Sarawakian Penan Handwoven Bags

I have always made it a point to donate or support a local charity during my birthday month whenever I could. Be it street donations to beggars or supporting local creatives, big or small, it is a way for me to give back to the community. Like the saying ''sharing is caring'', giving is satisfying in my book. 

This year, I have decided to support the Penan families in Sarawak. The creative Penan folks have been weaving bags for sale and I have decided to purchase a set of these beautiful handwoven bags! A set consists of 3 different bags weaved by 3 different women hence feeding 3 different families. It is such an awesome project lead by Yasmin who can be contacted via her Facebook page:

Sarawakian Penan Handwoven Bags - Home | Facebook

Yasmin has been promoting them tirelessly over the months I have been following the page and she has overcome many criticism especially from negative naysayers. I truly applaud her for continuously helping the Penan folks selflessly. It is a win-win situation where you can support a charity and also shop for a lovely bag for yourself LOL!

Here is mine :-)

Such a huge parcel!

Surprise!!!

Pretty bags in a row!!!

PS: If you are not genuinely supporting this cause or do not appreciate handmade, please refrain from buying. I've seen questions like ''What is it made of?'' and then not buying sounds half-hearted with a closed mind in my book. I cannot fathom why you would want to know the material when you are supporting a charity especially since it is handmade. If you did not like it upon receiving it, you could just give it away right?! I didn't mean to be rude or offend anyone but this is just my 2 cents.

Nyc Nat Nook 1st anniversary!

Time flies and it's been a year since we launched Nyc Nat Nook! From offline to online, with many pop-up market appearances and still looking for our niche, we have survived the many ups and downs thus far. We are still learning, hoping for that right Midas touch or move to guide Nyc Nat Nook to the right uphill path!

Aside from Handmade Hadiah's, Accessories for Ladies & Mobile Phones and Books for rent & sale, we currently have various Workshops for the Young Adults such as:

• Mosaic art
• Wood art

With mixed media medium, you can create your own artistry! All these are available during pop-up markets or if you are shy, you can purchase directly from us via online @ https://nycnatnook.easy.co.

Since it's our 1st anniversary, from this month onward while stock last, we have launched "Craft4Charity". We have received a bulk of Giraffe Mosaic Kits for this purpose. At a very affordable price of RM15 each where proceed of RM10 from each kit will be pooled and donated to an orphanage. We have yet to identify the orphanage but it will be announced in November. So if you are interested to donate and contribute, kindly email us @ nycnatnook@gmail.com for more info!

From Mosaic Art Online

P/S: Thank you to Mosaic Art Online for generously sponsoring this bulk of Mosaic Kits!

CSM: Yvonne Foong crowdfunding

I've recently come across this post shared by a fellow book club member and I was flabbergasted! Such a beautiful soul having endured so much in her young life! She's in need of funds for her continuous surgeries in the US.

If you have the means to help her, you can contribute by either buying her books or donating to her fund.

A Malaysian alive & living with Neurofibromatosis type 2, and building a foundation in the USA that will help fellow NF patients get life saving medical treatments.
To know more about this project and how you can help, please visit
http://www.worksofgratitude.com

For more details, please click on the website link below:
http://www.yvonnefoong.com/

CSM: A Book Affair

This Sunday, I'll be joining A Book Affair, selling some of my preloved books. This is the first time I'm joining so kinda exciting for me :-)

A Book Affair is a community event for book lovers to buy, sell, swap or chat about books! This event is held monthly, on the first Sunday of the month. Event details:
Date: 4th September 2016
Time: 11am to 3pm
Location: Desa Permai Condo, Jalan Morib, Taman Desa

The programme lined up for that day:

11.30 am - 12.30 pm

Quiz: So you think you're a literary expert

2 pm - 3 pm

Chat: Creating stories for fun and self-discovery (Part 2)

A fun-and-games session conducted by local writer Chuah Guat Eng

There'll also be hundreds of new and secondhand books, and bookish paraphernalia available from:
Itch 2 Switch
Books n Bobs
The TRL Book Carousel
The Bookshop at A Word Affair
Book Bodega
Chuah Guat Eng
and the personal libraries of book lovers Julie, Purni, Ai Jou, Susan (me!), M, Cynthia, Jennifer and Subha

The Free Swap table will be open throughout the event, so remember to bring your books along for the exchange.

For more details, please click on this link:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1786057311631765/

CSM: Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better and She's the BOSS Bazaar

This Mother's Day weekend, instead of splurging on expensive meals, why not do some charity instead? You can either help the cute animals or the supermoms, deets below...

 Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better:

7th May 2016 @ Jaya Shopping Center

8th May 2016 @ Setiawalk Puchong

You can view their Facebook page for more details:
https://www.facebook.com/MalaysianDogsDeserveBetter/

She's the BOSS - A Women & Moms in Business Bazaar:

"She's the BOSS - A Women & Moms In Business Bazaar" is our theme name for this upcoming event.

In this platform we're bringing together Women & Moms who runs businesses together under one roof so they can bring their products & services to the marketplace. Those already with customers will get to meet them in person and those who wants to test the market & promote their businesses to create more awareness can do it here too.

This year, we're kicking off this event at The School @ Jaya One. The perfect place for family to gather. Please come support these hardworking Women and show your support to their small businesses.

The above taken from their Facebook event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/147292408992009/

Waggymeal charity giftbox #atozchallenge

I've recently discovered a cool way to support animal shelters like Furry Friends Farm through WaggyMeal. I just need to purchase a giftbox for RM3 and it would be delivered to me within 10 working days! The giftbox is a box of goodies for my furkid and the full proceeds will go to the selected animal shelters. Easy peasy!

The only downside? We were allowed to purchase one box for one shelter only even though there were 5 animal shelters. So sad right? If only they had allowed one box for each shelters, we would be happy and it will be feasible especially for their delivery team. Also there's a delivery waiver for this purchase so it's totally cost consuming for not allowing more. Not sure why the untoward limitation when we are doing charity here.

Anyway, here's the special charity giftbox for my Minnie! Received it right on the dot on the 10th working day LOL!

Nice eh! Thanks WaggyMeal!

For more details, you can click on the link below:
http://waggymeal.com/products/charity-giftbox

Day out with a gooD bookish pal #atozchallenge

It was sheer coincidence when Ai Jou and I chatted via Whatsapp about going to the Art for Grabs event in The School, Jaya One. So we met up last Sunday afternoon and proceeded as planned.

First stop: Jumble Station.
As posted previously, Jumble Station is a non-profit organisation who helped Parents Without Partners in managing and getting through life as a single parent. Located at P1 floor, there is a counter for us to submit our donations and another preloved shop selling all the good condition donated stuffs in order to raise money. I was in awe with the many gems available at their books corner. Priced at RM5 each or RM8 for 2 or RM10 for 3, what a steal! We managed to get 3 books in total so mine was only RM3.30!!! Anyway, we also donated our stuffs collated from our KonMari spring-cleaning. I had a heavy bag of books and knacks... still more to come though...

Second stop: Art for Grabs event.
There were many new and preloved books stalls and handmade booths but my main target here was the KL Book Exchange booth as I had 8 books for exchange! Well, I had reserved 3 books earlier with Gladys, the owner, and then scoured the rest through the piles of books! After that, we headed for a coffee break as Ai Jou was hungry LOL!

Third stop: The Bee.

My yummy Iced Latte!

OK, I have never been here so it's my first. The place was crowded but thankfully there's a table for us. The ambiance was cosy though tight in space and noisy plus it was kinda warm. My iced latte was sugarless but I didn't sweeten it as the caffeine was bitterly tasty enough. The carrot cake was a little too sweet for my sweet tooth though LOL! Anyway, we had a great time catching up and as usual... time flies when we are enjoying ourselves. So thanks to Ai Jou for bringing me here!

Final stop: continued browsing the remaining booths.
Yes, we continued checking out the remaining booths and met Vannitha of The Revolving Library! Another great non-profit organisation raising funds to provide more literacy to under-privileged children. There were other noteworthy booths too like NotbookNotbuk with many unique handcrafted paper goods and BeGood with homemade skincare made for positivity. Honestly, I was surprised to have met some friends here though Ai Jou met more!

My final book haul! All in great condition!

I got Cornella Funke's through Jumble Station for RM3.30 only by sharing the purchase with Ai Jou! Sandra Brown's for RM1 in exchange with a book at The Revolving Library and the remaining 5 were books exchanged at KL Book Exchange. So I still have 2 more books for exchange, perhaps the next round when KLBE is in Jaya One *fingers crossed*

I'm so loving these handmade bookmarks which I got for only RM2 each!

Overall, I had a wonderful time catching up with Ai Jou. And then a great time browsing and buying/ exchanging LOL! I felt contented and happy in the end... happy sigh! Can't wait for our next date in early May!

Ai Jou, thanks for these!

Adoption drive, book lAunch And chArity bAzAAr #atozchallenge

Double Launch: PJ Confidential + Jepun

Sempena ulangtahun Kedai Fixi yang pertama, kami akan lancarkan 2 buku serentak!

Come schmooze with the writers of both books.

Sat 2nd April 2016, 3 to 5pm

Kedai Fixi, Jaya Shopping Centre

For more details:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1718925151726494/

Art for Grabs: Have a balloon!

In collaboration with Amnesty International Malaysia, Lawyers for Liberty and SUARAM

Sat 2 and Sun 3 April, 2016, 12pm - 8pm

The School, Jaya One, Petaling Jaya.

For more details:

https://www.facebook.com/events/186431275078027/

MDDB Adoption Drive in Subang Jaya!

#ArtForGrabs (World Refugee Day)

Recently went to check out Art For Grabs (World Refugee Day) event at The School, Jaya One with Tyger, mom, sis and bro (sis and bro were back from Singapore). TBH, we nearly got lost as the parking and mall were really confusing with poor signages.

Fortunately, after going around, we found the event by chance. It was a little crowded with many wonderful locally handmade crafts including some made by the refugees. So many talented Malaysians! Really eye-opening and interesting but I feel that they should have gotten a better venue as this was a little tight-spaced. All in all, it was for a good cause so the location could have deterred many who might be interested to drop by. If not for my bro, I would not have gone too. Just my opinion though.

The beautiful bookmarks from Mah Meri! TBH, I should have gotten more lah...

Managed to swap 3 books at KL Book Exchange booth!

For more details, you can check out their Facebook page here:
https://www.facebook.com/artforgrabs

This weekend's events

We will be at Jaya Shopping Centre this Saturday raising funds to pay vet bills.

Apart from cash donations, we are also in need of old newspaper, dog/cat food, laundry and cleaning detergents. You can also sign up for our sponsor a furkid programme here.

Hope to see you there.

Please share this post widely. It's been raining pups this last few months and we need to rehome as many as possible to be able to rescue anymore. Please open up your hearts and your homes.

For those wanting to donate and cash or kind you can do so at the drive. We need old newspapers, laundry soap powder, leashes, dog/cat food.

The above taken from https://www.facebook.com/MalaysianDogsDeserveBetter?fref=nf

64 Malaysian booths + 20 refugee booths + 12 events. At Art For Grabs we find refuge in each other's creativity and humanity.

This June, Art For Grabs collaborates with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to commemorate World Refugee Day. Besides hosting 20 booths of arts and crafts by refugees, we also feature exhibitions, performances and forums by them. Come get to know them!

On top of that, we have 64 Malaysian arts & craft vendors, selling anything selfmade from doodles to pottery to poetry to cookies for pets. We are also sponsoring booths for Gerai OA, Safe Our Seahorses, Marecet (Langkawi Dolphin Research), Re:Ed, SUKA Society & KL Book Exchange.

Don't miss out our events too. Besides refugee themed activities, we also have a book launch by Fixi, an inspirational workshop by Mynrose Studio, acoustic music by young singers, and standup comedy by, um, some funny people.

The above taken from https://www.facebook.com/events/347215605477896/

MPH Share-A-Gift

I am glad that MPH has continued with their Share-A-Gift Campaign this year. Do support this special campaign as you will make a child happy, putting a smile on his or her face. Also, you can purchase their calendar at only RM10! All proceeds will go to the orphanage.

End 2014 with a charitable heart, leading to a better 2015. Can't wait to do my part soon!

Shelter Home Charity 3rd May 2014

For more details, you can check it out here:
http://www.savepot.com.my/barterit/?cur=organisation%2Fdescription&id=133&tag=needs_and_events

Charity: Donation for Typhoon Haiyan Relief

Finally had the opportunity to contribute to a charity!  

When I first saw this post by Nuffnang, I was excited as I have been wanting to donate to a Typhoon Haiyan Relief. Seeing so many disastrous photos really breaks my heart. The families, the children and even the animals were so kesian... losing everything to Haiyan... nothing left to survive in this disaster.

So once I'm free, I proceeded to donate without hesitance. I know the amount is not big but a small contribution can cumulate to a huge amount!

My prayers and thoughts for the victims of Haiyan. Hope they can overcome this big obstacle and be stronger!

PS: 1 added to the charity list and RM50 deducted from the charity pool!

Furry Farm Friends charity bazaar

Do come by Citta Mall for this 1 off Christmas Market in aid of Furry Farm Friends.

Help MDDB and MIAR on 17/11/13

Donate to Malaysia Independent Animal Rescue

Do help and donate to MIAR. They are in need of funds, not only for kennel boards but also food and toiletries.

Malaysia Independant Animal Rescue

Another shelter to adopt a furkid. Please adopt and not buy!

Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better

Adopt a furkid! A lot of adorable dogs need a forever home! Do drop by this Sunday at Summit USJ Mall to adopt!

SPCA World Animal Day!

Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better

Do support their good cause and of course, adopt a fur-kid now! Please adopt, don't buy, as this will save more lives! They are also as adorable and obedient, more loyal to say the least.