Bitten By Busy Bags Bug (Now That's a Mouthful!)

Busy Bags - a term that I have heard often but never actually paid attention. Partly becos my older kids are too old for it and I hadn't had any reason to make any, well that is till now :P With my littlest now at the age where busy bags are commonly introduced, I find myself going onto Pinterest, Instagram to get inspiration.

 

I find the idea of a busy bag refreshing. Versus a quiet book where there are pages of activities, all put together in a form of a book, it was rather daunting to me. It seem so much more manageable to put together a bag consisting of usually one or two activities rather than a whole book of it! Another plus will be that bringing these out are so much easier than an entire book!

 

I have created quite a number from when I started late last year. I enjoyed doing it and had gifted to some friends with similar aged kids as well. It was fun to make and more fun to change some things around to fit the age or interests :)

 

This post will start off my busy bag journey where I show how I create the different activities and what are the learning points. I had fun doing it and hope that by showing, you will be tempted to give it a try too! It is exceedingly satisfying to see your child playing with "toys" or "activities" that you have created with your own hands! It is more economical as well with a simple toy now easily costing an arm and a leg in the retail shops!

 

Most of these bags can "grow" with the child. Eg. they can be stepped up in terms of expansion of learning by adding something simple or by alternating the way of play. One bag, double or triple "duty" - what's not to like?! :P

 

The first of many bags to come - Color Pegging

 

Things you need:

wooden pegs

(I get mine from Daiso where you can get a bag of 30 for $2)

 

wooden tongue depressors

(I found mine in a store at Bras Basah)

 

colored paper

(Again Daiso will give u many options too)

 

glue / sticky tape

 

 

 

1) Choose the colors that you want your toddler to learn. I started with mainly primary colors. This can be stepped up to include more colors as he masters them. Cut the paper to the width and length of the tongue depressors, fitting them inside with a border. You can then glue/tape the papers to the tongue depressors. I use a wide width sticky tape so that I could sort of "laminate" the papers such that they can last just abit longer :) This is how they will look like:

 

 

 

 

2) Next will be to cut and glue the same papers to the wooden pegs. I have chosen the slightly shorter but "fatter" wooden pegs so that little fingers can handle them easily. Same logic and this is how they will look like.

 

 

 

 

3) Believe it or not, you are DONE! Next will be to show your toddler how to work the pegs. I find that my 2 year old had some difficulty initially but he soon learn the how-to :)

 

 

 

3 ways of stepping up...

a) You can introduce more colors, moving from primary to include pastels or the darker colors.

 

b) You can introduce patterns by using papers that has patterns you want to teach. Ideally patterns should be repetitive throughout, making it easily for the toddler to differentiate the different patterns.

 

c) You can introduce the names of the color and/or patterns. By printing/writing the names on a separate sheet of paper, cut them up into little slips and have your toddler match them. Most colors are sight words especially the primary colors like Red, Blue, White etc so this will be a great way for them to pick up some sight words too!

 

 

Learning Points

1) Color Recognition - "duh" I know but it is the main learning point :)

2) Hand Eye Coordination as he tries to work the pegs.

3) Pronunciation of the colors as you call out the colors he matches.

4) Learning of words for colors or patterns.

 

 

If you need help in finding the items used here, do drop me an email and I will definitely help!

 

Have fun!

 

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Email: wahmummy@yahoo.com.sg

Blog: wahmummy.blogspot.com

 

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A Year of Mornings - Inspired by the book

This had been a post long in draft. I had meant to write this when I first started on this project in January this year then was waylaid by my many other on-going projects (as usual), then I convinced myself that I should post only when I have a method to physically document it than the digital format now...blah...blah...blah... u get the drift.

I am happy to share that I did finally find a way of physically documenting it, easy and it truly just take a few minutes! 

First let me describe the digital way of documentation.

I uses an Iphone and uses a free app titled "Collect" for my digital reminder and collation of my daily Year of Mornings photos. With an easy to use interface and a calendar view of all the photos u have uploaded (or not), it serves as a reminder so that I do not miss uploading any day. This app also allows me to post directly to both Instagram and Facebook, saving me many precious minutes. The end result is a Polaroid sort for photo with your caption below :)

For months, I just stop short here. I did not entertain an idea of any physical documentation  till my kiddos commented that they cant see the photos unless they go online. This prompted me to explore and find a way of having it as a physical item. It must be an easy and non time consuming way. I am already struggling to be on time with my Project Life, I dont need any other "stressor"!

One day, I came across a post on FB about a free printing service - Printwich. Curious about its quality, I registered and tried it out. The prints arrived in 4" x 4" format with a white border. It is printed on a matt thick paper but NOT photo paper. There are also advertisements behind the photos. Though the print is quite abit darker than what I uploaded, that could easily be adjusted before I send in my prints.

The PROS

1) It is FREE, for 10 prints a month. Any additional prints are at $0.99 per piece. Normal shipping is free as well in Singapore :)

2) Uploading is simple, easy and fast :) Just click from either your photo roll or instagram :)

3) Shipping is pretty fast. I usually get my prints a week after uploading.

4) Additional 5 prints can be "earned" when a friend uses your code to order their first print. This works BOTH ways, meaning BOTH yourself and your friend will get an additional 5 prints for THAT month.

5) Quality is acceptable (in my personal opinion).

The CONS

1) Limited numbers of free prints per month. 

2) Even when a friend uses your code, the additional 5 prints is only valid for that month only. You are only allowed up to 10 additional prints a month - that means only 2 friends registering. Beyond that you will not get more than 10 additional prints a month.

3) The print out is NOT on photo paper.

4) Print quality is not extremely sharp so the camera used must be of reasonable quality otherwise the photo may turn out all blurish

5) If you do not use your free prints for that month, it will be "forfeited" meaning you cant carry forward to the next month.

I decided to try and use this for my Year of Mornings photos. I plan to only stick the photos in, journal a couple of lines and call it done. I bought a Paper Stone Journal that is undated. This means that I could start any time :)

Combining the two, this is my end result :) 

The prints are 2" x 2". I fitted 4 photos into 1 and uploaded that collage to be printed. This works well for me as the space in the Paper Stone journal arent big and  really do not need a full 4"x6" photo for this project. With 10 prints a month, I manage to get 40 photos and with it being free, this is like godsend! Like I mentioned, the prints are acceptable for me. I generally do not take any detailing photos for this project so it works well. If you are planning to print detailed photos, you may want to explore other printing services.

Verdict? 

My kiddos love to flip through it and with just a few lines of journaling, its simply a throwback sort of memory for them to flip through and have fun. 

For me? It was exactly what I wanted - a simple and non time consuming way of documenting so that my kiddos get to see them. Best of it all, the monetary investment is just the Paper Stone journal which I bought at a heavily discounted price since it was "old stock" and the time investment was just cutting up the photo, adhering them and journal a few line - Easy Peasy!           

Still with me? Interested? 
Use my code "8dd4" to get an additional 5 prints for the 1st time u order :) Remember, you must register with this invitation code then order your 1st set of prints.     

PS. I already have one set of additional prints this month, just saying :P

 

"Oh, So you die die also try..."

Try what? Well, according to these "commentators" of my life, apparently having a no. 3 after a long gap is because I "die die" must try to get a boy *insert indignant look*

 

When I got pregnant 2 years ago, it was a complete surprise. We were definitely not expecting it as, well, we both aren't very young. I remember going to my gynecologist of 10 years and even she was rather surprised too! We were totally elated at this wonderful gift!

 

My No. 1 was then 9 years old and No. 2 at 6 years old. Definitely not the ideal age gap, I was told unceremoniously by quite a number of "commentators". Most of the time, I was then given a list of plausible disadvantages that I SHOULD expect to happen and how "ideally" I should solve them. Whilst I totally appreciate the heads-up, I am also very aware that each and every child is different.

 

When I had No. 2, I was told to expect all sorts of horrible things my "jealous" No. 1 would do. I was filled with dread, quite literally and because it was also time for her to go pre-school, I held her back, not wanting her to feel as I push her to pre-school because I now have a new "toy" - her sibling. However, when the time comes, I was completely taken by surprise! Not only had she adjusted perfectly to the role for a big sister, she relished it! She was always on hand to help and none of those horrid stories happened!

 

I digress...

 

So, why must having a baby after a long gap from my previous baby become a "die die must try to have a boy"? Why must I even want to try? It's funny as our reasons for No. 3 were more pragmatic than being tied to such cultural notions...

 

We were both more established in our careers.

We are more economically stable.

We both love kids (Yes, hubby included though he doesn't show so :P )

We both miss having a baby.

We both want to enjoy a baby all over again!

 

Weren't such reasons much better than "die die must try"? Moreover, the last time I heard, we as parents have absolutely NO CONTROL over gender - it up to GOD to bestow on us!

 

So, for the umpteenth time,...

 

NO! I did not "die die must try to get a boy"

NO! In getting a No. 3 I was NOT purposefully aiming for any gender

NO! I do not subscribe to the notion of MUST have a boy to carry on the family name

 

Hey, I can bet you there can be at least 100s if not 1000s of people with the same family name in this whole wide world. So NO, there is no such remote notion of carrying on family name.

 

I am eternally grateful and thankful to GOD giving me another chance to enjoy all the babyish goodness after 6 years. I took pains to write down his milestone on a daily basis, I enjoy his antics, cheekiness and cheerfulness. I learnt from experiences how to handle certain naughty acts and the very best of all, I gotten the chance to see how my 2 older ones blossom into young ladies with a heart for the family and their younger brother wholeheartedly!  

Planner Embellishment Pack PEP February'15

Decided to do a post on the latest PEP of February 2015 :)

 

In a month of love, its hard to detract from the theme hearts, gifts and more love! I too had included a special treat in this month's pack - instead of 1, I have TWO Handmade items! These are exclusive to N Studio and will not be available anywhere else :)

 

Let's take a look at the yummilicious goodies in this month's pack!

 

 

 

 

You can see from the photo how jammed pack the pack is, with goodies that you can use not only in your planner but also in your Project Life, your reading and more! In PEP February'15, you will receive
1) A Hearts Washi Sampler
2) A Cake & Donut Sticky Memo Pack
3) A Polka Dots Circle Sticker Sheet
4) A Heart Circle Sticker Sheet
5) A Gift Puffy Sticker Sheet
6) A Candy Sticky Tabs Pack
7) A Patterned Heart Puffy Sticker Sheet
8) A Star Shaped Wooden Bookmark
9) Two Sheets of Washi Sticker Papers
10) A Rainbow Colored Ribbon Bow Sticker Sheet
11) A Rainbow Colored Hearts Sticker Sheet
12) Two Handmade Heart Shaped Felted Paperclip
13) A Handmade Wrislet Holder in Red Glittery Chervon

 

A few items that deserves special highlights...

 

Both the sticky memo and the sticky tabs packs are FULL packs! Which means you get so much more than just a small sampling. Instead you get more than enough to gift to friends, do some swapping or use it elsewhere besides your planner!

 

The HANDMADE wristlet holder is a very versatile item. It can easily be hooked onto any zipper of a pouch, a lunch bag to become a wristlet, freeing your hands while buying lunch or paying for your shopping. It can also be hooked onto a mobile as a handstrap or it can be hooked onto the rings of your planner or binder, making it easy to carry around.

 

The rainbow colored ribbon bow stickers are a personal favourite of mine. It comes in a multitude of colors (aka rainbow) and in different sizes too! I love adding the small ones to an envelope of the letter that I am sending to a penpal to brighten up everything. The larger sized ones can easily be worked into a photo or as a  finishing touch on your Project Life cards/journaling!

 

The Handmade Checkered Heart Shaped Felted Paperclips comes in a pair of red and pink. I use these paperclips to denote the different sections of my planner for easy finding. My kiddos used them to mark homework pages, file worksheets, or just for fun! They can be in tons of places and you will be so happy with how it brightens up everything around it!

Another personal favourite is the gifts puffy stickers. These are awesome in marking off birthdays, as a reminder to buy presents  and even to finish off on a gift tag for a friend!

 

I hope that you will like the February pack. For local (Singapore) purchases, head over to my Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/Nian.studio For foreign orders, please visit my store at www.nstudio.storenvy.com Both purchases offers FREE Shipping! There are also some exciting changes coming to N Studio, with new sampler packs being offered at great prices! All will be revealed soon!

 

Have a great weekend!

 

 

 

2015 Planner Decorated

Start of a new year means a new beginning for most things. I have shared my DIY planner in my previous posts, here, here and here. Despite making my own, I still have yet to find 'planner peace'. My main grouse will be the heaviness and bulkiness of my DIY planner making it hard for me to bring out. After much deliberation, I decided to spilt up my planner.

 

I left all my stock lists, my finance papers for my store in the original planner file. This will serve as my working file for my store. I also realize that I am less likely to lug my main planner out as I am generally at home, going out only at most once or twice a month running errands. I thus need a lightweight planner to serve as my to-do list, shopping lists etc when I am outside. I also recently purchased a leather planner which will serve as my main planner where I decorate and do my daily reflection.

 

I was ready to stop here, not wanting to drown myself in planners! Alas! I had to discover that I need a brain dump, for all the ideas that I have floating in my brain. Up till now, my 'brain dump' had been whatever scraps of paper I could lay my hands at that moment. I realize that I needed a more permanent place for all these ideas so that I could return to them or keep them as reference. So yes, ANOTHER planner! GEEZ!

 

Using my firstborn's current pet phrase - 'O~M~G!' I am so not willing to have so many but I also know I need to try them out and see if it works. So here goes nothing.......

 

First of all, my main planner. This will be the main one that I decorate as I plan to incorporate the pages into my Project Life albums. My reflections will also be there, making it easier for me to refer to for my photo journaling. I decided to do away with all types of pages and purchased A6 plain grid paper. Why not plain paper then? In deference to my innate OCD of wanting straight lines, I know I needed some form of guidelines. I tried out with one day a page format but found myself running out of space to write both my to-do list and reflection on the same page. Yea, I am very longwinded :P So, I will next try a day on two page and let's see how it goes :)

Some examples of my a day in two page which I had found it worked wonderfully for me! I use one side for my to-do list and the facing page for my reflections, making it a piece of cake to refer and cross reference. It also will have an air of authenticity as these pages will reflect what I have taken in photos and in my reflections/journaling.

 

 

I have also decided to file my planner pages alongside my weekly PL layouts in the PL album. For the uninitiated, PL = Project Life, a memory keeping system that I have been doing for the past 3 years. It consists mainly of photos, keepsakes like ticket stubs and my journaling of what happened. As my daily planner pages will have my reflection for the day, it will only make sense to put them together and my kiddos will get a good sense of what happened on a particular along with my thoughts. Does it work? You bet it does! I have heard my gals commented ever so often that they had forgotten this or that. It was awesome seeing them relive the memories and emotions. Fast forward to 10 years later, this will truly be priceless memories. If you like to find out more, go here :) They now even have an iPhone app for this which makes it so much easier storing memories on the go and have them print out all done! I am oh-so-tempted to get the app!

Anyhow, I digress. As I was saying, I plan to file in my planner pages so I have made effort to decorate them and also make a start page for each week for easier 'filing'. An example of my start page for Week 4 of 2015 :)

 

My 'brain dump' planner will too be having grid paper but at A5 size to accommodate the various drawings and ideas that I would need to sketch out. This will be filed in yet another Daiso A5 file. However, this will be a soft file instead of the hard one for my store as I envision I may need to bring this file out if I am sourcing for materials. No unnecessary weight please.

 

Lastly, the functional lightweight planner that I have again purchased from Daiso - LONG LIVE DAISO! This will be the one that I carry around always, with all essential dates, events, appointments, to-do lists etc. No major décor here, mainly functional.

 

More details will be shared on each planners in future posts along with my review as I work through them :) In case you are interested, I purchased both the A6 and A5 grid papers from NBC at Raffles City. It is definitely reasonably priced and with member discount of 10%, definitely worth the buy!

 

I have also started on a new by-project this year, inspired by a Instagram post of someone I followed. It forces me to look at a particular part of my day and capture the memories. So far it had worked out great :) More on this in my next post :)
Have a creative weekend!

My First Instagram Giveaway :)

I have recently created a separate instagram account for my store - #nian_studio This was also where I launched my PEP(Planner Embellishment Pack) and where I get inspirations for all things planners.

 

Its really amazing how much creativity is out there, even in something as mundane and routine as a planner. A whole world was out in Instagram on planners and how it could be decorated! I am still constantly amazed at some of the many creations I have seen and it is truly very inspiring!

 

I crashed into the world of planner accidentally while searching for planners online. I had wanted to buy one and got put off when I saw the price. I then proceeded to DIY my own where you can find details of the posts, here, here and here :)

 

Planners are no longer boring looking papers filled with scribbles and handwriting, meetings, to-do lists etc. There are so much gorgeous looking planners out there - Filofax, Kikki K, Erin Condren, Kate Spade, just to name a few. Some are mouth-watering gorgeous, serious! However the price is also jaw-dropping :(

 

Going into the whole of planner decoration is like having a new world unfold in front of you. And yes, I have started to decorate my planner too! Its hard to resist when it is so crafty related :P I shall have another blog just on my decorated pages. Coming soon!

 

The planner community in Instagram is a great one. I had seen some many RAKs (Random Acts of Kindness), giveaways etc and these people are simply generous and amazingly so! I have thus decided to hold my very first giveaway on Instagram. A mini travel journal kit that one can either bring along to document your adventures or wait till you are back home for a memory filled look-back.

 

 

 

 

You will get a small mini journal with blank pages, a pen, a roll of camera Washi tape, a set of travel themed post it memo and tabs, stickers and more stickers! Oh, don't forget the handmade felt cloud paper clips that will carefully hold your keepsakes. These handmade paper clips are a favourite of mine!

 

To enter into the giveaway, easy!

1) LIKE the photo in Instagam

2) FOLLOW #nian_studio

3) REPOST tagging #nian_studio

 

It is PARAMOUNT to repost with the tag #nian_studio so that I can see who had done it when choosing a winner :)

 

So, the best of luck to everyone! The giveaway will close on 8 Jan and winner announced the next day :)

 

 

Reflect, Review & Renew

One Little Word (OLW) - a term coined in scrapbooking by Ali Edwards which I have done for 2 years running.

 

The year before was "Focus" as I know that there will be loads of changes and adjustments with an addition to my family. I also wanted to focus on growing my own little store, taking it to a different level.

 

Last year's word was "Embrace" - to embrace the changes that I will embark on, being a stay home mom and embrace changes that I may take in terms of my career. After many years in the same line, truth to be said, I am weary, very much so. The politics and the ugliness of it all played a huge part. More and more I find myself dreading to go back to that career choice, one that was borne more out of necessity than interest. At the same time there is real fear. Fear of stepping into the unknown, of stepping into the air, of a new field where I do not have any history or experience to fall back on.  

 

I pondered long and hard for my OLW this year. I wasn't ready, mentally to make such a commitment but 2015 rolled around a tad too quick for my liking and I found myself still without my OLW on New Year's Eve.

 

There are many uncertainties this coming year. I may need to go back to full time work, one that I am NOT looking forward to. Too good life as a SAHM? Hardly but I saw the impact on my older kiddos, of me staying home. Being SAHM had always been my dream career choice. Weird? Maybe. Unambitious? Definitely. I am never made for the cut throat world of business nor the politics of a management job. Hubby always said I am too righteous for my own good. My idea of principles is one that many would have scoffed at yet I take an unwavering stance on it, yes, even in these times.

 

No matter how much I dread going back to work, how much I would love to stay home for my kids, I know I can't. Not when I see hubby stressed out over bills, planning way in advance for big payments like insurance yet at the same time still trying to give us all that we need. Never once had he lamented, just much more careful in spending. Never once had he berated me for my choice, just quietly made sure that I do have enough money in my wallet. Never once had he stop helping out in household chores, he still do what he had always done (which is like 90% of all chores) and scold me if I don't take time to sleep when the kids are asleep (like now :P)

 

My hubby is a MCP, definitely! The differences being he is an MCP even to himself. He exacts the same standards on himself, not only on me. The best thing about him? He gives credit where it is. My firstborn was top in Science this year. We attended her prize ceremony to which I could see him so very proud of her. Yet when the Principal congratulated us, he gave the credit all to me, that I had spent alot of effort coaching her and igniting her interest.

 

With a hubby as such, how not to help him with his burden? How to turn a blind eye to the amount of stress that he silently takes? How to not share the burden when a problem shared is a problem halved. SIGHZ.... On the other hand, despite the many times I have asked and explained to my 2 older kiddos, the suggestion of my going back to work is always a resounding NO. I too, have my concerns of going back to work especially when my firstborn will be in P5 this year. I had heard too many horror stories of kids going from Band 1 & 2 to Band 3 and even Band 4 when in P5. The jump in academic expectations is simply too great to be ignored.

 

So after droning for so long, back to my main topic - my OLW for 2015. My word for 2015 will be "BRAVE".

 

To be brave to step back into the working life, even if it is to go part time.

 

To be brave to sought different career fields, despite being in the same line since I graduated.

 

To be brave to make changes and adjustments (once again) to my routine. You see, I am Taurus, I ABHOR changes and thrives on routine.

 

Last but not least, to be brave in my perspectives, to allow growth of new interests and ideas both in my day job and my own little business.

 

Looking back on 2014, it was a year where I was given time to renew and refresh myself. A time-out that gave me a chance to truly bond with my kiddos. A year where I took time to hear myself from the inside and not just the outside. I am thankful for this year. Grateful to be given a chance to sit back and reset my clock. Mentally I may not be prepared to let go yet but I know that I need to for its time to be BRAVE and go out once again. I do not have a map with my path drawn, but I do know that its time for me to take the lamp and light up the path again, going on its route and making choices when there is a fork (or many) in the path.

 

Wish me luck :)

 

Hope that your New Year's Day was awesome and here's to a better 2015 for all!