by admin - April 12, 2018April 13, 2018

Kumoya x Tokidoki Cafe | Birthday Celebration With My Unicorns

Each passing year is another year worth cherishing and celebrating. Recently, I’ve had the pleasure to dine with my sweetest unicorns at the highly-anticipated Kumoya x Tokidoki Pop-up Cafe as part of my early birthday celebration. As a fan girl of Tokidoki kawaii unicorno with Donutella & her friends, I was thrilled to be on a date to the world’s first Tokidoki Cafe!

The cafe’s interior is thoughtfully designed with the Tokidoki characters and decals that seems to come to life on the walls. The entire cafe is perfectly decorated to house the eye-popping aesthetic and criminally cute characters. The strategically poisitioned Tokidoki unicorno plushies also seemed like a row of welcoming ushers to the highly-anticipating guests.

I even brought along Donutella out with me for the date and some of my fave customized charms. But you really don’t have to bring along your plushies as the cafe is well-equipped with the cutest plushies for even that instagram worthy moment pic.

The impressive variety of mains, snacks and desserts are carefully-curated by popular food artist and stylist @littlemissbento aka Shirley Wong . Well, here’s a look at the limited-time only menu and a guide to the cafe’s prices as well.

I was particularly intrigued by the ‘A Lot-of-Things LAH! Merlion Seafood Ramen’. There were so many different ingredients in the bowl like crayfish, scallops, ramen egg, spring onion and wakame. Most importantly, they had a kooky Merlion fishcake which is exclusively available in Singapore! It was definitely a hearty and tasty main course.

Taking a look at the drinks list, getting the Unicorno Cotton Candy drink was the first choice that came to my mind.. However I learnt that, that would mean I won’t get to bring Donutella cup float home with me..

I naturally knew I had to order a Frappe. The strawberry frappe recommended by the staff proved to be a tad too sweet for my liking but nonetheless I was contented knowing Donutella was coming home with me.. 💓

Bff Aileen ordered the ‘SANDy and Polpettina Full-of-Life Chicken Cats Burger’, which came in an interesting green mantou bun and with a side of fluffy hand-cut fries. Our ever-so-classy Deborah ordered ‘Stellina Sunny Morning Unicorno Magic Breakfast’, which was almost like a full English breakfast set. They also offer various snacks like onion rings and truffle fries.

For dessert, we had the ‘Dolce Pretty-in-Pink Berries Sponge Cake’. It was just the perfect mini pretty birthday cake! The combination of the sponge cake, wafer sticks, fresh cream, marshmallow hearts and fluffy cotton candy is so delightful to taste.

Noticed my deco additions? hehe .. Well, I really love how thoughtfully presented every single course is. So much thought has been given to it’s design, every plate is so kawaii and photo-worthy. The entire dining experience was a heart-warming reunion as always, we enjoyed a hearty laugh catching up over my latest obsession over Kinohitmisu SuperFood Lady and Detox Enzyme. Yessss.. To a higher level of perseverance to a well-cleansed body no matter how fast my tummy bubbles up… 💪🏻🙊 oh by the way, if you’re also an avid Kinohitmisu health & beauty supplement consumer, go ahead and cart out with “SFLcindy” to save 30% off your shopping cart. 🛒

I’m also working towards to a toner & leaner body in 2018!

After some time, as we were not-so-quietly enjoying my early birthday celebration, we turned around and saw the family right beside us celebrating their 7 year-old’s birthday. I can only attribute this to the fact that the love for Tokidoki, rainbows and unicorns truly transcends all ages! 💫🌈🦄😝🙈

Have your heard!? Jill Stuart makeup has finally landed on our sunny shores! I had these lippies specially personalized for my unicorns at Ion Sephora over the launch weekend. I also had them personalized for my lovely Studiopetitesg partners, knowing full well that we’re all fan girls of such exquisite beauty finds. 💋

Thank you for being my unicorns. 🦄 For always being there for me in good and trying times, creating little rainbows and adding showers of sunshine and love into my life. 💫🌈

As I get constantly busier in life, I like to remind myself to slow down at times, to set aside special evenings like this to spend quality time with my loved ones… ❤️

Kumoya x Tokidoki Pop-up Cafe opens now to end June 2018. There is a maximum dining time of 90 minutes, with a minimum spend of S$10 per person. Reservations are not allowed. Service Charge of 10% is applicable.

Operating Hours:

Monday: Closed

Tuesday to Thursday: 12-9PM

Friday to Saturday: 12-10.30PM

Sunday: 12-9PM

Address:

8 Jalan Klapa, Singapore 199320

Travel and Parking:

Parallel parking available
Travel via public transport (Closest MRT: Lavender Station)

Love, Cindy

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by admin - April 5, 2018April 12, 2018

Editing On The Go

Having to grapple with work, meetings and mummy duties, I like to ensure my daily journey on-the-go is maximised in the best way possible. When it comes to updating my social media, being able to edit my photos on the go has helped me to utilise my time so much more efficiently! Today, I would like to share with you some of my fave photo editing apps I use to create images best suited to my personal style.

There are actually a few editing apps that I use to achieve the colours that I like on my Instagram feed.

First and foremost, is the popular Snow app. I use filters like ‘Heart’ and ‘A3’, which create the colour hues I love for a soft light finishing to not only my photographs, but also short videos on my feed and IG stories. I really like the subtlety and overall effect it adds to my photos and videos.

Another function that I find extremely useful, is the Music play function, which you can set before you start your IG story so that you can have your selected song from their playlist playing as the background music in the video.

Another editing app that I use is ColorStory, which is one of my new favourite filter and effects app. I had bought the standard starter package that allows me to use <Light Leaks>, <Skies Over> and <Glow>.

These effects are amazing for portrait or lifestyle photography, as they add a soft saturation and a gentle blend of the colours in the photo, creating an idyllic effect.

ColorStory even lets you play with and adjust the concentration of the glow and flare for each individual picture! This is the app that I use the most to achieve my vibrant blue skies and to add a dust of pink or purple hues to my photos.

Last but not least is Snapseed. Snapseed requires no explanation or instructions. Its large range of easy-to-use template functions makes it one of the most common apps used for photo editing. It allows you to adjust many properties of the photo that normal editing apps do not offer, such as adjustment of white balance and the tone curve.

In the <Curves> function, you can consistently adjust and choose a filter most suited for your feed simply by pulling on areas of the tone curve to adjust the contrast of the photo. I also like to use <Details> to sharpen my photos when the photos come out a tad more blurry at times.

Some of the other functions that I commonly use are <Selective>, which allows me to pinpoint and select a specific area in the photo for brightening or to increase the contrast for better definition and <Glamour Glow> which offers a soft touch to the subject for a dreamlike effect. Snapseed even lets you blur out a desired region in your photo with the <Lens Blur> function.

All in all, Snapseed is a powerful and useful editing app to use.

These are my top apps for editing on the go! I highly recommend them as they are incredibly easy to use and they really provide me with the flexibility to manipulate certain aspects of the photo so that I can get my desired effect in my photos and videos. Do try them out if you’re looking for some good photo editing apps! 🤗

Love, Cindy

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by admin - April 5, 2018April 12, 2018

Weekend Getaway at Cassia Bintan

We’re always so busy nowadays that we hardly have time to take a break from our daily schedules. Just a while ago, I had the privilege to spend some quality time with my family and friends in the beautiful Cassia Bintan Resort.

Cassia Bintan, which is just a short 45 minutes ferry ride from Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, was magnificently luxurious to say the least! Welcoming us into the resort is a bright and cheery lobby setting. Their rooms are incredibly spacious and cozy, with all of the rooms having a fully-equipped kitchen. This made it so much easier and convenient for me to whip up meals for BabyC. I prepared yummy pumpkin, carrot and potato porridge for her during this trip.

All the rooms all have WIFI internet connection, allowing me to stay easily connected.

I was so impressed with the myriad of amenities and activities they had there. I absolutely loved their exclusive private beach. The sparkling clear blue-green seawater and the clear skies were the perfect backdrop to a lovely stroll along the beach. It was BabyC’s first time on a beach and she was having so much fun stepping on the sand! It fills my heart every time she achieves tiny milestones in life.

They had jet-skiing as well. Oh, I had so much fun trying to balance and steer the jet-ski! It was really a once in a lifetime experience.

There was so much for the little ones to do as well. They have a safe baby pool that BabyC loved splashing around in.

Twinning Beach robe sets by Ksisters and our twinning Lurve straw hats by TullelovebyGwen.

They also have a lovely baby turtle feeding area that we spent so much time at. It was BabyC’s first time feeding the turtles. There were even a few times she wanted to be fed instead!

We’re wearing the lovely pink Leah printed hem set and the Blue & White Aubrey prints set, with both sets being nursing-friendly! These matching MotherTots chic and stylish nursing-friendly apparels are from Jumpeatcry.

What is a holiday without good food? I was pleasantly surprised that there were so many options available when it came to meal times. We decided to try dining by the beach and it was so relaxing to hear the waves hitting the sand in the background as we dug into a scrumptious lunch.

On one of the days, we hopped onto a buggy which took us to Banyan Tree, a restaurant at a neighbouring resort. We tried dining by Tree Top at Banyan Tree, and the food was exceptionally delicious. To our delight, we found out that Banyan Tree even delivers food to Cassia!

In support of an initiative started by Cassia, we had purchased padlocks for US$2.25 each, with all the proceeds going to the children from Towdah Orphanage.

Service: 4/5

All the staff in Cassia Bintan were professional and provided exceptional service. From the moment we stepped foot in Cassia Bintan, til the moment we left, the staff at Cassia Bintan had been friendly and welcoming.

Location: 4/5

The serenity and natural location of Cassia Bintan had created a lovely serene environment for the ultimate relaxation. Having the exclusive beach in a close vicinity of the resort made it much more convenient to take a stroll along the emerald waves.

Interior: 5/5

Giving off a chic and modern vibe, the rooms were tastefully decorated with bright paintings and an overall unique style that extended into the large and comfy resort lobby.

Food: 4/5

The large range of food options available was definitely a plus point. The food that we tried at Banyan Tree was super delicious. Cassia Bintan also offers an impressive breakfast buffet spread that we leisurely enjoyed to kick start our day before we started on the day’s activities.

Value: 4/5

I would absolutely recommend Cassia Bintan for a fun family trip or just a weekend getaway. There were so many things to do, the many amenities and activities available at the resort really made it worth the price!

It is truly pure bliss to be in the right company, and at the right place and time with friends like family…I couldn’t have asked for a better business partner and mummy friend in Audrey.

Although my schedule is always packed, I’ll always make it a point to do the most important thing in life and spend time with my loved ones. Trips like this with family and friends like family will always hold a special place in my heart, especially since this is my first tri-girl generation trip with both Mum and BabyC! I’ve made so many fun and happy memories there.

Yes, he numbers the stars and calls them by name.

At the end of the day, we may not remember the days…but we will remember the moments ❤️

I’m wearing Billabong outfits for the shoot – yellow top, rainbow beach dress, my tankini on jet ski (an Andy Warhol collaboration with Billabong) and the patterned top.

📍: @cassiabintan

👗: @billabongasia

👒: @tullelove_by_gwen

📸: @macrostudios.sg

Love, Cindy

Click here to learn how I edit images on the go! 😉

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by admin - March 26, 2018April 12, 2018

BabyC’s Newborn Photoshoot

It felt like it was just yesterday when babyC came into our lives, and now she is all grown up! Every second, every minute that we share together is a gift we cherish deeply. Each photograph of hers is a timeless memory, a moment perfectly preserved in time. After sharing about her first birthday shoot with Fion Boon Photography, I just wanted to spend some time to recollect the experience of babyC’s first ever two-week photoshoot.

Look at that tiny bundle of love, our joy, our hope.

Fion, whose expertise lies in baby photography and newborn photoshoots, had wonderfully captured babyC’s two-week moments. She has been mentored by top photographers in newborn photography during her time in Melbourne. Now that she’s back in Singapore, she has set-up a photography service that specialises in baby photography shoots.

I really love her natural and simple photography style. For baby’s first shoots, she chooses to focus on the essence of life and love. The brilliant soft hues coupled with the simple and yet impactful props, create such an intricate and raw emotional depth to the photos.

Being so caught up in our busy lives, most of us don’t really notice how fast time flies. Every day is a passing flurry of commitments and we tend to miss out on the little details in life that could mean so much to us. I personally feel it’s important to set aside some time to reflect and savour on life’s blessing. Therefore it was in my 2018 resolution to take time to ponder on God’s blessings in my life and ink those heartfelt moments in words.

Before your precious tots grow up in the blink of an eye, capture memories of them at different stages of life that will last a lifetime.

If you would like to consider Fion Boon Photography Services, go ahead and quote my name/nick or baby Chriselle Faith Tay for a favourable discount with Fion 🤗

Looking at these photos of babyC, I can’t help but feel a tug at my heartstrings. Enraptured by the beauty of life and birth, I am reminded of how hard it was for me to conceive her through IVF and what a privilege it was for me to be able to carry this bundle of joy throughout my pregnancy journey and especially how surreal that moment was for me to bring her into this world…. ❤️

Before you were born, we imagined you, we dreamt about you and we prayed for you.

Now that you are here, we hope for you, we love you and we thank God for you…❤️

Love, Cindy

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by admin - March 22, 2018April 12, 2018

Chriselle’s Cake Smash Photoshoot

In the blink of an eye, our dearest babyC has turned one. Recollecting how we documented this special journey, I can’t help but think back on our baby’s first photoshoot experience with Fion Boon Photography.

We had actually shot with Fion when babyC was just 2 weeks old and I had really loved the simplicity and ingenuity of the photos. Now that babyC has turned one, we’re back again to capture her precious first year moments!

Having recently moved back to Singapore from Melbourne, Fion specialises in photographing babies around six to fourteen days old and has even been mentored by Melbourne’s top newborn photographers! I really appreciate Fion’s dedication and attention to detail as she plans with us and conceptualises the overall look of the shoot for us, ensuring that the entire preparation process went really smoothly.

The set designs were beautifully crafted to match our chosen colour scheme. During the shoot, only natural lighting was used, creating a lovely soft vibrance that brilliantly complemented the pretty pastel hues of babyC’s outfit and the studio set-up.

Now for the awaited Cake Smash set! She had so much fun smashing and tasting the adorable unicorn cake that was prepared specially for this shoot.

It is truly moments like this that reminds me to embrace and cherish all the time I have with this greatest bundle of joy. She grows up so fast!

I really couldn’t have asked for a better cozy abode turned in-house studio and ever loving photographer, Fion, to capture babyC’s milestone memories. If you would like to consider Fion Boon Photography Services, go ahead and quote my name/nick or baby Chriselle Faith Tay for your discount with Fion! 🤗

Here are some tips I’ve gathered for photoshoots with our dearest little ones. Having been on a few fun and memorable photoshoots with babyC and being a co-founder of a photography services, here’s some photography tips that I’ve picked up from our shoots. I hope it’s useful for you too:

Plan my shoot timing to suit her nap time. She’s at her best after a good nap. Bright & cheery.
Reminder to bring along snacks/favourite rattling toys that draws her attention
Understand what tickles her. Fave song/tune/peekaboo.
Plan & Research beforehand. Know what theme or look for the shoot that you like. Plan his/her outfit accordingly
Ensure your baby is well fed & well changed before the shoot. You won’t want to interrupt the photographer’s time to feed / change your LO.
Extra help. Invite a closest family member whom she’s fond of. He/she can be of a good help to tease her.

Every picture of babyC is a priceless gift to me as it serves as a sweet memory of her at every growing stage. Savouring every moment of it all….❤

Love, Cindy

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by admin - February 12, 2018April 12, 2018

Maternity Shoot at Honeyzpainthouse

How time flies! It is the start of a brand new year and I just wanted to spend some time documenting my pregnancy photoshoot journey with Honeyzpainthouse.

I was blessed with a pretty easy time for the memorable nine months, with the luxury of time to take a good shower, put on day / night skincare and even indulge on hair pampering sessions. Ooo… those were the good ol’ days.

I did experience occasional morning sickness and intense tightness of my growing belly towards the end of the journey. I swore by Clarins Tonic Body Treatment Oil for my growing belly which helps wonders in relieving the tightness from an over stretched tummy! I also thoroughly enjoyed using Bio Oil for the rest of my body to help relieve any form of dryness. Recalling back with fondness of my “marinating” sessions after every shower brings so much sweet memories of those good ol’ days when I had the luxury of time to indulge in my beauty regime. Now it’s more like slap on and go. I’ll be lucky if I get to blow my hair dry before she cries again. Heh..

Recollecting back, the entire journey was a sweet memory, even more so for the hubbz haha. Right up to this day he still misses the time when I was pregnant the most, with vivid memories of “an angel” taking good care of him just like we were on honeymoon, everyday for a good 9 months.

Well, you know good times don’t last, right? Sorry to burst your bubble bro. Back to reality with babyC’s arrival hehe.. which also means that he has a lot more to help around the house with! 😝

I was actually down with slight flu for 2 weeks but I thought we better go ahead with the shoot, lest I pop early.

They say a mother’s instinct is always right, and that is so true. Exactly one week after our pre-pregnancy shoot at Honeyzpainthouse, our bundle of joy popped 3 weeks early on 29 August 2016!

For the shoot, we brought along some of babyC’s ultrasound images. Hearing her heartbeat for the first time was such a surreal and unforgettable moment for us. We decided to string her early growing journey and have it captured as memories.

Picture paints a thousand words, for now I shall let the photos do the talking.

The lovely bouqet of flowers I’m holding and my floral headpiece are from Keira Floral. They made the set look naturally soft and dreamy, very princess feel. Very much to my liking.

I absolutely love how Honeyzpainthouse is so white and spacious, which made our photos turn out so beautifully dreamy. There are various theme areas where you can have fun exploring different photoshoot ideas. I take a personal liking to white and clean space and theme parties, so Honeyzpainthouse was just the perfect studio to capture my pregnancy journey with hubbz & Chriselle!

We recently went back to Honeyzpainthouse with Chriselle again after a year. The studio holds a special place in our hearts because it was where we captured her last week of journey in my tummy and now we’re back after a year. It feels to me like Honeyzpainthouse has very much captured her milestone growth in life. BabyC is now 17 months and look how much she has grown!

She had lotsa fun at the studio that day. With a curious mind, she’s now constantly observing people around her intently and imitating us in her own funny way.

To all the mummies-to-be out there, embrace this 9-month journey with lotsa love and joy. Be kind to yourself. Take this time to pamper yourself well. When your precious gift arrives all your time and energy will be channeled to your precious bub.

If on any given day, you’re feeling down, know that what you are going through is extremely normal. Give yourself a good break from work. Clear your mind, go for a brisk walk, give yourself a pat on the shoulder for coming this far and reward yourself with an ice cream. At times you may take a double look at the reflection on passing mirrors, your weight will change and perhaps your mood at times, but it’s all for a short period of time only. You will spring back to your old, cheerful self soon enough. These discomforts will mean nothing in comparison to meeting your bundle of joy for the very first time!

During your pregnancy, surround yourself with a strong network of friends who will journey with you through this new chapter of your life.

Every pregnancy journey is different and that’s what makes us all special. Arm yourself with a joyful heart and a positive mindset and glow away! Enjoy this bonding time with your love as you prepare for the arrival of your bundle of joy together.

If you’re considering Honeyzpainthouse for any photoshoot or as an event space, quote my name/nick to ladyboss Julz and she will be happy to work out something special for you! Have fun at my fave pretty theme studio! Honeyzpainthouse charges $25/hr with an additional $50 for themed areas. On weekends, just add an additional $30 to the total bill.

Hope to see your pretty images at Honeyzpainthouse soon! 👋🏻

Location:
Honeyzpainthouse
21 Woodlands Close
Primz Bizhub #07-23
Singapore 737854

Ever so thankful for this gift of life, this gift of love that binds us together.

Love, Cindy

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by admin - September 6, 2017April 12, 2018

Beauty Regime with Neutrogena Fine Fairness Light Mask

How long has it been since you took time out for a short break during your busy schedule?  Day in and out, we often struggle to balance between our many roles as a mum, daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, friend and tend to neglect our skincare routine.

Today, I’m going to do a review and tutorial on the Neutrogena range of skincare products and the newly launched Neutrogena Fine Fairness Light Mask. Everything is simply fuss-free, 10 minutes is all you need to pamper and rejuvenate your skin!

Here’s what I use in my daily beauty routine for the past week or so.

First, I like to cleanse my face with Neutrogena’s Fine Fairness Cleanser. Simply squeeze the cleanser, lather up into foam and massage gently on my face. This gentle foaming cleanser helps to cleanse my skin from surface oil, dull dead skin cells, and other impurities. It is also packed with moisturising ingredients that leave my skin feeling soft and smooth!

I would highly recommend using the Light Mask right after a well-cleansed face for maximum Infra-Red Light absorption, and then follow your skincare routine after the usage.

Here’s how to use your light mask:

1. Cleanse your face. Open the ear arms and put on the mask like you are wearing a pair of glasses.

2. Activate the mask by pressing and holding the power button for 1 second.

3. Relax in the comfort of your home for 10 minutes or so. The mask will turn off automatically after 10 minutes.

The light energy is a scientifically proven, effective technology which works on the epidermis layer to rejuvenate our skin from within. With the red light, it helps to boost visibly brighter and radiant skin. The Infra-Red Light, on the other hand, helps with firming your skin giving you more elastic skin! Now, all you got to do is to sit back, relax and let the mask work its magic!

After the pampering session, simply follow up with your normal skincare regime. Shake the Neutrogena Fine Fairness Toner well before use. Moisten your cotton pad with the toner. Apply it all over your face and neck with gentle upward strokes.

Last but not least, I like to apply the Fine Fairness Gel Cream right after I use the Light Mask. This highly concentrated gel cream penetrates deeply to activate skin cells to natural healthy turnover.

Simply take some of the Fine Fairness Gel cream on your fingertips, and apply on your face in a circular upwards motion.

I love how the Fine Fairness Gel cream leaves a non-sticky finish on my face after application. It smells really good too!

Really enjoyed the 10 minutes me-time while using the Neutrogena Fine Fairness Light Mask! After using this for a week now, I do see significant improvement in my skin’s texture It’s more elastic and it really helps to brighten up my skin. The mask is pretty easy to operate as you just need to press and hold the button to start the session. It’s so light & portable you can even bring it with you during your holiday!

I hope you like this review and tutorial of the Neutrogena Fine Fairness Light Mask! It’s so amazing how you can use dermatologist light solutions to rejuvenate your skin from within at the comfort of your home. No more excuses to be lazy despite your busy schedules.

Love, Cindy

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