FRED SAVES THE DAY!

My 'work station' is crucial. Inspiring and pretty things all help to get me into the working zone.
I work from home with my office for all to see upon walking into our house, which makes me super particular on the fixtures and fittings that make up my working haven! Not to mention the forever over flowing in tray that is always outta-control!

The office chair has always been a tricky one. I have to admit stubbornness got the better of me, sticking with my trusty linen covered dining room chair being the perfect friend for my mother of pearl inlay desk. Until the back ache complaints really kicked in, getting even more of a regular annoyance particularly highlighted now nearly 6 months pregnant! So action had to be taken and my search for the perfect office chair begun…..

 The idea of an unattractive, techie looking chair, with all singing all dancing features did not do it for me and seemed to cost the earth.

FRED LIVES HERE then came into my life. Set up by a friend here in Singapore, Angie finds quality reproductions of modern-classic furniture and sells them as the already cool pieces they are, or further modernises them into something quite extraordinary. Each item is a one-of-a kind piece, totally customised to your requirements, whether by choosing from a selection of awesome fabrics or choosing a particular artist to create an amazing bespoke work of art.

The Exectutive Chair was the anwers to all my prays! Classic, chic & comfortable and would more than look the part to complete the 'work station'. 
Instantly the Aqua cotton/Linen fabric jumped out at me and I was sold, there was no looking back. Once ordered it was super speedy & here in a couple of weeks.

 

Awesome Aqua Executive Chair

 

A match made in heaven!

 

It even gets the Chilli approval!

 

Look no further FRED is the answer to cool customised furniture. http://www.fredliveshere.com

 

Millie's Profile:

 3 favourite things

1. My wirey daxi Chilli

2. Macaroons

3. Holidays

 

 

 

Travel + shopping = Travelshopa

Questions for Travelshopa:

For those who haven’t come across Travelshopa yet… please give a little summery of what you’re all about and what gave you the inspiration to set it up.

Travelshopa started out as a blog in November 2012, and in July 2013 we will be revealing the first online community of more than 150 exclusive local shops, local brands in Singapore. 

Travelshopa was born out of frustration. I could not seem to easily find quality information about local designers and retailers when I travelled. There are lots of city guides, accommodation and restaurant recommendation sites, but nothing on shopping, and certainly nothing focused purely on local shopping. So I created a blog that helps shoppers to discover great local shops, local brands.

What makes a positive constructive day in the life of Travelshopa?

Discovering a great local shop or brand in Singapore and beyond, or finding out about newsworthy collections/stock/events for local shops and brands. If it’s local shopping related we want to know about it.

 

Best ever fashion purchase and why?

It’s hard to choose the best fashion purchase. There have been quite a few in my time! I do recall the first time I came to Singapore and purchased 14 pairs of shoes, and I recently came back from the US with 10, so I must have a thing for serial shoes shopping adventures.

 

Tell us your best beauty secret.

It’s called living the dream… Meditate, drink water, eat raw food, sleep 8 hours a night and repeat. Something I struggle to achieve on a regular basis.

 

Clothing wise, what could you not live without?

As a mum stylish shorts and comfortable flats. For work, statement trousers.

How do you reward yourself at the end of a busy day?

Yoga or new age books. I have just started reading The Magic.

What is your Favourite (fashion) Online Shop?

Oh that’s not fair... I can no longer have “favourites” or “bests”... To be honest I am not much of an online shopper for fashion. Books are a different story.

What’s your Guilty pleasure?

Um… shopping on the job!

Shoes or Bags?

Is that a trick question? I am a one-bag-woman and a shoe lover.

 

How would you characterise your own fashion style? 

Classic, with some edge. I play it fairly safely most of the time.

Do you shop on the high street, if so where? 

Ahhh! Is that another trick question? No, not anymore... I am enjoying replacing my much-loved designer handbags, shoes and sunglasses with local designer pieces as they provide me with individuality.

 

Tell us your top boutique/shop (fashion) secret you have discovered here in Singapore and why you love it. 

There are too many to list. However, there is a shop in Mandarin Gallery called ‘Nancy’. I think most people would walk straight past it. I bought a military inspired cheongsum shirt from there and I think it gets more compliments than most things I own. All my other favourites are listed on Travelshopa ;)

Who do you think dresses well in the public eye?

I am into following bloggers as I think their wardrobes are more accessible and realistic. I think Wendy Nguyen oozes style and sophistication. As for celebrities, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Aniston and Kourtney Kardashian get it right most of the time, and I find they aren’t head-to-toe in designer labels all the time.

What would your ideal Saturday consist of? 

Sleep in, family brunch, afternoon nap and swim with my daughter, then friends over for a dinner party.

What exciting updates and news does the Travelshopa team have in store this year?

I first came up with the concept of a local shopping “guide” over 2 years ago so it’s very exciting to see that Travelshopa will start to take its true form this July. A lot comes with moving from a blog to an online community, and also expanding into new destinations, so you will have to follow us closely to see what we have in store for all the shopping enthusiasts out there.

 

And finally what's the best bit of advice you’ve been given? 

It was not direct advice but I think Christopher Robin was on the money… You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.

 

 

Lots of Love

Renée, Travelshopa xx

 Renée’s top things:

Toes between the sand, a smile and memories

 

 

 

IKAT

So our love of Ikat continues.

It’s been around for a while, or actually centuries to be fair but we are loving spotting it everywhere from furniture, fabrics, painted ceramics and hopefully the latest collection from Ribbon and Roses sits happily amongst it all… especially if your wallet doesn’t stretch to this beaut Gucci number!!

Maybe I can persuade the husband with this fabric I found on Ebay…

 

 

But for now here are our shorts which are cotton, perfect teamed with a simple white T… or the navy pair can be smartened up with silk blouse and wedges for the evening.

 

 

 

 

 

Also available is our pretty cotton tea dress, just now need the Sun Shine!

And just because…..!

 

 

Lots of love, have a good rest of the week

Ribbon and Roses xx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Helpers!

So our little 4 legged friend has settled in brilliantly…. She is a little manic, as all puppies are and thinks a great game is leaping from box to box in my office and sliding on the marble tiles in between. Maybe it’s time I took the plunge to buy a new rug and try and promote some calm around here!!

 

Mind you, after an event a couple of weeks ago I couldn’t find lots of our stone bracelets… to only find the culprit trying them on under the table.

Must get some serenity, peace and calm around here to do some proper work!!

Lots of love

Ribbon and Roses Xx

A Reimagining of Pretty Things…

I love the relationships we make (Admittedly not always face to face, but through the keyboard!) of Ribbon and Roses customers all around the world. Here is one of our more creative, loyal ones! xx

I completely adore Ribbon & Roses and have purchased many items, often the same item in different colours. My sense of style is very much about pairing the feminine and sweet, such as a pretty blouse, with more uniform and robust wardrobe staples, such as long cargo shorts or a favourite pair of jeans.

Having purchased both a navy and a white butterfly blouse, I decided that I would love one in a lovely shade of pastel blue. I bought another in white and set about dying it to my desired colour. The pictures show how wonderful my little project turned out. The embroidery on the blouse has kept its light, while the fabric itself took the dye bath beautifully. The contrast really enhances this beautiful blouse.

 

 

I also love the soft cotton embroidered blouse and tunic dress. Unfortunately the dress is a little short for me and my liking so I set about lengthening it to tea dress length. Using a second dress, I added to the hemline of the first. I even made a beautiful soft belt to cinch in the waist. This was achieved using some of the chiffon-like interior slip of the dress itself.

Not to waste any remaining material from dress number two, I turned this into another blouse as can be seen in the photos. For something a little different, I dyed it china blue. Of course I already have this blouse in white!

A little tinker here, a small adjustment there, a little thinking outside the box and my lovely Ribbon & Roses wardrobe includes a few extra special exclusive items designed by me!

Lots of Love

Melinda

Melinda’s top 3 things in life would be,  (in no particular order)

 My beautiful boys. They keep me young and we have so much fun together.

 The three "Fs" : Family, friends and faith.

Next would be taking the time to smell the roses. Such a difficult thing to find the time to just be still in this hectic world.

 

Get to know the lady behind the Changmoh keyboard....

Questions for Changmoh:

For those who haven’t come across Changmoh yet… please give a little summery and what gave you the inspiration to set up the blog.

It’s a blog about me living in Singapore and invariably local (but sometimes not) things I’ve come across that I love! I was inspired to write a blog after a dinner party of friends encouraged me to.

What makes a positive constructive day in the life of Changmoh?

I suppose it would start with a training session with Hayati at Alpha Fit, (which I hate at the time, but quite like afterwards) then perhaps a spot of writing which I am doing now on a freelance basis for a few magazines (I’d love more of it…so if you’re an editor and reading this…look me up!). Lunch would be with my five year old daughter whose school finishes at the ridiculously early time of 11.30am.  The afternoon is taken up with activities like trips to the botanics, the zoo, sticky picnics involving disgusting things like ‘hundreds and thousands’ sandwiches and so on.

 

Tell us your best beauty secret.

Cinderella nails, level 5 of Far East Plaza, $5 OPI manicures!

Best ever fashion purchase and why?

A DVF retro printed, sleeveless dress with a handkerchief hemline that I can wear to black tie parties, Ascot (with a hat) or…to the beach.

Clothing wise, what could you not live without?

Shorts! I live in them out here

How to you reward yourself at the end of a busy day.

It used to be chocolate which I’ve recently given up. I want to say wine. Yes, wine…and maybe a game of mahjong with some girlfriends.

 

What is your Favourite (fashion)Online Shop?

My-wardrobe.com – I even got my father on to it and he managed to buy me some Ash ankle boots for my birthday.

What’s your Guilty pleasure?

Weekly manicures (hence important discovery of Cinderalla Nails)

Shoes or Bags?

Bags 100%.  Here you kick off your shoes as soon as you set foot in someone’s house so you can get away with almost anything.

How would you characterise your own fashion style? 

Eclectic; hopefully wearing what suits me whether or not it’s in season. Invariably it’s not.

Do you shop on the high street, if so where? 

Yup. Love a bit of High Street bargain hunting.  If I’m back in the UK, I definitely visit Primark and Topshop. Here I’m a Shopping at Tiffany’s gal or M&S for basics, but I tend to buy most of my clothes when I’m overseas.

Tell us a shop (fashion ) secret you have discovered here in Singapore and why you love it.  

It would have to be the great handbags from Ghim Moh market (last shop on the lhs as you face the market, under a blue awning near the playgound). Seriously!

Who do you think dresses well in the public eye?

Olivia Palermo

What would your ideal Saturday consist of? 

Tanglin Club for lunch and a swim, dinner out with friends, maybe at Bedrock (my favourite) or here at home for a BBQ

And finally what's the best bit of advice you’ve been given? 

Worry less, laugh more.

Changmoh's 3 favourite things: 

My girl

and 2 boys xx

Visiting India

We love customer feedback and after an amazing sounding trip to India, Lydia put pen to paper for us!

 

Last month my husband and I travelled to India to visit friends and complete the Golden Triangle circuit through Delhi, Agra and Jaipur.  Excited as I was, it quickly became clear that my Singapore wardrobe of shorts, sundresses and tank tops wouldn’t fit the bill for the more conservative dress in northern India. After a frustrating day on Orchard Road left me void of any appropriate clothing, I happily recalled a Ribbon and Roses event I attended last year and immediately jumped on the website. One visit to Marina a few days later and I was set!

 

 

 

All of the items that Marina helped me choose were not only perfect for India, but also beautifully made and versatile enough for almost any climate. Paired with jeans, shorts, leggings and cardigans, I look forward to wearing them on trips home to the US as well as on future holidays in SE Asia.

 

One unexpected but fun anecdote from the trip was that my friend in India quickly fell in love with my Ribbon and Roses items. When I returned to Singapore, Marina very kindly helped replicate my previous shopping trip, which I boxed up and sent to India. My friend (who has since received the box) is relishing her new items, and we both enjoy the thought of our shared wardrobe being worn in such different parts of the world!

 

Lots of Love

Lydia

 

Lydia's 3 favourite things: 

Making memories with Jon

Morning cups of coffee

Travel