the-missus-blogs.com

17 February 2011 – 23 February 2011

We’ve been enjoying the sand, sun and sea for the past few days in Maldives. The husband got this as an anniversary gift last year. I call this the Honeymoon Version 3.0, 3 representing our three years together as husband and wife And boy has it been a journey of sorts.

Honestly I dont even know where to start. The whole experience and trip was beyond amazing.  Maldives ranks the best beach holiday I’ve ever been to. One thing for sure without a doubt, we missed Sairah like CRAZY and have vowed to bring her here in a few years time. *promise*

On board MAS. It’s been a longgggg time since I set foot in KLIA or MAS for that matter, haha. The husband had to refrain me from taking out the wallet everytime we got served food or drinks, lol.

Still had pork and alcohol in the hotel

The airport with a view

Note the expression…..

Coz he had to fork out USD16 just for this meal. Maldives is indeed expensive!!

Our sauces made it to Maldives yo! You’ll find many Malaysian products here. And it’s absolutely BORING to shop here coz all you see is Malaysian products. Sheesh.

All on board! Boat transfer was over-the-top expensive @ USD150 a pop!! We could have literally bought tickets to Bangkok or Bali.

Nevertheless we were lucky that there were only another couple on board with us so it made it somewhat private and worth it

Have you seen water this blueeee???! At this point, we were getting anxious to arrive the hotel just to see how the island looks like.

Took us 40 minutes before we arrived Holiday Inn Kandooma.

We’re in Maldives bitches!

The breathtaking view.

Can you believe GOD created this?

Why can’t we get water this blue in PD? WHY?!

The reception area where we were given some refreshments.

As we arrived at 10 a.m in the morning, the hotel was kind enough to let us check in early, talk about fantastic service. And if that wasn’t enough……

We got upgraded to a private villa!!!! Talk about being lucky

The villa was perfect in every way…

From the lounging area outside where the hubby drank his beers and smoked his cigar

To the outdoor shower (though I could do away with the green walls)

The bed was the most comfiest bed I’ve ever slept on

*refusing to budge from the bed*

To the little details like an Ipod dock so we could play some music

Oh how I loved the outdoor rain shower

Peekaboo, we can see you…

Even the citrus juicer got us excited. Fresh and free orange juice everyday, mmm, mmm, I could live like this everyday!

And to think that this was suppose to be our ‘home’ for that 5 days. LOVE the idea of upgrades.

I would say that the major highlight of the villa was the balcony! For starters, it overlooked the Indian Ocean. I loved every minute I had on that balcony. I loved waking up in the morning to the sound and sight of the ocean. All I had to do was draw open the curtains, lie on my bed and in return I was rewarded with the most gorgeous view one could ever ask for.

After a swim in the ocean,  I would come back and plonk myself on the balcony while enjoying a whole pot of tea to myself as I ponder about life. The husband of course would spend his time downstairs having his cans of beer, no complains there coz I enjoyed my me-time!

We also dined in on one of those days. Talk about being anti-social.

But the moon was simply amazing that night. Couldn’t get more romantic than that.

Even the workaholic husband enjoyed the balcony as he worked away.  Life of a business analyst, tsk….

But they do work hard and play harder, haha

Did lots and lots of swimming too

Oooh who’s that girl, nanananana

Just me

Water so crystal clear you can see your chipped pedicure

3 years and counting…..

Complimentary snorkelling

Now this part was the hardest. Saying bye to this wonderful piece of heaven. It was a 5 day trip of pure relaxation with nothing much to do or crack our heads about. It takes about 20 minutes to cover the entire island by foot. We did alot of sleeping, swimming, talking, sleeping and honestly, it’s something I wouldn’t mind doing once a year, for at least a week for a little rejuvenation.

Now it’s back home with a REALLY bad tan….

A sight we already miss so much

As we were heading back to the airport island, we came across DOLPHINS! They actually have a USD40 dolphin tour, but we had ours for free, hehe. The Captain was too kind to stop the boat and let us take photos of  this beautiful and rare sight.

They say dolphins bring you luck, so here’s hoping I’ll hit the jackpot (yes yes same ol same ol) soon so we can come back to Maldives with Sairah!

Since my bag post, I’ve got a few emails from you girls asking me how to start the ball rolling by shopping on Ebay. As a self-proclaimed Ebay whore addict, I will teach you how to buy great bargains from this wonderful creation called Ebay .

I hope this guide will help you buy what you want at a non-retail price (GOD how I hate paying retail here in Malaysia!!!) and most importantly, I hope this will not make you dead broke. No wait, more importantly, do not blame me if your bank account depletes, exercise self-control ladies!! It’s a bitch, but a must

Step 1: Open an Ebay account. Naturally. Fill up necessary details correctly esp when it comes to shipping address. No shortcuts please.

Step 2: Open a Paypal account. Link your credit card or debit card and then go back to Ebay and link it to your Ebay account. I believe there are step by step guides and it’s easy peasy so no need to go into details unless you can’t read. If you’re using your credit card, you will be billed to your statement a few days later.

Now we shop!

Step 3: There are three types of way you can get the item of your choice. You may click on the “Buy It Now” option. Meaning, the price is fixed, no bidding is required, just click buy and it’s yours!! Then you have the “Buy it Now or Best Offer” meaning you could offer the seller at a slightly lower price and if he’s okay with it, it’s yours!! I’ve bought a few items this way too and it was still cheaper than paying retail here. Third option is of course, via auction, the coveted bid that makes your heart beat FAST!! Obviously some sellers start a bid at 0.99 cents for a Coach bag but please don’t kid yourself if you think you’re going to win it at that price okay?

Step 4: Decide what you want to buy. Want a bag? Clothes? Shoes? Lingerie? Car accessories? You name it, they probably have it! Type whatever you want, then click on the sort button and look for price + shopping: lowest price, change the country to Malaysia in order to find sellers who do ship to Malaysia. No point in making bids on items that sellers won’t ship to Malaysia, understand?

Generally, I would advise to only choose USPS Priority Mail OR Express Mail and it ranges anywhere between USD15-40. Always drop the seller a friendly message to see if he/she will lower your shipping price or will combine shipping to reduce your overall cost. Sometimes it’s cheaper when you buy 2 -3 items as compared to one! Ask first before bidding so you roughly know how much to bid by factoring in shipping cost. Some sellers do offer a ridiculous amount for shipping, be careful of that!!

Avoid First Class International Mail by all means because your items might not arrive you. It is a hit and miss thing. Cheapest option yes for shipping but I’ve had a few parcels arrive and I’ve had my BCBG dresses, mascaras and Baby Phat bag go missing with this shipping option. Basket!

Step 5:  Saw something you like? Getting all excited now? Heart beating really fast? Just-must-get-it-or-I’ll-DIEEEEE???! Stop that fingers from making a bid yet. Now, fakies are a abundant on Ebay US, sadly. Esp where brands like Juicy Couture and Coach are concerned. Always look for Powersellers OR those with a 95-100% feedback. It wouldn’t hurt to use some common sense. If there is a Juicy Couture bag going for USD30, it’s most likely fake. Read what others have to say about the seller and products.

Step 6: Now once you’ve made the bid, you have to monitor closely. Notifications will be sent to your email if your item gets out-bid by some other skank eyeing the same item. Have no mercy. You have two strategies here: you could immediately out-bid her, but in general I think outbidding immediately sparks a price-war frenzy. Not good when the price keeps going higher and higher. OR you could wait silently until the bid is almost over, wait in front of the PC and bid when it’s almost ending!! BOO YA SKANK – the silent attack is just so satisfying :D 

I would say sometimes when shopping on Ebay, LUCK is a huge factor. Sometimes when sellers make the end-time on the bid in an akward ungodly hour, there won’t be many people bidding on it or fighting with you to get it. I once made a bid on a Coach wallet and for TWO days no one outbid me, I completely forgot about it and next thing to you, tada….WINNER! Paid less than RM300 (including shipping), heeeh, don’t hate :D 

 Step 7: Once you win, an invoice will be sent.  CONGRATULATIONS! Just click on it and it will direct you to your paypal account.  The converted rate will be reflected in RM. This amount will be charged to your credit card. Double check the price and shipping rate and then proceed to make payments and notify seller. If you have made a bid on various items from the same seller, WAIT until you win them all before paying. Some invoices are automatically sent by Ebay so don’t pay until you want to completely check out.

Step 8: Now that the payment is done, you wait anywhere between 2-3 weeks for it to arrive. If your shipping option has a tracking code, track it and enjoy your item when it arrives. And enjoy the fact that you didn’t have to pay retail price and bought it at a MUCH cheaper price :)  Once that feeling comes out, congrats, you’re officially an Ebay Addict! 

Step 9: No, you’re not done. Once you get your item, leave your seller a feedback. Happy with the item? Leave a positive one and give good comments and vice versa. The seller will reciprocate and do the same for you. Note that some sellers will not sell items to buyers who have negative feedbacks okay?

EASY PEASY!!

Some points to note, do not ever deal outside of Ebay.  They are most likely scammers who saw you make a bid and got your details from there. There are also some sellers who will convinietly cancel the bids/item when the price is low. Just move on!

I believe this is the best time to shop as the USD isn’t as high as it used to be.

I think that’s about all I can think of right now.  Ebay can be frustrating at first but the more you use it, the more you’ll LOVE it. It is perfect for those who have the patience and who is determined to buy things cheaper. If you do not have all that then DO NOT SHOP on Ebay.

Damn this post is LONG. Okay I’m going to shut up now and let you shop so HAPPY SHOPPING girls!! May the Ebay Luck be with you. Peace!

I have a new obsession, oh yes I do! New found obsessions can keep you busy

I have been mulling over baby headbands for Sairah. It all started out with a few cheap pieces I bought for her in Manila. Didn’t even occur to me that I had those until the hubby’s aunt asked if I did.

The crowning of Princess Sairah’s FIRST headband @ 1.5 months. GOD see how tiny she is! 

As you can see, she looks very disturbed, was probably wondering what the hell was on her head. Aah cherished moments. This is how it all started. Every obsession needs a beginning, no?

Granted she looks like a pretty BOY on most days, these accessories make her look more feminine and just sweet. But you know what’s funny? Strangers asking if she’ss a boy despite having a BIG PINK bow plastered on her head.

Dodos.  

So far I’ve bought a few pieces from Lovely Lace (OMG they have AMAZING headbands for baby, but it’s rather expensive @ RM20 a pop!) and from local blogshops. I have a few crochet ones due to arrive – that seems to be the latest craze.

Then I figured, shit, why don’t I try my hands are doing it myself? Not known for being artsy at all (absolutely cannot draw to save my life) and also not known for being one to sit down and SEW (my mom and sis laughed so hard at the idea of me sewing!), this my friends is the REAL story of a mother’s determination to do something for her baby girl. And as they say, anything is possible when you put your heart to it, more so when you’re doing this for your baby girl!

I actually sourced all the items online and got it promptly delivered :D 

Can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve poked and prodded my fingers with the needle and how many times I’ve made booboos for this learning curve.

My first piece.

Okay so this one was assisted by mom, esp when it came to the sewing part. The end product was rather neat but I wasn’t too pleased with the design. Too simple but still A+ for first time effort. Don’t judge me.

MEH mom, try again harder next time why don’t you!

Here’s the second piece, one on my OWN effort.

Yea from measuring the lace to fit Sairah’s head, to stitching the lace together, to stitching the grosgrain ribbon on the lace (not easy people), to fitting in on Sairah’s head only to realize that it’s a bit shorter now coz the ribbon stops the lace from expanding, to cutting a smaller piece of lace to adjust the length to fit her head, to sewing two love embellishments – it was all my hard work!!! And a good learning process.

I call this *drumroll* – Retro Love. Though it really should be Mama’s Love.

End product isn’t as neat as I would have loved to. You can literally see the threads running through, lol but hey A++++ for effort for someone who isn’t artsy! Yes I need to constantly highlight the fact that I’m NOT a natural born crafter.

Baby Sairah modeling her mummy’s creation. She looks happy wearing the headband despite the shoddy workmanship and that’s all that matters to mommy

YAY I actually like this one mommieeee….

Then came the third……I call this Wower Power. Translated to adult talk: Flower Power

Oops on the wrong model, though some say it looks better on Daddy than on Sairah

Aah, there we go…..

Of all her headband she has right now in her box, these two are my favorite for some reason. Can’t explain the immense satisfaction that comes from making it with my bare non-crafty hands. I reckon I *should* get better in time churning up funky headbands for my baby girl. Can’t wait to buy more supplies for her headbands.

And who knows, maybe one day, I might be able to stitch some amazing dresses for her too. Kimora Lee Simmons in the making? Well you just never know……anything is possible when you put your mind, heart and soul to it

It really has been a while………..

A while since I silently lusted over it, a while since I stalked it several times a day, a while since I dreamt of having it so freaking bad………….

That’s right – it’s been a while since I logged on to my Ebay account to make that bid!

 In a world where the greens are no object, I would have snapped myself a Mulberry Oversized Alexa coz it’s just practically gorgeous!

I saw it sitting prettily in Gardens as I walked passed the store on purpose while pointing to it to the husband. As we both saw the price tag, we did a lil flip, more so the husband.

But in all honesty, the price tag of RM7k++ was enough to make me not want to love it no more. In short the bag was a case of a super hot chick dressed scantily (yea the ones you see walking on the streets of KL on a Saturday night) that speaks horrible English – nice to see but definitely DO NOT WANT. Drunk or sober.

Then I remembered about the latest craze of the poor (wo)man’s version – the highly anticipated collaboration between Mulberry and Target which was set to offer a piece of affordable bag that mimics the sophistication of  Mulberry bags so that average joes like you and I can afford. 

These babies were sold out within minutes btw. Hence I had to source for it online. EBAY!

I paid a shitload for express shipping but it was worth every penny coz it arrived within a week - a day before Chinese New Year (so this is going to be one ONG bag) plus I could track it online like a crazy stalker bitch. Oh the thrills of Ebay.

Although many lusted over the denim and black patent satchel, I had my eyes on the Pebble Large Tote simply because I LOVE large bags. They’re great for hiding your tummy in public.

So here’s my new baby – a vintage collection in the making by the time it reaches Baby Sairah

Absolutely roomy and which girl does not like a roomy bag you tell me!

And you won’t believe how much I paid for it!

While most local blogshops are selling this for RM450, heck one blogshop was selling this at RM950 (bloody cut-throat), I managed to get this at retail price (I was the only person who made a bid on this bag, hurrah!) hence total damage was a little less than RM300. Express shipping included. Can you believe it??!

Please don’t hate me, be like me and just Ebay it  :)

P.s: All photos credit to google and my Ebay seller. Thanks Colette!

P.s.s: I’m selling off my Marc Jacobs bag. If you’re keen, just holla and offer me but please be reasonable okies. Now bye. [Ok it's currently reserved until further notice]