yes...i succumbed. call me shallow.

this evening, i succumbed.  despite my strongest efforts for a few months to rein in my desire - I could no longer fight it.

well, this evening grocery shopping trip revealed just how easily manipulated i am by a colorful, pretty, cheerful and rather unique (and slightly discounted).....dish soap pump!!!

yes yes. so anti-climax right! you might have been expecting shoes, clothes or a nice expensive leather handbag?  hahaha...strangely, those don't tug my heart-strings as much as items that pretty up the house! :)

so.....ta-da!  my Method soap pump which i am going to use FOREVER!  I promise to refill you (with non-method dish soap cos' I'm cheap that way) and look after you till the end of your day (okay - so not forever, i lied.  but as long as I can!)

[caption id="attachment_1811" align="aligncenter" width="547"] my new Method dish soap! so pretty ain't it! and i finally managed to find a use for the beer bottle!  loving this corner now cos' of all the colors!  orchids are amazing sturdy!  these few stalks lasted me almost 2 weeks![/caption]

i was at NTUC Finest and found myself once again looking forlornly at the Method soap dispenser cos' i could not justify to myself paying four times more (!) for dish soap ...and then at the corner of my eye - i spotted... $2 discount!!   immediately, giddy like a school girl - i lovingly  picked it up, turned to the hb and said 'can buy pls?' and i don't blame him for that 'aiyoh' look!  and in it went into the shopping trolley!

so drama right.  ahahha...pent up desire lah.  well, at least for $6.95 - i am now one happy girl (or 'aunty' if you so wish to call me that - i admit it myself!)

medicine for upset tummy and a whiter smile?? plus something for dog lovers at the end of the post!

Tummy's not feeling for the past couple of days and i was glad that I bought some medicinal charcoal a week ago.

heh. i shall confess. i bought the charcoal NOT in anticipation of the runs, but actually for a little experiment (which i have yet to start on).   

[caption id="attachment_1785" align="aligncenter" width="547"] charcoal[/caption]

what on earth would I do with charcoal you might think?  apparently you could use it of all things... to whiten your smile!!!

[caption id="attachment_1787" align="aligncenter" width="303"] white teeth[/caption]

yes! whiten. teeth. no kidding.  when i read the blog of the lady who tried it - i went 'really? serious?  doesn't it actually blacken your teeth?'  well. apparently it does quite the opposite after you wash the thing off!

I did try those gel strips years ago - despite the fact that I didn't like the fact that it was probably not all that great to bleach your teeth and that it wasn't so good for your gums.  All i can say is that at that point in time - i disliked the yellow teeth more - so I used a couple of strips, got it ever so slightly less yellow, then stopped.  i didn't experience any side effects.

[caption id="attachment_1795" align="aligncenter" width="224"] teeth whitening strips[/caption]

so imagine my surprise and delight when I found that someone used charcoal AND it worked!  cheap and safe - aaaahhhh...heck! why not!  Again, as usual - i went to research and read someone who tried and her teeth were sensitized cos' it was too abrasive.  so i guess the trick is to do it lightly, and probably once a week?

My teeth are slightly yellow - probably from the copious amounts of coffee I drink.  (irrelevant to the post, but I am trying to limit it to a single morning boost cos' apparently caffeine taxes your adrenal glands, and despite the inital boost - it actually weakens your body makes you more tired. still i personally think - bias and all - that a cup is good for our brains. i feel I think clearer).

so I'm gonna pound those pills into powder form and use it with my toothpaste!  update again after i try it!  Here's the link to the blog post where I first read about it for those who are interested!

probably will try only in the next couple of  days cos' seem to be coming down with the flu and my entire body is aching.  Part of the body ache probably is from walking Lucky at the dog shelter yesterday!  We took almost a 2 hour walk from the shelter to the nearby wetland (together with all the other shelter dogs and volunteers).  Volunteering to help take the dogs for a mid-week walk was to bring more joy to them, and I have to admit - I ended up throughly enjoying myself!

Lucky is super energetic - tugged and pulled and yanked.  had to dig in my feet to hold him back - until i figured that I had to walk a lot faster and ahead of the rest - then he walks contently at my side.  He has a really gentle energy about him and is very good natured (he tolerated TWO dogs trying to hump him!!) andwill be a great companion to someone who needs an exercise buddy!:)  The family or person who decides to gives him a home he deserves will be blessed with this darling!

If you or anyone you know is keen to adopt this handsome boy - you can click on the photo to head to the fb page.  Or leave a comment if you would like more info about this dear fellow!

Lucky - the shelter dog who has one of the sweetest temperament. a very gentle energy about him and I think he will make a wonderful companion to someone deserving of him!  

guess what I'm going to do with these!

as you might know, i'm not so pleased with the my DIY shampoo attemps, and the more natural shampoo - i don't quite like cos' it doesn't lather well.

and  in my attempts for other recipes, I read that actually diluted castille soap is not great for the hair cos' it's too alkaine. ditto for the baking soda and water.  and the other day i smelt the hb scalp.  let's just say it's not so good. hee.

[caption id="attachment_1751" align="aligncenter" width="230"] aloe vera leaf that I bought from cold storage cos' i happened to be in the area.  It's available at NTUC - probably cheaper there![/caption]

so I found another simple recipe -

• 3 tbsps of aloe vera gel


• 1/4 cup coconut milk

what can i say - i love to keep things simple - so much easier that way!

[caption id="attachment_1756" align="aligncenter" width="547"] pure coconut kernel extract.  i generally don't like the smell of coconut, but this was heavenly!  then i conclude - i probably don't like the artifical coconut smells.  the real deal? thick and rich - smells darn good![/caption]

Directions

1. cut aloe vera leaf.  here's a link on the safest way to cut! the videos i watched were super scary the way they handle the knife!  PLEASE be careful with the knife since the aloe vera is slimy and it can get slippery and easy to get cut!

2. blend the aloe vera in a blender

3. use the amount you need

4. keep the rest of the aloe vera in the freezer (I poured it into an extra ice cube tray)

5. mix the 3 TBSP of aloe vera gel and 1/4 cup of coconut milk

6. store in fridge when not in use.  probably can last about a week?

as usual, will test and update!

 

UPDATE @ 19 Feb 2013

sigh.  seems like i'm fighting a losing battle with my own DIY shampoo!

smells heavenly cos' of the coconut milk, but boy - does it make my thin fine hair greasy.  It does make the hair soft though....soft AND greasy.  so didn't pass this for the hb to guinea pig on.

I did give him a ice-cube of the pure aloe vera gel to wash his hair with....and he said it was slimy/oily.  I smelt his scalp...and hmm...it may be the aloe vera smell or his scalp.  either way. not so great.

more research to go!

Re/Upcycled (pretty!) glass bottles

call me paranoid - these days, I try to reduce the exposure to plastics in the house cos' I don't think it's healthy to have food I'm going to ingest touching the plastic all the time.

of course, there is the usual route of  'go buy new glass containers' and I either can't find nice ones or the decent looking ones - i just didn't want to pay cos' it wasn't exactly what I wanted anyway.

so one day i was packing my cupboard, and I came across a nice glass container I had tucked away in a corner, and hey! that could be my new cold water jar! just need to get rid of the sticker (though on hindsight - it does make the container prettier - ah well).

ta-da!

[caption id="attachment_1738" align="aligncenter" width="547"] pretty glass bottle - recycled!:) [/caption]

okay - if you are as anal as me - you probably want EVERY single bit of sticker wiped off cleaned!  for small surfaces, you could use rubbing alcohol, but for such a large surface, it's cheaper AND way easier - to first soak the label.

I filled a tray with water and lay the bottle - label side down.  After 5 to 10 mins, the label comes off pretty easily.  and definitely helps to have a scrub sponge!  THE easiest way to remove the label.  rubbing alcohol took way too much elbow grease and time!

so ta-da! my new water jar!  haven't used it yet cos' I need to scrub the insides first!

*****

You know sometimes you buy certain products cos' of the packaging? So I got this starbucks Frappuccino one time I need a caffeine boost.  and while it was too sweet for my liking - I got a nice bottle to store my condensed milk!  Exactly right sized for a can!:)  and pretty too don't you think?:)  I left the label on cos' I like it.:)

[caption id="attachment_1739" align="aligncenter" width="334"] Pretty Starbucks Coffee Glass - now used to store my condensed milk instead of using plastic tupperware (which i think isn't BPA free). [/caption]

my mum had a lovely glass bottle and couldn't bear to throw it away - so she passed it to me.  Normally I don't add stuff to my home, but it was pretty and unique - so I held onto it...and it was uber useful to store my vanilla sugar!:)

[caption id="attachment_1741" align="aligncenter" width="547"] i love this unique glass bottle! [/caption]

ta-da!  hope this inspires you to reuse the pretty glass bottles!

glass bottles are better for our health (though you have to be careful cos the glass bits are dangerous in the unfortunate event it drops - esp the small pieces which are almost invisible and can hurt badly!  so for a kid filled house, wouldn't recommend it!), visually more appealing (for me at least), environmentally friendly and makes your wallet heavier for you to spend on more meaningful stuff!

 

 

 

hair treatment mask!

my hair's feels scratchy dry lately and been curling all over the place.

so i decided to do a simple hair treatment mask. and given my recent 'DIY instead of buying commercial stuff', naturally I grabbed the coconut oil I bought from iherb a couple of months ago. It's simple plain 100% coconut oil.  it's in liquid form cos' our weather's really warm, so if you store it in the fridge or are in a cold climate, it becomes a solid.  thought you might wanna know.

[caption id="attachment_1681" align="aligncenter" width="547"] Cococare 100% coconut oil - bought from iherb (as usual! heh!).  there's a raised level in the container - so it looks more than it really is![/caption]

if you want better quality coconut oil - either for cooking or skin care, you may wanna consider cold-pressed, hexane-free, organic versions instead.  supposedly cold-pressed retains more nutrients.  and if you are particular about chemicals, make sure it is not processed with hexane.  though the ingredient is listed as 100% coconut oil, I suspect it's very likely processed with hexane. at only USD 3.41 - I don't expect much.

So - back to the hair mask - what I did was spoon a few tsps onto my palm, worked it into my hair thoroughly and then put on a shower cap and left it for a good 2-3 hours while I busied myself with other stuff.

[caption id="attachment_1682" align="aligncenter" width="438"] shower cap from my recent hotel stay sure came in handy! if you don't have a cap - a warm towel wrapped around your hair also works.[/caption]

Shampoo-ed it off in the shower, and it seems to work pretty decently. A little work to get the oil out, and i didn't bother to get it out squeaky clean.  Just made sure I washed away most of the oil else I'll get a pillow case stain!

I wouldn't say it came out as soft as i would like but it's still a good way to try to tame down the dryness. besides, it's inexpensive and simple! woot!

 

UPDATE @ 14 Feb 2013

I did the mask a couple more times, and I have to say - it does help reduce the straw like texture, and my hair is now way more comfortable than before.  much softer too! and a really cheap great way to moisturize!

Saw an article here about ditching conditioners for coconut oil.  Here's the link if you are interested!

Lip Balm for super cheap!

i suppose you know the feeling when you fly - lips start to become dry or crack due to the dry cabin air and you desperately need that tube of lip balm to rescue them?

for years! the same tube of lip balm always follows me whenever I travel.  this time when I was packing, I suddenly wondered if it was a good idea to use the same old lip balm since it probably had zillions of bacteria from the years of slathering it directly on my lips!'

remembering I had a tub shea butter from iherb a couple of months ago, I decided I would use that instead.  so i went rummaging through my cabinets for a small container to hold the shea butter, simply transferred some over with a butter knife and voila! instant 'new' lip balm!

oh, call me shallow, but a nice container helps.  it's a joy to use the lip balm from a pretty pink translucent container with gold screw cap.  Morale of the story?  Keep the pretty containers! only the pretty ones though!  the not-so-nice ones?  I recycle them.

[caption id="attachment_1531" align="aligncenter" width="547"] Shea butter I bought from iherb. Transferred into uber cute estee lauder sampler container gifted to me from mum who received from her friend![/caption]

thing to note is that as it's 100% shea butter, it is fairly solid and harder to apply, but once its on your lips, it glides since the warm of your lips helps to soften it.  Best part - you can use it on any part of your body - your hands / body!   sis tried it and was impressed. ha.

so its good for your skin cos' it doesn't contain any additives, and doesn't cost much (USD 12.24 for 227g!).  I guess why the normal lip balms cost so much is from all the packaging.   You can consider this the next time you run down your lip balm!

itchy itchy itchy!

these past few days I've been plagued by a horrendous itch!

and i suspect it's the sweet potatoes I've been eating.  not a 100% sure, but that's the only difference since the itch started - which is kindda sad cos' I am trying to switch to a healthier middle-of-day/midnight snack rather than the high sodium campbell soup and not-healthy instant noodles.   anyhow, i'm laying off them and hope my itch goes away!

i try my darnest to resist scratching but ooooo....the instant relief is so irresitable...initially!  then that gives way to pain since your skin can only take so much abrasion.  no fun.

anyhow, if you ever suffer from an unbearable itch, you can try what I did...

1. ice cubes!  in a plastic bag and apply to your itch area and waaaaaahhhh.....instant relief!



2.  lotions

between the calamine and tea tree antiseptic cream - i actually prefer the calamine - it is a chalk like liquid, and when it dries - i find the powdery film left behind actually acts as a layer of protection from my fingers when I go into auto scratch mode!

The tea tree provides only mild relief but it's good if you need to get out of the house and don't want people staring at you - wondering what's that white film (that the calamine lotion leaves behind) on you!

[caption id="attachment_1243" align="aligncenter" width="534"] my life savers![/caption]

okay - i shall sign off now and go back to applying ice!  arrrrghhhh....so itchy!!!

Super Cheap Window Cleaner!

So last night after midnight, brain still on a high from a late afternoon caffeine dose - I saw my toilet mirror splattered with stains...water marks from flickering hands, splash marks from toothpaste and some teeny tiny dots - probably spots from flossing.  hahaha...yes yes, pretty gross stuff.

I usually whip out my Magiclean window cleaner and do a quick wipe down (oh yes, I clean the mirror in the wee hours of the night - in fact that seems to be my favourite time to do it! weird I know, but it's simple, fast and therapeutic 'exercise' before sleeping!)

[caption id="attachment_1139" align="aligncenter" width="571"] Magiclean Window Cleaner - cleans well though it has a strong smell and I usually try to stop breathing while using it. Best to use in a ventilation area.[/caption]

This time round, I decided to try a DIY solution which I saw on the web - a combination of just water + vinegar.   I mixed 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water and sprayed away!  It works almost as well, and doesn't have the chemically smell.   It doesn't smell good cos' it's vinegar, but at least I get to breathe while cleaning!

[caption id="attachment_1090" align="aligncenter" width="527"] 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water! that's all! and yes, the vinegar's expired a year and a half ago - but I use it only for cleaning so I'm still using it![/caption]

What i love about this new cleaning method?

• Cheap - I bought the cheapest white vinegar there was since it's only for cleaning and not for food and cost less than $2.  Spray bottle's only $1 from the neighbourhood hardware store.  The Magiclean glass cleaner was probably about $2/$3.


• Effective - It works about the same as the Magicleaner but my windows are not dirty dirty - just needs a simple wipe down to take away the water marks.


• Better for health -  Since it contains only water + vinegar, I don't feel so paranoid and can breathe while cleaning!  Magiclean's ingredients are surfactant and solvent...and anything can go into that

What I don't love about it?

• Smelly - well, cos' it is vinegar.   Then again, the Magicleaner  doesn't smell good too.   So I guess between smelly and no health effect VS smelly and possibly bad for health  - I'll stick to my new method of cleaning the mirrors!   But I'll definitely keep Magiclean's spray bottle!!

In a nutshell, while there is some savings - the main reason why I am switching is to make sure my body doesn't breathe in any nasty chemicals!

simple homemade cure for headaches! almost instant relief!

An instant cure for headaches!  who knew that the secret is just residing in ingredients from our kitchen??? and it even beat a fancy cream that has more than a dozen ingredients!

You would have to pardon my enthusiasm, but I'm so amazed at how effective a simple DIY headache cure works!  and my consultant?  google search!

The husband suffers from headaches from time to time, and usually it lingers from a couple of hours to over a few days.

[caption id="attachment_890" align="aligncenter" width="347"] sucks to have a lingering headache[/caption]

Usually he applies Origin's Peace of Mind - which helps provide relief, though the headache is still present albeit less intense.  It contains Eucalyptus oil, so there is this mentholy-cooling effect after you apply (strangely, if you apply and massage the skin, the menthol effect doesn't work.  not so sure why.  so you gotta leave the cream alone to do its work)

so I helped the husband apply some, and the headache wasn't any better.   I went to google to see what else could possibly help - and I stumbled back onto this simple DIY solution!

.

.

.

cinnamon powder + warm water = paste.

apply paste on forehead and temple and that's it!

initially husband said he didn't feel anything when I first applied it on his head....then suddenly he said 'pain pain pain'.  The cinnamon paste was apparently heating up to the point of it being painful.  Lucky he bit the pain and left it on (at this point, he said he had less pain from the headache, but figured the heat from the cinnamon paste was distracting him).

The real reward came about 5 - 10 minutes, when the heat from the cinnamon paste slowly subsided and became bearable.  So I asked the obvious question 'so still got headache?'.....and he said 'no' - the headache was gone! just from cinnamon + water!! gosh.  washed the paste off after a few more mintues...and headache remained gone!!!  true story. It happened a few hours ago!

p/s:  I tried some on my forehead to test if really that painful, and from someone who normally has a high threshold for pain - it was indeed bordering on painful hot.

So the next time you or a family member has a headache, you can try this method!  Provided you are not allergic to cinnamon of course.  But do be prepared for some painful heat - we figure it's the cinnamon making the blood vessels dilate and probably helped the blood move and removing the cause of the headache!

boy oh boy!  I'm still amazed!

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="348"] I actually bought this cinnamon powder from phoon huat to make my usual oatmeal raisin cookies - but felt that the cinnamon smell was not as good as the usual Mccormick I used - so I kept this one aside...and boy was it useful today![/caption]

 

Inexpensive ways to decorate and pretty-up your home!

I love my home and I spend a great deal of time in it.

As I spend much time at home, it is important to me to make it as comfortable and cosy as possible - esp since I am also super affected by my environment (certain things just drives me nuts until i get it fixed / tidied / straighten!).

Not much of a surprise, but I LOVE decorating.  What I don't love is spending too much on grossly overpriced things.  Over the past year or so, I found a few inexpensive yet fairly effective ways to decorate your home - simple touches around the house - not too fussy cos' it will be a pain to clean!  So here are some useful and inexpensive tips!:)

1.  Pretty photos / pictures from brochures!



okay, my wall ain't exactly the prettiest, but it makes me happy.    You would be amazed at how some brochures have the prettiest visuals.   The tree in a field of lavender was taken from a brochure from a skin care company 'Enavose'.

The quote (too small to see from the photo) reads "Love what you Do, Put your heart into it and you will be rewarded" - at the back page of Kiehl's brochure, and the trees from a calendar my mum gave me!   Practically no cost! heh. :)

2. Free printouts on blogs / internet

I love the blog 'Making It Lovely' - the lady is AMAZING at decorating her home.  Seriously, check her blog for yourself if you love as she puts it "living a stylish life and transforming the so-so."

There was this time where she shared with her readers a poster she created.  So nice right! So I printed it out ,  took an existing frame and hung it on my wall.

[caption id="attachment_305" align="alignnone" width="470"] free printable from the blog "Making It Lovely" and lovely is her blog indeed![/caption]

3. Postcards!

I went to Paris a few years ago, and THE BEST souvenir was not the usual handbags or clothes - but these postcards I got from a street florist (yes, they sold these lovelys!).  Okay, I take it back.  the 2nd best.  The best was a painting. :)

I LOVE the colors, the graphics, the quirkness - and it was less than 2 euros per postcard!  Each time I look at the postcard - it just makes me happy!  I placed them in some nice Ikea frames that cost about $10 each, and hung it in my vanity area and another on my sink.  Don't you love how the colors just brightens up the place?

[caption id="attachment_306" align="alignnone" width="470"] kekeke....so cute and funny!  The one on the left doesn't have a frame cos' I'm not decided if i want to hang it else it starts to look a bit cluttered, so just left it there for now.:)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_307" align="alignnone" width="470"] the graphics is so pretty aei! reminds me to slow down and pamper myself![/caption]

4. As little clutter as possible!

The next would be to reduce the clutter in your home (and in your life) - I subscribe to the notion  our surroundings affect us and that we are reflections of those surroundings.  I aim for tranquility and peace in my home - and by that extension, means reducing unnecessary things in my life - so that I can focus on the important.



5.  Use what you have - don't store!  Things are meant to be used.  

[caption id="attachment_309" align="alignnone" width="470"] stuff in my toilet! and that flower above? taken from a brochure![/caption]

The foot scrub was a gift, and I hardly use it (cos' I'm lazy) - but love the color, so I placed it in the toilet.  The scented incense smells wonderful, but the scent was lost when burnt - so I thought - hey - I can leave the wonderful scent in the unburnt form and leave it in the open!

Who says a toilet is to be functional only?   It can be functional AND pretty at the same time.  All you require is some small touches and you would be amazed at how your living environment becomes that bit better.:)

Anyway, if you have nice gifts that you can't bear to use - I say - take it out and use it cos' everyday is meant to be special.   that nice cup, that beautiful pen, that exquisite china, etc.   disclaimer - declutter your home first .  that way you can more fully appreciate the things you do have out on display.

6. A nice burst of color in something small.

okay - this is a little frivolous, but I couldn't resist buying it and this cheerful soap dispenser does give you that kick of color early in the morning.  Small but impactful and less than $15.   and pardon the dirty mirror. kee..



 

7. Move things around!

Another cheap yet fast way to pretty up your house?  Move things around!  Sometimes we get bored with seeing something in the same place - and you would be amazed that a simple shift of things - somehow makes the space slightly different and more interesting!

home made hair gel

my sis-in-law made a simple DIY hair gel months ago, and gave us a bottle.

'oh?  you made it yourself?' was my initial surprised response.  In this age and time - normally we buy whatever we need - we have mostly lost touch with making things on our own.  In the frenzied lives most live in - the convenience is very much desired..  BUT...it's really simple to make!  No more than 15 mins of your time and it is wayyyyyyyyy wayyyyyy better than the commercial ones.

My husband tested the hair gel, and here's what we observed!

Pros

• sufficient holding power - quite similar to the commercial hair gels he was previously using (of course - he has short hair and it tends to 'stand' on its own and  just needs some help staying put.  I tried it too and it's okay if you are looking for a more natural look.  definitely not enough holding power to really style hair.  I use store bought hair clay when I need to style it a little.


• scalp smells better and i believe it's also healthier - before when the hb was using the commercial hair gels, there was a smell from his scalp!  Now, the smell is significantly reduced, and on most days - no chemicaly smell anymore!  i can only think this is good for his scalp!


•  easy / cheap / fast to make - previously a bottle of his hair gel costs about SGD 7-8 and can lasts him a month and a half.  now, I make a bottle for him once every month, and I don't even know how to calculate the cost!  probably < SGD 1??  and it's a dollar cos' I use essential oils which is the expensive part (then again, if you order online - it would be even cheaper!)

Cons

• personally i think it's none. - probably  the 15 mins you have to spend on making the gel?  but i find the process therapeutic...

so after he finished the bottle, I promised him to make a new batch for him.  and boy is it simple!!

all you need?

1. flaxseed


2. water


3. essential oil (optional - it supposedly helps to keep your hair gel longer.  i personally love the nice burst of smell!)


4. sieve (or pantyhose - see video below!)


5. container for your finished product!:)

instructions

a video says a thousand words - so this youtube video was what I referred to!  Instead of the pantyhose, I used a sieve .  have fun making your DIY hair gel!

I got this huge pack for less than $4! and to make each batch of flaxseed, I only use a tablespoon or so...so I'm guessing this pack will last me years!  since i'm not ingesting it - i think i can risk going beyond the expiry date. hehe. 

[caption id="attachment_244" align="alignnone" width="470"] This is the expensive part - this small bottle costs about $25 or so. The essential oils are supposed to keep your hair gel good for longer. Of course, if you just wanna try w/o the essential oils - it's okay - just make a small batch and keep your hair gel in the fridge.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_247" align="alignnone" width="470"] ta-da! home-made DIY hair gel!  i make small batches at time...and this round, i made it a thicker consistency on request of the hb.:)[/caption]

Pimples! My way of tackling them!

this will be one of my rambles on skin care - one of my favourite topics!

I have been blessed with a relatively pimple/acne free complexion (save for a recent memory of a horrible terrible HUGE pimple years ago - almost 1 cm diameter at the bottom of my nose!  morbidly I snapped a photo of the scar - maybe to remind me that it was really THAT huge! *shudder* and no, i shall not gross any of you out by posting it here. kekeke...that would be funny though!).

However in the past year - I had a period where pimples kept popping around my nose and I was a tad upset cos' it left faint albeit visible marks on my nose and it looked well...distracting.  and before the mark completely fades - POP! another comes along.  I was trying hard to pin point what caused the pimple outbreak and I can only weakly assume it's either

1. hot humid environment - when I used to bake frequently for orders


2. loose powder  - i was using to reduce the shine of applying sunblock.


3. some other reason - but i just haven't figured it out...maybe getting older? hmm...

So I tried clay masks, dead sea mud mask soap, exfoliating 2-3 times a week, and the pimples still popped!  boy....was it really annoying.  Then I started using Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair serum, and much as I'm a cynic at times (normally I don't buy the major cosmetics products as I feel that I am paying more for the marketing and advertising costs than the product itself) - it really really worked!  at least for me!  the marks went away quicker and the pimples stopped for a period!  plus it feels good - to be trying to protect my skin from aging!

[caption id="attachment_214" align="alignnone" width="460"] Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum - thank you to the people who created this wonderful product![/caption]

Though I have to disclaim - the pimples unfortunately came back for a little while - i suspect it's because I changed my loose powder and maybe maybe the new powder included micro/nano particles and with the heat of the kitchen, probably clogged my pores. I think.   The nano particles really gave a smoother finish - but ney - not worth the pimples, and to think about it - being nano sized means it's easier to go into my blood stream huh?  Okay - to the dustbin!  Note to self:  Please remember to look at ingredients list!

[caption id="attachment_219" align="alignnone" width="300"] Love the packaging and the finish it gave - but i suspect it caused my pimples. The sales lady said it contained nano particles, hence the smooth finish - but couldn't find much information on the ingredients / packaging.  It was also an impluse buy and i didn't read the ingredient list until much later and i vaguely remember being horrified. then again....i suspect most commercial products contain less than desired ingredients.[/caption]

Still, i do get pimples - albeit a lot less now.   You know when a pimple is about to erupt - that small but painful bump under your skin, you may wanna try what my sister recommended - Neutrogena On-the-Spot Acne Treatment and it works!  I generously dot the area with the cream before the pimple even has a chance to appear, and instead of an angry red burst of pimple erupting - a small red dot appears.  It's a drying cream - so dab it only on the pimple area - else your skin will flake.

Genius household tips that almost don't cost you anything!

gosh, I just came across this article online - and am amazed at how ingenious the ideas are!

If you are into eco friendly ideas, and cleaning in general - this might interest you!

I particularly like the one on how to store your wrapping papers, the temporary bed rail for kids and paint brush tips!  snap shot of the article below.  Here is the link!

Cleaning Your iMAC Keyboard

I love my iMac keyboard - the white clean streamline look, the soothing 'clicking' sound while you are typing away and also the ease and comfort with its 'flat-ness'... if you know what i mean.

The only thing is that it gets dirty really easily.  I contemplated buying a keyboard guard, but at the ridiculous price of SGD 40+ for that thin piece of plastic - no thank you. Plus, i'm not sure whether it affects the typing feel.  So naturally after a couple of months - my keyboard got greyer and greyer  - not the lovely pristine white as before.  and the grime was super distracting (for me!).

[caption id="attachment_79" align="alignnone" width="870"] can you see the specks of grey?[/caption]

Figured that since the marks on the keyboard were probably due to the oils from our fingers - I thought maybe the kitchen cleaner might just do the trick....and it did!  Check out the before and after photos below!  and now - my keyboard looks as good as new!   plus - it's darn easy to wipe of the grease!  didn't even have to use any force.  I just lightly wiped it across the keyboard!

[caption id="attachment_80" align="alignnone" width="313"] Magic Clean to the rescue! It's formulated to target grime, which was what was making my keyboard dirty.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_81" align="alignnone" width="870"] check out the key 'J' - top left was wiped a little - see how clean it compares to the rest of the key! and see the dirt marks on the number '7'![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_82" align="alignnone" width="870"] ta-da! all nice and clean now!:)[/caption]

How To Get Rid Of That Sticky Residue After You Peel Off The Price Tag Off A Book.

Okay, if you have as itchy fingers like me and can't help peeling off the price tag off a book - and are left with a mess of sticky residue and remnants of label left on the book - fret not!  It may seem impossible to get it off (cos' I tried to rub and rub and rub with a wet paper towel to no avail!).

The remnants are no big deal to most sane and normal people - but if you are as anal as me - those sticky remains are reaalllly distracting.  Plus it's a magnet in attracting grime and dirt and fur (if you have cats like me).  So here's a really simple yet effective solution I found on the internet! (boy I sure LOVE the internet for the hordes of information!).

1. if you have baby powder - dust it over the label. (if you don't - it's okay to skip this step.  the powder i find is just to 'dry' the top layer and make it less sticky to work with)


2. dust off the excess powder.


3. use an ....ERASER!!  oh gosh! how simple right!!


4. rub and rub and rub away!


5. sticky residue GONE!!


6. smile! cos' now your world is just that little bit better.:)

This applies if you are working on a paper base surface.  For most other surfaces, usually I will use lighter fluid or alcohol - but I didn't want to risk 'melting' or smearing the ink on the book cover.

Another thing to note!  Alcohol or lighter fluid NOT good on plastic! It will kindda 'burn' the clear plastic and well...look pretty gross. How do I know? See what I did....haaa..

[caption id="attachment_31" align="alignnone" width="870"] Left: Clear Plastic (i.e. normal) Right: Destroyed Plastic after I tried to remove sticky residue with alcohol / lighter fluid![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_32" align="alignnone" width="870"] Close up of destroyed plastic. See how clear it originally was on the left side of the photo? No big deal cos' the plastic is just a container for my nit nacks - but do take care if you are attempting to clean stuff with lighter fluid! It might just 'burn' certain materials![/caption]