Free Workshop with Rumah Zakat

First of all, I'd like to thanks my best friend, bu Pia of Idys, who came up with the idea and introduced me to Rumah Zakat people.

So, it's been my dream to share what I know about craft with less fortunate people, with the hope that it can helps generating extra income for them.

When bu Pia came up with the idea of working together with Rumah Zakat, I immediately agreed.
Our plans are to give the dhuafas free workshop of ribbon embroidery, basic accessories making techniques and fabric application technique.

Rumah Zakat itself is a non profit organization, who helps distribute zakat, donations to the dhuafa. Not only that, they also provide scholarship, organized workshop and help the dhuafa build small businesses.

First meeting

Addicted to...

... cabochon embroidery!
Can't stop doing it ever since I learned it (and mbak Dini as my mentor is to blamed, lol...canda mbak Din, mbak Dini memang wokeh!)

I especially love the ruffled embroidery technique.
I have these cute images, bought from Etsy, covered it with resin stickers to make them into cabs.
I just use a simple, basic ruffle embroidery, not that I'm too lazy to apply fancier technique, but I don't want the bezel competed the cute image and ruin the entire look .

My land lady commissioned me to make the above brooch, she picked the image out of my collection, it was a picture of three cute fairies and requested it to be made in brown color. I combined the brown beads with champagne and a hint of gold color. This is a magnetic brooch (using magnet instead of a pin at the back).

Alhamdulillah, another good feedback!

Yesterday, I saw a familiar words in my inbox, that was "Primula Clutch", posted by a very dear friend of mine, mbak Nana.

For those who don't know, Primula is my other "baby" besides Calyx. Primula specialized in making party clutch bags and targeted for young adult and above, while Calyx is targeted for teens and young at hearts.

So, back to the mbak Nana's posting...I was so touched, happy and honored to read the blog . It was a good feedback of the Primula she bought some times ago.



Thank so much, mbak Na, you made my day!
PS: mbak Nana designs and makes beautiful moslem dresses. Check out her site here

Birds of the same feathers

No sooner, my land lady, mbak Febry, found out what I do.
She's a dentist, but who have thought that she has a thing for craft too?

We talked about craft a lot and she saw some of my works and projects.
She said, there's a craft competition among staffs in her office (she works for Public Health Service/Puskesmas) and she's working on some felt project.

One day, she came to my place, clutching something in her hands.
It's a felt tissue box cover, for the competition, made by herself, masha Allah...it's cute!

Keep it up, mbak Febry ! I pray that you'll win, insha Allah!
Turned out that we are birds of the same feathers after all

Good bye hotel, hello new place!

So, it's been near a month now, we are staying at the new place.
We rent a newly built, clean, 2 bed rooms space, with one sitting room, one bath room, small kitchen and a spacious shared yard. It's enough for me & my son to lived in until my son graduated from primary school, then we'll be (sigh...packing's on my mind!) move again to Bandung, West Java, my hometown.

The new place is so close to my son's school, that he walks every day to and from school.
The land owners are young, newly married couple, they're so friendly and nice.
There are some eateries, convenience store and laundry, all within 3 minutes walking distance...5 minutes walk to the mall .

The shared yard, seen from our front door. The building on the left is the land owner's house.

A little hut with a pond of timid fishes built beneath it, in a corner of the yard.

Alhamdulillah, things begin to settled down a bit (though there are still some hateful boxes, waiting to be unpacked, sigh). I enjoy the house chores, (things that I didn't really do when we were at the hotel, because they have service, lol) it's like playing house, lol... so much so that I almost forgot about my craft, lol...
Now that I'm getting use to the new routine, I'm working on a new batch of kids hijab...