Happy birthday to me!

Yesterday, God has blessed me with 29 amazing years. The big 29 okay! It's 365 days away from 30 and officially,  this year is the last year of being in my 20s.

I can't deny my 20's have been pretty epic. I got married to my husband and made a lovely family. I had a cute little boy who light up my life and make being a mummy the most wonderful thing ever. I have amazing family that always being there for me and support me. They have made my 20’s that much more memorable! I'm so thankful God had given them to me. All in all, my 20’s have been amazing.

I’ve been through some tough times too, but haven’t we all? I’ve grown so much in my faith and in my life.

Thank you Lord for allowing me to survive these 29 years. Now help me to continue to push through for a long long time.

To be honest,  I didn't have a big birthday party and instead just a simple birthday filled with cake.

Thanks for the surprise cake Mr.husband! 

hehehe..

These two pictures was taken back in 2003, when I was only 19.  Siapa tau saya bergambar dimana? hehe..

My first bake and 30 days cooking challenge

Yesterday was the day. Can you guess what I mean? Haha.. well. The title says it all. My new buy oven has officially did its first indisputable job on baking. 

This is my first attempt on baking. So what do you think? hehe.. It might look a tad burnt but the taste was not bad. I made 8 cupcakes and ate 2 of it. I just can't get enough of it. hahaha.. Honestly, I did get some compliments from my family for this cupcake that probably just meant to make me feel good. Hmm..

My not-so-perfect Vanilla Cupcake or Butter Cupcake.  For the record, I never bake and you can call me noobie and I'm fine with that. 

The original recipe shared by StellaClaire  and I modified the recipe by added more vanilla essence. 

The recipe is undeniably simple and fail-proof baked and don't require unusual ingredients. I was not sure if there's any unwritten law in baking but I got to admit this, my cupcake was actually sunken. 

So, I did some research on baking tips. These are some baking mistakes I know I have done :

1. I don't preheat the oven before I start prepping my cake. 

2. I use cold ingredients (eggs) that cause my batter to curdle.

3. I beat the butter and sugar mixture too long. I was actually had an issue with the sugar. It was still visible and not well combined with the butter. 

As a saying goes, "Practice Makes Perfect. If you're not making mistakes, you're not doing enough. :)

As you might already know, I am recently taking part in a 30 days photo challenge on Instagram and it inspired me to start a cooking or baking challenge. I thought it would be a great way for me to learn the art of cooking and try out new recipes. Anyway, I will post the highlights of my 30 days cooking and baking challenge on my blog later. 

P/s : My next recipe will be Japanese Cotton Chesse Cake. Stay tuned. 

Happy Teacher's Day!

First of all, I would like to wish HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY to all my former teachers in :

1. SRK St James Kudat (1991-1996)

2. SMK Pekan Kudat (1997-1999)

3. SMK Sikuati Kudat (2000-2001)

4. Labuan Matriculation College (2002-2003)

5. University of Malaysia Sabah (2003 - 2007)

6. IPG Kampus Keningau Sabah (2011)

Thank you for guided and enlightened me. Without you, I won't be at this place and be for what I am now. God bless you always.

Not to forget, to all my ex colleagues in Maktab Nasional, Sk Bangkau-Bangkau Pitas and SMK Sikuati, as well as my current colleagues in SRK Tinangol Kudat. 

Happy Teacher's Day. Today is our day!


Something to ponder.

Source : Facebook

It's not easy being a teacher these days. Silap sikit.. laporan polis, saman and blah blah blah! But I still love my job anyway.. :)

Mother's Day and Ladies Blogger Gathering

Two days ago was Mother's day and I hope it's not too late to wish all of you out there HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! This year is my first official Mother's Day. Being a mother had always been my dream and it has been the best thing that ever happened to me. It is a blessing and indeed, a sacred gift. Anyway, I would like to congratulate Beatyjohn on the arrival of her new born baby. God bless her family and may the new born baby bring loads of joy, love and smiles in their family.

Ohh! I remember the first time I held my baby boy in my arms almost 10 months ago as though it was just yesterday. There's a tingling sensation when reality hit me that I was suddenly somebody's mother.  It was surreal and absolutely mind blowing but amazing.     

I just have to re-share this!
The first hold. The day I became a mum.  

I was wondering what you all get for mother's day. How did you celebrate? My husband got me RM10 added to my purse. Oh NO! He just made fun of me! Cruel husband..hahaha.. My real gift is on its way though! Can't wait. :)

Anyway. 

Last Saturday, I had a gathering with my ladies blogger mate at Fullhouse Cafe in Suria Sabah. I came a tad bit late though. You know lah bah kalau ada little baby ni.  hihihi..

Dear husband and son!

Hi Stella. Nice to meet you. 

Our theme was pastel colours. I didn't have the time to buy new clothes , so this is my outwear! Blue short and pink peplum. As you might already know, I am so into peplum..  :)

The ladies. Tunung Molly, Just, Wyne and Stella. Chegu Carol  and Flo was not in the picture. huhu..

 If you have noticed, I didn't wear any make up whatsover on my face. I accidentally left my makeup bag in my kampung (Kudat) and these were the only make up items I have in my suitcase.

From left : Toner, 2 lipsticks and compact powder. (All these items just don't make sense! ) 

Actually, I fell a bit insecure and don't feel confident going out bare faced but not bad though. I still feel comfortable. Sometimes, it's okay to be bare faced. You don't have to be all made up every single day, right?  :)

Pure Marine Collagen Mask

Hola Lovelies.

Today I'm going to share  about my current favourite mask.

The ingredients are;
1. Honey ( I use honey because my skin is pretty dry. )
2. Pure Marine Collagen

Mix the two ingredients together. Put the mixture on the face and leave it for 20-30 minutes. Then, rinse.

As easy as ABC.

I apply this masker three times a week. It's simple, cheap and very effective. After application, I can see my face are firming up, brighter, more transparent, very soft and smooth. It has successfully removed all my flaky skin too! Yeah.. no more flaky!

You got to try it!

Maybelline Hypercurl Volume Express Cat Eyes Waterproof Mascara

My mascara is running out so I thought I would have to get a new one. I don't set the limit of my random mascara purchases as I think the most appropriate way to find the best working mascara is all comes down to trial and error. You have to experiment and see which perfect mascara that truly has the power to make all of your lash wishes come true.

The one I always return to are Dramatic Volume and Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero Smudge. They're  my holy grail mascara.

This Maybelline Hypercurl Volume Express is a recent discovery for me.

Look clearly at the packaging. It's pretty, nicely sized mascara tube with pink and black stripes.I just love the cute and fresh look packaging. The brush is unique and weird and I was kinda surprise when I first saw it. It is a comb alike brush and that's what make it difference with any other mascara.

Comb alike brush!

What I love about this mascara :
1. The comb alike brush is superb. It coats every lashes separately and gives more defined look.

2. It wears well for the whole day. I leave for work at 6.30 am and come back around  1 pm and it's still holding strong.

3. It is easily dries, so I should apply this mascara real quickly because when it already dries, the lashes will get stiff. However so far I have never noticed any flaking.

4. It has a thick formula that gives very black lashes. I apply two coats of this and leaves more alive look and bigger eyes.

4. It's unbelievably waterproof and don't smudge.

4. And it definitely gives good volume and long lashes. Hypercurl - true to its claim.

5. Cheaper. Around RM30++. ( Sorry I couldn't remember the exact price.)

What I dislike :
1. When I first applied this mascara , I struggled to remove the stubborn mascara.  It is the most make up remover proof  mascara I've used to date.

This is how I remove this remover proof mascara :
I apply one or two coats of non waterproof or non remover proof mascara on my lashes, leave it awhile  then washing it with water. That's it! Trust me, it works!

Happy Friday! Can't wait for the Ladies Blogger Gathering tomorrow. See ya ladies.

Pure Marine Collagen

I will turning 29th in a several weeks and can start to see the effects of aging slowly creeping over my body especially my skin.I thought it would be nice to fight it before age really sets in.

I'm actually quite skeptical about products which requires oral consumption. Apply topically on skin is okay, but guess what, I've been faithfully consuming Pure Marine Collagen for the past few weeks. It's unbelievably cheap. Only RM15 for 100 grams. I've read some good reviews about it so why not give it a try, right? Heee. 

This is how Pure Marine Collagen (commonly known as seaweed) is looks like.

The raw pure marine collagen.

How to prepare Pure Marine Collagen?

1. Raw collagen should be washed several times. At least 5 times.
2. Soaks overnight.
3.After an overnight soak, rinse several times to remove dirt or any salt sea water.
4. Boil together with water for 15-20 minutes.
5. Cool it in a container and store in the refrigerator.
6. The look of it when cold is like jelly.


What can I say is I fell in love with it at my first try.

For just a few days of consumption and mask application, I noticed my freckles are fading, of course, not entirely but yeaah! Small changes can make a big difference, right? With perseverance, my freckles would totally gone!( Crossing my fingers.)  My skin turned a bit fairer too and my flaky skin has completely GONE!

I usually take it with orange juice as I can't stand the smell and taste. It tastes like errr raw fish! But actually, it's still acceptable juga ba... Not too bad...



P/s : I'm interested to try out Beutskin Essence, but the price makes me headache...For now,  I hope I can afford it in the near future. Amen. :)

The Face Shop Natural Sun Smart Handiness SPF50++

Oh! The current weather is killing me. The past few weeks have been exceptionally hot and humid.  I hate the hot and humidity.I can't even stand to be outside more than a few minutes. It makes me feel sick and gooey!

Due to the hot weather, face sunscreen is where I get really serious. Over the year, I've developed tiny freckles on both of my cheeks and nose due to sun overexposure while I was still actively involved in military stuffs and as well as driving. I wanted something that is going to protect my skin from the sun  and at the same time will not create breakouts.

I'm currently using this one, The Face Shop Natural Sun Smart Handiness SPF50++. Price :  RM69.90 

This product is very good and the bomb! I've been using it everyday for 1-2 months now. Okey. Let's start with the packaging. The product's packaging is comes in a one-pull cap.  I think it is very convenient when in a hurry especially for me as a working mum who have to quickly finish my skincare and makeup every morning. 

It also comes in a diagonal shaped puff (applicator) that connected to a container. It's very convenient and enabling super easy application without using my hands. According to the beauty consultant, this product has two main functions : blocking UV rays and serves as a make-up base. It also has cooling effect.


Swatch on my face.

This is my bare face! 

The Casper-look ! hahaha.. 

Well blended. It leaves a natural finish! No shine at all.

My verdict : 

I use this product together with my daily skincare routine and make up. After apply my moisturiser, I apply this sunblock then my pressed powder or loose powder. The finish is perfect! The coverage of Natural Sun Smart Handiness is very good.  The best thing I like about it is that it doesn't dry out my face or make it too oily. It's very light, doesn't make me breakouts and it doesn't have a white cast. To me, it feels like I am not wearing anything , gives my skin a bit of glow and my skin breathes. Once the product sinks into the skin, it gives the perfect amount of dewiness. The SPF50++ gives me a good and more protection against the sun. It is not remove-proof too! Sometimes I just use water to remove it and it's gone! The only thing is that it does not stay all day. 

I can say that after using it for a few weeks I noticed that my skin looked better and more even tone. I actually had an uneven skin tone between my forehead and cheeks due to sun exposure. This product works amazingly well as now I no longer get sunburn simply after driving during afternoon. 

Yes. I highly recommend this product.

Here's FOTD using The Face Shop Natural Sun Smart Handiness SPF50++ : 

P/s : Yeah! It's May already.  I'm currently taking part in these two challenges on Instagram! Cool.  Join me and play along!  :)