Sep 27, 2015

12 I Paint Not The Canvas

It's our 10th anniversary of home ownership. Hubs and I signed the papers a decade ago after being lured by a bright and breezy ambiance. I love the view which is at the moment, still largely unobstructed by high-rises.

I've learned that home isn't a place, it's a feeling. ~ Cecelia Ahern

As with anything that grows old with time, there is wear and tear. Leaky taps, peeling paint, faded sofa covers are some examples. I wasn't pleased with the situation in our bathroom. The ceiling was stained with smudges of grey. So, I gave it a paint job.

Climbing up the ladder made me realise that I was no longer the agile 20-year-old I used to be. With a less steady foot on the narrow steps and several oofs, I wondered how I even climbed trees in the past. This was the same ladder that I had confidently jumped up and down from in my earlier home owning days.

I took a short break to snap this picture, an excuse to rest my neck from the strain it was feeling from looking up for long periods as I swished the paint roller back and forth. 

The Ceiling Gets A New Coat Of Paint

This is an old can of unfinished paint which I've saved for more than a couple of years. Part of it was used to paint the bathroom door. It was during the time I had embarked on a painting project which I had written about here and here. I used it all up this time.

Paint tip: Cover the lid of an unfinished can of paint tightly so that you can use what's left, when the time comes.

Old Paint, Stored Properly, Can Be Used Again

Next, I painted the rattan edging of our bath mirror. Some areas of the rattan had turned an unsightly black from water marks.


This is it - the before and after!

Paint Job - Done!

That's two things crossed off my to-do list!

Sep 23, 2015

16 All RM5 Book Fiesta - It's Popular!

If you're in Kuala Lumpur this weekend, and if you love books, then Popular Book Store's All RM5 Fiesta would be your kind of heaven.

I popped in for a look-see last week when Hubs decided to drop by Viva Home Shopping Mall (where the fiesta is) to check out home fixtures at a shop there. Although it was less than a 20-minute walkabout , I picked up a good haul of books.

"Good job! " I grinned and gave myself a pat on the back. One, for being disciplined enough to stick to the budget and two, for settling some of my Christmas gift shopping.

This is a photo of the entrance to the sale. Fellow book lovers, enter at your own risk. I'm kidding. 

Buy! Buy! Buy!

There is a fair selection to choose from. I was mostly in the cookery section so I cannot confirm how extensive it was. I did pick up some other books as I headed towards the cashier.

RM5 Book Fiesta At Viva Home Expo Hall

I guess I can start wrapping these up.

Book Gifts - All RM5 each!

I won't be rushing or panicking this Christmas. That's for sure!

Mission Accomplished!

So's my Blue Pea Flower plant. It's on top of my head and in need of trimming.

The All RM5 Fiesta ends this Sunday on 27 Sep. Make your way to: Viva Home Expo Hall.

My adventure last year and lack of self-control.

Sep 19, 2015

14 The Malaysian Women's Weekly Beauty Bus

If you're into beauty products, then this is for you.

I popped by the The Malaysian Women's Weekly Beauty Bus yesterday morning. It was the most striking thing along the roadside. Bright, bold and pink. It was a head turner and I fell in love with it.

The Malaysian Women's Weekly Beauty Bus

There's no denying that I'm a fan of the magazine, diligently buying an issue for every month, for the past few years and having attended various of their events.

They were giving out goodie bags to the first 200 readers (at each location) who flash a copy of the September issue at the Beauty Bus. Since I owned a copy, I decided to join the queue.

Queuing For A Goodie Bag

These are the items that were inside my bag - Lipidol cleanser, Laneige Basic & Water Bank refreshing kit, Dove deodorants and hair care samples, Clear shampoo, Murad cash vouchers, Loreal skin care samples and Biore makeup removers.

After that, we were asked to spin the wheel for a gift. I was blessed with a bottle of Schwarzkopf Essensity colour and moisture spray conditioner (the green bottle).  

The Malaysian Women's Weekly Goodie Bag

If you miss the goodie bag, don't worry about it. Climb up the bus to get hair and beauty tips from the professionals plus maybe a few samples. If you're lucky, you can get your hair styled for free. There are also activities being run throughout the day and they'll reward you with goodies if you take part!

Lastly, snap a selfie with the Beauty Bus. Post it on instagram and hashtag #mww15th . You may just win a prize. See how generous they are?

The Malaysian Women's Weekly Beauty Bus In Awesome Pink

The Malaysian Women's Weekly Beauty Bus

The Beauty Bus will be making it's final stop at IPC tomorrow - Outdoor Main Entrance, Ground Floor, IPC – 10:30am to 7:00pm. Don't miss it, and be early if you want the goodie bag.

Fun facts : The Malaysian Women's Weekly was launched in year 2000, making this year their 15th anniversary. This is their first Beauty Bus event.

Sep 11, 2015

8 Mind Matter : The Thing About Happiness

Is anyone here a fan of the TV show 'Hart Of Dixie'? The story's a little over-the-top, but I love its many hilarious moments and the good feeling it brings about.

I'm not going to elaborate on the show. I'm here to share some of Wade's wisdom which I think makes a lot of sense. Wade is a fictional character, of course.  I wrote this down as I watched the show. I've a habit of doing that - collecting inspiring words from TV shows. 

This one's from Season 2 - If It Makes You Happy.

Wade Kinsella says to Zoe Hart ...

"Sometimes I think you're just the saddest person in the world. Always looking over your shoulder what life should be instead of taking it for what it is.

You're not honest about what makes you happy. 

You know what I'm gonna do tonight? I'm gonna go home, I'm gonna play video games for 2-3 hours. What I'm not gonna do is beat myself up for playing video games instead of saving the world. If I wanna save the world, hell, I'll do it tomorrow.

Cos it's my choice.

Just like it was your choice to stay in Bluebell, it's your choice to be a GP instead of a super sonic space surgeon or whatever, and it was your choice to go to bed with me. And clearly, something about every one of those choices made you happy. The problem is they don't match up with the picture in your head about what your life should be. 

You wanna be happy, Doc? Change your picture, change your life."

Makes sense?

Sep 5, 2015

18 Finespun Ice Cream

This isn't the kind of ice cream that is largely available in supermarkets, with a long expiry date. It's an artisanal brand that can only be found in a few food and drink outlets located around PJ and KL. Where exactly? The details can be found on their Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/finespun.kl .

I have in hand three flavours to try.  From left (pictured below) : Earl Grey, Salted Butter Caramel with Kuih Karas topping, French Vanilla Deluxe.

Homemade ice creams are truly the best because of the amount of love put into creating a flavour. You won't find anything regular about it. It's rich and each one is distinct from another - that's Finespun for you.

To tell you the truth, I have been watching my favourite shows with a tub in hand for the past week. I have more than once, fleetingly, thought about my protruding tummy. But, never enough to feel remorse. The satisfaction outweighs any guilty feeling.

Earl Grey has a light pleasant taste to it that screams tea all over. I like this one a lot. The Salted Butter Caramel is I would say, an acquired taste, with a mild liquor-like flavour which I can't accurately describe. 

Finespun Ice Cream

This (pictured below), would be my favourite out of the three - French Vanilla. I rate it level seventh heaven. It tastes nothing like the cheap sugary vanilla ice cream that I'm used to. My husband found this one exceptionally delicious. I have yet to let him know that I've licked the tub clean. Sorry, Hubs!

It looks like Finespun has brought out the dark no-sharing side in me!

Finespun French Vanilla Deluxe

This experience was made possible when I was blessed with a voucher for three 10oz tubs of ice cream sometime ago, from an instagram contest I'd joined. I never went to claim it. It was the busiest time of my life, weeks flew and before I knew it, the deadline was around the corner.

Just as I was going to contact Finespun to see if I could pop over, they offered to deliver the ice cream to voucher holders living in the Klang Valley. I was thrilled by the news and promptly arranged for mine to be sent to my home. I add, they were the loveliest people to deal with!

How my ice cream arrived:

The Packaging

Give this a try if you see it!
 

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