Twenty five things about me.

1. I was named after English TV show host, Connie and Walter.
2. Yes, my name is Conny. Not Constance.
3. When I was a kid, I used to climb our roof to play kite with my next door neighbor kid. I earned Architectural Engineering degree and then developed a "fear of heights".
4. I love working in a team, dealing with many different projects and seeing the result. Working for Arthur Andersen was the best job I've ever had.
5. I listened to podcast  (Nightly Business Report and Marketplace money )while making jewelry.
6. I love mushrooms including morel mushroom. I can't imagine life without it...
7. I never follow recipe other than baking.
8. I moved a lot. From Jakarta, Bandung, Jakarta, San Francisco, Jakarta, Milwaukee, Broomfield. Food are usually the things I missed the most. Indonesian rice noodle soup is my favorite food (bihun bakso).
9. I'm impatient. I'm a fast learner. I like to try new things. I like to learn new things.
10. I drink tea not coffee. I drink Coke... sometimes Pepsi.
11. In my purse, you'll find baby diaper, pepper spray and dental floss.
12. I'm a night person. Most of my designs "popped" at night.
13. I'm very good in finding directions. Just give me a map and I can direct you where to go.
14. Indonesian is my native language. I learned English when I was 8. I would speak in Dutch to my mom for something secret.
15. The first song I sang was "Hey Jude". I was 18 months old.
16. I never crawled. My first born didn't crawl either...
17. I'm a planner. I even have a plan of things I need to do before I exit from this world.
18. I've been in the situation where I have to choose life or death. I chose the first.
19. I learned that life is like riding a bike. You can choose how fast or how slow you're riding, sometimes you have to climb up or down hill on a paved or gravel trails. It's full of choices.
20. I like wearing comfortable clothes. It tends to be jeans and t-shirt including when I go to Church.
21. My dream is to travel around the world. I traveled to Australia, Europe, America, some Asia... Anyone wants to take me to Antarctic and Africa...?
22. I buy things I need. I use things until it breaks. It's contagious as my daughter starts preaching the same thing to me.
23. I share a house with a husband, 2 daughters and a fish.
24. I'm happy. I'm blessed.
25. Yes, I'm a Halloween baby. Tomorrow, I'm turning "bleep...".

Toilet Paper or No Toilet Paper

Environmentally friendly is great, but if you have to choose toilet paper or no toilet paper for the sake of going green, would you do it?

I happened to listen to Marketplace Morning Report about Green Voters. One of the mom trying not to use toilet paper. It made me chuckle because I think toilet paper is a part of the culture, not so much about just going green.

I was raised in a country where toilet paper is not common, well at least not until the last 20 years I suppose. Which means, we use water (and our hands) to wipe ourselves.
The public toilet seat is also different, may be I should say not a seating toilet, but a squatting toilet. The restroom is designed for 'wet'. There will always water on a container with a small dipper to clean yourself.

Sounds gross? May be,... it depends on how you perceive it. If all of the people in the village are doing it, then it becomes the norm. If it's only you.... hm... may be your friends will go potty first before visiting your house.

What do you think?

Studded post earrings

The "Sea Anemone Inspired Necklace" is not complete without the matching earrings...
So, here's one that match well with the necklace. It's made of sterling silver, ends with post.
The "stud" is move able...

To learn more about this, please visit my Etsy listing.

Fun at Schuster Farm

October is usually the month where we go for hayride and pumpkin patch. Last week, we went to Schuster Farm in Deerfield, which is about 8 miles east of Madison, WI.

This is our first time visiting the farm. We spent about 4 hours there picking out pumpkins, barrel ride, corn maze, children maze, play area and it was a blast...!

We love the corn maze the most. We didn't get lost but they do have tricky areas in the maze. It's pretty challenging for a 7 years old while adults can have fun too.
With a lot of activities and pumpkins, we got a lot of opportunity for pictures.
I think Fall is really here...

Sea Anemone inspired design round studded or spikey necklace NEW

You never know what would inspire you! Sea Anemone, a group of sea animals inspired me to make this studded necklace.

My old long friend at USF, Dharma, studied about Anemone. I remember when he explained his paper about that creature and how he had to go to Monterey bay to do the research...

Now the anemone inspired my design...
What do you think?

Meet me at Brookfiled Market and More this Saturday

I will be at Brookfield Market and More October 18. Weather forecast for sunny day.
Hope to see you there?

Spooky Special Free Shipping at bigib.etsy.com

It's not a secret, I will turn "bleep" in October. To celebrate my birthday, you'll get free shipping through the month of October.... Sounds spooky?
Please visit http://bigib.etsy.com or http://www.bigib.com.
I will adjust the invoice.
Have fun...

Square earrings with a touch of blue

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue...
Ah...a perfectly match earrings for my handmade necklace. suits for someone who needs something blue...
Another architecture inspired earrings. Perfect for a person who likes small and simple yet elegant piece.
Yes, it's one of most popular items. If you would like to order this kind of earrings, please contact me. It was my last pair of earrings...

Bigib, LLC will be at Purloin Studio, Menomonee Falls

Bigib is expanding its wings...
My pieces will be available at Purloin Studio, Menominee Falls starting this October.
Grand opening will be on October 25, 2008.
I will have my square sterling earrings available there. I will probably see you around?

Hand stamped necklace for couples.

When people talk about necklaces, they usually thinks it's only for girls. However, it's not always the case. With a different finish, I was able to create different look suitable for either.

Mr and Mrs. L ordered two hand stamped necklaces for them. I usually make name necklaces adorns with pearls or swarovski crystal . By taking the pearls out and using black cotton cord, the necklace would look more "neutral". This is just as what Mr. L would like to have for his necklace with brushed finish on his instead of shiny finish.


As Mrs. L, she like to have the sterling chain, adorned with pearls, slightly dome and shiny finish.

They both have the hand stamped necklaces they wanted but they each have their own characters. One is his.. one is hers...

Wouldn't you agree?

A short visit to Old World Wisconsin

Did I tell you I grew up with "The Little House on the Prairie"? You can read my " Life without the Tube " blog.

Last week, we spend half of our Saturday visiting Old World Wisconsin.
It's brought me to my childhood time as I remember The Little House series.

They have many villages including the German, Polish, African-American,... etc.
Due to the time limitation, we only visited the Crossroad Village, where they have a church, general store, black smith, shoe store, inn, a house....
We visited the general store, which reminds me so much about the Olesons and the notorious Nellie.

It's amazing to see what they carry in the store. Mostly are manufactured items like tools, cups
and saucers, fabrics, gun powder, tobacco products, soap. They don't have frozen food or fast food as in 1800's, most people grew their own food.
I learned that during that era, most people would only have 2 sets of clothes for 1 week. To help keep it clean, they use aprons and petticoats.

We visited the Benson house. The stove caught my eyes. It uses woods as the heating source ( not gas or electricity like the ones we have nowadays ). They put the woods on one side of the stove. From the way they design the stove, you would have "high burner" is the one closes to the heat source and "low burner". And people in the old days also use iron where the would also put it on the top of the stove.
We also stop by the cobbler house and quickly take a peek at the Inns...
On the way home, my daughter got a chance to ring the 5 o'clock church bell...

Surely it's a great place to visit again...