How Warm is you Christmas?

Christmas is coming..Christmas is coming..and so is.......the winter season in some parts of the World.
I read that the winter weather blasts Europe with its snow and bitter cold temperature.
Australia, which normally has a warm summer December, this year has been mocked by the strange weather that swaps the warm summer Christmas to cold winter Christmas. I hope the people have prepared themselves with some heat max hand warmers to cut the chill factor.
Winter and snow could be wonderful, or.....dreadful if not prepared.
Some fun and wonderful things I could relate with winter and snow are snowball throwing between friends *love this* :-D, making snowman, and skiing. I never make snowman yet and I regret that I didn't take the offer of a friend who invited me to join him skiing in his village in Trieste when I actually had the chance.

Here in my part of the world, winter never ever comes, and so no snow ever shows up during Christmas. We have a much warmer Christmas than people in the USA, Europe and with exception, Australia this year.
Still, Christmas in our country is usually marked by a cooler weather than the usual. This is because we have a lot of rain and strong wind during December. At home, old people like my parents whose feet get cold easily during night time, are usually looking for foot warmer.

However, regardless the cold weather that anyone may experience during this season, I know the spirit of Christmas will always keep us warm..........in heart :)

Meanwhile...here is another drawing that I make for my Christmas digi-stamp project :))

 

A cuter Mrs. Santa Claus!!...I will make a card with it later or tomorrow :)
Hope you all like her...ehmm...I mean...my drawing  :)

Here comes Mrs. Santa Clause...are you naughty or nice?

Here's another confession, and I hope it won't upset many people :))
I don't like Santa Claus.
He's stolen Christmas day from the Holy Baby, Jesus :))
But yes, it's easier to draw Santa Claus' image and to use the image on a card than to draw Jesus.
Still, cause I don't like the popularity of Santa Claus....
I decide to use Mrs. Santa Claus' image :-D
It's the first digi made from my Christmas project.
Ooh...but don't you think she's too young to be Mrs. Santa Claus? -you might think so.
Well, this is her look when she was young :-D

I enter her to these following challenges..
Challenge #45 Christmas Punches on TotallyPaperCrafts
Challenge #108 Christmas Cuties on OneStopCraftChallenge
Tip #12 Anything Goes Challenge on TopTipTuesday

Here's the recipe....
Stamps:
Digi stamp by Ouli
Snowflakes by HeroArts
Punch:
Doily lace Martha Stewart border punch
Die Cuts:
Decorative Flourishes set by Sizzix
Baby Face font set by Cuttlebug
Paper:
Patterned Paper by DCWV

Hope I won't offend Mr Santa Claus if he read this :))

My Confession

Christmas is coming, and I think it's fun if I'm welcoming the Holy day with making some Christmas digi stamps. This one is inspired by the memory of my childhood....believe it...or..not....
I was too angelic, that's why I never got the part as Maria...ahahah...*devil's laugh*

ps. what's the memory of your Christmas childhood?

The Smell of Christmas

What is the smell of Christmas to you?

I smell rain, cause we always likely to have shower from the skies :)
I smell cookies, cause we always prepare some jars full of cookies to keep our guests merry :-D
I smell plastic Christmas tree, cause since more than ten years ago we've stop using real tree.
I smell Joy, cause that is what Christmas all about....the Joy to the World :)  ...I hope people who are affected by the current natural disasters in my country - Wasior flood, Mentawai Tsunami and the eruption of Merapi Volcano - will find their Joy again soon too. Pray for them please.

But why does the card that I make depict a girl wearing winter cloth standing on a snow covered land? Well, because Joy is also there :-D.

The card uses stamps set of Asian Frames CL275 and of Three Christmas Dolls LP156 from Hero Arts, Baby Face Die Cuts from CuttleBug, Essentials #9 Prima Marketing, Doily Paper from Royal Lace, washi paper, and a thick paper. Colours are with copic markers and Bright Blending Chalks from Inkandikado.

Anyway, I enter this card for these following challenges:
Anything Goes of Dottie's World
Holiday Die Cuts of Caardvarks
Christmas Tradition of Sir Stampalot Challenge

So, what is the smell of Christmas to you?

It's Our Anniversary

May justice rules our beloved Indonesia and we Indonesians and those who love Indonesia be united to save this country from corruption, the hyper "religious" zanies, ambiguous law and impotent government.

May God bless Indonesia, Indonesians, and those who love both :-))

I save this capture of Google search page that uses the illustration to honour the 65th anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia, our anniversary. Thanks Google crews.

Wishes to come true

Our cake for 2010

Cause Love is the greatest,

Health is precious

Joy is priceless

Grenoble cake

by Maqui's

the best cake in Jakarta!!!

Many Tastes of Christmas

I thank Jesus for today. Never before I appreciated Christmas Eve as today, because last year in these days we were almost in total eclipse which was due to my Mom's health problem that made her has to be hospitalised. This afternoon when my family and I gathered at my parents' dining room to have little celebration of  Christmas Eve together, I couldn't stop thinking about last year when the situation was different 360 degree. I couldn't stop to think about people who are not as lucky as us today, to those who have their loved ones in weak condition suffering from sickness, even terminal illness and to those who have to deal with the death of their loved ones.

People always relate Christmas with joy and happiness, that's why they put "Merry" in front of Christmas. When Jesus was born, Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus were having tough time.

Let's all of us this Christmas also remembering and praying for those who are in state of illness and sadness, may Jesus comfort them. Amin.

I thank Jesus, my Lord, my God, my Comforter and my Savior. Merry Christmas everyone, remember that Jesus always be with us in any circumstances, we are never alone. xoxo.

Christmas saga

Last year I tweeted "Don't let Santa Claus takes over Christmas!! Bad old man :-P" then I got a replied from Santa Clause on Twitter, saying "And just what makes me so bad?". He is really all over now, even in Twitter land, and has many followers too. I don't hate Santa Claus, I just hate the commercialism idea behind it. Santa Claus now is so different than Santa when I was a kid, back then he was not commercialised. Usually someone at our Church will dressed up as Santa handling gifts from parents to their children. Now, well, just go to the Mall and Santa is there waiting and willing to be taken a picture with kid, as long as he is paid some thousands rupiah. Not only at Malls or Shopping Centres though, because some days ago my sis-in-law told me that my nephew's play ground -which is part of a Catholic school- also arranged a photo session with Santa Claus for the toddlers, but I'm glad that my nephew refused. Good kid :-)

I think Christians should stop making their children believing in Santa Claus, and I can't understand why a Catholic school is also joining the Santa's saga thing? Because Christmas has nothing to do with Santa Claus, he's just an opportunist :-P
and he has successfully inundated Christmas with his existence, like this time, when finally I made a card with him on it, arrghh....!! Well, just because this time I got him for free though, and just because I wanted to practice my card making and my using copics, and just because I'm too lazy to draw the Birthday Boy aka baby Jesus by myself :-) Lame excuse!

So there it is a card that I managed to make from a free digi stamp and free digi patterned paper offers, and my sibling has adopted that Santa Claus' card for her friend.

Hijacked Christmas

Photo by kevindooley

Go Google the internet for "Father Christmas", and you don't have to hard guess, because it will sure list things about Santa Claus. Go check out the Christmas decorations in Shopping Centres, Malls, or at many houses, then it's almost certainly Santa is around.
Most everything about Christmas has long been referred to Santa Claus. Ask the children, and I'm sure many of them will think first of that old white-bearded man with red outfit, than of the One who actually has the Christmas Day.

That's pretty sad. Some people may say that telling the children not to believe in Santa Claus is like taking away the joy of Christmas from them, but for Christian letting the children believing in fallacy about Christmas it's like letting them to have weak foundation of Faith. After all what makes Santa that special that you don't mind to lie to children?

Does Santa Claus really teach us or children about love, giving or kindness?
I wouldn't mind if people say that, but I really mind when people idolise Santa Clause in Christmas time and make it as an occasion to teach children to behave well so Santa will grant them with gifts.

Why not teach children about the Love of God instead?
Christmas is the celebration of giving. God gave His only Son, Jesus to the world to save human. At least three wise men -the Magi- gave their best gift to welcome Baby Jesus, their long journey I think also showed their love to Him.

Therefore, teaching the children about Love is the right way rather than to let them to believe in something that is groundless. Instead using Santa Clause as an intermediary, it's better to give the present directly to those you love, and say something like "I give you present because God love us very much and long ago He gave the most wonderful present to us through Jesus, and because of that we can celebrate Christmas. So this present is also because I love you."

Or you can say anything else, just don't let them be chained in a false belief.
After all Christmas is about Christ' birthday, it's His big day, though it's not really on 25 Dec but Christmas Day 25 Dec was and is meant for Christ Jesus.
How do you feel when your Birthday event is hijacked by someone else?

I hope those who still idolise Santa Clause on Christmas Day can realise this.
Christ gave His life to us, but Santa Clause can only provide 'bought' gifts :-P
Stop saying that Father Christmas is him, because it's God.
Jesus is our Friend, our Shepherd, our God and our Father.

Happy Birthday Jesus...and Merry Christmas to you who read this :))
and don't just say "Happy Holidays."
May the Christmas spirit stay with us forever and guide us to always follow Jesus.

Photo by We Are CS

Being blessed

That's what Holy Friday makes me think.
What if I were not born Christian?
It would be harder for me to understand about Jesus.
Even I was born and am Christian, His lifestyle and His life story is still hard for me to follow and understand.
If not because of His Love, I would have lost my faith.
He died for our sins so we who believe in Him can live, He didn't come for Christian, He came for those who believe in Him.


I'm happy, I managed to push myself to attend Holy Friday congregation this afternoon though I was a bit late and didn't get a nice seat. There were at least 3000 people who attended our Church congregation this afternoon and it was not held in Church building but in one of a big national sport centers in Jakarta.
This evening one of our TV stations broadcast "The Passion of The Christ" and again with no ads at all. That movies affirms me that I'm blessed already.

I'm already blessed, and I still want moreeeee!! :-P
Well....human...
Anyhow, hope you can feel the Love of Christ too in your life.

Photo by midiman

First Day of year 2008

The year is still fresh
My wish is re-blossoming
I smile to my new days to come
I refresh my hopes to God
I feel infatuated

I have a perfect reason to smile on my first day in year 2008
Dear Lord is that a hint or what?

Oh..and please..Let there only be PEACE for year 2008...

Photo by wilhei55

When My Heart Finds Christmas

Nothing is more special about Christmas than the Christmas itself, not the old Santa Claus, not the presents, not anything else because Christmas is already the biggest present given by God. I didn't have Christmas wish list but I did made some wishes when I attended a Christmas celebration of my Church on 20th December.

Some of my Italian friends whom I chat with on Christmas Eve were expecting Christmas dinners with their families but no such tradition in my family, and I chatted 'til around 1am -which means Christmas day already.

Got awakened by a massive noise thunder around 3am, I woke up saying God, and I don't know why I thought about doomsday directly. Then I told God something like ooh.....please God this is your birthday, and I got back to sleep :-D

Now, on officially Christmas day. Something did happen. One of my wish did come true and it means a lot to me. Thanks Jesus, I love that surprise. Still, nothing is more special than the Christmas itself.

And this is a wonderful song for the jolly holly season from Harry Connick, Jr I pray on Christmas

Still Mango

The Häagen-Dazs Ice Cake that I ordered for my Pa's birthday was great, much better, fresher and prettier than Bakerzin's Mango Mousse Cake. The whole family were enjoying it.

Last Saturday I was a bit hopeless that I couldn't find a nice substitute for Mango Mousse cake from Bakerzin. My family and I always ordered that same cake for many occasions. The only alternative that I could think was Häagen-Dazs.

Then some friends suggested me Secret Recipe. One friend said Secret Recipe makes fresh cake and he even told me that it also has Mango cake though it's not a mousse cake one. Most of those friends were complimenting Secret Recipe cheese cakes, and I don't really fancy cheesecake. However I still went there with my friends to check how the Mango cake really looks like and to see its other cakes.
I was not satisfied with what I saw. This was not because the cakes were not scrumptious but because they just didn't look scrumptious enough to my eyes
Their prices are very reasonable compared to those at Bakerzin though.

Since I didn't want to take a risk, we then went to another Shopping Mall to find Häagen-Dazs. Unfortunately –which is good because that means it's fresh- all the cakes there can only be ordered 4 days in advance. I was almost regretting myself for not preparing it much earlier, until the waiter told me about the ice-cake type that can be ordered 2 days in advance and the price is reasonable since Häagen-Dazs has been known worldwide for its super premium ice-cream quality. So it I ordered -I forgot the name!!- the ice-cake which is actually 1.5 kg ice cream in a cake form and it's made of strawberry ice cream and our favourite Mango.
The best thing is they even provide a free delivery service for that, I think it's because my place is not very far from there.

There is a bit turn-off though, I found out later from its website that for my purchase I would actually be entitled for four stamps, and with ten stamps collected within a five-months period I would be able to get Häagen-Dazs Super Premium Club (SPC) Membership.

Oh well, nothing is perfect.

So Much for Your Promises

Seems I have to start to find another cake shop now after some disappointing fact with Bakerzin service at Plaza Senayan.

I ordered a Mango Mousse cake for my Mom's birthday, but I asked them to make it less sweet. The head of the staff (I supposed that because she's not in uniform) told me that they might try to make it if there's no stock available. Her reply confused me. I thought since the cake was pre-order 24-hours in advance, it should be fresh then.

She said that they stock cakes every 2 days, so they would try to fulfill my request if it's possible. She continued telling that the cake would still be fresh even if it's 2 days old since they put them in a frigde. I still didn't like the idea, because for me logically any cake that is garnished with fresh fruits on its top should always use fresh fruits only. Besides the cake uses some easily spoiled fruit like star fruit, and of course mango.

I told her the reason why I wanted it to be less sweet is because my parents have diabetic –which is true, although mild diabetic- and to be honest, other than that reason –now that I heard that 2 days-old cake fact- I just wanted a fresh cake with fresh fruits.

She quibbled that I better ordered the cakes made especially for the diabetic people, pointing three choices of diabetic cakes. Oh, and so she they could clear off their stock cake? But of course I didn't say that, instead I told her that mango cake was the only cake that we wanted from there, and it's true, we always have had mango cake for most any celebration at home.

I couldn't get her guarantee on the cake freshness, but since I needed it for the next day and I couldn't remember any other cake shop at that moment, so I carried on it.
I only asked them not to put the cake on the display –which they usually do- and this time they didn't argue me but the first response from that manager was funny. She said “oh of course, you don't want your Mom to see it when she picks it up.” Before I was out of my amazement hearing what her just saying, she seemed finally aware of her own weird statement.

The actual reason why I don't want them to put the cake on display before the picking time because once I spotted a flying insect on the display. I already told the waiters there once or twice about my experience since they tried to debate me when I asked them to put my cake in the fridge before I picked it up. It's not a fly, but still this is not a cheap cake shop as it pronounces on its website: It wasn't long before we became well known for our exquisite desserts. By 2000 it became obvious that the time was right to cater to the more upmarket palate.

Of course who said money can buy cleanness? :-P

Actually this also proves my suspicion about the cake and the fruit decorations freshness there because last June this year I also pre-ordered one mango cake and coincidentally my brother bought the same kind of cake from the same place and we picked it up at the same day and they were for the same event. I don't remember which one, but one of the cakes had a fresh mango and strawberries while the other one didn't look so fresh.

So much for your promises. Disappointing.

Still Christmas

Joy to the World in the year 2007.....let's cross our fingers!!

Happy Resurrection Day of Jesus

Sunny day here today after the overcast and rain on last Good Friday, as if it portray those long ago scenes.

Religiously saying, I feel blessed!
What if I were not Christian from the day I was born?
What if my Great Grand parents were not Christians?
What would I think of His wonderful love then?
Fairy tales?

What would make me interested in Him?
Those thoughts emerged during the sermon hearing.

The idea of God who suffered for His humans....His bountiful love...the Love credo.
That sure would attract me.

Whatever I was and I am, I should feel blessed being one of the chosen.
What will I be?
The simple plan, will stay being amongst the chosen.

Firsts of My 2006

First thing to drink: Red wine
First thing to eat: Tiramisu cake
First thing to wish: God bless 2006
First sleep: not yet
First thing to blog: Firsts of My 2006

Satan's Claws

Who, REALLY, is this man we
affectionately call Santa
Claus?
What do we REALLY know about Santa?
Is Santa just a jolly,
harmless, friendly fellow?
Or is there
something or someone else hiding
behind jolly ol' St. Nick?

Feed your curiosity!

Have heard a hearsay that says CONIFER is actually a compound word of CON and LucIFER?

Believe it or Not :-)
But let's claim back Christmas from Santa's hands, because strangecosmos proofs that the ole man is actually....

Merry X'mas?

Can we use or say that?
I kept wondering, since I think I've read somewhere that substituting Christ with X is not Godly at all.
Based on some readings I did on the net, I get to know that the word Christmas was constructed from the old English words Cristes Maesse -then later- Cristes-messe which means The Mass of Christ.

While the letter X is the first letter of Christ's in Greek alphabet, Xristos.

So X (chi) is not at all Christ, but just the Ch.
Therefore X cannot be a substitute to Christ.
Therefore, unless for the sake of laziness, I think it's appreciated to keep His name intact, Christ.

Merry Christmas anyone who comes across Origena!!
And Happy Birthday Jesus!! Sorry I can't yet give you a better gift.