Rabbit: Protector of Cords

慈母手中线，游子身上衣。
临行密密缝，意恐迟迟归。
谁言寸草心，报得三春晖。

What an "apt" poem. Haha, but don't be misguided. My Mum didn't make the whole thing, we made it together, Mother-Daughter bonding. :) And it comes with a super duper cute rabbit cord clip.

Have been spoiling my cords too many times, finally bought another Apple wire at Challenger. Got sick of the cheapo wires sold at boxes cos my macbook kept recognising them after a while and rejecting them. And it leave me frustrated cos I can't transfer photos. And transferring photo is my biggest interest! (What a boring person!!!)

And since we are at this topic, Challenger sells the original USB cable the cheapest (S$28). After calculating, it is definitely more worth it to buy it than the counterfeit charging wires. Guess if you are a huge Apple fan, you just got to make the necessary payments :(

The BF was initially worried that the cord protectors would cause the cord to be too hot. They are "hot" as in a lot more fancy. I don't find them burning up my wire. You could totally mix and match the different colours and create many designs. I opted for the alternate. But if you bought many colours. You could totally do a rainbow or just get the rainbow cord. The rainbow is gorgeous.  

If you want to get what I got, you could get them at Balmeo Store at Level 2 AMK Hub or just order online. The selection of cord clips is plain awesome. Loving the range of Melody and Hello Kitty cord clips. Apart from that, they also have other cool items. Not talking about them yet...What's life without some suspense.

And of course, proof that I did contribute to the design. Clumsy compared to my Mum. :P Starting and ending with a video, tips for a good essay - To end off with the same style/theme as you start. Pretty sure the teachers don't mean medium. :P 

Etsy Craft Party 2015

I was kindly invited by the sisters behind Simply For Love to the annual Etsy Craft Party held in Singapore. This is the third party and this time around, I will be getting the chance to explore paper crafts. Kinda bummed I missed the last one cos I am definitely more interested in create arts out of photos. I have lots of photos!

The event is held in The Playtent. It is a really nice intimate setting, a good place to hold children's birthday party. In fact, if you do have kids, I would really suggest joining the Craft Party next year. I am very sure the kids would enjoy it. The paper craft is rather manageable and the kids around us enjoyed themselves throughly.

There were also Partner Crafters who helped to make this event possible and fun.

1. Alfie De Meow - I have heard of them even before the event for their cat-themed jewelry. 10% of their profits go to the welfare groups in Singapore. Their designs are pretty awesome and I am sure you would love them!

2. ParadeMade - Rubber handcrafted stamps inspired by sights of nature and patterns in our daily life. Having shipped more than a 1000 stamps, this is a pretty trusted place to visit if you would like to own a rubber stamp. It is pretty in at the moment. Psst...even I have one. Hahaha!

3. The Cotton Shoppe - This place specialises in fabric craft. Having a huge selection of fabrics, this is a store that could cater to all your wants. Plushies, bags, cushions, clutches, as long as they can be sewn, they will all be stitched to life. Pretty exciting isn't it?

4.Azallea Crafts - The socks pals are just awesomely cute. Well, they sure do have other works that you can check out. But my favourite handicraft are the socks creatures!!! <3

5. By The Art Bug - The last of the diverse group, you may want to check them out if you are into patterned art, printed posters etc. This is a nice place to find something sophisticated to display on your working desk or place them at home.

Quite a lot of activities there for me to try out, but I only did one cos I knew how to do the paper weaving already. I really like the concept of the collage though but had something on so I couldn't witness it completion and didn't get to win the lucky draw :(

It is overall a wonderful experience, apart from the fact that most photographers seems to enjoy taking photos of the BF work rather than mine. He takes personal delight knowing he is the more creative one between us 2. I personally enjoyed going around to see what every one was doing *Monitoring creativity like a supervisor!*

Thought I will end off the post with a nice photo I took of a building while I was leaving. Good times are indeed short-lived. After I left the event, I

- stepped on gum -.-
- got barred entry from my college
- was locked out of my house once again.

So, conclusion of the day: Be Cherophoic! And seeya next year at the Esty Party. You can come mock my really terrible art abilities. 

Happy Anniversary: How to survive Trick Eye Museum

On Friday, 19th June, it was our Trick Eye Museum's 1 year old celebration. Were you there? Or did we missed each other? 

1 year back, I pretty much missed their opening so it was great this time round I got a chance to join in the fun and experience it for myself.

I hoped you actually went on the anniversary itself because who every one who visited them that day (valid tickets required) will have a chance to win 1 of the 10 Gold Keys (worth S$300 each) that is locked in the Giant Baby's Cage, the iconic exhibit (which unfortunately I couldn't take any photo with it cos there were so many people crowding around it!)

On top of that, all visitors will also receive a specially designed tote bag that day. Stamps are available for you to personalise them. I have so much Tote Bags already so I didn't try my hand at it. Plus, as you all know, art isn't really my thing. Art museum is a separate issue. But me...attempting to create art pieces, the effect would be disastrous.

Since the event is already over, I thought this post apart from wishing Trick Eye Museum a happy happy birthday, I should share some of the tricks on how to actually get decent photos from the time there. I spent about an hour or so there, although it felt I was there for so so long. 

So without further ado, let Asian Ariel share with you some tips on making the most out of your tickets there?

1. Good shots come from some discomfort

Sad as it may sound, it is the absolute truth. In some of my photos, I attempted to look graceful, but the photos came out looking pretty ridiculous like I have a twisted body or have contorted limbs. Guess I was more of the trick in the Trick Eye. Half the time, you need to experiment your moves or follow the guides or the people in front of you. If you want to try to be creative, be prepared for some heartbreak or a good laugh as you see yourself morphing into a deformed human. My Mum LOLed her heads off at some of my photos!

2. And the Best Actress goes to...

Act like your whole career depends on it. You want the photo to be realistic, don't you? And trust me, it takes a lot of courage, tossing aside any image you possibly have to get into the role. Show fear, grace, horror, love within moments. Single person shots are still alright, but the more people you, the harder it is to get the cast to coordinate. I am unfortunately paired with somebody who doesn't want to be too involved in his role. 'Can you please be more serious not...." screeched a high-pitch irritated young lady. Talk about irony, this is supposed to be entertainment, isn't it? Hahaha.

3. Soul Mates in photography

I don't know how my BF can make such angle errors. How can a tight rope be bent!!! Shouldn't the body be at least aligned? The thing about going with guys is that they don't care about such details. This actually make or break the photos. Imagine putting myself all out, acting so hard and the photos come out like Zzzz...It is just frustrating. So go with someone who has the same vision as your and will tell you to make some adjustment when required, cos at the end of the day, it is all about the photos, Yea!

4. The Law of Nature is your worse Nightmare!

Some things can't be helped, like gravity. Great acting but my skirt gave the game away. Of course, it really depends how sharp you are. The BF felt this shot got "nothing wrong what!" But to counter gravity, perhaps you might want to note a few points on dress code. Say no to dresses and skirts. Go for hugging clothes and tube tops. For guys, it really doesn't matter that much. Heels are not preferred. I ran around the place bare-footed. Liberation at its finest.

5. Surely you want to take with me?

The problem when you go in pairs or alone, who is going to help you with the photos? I suggest group dates if you are more introverted. You can of course always ask strangers for assistance. But if you are opting for this route, don't go during the off-peak. Remember those days where people were complaining about the queues and others getting in their photos, having nobody conveniently around is a lot worse. This is definitely not a place you can take selfies. 

6. Persevere...you will get what you are here for

Last but not least, the perfect time to exhibit perseverance. If you don't stop taking, you are bound to get that display picture shoot. Shoot a hundred arrows, at least one will hit bullseye ba? Also, don't restrict yourself to iconic exhibitions. Just because, other people look good in it, doesn't mean you would. Take it, Try it, Keep Taking, Keep Trying, pretty much the best advice I can impart you with.

It really pays to be a friend of Trick Eye Museum. In future, I hope they will have new exhibitions that make use of light effects. I think that would be really cool. So meanwhile, if you are visiting them, do take note of my tips and tricks. Tell me if they are useful? :) 

The Princess and her Bling: Shinine Designs

Procrastination at work, received it after I came home from Korea, but only write about it now. :(

If the design of your blings matter a whole lot to you, you will be in love with Shinine Designs. Like many other online hobbist, Angeline, the owner does customisation for bracelets, necklaces, key rings, rings etc. However, what really set her merchandise apart from the others is the design.

This is just a light teaser of what she has on her site. The biggest issue you might face is that she doesn't repeat any of her designs. I was so in love with the purple earrings but once it is sold, it will never be replicated. You don't risk the danger of a fashion clash on the street but you might suffer from heartbreak if your fingers are too slow.

Overall, her designs are dainty, classy and very elegant. You can proudly wear them to functions without feeling cheap (even though the price leans towards cheap for such design intricacy) or under-dressed.  

I received a jade version of the purple "rose" earring. Jade leans towards the mature side while purple is more flirty. But nonetheless, I still adore the "jade" earrings simply because it is still breathetakingly gorgeous and it is probably more value for money in the long-run since I can wear it till I am a mature woman!

The necklace in comparison has a simpler design. But what really makes it looks more expensive than it is, is the little pearl at the clasp. I am not sure if you all noticed, but brands that are not run of the mill usually has a little pearl at the clasp or the zip. :)

Usually, the rule of thumb I use to gauge how appealing the accessories and apparels are, are by the feedback I received and how unbecoming my Mum would suddenly become. If she starts coming up with bullshit like confiscating the piece for her own, you know this is one gem.

In fact, she even wants to replace the piece with real precious stones cos she thinks it is worth it. Pardon, if I sound like an over-zealous evangelist of Shinine Designs, that is cos I love their work and design really a lot. Hope you too appreciate the quality of their handmade blings. 

Last Min Father's Day Deals

Hello,

bought your father's day gifts yet? No worries if you haven't got them yet. Introducing the TheBacky4rd, it is an online shopping platform that specialize on Men's fashion. Set up by a few close friends who believe in fashion and dressing well. It came about with the vision of bringing the best trend and fashion for men to dress well with confident.

So if your Dad is a fashion-conscious Papa, you might be able to find some nice apparels for him. My personal favorites are the bottoms and tops with subtle details. My Dad is not very flashy but is not into plain stuff so these are some designs I feel he would like. Especially stylish slim-fit chino long pant, which I find it simple yet smart looking. The coloured pants is pretty in right now and will make Daddies more youthful and vibrant.

Men's clothing have never been cheap. Female's clothes are a lot cheaper, maybe that's why we have a lot more (money to spend on) variety.TheBacky4rd ensures quality clothing at an affordable price tag. Taking into consideration of the current male fashion market trend, the responses to their  first collection was overwhelming. Currently, they have just launched their second collection, and for my readers, we have a promo code that will give you additional discount.

Of course, this is a Father's Day Discount, but this doesn't mean you can't make use of the code to make purchases for the other men in your life or for yourself. Just quote "ForFunk" from 17th Jun 2015 to 26th Jun 2015, and you will get:

i) 15% off your first item

ii) 25% off total bill when you buy 2 items and above

Men or women, fashion presents the best in us. Ending off with logo, cos I thought the tuxedo looks really adorable. It says quite a lot about the TheBacky4rd - classy and elegant. The "4' in their yard shows their love for tiny detailing as can be seen in their clothing collection. 

SATC: Carrie Name Bracelet

Fans of Sex and The City Alert!!! You are going to be so in love with what I share next. Never heard of SATC, oh then you are missing out. I watched its first movie and I have to say it has a very relatable storyline and fashion must follows. Guys, oh please it is Sex and the City, not Sex IN the City, neither is it just sex.You just don't get it, and maybe you may never will :P

And so, one of the trendiest accessories Carrie wore was the name necklace or the Carrie's necklace whichever you may know it by. Apart from her, various fashion icon (whether formal celebrities or informal online bloggers) started hanging them on their necks. And it became a huge, huge fad. 

And even when we thought the whole craze would die down, come on do you really want every stranger to know you? You wanna be that high profile?!? It never did. Everyone wants a piece of Carrie. Or more succinctly, everybody really just wanted a piece of themselves. It is more of a self-love narcissist theory that is raging within us. A proud badge to show the world how much you love yourself, no matter how ridiculous it may sound, I want it too!!!

Feeling pretty smug and mighty now, I am very pleased with myself for finding such a good deal to share. I am sure your (significant) other half absolutely don't get the whole excitement cos it doesn't make neither sense nor cents to them to spend on fashion. But for my female readers, we know we are squealing for :) #guysjustdongetit

Jiang Jiang~~ Swee Swee Swee. It is just so pretty! Just in case you are wondering what an unnaturally slim neck I have, that is my wrist, not my neck. There are now plenty of variations of the name necklace, transcending to ring and bracelets etc. I do wear a permanent key of life (to hook all the WOW guys and deceive them I am the "life" of their reality life.). So I was deciding between the ring and the bracelet. I am saving the ring for "the" wedding ring, I hope, so I went for the more subtle yet not that invisible bracelet.

Maybe, I will set a new trend for the ladies who don't want to be too flashy with their names. The last thing we want is to have too many cheesy pick-up lines from strangers at bars who claim they not only met us somewhere, but actually remember our names too. Ya right *roll eyes*

It is the real deal cos it even comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. I inspected the bracelet and spotted a 925 printed on it. And this deal comes from a humble shop - OnlineStore, which in a way is true to its name. The necklaces are imported if you are wondering why the price could look that decent. I opted for the Sterling Silver which is 92.5% pure silver and it is around SGD50. I am sure you could get such stuff cheaper outside. But I don't want my name to tarnish. (No pun intended, but reputation is important, yea?) So, I think the price is still reasonable for me.

The OnlineStore also provides great variety. You can opt for Gold, solid or plated, or be like me go for Silver. Many type of fonts are available as well. And you can find uncommon name rings and the traditional name necklace there! If you need a box or gift bag, you just need to top up $7 (comes with custolmised tag as well). Waiting time is roughly 2 weeks, so it is still within comfortable waiting range. Variations of the chain length is possible. I went for 6.5" but it is hanging loosely on my wrist. Word of advice, it looks better tight.

Posted by Online Store on Sunday, April 26, 2015

The name necklace is a great gift for your girl pals. It would grow in time to hold sentimental memories and priceless despite being rather inexpensive. For me, I do feel the name necklace signifies independence, strength and some indulgence, characteristics of modern women. It is not really something that I want to receive from my boyfriend but a present I want to receive from my sister sorority.

Guys, do not fret. OnlineStore has a good selection of customised products fit for important occasions. The feature video summarizes it all. And to end off, a link to their Facebook. 

Review: Flower Power in a Dome with FredaEco

Am pretty sure her works are inspired from the flower dome at Gardens by the Bay. If you are non-Singaporean, you should really check out our somewhat manicured greenhouse, which in my opinion is artificially gorgeous and in a very beautiful way.

For nature lovers of you out there who feels that the greenery and flowers are very very close to your heart, I am going to show you something that you can literally place it next/near to your heart. :)

I am sure many of you have heard of ways of preserving flowers, plants and etc. in a glass. The more familiar example would be terrarium. The flower dome glasses are also something along the line, just that it is smaller, more portable and you can swing it on your neck.

Presenting the beautiful dome necklaces from FredaEco. If you are a fan of vintage, it will be love at first sight for you with these necklaces that has a rustic charm. This necklaces are light and very easy to pair with. I think it goes particularly well with simple, block-coloured attires.

There are different variations of the contents, wit mosses and flowers of different types. I personally prefer more vibrant flowers versus pastel petals and green mosses. It really depends on your individual taste. I just think I am a more colourful person so something too pastel though nice on the eyes would not reflect my personality that well.

For my readers, you can use this exclusive promo code: FloralDome20 which will let you enjoy a 20% off your purchase for standard necklaces. This applies for everything except for the dandelions. Each standard necklace cost $19.90, but with the code, you would only have to pay $15.90. This means a whooping saving of $4. 

What you see online is really what you get. And it all comes in a pretty floral box. The flowers still look fresh and lovely. The flowers like daisy will never wilt as they are dried so they will retain both their colour and shape for eternity. They are best stored in dry places. However baby breathes and roses may fade a little in time.

So if you want to have a proud accessory to show your love for the outdoors and always have a breathe of nature wherever you go, you can make use of the code to make your purchase. The code only last 2 weeks from now!!!

So will you love me till I wilt? For better or for worse?Find Freda Eco at Instagram, Carousell, Facebook or Etsy

Review: Budget Mama, Owl always love you!

After I saw this picture, I am pretty positive i am very in love with owls. Cute and wise with that huge eyes that look so innocent and in constant shock. Awww~~~

Of course, just because all my stuff I picked are owls doesn't mean that there are no other designs available at Budgetmama. Allison has tons of fabrics. However, as she is now crafting half-time, the focus will be mainly on tissue pouch & pencil cases. Other customisation are still possible, just that you might have to wait a little longer. But like what the saying goes, good things are worth the wait.

So if you are wondering what the options you have, this is the eye-popping, jaw-dropping variety of fabrics she own. It was an easy choice for me in the sense I am definitely picking the owls. But I didn't expect there were so many variations of Owl prints. In the end, I settled for the pinkish background ones cos pink is my favourite colour!!!

Customising is not at all difficult, you just need to choose the item you are interested (tissue pouch/ pencil case). Allison will then send you the images of her impressive collection of fabrics so that you can take your pick. Lastly, you have to arrange payment and update her the payment details. For these 2 items, waiting time is around 3 days. Once it is ready, she will send you an image of your desired item and also another image, what we call the proof of mail. 

Personally, I really like the jagged edges design. It made them look a lot more pricey than it really is. And I was sort of expecting stray threads but there was none! I am not sure I would have the heart to use it because it is so adorbs. I think if I used them to chope seat for lunch, not only will I not have a seat, I will also lose my tissue holder and pack. Zzzz...(Spoken like a true-blue Kiam-Siap Singaporean) Plus all the coffee shop tables so oily, what if it stains my owls! So I will probably use it on weekend instead of weekdays. The travel pack size one can used at home, so no worries about dirtying it! :)

It is really value for money. Prices are all shown below:

Tissue Pouch

Small Pocket Tissue Size (Generally all brands pocket tissue can fit)     $4.90

• Material of Cotton/Polycotton/Canvas
• Each price is $4.90, but if get bundle of 2 will be $8 ($4 each)

Small Pocket Tissue Size, with PU leather trimmings (Generally all brands pocket tissue can fit)     $7.90

• Material of Cotton/Polycotton/Canvas
• Each price is $7.90, but if get bundle of 2 will be $14 ($7 each)

Travel Pack Size (Fits Kleenex Brand)     $7.90

• Material of Cotton/Polycotton/Canvas
• Each price is $7.90, but if get bundle of 2 will be $14 ($7 each)

Travel Pack Size (Fits brands of Paseo & Softness)     $7.90

• Material of Cotton/Polycotton/Canvas
• Each price is $7.90, but if get bundle of 2 will be $14 ($7 each)

Pencil Case

• Size of 5 inch x 8 inch
• Comes with YKK Gold Teeth Zipper
• Able to fit calculator
• Besides pencil case can use as small pouch, eg.Sanitary pad holder, store of miscellaneous items, can fit passport etc.. 

*All the above price inclusive of Normal mail. Other customisation items possible as per request, but depending on the item itself, price & waiting time varies.

What initially caught me eye was the owl cushions she made, I was thinking it was so perfect for our handicraft time but unfortunately, luck wasn't on our side. And Allison didn't have the time to share with us more on this lovely creation of hers. Certainly, it is our big loss.

The owls look exactly like my first picture right? Hehe. Now you know why I can't keep my eyes off them. <3

But Allison was so kind, she sent me this miniature owlets of the owl cushion, keychains by the way. They are those soft, squishy type. Yes like the ones you teenage kids are so obsessed over. Didn't really understand the fad at first, but now I think I know, why we call things we adore "a squeeze". It is just so nice prodding soft owlets. Muhahaha~~~

So if you are interested in getting something handmade for yourself or anyone else, do visit Budgetmama. The variety of fabrics is definitely one reason you will pick her over others, And most importantly, her price is very reasonable. I personally do like her pouch designs and do check out some of the works she has previously made for her other customers to inspire you on your purchase!