Lash Me Maybe

I think this is a pretty interesting debate for a lot of brides and considering I actually did eyelash extension, I think I can shed a bit of light to help you make your decision better. So here are 6 facts to help you make your decision.

1. Eyelash Extension are extremely pretty and natural. I have received a lot, a lot of compliments on it. It is like having semi-permanent eye make-up. It makes your eyes bigger and blacker. This may depends on who you do it with.

2. Eyelash Extension can be quite hard to manage. As a virgin extender (is there even such a word?!?), I actually dropped a lot of lashes initially cos I splashed too much water on my lashes and even went for facial. Every morning, there are quite a lot of eye dung stuck within the lashes and the side of my eyes. So extra effort and brushing need to be taken to keep my eyes bright, clean and sultry.

3. Eyelash Extensions are not painful. The first time I did it, I expected it to hurt insanely, but it was painless and comfortable. The replacement lashes were a little more prickly. I think that was because some of my natural lashes have fallen and the new-grown were way shorter. So it was harder to attach the extensions.

4. Find a good store. And this basically is the deal maker or breaker. I did mine at Lash Blossom and I have to say they were extremely kind to help me replace my fallen lashes. I bet most stores would have chided me on my chor-lorness but not them, so that you very much.

5. Let them know what you need the lashes for. Initially, I also found mine lashes a little over-the-top. But hey, I am doing it for a pre-wedding shoot you know. And I am glad I listened cos my lashes look awesome. For day-to-day I agree you should definitely go for the less dramatic ones. You can check out their services and prices here.

6. Your natural eye lashes may fall as well. This was initially pretty shocking to me. Cos when my lashes fall, I was like crap, am I lash-balding? Cos, when your lashes are long, it is very obvious when one falls unlike when they are short and barely visible. After doing some research, I realised do have a lifespan and they will grow back. So phew.:)

If you hate fake eyelash, I may also suggest you do eyelash extension. Personally, I don't like the bone of the fake eyelash on top of my eye. I always felt that it was weight my eyes down and I could barely open them. But I guess this differ from people to people cos my other friend doesn't like the shadow on top of the eyelids.

For me, I like that eyelash extensions are way lighter on my eyes. I could avoid mascara during the photoshoot. Yeah! But removing eye-makeup can be a bit of a chore. Personally, I don't think I will do it on a permanent basis. But I will definitely be doing it for occasions! Do feel free to hit me up if you need my advice on tips on lash maintenance!

Nailing your pre-wedding nails

Just thought I should share some of my views on pre-wedding shoot nails. Most studios would advise that you to have groomed and preferably manicured nails. And I totally agree with that because it would be too much of a pain to photoshop each and every nail in each photo.

To set your priorities right, nails are usually not going to be a key feature in the photos unless you request for close-up shoots on your wedding bands. We didn't request that for ours either, but I just thought it was nice to have pretty nails in each photo. :)

I think the easiest way to start is always to find shortlist the designs. I actually even discussed this with the BF (cos he has better aesthetics sense than me) but you can skip that. You don't have to take a design in entirety, but be sure to let the artists know which part of the designs you want. Psss...I actually picked the base colour of one and design of another.

Personally, I prefer contacting the artist who created the work to do the nails, simply because they would be familiar and some sort of guarantee it will turn out right. But, if the design is from an overseas artist, then make sure you give clear instructions so that you won't be disappointed!

For me, I was lucky cos Eileen Nails was located in Singapore though a bit further from where I lived. Haha. As you can see, I picked a very simple design that would match most dresses. I also felt the the design though adorable, wouldn't be too much of a lime-light stealer from the rings etc.

The good thing about simple designs is that you have the option to go for a simple manicure. I picked gelish cos I am just too chor-lor. Hehe. And being the designer of this nail art, she was so seasoned and efficient. We had a bit of a chat and viola, my nails are beautiful <3 *Bling Bling*

Eileen Nails is a home-based nails palour so it does not accept credit card payment. Paymnet by cash, paylah or paynow are okay. Eileen herself is very friendly and you can just chillax as your nails are being done. As she is also a bride-to-be, I could do a bit of bride-ranting LOL. But do note that she only does gelish nails.

Just in case you think she only does wedding nails, she can also help you do the CNY nails. My fav were her minions CNY and Little Miss and Mister designs. Cute <3 If you have any design of your own, you will be pleased to know that she is open to doing nail arts beyond her own designs. I have left her instagram link in the post, so do feel free to DM her if you wish to engage her services!

Skip the Wait, Be Ahead with Eatsy

Not too long back, I tried out this app, Eatsy. Using Eatsy, you can order on the go and skip the queue. Like some other apps e.g. Fave, Eatsy comes with a reward function. On top of promo codes which can be used more than once, you will also get a cashback after every meal. This sounds like a huge deal of savings.

What I really like about Eatsy over Fave was that the promo codes will automatically be applied. So, you don't really have to worry about missing a good deal. And, the cashback is not fixed to the specific retailer. Earn S$5 and you can get it back in cold hard cash. WOW!

I had my first trial at Park Bench Deli cos I was in that area and the review was pretty good. So Eatsy is pretty smart and can change the menu from breakfast to lunch. And you can also see the full set of food available. It is great for me cos I really like to do my miscellaneous stuff on my commute.

Considering I arrived at lunch time, I managed to skip the queue. My only grouse was that Eatsy doesn't chope you a seat. It is a good takeaway app but not so if you want to have a seat. (P.S. I did get a seat though.) Personally, I felt the app pretty fuss-free and intuitive. :)

I didn't get to try the split - bill function. But if all your friends are on the app, the bill can be split and charged nicely. No need for paylah after the meal. Or you can also treat your friends on the app. Cool huh. And the receipt function is also pretty awesome. It gives you a very good breakdown, in case your acquaintance demand a breakdown of the bill...voila there you go.

From what I know, the app is looking into the morning coffee rush which I am pretty excited about. :) The current list of restaurants on the app is decent but I really hope the list grows longer because I am a gal that loves variety. :P Do download the app and enjoy the promo... who knows how long such discounts will last right? You heard it from me here :P

Just another graduation

So yea guys, I got my masters! Thanks for supporting me! Yea right, it is my bro who graduate. But because I was dressed in the exact shade of navy, a lot of people thought it was me getting my masters. I even had people trying to sell me my grad shot. *Roll Eyes*

Cos that week was my busy period, I was rather adamant about missing it. My Bro kicked a damn big fuss. But heng, a friend at work was also going for the same convo so I got a free ride. Yea!

So funny story ahead guys...cos my friend had a rare surname, at least I thought so. When I saw a graduate that shared the same surname, I happily snapped photos of that dude and sent her. In my head, I was actually thinking "don't really look alike leh"

But please, not that my bro and I look very alike, so I didn't think too much of it. LOL! And the prof that reads out the name was terrible. As long as you have a cheena name, he will get it wrong. It is like zero effort on his part. But, I have to say he made the long commencement a lot more bearable.

I did realise I am actually a pretty damn awesome photographer, paparazzi too. In fact, I think my family only wanted me there...as a photographer. My mum even did her hair for the occasion. Guess it is kinda of obvious who is the favourite child.

So basically, I just spent my life following my bro around, snapping photos of him and his friends. I caught some candid moments too which he told me is highly unappreciated. Whateva la...and he only let me pang gang at 11pm. FML. But I have to admit NUS does have a more instagramable convo than NTU. Check out some of the videos I took. :) Till next time folks, I am exhausted. Bleh!

The flower of my eye

My wedding theme is floral pink and blue and I can't help but wonder if it had been influenced by this little pretty one (or should I call them twos.) So anything that is (i)soft, (ii) floral and (iii) pastel, has been pulling hard the strings in my heart. I just succumb to purchases.

In fact, I am contemplating for my hand flowers to look something like this...lol. Delicate yet intricate, there is just a soft, gentle beauty about it. (Yes, I know my wedding invites are inspired by this too :P)

Here's a side profile of me in these darlings. :) These earrings are made of "crochet fabric" so it gives a nice texture and realism to it. However, one thing I realise though was that this pretty things were a little hard to match.

I think it is due to the fault of my wardrobe (shopping time) I don't have much pastel, dainty clothes in my wardrobe. And most of my clothes are rather smooth and lack texture variety. So I couldn't pull off the softening effect from the earrings. But I think I will definitely look more like a demure lady if I match them with knitted clothes or clothes with laces. :)

Eva from Hana Crochet Design has kindly allowed me to share with you some of her behind the scene photos to let you have a feel how each flower is made. Her designs are amazing. Never would I have imagined crochet earrings could look so beautiful. (The dangling white floras look fitting for a bride doesn't it?)

Her variety is pretty amazing too - dangling, with gems, tassels. Wow. If your dress style is very lady-like and is more of soft, floral themed, you may end up buying her whole store down. :) Hmm, I am now a bit tempted to get myself another pair of white floral earrings...haha

Gateway Theatre Birthday Bash

For the very first-time in my life, I saw a mermaid!!! I was invited to Gateway Theatre's first birthday party and it made me realise the childhood I never had. Kids who are living in the west, I realise you kids are so damn lucky.

Just so you know, Gateway Theatre has a Gateway Kids' Club programme which provides a weekly regular programme that includes story-telling, craft sessions and free Play at the Sky Garden, all free for the members of public.

I always thought story telling was some old lady holding a book and reading some fairy tales, and boy how wrong I was. Guess the kids today have it better. Now at Gateway Theatre, you get to experience atas story telling. And your narrator is even Amy Cheng! Hahaha. I mean it is not always her, but she is awesome.

Honestly I never knew she was so expressive. Even without much props, she made the story - "The Spineless Jellyfish and cunning money" come alive. Her change of voice and mannerism made the characters came alive. I can still remember the Jollyfish song :) I think storytelling has went into a whole new dimension with giant puppets and all. It is a show that can be enjoyed by the young and old.

It has been a long while since I have been to any kid's birthday party. But I can assure you this birthday bash was a ball of fun. There was a magic show, carnival games and even handicraft time. Honestly, I didn't expect myself to have that much of a good time. But I did :P

And you know what, if you are looking for places to hold events or a birthday party, check out the Sky Garden. It is a green space with a water feature and a stage. Highly instagrammable and I think the price is pretty reasonable at S$150 per hour. Birthday venue tips, mamas. :D

The perfect wedding e-invite

The weekend is finally coming!!! Have to say I have been waiting so long for it. There's just too much to plan lately...and I am feeling extremely exhausted. So yea it's definitely great to have some help here and there.

I never thought I was anything much of a "Bridezilla", but maybe I am...and I have a confession to make. I hate the design of my hardcopy invites. The hotel provided 3 versions which were a range of "erms to yuck". I am sorry but they just wasn't my vibe. So I thought, maybe we need a nice good e-invite to compensate.

So I ventured online and came across this. It was a maid of honour of invite but I felt it had potential to become a wedding invite. The things which caught my eyes were:-

1. The wording "Can't say "I do" without you!" It just epitomise what I feel about my guests. Maybe I can still say "I do" but it just wouldn't be the same without them. 
2. The simple design. I think I am just becoming a lot more like the BF - simple and plain. Haha. I guess maybe because I wanted the words to be the focus so there should be little distractions in the design. :)

So I contacted heartyypaperie, the designer, on what I have in mind. Within her first try, she got my vision right. Like wow. I think it helps to articulate what you want line by line. (Note: I have removed the details of the wedding and included ugly shadows so that her template cannot be ripped. The actual version doesn't come with this.)

The second time I communicated with her was just making slight changes here and there and voila it is done. Quite effortless and she charges around S$20- S$25 for each template. It save you the hassle if you are an art-nut and lazy like me. :P

She has quite a lot of designs, so we also got the wedding printables from her. <3 So if you are wondering, some of the images are actually hand-drawn and digitalise while others are digitalise. When she told me that, I was like thinking, how does anyone even draw like that?!?

Would really recommend her if you are looking for some wedding printables (i.e. menu, save the date, invites). Personally, I think floral designs are her forte so if your wedding is of a floral, garden theme, you definitely needa check her out. For convenience, I have left her contacts below. You may contact them at:-

Instagram: @heartyypaperie   https://www.instagram.com/heartyypaperie/
Facebook: @heartyypaperie    https://www.facebook.com/HeArtyyPaperie/
Etsy Store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/heartyypaperie

Snoopy Run 2018: Running with the Peanuts Gang

Last weekend, I successfully completed the Snoopy Run! Wheee~~~ and I am proud to say for the first time in my life, I didn't stop and the only time I took a break was for water once at the water station. Timing wise, I don't think I did very well considering my Bro decided to abandon me halfway.

But I think it is a great start. It has been a long while since I have gone for a "fun run" and Snoopy Run I can assure you is an ultra family-friendly fun run. If you have not been training, you will be relieved to know that there are many human road-blocks leisurely walking so you won't be stressed!

Personally, I didn't really like the gravel trail at Bedok Reservoir cos I am too used to proper tracks and the treadmills. #spoilt But I do enjoy the nice scenery during the run. This includes wildlife, hunky dragon boaters etc. Muhahaha! For me Bedok is very out of the way, so we woke up like 6am for the run?!?

But still, I even see my friends from the West at the run. In fact, I saw a lot of familiar faces despite the crowd. Guess that's the charm of the Peanuts Gang!!! Compared to other runs, this run is quite no-frills thus it is more affordable.

But still, it did not shortchange its participants on photo moments. We ended up taking photos an hour before the run and another round of photo session after the run. The best thing is there is even a volunteer photographer at each photo spot. And they are highly professional. I think they can even take better than my Bro. My Mum was gushing over the photos we sent home. Hehe.

There were a lot of people so the queue was pretty long but because of the volunteers stationed at each photo spot, there wasn't cases of people hogging the photo spots! :P

For the run, I actually did consider running with the Snoopy Plushie, but lugging the race packs back from Plaza Sing nearly broke my arms (I collected for my bro too) so I knew if I had to run with a Plushie on my back, I am not gonna make it. And my Bro told me siao, he is not carrying excessive stuff for me.

Psss...he actually helped my carry my water bottle during the run so I can't really push my luck too much. But it was probably a good idea I didn't bring the Plushie cos I perspired a lot during the run. Hehe :) Can't wait for my next run already!!!