For those who are staying near the Downtown line on the MRT, the Fort Canning Station exit brings you right to this gorgeous park. I don't have many pictures because we are usually so occupied as there are so many play areas.
Pro Tip: Avoid weekends and bring along a mat. The Tiong Baru Bakery is also near the playground, handy for a quick light bite.
This park has many hidden gems, you have to walk and find them. I really love the pond area as we saw many insects, creatures and plants. Too bad my camera couldn't capture them.
Pro Tip: Bring along some light bites as I did not see any cafes or shops around.
I grew up going to the beach a lot so seeing how this park evolved is so special. This area is called Cyclist Park, or you can Google P.S Cafe to get here. It has a little nature playground and the waters are usually rather clean.
Pro Tip: If you sense the weather is going to be rainy, this spot is good, as there are shaded areas near the toilet and P.S Cafe.
This has to be on my list because it is very close to home. We go here almost every other day and my kids know the spaces well enough for me to kind of "snooze" for a bit. (Not sleep for real, but mummies would understand this.)
I love that it's a sandy playground, something that is hard to find these days.
Pro Tip: Again, it is very accessible on the downtown line, exit Bedok Reservoir and it is a 5 mins walk.
This place is good for when you need to swing by NTUC to get groceries or quick dinner. There are two malls nearby: PLQ and Singpost. Ideal for Daddy to take the kids to the playground and for you to do a quick shopping. My favourite Scoop Wholefoods is there too!
Pro Tip: Avoid weekends, weekday mornings are the best!
This is truly a hidden gem. I love how it has a nice path around the park for kids to scoot or cycle and we can get a good view of them. If you are up for an adventure, the park connecter leads you all the way to east coast beach.
Pro Tip: Late afternoons are nice as it is not crowded and because its a very shaded park, I do get there as early as 4pm.
This is an extension of the Botanical Garden. If you are driving, get to Gallop Extension itself as it is not part of the main garden. We went there by train and it was close to a 30 mins walk to get there!
Pro Tip: Once you are done with the playground, go upstairs where you will see a cafe (The Bee's Knees) and a nice green lawn with colonial-style buildings. What a sight!
We know this place very well but I recently found a beautiful spot to have a little picnic. When you exit the MRT, you will pass by these mirrors and murals. Once you go up to the first level, head right and pass by the little dome.
Pro Tip: Even on a weekend, this spot is empty!
Now that we do not have many tourists, this is such a nice place to go.
The rooftop of Esplanade has a nice space for kids to just roam around. There is also Pip Playbox where you can do some simple activities. More info here as bookings are needed.
Pro Tip: Once you are done with the rooftop, you can walk along the water area, grab coconut ice cream and head to the playground.
This is a simple trip via MRT where you can alight at Promenade. You will see the Singapore Flyer and pass by some maze before reaching the Helix Bridge itself. We headed in the morning, and by the time we got to MBS, it was lunchtime.
Pro Trip: If your kids are big enough, bring a scooter along!
]]>Here's a quick interview session to know more about Noorindah:
1) Tell a bit about yourself and something we don't know about you
Hi ladies, I'm Noorindah and I'm usually the one behind the scenes and not in front! In my past life I was a branding and marketing consultant and used to work in New York. In my current life, I'm also the founder and writer of Shy & Curious, a blog that's all about exploring taboo topics like sex, love and relationships without shame or guilt! I'm quite the open book so I doubt there's something I haven't shared yet.... oh wait, I have a phobia of blood! I faint when I see or hear about gruesome accidents and it's something that's passed through my family. And yes, menstruation blood is the exception...
2) How has working for Lully Selb changed you?
I wouldn't have had the chance to have Selb and Lully in my life for one thing! When I first moved back to Singapore from New York, it took me a while to find my bearing after being away for so long. I would say the girls are my first real 'new' friends I made in my transition back and it's funny because while I love fashion, I would have never known about the modestwear industry. It's been such a learning journey navigating the ups and downs of the industry together, meeting other amazing peers in the business and just being there for each other in our own personal lives. These are the girls who've been there for me at every significant milestone in the past 6 years and I can't imagine life without them otherwise!
3) What is your dream birthday celebration?
Wow, I've never thought about it! I'm a Leo so while I really get super excited in the countdown to my birthday – on the actual day I prefer being lowkey like doing solo staycations and journalling away. But since we're on the topic of dreams, I would love to wake up in a nice resort with breakfast by my (future) partner, then laze together by the beach with the sun in my face and wind in my hair and finally have a big bonfire dance party with all my loved ones from all over the world and laugh about all the crazy adventures we've gotten into to end up exactly at that spot.
4) What is your wish this year?
Well apart from the obvious of wanting this pandemic to be over and for us to reopen, I've actually been quite lucky this year in terms of the work and community I've been building with Shy & Curious. Most of the milestones I've mapped out to happen within 3 years have occurred in just these few months! If there's something I would wish for, I'll love to spend more time writing and meeting people for Shy & Curious through workshops. There's just so many ideas but not enough hours in a day!
5) What's your biggest challenge these past months as the pandemic continues?
Like most of us out there, there's this sense of life being stagnant or like for every one step forward, we're taking two steps back. With every restriction, you start missing the simple things you take for granted like going for workout classes, hanging out in the cafes, and just chilling with friends. There's also this strange line between trying to live in the now and be mindful versus being anxious about the unknown future. I'm very grateful of course that in these uncertain times, it's actually helped me through my personal growth by understanding the values I have and what I truly appreciate and need in life. I'm still optimistic there's light at the end of this tunnel!
6) What is your favourite piece from the Founders Birthday collection?
I'm always in black so when I saw Chroma Quartz Shawl it was love at first sight! It's such a standout statement piece and also goes back to some of our signature prints like Glitch. I usually use my LS shawls as a wrap or drape it around my neck to add some colour to my monochrome outfits.
To view full collection of Founders Birthday Minerals Edition, click here.
]]>Let's get to know Fahimah a little more through this short interview session.
1) Tell a bit about yourself and something we don't know about you
Hey Lully Selb Squad! I'm Fahimah, and I've modelled almost every major Lully Selb collection from their debut to their latest collection. Kinda like an in house resident model 😂. Something you may not know about me is that I'm really good at remembering lyrics and have been on the gameshow 'Don't Forget The Lyrics' when they aired a local season.
2) How has modelling for Lully Selb changed you?
You could say that modelling for Lully Selb was the gateway to many other opportunities that came my way. It also gave me the confidence to go after other modelling opportunities because I knew I had some experience to rely on. I've also made new acquaintances and friends with others from the LS squad.
3) Your all time top 3 favourite for LS campaign shoots you did
- Debut collection!
- Nona Raya
- Blank Canvas
4) What's your biggest challenges these past months as the pandemic continues?
Missing human connection and gatherings immensely. As well as the feeling of escape on a holiday. Feels like I haven't had a real proper break since the start of all these.
5) How would you style the pieces from this year's Founders Bday collection?
The chroma is my favourite from this collection. I love how colourful it is and how it pops. I would style it with a full white outfit to draw focus to the design.
To view full collection of Founders Birthday Minerals Edition, click here.
]]>Hello #LSSquad,
This July, we're dedicating our blogposts to the founders of Lully Selb as we're celebrating our birthdays. Many of you may not know that, besides Lully and I, there is also another important member of the brand; Noorin. She is behind all the words you read and some of the graphics you see. She has been with us on and off throughout the growth of the brand. Let's just say she's the 3rd arm to the brand and yes, she is also a July baby.
Through this Founder's Birthday Blog Series or should I say LS Teams' Birthday, we each will answer questions about our birthdays, wishes, personal growth and struggles. I shall go first, hope you enjoy them.
- Selb
1) Tell us a bit about yourself and something we don't know about you.
I'm Selma, the co founder of Lully Selb. I oversee almost everything, from strategies, design, marketing, operation, sales and finance. Besides wearing the CEO hat, I am a mom of 3 children under the ages of 4. Iman, 3+ Suleiman 18months and my newborn, Osman is 3 months old.
I'm now juggling motherhood and running the brand from home and everyday is a real struggle. I'm always optimistic in doing work when all the kids are sleeping but on most nights, I doze off together with them.
Something you may not know about me... Prior to kids and husband, I used to dive a lot with my friends. One of the best diving spot for me is Andaman Sea, near Krabi island. And I still remember clearly when I did a live on board tour meaning you live in a boat for 2 nights and dive during the daytime. It was one of the best times of my early adulthood and though I cannot imagine doing it again, I really miss the carefree days.
2) How has working for Lully Selb changed you?
I definitely have matured together with the brand, both professionally and personally. Simple things like not being so camera shy anymore and more adaptable on a day to day basis. I was also a very timid girl and now I have to be brave and keep standing up for what I believe in in terms of pushing ideas for the brand.
Running Lully Selb has taught me many things in life. Although there were some very expensive lessons learnt, the brand has also reminded me to not to forget the inner child in me. A lot of the decisions I make here are based on logic, but I also realised that instincts and being spontaneous are very important behaviours too.
One thing for sure, being your own boss has made me a more disciplined person.
3) What is you dream birthday celebration?
The 25 year old me would ask for a beach picnic with lots of delicious home made pastries and desserts. Now I just want a day off from mummy duties, be it picnic or stay in bed!
On my birthday weekend, I attempted a date night with my newborn and husband and totally failed at it. He kept waking up at the sound of coffee machines! So yes, next year its a ME time kind of birthday.
4) What is your wish this year?
To always have the strength, patience and wisdom to juggle motherhood and business.
5) What's your biggest challenge these past months as the pandemic continues?
From end 2019 when covid started till now, I gave birth to 2 babies. Caring for newborns is challenging on its own but with the pandemic, I think it just adds to the general anxiety. My husband and I love to travel and explore new places with the kids so when that privilege is taken away, we feel sad and lost. But I'm so so blessed to be surrounded by a strong support system; a very helpful helper, family and mummy friends whom I can just call for help. This past year or so, I've discovered so many beautiful places in Singapore and with all the ever changing restrictions, I keep telling myself to always find a way out. This sounds so silly but I really love that everywhere is always empty, and theres enough space for everyone.
In terms of running Lully Selb, it has been rather challenging. Due to covid, behaviour patterns have changed and we have to constantly think of new ideas. Juggling business and motherhood is not and will never be easy but I'm learning each day and that's most important.
6) What is your favourite piece from the Founders Birthday collection?
I'm a very practical person, so something that I know will match all my clothings. I pick the Slate grey shawl.
]]>1st April, Thursday 4pm
With the launch of #LS X Inkten collection, we got to know the artist better, beyond her gorgeous artworks. Our #dreamwithLS campaign supports aspiring, budding artists and for the first time, we're so honoured to work together with Inkten on a series of both collaborative and original artwork (Originals by Inkten) created exclusively for us.
About Inkten;
Inkten’s work takes on an analytical perspective on her view into the future of mark-making. She pushes and reconstructs the narrative of urban art-making into an immersive world of transcendent structures, patterns, and geometry.
A good friend of our co founder Lully, Inkten has worked with well renowned brands and clients such as Google, Saatchi&Saatchi, Hogarth, National Arts Council, and Mercedes Benz. Inkten is also an active speaker who has shared numerous talks at TED, Apple, and Microsoft.
1) How do you feel as a woman artist here in Singapore?
What you choose to allow in your life, is what makes up your tranquility in creating what you feel is right.
Understand that people grow up with different perspectives and everyone thinks differently.
Creating art is a way of life. Enjoying what I do is all that matters :)
2) Describe your creative process?
Every drawing and painting created captures a different mood and feeling at that exact point in time. I take the act of sketching with a pencil seriously as it is an act of thinking.
I start my day simply with a pencil and paper. Drawing is indefinitely a way of thinking creatively through processes of inquiries and reflections.
The rest of my creative process simply just follow through after the sketch is done.
3) What makes you happy?
The simplicity of the mind and being truthful to yourself.
4) What's ur main inspiration for Geo Flow Series?
The potential of a white canvas and translating my energy into works of art. I am constantly inspired by the potential of how I can produce designs and translating them into great emotions.
5) Describe why you chose these color palettes for the collection
I wanted to bring out the feeling of being bold, hopeful, and confident. Hence the strong colors paired with the really clean and structured lines. I hope that everyone will be able to feel that when dressed in a piece of LullySelb X Inkten.
Shop the full collection LS X Inkten here. As this is a limited edition collab, we will not be restocking any designs.
Thank you #LSSquad.
]]>Some time middle this year during circuit breaker, I just thought of her and decided to drop her a msg. Planted the idea of a potential collaboration and we both got so excited, we agreed and started the process right away. This is the beauty of building LS community; from customers to friends and now partners for our businesses.
After an initial discussion at my home studio, team LS got busy and started the design process. We wanted something modern, clean but of course with the Lully Selb touch of boldness and uniqueness. It was tricky at first, because when you think prayer mats, you would want something clean and calm. We avoided all the crazy patterns we always did and focused on Islam and Islamic architecture as a starting point.
With the borders shutting down since the Covid-19 pandemic started, I wanted to reminisce my most recent trip to Turkey. The beautiful, mystical land is the inspiration behind these prints that contrasts the Islamic architecture of mosques with the overall natural landscape of caves and hill.
Here is the moodboard we started off with before diving into the designs.
After the designs are done, we did samples and Bynfitri handled all the production and quality checks. It was such a breeze working with Nadia as she is always so prompt in replying msgs (despite being a mum of 3 with NO helper, hats off).
This collection comprises of 4 mats, 3 padded and 1 for travel. We wanted to convey the essence of Islam through these prints and came out with 3 key messages - Ilm (knowledge), Iman (Faith) and Nur (Light).
NUR TRAVEL PRAYER MAT
This design is inspired by the uniquness of Turkish Mosques that are known for their famous hanging bulb lights. From the ancient times when mosques were first built in Anatolia, these bulb lights were hung right under the dome to brighten the space during the nights. They are so unique that most of the new mosques still use the same hanging bulb concept to light the way.
ILM ADULT PADDED PRAYER MAT - NAVY
ILM KIDS PADDED PRAYER MAT - YELLOW
Besides the magnificent mosques, Turkey is also known for its interesting natural landscapes from water, caves and mountains. This design conveys as though one is peeping through a keyhole where a vast of knowledge awaits you.
Comes with a matching Kids size.
IMAN ADULT PADDED PRAYER MAT - TERRACOTA
This print is a depiction of one continuously going forward and upward as though metaphorically climbing a mountain. We named this Faith, because in all that we do and in our daily routines, it is most important that we have ultimate faith in Allah to persevere with no matter how tough the path might be.
The padded prayer mats come with a pouch for easy storage or you can use the pouch for your own needs.
In all kids of design process, there are always many trials. Here are some of the colours and designs we tested that did not make the final cut ( there were more! ).
We're doing a special launch promo for first 50 purchases.
1) FREE DELIVERY (registered door to door mail)
2) FREE LIMITED EDITION TOTEBAG
Raising funds for Baby Rayyan
For first 50 mats sold, $5 is given to help Baby Rayyan who is suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy. May Allah accept your deeds and increase your Ilm, Iman and Nur Ameen..
To know more about Baby Rayyan’s story and progress, please visit here.
Thank you #lullyselbsquad! To a better 2021!
Love,
Selb
]]>
We sat down with Norazee and chatted about business, covid19, diets and of course, plants. Not only was her home beautified by these plants she’d been growing, she also knew all the scientific names! Don't mess around with her! She could name all the plants that were on our LS Plant T-shirt while showing the real life ones at her balcony.
Let's dive into the short interview.
1) When did you start taking care of plants and why?
I have a balcony which gets pretty good lighting and a few years ago, my friend Shiqin commented how I should start caring for plants because the space was perfect. I was like, ok. Then one day, I got a small plant and the collection just grew exponentially from there. Lol.
2) If one wants to start planting, what's your advice? And what's the easiest, prettiest plant to start with?
There is no such thing as a “green thumb”. It’s all science and also the art of commitment. Be aware of the lighting available in your house and start from there. Easiest plants to start with are philodendrons! And please start with cheap plants to experiment with lighting and water!
3) What's your favourite plant?
My absolute favourite (which means the ONE plant I would save in an emergency) is my Philodendron Billietiae. I had him (yes, I give them genders lol) when he was tiny and had 4 leaves and now he’s massive!
4) What kept you going this year?
My husband, who is an absolute rock, never ceases to remind me that even during the hardest times, we’re so fortunate to always be surrounded by people who love us and there’s always food on the table and a roof over our heads. Also my cats. Oh my cats. They’re funny and stupid and they keep me going!
Thank you Norazee for spending the afternoon with us, what a calming cosy home she has.
Get your plant vibes fixed with our latest Plant Series. The long sleeved t-shirt seen on Norazee and more!
]]>As part of our #LSgetsfit campaign, we're working with 3 wellness and fitness instructors to help you kick start your own fitness journey.
Today we have Damini from @daminiyogini to share with us 10 yoga poses that’s targeted to relieve your neck, back and shoulder pain! Not only for the desk bound warrior, this is for anyone who’d been hunching over their phones and screens, cooking and reading. In other words, this short workout under 10 mins is for all of us!
We also managed to catch up with her and got some tips for you.
If you only have 10 mins a day for a work out, what should you do?
Depends on the day. If I am looking to release tightness in my hips after long hours of being seated at my work desk, I do a specific yoga sequence. If I am looking to get aerobic exercise, I go for a run.
If one wants to start her fitness journey, what type of work out do you recommend and how often ?
Start small, stay consistent and gradually keep increasing your capacity. If you can do lunges, do 10 every day for a week and then your body will naturally allow you to do more when you’re ready. Same goes for yoga. Start with an elementary 60-min class, in due time you’ll be able to level up to 2 hour sessions!
If one is feelings anxious, what's a quick way to calm down?
Directing the anxious mind away from thoughts and towards senses is a sure shot and effective way to calm yourself. Employ the 5 senses healing trick. What does this mean? Redirect your awareness to your senses and what’s around — with sight (look at some plants or photos of animals), with taste (drink a cup of chamomile tea), with touch (give yourself a hug), with smell (use calming essential oils like lavender) and with sound (listen to ambient music)
Thank you Daminiyogini for your time and sharing the above useful tips. You can also follow her Instagram for more updates.
Stay connected with Damini & join the journey to a wholesome YOU at www.daminiyogini.com. She's also offering up an 8% discount on all private 1:1 virtual sessions (60 and 120min) plus a free meditation e-guide for the upcoming Full Moon. Email her to know more and quote 'LSgetsfit' and make sure you're also subscribed for her website updates!
Wanna look good while you feel good during your workouts? Check out our new activewear range!
]]>As part of our #LSgetsfit campaign, we're working with 3 wellness and fitness instructors to help you kick start your own fitness journey. Today we have hertribe founder, Nura with her essential 10min work out that promises to perk you up! We all go through moments where we just feel so lethargic and lazy so we know how important it is to get up and get energized, Even if you feel overwhelmed, sneak in this short 10 min work out at least once a day so you can keep on with your spirits up for the rest of the day!
We also managed to catch up with her and got some tips for you.
If you only have 10 mins a day for a work out, what should you do?
A yoga flow consisting stretches and core exercises such as boat, bridge, planks, shoulder taps and plenty of squats!
If one wants to start her fitness journey, what type of work out do you recommend and how often ?
The first is always the most trying, so start small by setting aside 30 minutes of strength training at home or hiking outdoor followed by 1 hour progressively to 2 hours each week at a studio/gym which would fuel your motivation when you’re in the same room as likeminded souls. If you’ve been sedentary, go for workouts that sounds intriguing and at the same time targets your concerns to recover from illnesses - therapy or Yoga, to lose weight/tone up - try cardio (Dance/Zumba/Rhythmic cycling) and strength training (Barre/Yoga/Pilates), to build flexibility or improve fertility - try for stretch classes or Aerial Yoga. Rome isn’t build in a day, and so does your body, but as long as you’re committed and acknowledge that your body is a work of progress, every little time sweating it out works!
When I'm pregnant, how often should I work out?
Not all expectant women would have the luxury of time to commit to a prenatal class, but it’s essential to stay active throughout the pregnancy by taking a brisk walk 10 minute to 3 hours of endurance brisk walk once a week when they can. A pregnancy workout routine for comfort and easier childbirth should includes daily essentials of muscles lengthening and full range of motion such as butterfly pose, squat, low lunges and downward dog. While it’s important to stay active during her pregnancy, the expectant mom should be mindful of her maternal positioning too.
Thank you Nura of HerTribe for your time and space. You can also follow their Instagram for latest updates on their classes. They have an array of Aerial and Prenatal sessions.
BONUS: LS followers can quote "LS5" to enjoy 5% off*!
*Only applicable for package and not single class.
Please email Hello@hertribe.sg or send a DM to their Instagram to quote before purchasing.
Wanna look good while you feel good during your workouts? Check out our new activewear range!
]]>We started with a local Nasi Lemak lunch while we caught up and got to know each other a little more. I also found out one of them was from the same primary school as me! Go Temasek! We then proceeded with the chat proper, going deep into the road blocks they faced and what we can do about them.
It was a fluid session, where we asked each other questions and threw in ideas. I then realised that they have so many wonderful intentions and they got so excited talking about them. One thing I learned while observing is that, the biggest challenge we all have is to be focused. We always want all the fancy ideas but along the way, we often get lost.
Some of the issues we spoke about are target audience, how to grow the community, how to support these women and how to be consistent. These are very real problems especially when starting a new brand and it's important to be very clear about them.
Here are some takeaways;
1) Be specific about who you are serving. While it's good to have a wide audience, starting with a niche market is always best. We also spoke about brand values because I'm a big believer in your vibes attract your tribe. Your values determine how you communicate to your audience and people who share the same values will follow you and eventually buy your product.
2) Create VS Curate Content for social media marketing - As mothers, when time is so limiting, I do not see anything wrong in having a mix of original content and curated content. What's the difference? Creation means taking your own photos, editing them and writing your own captions, while curating simply means reposting. Be sure to credit the original creator!
3) Be consistent - Since they are all mothers, I told them to start small first. Even for basic things like social media marketing, it's better to post less but of better quality and be REALLY consistent about it.
4) Another common mistake I see amongst start ups is they tend to keep changing ideas. I know we get excited with new ideas but it's worth the time to nurture an idea and give it sufficient time to see some results.
It was indeed a fruitful session though they did feel a little overwhelmed. I am excited to see how they will develop the business and aim to catch up with them to follow their progress. (Ladies I know you are reading this, pls have faith and keep going! Small baby steps will go along way and remember to stick to the plan.)
Please follow their Instagram and check out their website. I was recently featured on their blog too where I shared on my first year working from home as a new mom. And spread the word to your women friends who would want to join the community of WomensLifeWork.
Till the next coffee chat, stay safe everyone.
Love,
Selb
]]>
Since 2020 is turning out different from our expectation, we thought of doing something totally new too. Instead of creating more Graphic Colours, we want to bring back our first capsule collection which comprises of Dress Shirt. The Drip Dress Shirt is the no 1 style piece that every LS girl must have. I have been wearing mine since day 1 and now on the 5th year, it has finally worn out and I cannot wait to get a fresh new piece for myself. Here's a throwback to our first photoshoot.
Besides the founders birthday collection, team LS has asked me to also start a new personal tradition. I thought for some time and wondered if I should do fund raising for the under privilege, or do an event for the community. Given the current Covid19 situation and many restrictions, I thought it would be best to do something in a small group.
I also wanted something rather private and personal and hope to inspire other like-minded women to go out there and chase their dreams. At the crux of my philosophy, I feel like no matter how many hats we women wear, we should always have personal goals and a vision for OURSELVES. It is not selfish at all, because when feed your soul with the things you love, your heart is able to give more to those who matter.
For me, doing good for myself is being able to run Lully Selb. No matter how much or how little we earn as a company, sitting down everyday for a couple of hours thinking of ideas and ways to improve the brand gives me that high. Of course, the first few years were tougher, but I can proudly say that with sheer hardwork and dedication, we hit our 5 years mark and its a BIG deal for me. I'm happy that I get to be home to see my children grow, while running the day to day operations and photoshoots for Lully Selb. That was my goal when I first started, and here I am seeing that the wishes and hopes I had before become my actual reality is both surreal and amazing.
So for my special Birthday Tradition that I'd like to start this year.... *Drum Rolls*
I'm opening my home studio to ONE of you for us to have a coffee chat and bounce ideas about your personal dream. You can ask me anything about the business, how we started, what are our failures, poor decisions we made or anything you are curious about. I will try to share as much as possible to help you figure out what you can do next. I understand that we may be in different stages but I'm open to sharing and hopefully inspire you to make that positive change.
If you hear yourself saying any of the lines below, I'm excited to meet you!
1) I have a passion project but I'm not sure if I can turn in into a business.
2) I have a few ideas to start a business but not sure which is the right move.
3) I've started a brand online but I haven't gotten much sales.
4) I love fashion so much, should I start my own brand but how do I it?
5) I'm a mother and have chosen to leave my career, is the a way I can start an online business?
At the end of the 2 hour chat, I hope you will walk out of my home having a clearer direction and actionable steps (Yes, I will love if you bring a notebook and write down points), and most importantly feel excited to start your journey.
All you have to do is answer this set of questions. This will help me choose the most deserving one. Good luck ladies, looking forward to reading all your answers and finally meeting one of you!
PS: Since it's a 1 to 1 coffee chat, I'm flexible in terms of date and time so we both can plan together and see when is most suitable.
Love,
Selb
]]>We did a poll some time last week to ask about whether healthy recipes or delicious meals are more important and about 70% of you said your food must taste good. Well I'm a little disappointed coz I was hoping more of you would be health conscious but it's alright, I'm here to give you that little push!
Many of us also assume that healthy foods are boring, tasteless and unsatisfying. And the thought of eating a bowl full of greens just puts you off. During this circuit breaker period, I have been experimenting a lot in the kitchen, making sure my family eats relatively healthy and still enjoy our meals together.
We even started to have twice a week strictly no meat days (my husband is a huge chicken fan, so this is really a big step for him.) and I was cracking my head so hard on how to entice him to this new eating habit.
Today I'm sharing with you one of my favourite dip recipes - Guacamole. It's super healthy as the main ingredient is Avocado and it’s so spicy and yummy. To make it more suited to our taste buds, I've added cili padi. You can serve at snack time, or even as a side dish for a meal. Here in this photo, I have prepared Pumpkin + Pomegranate Salad, Baked Sweet Potatoes and Guacamole Dip. I bought some tortila chips (not the healthiest) to give it a nice mix.
Recipe for Guacamole (Asian style) Dip
Prep time: 10mins, Serves a bowl for 4 persons
Ingredients
Method
1) Cut open the avocado and remove the flesh.
2) Smash them with a fork. Do not over blend as it nice to have some avocado chunks.
3) Chop the onions, tomatoes into cubes.
4) Finely chop the birds eye chilli and cilantro.
5) Mix everything it and give it a good stir.
Tips:
- Salt and pepper add to your liking. If you don't like it too spicy, you can remove the birds eye chilli but it gives it a nice Asian kick.
- Chill a few hours before serving.
Have fun cooking, and if you are one who never liked avocados, this recipe will break that barrier! Avocados are very rich in nutrients and good fats, so if you want to start snacking healthy, this dish is a winner! I also love to serve my guests with platter of chips and dips. Healthy + Yummy.
PS: Last day to get our printed aprons; Minty Fresh and I'm wearing SG Lets Makan design.
1 for $29, 2 for $50. Click here to shop.
Love,
Selb
Ingredients:
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 165°C. Grease and line two 8 inch pans or three 6 inch pans.
2. Combine cake flour, baking powder, sea salt, lemon zest and fine sugar in a mixer. With a paddle attachment mix the ingredients for a few seconds.
3. Add the butter and mix until mixture resembles coarse sand.
4. In another bowl, whisk together all the remaining wet ingredients.
5. Pour 1/3 of the wet ingredients into the mixer. Turn the speed to medium high and beat for 2 minutes.
6. Once mixture turns pale and fluffy, slowly add the remaining liquid. Scrape teacher bowl and mix on high for 30 more seconds.
7. Divide mixture equally into the prepared pans. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Then remove and cool completely on a wired rack.
8. Fill & frost your cake with whipped cream or buttercream.
This week is my master bedroom and one of things to declutter is of course my wardrobe. I finally found a better way to organise my shawl. 99% of them are Lully Selb printed shawls. I noticed I always wear the same few shawls that I see whenever I open my wardrobe and get to wear the ones that are hidden behind.
Here's what I did today.
1) Remove all shawls from my wardrobe and put aside those I don't want. (very painful process, coz i LOVE all my LS shawls.)
2) Refold them into thin strips to perfectly hang on these little hangers.
3) Arrange them in the same colour schemes.
4) The same colour scheme goes onto 1 big hanger. This way, when I want to pick a shawl for an outfit, I can take out that one big hanger and see the choices I have.
Thats it. It was easier than I thought.
I have to admit although I have a whole collection of Lully Selb shawls, there are a few that are on repeat mode. Obviously my go-to monochrome rack!
Its our 5th Birthday this May and its timely to refresh my 5 all time fav LS Shawls!
1) Neon Black (our latest LSEssentials)
2) Mashed up Geometry Shawl (currently oos)
3) #LSwithyou LS X Sijun - Home for Beetles (our first collab with Artists with special needs. This shawl is no longer on our site, but you can see the new collabs here.)
4) Plant (now we have in chiffon, which is in stock.)
5) Terra Terra (Restocking this!)
Enjoy 20% till 10 May. (We never give 20% off for our shawls ever, so here is your chance!)
Plus additional 50% off Festive Wear. Just so you know, we're not going to produce anymore Eid collection in the future (going towards more lifestyle), so grab your last LS Baju Raya!
Stay home, stay safe and remember, Our Raya shall go on no matter what!
Love,
Selb
]]>
The theme was to make an artwork which you can have it displayed on your walls or fridge. During the live, some of the viewers were surprised at how a humble household item can be used to create interesting marks! My favourite tool got to be thread attached to chopstick and cotton buds.
Just look at that loose fluid marks made by the thread. All you have to do is to cut a piece or two thread or string and secure it on a chopsticks using tape. Soak the thread in water first so that it will be able to absorb more ink. I especially like dragging the thread sideways. Here are the samples I made during the live session.
You can also try to make your own Markmaking tools such as these.
Why not you give it a try making your own tools? Now that we have to stay home, it's a good time to make some art. Perhaps you can then turn it into postcards and snail mail it to your love ones!
-Lully
]]>We've survived 2 weeks of the Circuit Breaker! Although I have been working from home the past few years, there are still some changes to my weekly routine. The biggest challenge was to replace outdoor/nature play with more home-based activities for my 28 month old toddler. It was a super stressful week trying to set a new routine with the new norm where we have to stay in the whole day and cooked a lot more.
There are also so many uncertainties with what's happening and Team Lully Selb and I also kept changing our plans as #Covid19 evolved. One of the things we told ourselves is to stay relevant and make sure we continue to let our community stay positive through our work.
We rolled out a series of IG Live, to touch base with our LSSquad and I was so glad one of my good friends Amrita agreed to chat with me. I knew she would be the perfect person to talk about the struggles of WFH + HBL. It was such a great 15 min convo, how I wished I had recorded it! We talked about her parenting philosophy, how she juggles with the new norm, her hopes and fears with the current situation. Here are some of important points I'd like to share.
Materials;
We continued when she woke up from her nap to tear the painted pieces into strips and pasted layers of sand.
Materials;
1) Washable Paints
2) Masking Tapes
3) Paper
Steps;
1) Use masking tape and paste on paper to form silhouette of a tree (you can change the subject matter.) *Don't forget to also stick on your clothes to remove the stickyness
2) Paint over the whole paper.
3) Remove tapes.
You can paint with brush, roller, sponge and for Iman, she used her hands most of the time.
No photos as we didn't manage to do, but this was my inspiration.
Materials;
1) Canvas Board (can replace with drawing paper and use another base)
2) Paints
3) Cling Wrap (can replace with plastic sleeves)
Steps;
1) Pour paints directly onto a canvas board. Colours I suggest keep it to 3 or 4.
2) Wrap the board with a cling wrap.
3) Spread the paint.
4) Remove cling wrap.
Feel free to share with your mommy friends who are running out of ideas for their little ones.
Stay home, stay in!
#stayinwithLS
Love,
Selb
]]>On a lighter note, I'm sharing with you how I decorated the postcards we recently launched! Click here for the FREE DOWNLOAD that will be emailed to you after checking out your cart. Please allow for up to 24h for the email to reach your inbox!
I gathered masking tape and circle stickers to block out certain areas on the postcard. The easiest way is to spray colours. I'm using water based spray cans hence it's alright to do it indoors and kids friendly. Alternatively, you may cut out old sponge and dab paints onto the uncovered areas. I used spare paper to block out the postcard to spray in stripes.
Once dried, remove tape and stickers gently. It's ok if some parts are slightly torn.
If you like, you may use black pen or other matching colours to fill up some of the white shapes.
I enjoyed the process of having a few layers to the work.
For the rest of the postcards, I did a pointilism style of painting using cotton buds. I used watercolour paint from the tube and diluted slightly.
It has been therapeutic to spend time painting these postcards. You can frame it up or what better way then to send these postcards to our friends and families who are frontliners working tirelessly to fight #covid19! May we all stay safe and healthy to get through this difficult times together.
-Lully
]]>A people united by their deep respect for Mother Earth and all her creatures, the Bishnois are considered the traditional guardians of wildlife and trees in the desert. Photographers have even captured Bishnoi women feeding black buck calves with their own breast milk to avoid their starvation during particularly hot years in the desert.
Due their dependence on seasonal jobs to make a living, Bishnois often live on limited food and water supplies. Despite that, when I came across a Bishnoi village during my explorations around The House Of Rohet, I was greeted with respect and welcomed in.
Starting with a neem tree flanking the courtyard to thatched roofs, everything about the houses displayed a strong connection to the Earth and humble roots.
As dusk drew closer, I was visiting a Bishnoi home with 3 generations living under one roof. I was invited to look at the cowshed and goat shelters, the domesticated animals being the prized possession for them (as they engaged in selling cow and goat milk to neighboring households). At the end of the walkabout, I asked the grandfather for his blessings to return on my journey. He smiled and insisted I wait for a few moments. Before I could resist, a hot cup of freshly prepared goat’s milk was presented to me.
The mild yellow hue of that milk felt like liquid gold poured into a glass, and it may have well been, since even this glass of goat’s milk was worth a week’s food for the family. As I sipped the milk, a few tears came gliding down my cheeks. It was the most perfect moment I experienced - sunset in the desert, surrounded by the love of a family and enjoying a simple luxury. The warmth of that memory lies deep within, even today. And that experience taught me that nothing is too small to share, and no one is too big to be thankful :)
Love and gratitude,
Damini
]]>
After doing some research online, we found some kids friendly resort at Bintan and prices were dipping down coz apparently, a lot of tourists come from China. We took this chance to go for the most luxurious resort - The Residence compared to some others that were rather old.
My son, Suleiman had just turned 2 months and Iman is about 2.5 years. While some of my family and friends felt we shouldn't have gone, we really wanted to just take a break and honestly, it was also our 4th year anniversary!
Upon reflection, never regretted it because we're probably going to stay put this year given the situation. The 4 days away from busy Singapore was just what we needed. When all things are back to normal and we fear taking the plane too soon, I would highly recommend Bintan. Here's why;
It's only a 45 min ferry ride. Our resort is located quite deep so the van ride took almost an hour plus. It was all worth it - private and secluded.
For families with children 1 year old and above - Our Residence is PERFECT. They have a kids club where you can drop off your kid. On website its stated 3 years and above, but they allow even if your child is 2 plus but you have to sit in. They offer baby sitting services for 1 year old min. This is chargeable. Most activities are free except a few which is about $15sgd per session. (The baking was a paid one.) Here is the schedule of activities.
I was also very amazed that beach and pool time, they have a few staff to be with your child. This allowed me and my hubby have some alone time.
Safe environment with lots of space for kids to run. During low tide, we could walk on the beach so deep and enjoy the swing and hammock. I am not sure if its because it was low season due to Covid19, but definitely the resort is private so you wont ever expect heavy crowds.
Food is HALAL. Do not assume that all resorts in Bintan offer halal food. We checked and even within this resort, there is one restaurant that isn't halal. So we went to the main dining hall where they serve breakfast. Breakfast is AWESOME. Though it was half buffet meaning you choose one main course and all the sides are buffet, you can still choose many mains. I feel this is less wastage as they only cook what we order. We really love the menu and the variety - not too little and not too much. Great balance between asian and western.
Overall, the experience is 10/10. When we arrived, we were worried because there were no shops and town was far. After the first lunch, we thought, damn we should have brought food coz the restaurant is expensive (1 plate of nasi goreng can be $7) but it changed after we had our first breakfast the next day. It was so heavy we could last till dinner. So no lunch for the remaining days.
It was good family time, slowing down and really spending quality time together. All we did was eat, rest, play at the kids club, dip in the beach/pool and thats it. It was enough to keep us occupied and more importantly relaxed.
Believe it or not, we spent less than $800. All included.
Ferry Tickets for 2 adults, 1 2 year old - $120
Accomodation, 4 days 3 nights including breakfast - $475
Lunch X 1, Dinner X 3 - $150
Misc ( 1 paid activity and some snacks before we headed back ) - $20
Total - $765
Start saving now and let's look forward to the next time we can plan a holiday. Stay safe everyone and may we come out of this ordeal stronger and kinder to mother earth.
Love,
Selb
]]>
One memorable incident which questioned me about being street smart was when I was on Gojek- the OG of getting a ride on a bike. I was a bit skeptical but my friend assured me it's quite safe and that she will also be making her way soon. I was rather calm until the rider and I couldn't find the exact location of this communal art house! He made a few turns and decided to drop me off nearby the address.
After I made some calls, I followed my gut and went into the first alley I saw. Apparently the entrance was all the way in. Thank god it was broad daylight and the alley didn't look as dodgy. While finding my way, my paranoia got me worried if I would get mugged or that my friend wouldn't be able to find me. Imagine me - no phones, no wifi, and not familiar with the location. A lot of things came to my mind and all the what ifs started to surface in my head. About half an hour later, she came and it was such a relief.
Chance upon beautiful murals along the alleys.
We are now in a state where the luxury of traveling is not feasible. My wedding is 8 months time and the thought of going to Turkey for my honeymoon is farfetched. I'm not even sure if the situation will get better in the months ahead to even hold a wedding. For now I can only pray and hope that this global pandemic will eventually go away.
As tourism is affected heavily, I wonder about the landscapes around the world. Places I've been to, places I've yet to go. There has been articles of animals visiting the city. It's quite fascinating to learn about new stories happening around the world despite this difficult time.
Here are some of my favourite pictures from the trip.
Eating handmade noodles and cold soya milk. Fresh air and paddy fields!
The neon pink slogan at the back of this truck says, "Happiness don't have to be fancy."
And if I never made the choice to travel to Jogakarta alone, I would not have discovered my self. Sometimes the best way to learn about yourself is to step into the unknown.. In the ideal situation, I wished I had travel more before settling down this year. Having said that, I really hope to see these places and discover myself all over again. This time with my future spouse who's an avid traveller! The lack of travelling in the past made me assume that I'm a hands down city girl but the sight of mountainous landscapes would be nice too.
The ever popular honeymoon destination- Cappadocia,Turkey.
Santorini, Greece
One unique honeymoon destination would be the scenic lake and mountains at Hallstat, Austria.
Lastly, lake Kawaguchi- Ko, Japan.
Our latest prints is a tribute to the ever changing landscapes in the near future. What's best for mother nature amidst this crazy times? Here are sneak peeks of what's next!
- Lully
]]>In these challenging times of #Covid19, we turn into paranoid moms and have started cancelling all enrichments, outings and even have thoughts of pulling our little ones out from schools. Going to indoor playgrounds is a No-No (at least for me) and going outdoor everyday can be too sweaty and exhausting. With the current implementation of travel bans, restrictions and social distancing, staying home for now is the best bet. Now what do we do with our littles ones from the time they wake up and in between their naps and meals?
I have been spending a lot of time researching on home based activities for Iman (2 years, 5 months old) and making sure she is packed with things to do with 45mins of screen time per day. Sounds impossible? I must admit that the easiest way is to let them watch youtube videos or let them play games on our ipads/phones to kill a few hours a day. We're all aware of the benefits of lesser screen time especially for kids below 3 years old, and it’s really not too difficult to come out with activities.
In today's blogpost, I'm sharing with you 5 easy messy play activities you can do with your child, suitable from ages 2 and above. (If your child is younger, make it simpler and lesser materials.) Hear the word messy and you're gonna close this post? Hang on a second.. Since we have ALL the time at home, may as well use the time to get messy with them, wash up together and teach them how to clean up after mess. Trust me, you could end up using a whole good 1 hour. And because they are so immersed in that 1 hour, the rest of the day will fall in place nicely. Tested and proven=)
Things you need: A tray ( I got from IKEA), washable paints, ice and I throw in some toys to make it fun.
Learning: Difference of hot and cold. How water freezes into ice and heat causes it to melt.
How to play: I usually give her a task. "Ok lets clean the animals and shower them." "Now its time to paint the animals." "They are dirty now, lets shower them again."
Things you need: A tray, corn flour, water, spoons, and food colouring ( optional ).
Learning: This is purely sensory, the textures of the flour with water is so fun, even I enjoyed doing it.
How to play: Play with flour first (10mins), then start adding water. Towards the end add some colouring.
*This can get real messy so contain them in an area near the toilet so you can wash up quickly. To clean up the mess, you have to mop with more water. If you wash in the sink, make sure the tap is running a little longer so you won’t choke your sink.
Things you need: Long papers ( I got from IKEA), washable paints, brush or any tools.
Learning: Colour mixing, hand painting. Most of the time we teach kids to paint on the table or floor. On the wall, they are required to move their hands in a different way, improving their hand eye coordination.
How to play: I usually give 1 colour at a time, and a maximum of 3 to 4 colours. This is more controlled as they usually go crazy with all colours. Same with tools, i take out 2 to 3 and give 1 at a time. I usually engage with her and paint together. Sometimes they can do it free style, at times I step in and show different ways. For example, stamp my hand or slide it down, slide it right and slide it left. You'll be surprise with these few techniques, it gives them a head start to explore in their own ways.
Things you need: Long papers ( I got from IKEA), washable paints, toy cars.
Learning: Traffic lights: Red for stop, amber for slow down and green for go. Turning right and left. Straight lines and curved lines.
How to play: I first drew a simple birds eye view of roads. I then planted some traffic lights. I gave her a car and said that she is the driver. Paints has to be watery. Dip the toy car into the container of paints and start the game. When she passes the traffic light, I would say ok.. red light, so she has to stop.
*Iman ended up playing in her own ways and didn't follow my instructions. I almost lost my cool but I thought “hey maybe she isn't ready for this.” I thought it was going to be fun because whenever we drive, she enjoys saying "red abah (dad), stop. Go abah, its green light."
**Rule of thumb is always be open and follow the beat of your child's rhythm.
Things you need: Milk, cotton bud, food colouring, dish washing liquid and a little container.
Learning: Colour mixing and observing the cause and effect of the materials.
How to play: Pour milk into container. Pour food coloring (try with 1 colour first). Squeeze some dish washing liquid onto cotton bud and dip into the mixture. You will see the colour explode. If your child is old enough to understand about the covid virus, you can take this opportunity to say that when your hands are clean and wash with soap, all the virus will run away.
Remember to be fully present during the activity and engage them from the time you prepare till cleaning up. Usually I do this about 10am to 11am, after which Iman will rest and relax and be ready just in time for lunch.
Please do share with me if you try any of these activities and if you make any interesting changes/improvements. (Tag @lullyselb).
Happy exploring mamas. I challenge you to brave the mess!
Love,
Selb
]]>
Today, I would like to share with you a group of women who are dedicated to their craft. Those who have inspired me in my creative journey as well as mental wellness.
I chanced upon these two passionate creatives who were in their prime during their era.
This is Bridget Riley- a painter and printmaker. The inventor of Optical art in the 60s. Her artistic expression was timely post war. Her works were precise using mathematical to create captivating optical illusion.
The next current inspiring creative is Kim Minju, winner of the latest Netflix's Next in Fashion competition. In the beginning she had the awesome Angel as a team. These two never fail to impress with their elegant yet bold silhouettes. Often quirky, they chose bright colours and created their own prints. You got to watch it!
Minju looks eccentric in this photo with the wedding dress she designed. She was actually visualizing how to make the dress look impactful during the runway!
More of her works here.
The 3rd on my list today is Stina Pertisson.
Stina Persson is an illustrator based in Stockholm, Sweden. The appeal of her work lies in her ability to make each piece look effortless. If there is someone I want to be for a day of an artist, its her. I like her fluid ink style together with block shapes; carefree yet strong and bold. She has done collabs with Nike, Reebok, LV and magazines like Harpers Bazaar. You can check out her IG here or go on to her website.
I'm truly inspired by these women and their creative pursuits. I'm at the midst of creating our eid2020 collection so here's a teaser to our new prints!
Lastly, we just launched a new line of LS Essentials shawls, perfect for your everyday wear. Minimal on effort yet 100% on style. Black row is now sold out but we are definitely bringing back. Do share with us your ootd of LSEssentials.
Happy International Women's Day to all of you awesome ladies!
Till my next blog,
Lully
]]>Being a mom of 2 only means less time for myself. Although I must say that my baby number 2 has been real easy and I'm a lot calmer with this whole motherhood thing. Past few weeks, I'm slowly tuning back to work, doing photoshoots which forces me to put on some make up and be camera ready. Its nice to see myself not in homey clothes and looking like I'm just out of bed the whole day.
During one of the shoots, when my husband saw me in full make up and our new LSEssential shawl, he said to me - "Hey this is a fresh look, you look chic." I thought to myself for a moment - wow when was the last time he said something like that?
The Good Life Podcast
I look forward to the podcasts hosted by Mizi Wahid and Nur Adam. They share uplifting stories and some days they invite individuals such as Mizz Nina, Lisa Surihani and Aida Azlin. I enjoy listening to them during my commute.
Dance Videos
Here's a fun fact! I used to dance and performed with my friends in secondary school back then. I remember having abs like Beyonce! Gosh, what happened now? Looking at the rising of many dance groups YouTube, it's really quite fun. While doing my cardio, I enjoy looking Aliya Janell choreography.
Workout Playlist
This playlist was created for LS Experience segment during GlowCo's launch. And some days I would just have my favourite track on repeat!
Just look at the matching Minty Fresh shawl paired with tights of our latest print in collaboration with Glow Co. I'm loving the chiffon version of our print. Light weight! Have you gotten yours?
-Lully
]]>In today's blogpost, I really hope to sincerely share with you why and how ANY woman has all the RIGHTS to have a drug-free, natural birth. I also have no intentions of putting down women who had to take drugs or pushed to a Caesarean birth due to medical reasons.
You may question me back - why do I even want a natural birth? What's so important? My simple 3 answers are;
1) Your body is made to do so - Did you know, I was fully aware of the surrounding and very alert with what’s going on after I pushed the baby, in fact I was the one who told my hubby to take these photos.
2) Healing is faster and less painful - I could receive guests right from day 1 once back from hospital.
3) A natural labour eases you to breastfeeding which is another process I strongly believe in.
Before I share the hows, please remember that every woman's body is different and what has worked for me may not work for you the same. Every labour is different, even if you follow all the tips that I'm about to share, you will have a slightly varied experience.
Here are 5 things I did consistently throughout my pregnancy.
1) Eat clean
I stopped eating fast food when I found out I had conceived. Well I actually cut down ever since my first pregnancy. I also hardly ate out. 90% home cooked food (ok to be fair, I have a helper - so no pressure guys, if you have to eat out, choose healthier options.) I also Green Juice every morning. Even my little toddler Iman take sips of it.
I used to get hungry very easily and needed to snack at night - so i'd make home made granolas, muffins together with Iman and also attempted home made ice cream.
Again, if you do not have the luxury of time, you can snack on fruits, dates, nuts - Not Bubble tea and chips, hehe.
WHY Eat clean - not only should we eat clean all the time, your body wont dilate easily if your sugar levels are high and you don't have all the nutrients.
2) Walk, walk, walk
2nd trimester onwards, I tried to make it a point to walk weekly. Thank god for my Doula, Kak Fad who organised birth walks with other pregnant mummies, made it easier for me to step out of the house to exercise. We would also walk for at least an hour, if not 2 hours at Bedok Reservoir Park or Pasir Ris Park. If weather was too hot or rainy, we'd walk at the airport or Tampines Hub.
The whole purpose of walking is to stay active, so the baby has enough room in your tummy to move about too. Sweating it out also prepares you for the labour - remember giving birth is a physical thing - you need to be at your fittest for a smooth labour.
3) Breathing techniques
As I was counting down to my big day, I would practise my breathing. This is important for you to get through your contractions. Typically a contraction lasts about 30 seconds to 1 min or so. Practise deep breathing for 10 seconds and breathing out for 10 seconds. That’s a total of 20 seconds. So to last 1 min of contractions (60 seconds), you need just 3 cycles of breathing - isn't that doable?? YESS!!
4) A supportive spouse
Throughout my pregnancy, I'm super blessed that my hubby was in this together with me. He would eat clean with me, walked with me (on top of my birth walks, we did a few walks at Mount Faber and nearby our park). He also annoyingly disallowed me to buy junk food or unhealthy snacks. The only time we had to eat out and slightly unhealthy was during our trip to Turkey.
Most importantly, he kept telling me my labour will be easier and on the actual day itself, stood by me and massaged me whenever contractions came.
5) Positive Vibes only
Sometimes the power of our mind is stronger than the body. Even if you ate right, exercised daily, did yoga, had a support system, it all boils down to YOU. To be honest with you, I was very skeptical that despite my efforts, I would still have a long labour like Iman's (34 hours). But I kept telling myself to stay positive, think happy thoughts, count your blessings and know that you'll get through it. Don't forget your prayers coz only God can make it all happen. Every single time I make sujud, I always doa to have a short and smooth labour. Alhamdulillah, exactly that happened for me.
Thats all it takes - a little bit of discipline, effort and GOOD VIBES only. This whole positive experience have led to believe that yes your MIND is powerful. And you gotta surround yourself with people who support you SINCERELY. This also inspired me to our current collection + bundle deals - The Good Vibes Gang. Go get your set now=)
Thank you for reading my blog and I have no intentions of putting pressure on anyone but just want to share what has worked for me. There will always be 2 camps; pro natural VS c-sect, Breastfeeding VS formula, Baby-led weaning VS feeding and so on. There is no one way to your own personal journey and no 2 journeys are the same. Ask around before deciding, do your research, pray to God and again surround yourself with positivity. Shout out to my doala Kak Fad who did an amazing job prepping me for the labour with all her tips and birth walks. Thank you Kak Fad and I wish you the best for 2020. Another shout out to my birth team - hubby and the awesome paramedics - thank you for making in on time at the void deck and sending me and baby in 1 piece to KKH.
To all preggy mamas - YOU GOT THIS!
To all new mamas - If you had a traumatic first labour, let go of the fears coz baby no 2 will surprise you. (if you're planning)
To all women - GOOD VIBES only=)
Love,
Selb
PS: Below is a recap of my labour story for those who didn't watch my IGTV.
7am - Contractions 15 mins apart
11am - Went to NUH for check up, Mucus plug out
12 - Contractions 10mins apart
2pm - Saw Gynae and she confirmed my baby head is down
3pm - Lunch at Crave Nasi Lemak, NUH
4pm - Home
4pm - 6pm - Contractions 5 mins apart
6pm - Decided to go hospital at night after Isyak ( after 8pm)
6pm - 7pm - Contractions 2 mins apart but still very manageable
7pm - Waterbag broke
7 - 7.30pm - Got ready to get to hospital, in between contractions got REALLY strong. Decided to call grab. Called my Doula who was already in NUH, when she heard my voice, she said Call 995 because I said I felt like pushing.
7.30pm - At the lift - again the urge to push got stronger. When I arrived the lift lobby, hubby cancelled grab and called 995.
7.33pm - Paramedics came.
7.50pm - A few pushes and baby was out.
8pm - En route to KKH, delivery suite.
*Active labour was probably from 5pm till 7pm.
]]>
This year I would like to conserve my energy by practising mindfulness.
Photo credit: Spiritual Creative
I also feel the need to be mindful of how I spend my time;pockets of time during commute, quality dates with my loved ones,designing prints and creating art. What about the me time? See, how can I give my best focus to do my tasks and still being able to exercise and getting enough sleep. We will never have enough time right?
With the new notepad we launched for #LSLife it helps me to stay on track. Each person has different styles of working. I try not to fill it with too many tasks on the list as it will make me feel overwhelmed. I would list abt 3-5 tasks and crossing them off before adding new tasks.
Here are my goals and this is what I need to do to achieve them.
1. Lower down body fat percentage
- Drink 3 litres of water everyday (I'm using our new bottle!)
- Eat less & work out more
- Get enough sleep
2. Get work done earlier
- Create a better schedule
- Do work for 45 minutes straight, rest and repeat
- Spend less time scrolling through instagram!
3. Create more art
- Think of new ideas during commute
- Draw/Paint daily
- Stay inspired by going to art galleries
If you missed the art week last few weeks, check out other events such as Singapore Biennale happens once every 5 years. This year the exhibition spread across 5 venues. Shuttle bus is available during the weekends.
There's also another exhibition titled Living with Ink at Art Civilisation Museum. I'm already very excited to check out this one! More pictures in my next time! I shall end my blog with these sneak peek of our new prints. You can also look forward to our next bundle sale happening soon!
Lastly, I would like to wish all of you a productive year ahead and remember to practice self care by conserving all of your energies to things that gives you a peace of mind. Good Vibes only!
-Lully
]]>Since 2017, I’ve been visualising my resolution through words and penning them down as a point of reference.
In my first year practising this concept, the word I wrote was BREATHE. When I had that word in mind, I wanted it to remind myself to stay calm and Zen when Im going through something tough. And true enough, I breathed through the year coz I got hit with a very challenging pregnancy. Mommies out there, you would know how important it is to breathe out the pain we go through during pregnancy and labour and that kept me going for 9 months plus.
In 2018, the word I chose was FOCUS. I wanted to focus on 2 things, my newborn as well as growing my vip club. And yes, I’m Super proud that 2018 I managed to put all my attention on those 2 things.
Just last year, I was ambitious and had 3 words to visualise - Grateful, Change and Grow. God has blessed me with a Son in 2019 and being a mama of 2; these 3 words come became even more meaningful.
Does visualising your resolution or goals really important?
Absolutely.
Will the things still happen to me even if I didn’t write those words?
Maybe. Maybe not.
Am I going to continue this tradition of writing my year mantra?
Definitely.
To me, every positive thing starts with a positive thought. If we want good things to happen, we have to start thinking well. Then comes all the effort and hard work. After going through 2 births, I truly understand the meaning of mind over body. Indeed our minds are so powerful, we can do so much with our bodies.
I’d like to think 2020 will be exciting (though we started with hearing bad news of fires in Australia and the turmoil in Iran and Iraq), I am still full of hope. In the last decade, new innovations have changed the way we work and play. With Instagram, grab, air bnb all created in these last 10 years, I wonder what the future lies for us. I wonder really hard during my confinement on what I can do with Lully Selb to bring it to the next level, making our squad excited all the time. How am I going to cope now that I have another baby. At times I do think of taking things slow with my business while adjusting with my new motherhood. But deep down in me, I have this strong urge to grow the brand and continuously make improvements.
Now it’s time to picture a new word. The word that will drive up my 2020. Here is my primary list of words I came out with.
Balance
Pushing boundaries
Strength
Global
Explore
Out of my comfort zone
Based on past years, I want to keep it focused and stick to 1 word or perhaps a phrase.
*drum rolls*
The BIG NEWS for Lully Selb
What this means to me is doing things differently this year. One of the biggest change we are going to make is to market the Lully Selb to mainstream audience. It is going to be a big shift as we started as a modest wear brand and our followers are mainly the modern malay muslimahs. But increasingly, we get customers from different background and personally I think it's about time we break the stereotype that a brand is only for a certain community. My personal mission is to make Lully Selb worn by both muslims and non muslims, making it a bridge for different communities of ladies to have a common identity. After all, Lully Selb prints are for any women who believes in our story, cause and wants to look stylish, edgy and modern.
Personal/family matters
I am going to make a conscious effort to make the best of my kids' developments. It is very tempting to send Iman (this year she turns 3) to a child care so I could get some work done plus ME time but that would go against my wish to spend more time with her. Its a constant battle in my mind when I find myself scrolling through the net for a suitable school. It is going to be challenging but I want to step out of my comfort zone and work around all our schedules. Nap times means I get to do work and instead of watching netflix every night, some of the time can be spent brainstorming for Lully Selb. I also want to look for meaningful, educational places/things to do with Iman and do up a schedule for her to be able to explore more.
Dear 2019, you taught me that nothing is impossible, ended the year with a void deck birth.
2020, may it be a year full of positive opportunities and outcomes while I push boundaries and try my very best.
PS: Loving our latest #LSLife Bottle with a quote that serves as a reminder to me!
Love,
Selb
]]>
Pior to preparing for the event I was quite anxious, cleaning up the house especially my room which was full of art materials. I am ever so grateful to my family; most importantly my sister who made my room fancy. Look at the room set up by her!
The glam squad; my cousin Rianna who also did the make up for some of our campaigns and fashion show. What I like about her style of make up is that the makeup wasn't 'cakey' and my brows were drawn well; a soft look as I can't pull off super thick brows. Also, another dear cousin Saiful Maroni who made my dress to match the lovely shawl i bought from The Turkish Cloth many years ago! My bouquet of roses were from The Hppy Day Sg.
Two of the gift trays were done by alanros.sg. The Russian honey cake, Medovik with peaches by Puan Ima were so delicious! It was creamy, slightly sweet and light. The tarts by The Wall Flour is another hit favourite. They were grabbed in seconds. My favourite would be the dark chocolate!
Throughout the merisik/tunang discussion outside, it felt very surreal. I got emotional when one of my fiance's aunt came into my room to put a ring on my finger.
And now, preparation for my wedding has begun! So many on the checklist. While waiting for my new abode to be ready in three years, I will have to shop for a new bed to fit in my current room. Just two weeks ago, a dear friend Azawi invited me to check out a new retail experience at District. What's unique about the pop-up is that the innovative tech items on displayed were curated to complement our daily lifestyles. When I was at the pop-up, two items caught my eyes. One was the NOA mattress ( i need ) and Nanoleaf Light Panels! With over 16 million colours, create the ambience you want in your room. They are having a pop-up at NOMAD X Plaza Singapura till April 2020. Quote HUDA15 to enjoy discounts when you shop online!
We are a few days away to 2020 and I've started to commit to my fitness goals already. The latest active sg gyms at Jurong Lake and Hockey Village is so inviting with its brand new looks. While the one at Jurong Lake is super spacious, you can find instagramable walls and spots at Hockey Village. Just in time with fitness journey and the new year, we launched #LSlife items such as tote bag, note pad and water bottles. According to my coach advise, we re to drink up at least 3 litres of water daily to flush up toxins, get clearer skin and bring those body fat percentage down. You will feel a bit bloated at first but the feeling will go away. Drink up in style with our newest water bottle.
Lastly, we are having BOXING DAY sale till 1.1.2020. 20% off storewide! We rarely do 20% off sale, go grab the shawls and new lifestyles items!
-Lully
]]>