Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Sweetest Mommy

I think this would be a lovely song to play at a naming ceremony - even if you don't know the words as it is a sweet tune. It is a common tune which can be found on a few albums available in the US and can also be heard on the internet. Sometimes it is called "Good mama" or "Mama is the best in the world". China sprout has two albums that contain this song (Chinese Children Songs (MCS034) and Popular Children Songs (MCS033)) I have it on an unlabled cassette that I got in China and on a 2 CD set with a gold cover called "Greatest Hits" where it is on CD 2 track 4

You can hear it from the following blog - under September 14, 2005. Sorry I don't have a direct link.Waiting for lauren elizabeth

The Chinese, pinyin for Mandarin, and an English translation at the end of the post. (I much prefer the first verse to the second.)

Sweetest Mommy / Good mama

世上只有媽媽好,

有媽的孩子像個寶
,
tóu jìn
媽媽的懷抱
幸福享不了

世上只有媽媽好
沒媽的孩子像
gēn
離開 媽媽的懷抱
幸福哪裡找


Shì shàng zhǐ yǒu māma hǎo,
Yǒu mā de háizi xiàng ge bǎo,
Tóu jìn māma de huaíbào
Xìngfú xiǎng bù liǎo.

Shì shàng zhǐ yǒu māma hǎo,
Méi mā de háizi xiàng gēn cǎo,
Lí kāi māma de huáibào
Xìngfú nǎ lǐ zhǎo.

[Having a] mother is the best thing in the word
Children with a mother are like precious treasures,
Being held in Mom’s arms is to enjoy endless happiness.

Mom is the best thing in the world.
Children without a mother are helpless as a blade of grass.
[without a mother]
There is no happiness to be found.

I do not usually give out untested sites, but here are some possibilities:
You may be able to hear it here & download it from:
http://www.tussah.com/lara/mamasong/index.html
http://www.egeli.se/mama_hao.htm



Sunday, June 25, 2006

Source for "Chinese" fabrics

eQuilter.com has had nice fabrics for years, mostly 100% cotton for quilters and a selection of Chinese themed fabrics.  I have done business with this company but have no other ties. You will find Chinese (and Japanese) themed fabrics in her Asian collections.

When I have used "calligraphy" from the eQilter.com search page on her site, over 95% has been Chinese or Kanji (which is based on Chinese characters). Here's one example of a Chinese character fabric or search on Chinese New Year and you may see a Chinese New Year fabric. She does have other Chinese-themed fabrics too and usually quite a selection featuring dragons! The koi fabric is one of my favorites.

Asian gifts - you do not have to sew at all to enjoy & use these:
http://equilter.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_main.html?catid=289
Their adoption story of traveling to China in April 2003 to adopt their daughter can be found on the Luana Travelogue at equilter.com
Her "Memoirs of China" collection for Robert Kaufman Fabrics was inspired by that same trip to China, especially the design of the little Chinese girls!
http://equilter.com/cgi-bin/s.pl?k=kamch

... and 10% of the design royalties go to charities that help these kids, such as
www.smiletrain.org
www.halfthesky.org

Last updated: April 2007

Monday, June 19, 2006

Muzzy in Mandarin!

I have wished for this for many years and wrote to BBC at least once about this - but now it is here. The Muzzy Langauge Learning program from BBC is now available in Mandarin! They have translated their award winning program into Mandarin. It is not cheap and I have not seen the written materials that go with it - but I can not think of any better program. For more information see the Early Advantage website.

It is also available through ChinaSprout.

I have done business with Early Advanatge and ChinaSprout and been satisfied with both companies. I have not other tie to either company.