inspiration

X’mas Wreath Workshop

Posted on by ShenWendys

Hey Lovelies!

We often sacrifice self-care because we are too busy trying to save everyone else. Sometimes we just need to be selfish and love ourselves more. For when we care and love ourselves, we are better able to care for and love others.

To feel better about yourself, learn a new skill. There’s reason to believe that engaging in a project can put you in a meditation state. Finishing the project, or mastering a mini skill, boosts one’s confidence.

I did just that – took the day off and attended a X’mas Wreath Workshop hosted by A Sassy Florist with a girlfriend.

Excited to be making my first wreath
It’s a mad house of fir, spruce, pine and what have you

Mia, owner of A Sassy Florist and mummy to Apple Juice (that’s the adorable shiba who loves belly rubs and head massages). This is her first time hosting wreath making workshops and it has been a sold out success. I was glad we manage to get a spot. Mia makes beautiful hand bouquets/arrangements – Omakase style or some would say avant-garde.

The cheeky Apple Juice

Mia makes wreath making look so easy but it’s not it took us two hours to make a wreath. Mia was very good at teaching us the basics, encouraging us to let our creativity run its course. She was very patient with us, guiding and helping us along the way.

It’s all about your gut feel when making your own X’mas wreath
Milestone unlocked – our beautiful creations

I’m in love with my final wreath – it looks professionally done and very expensive – full to the brim with foliage (pine, fir, spruce, eucalyptus) and elements (deco of acorn, cotton, cinnamon).

You can hang the wreath at the door
As a table display with X’mas candles – filling the house with the smell of X’mas wonderland

We both had loads of fun making our X’mas wreath and playing with Apple Juice! A wonderful experience that I would highly recommend.

Thank you for reading.

Oo La Lab ~ Be A Perfumer for the day

Posted on by ShenWendys

Hey Lovelies,

I’m blessed to have received such a unique and fun birthday pressie from my buddy ~ an Eau de Parfum Workshop with Oo La Lab.

The highlight of the workshop was learning to create our own unique and bespoke scent. Along the way we learned about the art of perfumery and also found out that they are the people behind the Changi Airport and Ion Orchard signature scent.

Jon (our trainer) gave us a brief introduction to the world of perfumery. We kick started by sampling the different fragrances using the scent card booklet given to us earlier and learning the key notes in each sample. It’s interesting how some scents can jolt back forgotten memories. He informed us that fragrances consists of top, middle, base, complex plus high notes and the importance each category plays. He was very patient in answering our 101 questions.

Felt like we were back in school in the chemistry lab with 26 scent bottles and apparatuses laid out. The scents are divided into 3 categories –

  • Base Notes: the longevity of the scent which stays on your body/clothes comprising of sweet and musky scents the likes of “Vanilla”, “Gourmand”, “Woody”;
  • Middle Notes: sets the tone of the whole fragrance and includes a number of floral scents i.e. “Muguet”, “White Flowers”;
  • Top Notes: the one that makes your perfume instantly recognisable, though it doesn’t last as long as the base note however it is this scent that makes it memorable.
Everything looks so complicated at first glance

Now comes the challenging part – deciding which scent blends well with one another and fits your personality. Rule of thumb, is to remember the importance that creating a fragrance is subjective so don’t be tempted by others around you of their likes and dislikes. I guess that’s one of the reason why our trainer didn’t want to give suggestions on our concoction?

After much trial and error I finally picked out the scents I wanted. My bespoke fragrance consist of “Woody”, “Gourmande”, “Muguet”, “Tea”, “Fruity” and “Aquatic”. Now comes the fun part of being a chemist, doing the maths for composition then blending the chosen scents into a bottle.

Once your done they will assist in fixing the spray nozzle and cap. What makes it even more personalised is that you get to name your creation! My bottle of perfume is then nicely packed in a bag emblazoned with Oo La Lab logo, a lovely keepsake from an awesome experience!

All in all I had a great time with my buddy. This is by far one of the most unique present I have received.

An Eau de Parfum Workshop with Oo La Lab makes an ideal gift. Not only is it a great experience to have with your friends and have some fun bonding over the art of perfumery but you also get to create your own bespoke fragrance! If you are perfume enthusiast, this is an ultimate experience for you.

My very own signature scent

Thank you for reading.

My Keto Journey

Posted on by ShenWendys

Hey Lovelies, hope everyone is coping well in these strange times.

Today I want to share with you my keto journey.

During the circuit breaker (similar to a lockdown) period in Singapore and being cooped up at home all the time sometimes sends your mind to wonder off all over the place. For me was how to lose more weight to fit into that one dress I found whilst spring cleaning the wardrobe!

And as if Vyriella read my mind she asked if I was keen to try out ketones. After much thought I decided to take up her offer to try out the ketones experience pack. Thats how I embarked with rebooting my body, setting the stage to a healthier me and improving my eating habits.

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Vyriella tailored a program for me and patiently guided me through my keto journey despite my ‘5W and 1H’ . In all honesty,  am a lazy ketogenic dieter – I don’t count my calorie intake neither did I change my diet drastically nor was I actively exercising. But I could see the results in 1 month and that makes me feel AMAZING!

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For all the attributes of a ketogenic diet, there’s one big side effect you have to be prepared for: THE KETO FLU. This is real, am not joking. Keto Flu is a term that refers to the period after you start the diet and how your body adjust to the new regime. Everyone reacts differently for me the first week  was horrible – I developed:

  • Bowel changes: due to the dietary swing I get both (i) Diarrhea: whenever I ate carbs I would be running to the toilet ever so often (good and bad I would say. The good makes me abstain from eating too much carbs..haha); (ii) Constipation: insufficient fibre intake
  • Headaches: due to the imbalance of electrolyte – when our body is in ketosis, our kidneys tend to lose more electrolytes than usual so an easy fix will be to take a quarter teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt or celtic sea salt, drink it with water that usually helps);
  • Lethargic: feeling extremely lethargic not wanting to move around, dizziness and sometimes mental fog too;

I know, the above may sound scary and you start questioning yourself if its all worth it. For me my motivation is to fit into that dress and perhaps drop a size or two down. I believe slowly but surely I will. One tip is to find like minded friends who have the same goals as you so you can spur each other on.

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My tummy has shrunk as well, I used to be very conscious of my love hurdle thus I will never tuck my top in and will always wear dresses with a flair waist down to camouflage the bulge. Nowadays I ‘m feeling confident enough not to tuck in my top and wear more body hugging dresses and bottoms!

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My double chin is also slowly disappearing making my chin sharper.

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Am now in my second month of Keto, my body performance continues to improve. I don’t have migraines as often, better digestive system, my appetite is not as ferocious (more normal) and I don’t crave sweet stuff as much as before.

I imagine if I went full out on a strict keto diet the results I would have achieved will be even more significant! But, for me I want a sustainable diet which I can adhere to and not have my weight yo-yo around. Ultimately you have to figure out what works best for you, because if you choose something extreme yes you loose weight fast but you won’t be able to sustain long term and therefore end up gaining back all the weight again. Trust me I have had my fair share of experimenting of diet plans to know what works.

Now that I have tried and tested to know ketones works and is sustainable I’m getting my daughter to try too!

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After reading my journey and you feel inspired to try out the ketogenic diet do drop Vyriella a DM on Instagram. She will be more than happy to share more on how you can kick start your ketones journey. Quote ‘Shenwendys’ for USD 10 off regular price bundle if you purchase it online.

Thank you for reading.

Poonnatasha – Dance to Dream, Dream to Dance

Posted on by ShenWendys

Hey lovelies!

Dancing has always been a passion for Natasha. To me she has the talent too!

When she was 8 years old she signed up for her school Talentime, she came up with her own choreograph and performed ‘Price Tag by Jessie J’. She has no background in dancing or anyone to guide her on dance moves. I feel very proud of her she was brave enough to go up stage to perform infront of the whole school.

 

 

She loves watching movies which has a dance theme, no prizes for guessing what her favourite movie is – Step up. Yes she caught all 5 films.

I’m the type of mother who doesn’t believe in forcing my child to take up an extra curricular activity or to cultivate one. To me its all about whether she is interested or not. No point forcing her to pick up an activity she has zero interest, this will end up being a chore.

Mid this year she suddenly told me she wants to learn dancing the proper way. She did her own research and signed up at Step Studio for ‘Waacking’ & ‘Popping’ dance classes. Natasha had so much fun during the course, she always looks forward to her next class. The teachers are really passionate, patient and attentive. That is what fuels her too.

 

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Seeing her enjoying herself so much and having so much fun makes me smile and feel happy for her. So when she asked if she could take up personal 1-1 classes for street jazz I agreed without hesitation even though knowing its not going to be cheap. Studies are already so stressful, dancing is her way of destressing and meditation.

 

 

Dancing causes a natural high. With the right beat and the right people a good dance can take you right to the top.

 

 

Yes she still has a long way to go before mastering the moves, but behind every young child who believes in herself is a parent who believed FIRST.

Thank you for reading.

Power Dresses That Are Geared Up For Success

Posted on by ShenWendys


It’s no coincidence that powerful and successful women never (or rarely ever) look disheveled when they are at their work spaces. They are always well-put together and exude a positive aura of being capable and and serious about their work. 

While physical appearance might not be everything, it definitely plays a significant role in helping you excel in your career. The right outfit can give you the confidence boost you need to reach your goals and may even influence your bosses’ and co-workers’ perceptions of your personality and suitability for hire or promotion. 


Shop these eight power dresses that are geared for success at Nan_Z.

Thank you for reading.