Pretty please….

I hate admin, there’s no hiding from it. Everyone has to do it but it’s too boring/time consuming and it's always last on my “to do list” or I leave it till the last possible moment before we get stung for late charges.

I’m thinking of investing in these vintage floral inspired leaver arch folders to make the process less painful (well any excuse really…) I guess if you have to do the most mundane of jobs and file it away, at least it’s pretty to look at. Pretty on the outside and no doubt ugly bills on the inside. Also those horrid blue leaver arch folders remind me of those dreaded school exams. Who wants to be reminded of those days!

I love liberty and anything floral. I have lots of note books, post cards stuck to my pin board for inspiration and my husband gave me a sweet Liberty print fabric knot watch for Christmas which I really enjoy wearing. The liberty vintage inspired tunics have been getting the thumbs up from everyone so I’m obviously not alone!

I wonder if I can take this obsession to the walls…Don’t get me wrong I love sharp lines, beige’s and whites but am longing to fill our bedroom wall with an amazing floral print wallpaper. But will it work with our 98% humidity out here in Singapore… it would be too depressing to watch the corners start to peel away.

Lots of love

Maz xx

Maz's Profile 
3 favourite things:

Archie (11 month old son) laughing

Dolly Parton

Amaretto

This caught my eye this morning...

I don't know about you, but I have boxes filled with spare buttons, pieces of thread and other bits and bobs that I store away in the vain hope that if I ever need to mend something, I'll have the necessary equipment to do so.  This almost never happens, so this seems like a much better way of keeping those miscellaneous goods at hand.  Definitely goes on this week's to-do list.

1.  Buy a business-card organiser from a stationery shop

2.  Add in buttons, threads, labels, perhaps even some needles and other sewing pieces and you will have everything at hand for any little clothing mishaps

And while you're in the stationery stop, pick up a couple of organisers or small photo albums - they are a great way to keep all your cards to hand for easy-reference or inspiration.  I keep small albums for restaurant cards - then when we're at a loss of where we would like to go for dinner, we just have a quick flick through.  And the contact number is there for quick reservation making!

Love  Abbey xxx

Abbey's Profile 

1. Interiors

2. Labrador puppies

3. Italian food

Essie Essentials

Living in the tropics of Singapore, one perhaps might find ones self prone to the ‘occasional’ pedi! Well ok, ‘occasional’ possibly being a teeny bit of an understatement certainly for me anyway! I could even be pushed to go as far to say it has become a ritual for the feet and a vital one at that! The thought of a naked toe teamed with a peep toe is not a happy one!

My best however trickiest bit is the colour picking, I go with every intention to face Essie’s array of flavours with a totally open mind. Yet without fail I get bamboozled by the million and one shades and their completely genius names, ‘Chinchilly’… ‘Bahama mama’… of course never being brave enough to veer off piste and always sticking with my ‘go-to shade’ Watermelon!

Loving Essie’s latest Cocktail Bling collection. Its ready-made, pick’n’mix of chic options, leaves me no excuse but to break the creature of habit in me and make my way through each and every one… even my digits won’t know what’s hit them! www.essie.com 

Love Millie xxx

Millie's Profile:

 3 favourite things

1. My wirey daxi Chilli

2. Macaroons

3. Holidays

MMwah!

It’s that time of year again where you’re single friends hide (or hit the bottle together) and the married ones loath to go out for dinner on the 14^th and sit squashed next to another couple, who spend their dinner listening to your conversation as no one ever seems to speak! Luckily the husband can't bare it as much as me and the last couple of years he has cooked supper at home for us (Same every year… steak, chips and salad… same every year the timings all go wrong, chips go in… steak fried, steak ready, chips still cold and raw… make salad, eat salad and steak… wait for chips… eat chips 45 mins later) don’t have the heart to explain about oven timings… and he seems to fail to remember that this “problem” of timings has happened 4 years on the trot. Either way with our long winded dinner, I love it and am very spoilt he’s tried.

Hand made R&R cards

Cards are not his strong point so I don’t expect one … the last card I received from him was for our wedding anniversary. It was a birthday card which he had crossed out Birthday and written over the top “anniversary”.  Apparently last year on the 14^th Feb, the shop had sold out of EVERY valentines cards when he got there… Really… Pinocchio look at your nose! He will be getting one of the heart stitched pretty note cards from his secret admirer from Ribbon and Roses. Lucky boy! 

Just in case he’s reading (doubtful… very, very doubtful!) I would love one of these spinning love necklaces from Argent London. I’m thinking a tube of love hearts might be more his style… if at all! One can dream.

Spinning 'I Love You' pendant

Happy Valentines,

Lots of love Maz xx

Maz's Profile 
3 favourite things:

Archie (11 month old son) laughing

Dolly Parton

Ameretto

How can it already be February!

Terrifying, am I the only one who thinks everything is going so fast…. Or maybe it’s that I don’t have enough time to do anything!

So, hugely exciting, we have the new Ribbon and Roses collection here which is currently being photographed and will be added this month. Trixilini and A Mod have a preview, with pieces in store now if your inpatient.

With lots of star prints, fun for summer in kaftans tunics and blouses…. All you need to do now is get booking your holidays. The popular maxi dress, which has been a winner for R&R has been shortened which is perfect for weddings this year. Team with fun drop earrings, fascinator, cropped jacked and you’re set. You just need to now organise the wedding present, how to get there, RSVP etc…. All minor details when you have a cracking outfit sorted!

Hope you like it all,

Lots of love
Maz xx




Maz's Profile
3 favourite things:

Archie (11 month old son) laughing

Dolly Parton

Ameretto

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

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