My finally-found bookI finished a few books recent (nothing fancy to recommend) and for my very 3rd search in the library, I finally found the book which I mentioned earlier in my
blog.
Something borrowed by Emily Giffin. I am still three-quarter through the book and can’t wait to complete it!
Open ArmsAnyway, I am recently listening (and really into) to this old song, Open Arms. I know plenty of singers have sung that. I owned the version of Mariah Carey. Heard that Colin Raye sang them before...Anyway, my question is who is the original singer? I remembered that I heard another version which was really nice (male singer) and I have been asking around and looks like no one is really sure. Has it been that long? Please drop me a msg if you know!
Getting into AsiadollyJust a little new venturing for us lately, we would be available at
Asiadolly.com. View us
here! Jenny, the lady boss of Asiadolly initiated the move awhile back and it was roll-out lately.
I have a good look at their sites and realized that they have quite a few pretty and chic dangling earrings. I am a pretty subtle dresser myself but I think tons of girls would love them. I noticed that there are a wide range of colours for selection and it’s surprisingly affordable!
Look what I found! This is really cute! It’s an ice-cream cone & a little present wrapped in red ribbons! I bet some of my students would be very interested in these.
Found a little skirt that’s a steal! It’s only 15 bucks!
You can visit them at
Asiadolly.com. It’s quite a different concept. I would see them as pretty much a small online departmental store. You can even find face masks on their store!
Labels: lavendaz news
My sole-mate :)Since we ventured into the SOLE industry, I have always been reading up on anything related to shoe; be it sole care, shoes fashion, foot reflexology and even exercise for the feet.
Being a lady shoe seller, I understand that the latest footwear usually doesn’t blend in with the word ‘comfort’. Unless it is like the cool brand of Birkenstock, most of us usually find ourselves jamming our toes into tight and narrow vamp or high HIGH heels. A girlfriend ever mentioned, discomfort doesn’t matter; blisters, she doesn’t care, the objective is to stand tall and look sexy.
It’s not surprising that our mistreat of feet causes many of us to suffer from foot problems, such as arch pain, corns, calluses, bunions and blisters; straining our muscles and ligaments.
Then again, we do not need to wear ugly, buffalo-looking shoes to be kinder to our feet. We just need to learn how to choose when to wear certain footwear and be more feet-friendly to ourselves. After all, stylish young women have always been willing to put up with a little discomfort for fashion's sake. Here are the few common sole problems that we, ladies faced and some tips on how to pick some feet-friendly wear for yourself.
Sole problem 1: Arch Pain
This is due to excessive pulling and stretching of the fibrous bands that support the arch of the foot. For most obvious reason, high heel does not comfort the situation with the extra height from the heels stresses the toe joints and over-stretching the plantar fascia.
To reduce and treat arch pain, beside regular simple stretching exercise, shoe inserts are often helpful as well. There are plenty of off-the-shelf arch supports. Consider some gel inserts which provide padding directly over the area of most pain. It does help by slightly elevating your foot and reduce the pressure.
Mary Janes and Pumps are good! Look for shoes that have extra padding at the arch for better support, ideally, it is better if you can get shoes which are deep enough to hide insole insert which you can buy. That would naturally fits you better!
Beside arch support, go for shoes which provide are appropriately secured. Go for features such as buckle, strap, elastic, buttons or velcro.
I come across customers that choose to bring their shoes to cobbler to add extra padding or half soles. This is perhaps another option which you can consider!
Shoes like
Vera could be your consideration. With a deep insole, it is suitable to hide any in-sole inserts. The adjustable ankle-strap provides additional support.
Sole problem 2: Corns & CallusesCorns and callus are the most common conditions on the skin of the foot. They can occur anywhere in the feet but usually located over bony prominences which have constant friction with our footwear. Callus developed when accumulation of dead skin cells that harden and thicken over an area of the foot. Avoid Wearing shoes that are too tight or hard (especially insole).
Shoes with cushioned interior are recommended. Otherwise, consider additional padding or inserts.
Shoes with back support and buckles will keep feet in place thus reducing movement. Minimise such frictions will prevent new calluses or existing ones from growing.
Look for footwear such as
Pamela or
Patty. These are shoes that come with padded footbed. These shoes grip firmly at the heel, keeping the foot well in place inside the shoe.
Sole problem 3: Heel painHeel pain is one of the most common complaints for modern ladies. Just imagine, for every mile we walk puts 60 tons of stress on each foot. Our feet can handle a heavy load, but too much stress pushes them over their limits. Tight footwear can cause heel pain as well. High heels tend to over-stretch the tendon that runs along the arch of our foot (plantar fascia), causing it to pull on the heels.
Low-heeled shoes are obviously more comfortable, safer, and less damaging than high-heeled shoes. Wear your flats regularly to give your plantar fascia a break! Just like eating chocolates, wearing high heels are okay but we should do it moderately…in frequency and in height!
For everyday wear, I would recommend not to put on shoes with heels that go higher than 2”. Shoes like
Chloe and
Valerie are suitable for daily wear.
Save your stilettos and very high heels for evening functions and when you know you won’t be standing or wearing them for long.
Sole problem 4: BunionsIf the joint that connects your big toe to your foot has a swollen, sore bump, you may have a bunion. Bunions can occur for a number of reasons, but the most common cause is wearing shoes that fit too tightly.
To minimize your chances of developing a bunion, never force your foot into a shoe that doesn't fit. Choose shoes that conform to the shape of your feet. Go for shoes with wide insteps, broad toes and soft soles. Avoid shoes that are narrow, tight or sharply pointed.
Shoes with plenty of ‘air’ would be perfect! Consider thong sandals like
Gina or go for shoes with upper part made of a soft and comfortable material (eg. Suede) just like our classic
Emma.
Years of wear and tear can be hard on our feet. I am sure all of us have various experiences with our past foot-wearing experience.
Ironically, I realized that at times, we need to go through such bad decision to learn to make the right one. Well, at least for me. From an impulsive purchase, I brought home a 4” heel…which is so unlike me. I am one of those that goes for 2” shoes (for work) usually and flats for the weekend.
(The only pair of 3” heels I owned (then) was my wedding shoes!)Anyway, the 4” pair was history in a matter of 3hours. I couldn’t function properly without a comforting ground. It’s a lesson learnt. I couldn’t handle height. ha
Have you bought a pair of shoe that causes soreness, blister and gave much discomfort? Share with me your experience.
Creating your own Bridesmaid shoesSince we were on the topic of weddings (in the last blog), are you aware that Lavendaz provides bridesmaid shoes service?
Why for the bridesmaid? They are most probably your closest girlfriends, cousins or sisters. They are probably there for you since the beginning (not just the wedding, but the relationship). They deserve a bridesmaid gifts and this would be an alternative to thank your bridesmaid in the most exclusive ways.
From our current in-house designs, you would be able to customize the colours, heel-height or materials to suit your themed weddings. It’s really a personal gift to express your thanks for their enduring friendship.
We designed the shoes to be wearable not just during but after wedding, and it is the perfect personal alternative to the shoes found in shops.
There is a minimum order of five pairs and prices ranges from S$49.90. Oh, you may also make use of this service to order identical shoes for some corporate events.
Price would be reduced with increasing orders. For enquiry on details, email to
indulge@lavendaz.com.
Labels: lavendaz news
‘Something old, Something new, Something borrowed, Something blue’The other day, a few of us were at Wally & Ami’s office…Jessica was flipping the bridal magazine (since they are in the
bridal-videography business)…and raise a good question of what has wedding got to do with ‘Something blue…’ which she quoted from the magazine.
Ami and I was mentioned that it has something to do with the British tradition…and I recalled watching this scene on Friends, where Monica was trying to steal a blue sweater from a gift shop as her Something borrowed, Something blue. ha!
The complete phrase for this actually this:
Something old, something new Something borrowed, something blue And a silver sixpence in her shoe.A sixpence is a just coin (made of silver) that was minted in Britain from 1551 to 1967. It worth six pennies. The four items in the full poem represents a lucky-token for the bride. She has to bring all of them on her wedding to symbolizes a happy marriage.
Something old. It is usually an ‘old’ item that is something you are leaving behind or something that is being passed down to you. It signifies continuity with the bride's family and the past.
Something new. It’s usually something you are adopting through your marriage or something that is unique to your new union. The ‘new’ item would symbolizes optimism, confidence and hope for the bride's new life ahead.
Something borrowed. The ‘borrowed’ item should be symbolic of something you respect or admire about someone or something. It is usually an item from a happily married close friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. The borrowed item also reminds the bride that she can depend on her friends and family.
Something blue. Blue has been connected to weddings for centuries. I read that in ancient Rome, brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty, and fidelity. Virgin Mary is dressed in blue so purity is probably associated with the color.
It’s pretty direct that the silver coin in the bride's shoe represents wealth and financial security. Interestingly, it was believed that the sixpence should be in the left shoe. Humm…
Talk about this wedding tradition, it connects to this book which I read recently ‘Something Blue’.
I can’t tell you how much I love this book.
It was said that if you are a Sex and the City fan, you will love this sassy novel. It’s about Darcy, the main character who appears to be one of the shallowest person you ever know. This Manhattan Queen used to live a ideal life but a series of unfortunate events and encounters she eventually finds herself pregnant and alone. A broken engagement to her fiance and the betrayal of her ex-best friend Rachel, who stole Dex's affections left her 'being down and out'. However, she doesn’t do much to endear herself to the reader. Darcy’s pregnancy was due to her pre-nuptial fling.
The story kicks in when Darcy moved to London to visit an old high school friend. Preparing for motherhood and settling in the new city, she began to reflect on herself and develops into an all-round more loveable person. Her story is one of sadness that ultimately becomes hope.
A love story with a difference. All in all, I found this a delightful read that I couldn’t bear to put down. They were good enough to keep me reading until I finished the final pages in the wee hours! This explains why Josh calls me a bookworm lately.
Considering this is only Emily Giffin’s second book, her writing style is attractive and witty, and she managed to build interesting and complex characters. It’s a serious credit to Emily Giffin's writing. It is not often that I read a novel whose central character is thoroughly unappealing (at least 80% of the book).
Interestingly, I found out that her first book “Something borrowed” was written in perspective of Rachel who is Darcy’s best friend – the girl that betrayed her and stole her fiancé.
It’s really remarkable. As “something borrowed” has helped Rachel gained much sympathy from the readers and branded Darcy as a superficial and self-indulgent girl, Emily has chosen to write “Something blue” in defend for Darcy. I love how Emily expresses that there are always two sides to every story and no relation is a total black and white.
I am craving for her very first book “Something borrowed”, meanwhile, readers…get started on “Something blue”. They are available in the libraries!
Labels: book review
Springing all the way!It’s been really good news lately at Lavendaz. Aside for the sales, we have little surprises of invitation to offices for roadshows. The blessed point is, it fits into both Eve and mine schedule. How often does such good thing happen?
With all the recent happenings, we decided to extend a special promotion or privilege, whatever you call it.
With
ANY purchase of our designs, you would be able to purchase
Spring or
Felicia at $29.90! If you have not been following my
Lavendaz site, these pairs are usually selling at 45bucks. This has never happen before! Eve and I took quite awhile to finalized on this. It’s seriously not a profitable move, but we sincerely do want to extend something special for our regulars.
Spring from Lavendaz.com
Felicia from Lavendaz.com
For the high-heel lovers, they are 3.5” with covered heels. Eve prefers Spring, for obvious reasons, she loves anything with
green. Felicia caught my first attention, however I think I was eventually influenced by Eve.
Spring, Spring, Springing away…
I received a late birthday gift last week. A very treasure-able one.
“Devotions for teachers”
Often when I was asked what I am doing, I always replied that I am an educator. Teacher sounds like a too big word to use, and in any case, in tertiary, we are not officially known as ‘Teacher’ as well.
Put that aside, I can’t deny that I do not want literally term as a teacher.
Educator is a term which fits me better, rather I feel that I find it easier to comprehend and accept. It just presents one who educates and trained to pass on knowledge. It’s a lighter load to carry. Period.
Teacher appears to have a much bigger role and responsibilities. It was widely known to be an honorable or even life-changing profession. This book is intentionally written for teachers, by a teacher (the author), with much sharing of her experiences and addressing the trials that face in the today’s educators.
The book indicates that Teaching is a noble calling. It is indeed. Perhaps it’s too noble of a calling that I am not even sure I am called.
There is this short phrase in the book that states:
When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.Unmistakably, ‘HE’ is referring to teachers and the sheep are ‘His’ students. It is scary to think that we (as educators) are leading the students. Can we lead them well? Lead them where?
Can I do it?
The truth is be it an educator or teacher. The role will only be fulfilled when we are making a difference. There is no line of judgment to our performances. I believe that educating a class does not limit to academic knowledge. It’s beyond the textbooks and worksheets; beyond labs and projects. Moral values? Shaping their character? Aren’t the non-curricular teaching more important?
Have we shown sufficient attention to them? Shown them love? Gave them encouragement? Are we even able to serve them with enthusiasm and excellence? And build a bond with them?
I often asked myself.
The book challenges us to think what is the motivation to become an educator. Putting aside my job in Polytechnic, I have been a Sunday School teacher for the past two years.
It was a calling. Unquestionably. For such reason, I started serving in Children Ministry every Sunday. Clearly, it was more than dispense information. Although (a better word is 'BECAUSE') the children are young, we hold a (greater) responsibility to impart godly values in their life. The results are not always immediately noticeable, but I believe we have planted the seeds.
I do seek that I would experience and own the similar sense of ownership to my day job as a Polytechnic educator. It was not of sufficient or noble reason that I joined the School. Educating the youth was not the foremost reason (shouldn’t I be ashamed?) It was just a supporting factor.
Reading this book brings me to another level of understanding of educating. It did point me back, rather remind me to focus on the joy of my profession – where while there could be disappointing and trials moments, there are desirable and heartwarming ones.
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?I love how they interpret or rather relate educating and ‘Salt’ together. Salt is such a simple substances, but brings a distinct flavor in our food. It also a preservative substances; which most people are probably aware of. Aside from these, salt also have healing properties! I am taught to gargled warm saltwater for sore throat.
As educators, we hold the responsibilities to be salt for the students. We need to be
distinctive – be a role model,
preserving - preserving peace and help to bring students together to a common ground and even
healing agents – listen, encourage, and up-lifting their spirits.
Indeed a noble calling. If you are an educator, be in a teacher in school, training centre or a volunteer in church or community…do be challenged in this brand new year to rekindle your passion to teach.
Reflection on 2006How is this year for you? It’s the time of the year that everyone starts reflection on 2006. What have you accomplished? What was new? What happened? What has changed?
It had been an exciting one for me. Exciting is not the most appropriate word. Venturing. Perhaps. It’s a year for new experiences, take on and possibly risk.
For the start, I quit and left a prospective position in a US MNC in January 06. It was a decision that surprises many. Initially, I had intention to join another firm initially, having uncertainties, I rejected the offer and opt for a break. :)
Seizing the opportunity, Josh and I finally found time to go HOLIDAY…to Hokkaido, Japan in February! Woo hoo!
Freezing at -0.6 degree
(evidently shown) in Otaru City, Hokkaido
The winter in Japan, migrant swan visiting is one of the charming sights. They flew all the way from Siberia; it was said that the beautiful swans will stay on and then fly back to Siberia in mid-March!
Up-close and personal with the Siberia swans.
The huge and famous Hokkaido crab. ha!
I have been to Japan a couple of times and with no doubt, this is the best trip ever.
I am a do-er by nature and my hyper-active personalities need to be kept busy. I was pondering between moving on to another IT firm, or start up something. With much considerations (and support), I decide to do what I always wanted (but lack of courage to do) – start my own business. This plan was shelved for years (since I graduated) as I was (then) busy climbing the corporate ladder.
After months of preparation which includes sourcing of suppliers from local, all the way to overseas….
I had an exhausting, yet fulfilling trip in Taiwan during May. We managed to track down some pretty ideal suppliers for
Lavendaz. (Check on my imported collections)
Got to know a really nice friend, Candy in Taiwan and she was really helpful during the sourcing trip.
The breezy view...
Did I mentioned that I am a mushroom lover? These are really yummy huge grilled mushroom!
Spending agonizing hours on our official website
http://www.lavendaz.com/;
Lavendaz was (finally) officially launched in July 06.
Beside Lavendaz, I did something which I always wanted. I accepted an offer at a local Polytechnic and became an educator. I always wanted to take a few years to teach in the School of IT. I wanted to revisit all that I have learned in during university and share my experiences with the younger generations. Aside from the normal working hours, a big (and self-centered) reason was I want to pick up new IT skills along the way –
what’s better than being paid and going to school at the same time? Mid of the Year, I stepped into my 2nd year of marriage. Praise the Lord. We passed through our first year. The first year of marriage was often told that is can be so painful that divorce seems like the only escape. That's why studies have shown that more people divorce in the first year of marriage than any other year. But the first year can also be a couples' best year of marriage. From my perspective, that is also a tragedy because it means the remaining years are not as good. ha!
I read book about how a couple weathers their first two years together can make or break their marriage. That probably explains why I continue to read even more books to prepare myself into this brand new chapter of my life.
This is one of the best I have read – “The Four Seasons of Marriage”.
I am a fan of Chapman. I love how he could illustrates the various emotions that people go through in a marriage and emphasized how we should see them as part of the seasons. It’s pretty insightful. I would assume it can be found in Borders. Mine was brought back from Melbourne when a good friend of mine came back for holiday in 2005.
Anyway….Matrimonial success is a life-long journey…. :)
Aside from these, things have been going really well in church. We started a new cell group towards the end of 2005 and last year been a great year of bonding. It’s amazing to see how God has brought all of us together and I am finding more blessed friendships! Aside from the usual Friday meetings at my place, we spend a lot of activities time together. This year would be really exciting as one of my cell mates is expecting a twin! Way to go, Anna!
Part of the cell group...I took up a planning role in Children Ministry around middle of 2006. It’s exciting just hearing the up and coming plans in the ministry and how it would have impact the young ones.
It has been a rewarding and BUSY year!!!
Before the year end, I bought this book. It’s a silly book but good for leisure reading. Years ago, I stopped reading novels and kept to Christian authors. The other day I was waiting for Eve at MPH and I just got stuck into this.
It’s pretty comical. Not as in ha ha humor, but just find Lynn’s way of expressing really light and amusing. You can get this from MPH (at City link) definitely!
That’s my 2006. What have you accomplish in yours?
New surprisesWe just launched a range of patent shoes, along with some wedges and thongs. Pop into
Lavendaz.com
In the four season countries, Patent shoes are considered more of a spring or summer footwear choice - luckily, in our all-round-year-summer times, those of us who like a little extra polish, are free to pull on patent mules or pumps whenever the mood strikes us to glam out!
Along with the patent mood, we paired up pretty spring colours in this new range...blue, green, pink and...how can we miss RED for the upcoming Chinese NY!
And this is
Chloe in stunning red. It comes in patent
black too!
Have you considered a wedge lately?
Wedges…add height but are found to be easier to walk in (obviously as compared to heels/ stilettos). I guessed this is why it is a very popular choice among us ladies.
Ling from Lavendaz. I love suede shoes! They're always soft, comfortable and looking worldly and sophisticated. It's in the all time favourite versatile black. ha!
Amanda from Lavendaz. Looking shiny and stunning. *wink*
Patent shoes tend to carry a very cosmopolitan look in them and not to mention add definition and shape to heavy ankles, which make them appears thinner! I personally find wedge heels are by nature a fashionable choice and it looks great with skirts/dresses and adds an interesting factor to our dress down days!
Drop me a line...how many wedges do you own? :)
Labels: lavendaz news
