Singapore. Photos. Layouts.

It's been almost a month since my last post. I have been really busy -- with Ellen going thru a surgery to remove her first tooth, to travelling to Singapore to renew my passport, to coming home to lots of school and kinder activities, etc, and also trying to think why someone would leave an anonymous comment (which I rejected) to bash me for my last post. Said person got really offended with me "blaming" my children, saying that I if those "little bastards" would be quiet enough, I would probably have locked them up in a closet and left for Bali and no one would know!! And then went on to bash me about spending money on my 'expensive piece of shit' of a handbag, and suggested that if I saved my money, I can take my kids on a holiday and have them looked after at creche the whole time.

My goodness.... this person was truly upset! I don't even know how well he/she knows me, to think (or believe) that I was serious? I guess that's what happens when you blog, and you let people come and read about your daily happenings. They only read about what you write, they don't know you as a person. You'll just have to accept that there are readers out there who could well have had bad experiences at some point in their life, and then take every opportunity they can find, to hide behind an ANONYMOUS nasty comment to break you down because they think they can. You know what, it is my blog. I write whatever I want to, including little evil thoughts sometimes because I'm a human being. I'm not going to cater my blog to only saying nice and angelic things just because I'm afraid of nasty comments.

So yes, Ellen went under surgery to remove her front tooth. Long story cut short, she had a fall about a year ago, and this was the aftermath. Because the tooth was removed at a surgery practice, you cannot take the tooth home with you. So the whole tooth fairy story had to change. The tooth fairy makes special visits to dentists to collect all the teeth removed from children. They will then come to your house at night when you sleep, to give you the money. LOL... anyway, while at the surgery, she was calm and collected right up until the stage where she made the walk to the theatre. I guess seeing hospital beds everywhere, and all the equipment attached to those beds, and then the convoy of doctors/nurses/anaesthetist all in gowns and masks freaked her out, and rightfully so at the tender age of 5. It took 4 grown ups to pin her down on the theatre bed, with her screaming, and a 5th person forced the mask on her face to put her under. No doubt I was still in one piece, it absolutely broke my heart that she had to go through that. The nurses repeatedly asked me if I was Ok and I reassured her I was. I later knew why she kept asking .... because the mother and son team after me, left the poor mother a mess when she was escorted out into the waiting room after her son was put under. She was just beside herself and seemingly very grief-stricken. Apparently many mothers were the same.

Then I made a trip over Mother's Day week to Singapore to renew my passport. Peter had some credit given to him by the airline so my air ticket was heavily subsidised, and I stayed with Gladys, whose apartment is right next to one of my favourite shopping complex. It was a wonderful week. I got to meet Aida, Stasha (Aida's gorgeous daughter) and Jenn for some awesome nasi padang lunch, and then we went to MWL (Made With Love) to have coffee (and shop) with Edleen. I didn't shop much because these girls were shopping and showering me with lots of RAK! It was like Christmas! LOL... these girls are just too nice to me. Oh .... the drinks at MWL cafe are to die for. I ordered a Rambutan Freeze, which was just sooooo refreshingly good on any Singapore day; Aida ordered a Peanut Butter Milkshake, which I probably also unashamedly devoured half. OMG... I've never had anything like it, and I will make them at home now that I know how. ;)

I also spent quite a bit more time with my family than usual, and I'm very pleased with that. We had dinner together twice (once with Chilli Crab and a whole lot of other Singaporean seafood delicacies, and another time at home with Mom's home-cooked food), I took Mum out for sushi lunch once, and Dad and Mum saw me off at the airport when I left. I don't usually get to see them that many times when I go back to Singapore, even when I stay for more than 1 week. So this was one of the reasons that made this trip really pleasant. No doubt I fell sick towards the end, and was missing my husband and kids, and also got tired of shopping (a BIG who-would-have-thought!).

The Sunday after I got back from Singapore, early in the morning at 5am, I was down at Williamstown to meet with the Photography club. There was a field trip organised for us to go to Coode Island to do some photography shots. Look at these photos! They are NOT EDITED in Photoshop at all! Just plain straight from the camera on a tripod, using different apertures and shutter speed.

An overexposed shot of the Bolte Bridge and the city at 6am (F16/30sec)....
A shot of the sheds (?) and boats ....
A shot of the same shed ...
The same Bolte Bridge shot using a wider aperture (F8) and corresponding shutter speed. Can't believe the change in colours just by using a different aperture! I also did a few more layouts before I left for Singapore, some at home, and some at a crop at Ruey's.
Just One - Crate Paper Company papers, Scrapware chipboard borders and journaling bit, and Fancy Pants felt.

Friends - All products from Addicted to Craft. Dream Street papers, Maya Road sheers.

Guilty - Core'dinations cardstock, Sassafras Lass papers, Scrapware chipboard letters and journaling bits, Heidi Swapp and Prima flowers.
Best Mates - All products from Addicted to Craft again. Dream Street papers.

Mojito - Sweetwater papers, Making Memories journal book, Buzz n Bloom chipboard arrow, Heidi Swapp flowers.

Man @ Work - Making Memories paper (background), Chatterbox papers, Doodlebug frill, Hambly frame overlay and rubons, Scrapware journaling bit.

OK, that's all for now. I've taken up too much time to do this. Need to go catch up with some scrapping deadlines. Have a good week ahead!