mimpi murni blog

Gong Xi Gong Xi

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

As I am half-Chinese, I celebrate the Chinese New Year which means I get to enjoy a large feast filled with auspicious dishes with all my relatives on the eve of the new year & the whole of the next day is spent playing one card game after another (to hopefully double one’s “fortune”), trading jokes, gossip & life stories while eating lots & lots of cookies & mandarin oranges. My hubby & I will also be giving out ang paos for the first time to my unwed cousins & as newlyweds, we have to give out DOUBLE than usual! Uh oh… :P

Anyways, I’d like to wish all my Chinese readers a very hearty Gong Xi Fa Chai (click on the link to read a pretty nifty article on the origins of the term)! May all your mandarin oranges be sweet & the year of the dragon brings you much luck & prosperity. Gong xi, gong xi!

Sky Series

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

Something about Eric Cahan’s Sky Series takes me away to dreamland & I don’t want to come back. I’m going to start paying more attention to the sky now & hope to someday capture these dreamy hues that Cahan has mastered.

Fireflies

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

Mother Nature never fails to impress the pants off of me! These photos are actually long exposures of fireflies in Japan & I think it’d be awesome if someone could do the same at the Firefly Park at Kuala Selangor. Any takers out there?

Via Fellow Fellow.

DIY: Picture Frame

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

I have a bunch of art prints & posters I’ve collected over the years that’s just sitting hidden away in a corner, waiting to be framed up because well, getting things framed can be pretty expensive. So if you’re like me, this DIY tutorial from Oh Happy Days is going to get you real excited. I think the only problem is getting your hands on a mat board cutter & plexiglass, but I’m going to forgo the mat board, substitute plexiglass with ordinary clear plastic sheets (the kind you use to make power point slides) & instead of using paper tape, I’m going to use up my washi tapes. Wheee, can’t wait to get started!

Inspiration Boards

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

Lately I’ve been on spring cleaning mode, organising my craft room & purging all sorts of things I’ve been hoarding (who needs a gazillion yoghurt containers & a mountain of unusable fabric scraps??). The one thing I have yet to sort is my inspiration wall. I quite like it as it is but I think I need to make it a little less cluttered, plus I could use some fresh muses. Here are a few lovely inspiration boards that I hope will inspire me to come up with something new, exciting & most importantly, creative.

Via Coletterie, with images from Design Sponge, Oh Happy Day, House Beautiful & Design Inspirations.

Dance Dance Dance

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

Things have been crazy busy around here lately so I find that I need music that can help me keep my energy up with a little head bopping & butt wiggling. This little carefree ditty by Lyke Li of Sweden who teamed up with Bon Iver in this live version recorded at L.A. does just that (the part when she plays the kazoo never fails to make me laugh). Have a listen & happy Friday dreamers!

Christopher Boffoli

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

Go ahead, play with your food. Look what Christopher Boffoli came up with in his photography series titled Disparity. He paired ordinary groceries, food & drinks with miniature human figurines doing all sorts of activities, making everything seem surreal.

Teeny, Tiny Letters

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

Saw this, The World’s Smallest Post Service, a couple of years back but for some reason I never got around to blogging about it so since I’m on a letter writing kick, I thought I’d share this with you lovely folks. Pay USD9 for a letter & you get your message to a loved one inscribed onto a tiny piece of paper, folded into a tiny envelope, sealed with a tiny blob of wax, stamped with a tiny stamp then sent off to the intended person with a magnifying glass (all of this will be packed into a larger padded envelope in accordance to regular postal regulations). You can also DIY with the Tiny Mail Stationery Kit by Chronicle Books. Check it out! You’ll be charmed, I promise.

Via Black*Eiffel.

Chalk It Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

This Mini Goals Chalkboard is an excellent way to keep you on track, don’t you think? Imagine the satisfaction of crossing off the things you’ve done with the specially made “write it, do it, erase it” eraser on the hand painted chalkboard. I’d be grinning from ear to ear.

Hand painted Mini Goals Chalkboard by Mary Kate McDevitt

Retro Aprons

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

As a new wife who works from home, I find myself in charge of cleaning the house. But as someone who hates to clean, the house can get, well, let’s just say a little unorganised. So I think I need some motivation & getting one of these retro inspired aprons might just be the ticket. You think not? Yeah, I think so too but they’re cute so I might just get one anyway. Which one do you like? Links to the Etsy sellers’ listings below.

Turquoise/Brown Houndstooth & Creamy Florals Apron by Creative Chics
Spring Can be Early Sweetheart Apron by Creative Chics
Retro Ice Cream Sundae & Popsicle Apron by Boojiboo
Alice In Wonderland Apron by loverdoversclothing
Retro Housewives Apron by ImaginAprons (I wouldn’t actually get this but it’s so funny that I couldn’t resist adding this here! Hehehe)

Freebie: Desktop Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

Here you go, courtesy of Oh, Hello Friend.

Handwritten

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:37:00 +0000

Inspired by a conversation I had with @IAmAnida awhile back about kad Raya (thanks babe!), one of my resolutions for this year is to start handwriting to friends & family members instead of dropping them the ubiquitous email or Facebook message. I personally love receiving handwritten notes & letters (that’s how my hubby wooed me by the way, no kidding!) so even if it’s just a simple note, a little effort to put pen to paper will be sure to delight.

Here’s a very nice post on The Anatomy Of A Thank You Note because if you’re like me & you’re a little rusty on writing personal letters, a thank you note is the easiest place to start because IMHO we all have something or someone to be grateful for that has been left unspoken or unexpressed.

Admittedly, one of the things I like about writing letters is the stationery & as a crafter, I love collecting small works of printed art that is the humble greeting card. All you crafty types out there are nodding your heads in agreement now, I bet! Here are my Etsy picks of cards (links below). Hope they will inspire you to pick up a pen too ;)

Write More Handwritten Letters print by Mary Kate McDevitt
Letterpress Merci Card by Presse Dufour
Embroidered Hello Card by Blue Eye Brown Eye
Braille Letterpress Notecards by Fourth Year Studio
Par Avion Post Cards by Humunuku Shoppe
Simple Scallop Letterpress Notes by Ruby Press

Hello 2012!

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

Wow. It’s 2012 already huh? I thought I’d have some time to breathe after Christmas but before I knew what hit me, we were ringing in the new year. I haven’t really had time to reflect on the past year nor time to come up with a list of resolutions for the new, but I can safely tell you that I had a wonderful time in 2011 filled with amazing memories & expect more of the same (if not better) in 2012. Cheers to that!

Now, I’m usually the type who breaks resolutions as soon as I make them (hands up if you relate), but I think with a little help of this DIY New Year Manifesto by Creating Clever hanging somewhere conspicuous, I might actually fulfill a resolution or two. Have a go & hey, have a happy new year while you’re at it!

Let's Make Merry

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 02:00:00 +0000

Here’s wishing you lovely folks joy & happiness. Cheers!

P/S: I'll be back blogging as usual on Tuesday. Happy holidays!

DIY: Piñata Tree

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:30:00 +0000

This color palette & miniature pink elephant had me at hello. So cute, right? Anyways, bring some last minute Christmas cheer to your space with this adorable little piñata tree that you can whip up with some basic craft supplies & this tutorial. Now, I’m going back to gushing over that elephant.

Via Anthology.

Ribbonesia

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:30:00 +0000

Sculptural ribbons? Yes, please. By the Japanese studio Ribbonesia. Check out the Ribbonesia blog while you’re at it & be blown away.

An Anthology Winter Gift Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:30:00 +0000

I know I’m a little late with the Christmas themed posts but I just discovered this little gem & had to share. If you’ve been living under a rock (or crazy busy like me) & haven’t already read this, do check out the special digital issue of 2011 Anthology Winter Gift Guide. It’s packed with DIY projects, holiday decorating ideas, gift recommendations & so much more. With tips from Lotta Jansdotter, Eunice and Sabrina Moyle of Hello! Lucky & so much more you’re sure to be as delighted as me!

DIY: Wrapping With Kraft Paper

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 03:30:00 +0000

With Christmas just around the corner, I’m sure a bunch of you have your presents for loved ones sorted out & ready to be wrapped so here are 12 brilliant ideas to wrap with kraft paper compiled by Emmaline Bride. I personally love wrapping with kraft paper, be it for the holiday season or for birthdays. As kraft paper is very affordable & easily obtainable, you can never go wrong by adding your own personal, handmade touch. So, go nuts with ribbons, doillies, laces or hey, why not scribble your own pattern?

Ladurée Macarons

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 06:17:00 +0000

I had my first taste of macarons at Ladurée Royalé Paris in 1995. Ever since then, I’ve loved these crunchy, melt in your mouth little pillows of heavenly confectionery & rejoiced when macarons finally started making waves in our shores last year (thank you dessert gods). So imagine how I squealed with delight when I discovered a lovely little branch of Ladurée at Harrods during my recent trip to London (read Part 1, 2, 3 & 4). I can’t believe I never knew it was there before but if you’re in the neighborhood do look for it at the right-most corner of Harrods on Brompton Road or hey, here are all the addresses of the many Ladurée branches around France & the world while I’m at it. These are the pictures of the small box of macarons I carefully hand carried home with me from London. Trust me, I savored every bite of these babies! Hehe.

Psst! Scroll over the pictures for little description.

London Is Cracking & Bob’s Your Uncle! p.4

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:51:00 +0000

Are you bored yet of all my pictures of London? Well, I hope you’ll bear with me just a leeeettle more. I promise you I won’t post anymore travel related pictures for a good long while & I’ll go back to posting craft tutorials & design crushes, cross my heart & hope to die (ok, maybe not die. How about come down with flu instead?). As before, scroll over the pictures to get a little description & check out Part 1, 2 & 3 if you haven’t already.

London Is Cracking & Bob’s Your Uncle! p.3

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:12:00 +0000

The hubby & I took our time to explore as much of London as we could & as we’re both quite the shutterbugs, we have tons of pictures to share which I’m sure you can gather by now! Sorry but hey, it's my blog & sharing is caring right? Right :P

FYI, I used my Olympus Pen 2 while the hubby had his Olympus XZ1 (both cameras were our hantaran/wedding gifts to each other) & I’ve edited all the pictures you see in this blog with an Earlybird filter like Instagram with my handy dandy Photoshop. Do scroll over the pictures to get a little description & check out Part 1, 2 & 4 if you haven’t already.

London Is Cracking & Bob’s Your Uncle! p.2

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:32:00 +0000

Just in case you thought I was losing it, thought I’d better give you a translation of this post’s title. Hehe. Anyways, I’ve got more pictures of London to share (surprise, surprise). Do scroll over the pictures to get a little description & check out Part 1, 3 & 4 if you haven’t already ;)

London Is Cracking & Bob’s Your Uncle! p.1

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:48:00 +0000

Hello duckies. If you haven’t been following me on twitter, you might have missed my very sudden announcement of a short trip to London about two weeks ago. Yup, the hubby & I were in London, freezing our tropical tushies off. The decision to go was so sudden (as per usual for us if you haven't already noticed) that I didn’t have time to post a little something on the blog to explain my absence, much less time to even buy warm winter clothing & pack! So sorry to have left you folks without a peep… was tempted to write a short “hello from London” post but by the time the hubby & I were done gallivanting around town for the day, all I wanted to do was snuggle under the covers with a hot water bottle & try to regain feeling in my hands & feet. Yeah, I hate the cold.

Despite the initial rush (& cold), the hubby & I had a lovely time in London. As it was the hubby’s first time in London, we went to most of the major landmarks including Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament & Big Ben, London Eye, St. Paul’s Cathedral & notably spent a whole day at the Tower of London (which we think is well worth the 23 pounds + 4 pounds for the audio guide per person if you’re interested in English history like us). We also got to experience the thrills of Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park, shopped a little & ate our way through Portobello Road & Sunday Up Market, visited Greenwich to soak in the history of England, spent a whole afternoon at the Churchill War Rooms & went back to Liberty multiple times (not really to shop but to ogle) amongst many other things.

Between the hubby & I, I think we easily took over a thousand shots but I won’t bore you with all of them… just a couple here & a couple more at the next post then probably a little more at the next few other posts if you’re not bored to death of them yet. Hehe. Here you go… (Do scroll over the pictures to get a little description & check out Part 2, 3 & 4 if you haven’t already)

Fashion Valet’s 1st Birthday Bash

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 06:05:00 +0000

Mimpi Murni together with Tie The Knot & Vanilla Floral sprinkled our fairy dust to come up with the decor for Fashion Valet’s 1st Birthday Party held at Publika last week on Wednesday. Being the largest Malaysian fashion online shopping website, when they throw a party, they make sure to throw it in grand way so myself, Sherly of Tie The Knot & Aida of Vanilla Floral put our heads together to work some DIY magic that reflected Fashion Valet’s sense of elegance & fun combined with our love for all things pretty. I hope the guests saw that & that the team of FV loved it. For more pictures do check out the Mimpi Murni FB page (like it while you’re there!) & let me know what you think k?

Vote For Me! Cosmo Malaysia FFF

noreply@blogger.com (Murni) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:27:00 +0000

This is a little late but guess who was nominated to be in this year’s Cosmopolitan Malaysia’s Fun, Fearless & Fabulous finalist? Yup, that smiling mug above is yours (chubby) truly. Thank you Naziehah for your nomination & Anida for being so awesome during the photo shoot! I learned that posing without any props whatsoever has got to be one of the most awkward thing ever & that I AM VERY AWKWARD as pictured above & below! :P

My awkwardness aside, Cosmopolitan Malaysia does this FFF competition annually by compiling 12 inspiring women from all walks of life who embody fun, fearlessness & fabulousity (to borrow a term from Kimora). I feel so very honored to be nominated alongside such impressive women who are at the top of their chosen careers, not to mention a little intimidated! Although being called a “craft activist” is pretty awesome & I loved it when Anida asked me what do I think makes a woman awesome (the ability to love, dream big, create adventures & a great sense of humor of course!). I’m grinning from ear to ear as I type this by the way. Hehehe.

And so my lovelies, if you can spare a minute or two, please vote for me by grabbing a copy of the November issue of Cosmo Malaysia, filling in the form at page 79 then sending it in OR vote via SMS. The instructions are pretty simple (pictured above) but in case you the picture doesn’t pop up, here are the instructions: First, you have to register as a voter via SMS. Type COSMO <space> your IC # <space> your full name (example: COSMO 821215145038 LIZA RAHIM) then send to 32733. Upon confirmation, type COSMO <space> FFF <space> Nominee Code (example: COSMO FFF W04) & send it to 32733. My code is W04 to vote for me. Thank you so much for your kind support!