It's A Wrap For 2015!

2015 has been a fruitful year in my personal undertakings. There are countless things that I am inspired to embark on and I am satisfied that I have ticked (and attempted) several on my to-do list which I never dreamt I would!

In my humble kitchen, I shared on instagram my first chiffon cake baking adventure (using Domestic Goddess Wannabe's recipe).  4 different chiffon cakes flavor later, I am pretty sure that I have gotten the hang of baking it. Call me strange but I found the process of egg whites beaten to soft peaks simply gratifying! And yuzu flavored chiffon cake remains a personal favourite.

Then there was my successful 'Dry Mee Siam' which remains a favourite dish, my quest for 'jiu herh' (cuttlefish) that led me to making 'Rojak', the oh-so-easy-to-make-and-super-delicious 'Peach and Blueberries Melba Cake', 'Baked Tonkatsu' which is great for the health-conscious and one highly viewed recipe on the blog. Last but not least, I recently made 'Irish Cream Tiramisu' and am so pleased how it turned out because I never thought I could churn out an 'atas' tasting dessert! These recipes are not only comfort food for us at home, they are also great recipe ideas for get togethers.

On the jewelry work front, I am very grateful and thank God for His constant supply. 2015 is definitely a year for bag charms and lanyard request, which make wonderful gifts. Though not forgetting the requests for 'Adeline's Loft' trademark necklace styles that will always remain a favourite for those who appreciate them.

Here is a collage of some of my favourite pieces I have made for 2015.  Do visit my facebook page album for the full upload of all the pieces I made this year.

Last but not least, the other highlight of my 2015 would be pledging my work to The Collective Effort. I am very happy to have played my part in paying it forward and brought some smiles to the less privileged children in Singapore. You could still read my dedicated blog post on what this project is about or simply check out their Facebook page for photos of happy faces that says it all!

Here's taking the opportunity to wish my family, friends and readers :

A Very Merry Christmas with

blessings of peace, love and good health.

May you also have a fabulous 2016 with all your dreams coming true! 

Till next year, have a wonderful day!

Absolutely Me,

HPV Vaccination Against Cervical Cancer - Do or Don't?

To all my female readers, here's a question for you to consider.

If you know that there is a vaccination that can protect you and the important women in your life against cancer, would you take it? Or would you risk it and think that "it won't happen to me"?

I'm touching on a serious topic in my post today. Something I know I can take charge of especially for the sake of my daughter - because as her mother, I want to protect her in every way possible, for as long as I can.

Photo taken at the "Protect to Tell" - Cervical Cancer Awareness talk, held exclusively for female bloggers. Participants were invited to draw on balloons on what we like/love to do and with a short message about anything to anyone. My balloon captured the attention of the host, Shandy, during the talk.

We had two distinguished speakers at the talk -
A/Prof Anne Goh, President of Singapore Pediatric Society and
Prof Tay Sun Kuie, Senior Consultant for SGH's depart of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

What is HPV?
Human papillomavirus or HPV for short, is a common virus that can infect different parts of a body. It can cause warts on limbs or at the genitals, though most of the HPV infections are not cancerous. However, 15 out of the 130 different types of HPV strains causes cancer in the cervix, along the passage between the vagina and uterus. The great news is, getting yourself and your loved ones vaccinated against these HPV strains early, will prevent and reduce the risk of developing pre-cancers and cervical cancer. 

Statistics in Singapore show that the number of cervical cancer cases has decreased tremendously. While this is an awesome data, there are still many women out there who are at risk - the young, the old, the beautiful, the healthy, the sporty, the rich, the poor. Regardless of our status, all women are not spared. Early cervical cancer has no signs or symptoms.

Statistics have also shown that women who take charge of their lives by going for regular pap smear screenings, play a critical role in detecting any changes in cervical cells. Though pap smear tests may turn out normal for many of us, it is still not enough to protect us from cervical cancer. Did you know, women can still be infected with the virus from having just one partner?  It is so important to have a pap smear test done once in every 3 years. Or even yearly if we are able to commit financially.

Of all the information that I have gathered during the talk, my biggest question was :

WHY must this vaccination be introduced to adolescents, as young as 9 years of age?

I have only one daughter and naturally, this has been a nagging question in my mind ever since I knew the vaccine exists. Thanks to the internet, there are many articles I've read pertaining to this vaccine. Some raved about the while others vehemently slam it. Which should I believe?

I learned that the best time to vaccinate is prior to sexual debut. Studies have shown that this is a very tolerant vaccine and it's immune response is stronger when young. There is no known side effects of the vaccine, other than the possible mild fever, fatique or site pain from the injection. (It is just like the vaccinations our children obtain during infancy or booster jabs at primary school.) There is no known causes of interference with adolescent development.

For now, the decision to go for HPV vaccination is based on informed choice. So I think it is very important that we, as educated parents, make the decision for our daughters to be vaccinated against this dreadful disease as soon as possible. As much as we want to educate the young from promiscuity at an early age, it is a fact that youngsters these days, start relationships earlier. Having this vaccination is not to encourage them to engage in sexual activity. The main goal is to reduce the risk of cervical cancer. Prevention is definitely better than cure.

Ladies, we all can play a part and make a difference! 
Take charge of your lives, your daughters' lives or give a friendly reminder to your loved ones and friends around you.

• Singapore Cancer Society provides free pap smear screening to ladies above 25 years old to prevent cervical cancer. Call 6221 9578 or email cancerscreening@singaporecancersociety.org.sg for more information.
• HPV vaccinations are available at polyclinics or speak to your family doctor about it. This vaccination is subsidized by Medisave for females aged between 9-26 years.

Or visit the Health Promotion Board site for more information on cervical cancer.


Till the next post, stay safe and healthy.    Have a blessed week!

Disclaimer : Protect to Tell – Cervical Cancer Awareness” on 12^th April 2014 Sat (the “Event”) was held as a lunch session, organized and sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline Pte Ltd. The Accidental Mom Blogger was not paid for participating in the Event. All personal views expressed here are entirely my own.

I Will Protect My Integrity

From the people who know me (family or non-family) or worked with me, I am not a brash nor an irrational person. Sometimes, I allow myself to be a pushover for the reason of not wanting to stir ill-feelings with anyone. A few know I put up with matters that bother me big-time and take all the blows for the sake of keeping peace.

As Confucius said,

“Don't do unto others what you don't want others to do unto you.”

I  live by this mantra as much as possible, however, I can't say that everyone else will sing to the same tune.

When it comes to committing to a task that you are not prepared to undertake, there will be unnecessary stress and unhappiness that comes with it. Sometimes, it is just a matter of putting your loved ones' priorities first, if it means more to them. However, most times, your acts of respect or kindness goes unnoticed, unappreciated and worst of all, misunderstood. I have learned to somewhat manage to live and let live. God knows my heart. Having close friends to listen to my woes and providing me with emotional support, helps me overcome the temporary animosity too.

Recently, I was very taken aback by a customer's reaction to my decision not to take on a clay bead making order. As my initial quotations were not accepted during the first few times she inquired many months ago, I cited my present commitment to a jewelry making project and also expressed my desire to cease taking in clay bead making requests as much as possible, when she asked me about it again. Instead of respecting my decision, she lashed out her disappointment with me by questioning my integrity.

In the course of my work in the past 8 years, though there have been difficult customers, there was none that was this overbearing. Naturally, my integrity took a beating and it took me some time to get back to my feet because I believe it plays a major role in sustaining my little business. I would never think of ditching this part of me that has brought me to where I am. I have never been unscrupulous.

Despite apologizing toward the way she feels about my decision and hoping for understanding toward my stance, I was harshly reminded to be humble and criticized for allowing success to get into my head. It has never occurred to me that a simple declination could bring about such malignment about me. I am saddened that this customer bore such bitter resentment toward me, even though this is not the first time I am working with her. I don't know if I should be the one disappointed in her, than her with me. It sure felt like it was a personal attack.

"You don't have to explain yourself to her." 

- said one of my buddies whom I confided into. 

Well, it is because I value my integrity and would protect myself at all costs. It would be very unwise of me to take on a job which I have no heart for because it would be reflected in the end product - my standards will be compromised. That is not something I would want in my undertakings as a crafter/seller. I have to believe in what I do in order to produce my best.

I sincerely hope that my customer has somewhat calmed down and perhaps realize that the inflictions she has caused, was uncalled for and a mistake. It may have taken just 10 minutes to lose this customer of mine (I would think I lost her), but I am so glad that I did not lose myself over this. I am pretty sure I did the right thing and would not change my decision even if I could turn back the clock.

So thank you once again, my friends, family and supporters of my craft, for believing in what I do, for coming back to me to make you more jewelry creations and endorsing me with your referrals. It has been a humbling experience.

Moving on, gambatte to me!

  Till the next post, have a blessed week!

Why Handmade Costs More.

How often do you come across someone who is an independent crafter from home and tells you it is their only source of income? Perhaps not many of you have and realistically not something we can survive on in Singapore. I am privileged to be acquainted with a few of these artists who are mostly from the USA and Israel, where crafting can be a way of life. Personally for me, being a crafter is mainly to support my passion for jewelry making more than anything else.

I won't deny, the extras I have often come as a bonus for a stay-at-home-mom like me. It is usually more than enough to pay for my daughter's ballet classes. Something I told her that I would see through, as my way of contributing to the family's expenses. Not that we cannot afford it. It's just a sense of self-worth on my part to be able to do so - if you know what I mean.

8 years since I've been on the crafting scene, I think I may have heard it all.

"Your pieces are expensive."

"You must be some kind of tai-tai (a.k.a. rich) to upkeep this hobby of yours."

"I can get a similar one cheaper from elsewhere."

"Please quote a bulk price discount since I'm buying a few pieces from you."

Though these comments do not usually come through often (thank God!), it is quite enough for any crafter to remember them for a long time. After a while, it does get under your skin.

I can understand that such comments may have been derived from lack of awareness on running an independent crafting business from home. So I felt the need to come out with this post and share the general amount of time spent on my creation. (I briefly wrote in a previous post about what my handmade is worth. However, this post should put things better in perspective about the pricing behind a work you buy.)

Generally, we price what we feel is worth the time invested in making a unique piece. We also have to think about other hidden costs apart from the material cost - packaging and communicating. Communication is a provision of service too and generally, people do have to pay for services. For some, hidden costs may also be maintenance of a website domain, fancy packaging as well as paying for an assistant who may be working alongside with him or her, to cope with demands.

 STEP 1 : CONSULTATION / MOCK UP DESIGN

There are actually many things that crafters do not put a tag on before we work on a final price. Depending on what kind of work we do, some would involve sketching and specific researching of raw materials before embarking on a design a customer wants.

I don't charge for consultation and mocking up designs. Consultation here would mean receiving queries about how to dress up a particular outfit and share my opinions about what sort of jewelry will be suitable. Or give advise on a theme that my customers' can consider if its to gift someone else based on their description of that person. How do I even begin to charge for something that my customer has not seen?

This is a grey area and most time consuming step of all. I would only start incorporating extra charges into the acceptance of a design IF there's extreme and erratic changes from what was originally discussed. Usually I would also ask for a deposit to secure an order, depending how familiar I am with the buyer. There are some that disappear altogether despite being so close to finalizing it over many days of communicating. But thank God again, these encounters are of a minority.

More often than not, I do not charge for transport to various supply shops in Singapore to source for specific requests from my customers. I would usually take it as an opportunity to get out of the house for a breather and stock up some necessary supplies on the way. Imagine if I have to start charging for my time and transport, there will be no end!

Time spent on communication and mocking up designs before approval can sometimes take a few hours or even over a few days. I shall use the quickest time of about 180 minutes to finalize an order.

STEP 2 : PUTTING IT TOGETHER

This is generally the most straightforward part of my work, although it can sometimes take longer than usual if the technical part gets tricky. I take between 10-90 minutes to complete a creation, depending on complexity. I shall use 30 minutes as the average time of completing a piece.

STEP 3 : PHOTOGRAPHY

Photo taking is also another process you may not think I spend much on. It is actually the most important step to selling an item online because picture speaks a thousand words. I sometimes spend 15 minutes shooting 20-30 frames (with an aching back!), just to get that one ideal shot. Then there is editing time, the listing of the image to my store and uploading on social medias, which easily takes another 20 minutes.
 

STEP 4 : INSPECTION AND PACKAGING

When an item is sold and transacted for, I will do a final inspection before packaging it to make sure every single loop is intact. Though my packaging is minimalist style, there are still costs to factor :

- The name card that goes into every package with how to care for your jewelry
- the plastic pouch to store the jewelry
- the bubble-wrappers to protect the jewelry pieces from hard knocks during transition at the post office
- the envelopes, stamps and adhesives.

This step would probably take 10 minutes.

 STEP 5 : MAILING

I offer free mail for local packages via standard postage, which is a hidden cost in each item. The time taken to mail is just but a 10 minute walk for me. I used to stand in line at the post office when a package requires registered mail service. Sometimes it can take more than half and hour before it's my turn. That would also include a 20 minutes bus ride (to and fro) and bus fares. Or if I decide to drive, parking fee is no less than S$2. I shall use 10 minutes as time taken for mail since many choose to go by standard mail.

***Adding up on the above highlighted time spent on one creation, it is a modest grand total of 255 minutes (slightly more than 4 hours) to complete and send out a piece of jewelry.***

As I may have mentioned, it is difficult for me to charge for work time. So, I've chosen to incorporate a fix amount to cover for each type of jewelry, which should also be enough to cover for my workmanship.

If I may represent the voices of every crafter, we seek buyers' understanding that like every other human being, we have only a pair of hands. We do not mass produce and we cannot quote a "bulk price" discount because we don't churn things out with a snap of our fingers. Many of us believe in creating one-of-a-kind pieces that is not offered at retail stores, nor at a flea market. And the difference is that we care about the quality, details in our handmade pieces and we care about customer service - that is you!

I really hope I've made things clearer for those who have been wondering why you have to pay a little more for handmade items. (Though I'll have to say mine is pretty darn reasonable already!) We hope you'll be more appreciative of the things you buy from your favorite handmade artists when you next shop for one.

**This post is dedicated to my undying supporters of my creations at Adeline's Loft. Kudos to you for believing in my work!**

Since we're in the topic of handmade artists, how about visiting and supporting a few of my favorite ones?

Jeanstitch (Singapore)

Scrappin' Love (Singapore)

Janine King Designs (USA)

Sigaliot (Israel)

  Till the next post, have a blessed week!

Dinosaurs : Dawn to Extinction @ Artscience Museum, Singapore

Image extracted from the museum's website.

If you, like our family, are curious about history and archaeology findings, you will certainly not want to miss the latest exhibit at Artscience Museum. "Dinosaurs : Dawn to Extinction" gradually takes us back in time, journeying through 600 million years to the Triassic, Jurrassic and Cretaceous prehistoric periods. It is the largest dinosaur exhibit in South East Asia.

 

 

We had an excellent docent guide, Anita, who brought us around the exhibition. My children followed her closely and listened intently as she shared stories and  fascinating facts of the world of dinosaurs, as we relive the dinosaurs' natural environment on earth with each showcase. It was made even more interesting for my children with a free interactive mobile app for iphone and android users, to uncover more facts and visuals during our journey. There was never a dull moment!

We were awed by the life sized replicas and fossil displays which were centred throughout the exhibit.

This gallery of a battle scene, is probably the most breath-taking, with it's dramatic atmosphere.

I was also very intrigued with this particular section, where Anita shared how these fossils (below, encased) were discovered and kept intact despite going through rough terrain obstacles, before it was shipped to Singapore. The whole process was sponsored by ArtScience Museum as the fossils makes it's debut appearance here. A major wow.

In selected galleries, depicting the different prehistoric periods, there are also touch and feel settings to engage the adults and children alike, to discover more about the dinosaurs.

 

 

 And what's a dinosaur exhibit without the much loved T-rex? We learned from Anita that humans are able to outrun the T-rex, if ever such circumstance is called for. It seems they can only run for up to 16 km/hour. That's when many will ask how is it so when in the Jurrasic Park movie, it almost outruns the jeep? Well, Anita says "That's Hollywood for ya!"

 

  One of the final exhibits to mark the end of the dinosaur era. A display of the Liaoning Forest in China, where biodiversity takes place and prosper in land, air and sea.  

  We also finally learned the truth about how dinosaurs became extinct! And no. It's not because of a meteor story that we are familiar with.   

If you have dino-loving children or you are a dino-buff yourself, a visit to this exhibit at ArtScience Museum will  be worth your while! The exhibit will be held till 27th July 2014. Be prepared to go through the exhibit more than once because there is a lot more to see than what I'm showing you in my post. *wink* You will definitely not be disappointed!

Activity Highlights

There are numerous activities lined up for everyone in the family! Children can look forward to making their own dinosaur shadow puppets to take home or become a Paleontologist for a day! There's also fossil sketching, dinosaur tales, sculpting a soap, etc to look forward to. These are free activities for all open ticket holders. Please check with the museum directly for session timing so that you can plan and make the most of your visit.

Dinosaurs : Dawn to Extinction (now till 27th July 2014)

Standard Ticket price
Adult : S$24  Senior Citizens : S$19  Children : $12 (2-12 years old)

Guided Tour Times
English : Saturdays and Sundays | 11.30am & 5pm

Mandarin : Saturdays & Sundays | 2pm & 4pm
(I strongly recommend to go for a guided tour and then explore the exhibits leisurely on your own after that.)

Opening hours
10am - 7pm daily

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you have no plans for a vacation this coming March school holidays, why not consider spending some time with your children at the museum? Here is an activity schedule you can consider!

March School Holiday Programme 

 'Dinosnores'

There will be a parent-child sleepover with the dinosaurs at ArtScience Museum for the week-long March school holidays on 16 and 21 March 2014. A first for the museum! It promises an action-packed night with movie screening and interactive workshops to engage everyone.

S$120 per child participant (accompanying parent is free). 

Registration is now open and you can do so through the Marina Bay Sands ticketing hotline 65-6688-8888, online and box offices. Or call the museum +65 6688 8826 to find out more.

Other holiday activities to consider :

17, 19, 21 March 

1-2pm : Dinosaurs : Dawn to Extinction guided tour

4.30-5.30pm : A Day in the Life of a Paleontologist demonstration

18 & 20 March

1-2pm : Dinosaurs : Dawn to Extinction guided tour

2-3pm : Guided tour in mandarin

3-4pm : Dinosaur vs Mythical Dragon workshop

4.30 - 5.45pm : Stop Motion Dinosaur Wipe-out! workshop

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Till the next post, have a blessed week!

Disclaimer : The Accidental Mom Blogger and family were invited as media visitors to this exhibit hosted by ArtScience Museum.  All views are entirely my own. Information provided is correct at time of post.

Urticaria, Angelina Jolie and Me

Urticaria, also known as hives, is a common skin condition and according to the specialist I had consulted, it happens to 7 out of 10 people. But what's not so common for me is that I have been diagnosed with acute urticaria. The only bad news for me is that it may last me for many more months or even years to get it resolved.

Urticaria causes redness, itch and swelling to the skin. It varies in sizes and usually erupts in clusters or appears in a large patch on any part of the body.  If there are further swelling on the eyelids or lips, it is all together a different term - angioedema. Unfortunately, I have been experiencing both kinds.

Unglam photos of me with swollen lips on different occasions, which doesn't come down till night time or next morning. Initially, I experienced severe itch and swelling on my hands, palms, feet and fingers. The past few weeks however, it has affected basically any part of my body.
 

What causes it?

Causes of trigger for urticaria may include allergies to food, insect bites or medicines. However in my diagnosis, the specialist has ruled out allergies and pinpointed that acute urticaria is caused by a leftover viral infection that was not 100% cleared from my body. Thus the immune system tries to eradicate these viruses by releasing the histamine into the blood stream to fight it off, which causes the swelling.

How will it affect me?

It definitely has been a distressing time for the past 2 1/2 months, since the condition came on. It has caused me many sleepless nights as the breakout of urticaria usually happens when I am asleep. So I get very tired by mid-day especially when I have to take anti-histamines. However, I am thankful that it is somewhat in control as I've read that there are severe life threatening cases caused by breathing difficulty, since the swelling may occur in the tongue or throat. I'm also relieved that it is not a sign of any underlying medical conditions.
 

What can I do about it?

I can only wait for this to clear up with medication prescribed to me and go back to the specialist for further investigation if it still persists after 6 weeks. I am already on my fourth week of prescription but in my opinion, I am not experiencing any form of improvement yet. I am praying for a full recovery on this soon.

So what has Angelina Jolie got to do with me?

I'm not a fan of hers, really. But I think in my situation, this is as close I can get to having an itty bitty resemblance in the lip area. Yes? No? 

Though I dread having a break out of urticaria everyday, mopping around certainly will not help me recover any quicker. So I'm keeping the faith that I will have a complete recovery from this episode in no time. And preferably after the end of my 6th week medication, I will be back in form!

 
Till the next post, have a blessed week!

I'm Happy! And I'm a Singaporean!

Have you seen the recent controversial video about Steph Micayle? (or Stephanie Koh, if you must know her real name) If you've not seen the video, I recommend you spend about 15 minutes of your time to hear what this young lady has to say about her not being proud to be a Singaporean. Perhaps then you'll see why this blog post came to be. But, it's also okay if you do not wish to add to her numbers.

I shall not debate about why I am proud or not proud to be a Singaporean. But I would like to reason a few points close to my heart that were brought up in the video, which did not go down so well with me.

No country is perfect in their system. There will always be people finding fault with theirs because it doesn't serve their specific needs.  But let's give the government more credit than they deserve. It is not reasonable to fault how a country should run if you are not qualified to run it. Though I am not inclined to agree on every rule and regulation in my country, I am also certainly not one who will rebel.

As a mature adult, I understand that a system is in place to hold Singapore together and for it's people to have a common bond. Simple reasoning. Since we are born and bred here, we should learn to live with it and deal with it. It's the same wherever you may relocate to. You have to abide the law.

 

In every country, in every race, in every organization and sometimes even within the family, there are some black sheeps. A few black sheeps do not represent the majority of people.

 In every society, there are also different type of personalities, upbringing and values. Maybe some choose to be narrow minded because it's a challenge not to be one. Maybe some don't want to be nice because they happen to have a bad day. Maybe some gave up trying to be creative because they lost their patience. Maybe some are submissive to maintain harmony and some are just unhappy because they are finding fault with everything but themselves! There are also the MAJORITY of us who are not like that. It's unfair to say that most Singaporeans are not nice. I know plenty of nice Singaporeans!

I've always liked to give the benefit of the doubt so I feel, kindness do exist in everyone. In Singapore, I observe that we generally impart random acts of kindness to strangers when it is being called for and I am quite confident that many adult Singaporeans will step in to help one another in need. Kindness is evidently growing. Spread the kindness like it's second nature instead of killing it with self-righteousness and point fingers at others expecting them to be the same. That is arrogance and certainly, not very nice. (Sorry but I had to add this : having someone run after you from afar to ask if the computer you dropped is okay, is an act of a nosey-parker. #justsaying)

In other words, let's stop nitpicking about how "bad our system is" or "how strict the law is". Singapore is already on the right track, listening to people on the ground. Give Singapore more time. It may not be much for everyone but it will impact those that matter. There is no "one size fits all" policy. Our country is doing our best so we should lend a hand. If we can't lend a hand, hush up. Let's respect her, enjoy the simple pleasures of life and peace she has to offer that many often take for granted.

 Do you have something to say about being a Singaporean? Do you beg to differ my thoughts? Come and share your thoughts with me and link up if you are a blogger or leave a comment in this post. I would love to know what Singapore means to you and your family. I also welcome thoughts about Singapore if you are an expatriate living here or have visited Singapore. Copy and paste the code below at the end of your blog post and link up!  

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 Till the next post, have a blessed week!

2013 - A Year of Gratitude

As I get older, I am more mindful of the little things in life that truly matters to me. One of the most essential to "living life to the fullest", is choosing (as much as I can) to stay positive and think of the happy moments instead of focusing on the negative ones. I've always believed that happy thoughts generate happy cells in one's body. Sicknesses are somehow kept at bay and happy vibes infects people around you too. Happiness is truly not something you can place a price tag on.

Looking back at 2013, there are many little things I am grateful for that made my year a memorable one.

• Watching my 13 year old son gain some independence after starting secondary school. I can now run my necessary errands and leave him to come home on his own and settle his own meals. It is a little load off my mind.
• My husband and I celebrated 16 years of marriage. Though we've never celebrated it in any fanciful or romantic way, I am happier that he takes the time to plan and take the family for a few short getaways this year. Vacation time with the family often means a lot more to me than one candle light dinner.
• Reminding myself why I love what I do - keeping my lifestyle jewelries creations affordable. It's really not about the money, money, money! It's the passion that keeps what I do, alive.
• I had my first makeover! Well only on the face but there was much to learn from the session hosted by Florinda. It was a fantastic time spent with women I know!
• I never thought there will be a day that I will gather ingredients and prepare an oreo mud pie! If not for my little girl's request, I don't think I would. I hope she realizes that the little things I do for her is out of love.
• Now, if you know me, I am TOTALLY NOT a night owl. But for a late night date with my hubby, I did it. We went for an extraordinary date to Senoko Fishery Port!
• The kids and I also made out debut on TV for a programme interview on why I blog. Even though the airtime was very short, it was the experience that mattered.

As we usher in 2014 in a few hours, I pray for peace, health and happiness to continue to reign within the family. And a special wish to all my readers for the same blessings for your families too.

Cheers to 2014!

 

  Till the next post, have a blessed week!

Behind The Scene of My TV Debut - On The Red Dot

I was recently contacted via email by one of Channel NewsAsia's producer, Sian Choo, who was doing research on a story about "Sharenting" for a local programme called "On The Red Dot". She requested for a phone interview with me, hoping that I could help fill her in with information about why I blog. I obliged. 

Perhaps why I started blogging intrigued her because the reason was clearly the peer influence. Yes! The mums in Singapore Mom Bloggers are surely an influential lot! From someone who has lost touch with writing in a diary for more than 20 years, the thought of journalling my moments for all to see seemed daunting. However, I'm very happy where my blogging adventure has taken me for the past 19 months. 

A few days after the phone interview, Sian Choo called me up again. This time, it became clearer. She wanted me to be interviewed on TV!  I declined to do the TV interview a couple of times, asking her if she can somehow incorporate my story into the program without me appearing on TV. But, her sincerity won me over. I thought, since it was not something I would do as a norm and for the experience sake, why not?

Sian Choo and the filming crew, fussing over me as they were setting up the lighting and sound.

The particular story Sian Choo was covering focused on parents who blog, tweet and post pictures of their lives. Particularly with children. She wanted to know why we blog and what was it that we want to share with the world. 

So, being the kind of person who likes to plan and not really liking any surprises (ok lah, kiasi), I asked her for a list of questions she would be asking me about. So I diligently typed out my answers and printed it on paper for my reference, just in case I had to because I didn't want to be stumped. Here were her questions and my answers.

How did your blog first started, and  why?  

Actually I started a photoblog in March last year and was searching for a like-minded group in Facebook to share with when I chanced upon this newly set up facebook group for Singapore Mom Bloggers. I was very surprised to discover many mom bloggers journaling their children’s milestones, sharing their challenges and snippets of their lives.  A month down the road, I got influenced, in a good way.  So I decided to start a blog, thus my blog name - The Accidental Mom Blogger.

What do you usually like to blog about, and why?

I usually blog about matters close to my heart. The challenges I face as a stay-at-home-mom, the building of relationships with my children and sharing memories of my own growing up years. Sometimes I also have a say on trending issues in Singapore like education or on social graces. Other times, I share my simple home cooked recipes or journal about my jewelry crafting. Blogging has become an outlet for me to express my feelings and at the end of the day, it’s all about sharing my experience. Perhaps another mom who is reading a particular post can relate with me, pick up a tip or two and know they are not alone in their challenges.

  

Do your children know about your blog?

Oh yes they do. If it’s a post that concerns them, I would make them read it to see my point of view. Hopefully they will understand why I do what I do. If not now, then in the future when they are facing with parenting challenges. My blog would serve as a reference for them.

Hmmm, this is probably one of the rare times when my dining table is cleared of my work barang barang!

How are their response & reactions so far?

Initially, it was not something they were comfortable about but they kind of warmed up (or I would like to think they do) to my blogging adventure so we’re all quite okay now. There is definitely a trust that's been built on what I will share and what I will not.

And KayCee the dog becomes an overnight star, with tricks she earnestly performed for the camera!

 What are some of the things you will definitely not post?

I will certainly not post sensitive issues that would hurt my family, extended families and friends. 

How do you draw the line between what’s private & public?  

I am mindful not to divulge any intimate and embarrassing details of myself or anyone in the family – unless it’s meant to be tongue-in-cheek. So topics like revealing specific exam scores or about my children reaching puberty are a no-no for me. If I have to write a post similar to these topics, I would generalize the content.

Are you aware of digital footprints? Do you think your children will be affected by your blog sharing?

As long as I maintain a positive attitude when I blog about the challenges with my children, I believe it will not affect their lives. I am aware that what I share online is searchable, but what I share is also real to me. It is a part and parcel of growing up in Singapore and I believe many Singaporean parents can relate. What I write about my children now is not reflective of how they will contribute to society in the future. So I do not think it poses a problem. 

There. Sounded simple? It wasn't. And you know what? It didn't really matter what I typed out in the list of questions given to me. I was stumped anyway! I think typing out my thoughts are much easier than when I speak it out.

 Although I was the least bit nervous (very unlike me though I fidgeted over my unrefined looking hair and wondered all the time if Rosli, the cameraman, was filming a flattering side of my face or focusing on my tummy), it was the repeated necessary interruption (the N.G.s to be precise) due to background noise from trucks on the road, made the thinking process difficult.  For each time I had to repeat what I had said before the N.G., my answers came out very differently! 

Alas, after watching the programme, none of the essential questions were aired anyway... ah well...

In case you missed the programme, here is the link to the show. I am very happy to be sharing this segment together with my fellow mom blogger friend, Jiahui from www.mumseword.com, who was also interviewed for this segment. And thanks to her for putting up this direct video link on the 'sharenting' portion for my readers to enjoy!

 

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If you are also a parent blogger like me, I invite you to share your thoughts on sharenting and link me up!

Why do you blog? What is it you want to share with the public? And what is it you wish to achieve?

(You may use the above questions posed to me as a guide for your post.)

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  Till the next post, have a blessed week!