Fashion Show with a Difference

A BIG day for the students of Economic Empowerment Programme (EEP), Selangor Cheshire Home

The exotic heliconia by resident,Yoek Choy

It was a hot sweltering day when I made my way to Heidelberg Kaffehause, Solaris Dutamas 1, KL to attend the charity hi -tea tagged Debut of Cheshire Designers in collaboration with Pink Jambu. When I arrived I was warmly greeted by familiar faces - Cheshire Council members and the residents themselves. 'Hey! we should be in bikinis to stay cool!' I joked! Well, what was to follow - the casual wear was real 'cool'. I have to say outright, it was a fashion show with a DIFFERENCE!

After a brief welcome by Council member, Mej Habibah and then a speech by our ever- hardworking president, Datuk Paduka Khatijah Suleiman, the show got underway.

In walked the first Economic Empowerment (EEP) student with a model to show off her artwork. Together they walked towards the VVIP table, to much applause all round. Ooops! in her excitement, being the first artist to start the ball rolling, she tripped and fell. We rewarded her with a bigger round of applause - jitters is so normal. But hey, it's her BIG day - her artwork of the dragonfruit is imprinted and turned into high fashion. Eyes followed with much expectancy as more students took their turns down the Kaffehause catwalk.

I enjoy the dragonfruit - the deeper the colour the more I relish it and try to bite at the black bits(reminds me of the selasih seeds!). But watching more display of the dragonfruit as motifs cleverly and aesthetically imprinted on tablecloths, table runners, tea cosy, soft toys, etc. slowly but surely, I fell in love with the unwieldy looking cacti. Art by these residents have turned the tables on the dragon fruit - a beauty to behold!

To think the humble dragonfruit grown in their backyard is not forgotten! The plot of land beyond the residential quarters of Cheshire Home grow dragonfruit. As I have observed, the EEP students have been faithfully tending to this garden as farmers - learning a new skill . Fruits are harvested and sold . Drawing artistic inspiration from the 1000 plants, a new extended activity of the garden holds even more promise of sustainability for the EEP programme.

The feather logo, representative of Cheshire Homes worldwide, also got its oohhs and aahhs from the guests. Pn Khatijah, president of Selangor Cheshire Home was seen wearing a lovely chiffon outfit with the feather embellished on corners of her flowing selendang. It really had a delicate touch to it. 'Stay with us and don't fly away!', someone joked.

The luscious red dragon fruits!

How prettily the dragon fruit sits on the apron!

Good looking jumbo

Each and everyone of the EEP students have every reason to be very proud of themselves. Under the guidance of fashion house designer and owner, Tengku Marina of Pink Jambu, this collaborative programme makes a lot of sense - not only in ringgit sense but in empowering the disabled to enhance their skills . I was especially thrilled to witness Doris, Yoek Choy and S. Ming, our regular attendees at the Sunshine Group activities doing their lap of honour among the guests. Doris' art was a Christmas theme. What an eye-catcher and a great conversation piece too! So, come Christmas, I expect more sales will be generated.

Everyone, including some royalties among the VVIPS enjoyed the debut. Even the few men who were present were really appreciative of the display of artistic talent.

Judging by the generous applause and comments of the guests, the fruition of some months of brain storming work have reaped positive response. The smiles on the faces of the artists say a lot too, though nervous as they were on the their catwalk. This platform to provide more artistic expression for the EEP programme is really innovative.

Food was nice, delicate little bites of canapes, buffet-style. Singing and dancing filled in to make it informal and lively.

Council member, Dato' Ghazali in his element entertaining with Besame Mucho. Close your eyes and just listen to him croon!

All in all, it was a short and sweet event - to showcase the artists' work which have turned into beauties that they themselves would not have dreamed of had it remained on a piece of paper. I would say, Cheshire Home folks, its a feather in YOUR cap! To add, let's take it to the world!

Proud artist, Doris beside the model

Tie a knot for the pretty top - simply gorgeous with the dragonfruit motif

Artists at work in Cheshire Home with Tengku Marina Ibrahim and her team of helpers. Colours of inspiration and hope.

S. Ming waving to me . A happy and colourful day indeed!

The Cheshire feather, symbolic of relief of suffering , making its debut - on tops, cushion covers.

Simple and attractive - tea for two, anyone?

Spread the cheer, celebrate the power of empowering the disabled - with style you can even wear a tablecloth !

Guests in lovely attires - adding dollops of colourful splashes to the event.

The attractive display of home items in Pink Jambu shop

President Datuk Paduka Khatijah Suleiman and owner of fashion House, Pink Jambu, Tengku Marina Ibrahim with the team taking a bow. Kudos to a great accomplishment!

Selangor Cheshire Home

Batu 71/2,

Jalan Ipoh

Selayang

68100 Batu Caves, Selayang

Selangor Darul Ehsan

Tel: 603 6138 7118/ 6136 6151

Email: selangor_cheshire@hotmail.com

website: www.cheshire.org.my

Pink Jambu

Solaris Dutamas 1

Jalan Dutamas 1

50480 Kuala Lumpur

Say it for our TIGER!

I wrote to a few friends to ask for contributions for Tiger Blogfest 2010 in conjunction with Earth Day. The plight of our Malayan Tiger is obvious. Would they pen a few lines and let us know their thoughts?

Thank you contributors! Your views/ideas are important to us.

Sugurajah Ramalingam, retired civil servant

Melbourne, Australia

The idea is laudable but it is the implementation of it that faces enormous hurdles especially in a country like Malaysia with so many competing demands politically, economically, and socially.

However, one can still try despite all the ever present constraints to evolve a strategy towards the objective. I feel that before anything is done, one needs to carry out some sort of a survey to at least guesstimate the number of tigers by tracking them by implanting micro chips in them. That will enable one to obtain their geographical habitats or the extent of it as well as indicate their numbers.

Besides one needs to know their approximate current numbers as that will serve as a benchmark against which one can monitor the outcomes of the strategies adopted to save the tigers. That should tell one whether the strategies in place are a success or failure and if the latter, whether one needs to look at alternative strategies.

Ho Ce Line, 11 years

Round and round

there they roam

until they are found

please do not destroy their home

On all fours

they walk around with their paws

save our Malayan tigers to be fair

please think of them with care

While the young tigers play

at the place they can stay

leave them alone

they have enough trouble of their own

Tiger skin bags

tiger skin boots filling up the shoe racks

is it the best we can do?

let the tigers continue to rule!

Linda Tan Lingard, publisher of OYEZ! Books, president of SCBWI Malaysia ( Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators)

Do check out Friends For a Tiger by Peter Worthington., author of The Tipee Hipee Animal Adventure Series. Please click on the link to view.

http://keatsthesunshinegirl.googlegroups.com/web/tim%20tiger%20ebook.pdf?gsc=0wmw8C4AAABmpWzABHOLezSiEVufgPCXOYHfCcXL9eVJP9niPcRNNP1gDKXkFGmuSdQiZPsgnNc

Tiger Blogfest 2010 - Kids get to know our Tiger

Cool tiger!

What I've found time and again, when storytime comes along, you gotta inject fun into the learning. Children are keen to learn and if we do some things right, we've got them with us - eyes, ears and mind open for as long as they're with you.

More so, this time when I've a 'mission' to accomplish. Earth Day is round the corner and together with over 100 bloggers, headed by the King Monyet, we're zooming in on ' Save Our Tiger' in our special Tiger Blogfest 2010. I had the privilege of 2 sessions with some kids in the MBPJ library and Times Bookshop , all within an hour each. Big task? Yes, but like they say, chunk it and for the young kids, keep it simple.

Truth be told, the kids fear the tiger for all the stories they hear. But then, there's a part of the story missing . Exactly why do tigers kill humans. What's the underlying reason/s for tigers to leave their habitat and create havoc? And what about Man's irresponsible acts of poaching tigers. For the young ones, this information is something new. Unheard of! I could sense some uneasiness to know that the tiger falls prey to man's bad acts.

To get to the core of the important message, I made up a simple song for all to sing.We sang about the Tiger Is A Cat to the tune of The Farmer In The Dell. Simple, catchy and easy to sing -along. Thumbs up for the Tiger - Save our Tiger ! screamed the kids. Here are the lyrics:

The tiger is a cat (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

It lives in the jungle (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

Hunted by Man (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

Killed by Man (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

Eat the tiger? NO! (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

Save the tiger? YES! (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

The tiger is a cat (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

Then, it was time to settle down to a beautiful story Tigress by Nick Dowson, illustrated by Jane Chapman. Well, not before I encouraged the children to growl their best to kick off a tigerish start. Would you have guessed? A little 5 year old wanted to be a tiger alright and that got the bigger kids going. So, altogether, we growled!

I love the excellent text. It brings into focus in the 32 pages so much to know about the tiger without wordy prose. How is it possible? Well, the high standard of illustrations go hand in hand with the text so beautifully. I gathered from the children's attention that what misgivings they had of the tiger , it was slowly shedding away. On and off, at various points, I brought their attention to the similarities of the domestic cat with our wild cat - in nursing their young, their mother's ever tender loving care, and the way the mothers carry their litte ones in their mouths, nary hurting.

Tigress takes the children from the cub stage to adult independence. The young tigers at 18 months will have to find new homes for themselves. With excellent brevity, it comes to a lovely ending as the majestic grown tiger seeks its own life in the jungle. I certainly recommend this stunning , nature storybook to parents. Such a lively book to get to know about the tiger and familiarize its behaviour.

Have fun with a juice carton - a tiger lives there!

Tigress at play and work!

I brought along a craft - tiger, of course! Out of recyclable juice cartons, the kids made their own hand puppet tiger. Very soon, the tiger earned its stripes!! - all lovingly from torn strips of black colour paper and then glued. The 2 sides of the carton were used to to write messages FOR the tiger.

Parents too can play - kids learn tons through play

Some parents were around and I really appreciated their presence. For the fact that it is bonding time and they are fully aware of what a session like this can reap the benefits of informal learning through play. Talking about play. Initially the kids were shy to don the masks. Me, big tigress took the lead. Then, shyness was lost and we had roaming tigers!!

Will our tigers be able to roam free in the jungle? The answer lies with with each and everyone of us. Ignorance is not bliss if we are to save our tiger for now and posterity. Yes, the kids need to know and love our tigers .

As a storyteller and a parent, I say besides the general public awareness campaign, let's invest in our kids. Granted, some are too young to know the implications. But when the love of nature, also our heritage is planted, it will only grow through the years. Storytime 's over but the knowing and learning has begun!

My friend, the tiger

WWF Malaysia

49, SS23/15

Taman SEA

47400 Petaling Jaya

Tel: +603 7803 3772

Fax: +603 7803 5157

Green harvest

Among the greenery in my garden, there's actually stuff I grow to eat. The odd herbs and fruit trees somehow complete what I would like my garden to be.

Herbs are easy to grow in our climate. It's the choices that's bewildering. There's always the perennial question posed by my husband, ' Where is the space??' Tongue in cheek, I say, 'On my head!!'

The aromatic mint is easy enough to grow. Just tending and lightly brushing the plant is enough to give an unmistakeable minty aroma. It spreads by underground creepers. Many a time one needs only a few leaves. If there's none in one's garden, the supermarts sell a whole bunch and inevitably the rest go to waste. The shoot and tender leaves are eaten fresh as ulam or to flavour ulam dishes such as kerabu ( mixed salad) and nasi kerabu ( herbed rice).

For the asam laksa ( soured noodles), asam pedas ( hot-soured soup) and tom yam 'devotees', the daun kesum ( polygomnum minus) with its light aromatic smell , is a sure winner. Easily they can be mistaken for another weed! For a different flavour to the fried rice, cut some fresh and sprinkle on top. What a difference it makes !

My brother -in -law, Mus gave me a small variety of banana. He calls it 'pisang serendah'. Translated it means ' low banana' which is exactly what it is. At your waist height, the bananas when ripe, are easily plucked. They do not need to turn the ripe yellow one is accustomed to. Just a little hint of yellow and it's good enough to eat! And there's always the ready platters for the odd Indian banana leaf meal . Eat and dispose!

I've had bumper crops of the limau kasturi which is such a delight. Hot days means ice -cold quenching citrus drinks. Squueze them and mix them with syrup to your taste. Cheers! Cut in half, it is served with fried noodles and soups. For the sambal belacan, it is the juice that gives the tangy flavour.

I have only myself to blame for the scraggy guava tree. Previously the flowers were aborting.It's so important to give plants a good headstart.Thankfully Nature is all -giving! Finally fruits are appearing. Yes, the pollinators are busy. I asked the nursery man for the seedless variety and I hope to taste a sweet harvest.

Another favourite local fruit of mine is the starfruit which is full of Vit C. However, it'll be a while before any fruit develops. When it was Chinese New Year, I visited a nursery just outside my alma mater, Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus,Taiping. I was hard pressed to make a choice of fruit trees to plant. There's always the question of space. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it will give me good quality fruits - all because it's the farmer's pick!

Bright and Red !

I hardly ever wear red. But come Chinese New Year, it's the colour! To wish myself loads of luck and to look happy too for an auspicious celebration. However, the bright red has a place in my heart, in my garden. I love the splashes of red among my plants. So I keep a lookout for them when I visit the nurseries.

I love the tapeinochillus ananassae which occupies a 'humble' spot in my garden, skirting the wall of my neighbour's house. It has to be one of my favourites. Never mind the clayey soil, I know the place is perfect 'coz from the start, it has thrived.

Touch it and it feels like an armour - stiff and pretty pointy at the tips of the bracts. That accounts for its erect shape. Does it not look like an upside down pineapple? The glorious deep red tapeinochilus ananassae lasts for quite a while before fading into a light brownish stalk. Added interest in the plant are the leaves that spiral round the bamboo-like stem.

I love heliconias and grow a few varieties in my garden. After a little trial and error planting them in different parts of my garden, it was happy to bloom. Hooray! Now as I sit in my terrace area of the house with the greenery around to soothe my eyes, there's these lush upright heliconias kissing the sunlight!

I planted the bilebergia pyramidalis under one of my large pine trees a few years ago as a sort of cover plant. In the partial shade, I've since found a light dose of flowering fertiliser is sure to get the red blooms peeping through in a short time. I love to see them 'sprout'.

Would you say they remind you of the anemones with their tentacles waving except these are stiff ? The large vase has red flowers with yellow and purple highlights. Just a thought, I wonder if newly-weds would look on these stunning beauties as bridal bouquets? Something different from the white stephanotis which also looks beautiful. To the florists, this exotic plant from Brazil is a lovely one to brighten a floral arrangement.

To say I gave up our national flower for the ixora may sound like some kind of betrayal. But for the life of me, the hibiscus plants hardly ever flowered !! I had envisioned a whole row of red hibiscuses in my back garden as I looked out from my kitchen windows but it was not to be.

So, I dug them out. Then one morning, I trudged to the nurseries in Sungai Buloh to look for the tropical , free flowering ixoras. To add more colour to my back garden, I alternated yellow with the red ixoras. Guess, what I'm seeing ? - splashes of reds and yellows.

The erythrina glauca has grown much since it was planted as a stump 15 years ago during my son's 8th birthday party. We had such a wonderful time at the 'Back to Nature ' party for 30 kids. I can still remember the planting and watering ceremony with fathers, mothers and kids round the tree. Uncle Foo suggested this tree as I wanted one that the sunbirds would visit and something bright and red. So, here it stands now shading the hydrangeas underneath it. It is home to the bird's nest ferns and the platycerium superbum ( staghorn fern) too.

Outside my garden, by the roadside, there are many plants growing. The garden space has all been utilised. A visitor remarked it looked like a jungle!! But of late, I've been pruning ( the gardener, not me!) and it looks more tamed!

I grew the Turk's Cap, ( malvaviscus arboreus) one of the hibiscus species because I like the small red fez-like flowers. It is another one of my 'not-to fuss about ' plants. Definitely a durable plant, this small beauty needs little care. So that suits me!

A part of my garden where the erythrina glauca stands