Oympic Fever

I am quite shameless in my love for the Olympics. For those of you following me on twitter, I apologize for the unasked for sports commentary. I can't help myself. Usually, I'm not the kind of gal that follows sporting events but when it comes to the Olympics, I will become a rabid sports fan. During the next month of the games, you will most likely find me glued to the telly watching either gymnastics, swimming, equestrian, badminton (goooo LCW!) & just about anything else that catches my fancy. So far I've even found myself watching archery & canoe slalom which never in a million years I would've thought was interesting until now! I can't even explain this fascination but all I know is that I have Olympic fever. Think about it folks: amazing athletic feats & world records are about to be set... I'm getting goosebumps just typing this!

Here's an Olympia headpiece by Bundle MacLaren Millinery for all you fellow Olympics lovers to consider. I would DIY one for myself, but I think my husband wouldn't let me wear one out in public. Maybe he won't mind if I wear it at home? Hah!

 

London Olympics 2012

Did you wake up in the wee hours of the morning to catch the live telecast of the London Olympics opening ceremony last Saturday? I did & I loved the wonderfully ballsy & eccentric take on what must be the most watched opening ceremony in the world. Yes, it wasn't as spectacular as the Beijing Olympics with its incredible pyrotechnics, extravagance & its breathtaking precision in gargantuan scale as so many bemoaned but London, being one of the world's epicenter of pop culture, included so many elements of it [pop culture] with a dash of British humor that made this particular opening ceremony very, very cool in my opinion.

And would you expect anything less from the artistic director Danny Boyle who was the man behind such cult classics as Trainspotting & multi-awarded Slumdog Millionaire? Then throw into the mix a parachuting James Bond & Queen (yes, H.R.H. the Queen!), Mr Bean being hilarious, day dreaming & finishing off with a fart joke, a tribute to Harry Potter with JK Rowling doing a reading & appearance by Lord Voldemort, performances by Arctic Monkeys & Paul McCartney - I'm a very happy girl indeed. Admittedly though, being a lover of old English tales, I would've liked to have seen a sequence of medieval England with kings, queens, knights, courtiers & a dragon or two but in hindsight, that would've looked very out of place in Boyle's creation, but a girl can wish right?

In case you missed the opening ceremony, I found a full-length video of the opening ceremony here (all 4 hours with the athletes parade - Malaysia comes in at 2:23:10 by the way). God bless YouTube. And here's a written review that I found very in line with what I felt. Enjoy!

Come As You Are

This awesome cover of Nirvana's Come As You Are by Yuna is on repeat today as I work from home. I can't get enough of this gorgeous girl's voice & hope she continues to make waves over in the US of A. You go girl!

P/S: Whoever's in charge of iTunes better make Yuna's album available here in her home country real soon before I start a revolt.  

Salam Ramadhan

This may be a little late as we're already 6 days into the holy month but better late than never, so here's wishing all fellow Muslims out there a very happy Ramadhan. May your prayers this month bring you more peace, happiness, prosperity, faith & divine love for Allah.

Quick Getaway

Thank goodness for scheduled posts! At the last minute on Tuesday, my hubby decided that I could tag along on his business trip to Singapore the very next day so I had to run helper-skelter to get ready. Now we're back in KL but the whole time I was at the Lion City, I blessed my lucky stars I scheduled a bunch of posts beforehand hence no one would be none the wiser (unless you follow me on Twitter or Instagram that is!).

Here are a few shots I took with my iPhone during my quick getaway which was spent mostly at Marina Bay Sands while the mister was at his business meetings. It was my first time there & boy, it is HUGE! "Checked" out the casino (and won SGD50 at the roulette table by the way), enjoyed the scenery from the 57th floor of one of the towers, took my own sweet time at the Art Science Museum lingering over every little display, window shopped at the Mall & finally traipsing through the trees & flowers at Gardens By The Bay. My feet hurt from all the walking I did (I kid you not, that place is enormous) but I had a lovely time. Enjoy the pictures!

The view from Marina Bay Sand's Sky Park at night. Can't believe this was all bare just a couple of years ago (or so I was told).
 

As I'm a big Potter Head, I had to check out the Harry Potter Exhibition at the Art Science Museum. It cost SGD24.90 to enter (which if bought at the promotional counter, entitles you to enter the Andy Warhol exhibition too) & SGD6 for the audio guide but it's worth every penny.

Loved the exhibition but couldn't help feeling the souvenirs were waaaay overpriced! SGD75 for a wand that wasn't even wood but cheap plaster?? I just got the exhibition book as photography is not permitted & I wanted a little keepsake. Almost bought this poster too but I felt it was too somber & hey, it wasn't moving like it should ;)
 

The Marina Bay Sands towers as seen from the top of the SuperTrees, Gardens By The Bay at sunset. Honestly couldn't believe I was at that overhanging tip the night before alongside so many people & the whole thing didn't just break off!

A view of the Singapore Flyer, a small cluster of SuperTrees & the Flower Dome.

I paid SGD5 to access the Sky Walk which is a bridge linking a few SuperTrees. If you are scared of heights, it's best to avoid this as it's pretty high & it moves a bit with the wind. I loved it though, and spent an hour up there, waiting for the sunset, taking pictures with my Olympus PEN & admiring the view.

Took this shot as I lay down at the foot of one of the SuperTrees, waiting for the sound & Light show to start. The show wasn't all that great but I was there & needed to rest a bit so no harm done. This one is my favorite shots from the whole trip. 

Interior: A Swedish Caliigrapher

This light, airy house of a Swedish calligrapher featured on Rue had me at hello. Love love love the neutral palette & attention to detail. It looks like the perfect house for entertaining which is something I personally want for my future home. I keep poring over the photos here & I can't help myself but sigh in longing. 

 

Freebie: Keep Calm & Grow On Print

Here's the little freebie I promised you lovely folks earlier this week! I created this print specifically for an event I did last Sunday & since the event is over & done with plus I've been getting a few enquiries about the print, I thought why not just share it on my blog? Sharing is caring after all, and my blog readers are some of the best! To have a copy of this print for your own PERSONAL use (please don't resell it), just right click the image above, save & print. It's that simple.

P/S: The print is meant to fit a 10 x 15 cm frame but if you're like me & have a ton of prints, just washi tape the sides onto any available space on your wall. Tadaaa!

DIY: Camera Strap

It has proven super hard to find lovely yet affordable camera straps so when faced with that problem, what do I do? DIY of course! Stumbled on this awesome little tutorial that I'm itching to get started on thanks to Design Love Fest. Try it out with me, why don't you? 

Mustache & Bow Tie Baby Shower

Hello folks. How was your weekend? Mine was filled with preparations & set up for another styling job. This time it was a baby shower with a mustache & bow tie theme I came up with to go with the venue, Carcosa Seri Negara. I thought the playfulness of the mustaches added in with the somewhat prim & proper bow ties would tie in nicely with the colonial setting & the client, who is expecting a baby boy, loved the idea. She loved the idea so much, she even had her nails done to match (check it out down below), how cute is that? Yay for awesome clients!!






These are just the few pictures I took with my phone. I'm working on editing the rest of the pictures I took on my camera PLUS I have a little freebie for my blog readers which should be out sometime this week, so stay tuned!

Decor, prints & flowers by Mimpi Murni
Assistant Yuzmin Faizal
Vintage suitcase & books by I Love Snackfood
Balloons by Party Heaven

A Friend With Chocolate

This series of quotes designed by Erin Jang for Real Simple are pretty nifty but my favorite is this one because I can't help but agree. Charles Dickens was one smart man.

Pilen

The mister & I love outdoor activities so recently we had a look around a bicycle shop to check out the options & prices. I immediately fell in love with the more classic looking bikes & told the mister that I want mine to look like it belongs in the 1950's with a wicker basket in front. Hence begins my hunt for a hardy, versatile bike that can take some abuse yet look very classic & that's how I came across Pilen bikes from Sweden (here's a very thorough review by Lovely Bike). It was love at first sight but too bad, the price tag is pretty hefty (starts at USD1500) so my search continues. The Pilen Special in cream with a wicker basket pictured below will forever be my ideal.

Mad Hatter's Tea Party In Miniature

Ok, I've made this admission a few times here in the blog but it needs to be said again: I don't think I've quite grown up & this Alice In Wonderland tea party in miniature just made the little girl in me clap my hands in glee. Made by the talented Christel Jensen, the amazing attention to the tiniest detail is just mind-blowingly lovely. Click here for more pictures & check out her Etsy shop.

A Sparkly Wedding

As a girl who loves all things glittery without going too over the top, this wedding styling shoot featured on Green Wedding Shoes is right up my alley. 

DIY: Polka Dot Shorts

I love the polka dot trend but sadly, I haven't been able to find the perfect pair of happy polka dot pants until this little DIY landed in my Google Reader. I don't know why I never thought of this earlier! I'm just going to revamp one of my existing pair of pants with this tutorial from Say Yes To Hoboken. I'll let you know how it went!

 

Bright & Clean

Oh how I love this apartment styled by Helsinki and Paris-based designer Linda Bergroth. Clutter free & filled with bright pops of colors over a clean canvas of white walls & contemporary furniture. One day, one day I'll have a house just like this.

Cambridge Satchel

This gorgeous 15" red Batchel (which is just a satchel with a top handle) is being made just for me as I type this & in approximately a month's time it will be in my loving arms. I've been coveting a Cambridge Satchel for ages & ages but I kept putting off making the purchase. Until recently that is... You see, my darling husband got me the new Macbook Pro for my birthday & I think my MacDreamy (yes, I've named him) deserves a nice bag for me to carry him around. Yes, that's my excuse & I'm sticking by it! ;)

What makes this bag so special for me? Firstly, if you purchase it directly from the maker, it's handmade to order using the finest English leather, which is stiff to begin with but will soften with wear & age.  You can also get it embossed with your initials as I did & with a design this classic plus the fine workmanship, it's sure to never go out of fashion & will last you forever with proper care. Truth be told, I'm also hoping I can one day pass it on to my future kids so that they'll have a little piece of me with them whenever they use it. I'm a sentimental fool, I know. Hehehe.

I'm also eyeing this silver 11" satchel pictured below by the way (so much for sentimentality!). Check out the Cambridge Satchel site for more fantastic designs & colors. You're sure to fall in love too.

Picture source of top photo here & bottom here

Craft Party #5 Pictures

I had the best time last Saturday. A little too much I think, because I'm still pooped out! I was also too busy helping out that I didn't take a lot of pictures but here are a few I did manage to snap (more over at the HandmadeKL site):