Etsy shop).

Via Happiness Is.

The Letter Game

What a Monday I’ve been having! I was about to drown my woes by eating more of my mother-in-law’s homemade ginger cookies when I saw a little game on my Instagram feed that looked like the perfect distraction. It’s called The Letter Game & I was assigned the letter ‘O’ by @jmeelim. All I had to do was list something beginning with the letter given that I love, like, dislike & hate & take a picture or create a graphic (there are lots of great graphic apps for the iPhone/iPad like Tweegram & Labelbox). What a simple way to have a little fun & to placate my love of writing lists while playing around with my iPhone. Want to join in the game? Drop me a comment here or on Instagram @mimpimurni & don’t forget to tag your picture with #thelettergame.

I think I’ll have some of those ginger cookies after all! ;)

Urbanscapes 2011 Snap Shots Part 2

Welcome to Urbanscapes 2011 & the specially curated Tongue In Chic Turf that I had the privilege of being a part of again this year.

Peek-a-boo, I see you (from behind my table)!

This year I managed to resist the temptation of shopping for clothes but when it came to the food (namely the desserts), I just had to succumb. From top to bottom: That Last Slice had macarons & coney dogs to die for, The Last Polka’s homemade ice cream is a must try (my absolute favorite is the Salted Gula Melaka) & Raindough’s colorful treats.

Was so tempted by the bright, happy colors at Raindough that I bought not just one but two types of cake. Luckily I had Cheri to help me eat them (along with the myriad of other delectables I bought that day! Like I always say, sharing is caring hehehe).

A Million Happy Faces project makes me very happy indeed. There should be more projects like this IMO :)

These old, over-sized “bobbins” (I’m drawing a blank on what they’re called. Anyone?) for electrical cables were given a new lease in life by local artistes. My favorite is the one pictured at the bottom with little hand drawn paper cut outs. Every time you roll it you get a different scene. Genius! Wish I could credit the artist responsible for this so if you know, drop me a comment below k?

So glad I got to catch Reza Salleh perform even from afar. His album gets a lot of play in my craft room & he sounded just as good live.



Right before I packed up for the night, I managed to snap a couple of pictures from more of my favorite vendors (see Part 1 for more). From top to bottom: Syamly’s LightBloks are a crowd favorite as usual & Things Eye Made’s new & very cool set up.

Well, that's part 2 of Urbanscapes 2011 (part 1 here), captured by my camera. If you went & blogged about it, do share the link to your post at the comment section below. I'd love to see/read your perspective!

Urbanscapes 2011 Snap Shots Part 1

My set up at the TiC Turf. I also had my lovely assistant for the day, Cheri, help me hang up buntings all around the perimeter of the tent (not pictured). I love being surrounded by color as you can probably tell. Fun fun fun.

Hey folks! So sorry for the lack of blog posts this week. Been super busy catching up with orders & emails that something had to give. Anyhoots, I finally finished editing all the the pictures I took at Urbanscapes & I took so many that I’m splitting the pictures into Part 1 & Part 2. Enjoy!

My handmade lip balms. Right-most picture, clockwise from bottom left: Delima tint (red), Manggis tint (mauve), Jambu tint (pink), French Vanilla (untinted), Mango Peach (untinted) & Cucumber Melon (untinted).

The lovely vendors I had the pleasure of visiting before the crowds came swarming in. From top to bottom: alphabets from old signs for sale at Miraclewatts, Old Blossom Box’s lovely color coordinated set up & handmade clouds & rainbows as decor at Whenever Shop. I can’t get over Aida’s (proprietor of Whenever Shop) themed set up which she changes for every market! Can you say, WOW?

A customer brought along her pet iguana to share the Urbanscapes love. Named Puppy Kuntum, the little guy was very sweet, docile & surprisingly incredibly soft! I’ve never had much contact with reptiles but Cheri was very comfortable as you can see above.

Stay tuned! There are more pictures at part 2…

I Survived Urbanscapes 2011

Yes, indeed. I survived the throngs of people, the wet field & pockets of mud, the heat & humidity & the best thing is, I also managed to resist all temptations to spend money… until I took a whiff of the food & desserts that is! Most of my money went to That Last Slice, Raindough & Chef Tony’s Gourmet Popcorn, I kid you not.

But seriously, I had an awesome time & the TiC Turf set up was fantastic! I mean, helloooo? DJs right smack in the middle (music was a little loud but oh well, never mind because the music was great & the DJs were eye candy hehe), carnival games that were free of charge, garden tables & chairs for people to chill on, some quirky backdrops to cam whore at, fairy lights, Chinese paper lanterns, balloons… I only wish every market was like this.

Needless to say, when I managed to sneak away from my table a couple of minutes (thanks to Cheri who helped out that day!) I took as much pictures as I could of the going-ons of Urbanscapes. I’m in the midst of editing them but I should have them up soon, fingers crossed.

I must say the folks of Freeform really outdid themselves this year. Kudos to the team & my special thank you to Karen for taking care of us TiC vendors & being such a sweetheart. Woman, if you were stressed, you didn’t show it! Shout out also to Gwen & to former TiC editor Sueann for her continued support.

Watch this space for pictures from Urbanscapes 2011!

Look For Mimpi Murni at Urbanscapes

Click image for a clearer view

This Saturday at Urbanscapes, come look me up under the Tongue In Chic Turf, ok lovelies? I don’t think you will be able to miss the Turf as a little bird told me there will be fairy lights & balloons but do keep your eyes peeled as they don’t call this the largest creative arts festival for nothing ya’ know! No self respecting fashionista will want to miss the specially curated TiC Turf filled with unique wares plus yummy food to tickle your palate. This is my second year at the Turf & I feel awfully chuffed (& grateful of course) to be part of it.

Anyhoots, I’ve kicked up production to high gear hence the lack of updates of late & right after this little post, I’ll be back in my craft room whipping up some more goodies. Are you lovelies excited yet? I know I am :)

P/S: Here’s a great read on How To Survive Urbanscapes 2011 for the ladies out there. Do note that the field might get muddy, so wear your most mud resistant clothing & for god's sake, don't wear anything with pointy heels lest you want to sink into the ground with every step. Your safest bet would be slippers or wedges, or better yet, boots!

At The Cuppacake Show

(Top) The usual oh-hello-that's-me-in-the-mirror shot with my set up at Wondermilk, Citta Mall. (Bottom; left to right) 1. My French Vanilla & brand new Pink Jambu tinted lip balms. Notice the new labels? I love them! 2. Since the event was at night, I thought it'd be the perfect time to bring out my candles.

I had a blast at Wondermilk’s Cuppacake Show last Sunday! Held in conjunction with Citta Mall’s launch, there were free cupcakes at Wondermilk for the first couple of hundred (if you missed that, you could’ve bought cupcakes at 50% off), then free face painting, free popcorn, free candy floss & free performances! It was awesome!!

High-five to everyone who dropped by my table & sorry if I didn’t get a chance to say hello properly. There were so many people at one point that I felt like my hands & mouth were moving at lightning speed & my brain couldn’t quite catch up. Does that make sense? Haha.

Anyhoots, a hearty congratulations to Wondermilk for opening their second branch with a third underway & opening soon! Man, those folks are growing by leaps & bounds. They are a true inspiration to indie businesses here in Malaysia & I’d like to emulate what Jezmine tweeted: *tabik hormat sambil berdiri* (a standing salute). Thanks Wondermilk for letting Mimpi Murni take part in your awesomeness even if it’s a small part. Yay!

Here are a couple of shots I managed to sneak in…

(Top) the inside of Wondermilk’s new cafe at Citta Mall. All the tables & chairs were cleared away to make space for the crowd & performances. This was taken when the cafe wasn’t filled to the brim with people. (Bottom; left to right) 1. Mira & Imran have got to be the cutest couple ever! They even rock in face paint! 2. Lilith & Asher also took part which thrilled me to no end as I’m in love with their wooden alphabets & animal prints. Animals in suits & smoking a pipe? Yes, please… 3. A spiffy giraffe. I wanted to take this fella home but opted for a white rabbit instead. I still want the giraffe though.

Fever

Hello, sorry for the lack of posts of late. My hectic schedule has finally caught up with me & I'm down with a little fever. This coming week I'll be out of commission as I try to shake off this fever & get ready for Urbanscapes but in the meantime, here's a shot from yesterday I stole from Wondermilk's Instagram.


That's Aishah from That Last Slice, me & Jezmine of Old Blossom Box. I just love this shot! Thank you Ifzan!

Ok. My head's achy again. Going back to bed now. Night!

P/S: I scheduled a post which will be up tomorrow. I'll try to blog again when I can but this week is going to be craaaaaazy so can't promise. Follow me on twitter to get bite-sized updates k?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

*NEW* Lip Balm! Pink Jambu

I’m soooo excited to share with you my latest obsession: tinted lip balms! I whipped this up with my yummy-good-for-you cocoa butter lip balm base & added some pink iridescent mica (an all natural coloring) that once applied will give your lips a lovely blush of color. It’s definitely not as bright as pictured above but gives you just a hint of color that’s perfect for everyday wear plus it’s oh-so-moisturising so you can’t go wrong!

I’m in love with the swirls of iridescence in my new lip balms (click on the image above to truly appreciate the color) & I love the slight tingling sensation on the lips from the peppermint oil I added which smells really yummy too! This particular color is called Pink Jambu & will be debuting at this Sunday’s Wondermilk Cuppcake Show so do drop by to snap one up.

I’m working on more shades as we speak but silly me forgot that I’m out of lip balm tubes (face palm moment) so I made some of Pink Jambu in little jars along with the usual tubes but the other shades will have to wait. I should get more tubes before Urbanscapes next weekend so do stay tuned for the latest developments!

Button My Buttons & Mimpi Kita Fashion Show

Last week yours truly armed with a willing girlfriend were invited to two fashion shows, back to back, of some up & coming designers. The first was Shahida Shariff of Button My Buttons followed by sisters Nurul, Mira & Syera Zulkifli of Mimpi Kita (nope, we’re not the same brand although people often get us confused. We just share the same “dream” hehe).

The two shows had totally different vibes & I enjoyed them immensely. Button My Buttons (pictured above) was totally fun with designs that were equally fun, quirky & had a distinct 1950s - 1960s feel to it. It was really refreshing to see the models really ham it up & have fun as they playfully posed & blew kisses to the audience. Too bad the pictures I took of the models that night didn’t turn out good (still getting used to my new camera) but I got better on the second night as you will see below. Anyways, Shahida’s team also set up an interesting little pop-up shop at the foyer which gave the audience a chance to buy her clothes & various other creations right after the show. It was THE perfect place to mingle & I finally got a chance to snap a picture with Ami of Sputnik Sweetheart! Yayness! Mimpi Kita (pictured below) on the other hand was all about elegance, modesty & sophistication with gorgeous professional models to boot. I especially loved the attention to detail like the beading & addition of French lace. I can see why the sisters of Mimpi Kita are so sought after & the next time I have a special occasion like a dinner function, I’m going to make a mandatory visit to their boutique. I’m also going to make a pit stop at Button My Buttons boutique to get ready for Raya this year.

Kudos to Button My Buttons & Mimpi Kita! Thank you so much for extending an invitation to little ol’ me… I may not be a fashionista but I do appreciate fine, beautiful things.

Paper Plane Party

Over 1,000 paper planes made using recycled newsletters from the offices of a non-profit arts group called ArtsFund were hung on monofilament line at the Experience Music Project. Matthew Parker Events was the mastermind behind this visually stunning installation that I’m sure will spark a trend pretty soon. Well, at least I know I want to try doing something similar myself! (Hehe)

Via Design*Sponge.

I’ll Be At The Cuppacakes Show!

Yes, you read right & I’m SO excited! The wonderful folks of Wondermilk & Cuppacakes masterminds behind the whole cupcake boom in KL just launched their brand-spanking-new outlet at Citta Mall at Ara Damansara & to celebrate, they are hosting their renown Cuppacake Show! Expect free cupcakes (FREE!!), competitions (with goodie bags courtesy of yours truly), face painting, a Capoeira performance, acoustic sessions & a flea market which I will be taking part in along with Old Blossom Box, Sputnik Sweetheart, Lilith & Asher, Lost My Fangs & Whenever Store.

Here are the deets…
4th Cuppacakes Show
at +Wondermilk Citta Mall, Ara Damansara (map)
Sunday 10th July
6pm to 12am
Admission is free!

See you lovelies there k? xoxo

DIY: Painted Jars

Here’s a simple way to pretty up your collection of glass jars (if you’re like me, you would have stored your old jam, mayo & pasta sauce jars under the kitchen sink). Just pour in some leftover paint, screw the lid back on, give it a good swirl & shake then turn the jar upside down for the excess paint to drip off. And while you’re at it, why not spray paint the lids? Simple & rewarding. Now you have some pretty vessels to store your pens & little odds & ends. Here’s the complete tutorial.

Via Kootut Murut.

Outdoor Cinema

A couple of years back I heard there was an outdoor movie screening in Hartamas or thereabouts, called Starlight Cinema but I never did get a chance to go. I think with the Malaysian love of being out in the open air, coupled with caramel popcorn & good insect repellant, an outdoor cinema would be a hit here but if you want to just invite a few of your friends over for a little private do, why not take inspiration from this party that the folks of Bash, Please put together. Looks like fun don’t you think?

Via Design*Sponge.