journalistic instincts

So even thoug I haven't been on here as much, it doesn't mean I haven't been logging down my thoughts. I was just doing it the old-fashioned way - by putting pen to paper.

I recently purchased this cutesy journal.....

It's just filled with funny, somewhat insightful girl-related quotes and some of the special pages to jot down stuff have kitschy headings like.....

And this particular one really inspired me to fill the page :).....

It's really just been fun to jot down nothings in this journal. Reminded me of the times I kept a diary in my teen years, hehe. I have that diary lying around somehwere......

love has arrived!

I'm talking about my Rebecca Minkoff handbag :D

Yes, the pic is taken at my cubicle at work. Instead of doing something work-related, taking a picture of my gorgeous bag was muy importante, hehe.

And this pic is of my equally as gorgeous sunnies pouch. I am tres happy with this pouch since it is very roomy and can accommodate my larger Prada baroque frames comfortably as well as my square frame Olivers.

And just because. I thought since I'm showing my new RM stuff that I'll also show some love for my couple years old RM MAC laptop bag which I've started carrying around again.

After this latest arrival, off hand I believe I have 7 Rebecca Minkoff designs. Is that 7 too many bags from one designer?

the love goes on and on.....

As much as I LOVE my high end arm accoutrements, I can't help but notice Rebecca Minkoff speaks directly to my fashion sensibilities. Oh, as I was typing that sentence, it just hit me that she and English brand Mulberry have the same sense when it comes to their handbags. The Jules satchel I got last month mirrors the Mulberry Bayswater. Think of Jules as the younger, rebellious sister of the pragmatic, sensible Bayswater.

Which brings me to Love. Yes, Love. I fell in love with Cara Delevigne's collaboration with Mulberry. Specifically the black quilted medium backpack with gold hardware. I saw the burgundy iteration of this gorgeous piece of leather whilst traipsing around Singapore during the F1 weekend last September. Had a chance to paw the bag and admire it up close. The price tag was pretty too :) I still thought that if it was available further into the future, I would set aside some funds to get it.

But then I saw Love. Just like how Jules was akin to Bayswater, so too was Love to CD's quilted bag. I fell in love with Love with black hardware immediately without hesitation. But I had just gotten Jules and Bowery and as crazy as I am about buying bags, I do try to not put myself in debt because of it. I can't exactly fork out another USD375 just because I saw a bag I had to have. I figured I would be patient till Black Friday rolled around. I kept tabs on it daily on Shopbop as that was the only other place aside from Rebecca Minkoff's own site that had the bag in stock. Till it was sold out.....then back in stock.....then back to sold out. I sighed and just threw it to fate. If I was meant to have the bag come Black Friday, I was meant to have the bag.

I feel I need to explain why I didn't bother with getting it direct from rebeccaminkoff.com. It was simply because I was waiting for discount codes and Shopbop usually had some at any given time. Plus, I had already had a great experience with Shopbop's customer service and was very satisfied with them. Also, for some reason, rebeccaminkoff.com kept trying to charge me for $19.95 shipping even though the price of the bag exceeded the USD300 base limit to qualify for free shipping. And you know how I feel about getting my shipping free, right peeps!

Ok, anyways, I was minding my business the day before yesterday and saw an email newsletter from Rebecca Minkoff regarding their early start to Black Friday. I thought, okay, why not take a look, no harm in that. They had a promo code for 25% off orders totalling USD275 and above. Ooh, I thought, great, the money I save from the discounts can go towards paying for shipping. So I went to the site and did a search for the Love backpack. The results had me in a tizzy. The Love backpack was now going for USD250. It was on sale! I quickly put it in my cart. I thought even if I have to pay shipping, I don't care now!

A thought occurred to me. I could get a discount if only I added something else so my total would, ahem, total at minimum $275 to qualify for the Black2014 coupon code. I didn't realistically think I could find anything for $25. I did decide to get these cute sunnies pouch I had been eyeing for the longest time but just couldn't justify the purchase. Till this transaction that is.

It was going for $50 from its RRP of 75 smackaroos. My cart total was now an even USD300. After applying the code, I saved $75 bringing down my total to USD225. I essentially got the sunnies case gratis AND saved an additional TWENTY FIVE BUCKS on the bag! This meant that not only did I not pay retail for the Love backpack I coveted oh-so-much, I got it for A STEAL saving myself $150 with a leather sunglasses case to boot!

The best part is - FREE SHIPPING! I also got free shipping, y'all! All in all, I was charged USD249.38 inclusive of customs and duties for my country cos yes, i am getting free shipping all the way to my home country. No Portland involved in this purchase! The downside, shipping's really slow. It isn't like Shopbop which uses DHL express that arrives within 4/5 days after payment is confirmed. But it's okay, I can ultimately live with that - the score's well worth it!

my love affair with Rebecca Minkoff

Yes, yes, yes.....it's totally been a lack of interest on my side to blog but don't get me wrong, I have been feeling a tad guilty about it. However, I am now feeling the mood again and thus, here I am to make good on it. What comeback post would one expect from moi if not for a completely frivolous one that had all to do with my favourite thing to buy - HANDBAGS! And if you call yourself a fashion follower at all, one should already be aware that Rebecca Minkoff is a designer that is always in the mix of the fashion set. To those who thought Rebecca Minkoff was an actual woman I was having a dillatante moment in the arts of same-sex relationships, well, sorry to disappoint, that isn't the case.

What I can affirm is I think at this point it's safe for me to actually come out and state that I and Rebecca M have the same taste in handbags. Rebecca M designs the bags that I, Zlena, love to buy. To date, I have in hand 4 of her bags from the Morning After range accoutrements. Without further chit chatting, please meet Jules.....

.....and her sis, Bowery

I honestly wanted to wait till Black Friday but well, 25% off to get the bag likely by next week versus waiting till December to have the bag in hand tipped the whole thing into instant gratification's favour :D Coupon code FAMILY25, you temptress you! All in all, inclusive of customs and duties to my Homeland, my handbag haul came to USD552.76. Which is still less about USD120 than I would have paid for the two pieces RRP. And they ship DHL which means I'm assured of the lovelies arriving in timely and safe conditions. Perhaps even in time for my overnight trip back to former Workland this coming 25th. Am going back to pick up 2 luggages I left with former colleagues as well as see aforementioned peeps. It's been an adjustment being back home - mostly great. The not-so-great part is even though I earn more now than I did when I was posted overseas and I am in an actual managerial position, I have less to do and even less money when all is done and dusted at the end of the month. Turns out it is true that the more money you get, the less you seem to have. Okay, buying 2 handbags doesn't actually help and I really do have to get my finances in order cos I can't keep up the same lifestyle I had when I was in another country. Sigh, that's really for a whole other post. So, YAY HANDBAGS!

it's official!

I'm moving back to Homeland! After 7 long years and 7 short months, I will finally leave this place that I have thought of as home - how could I not considering I've spent nearly a decade in this country. I have great memories and awful memories to take back with me. I will miss my colleagues who have become my family - we've been through the hghs and this last low, I wil never forget you, guys! I will not miss the assholes-in-charge from the government departments I used to have to deal with nor will I miss our equally asshole-ish local partner who is a jackass. Can you be an asshole and a jackass too? Whatever, he's both and more in my honest opinion.

I've shed a few tears at the thought of leaving for good. Of course I can always come back for visits but my point is that I had a life here, going back will mean adjusting to living with people 24/7. Whereas I used to have privacy in abundance, it'll be pretty scarce when I go back, lol. But I'll be with my family which is what i wanted anyways these past few years.

And that truly is the silver lining in all this. Yes, we have to close our office here, yes, people had to be retrenched, yes, it is a loss to our company's portfolio but for me, it meant being able to go back home. Oh, and I also got a promotion as well as a substantial salary bump. Which I feel in two minds about. Firstly, it seemed kinda wrong that I got to keep my job, a new title and more money when all of the local staff here had to be let go. On the other hand, I've served this company loyally for 9 years, it'll be 10 by 2015, this promotion was due and my salary hike a bonus. Yes, having to pay tax will suck greatly for me but I feel I'll still have quite a bit leftover for normal life, lol. But people lost their jobs to the events of the past 6 months. Sigh, I'm happy but I'm sad. I can't wait to go home but I dread to leave. I have paradoxical feelings which I can't control. Honestly, it's a blessing and a curse.

it's crazy that i've shopped so much

Even before I step foot on US soil, I would have already spent $915.16 on things that I shopped online. So much for holding back on the shopping before I go, huh? :D

I figure I will have saved more money buying the stuff beforehand rather than if I got them when I'm there. I have bought conceivably everything I truly wanted and the only thing left for me to get that's on my list is a french wallet which I'll try to buy from Coach at one of the outlet malls I'm bound to visit.

Of course this doesn't mean I won't be buying anymore stuff since I'm likely unable to stop myself :)

remaining crisp on the road

Lol, what a really weird post title but it aptly describes why I got this item:

I've been looking at travel irons for awhile now but never took the plunge to get one till now. I'm always in need of ironing, I cannot stand wrinkly clothes so this is a necessity for when I travel since some places do not provide irons and ironing board. Yes, I've actually stayed in places where they are not provided. The SteamFast travel iron above cost me $27.62. The reviews, overall, are pretty positive so I'm looking for this to work for me too. The fact that it's a steam iron really tipped the scales in its favour :) It's shipped together with the rest of my camera stuff I got from Amazon which is already out for delivery as we speak.

my camera's arrived!!!!!

My cousin's already picked up my camera and he's setting it up and charging the battery so that I'm ready to go when I'm on my US trip next week! And of course now that the camera's in hand, I've also dropped the $144.51 I was holding onto in my Amazon cart. Full disclosure, I also have a travel iron in this order that cost me $27.64 so my camera accessory total is more like $116.87.

Hi there, Baby! Mommy loves you, MUAHS! Lol, what a nutter :D

UPDATE 21/05/2014:

I decided to go for it online! I used the coupon code 'SUMMER50' to get USD50 off of the RRP and with the money I saved, splurged on paying for 2-day shipping :) I still saved $32 on this purchase and didn't have to pay any sales tax so I'm very happy!

beauty.com friends and family 20%

Yup, sucker for discounts that I am, I went rather crazy with the buying since I could get whatever restricted shipping stuff considering I was having it shipped to my sister's friend's place :D

I decided to try new things out with this purchase and this is what I got which has already been delivered or has shipped.

The first item is the MOYNA BAGS Antique Frame Evening Silk Clutch with Beading in Gray/Silver. The RRP was $199 and it was on sale for $87.56 but after my discount was applied, I got it for $70.05. The reason I got this wasn't really for the bag but for the free gifts it came with. Lol, when I look at it, I don't know why I badly wanted the stuff it came with but I wanted it then so I got it. It contains a Perricone Nutritive Cleanser, full size Stila Smudge Crayon in the shade Rose, It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer in the shade Neutral Medium, Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray, Fekkai Advanced Brilliant Glossing Cream, Boscia Green Tea Blotting Paper, H20+ Lip Mender Hydrating Complex and lastly the Go Smile Touch Up Smile Perfecting Ampoule. Ok, listing it out, I kinda remember why I wanted this - it's got some great things to try out.

Next thing I got was the Rosebud Perfume Co. Smith's Rosebud Salve which retails for $5.59 but I got for $4.47. I was actually wanting one of NARS's multiple sticks but the shades available were not appealing. The matte range of the multiples were also not value for money considering they were half the size of the normal multiple stick. I figured I have never tried the Rosebud Perfume Co. Smith's salves and I had heard really great things about the line so thought I might as well give it a go. I guess I can also use it as a multiple though I haven't exactly read anywhere someone using it as rouge for their cheeks.

This is an item I was convinced to buy by MissGlamorazzi and Amarixe. They were both raving about the First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay and considering they have opposite skin types, I figured this was a good thing to try. This $24 but after discount was $19.20. I am honestly loving the Philosophy Purity Made Simple Facial Cleansing Gel & Eye Makeup Remover I got in the set I ordered from Strawberrynet but I am always open to trying new cleansers.

Now comes the products I'm most excited about which are both from PERRICONE MD. It's the No Foundation Foundation Supersize (59 ml) and the No Concealer Concealer (9 ml). In the spirit of full disclosure, I actually got everything in this post in one initial order except for the PERRICONE MD No Concealer Concealer 9 ml which was purchased in a separate order. The reason for this was because I had actually gone out to Sephora and tested it. When I initially ordered the No Foundation Foundation, I was buying it sight unseen which is always a dangerous thing to do with foundations, concealers, face powders and the like because you just never know if it'll match your skintone. The No Foundation Foundation was supposed to be a one colour suits all so I just crossed my fingers and hoped for the best - I also did not play it safe by going for the regular size but instead decided to just hedge my bets and go for the Supersize bottle which is gives you double the product. I got my hands on the testers in Sephora and was so relieved that the No Foundation Foundation blended well with my skintone and the 'odd' smell some people were talking about did not come across to me. Since I was already there at the Perricone MD display, I decided to test the No Concealer Concealer and was very impressed by the coverage it lent. I was feeling regretful that I didn't look into this when I made my first order so had been thinking about the concealer for days after I tested it, lol. When I realized that Beauty.com was still giving me 20% off even though I had used my discount in a previous order, I finally caved and got the No Concealer Concealer as well. The No Foundation Foundation Supersize retails for $85 but I paid $68 and the No Concealer Concealer was $36 after discount.

This next purchase was really rather impulsive. I had never really given much thought to the brand before this but it was featured on the Beauty.com main page. When I was looking at reviews of some of the items I was interested in, this brand GlamGlow featured quite heavily in a number of beauty guru favourites vids. The particular product I got is the GlamGlow SUPER-MUD Clearing Treatment. I decided on this one because one of the reviews I read on the site claimed that her blackheads were cleared on the first use and I have some stubborn ones sitting atop my nose that I would love to get rid off :D The muds from GlamGlow are all pricey but I decided to not think too much about it and just go for the buy. It retails for $69 and I paid $55.20 after discount.

Then we have the two Spanx products that I got for really cheap and am super stoked about. I have been wearing my Shape FX long tunic for ages now and though I have a few others, nothing works as well at keeping it all in like that Shape FX piece. Unfortunately those are no longer sold so I am always on the lookout for the next best option. Hence I'm trying out the Assets Red Hot Label Focused Firmers Adjustable Strap Full Slip that I got in the colours Very Bare and Deep Black. These are full compression slips and they retail between $52 to $54. I got them on sale at Beauty.com for 23.40 for Very Bare and $26.00 for Deep Black. After discounts were applied I was charged $18.72 and $20.80 respectively. Score!

And because my total spent was more than $150, I received the Lela Rose makeup bag as a free gift. I know I own more than a few of the Beauty.com makeup bag gifts but I can't help myself, I love getting things for free :D In the gift bag, I will receive:

My initial order is not complete though as I have one product on back order. If by next week Monday it doesn't ship, I will cancel it as I don't think it will reach in time for when I arrive in Maryland/Washington D.C. I still have the Bliss The Tight Stuff set which consists of fatgirlsixpack, fatgirlslim and fatgirlsleep. The RRP for this set is $75 but after discount it is $60. However, because it's back ordered, my credit card has not been charged as yet so I still have the option to cancel the order.

Also, this portion of my order was canceled as apparently it is not in stock or difficult to get ahold of the stock. I wanted to get the LORAC Pro Palette since I could get it at a discount for $33.60. AM a bit sad but these things happen.

All in all, it was a pretty good haul. Taking out the LORAC Pro Palette and the Bliss Tight Stuff set, I spent roughly $260 for my entire order. That's a helluva great deal so I'm happy with what I've managed to get.

finally caved and got myself a camera

I haven't owned my own camera since 2009 I think. The last one I had was a Canon P&S and it is currently sitting at the bottom of my wardrobe, screen died on me I think. Since then I have thought about investing in another one, more along the lines of the Compact System Cameras (CSC) or what used to be called the Micro Four Thirds a.k.a Mirrorless Cameras. I think I did a post on the then hot stuff Panasonic Lumix G-something which I never did end up getting. Through the years I simply let other people take photos, I realized that I wasn't soooo keen on photography. Sure, I loved immortalizing a trip in digital but I was just too lazy to do anything further than that. Plus, I somewhat felt that too many people in the group had cameras anyway so why did I really need to bother, hehe.

But this year, I've started feeling I needed a camera again. And knowing myself, as much as I loved the idea of myself lugging around a humongous DSLR camera with my camera bag filled with myriad lenses, I knew I was gonna get bored of carrying it around and end up not taking the camera anywhere. If it happened with my old P&S, it was definitely gonna happen with a DSLR. I also became more aware that as much as I was into the idea of owning a compact interchangeable lens system, I would ultimately balk at paying the prices for lenses and definitely would simply just use the original lens kit only in the first place. And I would also get bored of having to lug around the camera as well as the lens. Hence, when I asked my photography buff cousin for a recommendation, he pointed out the Sony DSC-RX100 Mi to me. It was a very compact P&S with DSLR quality and features. I looked up the camera and it definitely appealed to me a lot. Would I have preferred choices in colour aside from the basic black? Yes, but I can always find a way to customize it. Shocker right? I'm complaining about my favourite gadget/accessory colour being the only option.

Anywho, after a bit of deliberating, I decided to get the Sony DSC-RX100 Mii instead. It's basically the same camera as the Mi but with a tiltable screen, a 1.0 inch Exmor R™ back-illuminated CMOS sensor as well as WiFI and NFC capabilities. If I'm gonna be truthful, I have no clue what kind of difference really the 1.0 inch Exmor R™ back-illuminated CMOS sensor is really gonna have but I figured for a lil bit more money I should get the updated version of this camera.

And that's it. I got it for below the RRP from this shop my cousin always gets cameras from. I think converted, the price is around $585.48. The RRP is $749 and Amazon is selling it for $698. In all honesty, what really sold me on this camera was its compact size and the fact that I really want to carry it around in this :D

Lol, yes, I was shallow enough to buy the camera because I wanted to buy this bag which retails for $298 at Henri Bendel. I think it just looks so gorgeous this bag. It's quilted leather and considering the astronomical prices of Chanel's quilted arm candy, I'll settle for knock-offs :D I'll hopefully get this bag once it's confirmed my camera is in hand.

I've also put some camera accessories in my Amazon cart which I will also only check out once my cousin tells me he's picked up the camera - apparently the shop has to pre-order and it'll take between 3-5 working days for the camera to arrive at the shop. Since I put in the order only on Friday, it'll likely come either tomorrow, Thursday or Friday.

In this Amazon order there'll be the Sony LCJRXC/B Jacket case for DSC-RX100 series in Black, MegaGear's Multi-Coated LENS ARMOR UV attached Filter for Sony Cyber-shot RX100/RX100 II, LARMOR by GGS Self-Adhesive Optical Glass LCD Screen Protector for SONY RX100, Japanhobbytool Sony DSC-RX100 Mii Leica Skin and last but not least two Halcyon 1800 mAH Lithium Ion Replacement Battery and Charger Kit for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II. I feel these are all necessities for the camera, mainly for the protection of the camera body.

I feel like since I dropped so much money for a P&S, I might as well ensure that I've protected it as best as I can by getting the LCD screen protector, lens filter, the Leica style skin is to ensure the camera has grip when I'm holding it - apparently the smoothness of the camera body creates grip issues and the camera can slip from your hands, the case is further protection for the camera and the extra batteries is so that I don't run out of juice as I'm using the camera. From what I've read, battery life might be an issue and investing in some spare batteries is wise, plus I get the bonus wall and car charger. Out of the box, the camera package only comes with a USB camera charger connecter so the battery has to be in the camera for charging AND you won't be able to use the camera whilst it's being charged. A flaw I overcome with the wall charger adapter I get by buying the spare batteries.

I'm kinda excited to get my new gadget. I haven't seriously played with a camera in ages.

watched.....the right kind of wrong

Just like the other movie I tried to watch and couldn't finish, this too did not manage to hook me. Again, perhaps I am old or whatever but Ryan Kwanten's Leo was such a loser dude. I didn't find him charming at all! Which woman would truly give up her amazing lawyer, philanthropist, ex-Olympic skier husband for this flighty dude who apparently feels being a dishwasher is the noblest of professions whilst he tries his hand at NOT writing the great American novel since all I ever saw him do was indulge his every stupid whim and fancy.

He fucking decided he was in love with some chick he saw kick a football over the roof of his house on the day she married the fantastic and good-looking Olympic medalist. So sue me for not wanting to suspend reality for this shitty romantic comedy. I just fast forwarded to the end to make sure this rom-com was gonna go down the predictable path it was gonna go on and it did not disappoint. Or it did disappoint since I was hoping that there was some redeeming quality about it in that Leo would finally realize that he needed to get his shit together or else girls he fancy would not be leaving their fab hubbies for men like him. What a douche and what jackasses wanted women to believe that this was romantic at all apparently have no common sense.

watched.....Magic Magic

Maybe I'm old, maybe I'm not artsy enough. Whatever the reason, I couldn't stomach the movie to even finish it and damn did I try to get through to the end! Perhaps I am insensitive to the plight of those spiralling into a mental breakdown since all I found myself thinking whilst I was watching Juno Temple's Alicia was how irritating this girl is. I also felt like the first half of the movie was dragging along. It really seemed like it had no point to it.

And for me, no one was likeable in this movie. I did not like any of the main characters. This movie can be billed as whatever the hell it wants to be billed as whether it's a thriller or some pyschological drama or artistic whatever, it just didn't work at all for me.

bbw haul 2014

Taking advantage of the fact I can get stuff sent to my sister's friend's address in Maryland and pick up my packages when I'm there in June, I perhaps went a little nutso getting stuff from Bath & Body Works online. And with no promo code too :D

The 'Ready, Jet Set, Go' antibac series which goes for $6.

The 'Carnival Collection' antibacs which is part of their 5 for $5 promo.

The 'Say Aloha To Hawaii' antibacs also goes for $5.

Of course you gotta get some antibac holders for all those antibacs right? So I got the flashing 'Lights, Camera...' holder for $7.50.

And just couldn't resist getting this 'Hula Dancer' holder too which was a lil cheaper at $5!

As well as these shea-infused lounge socks for $7.50 which MissGlamorazzi has practically brainwashed me into wanting for the better part of the last 2 years :D

But the entire reason for this haul is really this -

Ever since Black Friday 2010 where I was denied the Holiday Tote, I have subconsciously ended up always wanting one. I wanted to own at least one iteration of BBW's Holiday Tote's and I was damned if I was gonna get denied again after that first rejection! Lol, I am a melodramatic person in my head. Anyways, this went for $20 with any minimum purchase of $40. Since my total is only $36, I shared the order with my sis who got herself some antibacs and pocket antibac holders too and that ensured that I got the tote for $20. Total cost of this haul was $56.

So the stuff has arrived in Maryland. I have to watch my online shopping since I can't have shopped everything I want beforehand, have it delivered to Maryland and then have my luggage all full at my 4th American destination :) Although that doesn't stop me from lusting over those 3-wick candles from BBW. Damn you, MissGlamorazzi! You make BBW so appealing, you should definitely get some commission from plugging their products all the time!

got a new clarisonic

Beauty.com was having a 20% discount sitewide and since my Clarisonic Plus, purchased in October 2010, was having battery issues, I figured it was time to buy a new one. Thus, meet my new facial 'spa' toy, the Aria!

There were three colours available; white, shocking pink and black. As much as I loved the thought of using a pink Clarisonic, I figured I wanted more clean aesthetics of course the black Aria became the one I got. After the discount was applied and my $2.99 in drugstore dollars was deducted, I got the Aria for $156.21. The RRP for this system is $199 and unlike the Plus that I own, this cannot be used on the body. However, in my years of owning the Plus, I have likely used it for the body only twice at the beginning when I first got it. I primarily use this cleansing system for my face. The main reason why I went for the Aria instead of the Mia 2 which is cheaper at $150 is because of the charging mechanism. The Aria can be charged via USB which is something I felt would be a major incentive for me to carry it during travelling as well. I rarely brought the Plus around during my travels because I would have had to lug the bulky charger station along with it which is something the Mia 2 shares in common with the Plus. Aside from the charger situation, the Aria also has 3 speed options as well as adjustable timer just like the Plus. These features are lacking in the Mia 2 which has 2 speeds and a 60 second limit on the pulse.

Anyways, I will only be getting this when I am in the States as I had it sent to my sister's friend's place in Maryland to save on shipping costs :D That's likely happening only in early June I guess. One may ask why I don't just buy it when I'm there and to them I would say - I wouldn't likely get it discounted and I'd have to pay sales tax. For that extra bucks I saved on discounts and shipping, I can totally spend my hard earned greenbacks on other stuff :D

mother's day cotton on haul 2014

Used a coupon code for Mom's Day to get the following stuff. None was for mom, lol. I'm treating her to something better than something from Cotton On, hehe.

Total spent was about $91 for 4 sports bras - got 2 of each colour, the stick-em-up bra in black and nude and the cute pewter hued leopard spot crew sweatshirt. Pretty good considering :)

the bedroom project 2014

In preparation for my very likely move back to Homeland, I've been reclaiming my old attic room back home, which had been turned into storage space, and redecorating. Previously, anytime I am back home I would simply crash in my mom's room on her floor. Lol, typing it out makes it all sound so vagabond and sad :D. Anyways, after the stuff that went down in Workland went down, I feel it's pretty much inevitable that I'll be moving back to Homeland and living with my parents. Lol, that sounds sad as I type it out but in all honesty Asians do such things and aren't ashamed of it. Plus, I'm single, it's completely okay :)

Anywho, since I have had a place to myself for the past 6 years, living with quite a number of people again will be a total adjustment for me. I have an intense need for solitude sometimes so i knew that my mother's bedroom floor was only workable for a short amount of time. Long term, I would need to get my own space. So began the big bedroom overhaul project.

Earning your own money certainly allows you more liberties in decorating choices. Instead of whatever my parents deemed was good enough, I can spend my own money however I want in order to achieve the aesthetics I want. And apparently I am going for an English vintage farmhouse vibe. In a black and white palette. Surprisingly, I have an inherent need to deck my space in white furniture which I would have been loathed to do not too long ago. But somehow, when I decided the theme I was going for, all I could envision going with the concept was decked in white.

Hence, the majority of the furniture I have gotten is in white. I mainly went through IKEA for the bigger furniture and accent pieces but I also have gotten more than a few things from deal sites like LivingSocial.com and Groupon too.

From Ikea, I have gotten the following:

Malm 4 Drawer Chest

Kvart Floor Lamp With 3 Spot

Laborg Low Pile Rug

Napen Clothes Stand With Cover

Knodd Bin With Lid

There were some things that I wanted but were OOS, so I will have to wait for them to become available which I hope is soon. Like the bed I want which is the Hemnes Day Bed With 3 Drawers below:

And the accompanying polyutherane foam mattress, SULTAN FLORVÅG:

Then there are these items which I recently decided I wanted:

I want to get 2 of these Aneboda wardrobes though right now quantities are limited so I might go for the wardrobe I originally wanted which is a tad more pricier, the Musken 2 Doors + 3 Drawers wardrobe below:

From Groupon I got these two accent pieces:

This full length mirror that also doubles as a jewelry case. And also this steel stand rack, though The pic's grainy since I had to crop the original image:

And last (for now) but not least, from LivingSocial I snagged this rolling side table which I am gonna use as my nightstand:

All in all this project is gonna cost me close to $1000. This isn't inclusive of the decor pieces I have already purchased prior like the art I have from Typo. Anyways, although the room is cleared and cleaned up, it's really only half liveable since I have an enormous collection of IT books from my learning days that I have no where to put right now. That's also not to forget the large collection of novels I also possess. All of them are just sitting in boxes on my new carpet. I haven't had the time to sort them out since I had to come back to Workland. I should be going back soon, I just don't exactly have a date yet. My life's kinda up in the air right now, lol.

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birthday treats 2014

I've been relatively good about not buying stuff unnecessarily considering I am saving for my big "American Shopping Extravaganza 2014" this coming May/June when I head to the East coast. However, my birthday came around and with it came a slew of promo codes and discounts in celebration of my turning a year older. I didn't really indulge much except to claim my free entree from Tony Roma's as well as my Sephora birthday prezzie. Then Strawberrynet came along with an additional 14% off coupon code on top of my 7.5%. Granted, it wasn't actually a birthday code, more of an "I-Miss-You" kinda thing but that's just semantics.

In total I got a 23.5% discount on the following items:

DKNY's Golden Delicious 50ml EDP - $30.33. The DKNY fragrance was really an impulse get. I got to the main page of Strawberrynet and it was one of their daily deal specials. Taking into account that it's a 50ml EDP going for a lil over thirty bucks, that was a major score.

Kiehl's Powerful Wrinkle Anti-Aging Set which contained the Powerful Wrinkle & Pore Reducing Cream (50ml),Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate, Double Strength Deep Wrinkle Filler, Midnight Recovery Concentrate (4ml), Midnight Recovery Eye (3ml) and a complimentary toiletry bag - $132.07. I had been eyeing that Kiehls set for awhile but hesitated spending on it since it is rather pricey but with the discount it became quite affordable. Right before this birthday rolled around, I suddenly became more aware of the "baby" lines that had started showing up on my face which totally freaked me out hence why I decided to go for this set. I generally love Kiehls eye creams and I figure I might be able to love these too if they manage to lessen the appearance of my under eye lines as well as the pronounced - to my eyes - laugh lines not to mention the ghost of marionette lines I may be imagining. Anywho, it's better to be vigilant than late :D

Philosophy's Purify & Refresh Set which consisted of the Purity Made Simple Facial Cleansing Gel & Eye Makeup Remover 225ml and Take A Deep Breath Oil-Free Energizing Oxygen Gel Cream Moisturizer 60ml - $39.67. I was actually never a fan of Philosophy's Purity Made Simple cos I felt it didn't do anything but make me breakout when I first gave it a go back in 2010. I had gotten a bottle of it with my Clarisonic kit and had tried it for about a month but it just didn't suit my skin. I would only use it as a last resort when there were no other options. Fast forward to 2014 - that same bottle is now a staple. Okay, yes, it's more than 4 years old which likely isn't healthy but what can I say except it ages well....? It's still working, my skin seems to love it now. Right, looking at it in reverse, let's just say that my skin has matured enough for me to use it....? Whatever it is, I am close to finishing off the bottle and thought I'd get it replenished. I originally wanted the foaming wash but since it wasn't available, I decided to get the gel version that comes in the set instead. And the oxygen moisturizer doesn't hurt either - am hoping it'll brighten up my complexion with use.

Total spent came to roughly $202.07 after USD conversion which is a good deal overall. The conclusion to be gotten from this post is - I've started to feel the pinpricks of fear in regards to aging. Sue me, I'm vain, is it wrong that I want to remain as pretty as I am right now sans lines and drooping, lol?

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