~ DIY Lint Roller

Fed up with removing those stubborn lint on your black clothes with scotch tape? I am! =/ Why not ditch these:

and embrace this:

through making your own lint roller from leftover bottles easily?

What you will need: an empty bottle , a smaller bottle with a diameter that fits into the bigger bottle, scotch tape, and a pile of clothes "angry" with lint (I have plenty).

What you will do: Take scotch tape and wrap the unsticky side over the big bottle, so that the sticky side is facing outwards.

Insert the smaller bottle into the big bottle and roll away! Lubricate the contact points with hand cream or whatever you find suitable if the roller does not roll, and continue to apply new scotch tape over the old one.

Once done, use a scissors to snip off the layers of scotch tape. What convenience! =) Watch my DIY Linter Roller in action:

Bye bye Lint!

Note: I know probably this wouldn't be a suitable post for my blog, but still being a proud creature, especially of my own DIY stuff, I will post it nevertheless =p

~ New Product Review Blog

Just a quick advertisement for my new blog on the products that I have bought =) Aw, how I wish I can have my blog posts pay me $$ instead of paying $$ to put up posts.

~ All at Once!

Oh no, I plead guilty to neglecting my blog. Please do not flog me =/ Anyway I haven't been feeding the lizards or cockroaches in Mum's kitchen for quite some time after my last pictorial post, so not much harm's been done. But to redeem myself, I'll just post all the images of the limited number of food items that I'd made in the remaining of 2010 (newest first), and shall endeavour to publish posts as often as I can in 2011!

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

This was specially-baked for the ones I love for Xmas!

Also made to be distributed to my dear Pharmacy friends and staff of the NUS Pharmaceutics Department.

Ingredients:  30ml oil
75g sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 orange essence
1 egg
110g flour
1/2tsp baking powder
30g cranberries, soaked
50g pistachios, chopped
1 tbsp orange peel

Steps: Mix dry and wet ingredients and make a 8X6" log.
Bake 150 deg for 25min. Cool 10min. Bake 135 deg 10-15min per side.

Green Tea Soba with Broccoli and Poached Egg

I'm as green as this dish in terms of pairing ingredients with soba!

Avocado Milkshake

Really basic avocado, simply blend milk and avocado. No sugar please!

Banana Muffins

I'm terribly ashamed to put this image up. For the banana muffins looked extremely distorted, overflowing with gooey messy batter.. What a reflection of rusty baking skills and estimation. Oh well, this is the first few times I had used the new small oven since the previous Kenwood one broke down, and I hadn't been baking for a long long time...

Green Tea Soba with Soft-Boiled Egg, Parsley and Tomato Dipping Sauce

Soba - so good! =)

Cocoa Avocado Milkshake

Added some cocoa powder onto the basic avocado milkshake.

Chocolate Honey Avocado Milkshake

Another of one of my love.

Bird's Nest Drink

I have to admit, this is one of the yummiest beverage ever! I wasn't the one who made it though, Mum did!

Milk Bubble Tea

I'd been wanting to make my own bubble tea, and so I did! But after this, I think I'll just join the queues at Koi or Gongcha or bubble tea stalls.

Tom Yum Instant Noodles

Instant.

Cauliflower Instant Noodles

Another variation of instant noodles.

Seafood and Mushroom Instant Noodles

Yeah, I love instant noodles.

Peanut Porridge, Fish Cake and Stirfried Cabbage with Egg, Ham and Carrot

A simple lunch for me and my bro. Don't get me wrong, this is my share of the lunch.

~ Shopping Trip @ Bugis

I'm a happy girl once again! Retail therapy (for cheap stuff) always serves its purpose to lift my spirits up! Here’s what my shopping cart was filled with today:

Bottom: From left to right: Plastic dough scraper and cutter ($1.30), oregano flakes (#2.10 for 10 g) , chilli flakes ($0.95 for 30 g), vanilla extract ($2.50) from Phoon Huat. Exercise band ($2), thread with chained beads ($2 for 3 m), bamboo charcoal rose-fragrance gel ($2), antibacterial wet wipes ($2 for 70 pieces) from Diaso.

Top: Pizza cutter ($2) from Diaso. Dried mangoes ($2 for 200 g) and mixed nuts ($4 for 200 g) from a medical hall at the Bencoolen.

Just a side track here, I didn't know that bittergourds disperse their seeds by scattering:

Seems like the wait for the first harvest to ripen for eating was futile.

~ Resolutions 2010

Happy 2010!

A brand new year would mean a fresh start, and often, resolutions are made to pave the way towards a meaningful year! Unfortunately, (I think) resolutions are frequently forgotten after the festive mood is gone. Thus, I have decided to jot down mine for 2010, so that I can be reminded regularly when I stray off course from my initial plans! Furthermore, like all successful performance systems, any resolutions made have to be S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) so that I’ll stick to them well!

My resolutions for 2010 (in alphabetical order):

Academic

- Attain at least four As for Year 3 Sem II: achievable by setting up and sticking to a study timetable, practising consistent work, and

- Grab a scholarship/bursary: Prepare well for interviews!

- Hop on board the Mexican Summer Programme: Prepare well for the interview! (got accepted for UCLA summer program)

Health & Body Care

- Cut down unhealthy snacking to one serving daily.

- Drink at least eight glasses of water daily.

- Exercise at least twice weekly.

- Exfoliate with honey and sugar scrub twice a week.

- Have at least seven hours of sleep everyday i.e. sleep by 1130.

- Have at least two glasses of milk/equivalent daily.

- Have a tbsp of flaxseeds/pollen/equivalent daily.

- Have five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

- Reduce weight by 4 kg to 44 kg.

Organisations / Events

- Charity Fiesta: Commit to it.

- Chinese Orchestra: Attempt at least a grade 3 erhu score. (quit CO already)

- Pharmaceutical Society Academic Subcomm: Commit to it. (organised career talk)

Personal Development

- Be opportunistic: Act within 3 days of sighting the opportunity.

- Be punctual: No later than 5 min.

- Enlist positive thinking and keep emotions in check: Read up on relevant information.

- Give my very best in everything I do: Always prepare well for each day, and reflect after a day's work.

- Learn a new language e.g. foreign language, sign language, dialect.

- Listen more and deliver constructive comments: Read up on relevant information on how to do so.

- Not to procrastinate and do things at the last minute: All work to be done within 3 days e.g. put up blog post or complete FT within 3 days.

- Persevere: Self-imposed will.

Possession

- A class 3A license on the next driving test: Make the most of every driving lesson.

- A smartphone that requires less than $150: Check on hot deals on Singtel once a month.

- More $$: Engage in internships and part-time jobs where possible. Be more frugal in item purchases.

Relationships

- Be more tolerant and appreciative of others: Refer to personal development.

- Show more care and concern for family members e.g. minimise quarrels to no more than once weekly.

- Treat K better: Reduce unnecessary nagging, be more understanding, and help out as much as possible.

Xtras
- Blog: redo labelling by quarter year, achieve 350 posts before 2011.
- SLP blog: get it up and running by the end of the year.

~ Shopping Trip @ Mustafa

Together with K, I went to Mustafa and bought quite a lot of items. Here's a quick breakdown:

1) No Marks Face Cream and Wash Gel ($3.70):

The cream was too greasy for my face so I'd used it as a mask for around 10 min after I had my exfoliation with honey and sugar scrub. Then the cream is washed off. This left my skin pretty soft and supple. Afterall, the cream is "formulated using hand-picked natural ingredients and organic extracts known to enhance your natural beauty".

I like the gel though, for it cleans the face without stripping the face dry. What separates it from other facial gel is the presence of little colourful beads of red, yellow and green which contain vitamins A, C and E for antioxidative effects. So you have to crush them while you create lather, and then cleanse your face with it. A tad bit troublesome, but I'll gladly do it for the fun of it!

2) Rhomlon Mascara ($4.20):

This looked rather promising with its "fibre formula", but I personally didn't feel any difference in the length of my eyelashes except for that of the time needed for application. And it took pretty long to dry. My Maybelline Unstoppable Curly Extension can do the same job with just one stroke.

3) Emami Hairlife Instant Hair Pack ($2.50):

Oo this herbal treatment stinks, and left my hair stinking for two days too! But my hair was less frizzy since the natural oils in the treatment made my hair slightly heavier. The best result was seen on the second day of application.

4) Bamboe Javanese Kare ($1.10):

When I've tried this, I'll do a review. I promise. =)

5) MTR Hot & Sour Clear Soup ($1.70):

When I've tried this, I'll do a review. I promise. =)

6) Olivos Extra Virgin Olive Oil ($3.50):

Finally I've bought EVOO! I've been putting off the purchase despite wanting to buy one eons ago as I couldn't find a small bottle at the local supermarket. Cold-pressed, EVOO is extracted from olive paste without using heat. The difference between all the grades of olive oils lies in the proportion of oleic acid that is present. The lowest acidity (found in EVOO) produces the best flavour. This can't be disputed, my EVOO smells positively o live-ly, and good for me =)

The taste of Olivos EVOO is very robust, and its strong pungency and taste definitely suits me! 

7) Nature's Essence Calcium Pills ($16.90):
These are calcium pills! What can I talk about them?

I find that this brand appear to be more value for money. For a mere $16.90, a bottle comes with 125 softgels, which contain 300 mg calcium and 100 IU Vitamin D3 each. When choosing calcium supplements, do take note of the elemental calcium that is present, not the amount of calcium carbonate or calcium salts i.e. 300 mg of elemental calcium, not 300 mg of calcium carbonate. Do not be fooled by marketing gimmicks.

Try not to purchase pills with extremely high calcium content out of convenience, to avoid any overdose. I'm very skeptical about one-a-day calcium pills. Compacted with 1000 to 1500 mg calcium in each dose, the pills are a sure way to hypercalcemia. I believe that our body is not made to take such high amounts at one go. If there is excess input, the body will either store it (ever heard of calcium deposits in the arteries?), or produce increased output. The spike in calcium excretion via the kidneys may precipitate calcium stones in the urinary tract.

Always get a reliable brand that comes packed with Vit D which aids calcium absorption. Some other variations would include potassium and magnesium. These are fine too, since these two nutrients are typically insufficient in our diet.

For dosage form, I would prefer a liquid solution over a solid tablet since calcium ions are much more easily absorbed (there is no need for dissolution unlike tablets). However, anyone who has had tried a liquid form of calcium would agree that liquid encapsulated within a shell would be kinder to the palate.

Ok, I shall take back my words.. These are alot to talk about!

8) Laptop cooler ($9.50):

With 3 powerful yet quiet fans supported by a translucent frame, and illuminated by aquamarine blue LED lights, this laptop cooler can't get any cool-er! The only qualms I have is the exposed fan blades at the bottom, for I keep getting my fingers grazed when transporting it around.



Total damage? $40.

Gratification? Priceless.

Don't I make a great salesperson? =p

~ Nutella

I love nutella!!

~ Blood Donation

I felt brave today, so I went for blood donation for the first time with K's support! I tried to remain strong but the tears just rolled down when the big fat needle was pierced into my skin though it was painless. Anyway, the nursed warned that I may have a bruise since the weaker side vein was used, but I was too proud to let myself give up after getting lanced for my iron test (14.3ng/dl, decent amount!) and insisted on donating blood. Now it seems to me that I have a clogged vein, not a haematoma!

~ Love Pic!

What ugly image =p

~ The 3 Cs - Chinese Parsley v.s. Coriander v.s. Cilantro

I've always been stumped by recipes calling for cilantro and coriander... What are those? I only have chinese parsley on hand! And guess what, from this site, I've found out that they are all the same~! *hooray*

But do take note that there may be variations in the size and shape of the leaves. Well they pretty much impart similar taste, and rid some wind:

~ Washing Grapes

If u have 1.29kg of grapes on hand and you are clueless to how you are going to go about removing the greyish stuff on every single globe, you've come to the right place!

Here's what you can do:
1) Place the whole bunch of grapes in a big pail of water.
2) Put on a pair of gloves and work some toothpaste into a smooth lather.
3) Wash the grapes with those toothpaste-lathered gloves, while removing the grapes from the stems.
4) Once done, rinse the destemmed grapes 2-3 times in running water to remove the toothpaste (or a few times more if the grapes are minty!)
5) Pat the grapes dry and eat/use! (I froze mine for a refreshing treat!)

~ B'day Rant

Gosh, this blog dedicated to experiments in the kitchen is really (unintentionally) turning into an avenue for me to vent my frustrations out=x Here's a sms conversation I had with my Dad over my b'day celebration (they asked me to make reservations for Swissotel buffet dinner previously):

T: swisshotel havin crab buffet dinner (along with int'l buffet) going for $46/pax. If got HSBC card 1 pax free for 3 pax dining. May need to book 2 weeks in advance. But I haven called. how?

D: I am ok

T: Ok u make reservations den. I dun like to pay more than wat other people pay for. Rather eat sth else

D: ok... lets eat at sakura after fun in down town east escape- good idea?

T: Nope.

D: wats good then

T: Slack at home, eat homecooked food, sleep and live normal

D: Good lah.....

Not funny at all, but I just want to emphasize my lack of interest in celebrating my 21st b'day. Why celebrate for being older? I don't give a hoot for any of my previous b'days, what makes 21st so special that I have to celebrate it? Simply because others did? Simply because others want me to? I'm still myself anyway, before or after my 21st. So no point wasting the $ for some insignificant issue (Mum said I'm just being stingy). Family aside, there are still external factors. I try to tell my friends not to get me any presents in the nicest way possible, and at the most a simple cheap meal treat will do, that's it. And then they start questioning me and shooting me with sarcastic remarks. Eventually they may get something which I do not need nor want (happened countless times before). Why can't anyone understand?

Leave me alone, and just let me be. Please.

~ Sleeping Positions and U

This kitty sure has lots of cute sleeping positions :)

Freefaller:

Yearner:

Starfish:

Miscellaneous:

Learn more about your personality from the way you sleep!

~ Durians Galore!

Yeah~ They went durian-picking again! This time there were 4 durians. Unfortunately, only 1 was ripe =x

Cute small unripe durian:

Such a stark contrast to yesterday's feast: