Tuesday 13 December 2011

Happy Christmas...until next year!


So, it’s safe to say we’ve had a busy last couple of months, sorting out everyone’s Christmas wishes and presents and we are now looking forward to a break! It’s been a selection of panicked husbands with no idea what to buy… luckily we have guided them and fingers crossed you will all be happy with what you receive - if it’s a Ribbon and Roses goodie... to the totally organised and professional shopper who had it “nailed” at our first Xmas sale back in October. Oh how I wish I was that organised…. MUST learn!


It’s been great doing the fairs and sales from Tanglin school to a law office and private events at home… a real mixture of regular and loyal customers, and lots of new enthusiastic buyers. Thanks for coming!


Exciting news is that we have received in the samples of the next collection which will be ready in January so keep your eyes peeled. Nothing like a post Christmas splurge and something new to wear to celebrate Chinese New Year! Hopefully sitting on a beach, again if you were organised enough to book in advance.


We have pretty star tunics and kaftans to some liberty vintage inspired print dresses, so we hope you will all like them. Everything will be added to the website mid January. Join our mailing list to the be first to know or email info@ribbonandroses.com if you want a heads up when it’s arrived at our office!

The R&R team are now taking a break and will be back with more events, news and products in the New Year so any sales made over Christmas, items will be shipped the first week of January.

I hope you all have a very Happy Christmas!!

Love Ribbon and Roses xx

Thursday 8 December 2011

The up and coming East Coast

Sun, sea, sand and shopping, what more could you want on your doorstep. I hear that a few years ago not much was happening on the East Coast of Singapore but now it's pretty up and coming!


The beach is perfect for a run or walking the dog. Walkers, cyclists and rollerbladers have their own designated paths to make things totally accident free...of course, it's Singapore!



You can hire a tandem bike for the bargain price of $8 for 2 hours, and explore all the way up to Changi Airport. You must stop off at one of the best hawker centers I’ve been to, East Coast Lagoon Food Village, for some chicken wings and lime juice. Also next to that is the wake boarding and water skiing lake - not my kind of thing but good for those sport enthusiasts.



The East Coast is famous for its Seafood Centre. But if you are bored with chilli crab and fish head curry you must go to Bruno’s. It has the most amazing pasta and pizza. The service is a bit on the slow side, but its worth the wait, and remember to book as they always get full!

The most recent addition to the area is the 112 Katong Shopping Mall. Everything you need from a wax at Strip, lunch at Din Tai Fung, and an afternoon sleeping in the chairs in Gold Class Cinema...bliss!



There are so many other weird and wonderful local restaurants, shops and places to visit on the East Coast. A trip to the city is a 10 minute taxi ride, and it's only 15 minutes to the airport (and your plane home)…I call that the place to be!

Jules xxx

3 Best Things:

Food
Sleep
Romance

Wednesday 30 November 2011

A different type of thank you....

I am a total stickler for a thank you... it doesn’t matter if it's thanking for a relaxed dinner at their home or for a full blown wedding. Either way, someone has put the effort in.


Here are a few different ways to say Ta....
  
I sent my Godson a thank you after this summer from Archie as he was parading around in his old clothes, which fitted him perfectly.... never one to turn my nose up at "hand-me downs".
I sent a box of pop cakes which arrived and lets face it, he enjoyed a lot more than a card! The little cakes are from Pop Bakery and are like mini lollies, only a lot more calories and fun. 
www.popbakery.co.uk

You can select which design you want delivered on a stick (penguins and pepa pig for him knowing they're a firm favorite) and with a speedy 3 day delivery he had a sugar high for about a week, much to his mothers disappointment! The only drawback is just make sure someone's at home to sign for them.

What's not to love with a red London telephone box and soldiers arriving in a decorated UK tin box
A friend send me these (to remind me not to stay in Singapore too long and to come back soon) which are a yummy selection of biscuits, the perfect twist on an English tea party in Singapore. All that was needed was a PG tips and friend from the UK to join me.

For a more traditional thank you, and everyone loves receiving a card, how about the new stitched greetings cards from Ribbon and Roses. We also have fun Pink Flamingo postcards which are a popular stocking filler!

Lots of love

Maz xx






3 best things:

Archie (8 month old son) laughing
Dolly Parton
Ameretto 

Tuesday 22 November 2011

Dear Father Christmas...



I promise I've been a good girl...



I have a million lists going on, whether its in my head or written down...it can be from a note to pick up more baby formula and nappies, or to remind me we are out for dinner. So rather than lots of scraps of paper all over the house, maybe its time to get organised and have them all in one Note book. I love the look of the new Noble mcMillan one by Lulu Guinness with a big smacker on the front. I am guessing Paddy will be happy too if there is less paper flying around our kitchen table.


I would love to update some of our mugs and I think these Sweet William ones are fab! Nothing like a cup of PG or Earl Grey (depending your tipple) to remind us of home... even if us Singapore Girls are in shorts and have the air con full blast!
 


Everybody has Jo Malone and Dyptique candles (which I love, don't get me wrong...) but Spitalfields candles are fantastic, the Rose Geranium is a firm favourite. Another candle which is totally on my wish list is the Dalyslesford Organic, Vine Tomato... sounds gross, smells amazing. They also come in little glass jars which is a nice change. The best thing about these two candles is they are so much cheaper than the Jo Malone and Dyptique, so you can totally justify buying more than one and give to friends as a gift too.




I love basically everything from Astley Clarke! They have a fantastic selection of jewellery from pretty Stacking rings to incredible Cuffs.

Yes I like big, and yes Santa I have been good... dare you....pretty please?!
 

Thank you, Happy Christmas and fingers crossed for any of the above!


Lots of love
Maz xx


P.S One last stab in the dark for a totally incredible present would be a Weekend away at Limewood which I have been longing to go too. I am dreaming of log fires and a huge duvet... oh and a wirehaired dachi puppy pls..... am I pushing it now??!
 
Maz's Profile
3 favourite things:

Archie (8 month old son) laughing
Dolly Parton
Ameretto 

Monday 14 November 2011

Foolproof cheese soufflé

The thought of attempting any kind of soufflĂ© has always petrified me…. Way too many logistics involved.

Cheese soufflĂ© is literally one of my most favourite things and would be at the very top of my ‘last supper’ list! Whenever I see it on a menu I am instantly sold, I knew if I ever tried to recreate it at home it would be disastrous & spoil my love for it forever!

However on a very dreary rainy Saturday afternoon, after watching an episode of Masterchef I was suddenly inspired & could not concentrate on anything else until I’d given it a go!

I had to share the foolproof recipe I found… Souffle and salad is now going to be a regular fixture in our household, I might even brave mini ones next time we have people for supper to really show off! 


My 1st SoufflĂ© sensation! 

Serves 4 in a large ramekin dish

2 tbsp butter plus tsp for greasing dish
1½ tbsp plain flour plus dusting for the dish
6 eggs, separated into 4 yolks and 6 whites
200ml milk
170g grated gruyere
50g grated parmesan
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
Turn oven on at 190C, butter a large ramekin dish and dust with flour.
Separate eggs - whites into a large bowl, yolks into small one.
• Melt the butter in saucepan, add flour and whisk for a couple of mins until lump free to make rue.
• Add milk and whisk for a few minutes until mixture is a creamy white sauce.
• Mix in grated gruyere cheese, leave to cool for a min or two.
• When cool, whisk in egg yolks and mustard.
• Beat egg whites, until they form floppy peaks.
• Use a spatula and fold cheesy/mustardy mix into egg whites. Keeping as much air in as possible.
• When the mixture is combined, pour into the large ramekin. It should fill just below the top. To create a crown, run your finger around the edge of the dish and then sprinkle with grated parmesan on top.
• Put the dish in the oven and turn the heat down immediately to 175C. Bake for 25 minutes before peeping and you should have a wonderfully fluffy, puffed up soufflĂ©!

ENJOY!
 Love Millie xxx
Millie's Profile:
 3 favourite things
1. My wirey daxi Chilli
2. Macaroons
3. Holidays






Tuesday 8 November 2011

A Dog’s Best Friend

After a tiring day of sleeping, pretending to listen to Mrs H, and playing with Pheasy I had a lie down, and thought about what 2011 has brought me. A new home, new owners and a brilliant new friend…

Chopsticks, what would I do without you. Always there to play with, have sleep overs and to chat to. Most Sundays we love catching up after a good spin  up the Beach and finishing with an ice cold bowl at the Tanjong Beach Club while the old soaks have another Bloody Mary. 

Tanjong Beach Club


He’s my work out buddie too. We often also go to West Coast Park as there is so much space and loads to do.  The Big C and I stay fit by racing each other, I usually let him win so not to dent his pride seeing my legs are a quarter the size of his, but speedy as a whippet!

Collars and Cuffs dog collar
For Christmas and to say thanks for being my best bud, I’m going to get him a Collars and Cuffs collar to match mine. It certainly attracts the bitches and makes noses turn on Orchard Road, or maybe that’s just my dachshund swagger!

To quote Will Ferrell in Old School – ‘Choppies, you’re my boy!’

Right, now time to go and sniff out that old sock behind the sofa again…

Love Chilli


Chilli's Profile:

3 favourite things...
1. Walkies
2. Playing
3. Parmesan

Tuesday 1 November 2011

Is it wrong that I did all my Christmas shopping in October?

Well I’ve only been in Singapore for 2 and a half months and I’m already dreaming about cold weather, wooly jumpers and snow. The best time for all of these is Christmas...so these thoughts led me to start, and now finish, my Christmas shopping.

The plus side of starting so early is that I’ll not be rushing around like a headless chicken on the 24th December getting stuck in the traffic of last minute shoppers. The down side is that I spend the next 6 weeks finding more and more things that I want to give people, and therefore return to the UK with only room for a toothbrush in my suitcase!

With the large amount of women in my family, nearly all of my shopping was done in the space of 30 minutes on the Ribbon and Roses website. Though, to be really honest, it was a case of one present for them, one present for me, one for them, one for me…..oops!

My favourite buy was the Quartz and gold earrings, I ended up buying 4 pairs. With a range of colours I went for Olive quartz for the brunettes, the pale pink pair for the blonds in the family. Done.

It was stocking fillers galore on Ribbon and Roses Homeware and Gifts section. Straight away I had 5 tea towels in my basket. I figured by giving one to my boyfriend was a guilt free way of giving one to myself, brilliant. If I have any left over they are perfect for the present drawer. Lavender bags, socks bags and postcards shortly followed…

Time now to sit back and recover from my shopping frenzy, and probably spend the next month smugly asking people if they have done their Christmas shopping yet!

Monday 24 October 2011

Halloween Fever

I hate to admit to all those hardcore Halloween followers, that previously, the 31st October has slightly been ‘just another day’ in the calendar for me. Which is ridiculous and entirely out of character, as anyone that knows me well would say I am more than partial to a bit of fancy dress! Decorating the house and filling it with all sorts of crafty creations is my idea of bliss..... So what better way to embrace the Halloween celebrations by having a party in true Martha Stewart style! (Also giving me the perfect excuse to do all the above without my husband thinking I’ve gone nuts!!)

Themes, makeup, costumes, decorations, food & cocktails….where to start?

So here are a handful of genius ideas that have given me full on Halloween fever! Perhaps I can convert you too!?



Chic pumpkin creations


Pumpkins and furniture combo

Pretty toile and patchwork covered pumpkins
Humming bird bakery

Happy Halloween! Love Millie xxx