Salam Edulfitri!

There has not been much of an update lately because I was

1) busy preparing students for the Prelim exams,
2) busy with the preparations for Teachers' Day high tea tomorrow. Yup, I am on the SWC :),
3) going crazy with the loads of markings,
4) trying hard to be a good housewife and bake cookies for Eid,
5) drowning in the mess at home. THank God for dear husby who helped out despite being busy with the PE. Home is pretty pretty :P .

Here's us wishing all Muslims Selamat Hari Raya and to our non-Muslim friends, hope you had a great holiday!

I really love our combination for this year!

We are very determined to do more visiting this year. The past years have been blearrghhh due to work.

Love,
Me!

Diapercake - What a Gal Wants!

I love my latest diapercake!

It was actually ordered by a group of colleagues for a fellow colleague and I wanted to make sure she loves it. I am glad she did because I had absolute joy doing it up - finished it all within 2 hours.

I call it "What a Gal Wants" because... well, the name speaks for itself :)

Pictures time!

Only some of the ingredients. I forgot and had already packed the rest into the cake.

From the back... that white cloth with fairy prints is actually a pair of boxer shorts. Cute!

Socks!

Top View

I like how everything is so girly...in my favourite colours, no less!

Packed and ready to go!

This time round, I decided to include a picture of the cake on the gift tag. At least, once the mummy dismantles the cake, she can still keep the tag for memory sake!

All the ingredients...quite a lot but they ha a bigger budget.

It is quite a lot of work ... creating the idea , shopping for the right items to fit the design, 'baking' the cake, doing the customized tags, wrapping it up ( I swear I hate this last stage! ) but it gives me a huge amount of satisfaction as I know it will definitely bring joy to the receipient. Consider this if you wanna brighten up a mother's day! :)

Email enquiries to : D_Fairycakes@yahoo.com.sg

Online shopping gives me the rush!

I am quite an avid online shopper. Do not leave me alone with the INternet and my cards - that is literally calling for a disaster! But you cannot blame me though. I am at / doing work almost all the time, how to go real-life shopping like that? I remember early this year, husby and I would go shopping every weekend. It all stopped when things get busier and madder at the workplace. Now all I can do is surf and click if I need to fulfil my desires :)

HOwever, I haven't been shopping online for quite a while ...but last weekend, I could not stop myself anymore! Hahha... I had to buy something even if it is just going to be a teeny weeny bit. Cold turkey was unsuccessful , for sure!

I love that exhilarating feeling I get when I open the letter box and see my packages inside. Just 2 days back , my husby returned home with these...

Only 2 packages but enough to put a smile on my face :)

The pink package is from this UK store called Pearl-Daisy. They sell really pretty things for Muslimahs (Muslim women) and the owner even has many many youtube videos on how to don the shawls fashionably and also make-up tutorials. I love her videos but I doubt I will try much of the styles shown. I prefer the simple ways to go to work with...no time!

This turqouise shawl is one of my favourites from Pearl-Daisy. I bought them in 4 different colours!

In the recent package, I also received a membership card . I am not sure if that entitles me to any discounts / privileges since nothing about that was written on the card...will have to check out the site.

I know I have a long way to be the best Muslimah but I need to start somewhere , right? I am trying to cut down on my fitted tops / dresses that highlights the body contours (this is tough for me though because I just love love fashion and fashionable things look much better when fitted ...) ... But who says one cannot be fashionable and modest at the same time?

Hehehe... or maybe I am just finding excuses to shop! Anyway , I saw this vest dress on pearl-daisy and bought it without thinking!

I think 'layering' and accessories will make this look chic too! (Photo is from pearl-daisy.com)

And I love the beadings!

But online shopping is never complete without a stop at my favourite site asos.com! Somehow , there is always something to buy at this site. I am sure many ladies/ gals out there are familiar with this site... almost everything is pretty or cute! If you like dresses (short or long), this is definitely  a place to venture into!

I only bought 2 items this time because I must save money for Hari Raya.... :(

Yes , yes! Leopard prints! hahahha....I hope I will wear it out . Too cute!

And I think I am addicted to Fitflops. Since my first pair that I bought at a local store, I had bought another pair from an online seller in FB. A gorgeous black one.

And yesterday , the third pair came in the mail! Woo Hoo!

I love this! I think I prefer this to the already-pretty black pair!

They are comfortable and good for the back. After all the heels for 5 days in a row, my feet and back definitely welcome the comfort in these Fitflops. I have already set my eyes on the next 2 pairs.....

Very pretty, right? After I get these 2 designs, then I think I will stop. The only BIG problem is I have no more space in my shoe cabinet (which can actually store 38 pairs of shoes...heehee) so now all my three pairs of FITFLOPS are neatly arranged in the house, by the door. They are the first who will greet my guests . LOL.

No more personal shopping for the next month. Whatever that needs to be bought from now till the next pay-check has to be for the home .. afterall, we only do up the house once a year during Hari Raya. Other times, we are just plain lazy!

 To Geylang later!

Bags , bags, bags!

A lady can never have too many bags - I am sure the majority of the female population agrees :)

My craze for bags started at a very young age (honestly, I think I inherited it from my mum) ; I was already very concerned with bags in secondary schools, often opting for brands such as ELLE, ESPRIT, GUESS - the hot brands among teens in the 1990s :) (yes, yes...I am that old!).

When I was in university, I started to venture out of those brands and would go for absolutely anything colourful, funky, weird but cheap! Hehe... there wasn't much spare cash to splurge on bags but it was an absolute neccessity for me to have matching bags for all my outfits to uni. Some were really cheap but honestly, at one point, I had at least 40 bags that I could rotate for my school days. Such obsession.

It stopped when I started teaching. Firstly, earning my own money makes me appreciate $$ more and I had a lot of family commitments the first few years of my working life hence, leaving me with very little to shop. Furthermore, I drove to work everyday so I could even get away with even carrying a box to and fro! ( I really did that for a couple of weeks ).

When I got married, the interest in bags was still there but the desire to own has definitely lessen. I was more caught up with buying watches and shoes with the other half! Hehehehe... that was fun ! But I think I have enough watches (for now, at least) and I have maximised the space in the shoe cabinet  - so it is back to bags again!

I started adding bags to my collection last yr. This year, I seem to have gotten a few (oopsie!) but I've cut down on other things so it should be ok ..right, husby? Just this year, I've got myself an AGnes B, 2 by Marc Jacobs, 1 from a push-cart in a mall , a white Gucci, a red Burberry (anniversary present) and 1 from SUB (surprise gift from husby ) . It sounds a lot but I threw away five old bags so the new ones are purely functional replacements :P

My latest love is from my favourite brand - Kate Spade! I wasn't sure of it initially and kept changing my mind. I am glad I didn't! I love it!

KATE SPADE NYLON MAE 

Photos are from amazon.com

I really like the chains and gold turnalock on the bag

Super cute interior!

It is really a versatile bag that you can bring from work to play or even evening functions. It is not large but roomy enough to bring all my usual stuff. Very versatile, worth the money spent. I haven't had the chance to bring the bag out yet ..I always lug my big Marc Jacobs or large Longchamps to school- easier to dump my things inside! But I think I shall try to let my new love breathe in some fresh air this coming week.

Kate Spade has also changed the dustbag. It  is now a stylish black with gold letterings :)

Now , I am waiting for my COACH Kristin Leather Hobo. Bought it online and it is apparently on the way ...woots!

When students say the darnest things...

As much as students can be irritating and stubborn at times, there are occasions that remind me what a joy it is, to be able to have much interaction and communication with these youths.

Form class 4C 2006

I guess, one of the main reasons why I am still in this profession despite the stressful workload and unreasonable demands of the job, is the students. I like the fact that I can talk to them , hang out with them, chat with them after school, joke around but yet, the line is never crossed.

I am not a fierce teacher (except when the situations really require it, eg: getting monstrous students / horrible class) but firm enough to gain respect, shut them up totally when I am mad and getting assignments done. Not an easy task but hey , I lasted eight years and am still enjoying it :)

Math Class 3C and 4C '07

Students have a LOT on the minds, except studies. LOL. Recently , I had two students from different classes coming up to me to ask about something similar, separately.

They knew what they were going to say was going to be rather personal so before starting, both had apologised beforehand .

And guess what they asked / said?

They were actually advising me to consider having children. Both had assumed - and beats me how both thought the same way - that I do not want to have kids of my own. That my husband and I just prefer to be with ourselves and not have children. So one was discussing all the benefits of having children while the other even went into the religious aspects - telling me the religious and after-life benefits if I decide to have kids.

I don't know to laugh or to scold . Hahahaha.....  (laugh, I did!)

Of all things, they have that in their minds! I wonder when I ever gave them the impression that I do not like kids. I love kids! And it is rather cute that they assume I do not know the values / advantages of having my own children. Hallo....Who is 16 and who is 28 here ? ( ok , that is not my real age... but you get the drift....)...  :P

 I still cannot believe that I stood there , listening to their sermons. Honestly, I wanted to laugh but I kept a straight face. It is not often that a student is brave enough to go up to a teacher and give advice!

And at the current moment, one class is keeping tab of how many different shoes and bangles/bracelets I have. Tsk Tsk .

It's ok , I guess, as long as they get my assigned work done! :)

I have always said that I want to retire from teaching in 2013. That's not exactly a joke because teaching in Singapore is really a load and I cannot see myself surviving more than 10 years.

But these youths keep me going ....

We shall see what happens then when 213 comes....

For now, I shall just concentrate on giving my best , endure and press on , and enjoy the nonsense my students can come up with !


Ending off with the most favourite students of mine .....

With them since 2005 and still keeping in touch...

The BEST class ANY teacher can ever ask for ! 4E2 2009. I know I will not meet another like them.