"Tikkam" for grown up women :)

remember when you were a kid, you would spend all your spare pocket money at the neighbourhood "tikkam" store - picking up a random number from a cup/box, matching it against the numbers on the gift board, and then often, smiling silly, walking away with an inexpensive little bell, a trinket, an eraser or something...

this is like that, except it's targeted at the grown up women ;)

www.vanitytrove.com

 

you pay a fixed monthly subscription fee of S$25.00, and get little surprise packages of random beauty samples - skincare, bath & body, makeup etc. - delivered to your door steps every month.

very interesting concept, and i think it would continue to work as long as the perceived value of the packages surpasses the amount being paid, and of course, that lousy samples stay out of the packages. moreover people are not exactly paying for the items in the box, what they're after is that surprise, the suspense and that little thrill of receiving something expected - yet unexpected - in the mail. so keep it pretty too, and the subscriptions will roll...

simply brilliant!

amazing things happen every day, no doubt about that... what makes the difference is whether we slow down enough to discover and appreciate them.

stumbled upon this very simple and ordinary little idea, so impressed with it that i just have to pass it on.

an everyday object most people would have access to, with just a few clever little touches, becomes a super practical piece of storage tool :)

keeps your snacks and loose packets of chips fresh and within reach. so easy to DIY, i'd say turn it into a little weekend project with your kids.

recycling efforts don't have to be on a big scale. you can start today, right at home :) have fun... and do leave a comment with a picture of your very own "bottle cap sealer"!

good old comfort food

comfort food comes in all forms for me at different times, sometimes it's a slurpy piping hot bowl of nissin instant noodles (maggie mee), sometimes it's sinful pan-fried luncheon meat on toast, other times it's a plain bowl of teochew porridge with hae-bee-hiam (dried shrimps with chilli) and salty preserved olive leaves fresh from the glass bottle, or simply cheese with crackers...

today, for lunch... this was my yummy comfort food - the Beo Crescent Hainanese Curry Rice.

this stall has been around since i was a little kid, mum would occasionally buy this for our sunday takeouts. i guess it's a mixture of the nostalgic familiar tastes and the good old memories of my childhood days, that makes this an exceptional comfort food for me.

i love mine flooded with the generous scoops of mixed gravy and curry sauce, and the oh-so-sinful crispy fried fatty pork chop, a side of long beans, and braised cabbage.

do be prepared for the lunch-time queue (they usually sell out by 2pm or so), but good things come to those who wait... ;)

ps: of course, none of the above would be perfect without my biggest comforts of all times - my cuppa hot teh-siu-dai, or simply tea with milk (reduced sugar) :)

travel with tokidoki this Spring

we all love to travel, don't we? visiting new places, experiencing new sights and sounds, new tastes and wonders, shopping, exploring, meeting new people, the occasional holiday romances.. lol! there's just something about holidays, vacations and travelling that's simply magical.

now take that magic and throw in some tokidoki, voila! that's what makes this Spring 2012 so wonderful. how so? check out these awesomely adorable travel-inspired tokidoki collections:

(tokidoki Ramblers handbags collection - from USD68)

 (tokidoki airways palette - USD42)

makes you can't wait to book your next holiday and hop on that plane, and bring these lovely bags and make-up along with you, doesn't it? :)

a lunar new year gift for myself :)

i simply love hearts and polka dots and ribbons and butterflies... can't explain why - guess it's part inert, part cultured.

it was love at first sight for this little pouch from coach - shiny patent leather in a sweet subdued lavender shade, debossed monogram prints, and *gasp* the most adorable little bow with a worn-gold heart charm! <3 <3 <3

yea, i know i didn't need a new pouch, but in the spirit of the lunar new year celebrations, i've decided to indulge myself and splurge a little, a new year's gift for myself ;) a pretty, new money purse for the new year, that should be a good token, right? *smile* ok, i'll be good now... no more indulgences.

cheers to a happy lunar new year 2012!

HAPPY 2012!

another post, another day, another year...

there's a Chinese saying "三分天注定，七分靠打拼" - we are what we are because of 30% God's will, and 70% hard work.

life is often what we make of it - whilst fate plays a part in bringing us people, things, opportunities (even good luck) at a specific place, a specific time, a specific intersection; it is ultimately the decisions we make, how we respond, that determines what happens next... and then beyond.

2011 has been a whirlwind of events, despite it having passed by so fast, there were many significant moments - good ones, bad ones, crazy ones, rewarding ones, experimental ones, embarrassing ones - that made me discover more about myself, about people around me, my own strengths and limits, and the marvels of nature and life.

as we welcome the brand new year, i am thankful for all who has been there with me through the journey. it's easy to take things and people who matter for granted - i hope i will always remember to show appreciation in whatever little ways i can. i'm not a vocal or expressive person by nature but i am grateful for life and its gifts, and constantly remind myself to be a better person - to be aware, to share more, to appreciate more, to smile and give thanks more often, to count my blessings, to be happy, to live with conviction.

so in the New Year 2012, let us approach all things with an open heart, accommodate differences and shortcomings, show respect, dream big dreams, laugh out loud, share love, make time for people who matter, make time for ourself, and lead a happy, fulfilling life.

may 2012 bring us love, warmth, good health, good figure *wink*, good company, good dreams, good fortunes, and a good life.

happy new year to all :)

the creepy one...

sigh. i've been counting my blessings as i recalled not having seen one for a while now (and i certainly don't miss it! in fact i have a weird theory, don't think of them and they won't appear). anyway, given the recent constant wet weather, i knew it wouldn't be long
before one would show up.

and true enough, the flying cockroach (a brown one) invaded through the door just now, fluttered right into the living room, sent me jumping instantly out of my seat (i have a "roach"-dar) and dashing straight into my bedroom - shut all windows, closed the door and pressed tight against it.

i stood panting behind my door as i listened out for my dad, trying to figure out whether he had managed to catch the 'you-know-who'. my dad's against killing of anything, including pests, said they're innocent; so despite saying he would catch it, i knew it's going to be a half-hearted chase on his part. after just mere seconds, it was silent out there already, my dad had sat back down onto the couch. i shouted out from my bedroom to ask if the coast was clear, he gave an unconvincing response... so i knew "it" must still be at large! *yikes*.

so i have no other choice but to lock myself in tonight - no air circulation, no air-conditioning, a little suffocating but i shall just put up with this and pray that the roach will miraculously find its way out and disappear from our home by morning.

*sigh* why does such an ugly and frightening creature exist? why did God make them so hardy and resilient (and even flying ones!)? and why do i have to be terrified of them? why oh why oh why...

when will this be over?

Merry Christmas 2011!

wishing all a heart-warming holiday, one filled with peace, hope, love, kinship, friendship... and all things beautiful.

thankful for what I am, for all I've received throughout 2011.

merry Christmas & happy new year.

obsessed with bows!

if you are as obsessed with ribbons and bows as i am, then you would certainly fall in love with this as quickly as i did too!

check out this adorably feminine bow ski hat from Kate Spade; keep yourself warm and still look chic and fashionable at the same time!

priced at US$85, will you be splurging your year-end bonus on this? ;)

tokidoki rollerball fragrances...

these are toooooo adorable!
i wonder if sephora singapore carries these... shall drop by to check it out this weekend :)

adios & ciao ciao rollerball duo (US$30)

 

rollerball collection (US$18 each)

jingle bells...

i love the harajuku lovers fragrances, have always loved them since i first set eyes on the original collection at a Macy's store in Seattle :) and of course, that's also the beginnings of my (evil) little collection of those cute little fragrance dolls... hehehe.

confession: after all these years, i must have a total of 6 or 8 bottles to date (a few of which were gifts) - selected ones from every single collection, as well as the special edition "Gwen-only" ones :)

yay! there's a new release from HJL, its latest but also the very last fragrance from the line. *sob sob* such a pity because it's been fun looking forward to each new release, but also a BIG sigh of relief, after all no one can go on collecting them forever, can they? ;)

i am definitely getting the 10ml (S$38) for this festive "jingle gwen" fragrance doll. i've heard from colleagues that Robinsons Singapore already has this in store, so get yours early whilst stocks last!

related posts:

• harajuku lovers - G of the sea
• Harajuku Lovers are wicked ;)
• harajuku lovers - solid perfume coffret
• i want the Harajuku Lovers Snow Bunnies gift set! :)

show some kindness today

it's world kindness day.

i believe kindness should be shown every single day; but for today, let's all just make that one extra act of kindness.

something small, something big...
make someone's day.
make someone smile :)

http://makesomeonesday.sg