tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44027445781305815842024-03-21T13:52:06.566-07:00Khoa-ViQuỳnh Nghihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919483531992106860noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4402744578130581584.post-62857266539341138072011-07-05T13:05:00.000-07:002011-07-05T18:00:31.917-07:00Skirt makeover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YMHqQO7gjMbqzvzspxIrY-KGjxWahay9HP7Nx5697cLj1cFF4lVu9Lpx3daz98dQXYr1-VE-m5jPI31UiJSPLAQh09cnsWC3VpUYjX_22KaVja5fqLLAFIyBlW5__X7Wg8z7fO8tdvI/s1600/IMG_4722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YMHqQO7gjMbqzvzspxIrY-KGjxWahay9HP7Nx5697cLj1cFF4lVu9Lpx3daz98dQXYr1-VE-m5jPI31UiJSPLAQh09cnsWC3VpUYjX_22KaVja5fqLLAFIyBlW5__X7Wg8z7fO8tdvI/s320/IMG_4722.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #351c75;">What's wrong </span><span style="color: #351c75;">with this skirt? Nothing! It's just too plain :P</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpruOKjj94g4euAhqqxfqvbmA3M3G9UAuWTtoEbPXM5xkNYjuICp4kUEYPeB3PjuWrYwYAo16k2E7Gws0P4Q3b4P7SzrfWSjHXM7R2uJc7O1ZfRJsvcJtK8-lEajWIfDyyJgO08HHS8I/s1600/IMG_4725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpruOKjj94g4euAhqqxfqvbmA3M3G9UAuWTtoEbPXM5xkNYjuICp4kUEYPeB3PjuWrYwYAo16k2E7Gws0P4Q3b4P7SzrfWSjHXM7R2uJc7O1ZfRJsvcJtK8-lEajWIfDyyJgO08HHS8I/s320/IMG_4725.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #351c75;"> </span>Now instantly dressed up :-)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YMHqQO7gjMbqzvzspxIrY-KGjxWahay9HP7Nx5697cLj1cFF4lVu9Lpx3daz98dQXYr1-VE-m5jPI31UiJSPLAQh09cnsWC3VpUYjX_22KaVja5fqLLAFIyBlW5__X7Wg8z7fO8tdvI/s1600/IMG_4722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>Quỳnh Nghihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919483531992106860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4402744578130581584.post-88055855742962588012011-07-02T20:29:00.000-07:002011-07-05T17:58:48.792-07:00Layered Skirt - A Tutorial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji811znLu9Eh9-Ie6AcieQoN8WGXJqHqyhpR3d6zc2KQljcBn7PK2PgFml1tlowITa-XliSoFhab3f42BWE3kGB7oD770HjWEfg2tpETdwEW3e_e3M0wAYO5BNqCev4gQzpj6c7i10lGY/s1600/IMG_4706.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><br />
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I've never sewn Georgette before and I'm nervous. It turns out sewing thin fabric wasn't that scary :-) This skirt I made for my daughter. It's a very simple skirt employed some clever scheme to hide all raw edge so don't worry if you don't have a serger. <br />
First start out with 3 rectangles (I need the third one since Georgette is so seer, but you can just use cotton and only need 2 pieces: 1 big and 1 small).<br />
Materials:<br />
<ul><li> Georgette fabric or any lightweight fabric</li>
<li>Matching cotton or any lightweight fabric</li>
<li>elastic band</li>
<li>Matching thread</li>
</ul>Sizing:<br />
<ul><li>each rectangle has the length measured by the waistline measurement x 1.5 or 2. For 40" to 45" fabric I just use the whole width, only cut the size of the height so I don't have to worry about concealing the raw edge.</li>
<li>for the large piece the height would be from waistline to knee + 1.5 inches, cut 2: 1 from the Georgette fabric, 1 from the lining fabric.</li>
<li> The small piece should have the height 3 inches shorter than the other 2.</li>
</ul><ul><li>Sew 1 seam on the short ends of all pieces to form a tube. Iron seams open. Zigzag the raw edges if needed.</li>
</ul><ul><li>Make the hem now on all pieces: fold the bottom end 1/4in, iron; fold another 1/4 in., iron then sew a seam 1/8in away from the edge.</li>
</ul>Now's the tricky part:<br />
<ul><li> Place the shorter Georgette tube on top/outside of the longer Georgette tube, right side up/out.</li>
<li>Place the liner on top/outside of the tube formed by previous step, right side up, or out.</li>
<li>Pin all 3 layers in place.</li>
</ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji811znLu9Eh9-Ie6AcieQoN8WGXJqHqyhpR3d6zc2KQljcBn7PK2PgFml1tlowITa-XliSoFhab3f42BWE3kGB7oD770HjWEfg2tpETdwEW3e_e3M0wAYO5BNqCev4gQzpj6c7i10lGY/s1600/IMG_4706.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXJypwjLFqCgr7SbKUCYOLWv8Uf_xlJ35Wr-J585QEChbG5hlCpW5h7LZ-HzUpycaumOofVracop1PYXAVOmjcfmfedp-LDs84lPC16djnHUeddFXS_l3NP9cmTokel6r83JRVjTzRRo/s1600/IMG_4699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXJypwjLFqCgr7SbKUCYOLWv8Uf_xlJ35Wr-J585QEChbG5hlCpW5h7LZ-HzUpycaumOofVracop1PYXAVOmjcfmfedp-LDs84lPC16djnHUeddFXS_l3NP9cmTokel6r83JRVjTzRRo/s320/IMG_4699.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><ul><li> Sew all 3 layers together using a 0.5 in. seam. </li>
</ul><ul><li>Now open the liner layer away from the 2 Georgette pieces, iron.</li>
</ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hu9ksaBGlkIcgf6tphZUYMXT00vtmFAKPRrCTgRgEwReMBIbnL2TPqQaILaQLKqW3ChHHxqCdHrJI5tnrbYrbvfQta-ceP5QN7K38veuwH65gWt2fb3Og9Ixs3Khjp1lFDETFowJS10/s1600/IMG_4701.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hu9ksaBGlkIcgf6tphZUYMXT00vtmFAKPRrCTgRgEwReMBIbnL2TPqQaILaQLKqW3ChHHxqCdHrJI5tnrbYrbvfQta-ceP5QN7K38veuwH65gWt2fb3Og9Ixs3Khjp1lFDETFowJS10/s320/IMG_4701.JPG" width="320" /></a> <br />
<ul><li>Measure your elastic band's width, then add 0.5 in. as the distance from the folded edge down, mark a line using a disappearing pen. (sorry my line already disappearing :P) </li>
<li>Pin in place and sew all layers together using that line as the guide to form the casing for the elastic band, leaving an opening about 1.5 in. for inserting the elastic band. Sew another line 1/8in. away from the top edge. See? all your raw edges are concealed now.</li>
</ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzSWcvLUTR7bvSbN8e3PggNQ48Ozc4CtWSCfQTZiFeg7jnHFThiSId0RIGcX7OAmdp2gSx0dOToXMwOMw9pY4TExXuX8wgeljzgaAdc6JL8FYzjHRK0aPVE0qw7UuuMAJTKAib1KqP0I/s1600/IMG_4707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6ia8EKRUzgO98grL6N2YL9bsrQiiou5fqtEazqCVYH2_nhSWk_skGlJLl22_xtCK87-fXDIVkphciPY6qRBnfcOB_WC_RO711gHdBBEHUf4Mzv-4LkzSKC0tqZmZ80nlJdn2veYyhRU/s1600/IMG_4704.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6ia8EKRUzgO98grL6N2YL9bsrQiiou5fqtEazqCVYH2_nhSWk_skGlJLl22_xtCK87-fXDIVkphciPY6qRBnfcOB_WC_RO711gHdBBEHUf4Mzv-4LkzSKC0tqZmZ80nlJdn2veYyhRU/s320/IMG_4704.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<ul><li>Flip the outer layers up off the lining for inserting the elastic band. Cut a piece of elastic band the size of your child's waist + 1in., pin 1 end to the outside of the hole using a safety pin. Use another safety pin to insert the elastic band into the casing. Take care not to twist it inside the casing. </li>
</ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji811znLu9Eh9-Ie6AcieQoN8WGXJqHqyhpR3d6zc2KQljcBn7PK2PgFml1tlowITa-XliSoFhab3f42BWE3kGB7oD770HjWEfg2tpETdwEW3e_e3M0wAYO5BNqCev4gQzpj6c7i10lGY/s1600/IMG_4706.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji811znLu9Eh9-Ie6AcieQoN8WGXJqHqyhpR3d6zc2KQljcBn7PK2PgFml1tlowITa-XliSoFhab3f42BWE3kGB7oD770HjWEfg2tpETdwEW3e_e3M0wAYO5BNqCev4gQzpj6c7i10lGY/s320/IMG_4706.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<ul><li>Overlap the 2 ends of the elastic band, zigzag a few lines to close.</li>
</ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzSWcvLUTR7bvSbN8e3PggNQ48Ozc4CtWSCfQTZiFeg7jnHFThiSId0RIGcX7OAmdp2gSx0dOToXMwOMw9pY4TExXuX8wgeljzgaAdc6JL8FYzjHRK0aPVE0qw7UuuMAJTKAib1KqP0I/s1600/IMG_4707.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzSWcvLUTR7bvSbN8e3PggNQ48Ozc4CtWSCfQTZiFeg7jnHFThiSId0RIGcX7OAmdp2gSx0dOToXMwOMw9pY4TExXuX8wgeljzgaAdc6JL8FYzjHRK0aPVE0qw7UuuMAJTKAib1KqP0I/s320/IMG_4707.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Almost done :-) now close the gap on the casing<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNauvuYHyOwEA72_58HFFDCZlAaMIh53C9SnZpXMXrUS_DBJjxRKJaymBkEwDmYduUelDRXFT3MObgpIlyHHn30ARLeSN01_pLhcxyv4UaCHeHtiuhBRCcjMJAYyIKmjtrWjVIoN2yREE/s1600/IMG_4709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNauvuYHyOwEA72_58HFFDCZlAaMIh53C9SnZpXMXrUS_DBJjxRKJaymBkEwDmYduUelDRXFT3MObgpIlyHHn30ARLeSN01_pLhcxyv4UaCHeHtiuhBRCcjMJAYyIKmjtrWjVIoN2yREE/s320/IMG_4709.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> </li>
<li>Voilà! a simple skirt with layers!</li>
</ul><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdi50wHRGYCAxM8hqWwH-yZ_FYdOr2HKc6VyEOnqbbnJnB5v6yTsCSR56P9nJsfUBZXKMB0IHvlfwD8ULQIKutBNnU9LzgU-NMY4rKmmACmYgIM2Lb5cWDxpKO_5ZVPv_Hvhh_4tjcEw8/s1600/IMG_4710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdi50wHRGYCAxM8hqWwH-yZ_FYdOr2HKc6VyEOnqbbnJnB5v6yTsCSR56P9nJsfUBZXKMB0IHvlfwD8ULQIKutBNnU9LzgU-NMY4rKmmACmYgIM2Lb5cWDxpKO_5ZVPv_Hvhh_4tjcEw8/s320/IMG_4710.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<ul><li>Now have fun!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwa0O5YPqapqq2Ga2KJkzVjtATUPEYqfTV1_uxbltJj-xhY83d-tnmXyrn1D9E-zJcIE9GMF6FrjRXHMSkex0SXaJk7CjHqKl7NVNKRE9iJsrr6BBzJ16EzEHfZWTSl3AN1jYQQlIP7Q/s1600/IMG_4714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwa0O5YPqapqq2Ga2KJkzVjtATUPEYqfTV1_uxbltJj-xhY83d-tnmXyrn1D9E-zJcIE9GMF6FrjRXHMSkex0SXaJk7CjHqKl7NVNKRE9iJsrr6BBzJ16EzEHfZWTSl3AN1jYQQlIP7Q/s320/IMG_4714.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6zGbykdhzsLkFuPb-Rh7eKKo22Ubuvbyn-oMhi63Q1P0x8M_-pwmUillaJYDgR5jssGlIs7AymUEH0jUeMMOwF3xhDoU0Vt_VF9_BlNTmaVITfaf4n4KK5ja0BSMUAglVtvSO6wRMQc/s1600/IMG_4715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6zGbykdhzsLkFuPb-Rh7eKKo22Ubuvbyn-oMhi63Q1P0x8M_-pwmUillaJYDgR5jssGlIs7AymUEH0jUeMMOwF3xhDoU0Vt_VF9_BlNTmaVITfaf4n4KK5ja0BSMUAglVtvSO6wRMQc/s320/IMG_4715.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Happy the 4th of July! </li>
</ul>Quỳnh Nghihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919483531992106860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4402744578130581584.post-21423012265204752082011-07-02T09:39:00.000-07:002011-07-05T17:59:51.933-07:00Dresses Makeover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_DNBGQgbMnfCGUxsuJJ8XVaF6wy0z544OoqoCaYAnmcnorxI8F_XrD4VKlUJYNPqsgCtRHS_ABxmM8RIKIry-kvxBW3p_YZAVmrVToXBo9JP9__Gwo840LBDs4CLQTRkgPJc1HJq-tY/s1600/IMG_4698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_DNBGQgbMnfCGUxsuJJ8XVaF6wy0z544OoqoCaYAnmcnorxI8F_XrD4VKlUJYNPqsgCtRHS_ABxmM8RIKIry-kvxBW3p_YZAVmrVToXBo9JP9__Gwo840LBDs4CLQTRkgPJc1HJq-tY/s320/IMG_4698.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii46BPUMiJgPizFsCQG4C_ZSKubyt3Ly37dS1o-UJoLnpbfxFdnEn8VNsITL4gSc1Xn5A7Xo5cFB4bSrhZSjcm_Hj4kHjR1ld-iMNaesd3zm7zEWf1fsUwK5BDfj8zZJyAYHzyEoDIWbE/s1600/IMG_4697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii46BPUMiJgPizFsCQG4C_ZSKubyt3Ly37dS1o-UJoLnpbfxFdnEn8VNsITL4gSc1Xn5A7Xo5cFB4bSrhZSjcm_Hj4kHjR1ld-iMNaesd3zm7zEWf1fsUwK5BDfj8zZJyAYHzyEoDIWbE/s320/IMG_4697.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;">I bought these maxis last year for $8 each. They were too long with the ruffle on. Then I remember my favorite dresses that are too short. I used to have to wear leggings with them to maintain my dignity :P so I cut the ruffle off the maxis to the length of the short dresses' hem, attached them to the short dress. (They're already ruffled, just cut the exact length then close the tube up with 1 seam line). Voilà! 2 new dresses. No, 4 new dresses! Problems solved: long dresses shorter, short dresses are about 2 inches longer. </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6N7O2wzbm5-QHcajAvHYUS6X7HD_IAYX2sM75uoF53xIMtO7_F5poUrsGQvnTtQwU3-s_aA-oMrjE-9UleT09lpUYBxRDvS32OVKyRo7A9fZyJrUMZziotsbOLici_vZ_Gjep39r85lY/s1600/IMG_4693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6N7O2wzbm5-QHcajAvHYUS6X7HD_IAYX2sM75uoF53xIMtO7_F5poUrsGQvnTtQwU3-s_aA-oMrjE-9UleT09lpUYBxRDvS32OVKyRo7A9fZyJrUMZziotsbOLici_vZ_Gjep39r85lY/s320/IMG_4693.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL29u62WdFmRqfsgpQcl0P5qyOI0XbQFrdjw1j4JnmHU4xLYfc-o3IwFb_txqiu19EM1UYbSnV4_js5nEyKrb37aJyYLSAt4J0Z-V0fRifOMp3ic-EQoV6ExajD6QWuIqAYp818ushLf4/s1600/IMG_4694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL29u62WdFmRqfsgpQcl0P5qyOI0XbQFrdjw1j4JnmHU4xLYfc-o3IwFb_txqiu19EM1UYbSnV4_js5nEyKrb37aJyYLSAt4J0Z-V0fRifOMp3ic-EQoV6ExajD6QWuIqAYp818ushLf4/s320/IMG_4694.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Quỳnh Nghihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919483531992106860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4402744578130581584.post-36282072270301906442011-06-16T07:53:00.000-07:002011-07-02T10:01:35.152-07:00Chicken Phở Recipe<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCvbHWn8GsRmRkyyy7V8_Ilz9iHfVP12spxIxbivrcYYcXjzryctunlvHN43pBQOX5Z5tW63bjcTeOkRDV7EMcokcOJo96jq2jw512KectkL66zgPJ-GrVBPd0J-LLqhWTAAon59dWz0/s1600/170254_184717204872619_100000030222276_670067_3578759_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCvbHWn8GsRmRkyyy7V8_Ilz9iHfVP12spxIxbivrcYYcXjzryctunlvHN43pBQOX5Z5tW63bjcTeOkRDV7EMcokcOJo96jq2jw512KectkL66zgPJ-GrVBPd0J-LLqhWTAAon59dWz0/s320/170254_184717204872619_100000030222276_670067_3578759_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">soup base, any chicken bouillon will do</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT97sAPigCnIzGtJaG0srpJbviy56Uh1G5_GXqBOa9Z9-Wf8EAqVPmjYFlhCvMWUT13bhUKNRk4N_tbarNLQYfYWlorCvqQ1WDIs4pBP_6jEo3g0eDh57ilHGs73KRbpT17tbVttW3vks/s1600/133546_184717011539305_100000030222276_670066_7796632_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT97sAPigCnIzGtJaG0srpJbviy56Uh1G5_GXqBOa9Z9-Wf8EAqVPmjYFlhCvMWUT13bhUKNRk4N_tbarNLQYfYWlorCvqQ1WDIs4pBP_6jEo3g0eDh57ilHGs73KRbpT17tbVttW3vks/s320/133546_184717011539305_100000030222276_670066_7796632_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;">An easy version of Pho. Using the mixed spice for Pho package (picture).</span></div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients: All ingredients can be found at any Asian grocery store.</span></div><ul style="color: blue;"><li><span style="font-size: large;">1 chicken (any kind but I love baking hen from Walmart)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">1 package of mixed spice for Pho (star arnise and cinnamon are main ingredients)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">1 package of Pho noodle</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">1 package of bean sprout</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">1 bunch of green onion</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">2 small onions</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">1 piece of ginger (about the size of a thumb)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Pho soup base or chicken bouillon </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">hoisin sauce & sriracha hot pepper sauce </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">lemon/lime cut into wedges</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Thai basil</span></li>
</ul><ol style="color: blue;"><li><span style="font-size: large;"> Roast a small piece of ginger (thumb size) and a small onion, smashed with the side of a knife until burnt on surface a little. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Put the ginger, onion & mixed spice in a spice ball, drop in a pot with the chicken cover with water, add a pinch of salt, cook until chicken tender</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Take the spice out, discard. Take the chicken out, let cool then shred into bite size chunks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Add more water if needed, salt & chicken bullion to taste to the stock</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Boil some water, put pho noodle in for about 5-10 seconds, take out, drain</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Cut some green onion, slice some onion</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Place some bean sprout in the bottom of a bowl, some noodle, then shredded chicken, sliced onion & green onion on top, ladle with Pho stock. Squeeze some lemon in. Put some Thai basil on top. Add some hoisin sauce & sriracha hot sauce to taste, mixed. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Mix hoisin sauce and sriracha hot sauce as dipping sauce for chicken. Enjoy!</span></li>
</ol>Quỳnh Nghihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919483531992106860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4402744578130581584.post-2580743278605985302011-02-01T06:46:00.000-08:002011-02-01T06:46:49.470-08:00Child talkConversation in the back of the car this morning at school bus stop:<br />
Meggie (4): "Look out the window, look over there. You'll see something. Don't look at me. I don't want you looking at me!"<br />
Sydney (7): "It's ok to look. I'm not touching you or pushing you. When you grow up, some boy might want to look at you because he likes you. Get used to it. Besides, you might get so pretty all the boys want to look at you."<br />
Meggie: "Oookayyyy."<br />
Meggie: "I'm gonna look like mommy."<br />
Sydney: "Just don't look like her side. She's fat." (sly smile) Then he asked: "How much money will I get when I go to college, mommy?" (He saw his college fund statement once.)Quỳnh Nghihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919483531992106860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4402744578130581584.post-62482564606194296722010-09-09T11:56:00.000-07:002010-09-09T18:29:33.931-07:00Suggestions to Environmental Nuts<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">As the "eco" movement moves to... ridiculously nuts path, it bombards your everyday life with propaganda & no truth. From your kids' Nick Jr. program every morning to your corporate email: "please think of the environment when you print this email," blah blah blah the list goes on. The most hilarious attempt done by our lovely Sheryl Crow on saving "green" <a href="http://newsbusters.org/node/12226">here</a> stirs up some memories that I'd like to share with you. Maybe Sheryl can learn from it too. It was amusing hearing her suggest that we should only use 1 square of toilette paper per sitting (umm...we need a demo here, Sheryl). Back in Vietnam when I grew up, farmers used dried banana leaves or newspaper for toilette paper, just crumble them up. (As it's probably hard to find dried banana leaves here unless you move to the jungle, I suggest we use the useless newspaper, dear Sheryl, perhaps the "New York Times"?) Their "toilette" was a small wooden/tin fort built in the middle of a pond, where they raise some catfish in. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #20124d; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilMRnFwaBH9yka5jezZ-vzMviDgG-BxToz7jVE4LFIJe70X0tqKO1zSajENVBEFJOerEvYewJxKHsxhXISbMTDqofHrKAJAWVPFUr9J0sgShQ8Npfe_g_Wm6jDjbKZJ6OLAfKbewjIis/s1600/cauca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilMRnFwaBH9yka5jezZ-vzMviDgG-BxToz7jVE4LFIJe70X0tqKO1zSajENVBEFJOerEvYewJxKHsxhXISbMTDqofHrKAJAWVPFUr9J0sgShQ8Npfe_g_Wm6jDjbKZJ6OLAfKbewjIis/s200/cauca.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">As soon as something dropped down there, a startling noise occurred as the fish jumped up for food. Know what they do with the fish, eh? I hope you still enjoy catfish as much as shaking Sheryl Crow's hand.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #20124d;"> Us city dwellers just used plain old water. You do you business, get off your throne, fill a bucket of water, dump it in the toilette to flush (no flush-able toilette, baby!), then you proceed to the floor, get another cup of water & wash your behind, dry with a reusable cloth. How environmentally wonderful is that? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-size: large;">You would think the people in Vietnam were so environmental conscious? Not really. It was just the utmost poverty driven by Communism. I suggest all our liberal celebrity friends move to Vietnam (the country side, where the dirt poor live) for a month (well, a week should suffice) to learn ideas on saving "green." I won't object if you just stay there & maybe do some real "good" for the earth: stay out of the way to prosperity! </span><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span>Quỳnh Nghihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919483531992106860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4402744578130581584.post-40463363565321515412009-12-19T13:46:00.000-08:002009-12-19T13:46:02.694-08:00Childhood memories, Life Journey & Breast Cancer<div style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Last week my cousin IM'ed me that my second cousin, My Van, got breast cancer. It took some time to register. Van is my mom's half brother's grand daughter. In Vietnam, relatives are a lot closer and got ranked like in the same family. Therefore she's supposed to call me "auntie" (she never did, just used the term for peer, claiming that she was older than me - 1 year). Van just turned 40 last November. Her youngest of 4 just turned 1. She stopped breast feeding in June, found a lump on her breast and went to the doctor's for it in September. Test came back after Thanksgiving: she got breast cancer. As of Monday this week when she went in for her 11-hours surgery she was at stage 3.</span><br />
</div><div style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Growing up my cousin Van and I were close. We lived a few minute walking distance in Saigon. Her family's bedroom is on the third floor of her grandfather's house, where I spent almost every night watching TV since we don't have TV at home. TV was only broadcast a few hours a night every day, state owned of course. We spent many summers of our childhood in the country where my grandmother's house and her grandfather's house are of a few minute walking distance also. We spent afternoons laying on the branch of a tree branding over the river in front of her grandfather's house looking out the river, talking. I showed her my first poem. We "swam" in the river using inner tube, banana trunk to float since we were just a bunch of kids from "the city," never were close to any water in Saigon. I got a frantic moment there where a leech stuck to my thigh.</span><br />
</div><div style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then we drifted apart. Her family, after many attempts, finally successfully fled the country, spent some time in refugee asylum camps and migrated to the States. My father also fled with my two brothers, spent some time in Thailand, Philippine refugee camps and then got to the States, living in the same apartment complex with her family. My dad then sponsored my mom and I in 1992. My family of 5 lived in a 1-bedroom apartment. My second day in America I started working in Van's mom's Nails shop in downtown LA.Eventually I started at East LA College and did Nails to make a living. I then moved to Virginia, opened my own shop, finished up my undergrad, went to work for a year, went back to school and finished grad school. I didn't see Van for years until 2 years ago when I went back to California for my uncle's funeral. She got 3 kids, I got 2. My youngest is 2 months older than her youngest, both girls. We then exchanged numbers. I called her once last year right before she gave birth to her 4th. I never thought I needed to worry about her. She was a strong, independent woman. She sent her husband to New york for dentistry school, then she went back herself to be a pharmacist. I thought she lived the American dream and very proud of her.</span><br />
</div><div style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">It breaks my heart to learn what Van'd have to go through compare to the little surgery I went through last week and know about the discomfort that went with it. Makes me feel like a whim. On the other hand I'm confident Van will overcome this with the resilience my people have proved over times of darkness. I'm forever very proud of her.</span><br />
</div>Quỳnh Nghihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919483531992106860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4402744578130581584.post-44351722000175083132009-11-03T13:15:00.000-08:002011-07-02T09:57:59.704-07:00Election day<div style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">I always feel so excited when it's election day. Today is the day Virginians make their choice for the new governor. I have a chance to exercise my hard-earned right to vote and know that my vote counts. Election in Vietnam before I left at age 22 was a joke! It still is now. No one voted voluntarily because we knew it was all staged. Results were already determined before election. We had no say. Besides, there's only 1 party; what do you vote for? Communist party vs. Communist party? At the end, the most corrupted guy will stay. Open our mouths and we go to jail. Intellectuals who made plays, songs or voice their opposition mysteriously got run over in the most "accidental" accidents and this is still happening over there.</span><br />
</div><div style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">The picture below is very famous in the Vietnamese community in the US. April 2007, father Nguyen Van Ly was sentenced 8 years for "spreading propaganda to oppose the socialist government of Vietnam." According to BBC father Ly (we use first name formally in Vietnam) has been in prison for 14 years in the last 24 years for pursuing democracy and religious freedom for Vietnam. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/vietnamese/vietnam/story/2007/03/070330_fatherly_jailed.shtml). To this day, many lawyers, reporters, writers... are in jail for telling the truth or publicly express their opposing opinion. Americans, appreciate your true FREEDOM!</span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUot_e4UtgMIwVEeORuMfK4GFAQmhx9aNTL0lOzBCjKZz1hEAz3mv-NwNmjYlmaanyOJCq0rpVmZicWh2DGbrptUghsKXf-jF05D50Q5sfzijzAKeQUkYGvYl__ITzFspI6HIUF_pttQk/s1600-h/Mieng-Cha-Ly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUot_e4UtgMIwVEeORuMfK4GFAQmhx9aNTL0lOzBCjKZz1hEAz3mv-NwNmjYlmaanyOJCq0rpVmZicWh2DGbrptUghsKXf-jF05D50Q5sfzijzAKeQUkYGvYl__ITzFspI6HIUF_pttQk/s320/Mieng-Cha-Ly.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the "trial" of father Nguyen Van Ly <br />
</div>Quỳnh Nghihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919483531992106860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4402744578130581584.post-3871439343890330142009-10-22T08:01:00.001-07:002012-03-15T18:55:14.943-07:00My dark past cannot be my Kids' Future!<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I was reading an article from a former USSR citizen and got a chill from the striking similarity:</span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=509831">http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=509831</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The ghosts of the past that I ran away from 17 years ago have come back to haunt me as I read the news, as I observe what they're "changing" in the policies. All that scares me. This is what they're heading? This could be my kids' future? Most Americans have no idea what "socialism," "communism" really means. Only us who lived through it (or survived it to be more accurate) in the Soviet or in Vietnam circa 1980s-early 90s understand how it dragged human dignity down. Here is a brief summary of life in Vietnam, after the "blood soaked war against the Imperialist Americans to save our country." </span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">THE WAR AGAINST THE BOURGEOIS</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All "Bourgeois" (business owners, "rich people," people with properties) got a search and seize of all private properties: gold, diamond, money, houses, land... The people themselves are put to a "new economy" area (a concentration camp where even the basic necessities are lacking) for "re-education" and learn how to labor on the field. In all, some 300,000 people were detained there. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The next blow was the currency exchange where the value of the money went down to the extent it turned everyone's valuables into nothing. So there we go, social justice for all: we all were equally poor except for member of Rogue party who just seized all our properties! <br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">THE LABOR RE-EDUCATION CAMP</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All soldiers serving the south Vietnam in the war report to these camps, most of them located deep in the woods. Depending on their "crime," based on their rank they will serve there from a couple weeks to 20 years. Camps for former officers and functionaries of the Saigon government are usually located in malaria infested jungle areas. Thousands of camp inmates have died from lack of food, medicine, or clothing. Thousands have committed suicide some have been secretly liquidated, others perish through staged “accidents”: For example, former officers are forced to de-activate minefields with their bare hands, so the regime will not have to waste valuable bullets on them. After the officers had mostly “been taken care of, it was the turn of the intellectuals some 2,500 of whom were sent to re-education camps. Among them are journalists, authors, scholars, professors, Western-educated technicians, student leaders, “Third Force” leaders.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">THE RATIONING</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Families provided with "food card" to go get rice, or oat for free (stimulus, anybody?) for the month which would last about a week. No other means to put food on your table. Companies, businesses, factories are all state owned. All workers are unionized (union = government). I remember my youngest brother woke up in the morning trying to drink hot water to calm his hunger but ended up crying at the hot water pot because it obviously couldn't calm a 3-year-old's hunger!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">THE FREEDOM TO TRAVEL AND GATHER</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">All citizens who wished to travel anywhere (out of the city, to other province...) must acquire a permit. Once got to the destination, he needed to register with local authorities in order to stay there (even for a couple of days)</span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All gatherings (birthday, family reunion, whatever) must be pre-approved with a permit.</span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">HEALTH CARE</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The wonderful state-run health care is free for all. Anyone, including a child can walk into a clinic and get an abortion, an IUD, no question asked. Not much medicine around, mostly domestically made and useless. Human life is cheap. Corruption was everywhere. My brother fell off his bicycle and poke a hole in his rib case near a "children" hospital. His friends took him there, blood was everywhere. They turned him away because he "wasn't a child" (he was 14!). My other brother needed an emergency blood transfusion in the hospital immediately but they wouldn't do it because my parents didn't have any cash on them to pay for the blood. My aunt ran across the street and pawned her gold chain, saved my brother's life! </span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <i>to be continue with Education...<br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span id="main" style="font-size: small; visibility: visible;"><span id="search" style="visibility: visible;"><i></i></span></span></div>Quỳnh Nghihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919483531992106860noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4402744578130581584.post-25416927387664394352009-09-28T11:18:00.000-07:002009-09-28T11:18:08.896-07:00ForewordJust a place for my life's keepsakes: the love, the laugh and the tear. Maybe one day my kids stumble upon this page and rediscover their mom, themselves.Quỳnh Nghihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919483531992106860noreply@blogger.com0