A New Feature @ Adeline's Loft - Create My Style Box

Imagine this.

You place an order for a surprise jewelry theme box for yourself, knowing that it will be made up of pretty accessories you will love. The excitement builds up and anticipation sets in. The box arrives and you cannot wait to unwrap it.  With much delight, the contents are finally unveiled. You try them on and love how it adds a brand new spark to your wardrobe, all specially handmade for you.

Does that sound like fun and perhaps, something you would like to experience? Then allow me to introduce Adeline's Loft newest feature, 'Create My Style Box'.

'Create My Style Box' is something I have been working on the past few weeks. After much deliberation on details of the box and costings etc, I am happy to finally launch this today. It was really hard to keep it under wraps for so long!

Here's an introduction of what it is :

'Create My Style Box' is an affordable assortment of handmade jewelry creations in a box, targeted at individuals who are open to creativity and seeking a novelty experience with Adeline's Loft lifestyle jewelry pieces. It is also made ideal as surprise gifts to your loved ones or friends, especially when you are unable to celebrate special occasions with them. (If it's a gift, tell me and I'll arrange for a gift card with your private message at no extra cost.)

Nothing, and I mean nothing, beats the surprise element of receiving a few pieces of trinkets nicely packaged in a little brown box which is certain to please anyone who has a penchant for mixing and matching accessories!

Of course, at Adeline's Loft, I am all about handmade jewelry. When you place an order for a box based on the selections made by you, I will get down to work on something that inspires me to create for you. I have always been big on exclusivity so most designs will be limited edition pieces.

What's In The Box?

Regardless of the box value you choose, there will always be at least 3 items in your box. Choice of style and combination of jewelry pieces can be made in the order form.

Here's a sample of what contained in the first 2 boxes made for 2 individuals, according to their selections.

How Much Is A Box?

I have several affordable value boxes that you can choose from. Ranging from S$30 - S$60, depending on your budget. There are also boxes for the mini me in your lives at S$22. 

The actual value of a 'Create My Style Box' is worth far more than 40% of the listed box price, which is considered a steal as it is valuated by handmade value*.

*For information on my individual custom order handmade prices, please refer HERE.

How Soon Can I Receive The Box?

As a general guideline, 1-2 weeks after transaction is made.

Anything Else I Need To Know Before Buying This Box?

First of all, if you are unfamiliar with Adeline's Loft, do take some time to browse through my past creations in my album. From there, you would be able to gauge the genre of designs I usually come up with.

Local standard postage is free, which may take 2-4 working days to arrive. Smartpac service (door delivery, tracking service by Singpost) is a next day delivery at S$4 additional.

*Again, I reiterate that there is usually some risk using local standard mail, which I cannot control after the box is mailed. (From personal experience, 95% of the time, packages are delivered safely.) Therefore, I cannot be held responsible for any loss of mail.*

Overseas order is also welcomed at a flat shipping rate of S$8.00 by registered mail. However, please allow a longer time frame for the arrival of the shipment as there could be delays during transition. Estimate time frame for overseas shipment between 2-4 weeks.

Can I Return Any Items If I Don't Find It Suitable?

As these are specially priced pieces made to order at a fantastic value, no alterations, returns or refunds will be considered. If any items happen to be dislodged/broken during transition, you can get in touch with me about it within 3 days from the receipt of your box to see how I can help you rectify them.

How Is This Different From The Usual Customization Of Jewelry Pieces From You?

The reason how and why I am able to offer special bundle rate for the box is because the one-to-one communication and unlimited mock ups of jewelry pieces my regular clients are familiar with, will be drastically cut down by 90%. Hence it allows me to be more flexible with time and the costs it usually involves. Thus the difference.

I'm Ready To Place An Order and Support Local Handmade!

That's really awesome! You can place an order through this form HERE. It takes no more than 5 minutes to fill in the form. Thereafter, you will receive an acknowledgement email with transaction details. Payment would be required to be made in advanced within 3 days from the email.

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As part of Adeline's Loft 10th year anniversary, here's a special
 PROMOTION FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2016

Place an order for a box and receive 4* pieces of jewelry instead of 3! 
(*4th piece will be a pair of earrings)

Place an order for a box HERE

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Neostrata Triple Firming Neck Cream Review + Giveaway Worth S$405!

[This is a sponsored product review, written based on my own personal experience over the past 9 weeks. No monetary compensation is involved. The content is original and opinion expressed here are 100% my own.]

“As we age, we produce less collagen and pigmentation becomes more mottled resulting in sagging, discolored skin in the challenging neck and décolletage,” said Joel Schlessinger, MD, a leading US dermatologist and Director of Advanced Skin Research Center in Omaha, NE. “Triple Firming Neck Cream helps rebuild the skin’s matrix, encouraging pro-collagen and hyaluronic acid and protecting skin’s essential cells, to lift and firm skin and even tone to diminish the appearance of age spots.”

I cannot agree more.

When I was approached to try Neostrata Triple Firming Neck Cream, I was very hesitant because reviewing beauty related products were not in my cards. Moreover, I am quite fussy over the products that I choose to use on my sensitive skin and anything unsuitable will result in breakouts or rashes. Though I knew at the back of my mind, I needed help with the obvious neck creases that has been plaguing me in recent years. I would have liked to think that I did try to take good care of my neck as much as possible, by conveniently extending the application of my facial moisturizer on it. I have never noticed any improvement of sorts and was not that concerned about it. I guess this is what happens when it is not a specific targeted cream.

After much convincing that the product would yield positive results in the targeted neck area, I made the exception to try the product out on a non-obligatory basis and IF it goes well, I would agree review it.  I will have you know that I am a skeptic at heart. Then again, I thought, after all, it is appropriate to condition my decolletage (neckline) area since I do model my handmade necklace creations and share it on my instagram. Moreover, I am at that age (turning 43 and not shy about it!) where I should take charge of caring for myself and fight Newton's law of gravity.

Factually, it was not until I have to compare photos during this review that I noticed my neck creases were this visible, especially in photos. Now I shudder at the thought of having a crinkly neck!

About Neostrata
Neostrata is scientifically advanced and clinically proven, in their skincare products. It aims at helping to resurface, restore and refine skin. Neostrata has been proven to be effective for almost all skin types and conditions such as hyperpigmentation, dryness, eczema and acne. Their dermatology developed skincare is recommended and highly regarded by experts around the world.

I thought I would just share a photo I had taken back in 2011. Though the neck crease here is not immediately noticeable, it was already showing signs.What a difference 4 years make!

My Experience and Results

Firstly, I am very particular about how skin cream smells. Anything too strong or very artificially scented, especially those with sticky residue, is a no go for me. So I am pleased to state that the Neostrata Triple Firming Neck Cream is hardly even scented, very easily applied and absorbed into the skin - a big plus for the fussy me. This was diligently done twice a day, for 8 weeks, in the morning and night, covering from the area of my jawline, back of the neck and the decolletage area.

The photo take on the left was just before I started using the neck cream. Notice that the jawline area appears firmer on the right photo, and the neck lines are comparatively much softer. The skin also seems to be tauter and hydrated.

I was recommended to give it at least 4-6 weeks to see visible results but I only began to see clearer results on my 8th week. Hence, it will be good to note that results will vary from person to person. I personally feel that there could also be other attributes that may have caused the delay of results. These would be :

 - The way I sleep, as I tend to lie on my left side more. So in this review, I am particularly focused on the results on the left side of my neck. (The firming up of the jawline area came as a surprise bonus!)

- My sitting posture while I work on my jewelry or while I am on the computer, as it is not at eye level, so the tendency of looking downwards at an angle is very very high.
- Using the mobile phone while propped at an angle while lying on my bed.
- I also seem to have a bad habit not keeping my neck straight at times, tilting my neck to my left more. 

I think it will also be useful to be on track with the neck exercises that I have been inconsistent with, which would be very relevant to help with further toning and strengthening the neck muscles as well.

The reason for my smile! :) The area beneath my chin seem tauter when compared to the photo on the left. I have also noticed that the dark shadowy line beneath my chin is somewhat lightened, even for the pigmentation at the decolletage area. The neck creases are visibly softer too. Though of course, I feel it still needs the continued use of the neck cream to yield even better results!

[Note : These photos were taken at the same area in my home but at different times of the day with my mobile phone.]

My Verdict

I am pretty impressed with the results that I am seeing so far. Neostrata Triple Firming Neck Cream does work and has proven to be progressively renewing the condition of my skin. It is no wonder that they were recently featured in Elle magazine's 'Beauty IT List 2015' for the 'best new neck cream'! It is not difficult to maintain a more youthful appearance in the decolletage area, only if I bother to take 2 minutes of my time each day to condition my neck. After more than 11 weeks' of using this product (I am on my 2nd tube already), this has become an important daily routine.

I am now a little bit more confident in taking selfies (or neckfie?) with a broader view of the full neckline now while modeling my handmade necklaces, instead of cropping off the areas where the neck creases used to be more visible.

As a gauge from my usage, squeezing about a 5 cents coin size amount each time, a tube can last you about 9-10 weeks so I think it is a worthwhile investment to take on the preventive measures and avoid a premature wrinkled neck!

I can't wait to try their range of anti-aging cream on my face and see how it can help me too!

What does the cream contain to make it work?

Here are the technical excerpts which you may wish to know, taken from the press release provided by Neoasia.

"Triple Firming Neck Cream is formulated with a powerful blend of Neostrata proprietary and other selectively sourced ingredients. Clinically proven NeoGlucosamine helps increas hyaluronic acid and evens pigment, while NeoCitriate targets new collagen to lift and firm. Pro-Amino Acid increases pro-collagen to help diminish wringles. Additionally, Swiss Apple Stem Cell Extract helps protect the longevity of skin's essential cells, helping older cells behave like those in younger skin."

Neostrata Triple Neck Firming Cream is available at :

• Selected Guardian, Watsons and NTUC Unity
• Alexandra Hospital, Retail Pharmacy
• Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Retail Pharmacy
• Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Retail Pharmacy
• Singapore General Hospital, Retail Pharmacy

It is retailed at SGD$81.00 (before GST), for a 75gm tube.

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5 Neostrata Triple Firming Neck Cream To Giveaway!
Simply follow the necessary steps on the Rafflecopter widget and we will draw 5 names to each receive a full sized, 75gm tube worth S$81 each (expires 06/2016). The more steps you complete, the higher the chances of your name being drawn!
(please read the terms and conditions before you enter the giveaway)

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Terms & Conditions :
- This giveaway ends on 12am, 2 October 2015.
- only Singapore female residents can apply for the giveaway.
-  Winners' names will be drawn, updated on the blog post and notified via email within the day of the result.
- Should there be no email acknowledgement from the winners within 24 hours, we reserve the right to draw another winner.
-  The giveaway items will be sent to the winners directly from Neoasia.

WAIT! 
You can also sample before you buy!

The very kind people at Neoasia has also agreed to give away exclusive samples to 10 of my readers!
(One sample per household please!)

All you need to do is fill up the form in this LINK and they will send the cream directly your way.
You would also need to be a Singapore resident to enjoy this sample.

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Till the next post, have a wonderful day!

Christmas Gift Ideas + Giveaway!

I bet some of you are already shopping for Christmas gifts (just like me!) and then there's some of you who will only shop at the last minute. Whatever your shopping styles are, I am here to promote online shopping where it is definitely the easiest way to get around without having to jostle with the crowd. Though it's only almost the beginning of November, consider an advance shopping for Christmas as some good finds may hail from the other continents, some are made-to-order which needs more time and shipping alone may generally take 2-4 weeks. 

If you are open to online shopping already, may I interest you to some shopping on Etsy.com this year?  *Note : this is not a sponsored post. I'm just a big fan of Etsy and am all for handmades!  :)

If you don't know what Etsy is, where have you been? I mean, really?

Here's a quick introduction. Etsy is an e-market platform of all sorts for every kind of artisans all over the world, to sell their wares. It used to be a place where I sold my handmade creations however, I could not sustain the shop in Etsy as it became increasingly expensive to list/sell my creations and even harder to be noticed in a VERY big crowd of talented and creative people. Even though I am no longer a seller there, I am a frequent buyer.

When I was still a seller in Etsy, I was actively mingling with other like minded sellers and started to curate treasury lists - collating creations that are on sale based on a theme that I like. Though it can be a little time consuming, the splashes of colors and stunning photos were always an  inspiration  to me. Hence, I decided that this year, I should curate lists of Christmas gift ideas for my readers based on color themes. I also wanted to ensure that what I curate are within the budget of many so I've kept each chosen item between US$10 - US$40. Many of these items are unique and some even customizable. If you do see something you like, get in touch with the shop owner and feel free to ask them any questions before your purchase.

Ready for an eye feast?

'Pastels' 

Crochet Diana Colorful Paste... meemanan $33	Light Mint Crochet Coasters ... LoopingHome $12	Key Fob Wristlet - Key Chain... BeachyBabies $6.5	Pastel Mood iPhone 5 case, P... CRAFIC $10
Wood Drinks Coasters in Past... chocberryavenu... $17	Felt Stuffed Animal, Felt bi... LaPetiteMelina $15	Dark Green Polka Dot Japanes... Sureddoya $15.9	Pastel strawberry pink infin... ammame33 $11
Bow Tie for Men by BartekDes... BartekDesign $22	Floral Geometric on Wood Pho... AmparoCase $15.99	Pill Box, Pill Case, Pill Co... KellysMagnets $13	Blonde Mini Soft Doll in Blu... DesignsbyMSusa... $16
MADE TO ORDER Pink felt pend... Arabela $29	Embroidery Heart Tree Coin P... lazydoll $29.9	Magnets - Pastel Inspiring W... StuckTogetherM... $11.5	Mint Green Rosette Flower He... FoldingChairDe... $14

'Black and White' 

Flowers dSLR Camera Strap. B... AccessoriesFor $30	Monogram Cufflinks, Personal... AllAboutYouCre... $24	Bathroom Wall Art - 8 x 10 o... SusanNewberryD... $15	Taper candles - Candle set -... primacandle $20
Nook Cover, Nook HD+ Case, N... FiveSproutsSti... $26.95	Black and White Wedding Cand... OpenVintageShu... $12.11	ring dish, Monogram ring hol... PromisePottery $16	Black and white table runner... HomeMakings $20
Fall Leaves Bracelet - Black... ZoeMadisonGift... $15	Monogram Iphone 6 case - Dam... ToGildTheLily $16.99	Coin Purse - Leaf - Cotton F... CottonTimes $17.9	16x16 handmade Black and Whi... VintageHippies... $12
Black and White Clutch -Brid... Vanijja $20	Boss sleep mask, Black and w... PomponDesigns $18	Masai Inspired Tribal Beaded... LocalColorCrea... $15	Black and White Iphone Walle... kailochic $22

I hope you've enjoyed the selections I have chosen! Let me know what you think! Did I manage to convince you to buy something from the treasuries? For more unique or quirky kind of creations, you can go direct to Etsy and do a search. 99% of the time, they would have something you want and more!

If you are still not into Etsy (yet), I also have a list of some local shops manned by mumpreneurs that may interest you too! Check them out on Facebook!

Chair-ish the Moments
Old school home decor, enamel ware etc.

Jeanstitch
Handmade fabric pouches, bags, aprons, pillows etc.

Shop of Curios
Handmade amigurumi animal keychains/paper weights.

The Little Bow Company
Handmade baby bows, shoes and clothings.

Mama Shoppe
A variety of baby and kids goods.

Jed Packs!
Children's back packs, wet bags, lunch bags, stationeries etc.

Xavvylicious
A distributor of Young Living essential oils. PM on her page for list of oils available.

Style Essence
For Mary Kay beauty products.

PriviKids
Quality clothes and products for kids.

Now run along and start shopping for the best picks before they run out.

 *You can also customize jewelry/accessories with me at Adeline's Loft! Drop me a PM and we can work something out together. Christmas orders will close early on 25 November 2014*

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And now, the GIVEAWAY!

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Christmas is nearing and aren't we all in a merry mood? Or, is it just me?

Win for yourself and your other half a pair of couple bracelets in a simple and casual style - handmade by yours truly.

For her, a grey suede bracelet with a pewter plate with 'Love' and a cluster of pastel swarovski crystals. Secured with spring clasp and extension chain. The lady's bracelet will fit wrist sizes from 16cm - 18cm. 

For him, a multi-strand leather bracelet with assorted charms - a treble clef, fox and peace sign (partially hidden).  Secured in magnetic clasp. The man's bracelet will only fit wrist size of 18.5-20cm.

This pair of couple bracelet is worth S$64.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms & Conditions :
* This giveaway is open only to residents in Singapore.
* Winners of previous giveaways done on my blog within the last 6 months will not qualify.
* No further alteration on the bracelets design will be entertained.
* It is mandatory to leave a comment with a valid email address, so that I can contact you if you win.
* The winner will be contacted via email after the draw has been made. If there is no response within 24 hours, I reserve the right to draw another winner.
* This giveaway ends on 9 Nov 2014. Winner will be announced on my FB page by 11 Nov 2014.
* The bracelet will be sent out by standard mail.

All the best!

Till the next post, have a wonderful day!

[Product Review] Dyson Cool Air Multiplier Bladeless Fan AM08.

The weather, of late, has been very unkind. To be constantly surrounded by the hot and stagnant air is a terrible feeling, especially when we are at home. Even though we have a ceiling fan in our living room and standing fans in every bedroom in our apartment, it does not really improve the air flow quality. 

It was extremely timely for the good people at Dyson to invite me to review their bladeless pedestal fan, model AM08, just when we were thinking of upgrading to a better quality fan for our study room. This is probably the only room where we spend our afternoons together during the weekend and use our computers concurrently. I have seen and ogled at Dyson's bladeless fans at the electronics store for a long while now and it still amazes me how a bladeless fan works to deliver cool wind. A window fan without any blades is certainly the most eye-catching and interesting invention!

Assembly Of Fan

Assembling a fan should always be a simple and straightforward experience. The setting up for AM08 only consisted of  aligning the parts with arrows indicated, then "clicking" them together - the base and the loop amplifier. It didn't take us more than 10 minutes to get the fan ready to supplement our very humid home with a smooth flow of cool breeze.

Need For Speed

The average pedestal fan has limited speed settings - usually low, medium and high. The Dyson AM08 has an impressive 10 precise airflow settings!  I am pleased that we can each find a suitable fan speed to suit our preference at different times of the day.

Image captured from Dyson's website.

Here's A Little Bit Of The Technical Stuff

The Dyson bladeless fan is now 35% quieter, with streamlined airflow system. The Air Multiplier technology allows air to accelerate through an annular aperture, drawing in surrounding air to project smooth, powerful, high-velocity airflow. No blades = No choppy air.

And there it is - the very handsome Dyson pedestal fan that has found a permanent place in our study room!

Image captured from Dyson's website to show it's oscillation and tilt feature.

As you can see from our seating arrangement, you would probably be able to imagine how the previous sharing of a traditional tower fan could not serve our individual needs to keep us cool due to the limited oscillation feature. However, the Dyson's AM08 has proven to be able to channel powerful streamlined air which delivers a decent amount of wind to each of us. Better yet, this technology produces 15% less energy consumption which will definitely be kinder to our monthly electrical bill. We may not see it now but in the long run, I'm looking forward to the significant savings.

I have also heard and read about Dyson fans being rather noisy so I had to hear it for myself. In all fairness, anyone should be able to figure that the higher the speed of any kind of fan, the more power is needed to deliver the wind, hence some 'noise' will be generated. I tested the highest speed at level 10 and listened but it is nothing like any noise a traditional fan would make. In fact, the current generation of Dyson's fans are apparently up to 75% quieter across their fan range, compared to those made before. In any case, it doesn't affect us at all.

What I Like Best

Perhaps one of the most incredible feature of this fan would be it's safety feature - the absolute non-danger of someone sticking their hands into the fan. Cleaning has also been a breeze! (pun intended) Just a quick swipe along the exposed surface with a cloth or a duster would suffice. Where have you been all my life?

Our Family's Verdict : 9/10

It is a great fan and proven to be the best one we've ever known, own and enjoying - although the price tag is much steeper than others which can be the main setback when making a decision to purchase a fan. The simple, sleek and modern design will look great and fit into any part of the home and the bladeless design helps move the air around effectively. It is safe and easy to maintain - which is my personal plus point. Buyers should consider the quality and efficiency of this fan that can be hard to beat.

 

Dyson products are available at major retail electronics store.

 

Till the next post, have a blessed week!

Disclaimer : The Accidental Mom Blogger was given the Dyson Cool pedestal fan, AM08 model, to be tested and reviewed. All opinions stated in this post are 100% my own.

Children's Lifestyle Accessories @ Adeline's Loft

Many may not be aware, barely 6 months after I ventured into handmade jewelries, I was offered an opportunity to produce girls' accessories for a now defunct local children's boutique, Tien, that was targeted for girls age 4 to 14 year olds. That was back in  2005 and 2006. The main boutique was located at Forum and a subsidiary space was rented at the children's level in Tangs. I had meetings to go to every month to discuss what the boss/designer wanted for her new collections. It was not easy to meet expectations.

Of course, little did I know how tiring and monotonous it was to be mass producing with my single pair of hands. All I was focused on was the given opportunity to show what I can do and the pure exhilaration I was reeling from seeing my handmade creations being showcased in the stores. And these were some of what I made.

Imagine having to make 20-30 pcs per design... even the skin on my fingers were not spared.

After about 6 months later, I decided to stop taking on these work, which took a toll on motherhood. My children were young and I wasn't able to cope with the demand. It was very tough to earn my keeps after the hours I had invested in making the pieces even till late into the night. So I re-focused on why I started out my jewelry making venture in the first place. To enjoy making my own designs and at a pace that I can cope.

One of the positive things that I've learned from this work stint, are the ways I could do to improve the lifespan of children's jewelry and studied on the materials suitable for girls with different ages. 

Here is a guide of how I recommend jewelry creations for girls' age between 3-12 years.

A few samples of my work, some with matching pieces for mums!

Recommended beads

Acrylic, crystals, glass or ceramic beads (it's not heavy it sounds and not glass breakable kind of material.)
You can read up more about bead materials here

Recommended materials
Fabric cord or suede for necklaces.
Suede or rubberized cords for bracelets. 

These materials are especially used for the younger ones, as I consider silver plating/rhodium materials to be sensitive to their young skin. I've taken care to ask how old a child is, before embarking on a suitable design. In this instance, colored fabric cords are used as I do not wish the girls to have allergy outbreaks from wearing my creations.

However, for the older girls (say a gauge of 10 years old and above), there are more options to play around with. By now, there should be an indication somehow if they have sensitive skin and may or may not take to silver plating or brass materials well. So funkier designs, with more choices of beads can be varied in a creation.

Prices
Individual item price range from S$14 onwards - depending on choice of beads and design.
Matching mum and bub necklace set is from S$45 onwards.
Matching mum and bub bracelet set is from S$40 onwards.

Lead Time

Depending on schedule, orders may take 5-14 working days before completion.

Do support and give a 'like' on my Facebook page for updates and inspiration. Queries are best attended to if you send me a private message from my page. Or drop me an email oon.adeline@gmail.com. 

  Till the next post, have a blessed week!