Ta-daaaa (updated)

Trinity mini earrings to match the trinity ring I got 2 yrs ago (which I lost n then got a replacement for my birthday last year).

I love Cartier jewelry. There's some seriously brilliant design and thought into each piece. The trinity ring with tri-colour is just so elegant and fun. There's a special way of wearing so it doesn't get all tangled up.

The Love series is just as brilliant, i like the fact that the bangle needs a screwdriver to remove, how crazy interesting is that? And it's not all that expensive! A silver piece from the blue box can easily cost S$400 dollars, I mean why pay for silver?

The diamonds selected by Cartier are IMO of a much higher quality than the blue box, at least from the brilliance observed by the naked eye.  I think the reason why the blue box is so highly sought after is good marketing, that's all, IMO.

Told Mountain Man that anything he selects from Cartier makes a good gift. Haha!

Nail Marbling

I've attempted this nail marbling at home many times but it doesn't work. I don't know if it's the nail polish i used, or that i've applied the wrong technique... It's not popular in Beijing but i want to try it some day.

Boo! Designs by Lovexiaolongbao

I'm on etsy!

Never have i dreamt of starting my own clothing line, and i never thought i would start my own business. But one day i was inspired. So I took one step, and then another and another and another.... A few months later I saw the birth of my very own collection- a little eclectic, somewhat granny, kind of bohemian.

I currently have 3 main designs (more to come).

The Wrap/Shawl/Long Cardigan. Long ends can be tied into a knot, or slung over shoulders. View more here.

Butterfly Top. Not that it matters but this top is made from one single piece of cloth (not two pieces together). It covers my big butt/hips and it's very comfortable to wear. View more here.

The sundress. The first dress of my collection. The straps are adjustable and can be worn 3 ways (halter, classic, crossback). The belt not included, but belt can also be worn at the hip, or belt-less! View more here.

Most of the designs can accommodate a range of body types, even pregnant/nursing women, they are generally "freesize". Some people might think there is no such thing as "freesize", well i agree on that so i also offer customization of certain pieces (Blue Magnolia, Salmon Stripes, Grey Wilderness, Coloured Forest).

Go visit The Shop. Buy, browse, drop me a note if you see anything you like. =)

Hello Kitty!

Are these freaking cute or what! I wanna pin them on my hair instead of eating em... Love the cuteness of all Japanese things.

Hello Hong Kong again...

To be honest, Hong Kong has not been my vacation destination of choice for almost 10 years now. Too crowded, too stressful, always 买东西吃东西，买东西吃东西 (shop and eat, shop and eat).... The older generation of hongkongers also come across as for the lack of a better description "no-patience-don't-take-your-sh*t-therefore-can-be-quite-rude" kind of people.Disclaimer: Of course this observation is a generalization of the older generation of hongkongers at large and therefore if you're hongkonger and reading my blog please do not be offended because i'm sure you are the sweet and nice.

Somehow, we ended up in Hong Kong for the 2nd time this year because A. No visa needed given the short time to plan, B. It's cheaper than Taiwan. C. We preferred somewhere warmer so we could pack lighter.

We enjoyed ourselves because we got to spend time together as a family. Mountain Boy brought us a lot of joy with his weird antics and he was surprisingly easy! Not easy as compared to his day-to-day but he was very cooperative. By the 2nd day he was taking 2hr naps in his stroller and he only woke up once to feed at night and went back to sleep fairly quickly, this was a far cry from the usual 4-5 wakes on holidays. He was still nursing a diarrhea but he ate like a horse on the first 2 days. He doesn't like to be fed much anymore so he takes matters into his own hands.

Out of the blue, he can feed himself using the fork and spoon!

Of course he gets tired and gives up halfway. Hands much faster.

To ensure that he was well-hydrated, we gave him alot alot of juice.

Mother/Son picture of the trip. Now i feel bad that i don't take such good pictures of Father/Son.

This trip i must say is quite different from other 买东西吃东西，买东西吃东西 trips. With Mountain Boy in tow, we took our schedule easy and decided to explore more children friendly places. We went to the Citygate Outlet Mall which was quite a disappointment because most of the fashion was off season, but we made friends with a father/son duo who brought us to a huge outdoor playground nearby. We spent a good mid-morning basking in the sun, letting Mountain Boy work off some serious steam.

One of our key destinations this time was the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens. Now I would like to do all future family tourists to Hong Kong a favour by clarifying that the HKZBG is not in Hong Kong park, and neither is it near to Hong Kong park. We've had different directions given by different people, some say admiralty station, some say central station. Took a cab straight to the Hong Kong park only to discover that we had to climb the Great wall of "China" with a 12kg stroller and a 10kg baby before we got to our destination. To make things simple, just take a cab and tell the driver you want to go to Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens. Hong Kong is seriously not child-friendly because of the multiple flights of steps and no options to take the lift or go up the ramp.

Lucky thing Mountain Boy enjoyed seeing the animals upclose so we didn't waste our breath climbing those stairs.

The loot. Well... Unlike other trips i didn't buy any clothes/shoes, in fact we were at different bookstores most of the time! I stocked up on parenting books, and the first 3 installments of the Charlene Harris' vampire series. Mountain Man got his usual non-fiction business stuff that i say kills imagination. Mountain Boy also didn't buy much, all he wanted was a storybook with a pig on it and tht's what he got. I splurged on a couple more books for him because he really loves to read and China is severely lacking in English bookstores.

I was however bestowed upon 2 gorgeous gifts from the generous, loving, handsome, humorous, very athletic, has great skin amongst other good qualities husband. *wink*

Miu Miu Bow Satchel in Palissandro.

Not a good picture- Cartier Trinity, regular size, without diamonds.

I've always been attracted to this ring because i love how playful it is. This is an advance for our 3rd wedding anniversary next year.

久的不去，新的不来。。。

^^It means: If you don't get rid of the old, the new will not arrive.

I think being a stepford wife has made me quite bored shitless, especially after Mountain Boy sleeps. After 730pm, ebay, taobao, and The Purse Forum are my regular companions. I have now sold 3 bags on ebay and bought 2 items at great discounts!

So without further ado, here it is. I present the third member of my Chanel family, the Beige Vintage Medium Flap.

It's not the usual flap u see people carry. And I somehow love Chanel Vintage more than the new bags. The less polished hardware gives it a classic and edgy feel that i think is quite ME. I can also knock it around without fearing too much "damage".

Like it?

Stockings

I've declared my passion for shopping time and again. If Moutain Man will let me, I may die with no money but a closet full of clothes, shoes and a bunch of useless things.

Speaking of which...I recently purchased on taobao (the china amazon) a pair of slimming stockings called "胖胖腿bye bye", for the non-chinese readers it means "goodbye chubby thighs". Apparently upon wearing the thighs will reduce by 3cm! see picture...

WOAH.... that was my reaction. I had to try. I still have about 3-4kg to shed after pregnancy so i do need a little help. The moment i hit "pay", the seller sent me a message asking me to view a video on tudou which will illustrate step by step instructions on how to wear the stockings. Naturally i ignored it because i figured, how hard can it be right??!

2 days later, the stockings arrived. I happily tried them on in front of Mountain Man but OMG, they couldn't even get pass my ANKLES! Hmmm.... Time to review the instructions, i can't be that fat.

Turns out that the video is 5 minutes long, and that is how much time it takes to put the dang stockings on. U can watch it if u're that free. For a good half hour I was on my back with my hips lifted towards the ceiling squeeeezing my butt into it. But fail... boohoo.

Upon giving up, i told the seller that i wanted to return the stockings. Not surprisingly, stockings cannot be returned due to hygiene purposes. She told me to do the following that MAY HELP- freeze the stocking for 2 days, take out and soak in vinegar water at 30 degrees temperature, wash with warm water and dry for another 2 days. She is obviously childless.

Looks like i have one more pair of stockings to bring to my deathbed. And oh yeah, a pair of chubby thighs too.

Passion for Shoes

I just recently bought 5 pairs of shoes for T and 1 for myself. What a colourful bunch! I love love love these new shoes.

Did i ever mention that my feet expanded since i gave birth? That's 50over pairs of shoes rendered unwearable. I've invested in a shoe-expanding device and i've managed to salvage less than 5 pairs so far.

So anyway, all the more reason to go shoe shopping.

Another baby...

So i sold 2 balenciaga bags and got myself the Lauren Conrad bag...Medallion Chanel Tote in silver hardware, thanks to hours of watching The Hills while expresing milk.

It's turning out to be such an addictive series! The girls are too immature for their own good, the boys are spoilt brats and the drama is so bitchy! It keeps me young at heart and up to date with the latest fashion trends...

Oh who am i kidding it's a crappy show. I'm totally scrapping the bottom of the barrel with the Hills after devouring 4 seasons of How I Met Your Mother and 5 Seasons of Weeds. Any idea what i shd watch next? Is the OC any good?

Doing the Karen Cheng

Skirt from H&M. It's stretchy so perfect for fatty me! i have 6.5kg more to lose!

NICE?

Crazy about carriers

A good carrier is quite essential in my opinion. It's handsfree so u can drink coffee on one hand and carry your shopping bag in the other. It eliminates the reliance on strollers which are bulky and inconvenient if you don't have ur own car. And it's great for parent-child bonding. In China, there's an additional benefit of keeping warm during harsh winters!



Hotsling

Pros:

1. More portable as compared to other carriers: Light, foldable, easy to stuff into diaperbag.
2. Many cloth patterns to choose from.
3. Can hip-carry, cradle, semi-cradle (with baby sitting up), back carry.
4. Can breastfeed- though i don't know how.
5. Mother looks chic.

Cons:

1. Very hard to put the baby in. The first few (hundred) tries were a struggle.
2. I am not sure how comfortable it is. T was very squashed when i first put him in at around 5 weeks. But as the bb gets bigger, less of him goes into the sling and it'll get better.
3. Need to get the right size. If it's not the correct size it will look quite clumsy and won't be comfortable for the mother. It's non-adjustable nature also means that u cannot share the sling with ur husband. (not that mountain man wants to carry a floral yellow sling).

To buy or not to buy...

Despite the many cons i've stated, the chic-ness makes it very tempting for mothers. I must admit that even though i've struggled with it, i look forward to the day when T gets bigger so i can hip carry him.

Baby Bjorn

Pros:

1. Comfortable for both baby and mother. T loves it very much.
2. Easy to put on.
3. Front carry, baby can either face in or face out.
4. Relatively portable: it's still OK to stuff into diaper bag.
5. Looks pretty good.

Cons:

1. No hip carry and back carry.
2. Actually hard to find fault with the bjorn from a usage perspective. But there are alot of negative press about suspending the baby at the crotch and the outward facing position. it's supposed to be bad for posture and spinal development.

To buy or not to buy...

I think the rule of moderation applies. Baby walkers also has bad press, but we all grew up using it and i think we're fine. I guess just don't use the bjorn for long hours and it'll be fine.

Ergo Carrier

Pros

1. Easy to put on.
2. Provides good overall support to baby and mother. Weight is focused more on the hips rather than the back and shoulders so u won't feel so "achy".
3. 3 main positions: front carry (includes cradle carry for infants), hip carry and back carry.
4. Can use for babies up to 3 yrs (longest usability amongst all carriers).
5. Infant insert allows good posture for infants.
6. Attached sleeping hood great to block out stimulation and the cold.
7. Most comfortable for babies amongst the 3 carriers.
8. Has a front pocket.
9. Has safety features that ensures that the carrier don't fall apart should the buckles come off.

Cons

1. Cannot face outward, but it's because the makers claim that outward facing posture is bad for babies.
2. Looks a bit too sporty for me.
3. Quite bulky. Cannot stuff into diaper bag.
   

To buy or not to buy...

If u only have money to buy one carrier, invest in this one. That's cos I rate comfort quite high when you have to carry ur baby or toddler for long hours. Also, it's got the longest usability so u get a better value for ur money!

PS: This is one of the dresses from H&M. hehe.

Snow or no snow part 2

I headed to Qianmen, an outdoor shopping street so i could get the full snow treatment. The cab driver suggested n alternative route to avoid the jam, but i'd have to drop at the south gate. I was like whtever just get me there and do it fast.

I was sooooo pleased when i saw the golden arch at the south gate, I had a craving for cheeseburger all morning.

Fun fact: did u know all mcd outlets toilets in it? That meant i got to empty my bladder before the shopping rampage! Things were going well, i knew today would be a great day.

True enough, i got 2.5 hrs of uninterrupted no-crowd-weekday-snowed-out shopping. The harvest was plentiful, I bought 18 items in total- something for T, mountain man, and mama.

Taobao Fashion Spree

I literally went berserk when V asked me if i wanted to tag on her shopping. I'm 90% happy with the stuff that arrived. Being a first time mom, i wasn't quite versed in baby sizes so some of the stuff i bought won't fit T till he turns 2! ack!

So anyway, without further ado I present my first round of shopping spree from Taobao (the ebay of China).

Stripped Convertible Romper - for a sleepy Tamagotchi.
(Sorry if u've to tilt ur head, blogger screws up the picture orientation sometimes)
The romper can converted to a skirt (see yellow sample) so its more comfortable to wiggle around at night.

Frat boy jumper- for Tamagotchi when he attends one of the Ivy Leagues.
Quality is soso, but it looks completely studious and adorable! Thick material, perfect for T when it turns winter/spring.


Panda Kimono - for Tamagotchi Kimura.
This is made of very good muslin material that gets softer with washing. Material is cooling, very good for short walks in the park. Perfect for Spring/Summer.

Upper East Side Romper- for Tamagotchi Bass. (as in Chuck Bass)

This is a gift from V. Isn't it CUTE!! the tie is detachable, so he can "relax" after a hard day at school. haha.

Chill-out Romper- for a laid back Tamagotchi

This happens to be Mountain Man's favourite. Harhar, for men it's the simpler the better.

Some other cute stuff:

Funky bibs. Sorry if u've to tilt ur head again. I love the superman bib!

Winter tights- i know it's a bit girly to wear tights in Singapore, but Beijing is very very cold. It's not uncommon for boys to wear tights.

Delayed gratification

Esther shared a really interesting experiment yesterday. It's called the Marshmallow Test. It's a test that u conduct on kids between the ages of 2 to 5 to see if they understand the concept of delayed gratification. Now, if he passes the test BEFORE the age of 2, he'd be a genius. Meaning that i shd spend my life savings to groom him to become the future PM, or the richest man in Singapore and China, some say Batam.

So after the conversation i started craving for marshmallows. I headed straight to the supermarket, got myself a packet and ripped it open to devour those tiny fluffy things before i even reached my desk.

Upon realising how pathetic i was, i started questioning myself, do i even understand the concept of delayed gratification. It bothered me.

And then i had an AHA! moment. I DO! I love online shopping! how is that not delayed gratification. The best part about online shopping is the waiting. I like wondering (or fantasizing) about the items- will it look like what i saw online? Is the colour displayed in the picture accurate? Will i fit into it? The anticipation releases endorphins over a longer period than traditional shopping, making the pleasure last longer. I even replay the ripping open of the packaging to the tune of "haaallelujaah...."

Best part about online shopping is, it's often cheaper and u're not geographically limited!!

So Mountain Man, i have a confession. I just bought about 10 outfits (not including bibs, mittons, hankies and tights)for T over the last 1 week. In my defence, i bought sizes from newborn to 1 year old, and for all occasions, day and night, in and out. Our son's gonna be born in A/W09 so he needs to layer! And do u know how often a child needs to change? Most of the colours are unisex so Number 2 and 3 can wear. Can you imagine the joy we gonna get from oohing and aaahing at how cute T is? *sheepish grin*

BEFORE u say anything, I've only just begun. Don't stop me! I'll post the stuff i bought once i receive them. Teehee!!

Totsnob

Born with a silver spoon in mouth? How about a diamond encrusted pacifier instead? Total 3 carats. Sorry T, mom can't afford this. But if i can, i'd buy myself a huge rock first. Or perhaps pay for ur education.

I just found a solid baby website called www.totsnob.com (spinoff from bagsnob.com). It shows mommies the "bad" things money can buy.

T's new car...

One of the things on our list when we got back to SG was to get T a stroller. I thought man, i'm gonna be the only one fussing about the model- right colour, right height, right style, right weight, right price, will T look royal in it, will mommy look cool pushing it around?

Turns out i was wrong about Daddy's supposed minimal involvement. I reckon that buying a stroller is like buying a new mode of transportation... Mountain man and his male friends even discussed (over beer) on the types and models and price and functionalities. Wheel suspension? Frame material? Handling? Recline?

So believe it or not, Mountain Man vetoed ALL my shortlisted options (which were cheaper) and decided (all by himself) that he wanted this. The Inglesina Zippy Stroller in Safari colour, comes with an extra bassinet for infants up to 3 months, and all sorts of accessories for all kinds of weather. I just stood there and let him figure out the installation, puzzled and amazed by his level of enthusiasm.

The deal maker? It's one-hand folding mechanism. It folds like a transformer robot and stands on it's own. Nevermind tht it's 9kg cos in macho terms, heavy is sturdy like a continental car.

For more reviews on Inglesina Zippy Stroller, click here.

my feet has gone to heaven....

first of all, MERRY CHRISTMAS to all readers, family, friends, loved ones.... Have a jolly Christmas eve celebration. I love eves... in fact i prefer eves to actual days. Cos there's anticipation and excitement and those are really the fun part. The actual day usually passes by too quickly. In 2 days, we'll need to take down our Christmas decorations. Not that we have any up... except for maybe a Christmas wreath handmade my mommy.

Anyway, so we're gonna host a house party tonight, in 2 hours i'll be stressing over food and i cross my fingers and hope tht i don't screw up anything, I don't want to ruin such an important day!

Tomorrow, Jlo, Mountain man and I are headed to HARBIN! i am about the experience the lowest temperature i have ever gone to (lowest -20 degrees celcius). I am nervous about the cold, but also super excited! i don't think i've felt this excited before a holiday before... i want to be super prepared for the cold cos i don't want to spoil anybody's fun. I borrowed/bought lots of thermal, jackets, gloves, hats... even a thermal flask so i can drink water. Apparently at -20, ur average plastic bottle turns to ice.

So footwear is a big big headache. It's especially important to keep feet warm cos u get chills easily when ur feet is cold. This morning i put on my wellies hoping that it'd keep me warm. But NO, the opposite happens. The wellies trap the cold in and soon enough, the feet is frozen even after spending hours in the office. I was so cold by 1130am and thought crap, i need to go home to change shoes. Then i passed by (no actually i made a slight detour) to the UGG boutique and tried on one of these babies...(UGG Australia Sunburst)


OMG.... the first feeling was that of relieve. like... Aaaaggghhh..... like the first drop of water u drink after a water fast, or taking a very good crap, only even better. why didn't i think of it earlier, like 2 winters ago. i can live in these boots. i'll never take them off again till winter is over. (kidding, wht would i do with my 7 or 8 other pairs of boots) Anyway these are WAY more comfortable than the classics, it's more hugging and fitting. the classics are very plonketie plonk.






Anyway, guess which celebs have the same model as i do!!!

Eva longoria (middle) has a sand coloured one. i don't know why i know this, but when she first got her paycheck, the first thing she bought was a pair of UGG.



Kate Walsh- or shd i say Dr Addison Montgomery (my heart goes out to the new divorcee, broke up just after 1 year)

Vanessa Minilo. Nick Lachey's girlfriend. It's ok if u don't know who vanessa or nick are, they're so boring and uninteresting anyways.

And i found this on Wiki.

Tips on wearing Uggs. Read the bold tip, it's super funny! but honestly, there are more manly designs. i recommend Uggs to anyone.

• The benefit of wearing Ugg Boots is that you don't need to wear socks with them even in cold weather as they are warm inside.
• Although you do not have to wear socks with Uggs, wearing them prevents damage to the fur inside the shoe.
• You can buy some cleaning products specifically made for Ugg Boots. *Waterproofing them using spray prevents water damage.
• Men usually look best wearing Ugg boots with jeans, but probably should not wear them at all
• Wearing Ugg boots with skinny jeans prevents having to tuck them in every so often.
• You don't have to tuck your jeans into your uggs. Boot-cut jeans over uggs look really cute too!
• Most people think uggs look best with jeans.

Name necklace continued

for those who are interested to make a name necklace, go to www.mynamenecklace.com. It's free shipping if u can wait...i waited about 20 days for mine.

Or u can just google carrie name necklace... it's all over the web. =)

tux

Came across this jacket on my last trip to SH. It's still there this trip and i thought ah what the heck. i love the cutting, the slight poofy sleeve...